cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Colorectal cancer screening rates increased after exposure to the patient-centered medical home (PCMH)

Objective: The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) includes comprehensive chronic illness and preventive services, including identifying patients who are overdue for colorectal cancer screening (CRCS). The association between PCMH implementation and CRCS during the Systems of Support to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening Trial (SOS) is described. Methods: The SOS enrolled 4664 patients from 21 clinics from August 2008 to November 2009. Patients were randomized to usual care, mailed fecal kits, kits plus brief assistance, or kits plus assistance and navigation. A PCMH model that included a workflow for facilitating CRCS was implemented at all study clinics in late 2009. Patients enrolled early had little exposure to the PCMH, whereas patients enrolled later were exposed during most of their first year in the trial. Logistic regression models were used to assess the association between PCMH exposure and CRCS. Results: Usual care patients with ≥8 months in the PCMH had higher CRCS rates than those with ≤4 months in the PCMH (adjusted difference, 10.1%; 95% confidence interval, 5.7–14.6). SOS interventions led to significant increases in CRCS, but the magnitude of effect was attenuated by exposure to the PCMH (P for interaction = .01). Conclusion: Exposure to a PCMH was associated with higher CRCS rates. Automated mailed and centrally delivered stepped interventions increased CRCS rates, even in the presence of a PCMH.
The Need for More Specific Formulations of the “Competing-Response” Interpretation of Extinction

The need for more specific formulations of the “competing-response” interpretation of extinction is supported.
Dialogue on Locke's Business Ethics

Edwin Locke's essay, “Business Ethics: A Way Out of the Morass” is a brief for a business ethics founded on objectivism and formulated for management education. While Locke's argument is provocativ...
BCR/ABL: from molecular mechanisms of leukemia induction to treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia.

BCR/ABL: from molecular mechanisms of leukemia induction to treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia
INFLUENCE OF SELECTION FOR MILK YIELD ON ENDOGENOUS HORMONES AND METABOLITES IN HOLSTEIN HEIFERS AND COWS

Plasma concentrations of prolactin (PRL), growth hormone (GH), insulin, glucagon, glucose, urea and free fatty acids (FFA) were measured in Holstein calves, yearlings, bred heifers and primiparous cows, either sired by bulls with high predicted differences (PD) for milk (selection group) or by bulls from an unselected random bred control population (control group; n = 6). Serial blood samples were collected before and after feeding for an 8-h period from 0900 to 1700 h. All animals were fed a complete feed at 1100 h and administered insulin (.6 IU/100 kg body weight) at 1400 h. Mean plasma PRL was greater in control animals after feeding and insulin administration, while GH was greater overall in selection cattle. Insulin remained elevated longer in selection animals after exogenous administration, and plasma glucagon was increased in the control group. While plasma glucose and urea were unaffected by genetic group, plasma FFA were elevated in selection group calves and primiparous cows compared with the control group. All hormones and metabolites differed among the pre- and post-feeding and insulin administration periods and also with age. Mean PRL and GH increased after feeding, while glucagon decreased after exogenous insulin. Plasma FFA declined after feeding, while urea and glucose were similar before and after feeding. Mean PRL increased and glucagon decreased with advancing age and plasma GH and insulin showed inverse relationships at different ages. Plasma FFA changes closely followed GH changes with age, while plasma glucose more closely followed insulin changes with age. Results indicate that all hormones measured and FFA responded to genetic selection for milk, and increases in GH are uniformly associated with increased genetic potential for milk yield.
Probable insomnia is associated with future total energy intake and diet quality in men.

Background Insomnia is associated with several adverse health outcomes. Small clinical studies have suggested that an inferior nutrition status is a potential explanation, but to our knowledge, this possibility has not been examined in a large-scale, population-based cohort study. Objective We examined whether individuals with probable insomnia and individual insomnia symptoms had greater energy intake and a lower diet quality as assessed with the use of the Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) 2 y later. Design A cohort study of 15,273 US men aged 58-93 y who were free of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes and were participating in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study reported information on insomnia symptoms in 2004. Dietary intake was assessed with the use of a food-frequency questionnaire in 2002 and 2006. We calculated the adjusted mean differences of total energy intake in 2006 and the AHEI-component scores and their 95% CIs between subjects with and without probable insomnia in 2004 and also across categories for each insomnia symptom while adjusting for related covariates. Results After dietary intake in 2002, major chronic conditions, and other potential confounders were controlled for, men with probable insomnia had a mean higher consumption of 35.8 kcal/d (95% CI: 17.4, 54.1 kcal/d) and had lower scores in 3 individual AHEI components (trans fat, vegetables, and sodium), which denoted higher consumption of trans fat and sodium and lower intake of vegetables (P ≤ 0.01 for all). For individual insomnia symptoms, nonrestorative sleep and a difficulty maintaining sleep were associated with higher energy intake (P-trend ≤ 0.007 for both). A similar trend was observed in men who had difficulty initiating sleep (P-trend = 0.07). We also observed a significant association between the difficulty of initiating sleep and a lower AHEI score 2 y later (P-trend = 0.004). Conclusion Probable insomnia is associated with higher intakes of total energy, trans fat, and sodium and lower intake of vegetables.
Spectral asymptotics for Kac–Murdock–Szegő matrices

Szegő’s First Limit Theorem provides the limiting statistical distribution of the eigenvalues of large Toeplitz matrices. Szegő’s Second (or Strong) Limit Theorem for Toeplitz matrices gives a second order correction to the First Limit Theorem, and allows one to calculate asymptotics for the determinants of large Toeplitz matrices. In this paper we survey results extending the First and Second Limit Theorems to Kac–Murdock–Szegő (KMS) matrices. These are matrices whose entries along the diagonals are not necessarily constants, but modeled by functions. We clarify and extend some existing results, and explain some apparently contradictory results in the literature.
Experimental and Computational Methodologies to Measure Intercellular Forces during Tissue Development

During two and three-dimensional tissue development, cell-cell confinement, cell-cell traction forces, and the resulting intracellular tension play a key role in regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and apoptosis. Yet, the molecular mechanisms that underlie the biochemical response of living cells to these mechanical forces are largely elusive, in part due to the lack of suitable methods to measure accurately the intercellular forces in developing living tissues with high spatial and temporal resolution.
Signal Normalization Reduces Image Appearance Disparity Among Multiple Optical Coherence Tomography Devices.

PURPOSE To assess the effect of the previously reported optical coherence tomography (OCT) signal normalization method on reducing the discrepancies in image appearance among spectral-domain OCT (SD-OCT) devices. METHODS Healthy eyes and eyes with various retinal pathologies were scanned at the macular region using similar volumetric scan patterns with at least two out of three SD-OCT devices at the same visit (Cirrus HD-OCT, Zeiss, Dublin, CA; RTVue, Optovue, Fremont, CA; and Spectralis, Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany). All the images were processed with the signal normalization. A set of images formed a questionnaire with 24 pairs of cross-sectional images from each eye with any combination of the three SD-OCT devices either both pre- or postsignal normalization. Observers were asked to evaluate the similarity of the two displayed images based on the image appearance. The effects on reducing the differences in image appearance before and after processing were analyzed. RESULTS Twenty-nine researchers familiar with OCT images participated in the survey. Image similarity was significantly improved after signal normalization for all three combinations (P ≤ 0.009) as Cirrus and RTVue combination became the most similar pair, followed by Cirrus and Spectralis, and RTVue and Spectralis. CONCLUSIONS The signal normalization successfully minimized the disparities in the image appearance among multiple SD-OCT devices, allowing clinical interpretation and comparison of OCT images regardless of the device differences. TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE The signal normalization would enable direct OCT images comparisons without concerning about device differences and broaden OCT usage by enabling long-term follow-ups and data sharing.
Correction: Using anion recognition to control the folding and unfolding of a single chain phosphorescent polymer

Correction for ‘Using anion recognition to control the folding and unfolding of a single chain phosphorescent polymer’ by Xiaofan Ji et al., Chem. Commun., 2017, 53, 8774–8777.
The complex example of online search: studying emergent agency in digital environments

Rhetorical agency in online search is not a straightforward proposition, emanating from either users or algorithms. Rather, agency emerges from assemblages that form and disassemble throughout the search session. Specific entities that coalesce into such assemblages include users, environments, technologies, networks, hardware, software, corporations, ideologies, and data structures. This paper proposes Levi Bryant's [11] onto-cartography as a framework for depicting emergent assemblage agency across four aspects of online search: 1) search and its results page; 2) the content of search results; 3) the searcher's research literacy; and 4) the ambient environment of the search session. The paper suggests methods to be used for studying emergent agency and encourages technical communicators to engage in studies that identify and trace rhetorical agency, especially in post-human assemblages of human and nonhuman actants.
High quality flame deposited diamond films for infrared optical windows

The infrared absorption in polycrystalline diamond films deposited in oxygen-acetylene flames is characterized using the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The one-phonon absorption coefficient in the region from 7 um to 12 um that is related to extrinsic defects in the diamond films shows a strong dependence on the flame conditions as well as the substrate temperature. A high degree of diamond crystalline perfection, as judged from the undetectable one-phonon absorption, is achieved under the optimized deposition conditions for our flame setup. This is further supported by the sharp Raman peak at 1332 cm−1 as well as the high purity in crystal orientation according to the x-ray diffraction pattern measured for the high quality diamond films.
The Epidemiology of Chronic Critical Illness After Severe Traumatic Injury at Two Level-One Trauma Centers.

Objective:To determine the incidence and risk factors of chronic critical illness after severe blunt trauma.Design:Prospective observational cohort study (NCT01810328).Setting:Two level–one trauma centers in the United States.Patients:One hundred thirty-five adult blunt trauma patients with hemorrha
Political Reflections: Education of a (Sometime) Radical

This chapter illustrates the development of the author’s political views and ideologies and his education in radicalism. The author discusses Marx, Freidel, and Moore, as well as how his views have changed or remained the same over the years, especially in relation to Barack Obama’s administration.
Advocacy for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: One Call for Redirected Efforts:

This article explores several topics related to advocating for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Included is a discussion of advocacy and integrity applied to the educator's work. Various misdirected advocacy positions are critiqued and a new advocacy agenda proposed focusing on program appropriateness, qualified personnel, least restrictive environment, and meaningful classification and assessment procedures.
Mixed Polynomial Chaos and Worst-Case Synthesis Approach to Robust Observer based Linear Quadratic Regulation

This paper investigates robust observer-based linear quadratic regulation for uncertain linear systems with probabilistic parametric uncertainties. The control objective is to minimize the averaged linear quadratic cost. Polynomial chaos theory is used to formulate the control synthesis in terms of a high-dimensional deterministic expanded system that characterizes stochastic state uncertainty propagation. Errors introduced by using a finite number of terms in the polynomial chaos expansions (PCEs) are neglected by most existing literature. This paper reduces the PCE approximation errors by deriving the expanded system from the stabilized closed-loop dynamics. Further analysis of the approximation error dynamics motivates combining worst-case robustness conditions into the PCE-based synthesis. This mixed approach not only explicitly handles the errors of the expanded system, but also guarantees a worst-case performance bound while optimizing the averaged performance. Numerical simulation comparisons illustrate the efficacy of the proposed mixed synthesis approach.
A new pipeline for clinico-pathological and molecular placental research utilizing FFPE tissues.

Abstract The placenta is at the core of many pregnancy pathologies, but we have limited knowledge about placental function because of two key research barriers: 1) lack of guidelines for sample collection and pathologic diagnosis; and 2) limited tools are available for molecular analysis of stored placental samples. We aimed to create a searchable, population-based placental database of pathologic diagnoses, and to validate molecular methods for gene expression studies of matching formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) placental blocks. Our database has over 1000 pregnancies coded for clinical diagnosis with corresponding FFPE blocks that are available for gene expression studies. RNA harvested from FFPE tissues is of sufficient quality for downstream applications. We successfully used this pipeline to identify FFPE placenta from term and preterm pregnancies, and compared their gene expression. The establishment of this platform, which links clinicopathological data and molecular gene expression, will increase our understanding of obstetrical diseases.
Breastfeeding experiences of same-sex mothers.

Background Family structures are diversifying in the United States, and more same-sex female couples are building families. For two-mother families, complexity exists for breastfeeding as more than one mother can provide human milk. The purpose of this study was to explore the lactation experience and level of lactation support of birth mothers in a same-sex (two female) relationship. Methods This study consists of a mixed methods design using an online survey to identify the demographic of same-sex mothers and qualitative interviews to provide an in-depth understanding of the mothers' experiences. Qualitative content analysis is applied to develop themes from the interviews. Results Sixty-eight participants completed the online survey. Thirty-seven mothers (59%) reported breastfeeding for more than one year. Fourteen (21%) respondents reported accessing induced lactation information for the nongestational parent from their health care practitioner. Forty-three (63%) respondents reported receiving breastfeeding and induced lactation information from other sources. Only nine (13%) nongestational parents underwent induced lactation. Eighteen gestational mothers participated in qualitative interviews. Five themes emerged from the qualitative data: (a) committed to a year, (b) deciding "how to do it," (c) sources of information, (d) involvement of partner, and (e) need for inclusive and educated health care practitioners. Conclusions Same-sex mothers have strong intentions to breastfeed and are resourceful in educating themselves for induced lactation and conursing. Nongestational parents are essential support partners and equivalent in motherhood. Providers need to better equip themselves and incorporate inclusive language in breastfeeding policy statements to support lactation outcomes.
Repositioning White Monolingual English-Speaking Teachers’ Conceptions of Language: Counterstories and Embodied Learning:

Countries are seeing a rise in the number of families and schoolchildren who do not speak English as a first language. This study focuses on how two White monolingual English-speaking elementary te...
Training character: Character attributes and performance profiles among cadets at the United States military academy

This study examined several performance scores of cadets at the United States Military Academy (USMA) and whether these scores formed profiles related to specific character attributes. USMA presupp...
All Sins are not Created Equal: The Factors that Drive Perceptions of Corruption Severity

Despite corruption’s effects on citizen welfare, there is substantial variation in when citizens are willing to sanction government wrongdoing. This paper uses a conjoint survey experiment, conducted in Uganda, to test how information about the position a corrupt official holds, and the details of an act of embezzlement affect citizens’ perceptions of corruption severity and willingness to punish. I find that the revenue source of stolen funds and the sector to which the funds had been allocated have the largest impact on perceived severity, followed by whether stolen funds are spent privately or recirculated through patronage or clientelism. The position the corrupt official holds has a smaller impact on severity, including whether the official was elected and whether he was a central or local official.
Octonion X, Y-product G 2 variants

The automorphism group G 2 of the octonions changes when octonion X, Y -product variants are used. I present here a general solution for how to go from G 2 to its X, Y -product variant.
Uncertainty inference with applications to control systems

Control systems are usually designed based on nominal values of relevant physical parameters. To ensure that a control system will work properly when the relevant physical parameters vary within certain range, it is crucial to investigate how the performance measure affected by the variation of system parameters. In this paper, we demonstrate that such issue boils down to the study of the variation of functions of uncertainty. Motivated by this vision, we propose a general theory for inferring function of uncertainties. By virtue of such theory, we investigate concentration phenomenon of bounded random vectors. We derive multidimensional concentration inequalities for bounded random vectors, which are substantially tighter as compared to existing ones. The new concentration inequalities are applied to investigate the performance of control systems with real parametric uncertainty. It is demonstrated much more useful insights of control systems can be obtained. Moreover, the concentration inequalities offer performance analysis in a significantly less conservative way as compared to the classical deterministic worst-case method.
Black-boxes, flying packets, and espionage: the information trade and Scottish governance, 1689–1691

For the Williamite administration in Scotland, the outcome of the Revolution of 1688–1690 was of considerable uncertainty. The new regime’s experience highlights the profound force of information. ...
Equivalent circuit analysis of a shear-shear mode resonance LiNbO3/Metglas bilayer composites with giant magnetoelectric response

Abstract Previous papers have reported equivalent circuit analysis and circuit models of longitudinal or transverse type magnetoelectric (ME) composites. In this paper, a hybrid Mason's equivalent circuit model is developed for shear piezomagnetic/shear piezoelectric (S-S) mode resonance bilayer composites structure. A high-quality factor (Q-factor) LiNbO3/Metglas shear mode ME structure is then investigated by theoretical modeling of both piezomagnetic and piezoelectric layers. A hybrid shear mode equivalent circuit is presented by introducing the concept of Mason's equivalent circuit model for the piezomagnetic layer. The modeling results reveal the potential of S-S model ME composites with high Q- factor to achieve an exceptional high ME coefficient, e.g., the bilayer structure at resonance of RF frequency (>MHz) exhibits a ME coefficient of 175,000 V/cmOe.
Navigating student resistance towards decolonizing curriculum and pedagogy (DCP): a temporal proposal

A concerted attempt to offer a temporal lens (the way we make sense of and relate to time changes) underlying decolonizing pedagogy and curriculum (DCP) remains absent. Drawing on student resistanc...
Adeno-associated virus (AAV) reduces cortical dendritic complexity in a TLR9-dependent manner

Recombinant adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) allow rapid and efficient gene delivery in the nervous system. AAVs are widely used in research and are the basis of multiple FDA-approved gene therapies. Here, we find that the immune response to AAV9s genome reduces dendritic complexity in mammalian cortex. Dendritic loss associated with AAV-mediated gene delivery occurs at experimentally-relevant titers, cannot be explained by responses to transgene expression or surgery, and is not restricted to a particular capsid serotype, encoded transgene, promoter, or production facility. AAV-associated dendritic loss is accompanied by a decrease in the frequency and amplitude of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) and upregulation of immune molecules that can limit dendritic complexity and synaptic transmission. Blocking detection of unmethylated CpG-rich DNA via Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) protects dendritic complexity, suggesting that immunodetection of a core feature of the AAV genome triggers dendritic loss. These results reveal previously unsuspected impacts of AAV on neuronal structure and function and identify TLR9 inhibitors as important tools to improve the safety and efficacy of AAV-mediated gene delivery in the nervous system.
Conocimiento y enseñanza: fundamentos de la nueva reforma

En este trabajo se aducen, en primer lugar, un conjunto de razones por las que, en el contexto norteamericano, es relevante el conocimiento de la materia en la formacion del profesorado. Despues se hace una revision critica de la investigacion que se ha hecho en este area, centrandose en su propio programa de investigacion sobre “Desarrollo del conocimiento en una profesion”. Finalmente, se definen y exploran cuatro dimensiones sobresalientes del conocimiento de la materia para la ensenanza: conocimiento del contenido, conocimiento sustantivo, conocimiento sintactico y creencias acerca de la materia.
Endoscopic Nd:YAG laser therapy for carcinoma of the esophagus: A new form of palliative treatment

Abstract A new palliative treatment technique for esophageal carcinoma using endoscopic neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser therapy is described in 14 patients for whom no curative therapy is possible. Tumors ranged in length from 5 to 11 cm (mean 8.2 cm) and in 11 patients luminal occlusion before treatment was >90%. The mean number of treatments required to alleviate symptoms and remove obstruction was 5.3 (range 2–13) and the mean number of days required was 11.6 (range 5–28). An average of 4615 W-s were given per treatment and the mean total energy per patient was 24,394 W-s. In all 14 patients, clinical, endoscopic, and radiographic improvement was noted. Two major complications occurred which may possibly have been caused by laser therapy. The overall results are encouraging and hold promise for a patient population in whom the therapeutic options are generally very limited.
Meningococcal disease in day-care centers.

Household contacts exposed to patients with meningococcal disease are at demonstrably higher risk of that disease than the general population.1,2 Less intimate and less prolonged contact such as that involving hospital personnel3 or school classmates4 is not clearly associated with increased risk. This may well be due to the fact that older children and adults commonly have protective antibodies.5 Preschoolers, on the other hand, are more often susceptible as shown by their higher age-specific primary6 and secondary7 attack rates. When a child who attends a day-care center nursery develops meningococcal disease the presumed exposure of numerous susceptibles is a theoretically dangerous situation.
Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy

Facioscapulohumeral (FSH) muscular dystrophy is the third most common dystrophy, after myotonic dystrophy and the dystrophinopathies (Duchenne and Becker), with a prevalence of approximately 1 in 20,000. It is inherited in an autosomal-dominant fashion and has been linked to microsatellite markers on chromosome 4q35. A deletion of a variable number of repetitive elements (known as D4Z4 repeats) leads to the generation of a small EcoRI restriction fragment that is recognized by the p13E-11 probe. The precise mechanism whereby this genetic abnormality results in disease is unclear, but it is thought that the deletion alters chromosomal structure and influences the expression of more centromerically located genes. Because of its slow progression and relatively benign course, FSH is the second most common dystrophy (after myotonic dystrophy) in adults.
Towards understanding the first genome sequence of a crenarchaeon by genome annotation using clusters of orthologous groups of proteins (COGs)

Standard archival sequence databases have not been designed as tools for genome annotation and are far from being optimal for this purpose. We used the database of Clusters of Orthologous Groups of proteins (COGs) to reannotate the genomes of two archaea, Aeropyrum pernix, the first member of the Crenarchaea to be sequenced, and Pyrococcus abyssi. A. pernix and P. abyssi proteins were assigned to COGs using the COGNITOR program; the results were verified on a case-by-case basis and augmented by additional database searches using the PSI-BLAST and TBLASTN programs. Functions were predicted for over 300 proteins from A. pernix, which could not be assigned a function using conventional methods with a conservative sequence similarity threshold, an approximately 50% increase compared to the original annotation. A. pernix shares most of the conserved core of proteins that were previously identified in the Euryarchaeota. Cluster analysis or distance matrix tree construction based on the co-occurrence of genomes in COGs showed that A. pernix forms a distinct group within the archaea, although grouping with the two species of Pyrococci, indicative of similar repertoires of conserved genes, was observed. No indication of a specific relationship between Crenarchaeota and eukaryotes was obtained in these analyses. Several proteins that are conserved in Euryarchaeota and most bacteria are unexpectedly missing in A. pernix, including the entire set of de novo purine biosynthesis enzymes, the GTPase FtsZ (a key component of the bacterial and euryarchaeal cell-division machinery), and the tRNA-specific pseudouridine synthase, previously considered universal. A. pernix is represented in 48 COGs that do not contain any euryarchaeal members. Many of these proteins are TCA cycle and electron transport chain enzymes, reflecting the aerobic lifestyle of A. pernix. Special-purpose databases organized on the basis of phylogenetic analysis and carefully curated with respect to known and predicted protein functions provide for a significant improvement in genome annotation. A differential genome display approach helps in a systematic investigation of common and distinct features of gene repertoires and in some cases reveals unexpected connections that may be indicative of functional similarities between phylogenetically distant organisms and of lateral gene exchange.
Power system stability enhancement using backstepping controller tuned by particle swarm optimization technique

A method for designing controls through the excitation system and particle swarm optimization technique to search for the optimal setting of the controller gains to improve transient stability and damping is presented. Simulation of multi-machine power systems are performed to show the effectiveness of the proposed controller. Comparisons with two other control schemes namely (i) a voltage regulator combined with a power system stabilizer and (ii) excitation controls designed by using the direct feedback linearization (DFL) technique are given to further benchmark the control scheme.
Axl is essential for VEGF-A-dependent activation of PI3K/Akt

Herein, we report that vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) engages the PI3K/Akt pathway by a previously unknown mechanism that involves three tyrosine kinases. Upon VEGF-A-dependent activation of VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2), and subsequent TSAd-mediated activation of Src family kinases (SFKs), SFKs engage the receptor tyrosine kinase Axl via its juxtamembrane domain to trigger ligand-independent autophosphorylation at a pair of YXXM motifs that promotes association with PI3K and activation of Akt. Other VEGF-A-mediated signalling pathways are independent of Axl. Interfering with Axl expression or function impairs VEGF-A- but not bFGF-dependent migration of endothelial cells. Similarly, Axl null mice respond poorly to VEGF-A-induced vascular permeability or angiogenesis, whereas other agonists induce a normal response. These results elucidate the mechanism by which VEGF-A activates PI3K/Akt, and identify previously unappreciated potential therapeutic targets of VEGF-A-driven processes.
Biochemical variation of Cryptococcus neoformans

Ninety-seven strains of Cryptococcus neoformans and C. bacillisporus were examined for 44 biochemical characters and the results were analyzed numerically. One phenon emerged at the 86% level of similarity when strains were clustered according to their M-similarity values. All strains grew in ten carbon sources (D-glucose, D-galactose, arbutin, maltose, sucrose, D-melezitose, D-xylose, D-mannitol, D-glucitol, and meso-inositol), and also grew at 37 ° C and produced urease and phenoloxidase. None of them grew in melibiose, lactose, nor valine, and none reduced nitrate to nitrite. Comparison of selected biochemical characters, creatinine utilization, and serotypes of 49 aberrant strains is presented. Forty-eight of the 97 strains produced the Filobasidiella state either alone or when paired with a strain of compatible mating-type. Filobasidiella neoformans serotypes A and D were interfertile with compatible mating-types of F. bacillispora serotypes B and C. The 44 biochemical characters and 4 serotypes did not predict barriers to mating competence. The present study further substantiates that Filobasidiella neoformans and F. bacillispora are one species.
Infrared Spectroscopic Studies of Poly(perfluoropropyleneoxide) on Gold Substrates: A Classical Dispersion Analysis for the Refractive Index

In order to interpret reflectance infrared spectra for the three-layer system vacuum-poly(perfluoropropyleneoxide)-gold, it was necessary to carry out a classical dispersion analysis for the complex refractive index, n2, of poly(perfluoropropyleneoxide). Also, experimental data for the refractive index of gold, n3, in the infrared was fit to a polynomial to render the real and imaginary parts suitable for computer modeling. The refractive indexes were then used to compute the changes in the infrared reflectance spectra, via Maxwell's equations, as a function of film thickness and angle of incidence.
Relation of left ventricular mass, preload, afterload and contractility in pediatric patients with essential hypertension

Abstract Objectives. The aim of this study was to determine if left ventricular preload, afterload or contractility is a correlate of left ventricular mass index in hypertensive pediatric patients. Background. It is believed that decreased contractility and increased preload are associated with left ventricular hypertrophy in adult hypertensive patients. Methods. Ninety pediatric hypertensive patients underwent echocardiography to assess left ventricular mass, preload (diastolic dimension and volume) and afterload (end-systolic wall stress, vascular resistance and blood pressure). Contractility was assessed by 1) the end-systolic stress/volume ratio, and 2) the difference between measured and predicted velocity of circumferential fiber shortening. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Results. Univariate analysis showed significant correlations between left ventricular mass and 1) body mass (r = 0.33, p Conclusions. Contractility is not significantly related to left ventricular mass. The positive correlation between mass and stress/volume may be due to the dependence of the latter variable on loading conditions. We speculate that both elevated preload and systemic vascular resistance may have a role in the development of hypertrophy in hypertensive pediatric patients.
The future of genetic analysis of neurological disorders.

Molecular genetic analysis has allowed the elucidation of the etiology of many single-gene, neurodegenerative syndromes. However, as yet, it has had little direct impact on our understanding of the etiology in cases with more complex modes of inheritance. With the completion of the sequence of the human genome, it should be possible to start to attack these more complex problems. In this article, we review the genetic methods that may be used to dissect the etiologies of these diseases and outline what types of clinical samples will be needed for this quest.
A transmission utility's experience of replacing automation & synchronising on mesh-type substations

Historically, the application of delayed auto-reclose and synchronising at mesh design substations has proven technically challenging, necessitating a bespoke and complex solution to providing this functionality. Coincident with the emergence of multifunctional relaybased solutions, circa 2000, National Grid recognised that both its asset replacement programme, and the expansion of the transmission system, needed to align with world practice and solution architecture. National Grid subsequently embarked upon a programme of replacement at both 400 kV & 275 kV, which utilised modern technologies to integrate DAR and synchronising functionality. (5 pages)
Prelase stabilization of the polarization state and frequency of a Q-switched, diode-pumped, Nd:YAG laser

We present an experimental investigation of the energy statistics of the linear polarization components of pulses from a Nd:YAG laser that is repetitively Q-switched with an acousto-optic modulator. Varying the modulator-induced diffraction losses leads to changes in the pulse polarization state and the energy statistics of the polarization components. For conventional Q-switching there is no laser oscillation during the low-Q intervals, and we find that the orthogonal components of the pulses can display large relative energy fluctuations even though the total pulse energy is quite stable. In the prelase mode, a weak continuous-wave background seeds the Q-switched pulses and results in the emission of highly linearly polarized, single-longitudinal-mode pulses with small relative energy fluctuations.
NEW APPRAISALS OF OLD PROBLEMS: REFLECTIONS ON THE DELAWARE APPRAISAL PROCEEDING.

A review of this testimony clearly shows that testimony as to value by experts is of such limited use to a trier of fact. Vice Chancellor Hartnett1
Optimizing Fiber Optic Microbend Sensor

Intensity modulation induced by microbending in multimode fibers is considered as a transduction mechanism for detecting environmental changes such as displacement and pressure. The relevant microbend sensor components such as sensing fiber, light source, leads, and detector have been examined and optimized. Finally, the micro-bend sensor has been tested as a displacement sensor demonstrating good performance.
Meteorological Conditions Surrounding the Paradise Airline Crash of 1 March 1964.

Abstract The Paradise Airline crash of 1 March 1964 occurred under conditions reconstructed, according to observational and theoretical evidence, that included a strong mountain lee wave with fully developed foehn and hydraulic jump. For a pilot attempting to ascend from an upwind valley and clear the lee crest, these conditions are extremely hazardous.
Identification of metabolites of 2, 3, 7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-P-dioxin (TCDD) formed on incubation with isolated rat hepatocytes.

Summary Tritiated TCDD was incubated with isolated rat hepatocytes and the resulting incubation mixture subjected to high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The major peak of radioactivity not corresponding to TCDD was incubated with β-glucuronidase. The products of this reaction were derivatized with diazomethane and again subjected to HPLC. Two of the radioactive metabolites isolated by this procedure were found to co-migrate with authentic 1-methoxy-2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and 8-methoxy-2,3,7-trichlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. The identity of these metabolites was also confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
High surface area, low-weight composite nickel fiber electrodes

The energy density and power density of light weight aerospace batteries utilizing the nickel oxide electrode are often limited by the microstructures of both the collector and the resulting active deposit in/on the collector. Heretofore, these two microstructures were intimately linked to one another by the materials used to prepare the collector grid as well as the methods and conditions used to deposit the active material. Significant weight and performance advantages were demonstrated by Britton and Reid at NASA-LeRC using FIBREX nickel mats of ca. 28-32 microns diameter. Work in our laboratory investigated the potential performance advantages offered by nickel fiber composite electrodes containing a mixture of fibers as small as 2 microns diameter (Available from Memtec America Corporation). These electrode collectors possess in excess of an order of magnitude more surface area per gram of collector than FIBREX nickel. The increase in surface area of the collector roughly translates into an order of magnitude thinner layer of active material. Performance data and advantages of these thin layer structures are presented. Attributes and limitations of their electrode microstructure to independently control void volume, pore structure of the Ni(OH)2 deposition, and resulting electrical properties are discussed.
Intact Percutaneous Excision (IPEX) for Definitive Diagnosis of High-Risk Breast Lesions.

Background Open surgical excision (OSE) is generally recommended when image-guided core needle breast biopsy demonstrates a high-risk lesion (HRL). We evaluated intact percutaneous excision (IPEX) with standard radiologic and histologic criteria for definitive diagnosis of HRL, particularly atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH).The primary goal was to confirm criteria associated with <2% risk for upgrade to carcinoma, equivalent to risk associated with BI-RADS 3 lesions, for which imaging surveillance is considered sufficient.
Retained features of embryonic metabolism in the adult MRL mouse

The MRL mouse is an inbred laboratory strain that was derived by selective breeding in 1960 from the rapidly growing LG/J (Large) strain. MRL mice grow to nearly twice the size of other commonly used mouse strains, display uncommonly robust healing and regeneration properties, and express later onset autoimmune traits similar to Systemic Lupus Erythematosis. The regeneration trait (heal) in the MRL mouse maps to 14–20 quantitative trait loci and the autoimmune traits map to 5–8 loci. In this paper we report the metabolic and biochemical features that characterize the adult MRL mouse and distinguish it from C57BL/6 control animals. We found that adult MRL mice have retained a number of features of embryonic metabolism that are normally lost during development in other strains. These include an emphasis on aerobic glycolytic energy metabolism, increased glutamate oxidation, and a reduced capacity for fatty acid oxidation. MRL tissues, including the heart, liver, and regenerating ear hole margins, showed considerable mitochondrial genetic and physiologic reserve, decreased mitochondrial transmembrane potential (ΔΨm), decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS), and decreased oxidative phosphorylation, yet increased mitochondrial DNA and protein content. The discovery of embryonic metabolic features led us to look for cells that express markers of embryonic stem cells. We found that the adult MRL mouse has retained populations of cells that express the stem cell markers Nanog, Islet-1, and Sox2. These are present in the heart at baseline and highly induced after myocardial injury. The retention of embryonic features of metabolism in adulthood is rare in mammals. The MRL mouse provides a unique experimental window into the relationship between metabolism, stem cell biology, and regeneration.
The role of flux ejection in stellar dynamos

Magnetic buoyancy causes the magnetic field in the convective zone of a star to escape through the surface in times short compared to the period of the magnetic cycle. The sun serves as a prototype, where fields of 100-1000 gauss or stronger are present in the convective zone, as part of the 22 year magnetic cycle. The theoretical alpha-omega dynamo effect cannot cope with the rapid escape (in a year or so) because increasing the rate of generation of field serves also to shortern the period, to a value comparable to the escape time. It is suggested that the flux ejection dynamo effect may be operating in the deep convective zone, where the cyclonic rotation of the convective cells may be as large as 180 deg. If so, then the flux ejection effectively opposes the buoyant rise. It is shown that the net effect of flux ejection in the lower convective zone, and unopposed buoyancy in the upper convective zone, permits the alpha-omega-dynamo effect to carry on the cyclic regeneration of the magnetic field much as in the absence of either buoyancy or flux ejection, except that the magnetic field is strongly concentrated against the bottom of the convective zone. It is suggested that the lower and upper regions of the dynamo may be related to the normal and ephermeral active regions, as has already been suggested by others on the basis of the observed distinctions in distribution.
Daily Routines and Crime Using Routine Activities as Measures of Hirschi's Involvement

Since 1969, Travis Hirschi's control theory has been one of the leading explanations of delinquency. The theory has withstood not only the test of time but also rigorous empirical investigations. A...
Occult thyroid carcinoma in Olmsted County, Minnesota: prevalence at autopsy compared with that in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan.

Nine occult carcinomas of the thyroid were found in 157 autopsies of deceased residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, a prevalence of 5.7%. This rate is significantly lower than that reported from a previous autopsy series from Hiroshima-Nagasaki, Japan, in which similar pathologic methods and diagnostic criteria were used. Sex ratio, age distribution, and radiation exposure are considered not to explain this difference. A true difference between the Japanese and American populations with respect to the prevalence of occult thyroid carcinoma is the most likely explanation of these findings.
A glycosylated protoxin in killer yeast: Models for its structure and maturation

The type 1 killer phenotype in S. cerevisiae, mediated by secretion of an 11.5 kilodalton (kd) protein toxin, is cytoplasmically determined by the 1.9 kb M1-dsRNA plasmid. Maintenance of M1-dsRNA is dependent on the 4.5 kb L1-dsRNA because L1 encodes the capsid protein of the virus-like particles that separately encapsidate both dsRNA species. We have shown that in vitro translation of denatured M1-dsRNA produces M1-P1, a 32 kd protein containing the toxin peptides. We now demonstrate the presence of an unstable, 42 kd, membrane-associated, glycosylated protoxin in killer cells, probably derived from M1-P1 by cotranslational processing, and glycosylation. In vitro cotranslational processing of M1-P1, derived both from in vivo mRNAs and from denatured M1-dsRNA, produces a product resembling protoxin. Processing involves loss of 1.6 kd of protein, presumably an N-terminal leader peptide, and glycosylation. This information, together with data on in vitro expression of suppressive deletion mutants of M1-dsRNA, allows construction of testable models for the functional sequence of M1-P1 and for its maturation to toxin.
In defense of comparative statics: Specifying empirical tests of models of strategic interaction

Beginning in 1999, Curtis Signorino challenged the use of traditional logits and probits analysis for testing discrete-choice, strategic models. Signorino argues that the complex parametric relationships generated by even the simplest strategic models can lead to wildly inaccurate inferences if one applies these traditional approaches. In their stead, Signorino proposes generating stochastic formal models, from which one can directly derive a maximum likelihood estimator. We propose a simpler, alternative methodology for theoretically and empirically accounting for strategic behavior. In particular, we propose carefully and correctly deriving one's comparative statics from one's formal model, whether it is stochastic or deterministic does not particularly matter, and using standard logit or probit estimation techniques to test the predictions. We demonstrate that this approach performs almost identically to Signorino's more complex suggestion.
Associative recall in verbal-discrimination learning as related to pronunciation and degree of practice

Associative recall in verbal-discrimination learning as related to pronunciation and degree of practice
Characterizing asbestos fiber comminution resulting from preparation of environmental samples

The evaluation of asbestos fibers by transmission electron microscopy requires that particulate be deposited on a filter and that the filter be prepared for analysis in a manner that retains the spatial characteristics of the particulate as it was deposited. Occasionally, the samples are prepared by redistributing the particulate onto a second filter. While numerous reports have described the effect of the redistribution of the particulate in terms of the number of particles or the resulting size of particles, no study has attempted to model the effect of redistribution. The effect of this redistribution on particle size is evaluated here and is described using standard comminution models. The proposed model is shown to reasonably fit the observed data.