cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of genetic variation and association in the matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) gene in ESRD patients.

Abstract Background: Matrix metalloproteinases are Zn2+- and Ca2+-dependent endopeptidases secreted by many cells. Expression of the matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) gene is increased in a variety of renal diseases. Several genetic studies have associated MMP9 with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Methods: In this study, 2.2 kb of the promoter region and all 13 exons (3.3 kb) of MMP9 genomic DNA were scanned for polymorphisms. Genetic associations between MMP9 polymorphisms and renal disease were evaluated. Results: Eleven single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; 4 promoter, 6 coding region, and 1 3′ untranslated region [UTR]) were identified in Caucasians and 19 SNPs (11 promoter, 8 coding region, 1 3′ UTR) were identified in African Americans. A previously identified highly polymorphic (CA)n repeat in the promoter region of MMP9 also was evaluated. We found 15 alleles in Caucasians and 14 alleles in African Americans. Allele frequencies, genotypes, and 3-marker haplotypes were compared between patient and control populations. Differences were not observed using single-locus analyses. Two haplotypes that included the (CA)n repeat allele in African-American patients with type 2 diabetic nephropathy (T2DM/ESRD) showed borderline significant differences. Dichotomizing the (CA)n repeat distribution showed that shorter alleles in Caucasian cases were associated with ESRD using an additive disease-predisposing model (P = 0.05). Analysis of the (CA)n repeat in expanded sets of subjects showed strong evidence for an association of shorter alleles with ESRD in Caucasians (P = 0.00012) and suggested a similar trend in African Americans with T2DM/ESRD (P = 0.086) and subjects without T2DM/ESRD (P = 0.047). Conclusion: This comprehensive analysis of MMP9 and renal disease suggests a possible role for the (CA)n repeat in renal disease, consistent with previous reports.
Circulating leptin levels are not associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in women with diabetes: a prospective cohort study

Aims/hypothesis Leptin, an adipocyte-secreted hormone, plays an important role in regulating neuroendocrine and immune function as well as insulin resistance and metabolism. Our objective was to examine the relationship between leptin levels and cardiovascular morbidity and overall mortality in women with type 2 diabetes.
Effect of Yttria and Yttrium‐Aluminum Garnet on Densification and Grain Growth of Alumina At 1200°–1300°C

Densification and grain growth of alumina were studied with yttria or yttrium-aluminum garnet (YAG) additives at the relatively low temperatures of 1200°–1300°C. Yttria doping was found to inhibit densification and grain growth of alumina at 1200°C and, depending on dopant level, had a lesser effect at 1300°C. At 1200°C, yttria inhibits densification more than it hinders grain growth. The rate of grain growth increases faster with temperature than the rate of densification. Alumina-YAG particulate composites were difficult to sinter, yielding relative densities of only 65% and 72% after 100 h at 1200° and 1300°C, respectively. Pure YAG compacts exhibited essentially no densification for times up to 100 h at 1300°C.
On the relation between finitely and infinitely repeated games with incomplete information

For a class of repeated two-person zero-sum games with incomplete information it was proved byAumann andMaschler that\(\mathop {\lim }\limits_{n \to \infty } v_n\) exists,Νn being the value of the game withn repetitions. As for the speed of convergenceAumann andMaschler showed that the error termδn=¦Νn−limΝn¦ is bounded from above byc/√n for some positive constantc. Both results have been generalized byMertens andZamir. It is shown in this paper that the above mentioned theorem about the speed of convergence is sharp in the sense that there are games in whichδn≥c′/√n for some positive constantc′. However there are games for which δn is of a lower order of magnitude, for instancec′(logn)/n≤δn≤c (logn)/n orc′/n≤δn≤c/n. Sufficient conditions are given here for games to belong to one of these categories as well as examples of games from each category.
HIV risk among substance-using men who have sex with men and women (MSMW): findings from South Florida.

Compared with men who have sex with men only (MSMO), men who have sex with men and women (MSMW) consistently report higher rates of two HIV risk behaviors: transactional sex (TS) and concurrent substance use and sex (CSS). Within MSMW, little is known about how synergistic epidemics (“syndemics”) affect TS and CSS. Using a sample of substance-using MSM (n = 515) in South Florida, we compared TS and CSS among MSMO and MSMW; examined whether, within MSMW (n = 86), TS and CSS predict unprotected anal intercourse with partners of serodiscordant/unknown HIV status (SU-UAI); and tested whether syndemics predict TS and CSS. MSMW reported higher rates of engaging in both TS and CSS (AOR = 1.7; 95 % CI 1.0–3.0). Within MSMW, engagement in both TS and CSS predicted SU-UAI (AOR = 3.3; 95 % CI 1.2–9.6); and syndemics predicted TS and CSS involvement (p < 0.01). Substance-using MSMW may benefit from interventions targeting TS, CSS, and background syndemics.
Surgical techniques in the performance of unicompartmental arthroplasties

The technical principles of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) are similar to but subtly different from totalknee arthroplasty (TKA). Reestablishing the joint line of the diseased compartment and restoring the altered anterior cruciate ligament, posterior cruciate ligament, and collateral (medial and lateral) kinematics are the goals of surgery. When proper indications exist, normal knee function is possible. Instrumentation systems plus surgical expertise must provide for accurate compartment resurfacing of the femoral condyle and tibial plateau. Technical errors of malposition (rotational, varus-valgus, flexion-extension) and gap imbalance (depth of resection) will negatively affect stability, mobility, wear, and fixation with less than satisfactory clinical outcomes. Because few UKAs are performed, even by so-called experts, more attention to detail is required. Excellent long-term results can be appreciated when patient selection, prosthetic design, and surgical technique are optimal. This section addresses the key technical aspects of UKA that will affect clinical results.
Multimedial Exposures: The Modernist Self-Portrait in Text and Image

In the early twentieth century, many artists began to develop experimental modes of envisioning the self that were inseparable from the new sensory reality of modern life. Textual examples of personal writing in the Modernist era, including poetry and prose by Rainer Maria Rilke and Else Lasker-Schuler, demonstrate an engagement with characteristics of visual media, resulting in a form that is closer to the painterly or photographic self-portrait than to conventional personal narratives such as diary or memoir. Examples from Rilke, Lasker-Schuler, and Paula Modersohn-Becker underscore the role of self-portraiture, in both visual and textual forms, as a means not of summing up a lifetime but of situating identity as ephemeral and highly contextualized. In part because of their own new and uncertain status within artistic and urban communities, women artists in particular tended to embrace this fleeting construction of identity, using the guise of public exposure as a method of presenting an image of the se...
Enabling end-user network monitoring via the multicast Consolidated Proxy monitor

The debugging of problems in IP multicast networks relies heavily on an eclectic set of stand-alone tools. These tools traditionally neither provide a consistent interface nor do they generate readily interpretable results. We propose the ``Multicast Consolidated Proxy Monitor''(MCPM), an integrated system for collecting, analyzing and presenting multicast monitoring results to both the end user and the network operator at the user's Internet Service Provider (ISP). The MCPM accesses network state information not normally visible to end users and acts as a proxy for disseminating this information. Functionally, through this architecture, we aim to a) provide a view of the multicast network at varying levels of granularity, b) provide end users with a limited ability to query the multicast infrastructure in real time, and c) protect the infrastructure from overwhelming amount of monitoring load through load control. Operationally, our scheme allows scaling to the ISPs dimensions, adaptability to new protocols (introduced as multicast evolves), threshold detection for crucial parameters and an access controlled, customizable interface design. Although the multicast scenario is used to illustrate the benefits of consolidated monitoring, the ultimate aim is to scale the scheme to unicast IP networks.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Local and systemic effects of the multifaceted epicardial adipose tissue depot

Epicardial adipose tissue is a unique and multifaceted fat depot with local and systemic effects. This tissue is distinguished from other visceral fat depots by a number of anatomical and metabolic features, such as increased fatty acid metabolism and a unique transcriptome enriched in genes that are associated with inflammation and endothelial function. Epicardial fat and the heart share an unobstructed microcirculation, which suggests these tissues might interact. Under normal physiological conditions, epicardial fat has metabolic, thermogenic (similar to brown fat) and mechanical (cardioprotective) characteristics. Development of pathological conditions might drive the phenotype of epicardial fat such that it becomes harmful to the myocardium and the coronary arteries. The equilibrium between protective and detrimental effects of this tissue is fragile. Expression of the epicardial-fat-specific transcriptome is downregulated in the presence of severe and advanced coronary artery disease. Improved local vascularization, weight loss and targeted medications can restore the protective physiological functions of epicardial fat. Measurements of epicardial fat have several important applications in the clinical setting: accurate measurement of its thickness or volume is correlated with visceral adiposity, coronary artery disease, the metabolic syndrome, fatty liver disease and cardiac changes. On account of this simple clinical assessment, epicardial fat is a reliable marker of cardiovascular risk and an appealing surrogate for assessing the efficacy of drugs that modulate adipose tissues.
Triglyceride structure of cow's milk fat. A review.

Abstract The structural investigations have given us some insight into the biosynthesis of milk fat. We know that most, but not all, of the short-chain acids are terminal and that in whole milk fat, the secondary position contains more S than U. The intraglyceride and interglyceride distribution of fatty acids is nonrandom and does not fit the 1,3-random 2-random theory. Yet, the similarity of the reported findings of the structure of milk fat are most striking when the sources are considered. Some were made on butteroil from a pooled source and some on individual cow samples. If due allowance is made for variations in fatty acid composition due to feed, etc., then the similarity is remarkable. Much remains undone on the elucidation of TG structure, particularly on the relation of the various kinds of TG's to physical and chemical properties. As the quantities of the TG isomers change, so must the properties. It is disappointing that so few individual TG's have been identified, but this is probably academic. Identification of TG classes should be sufficient for most purposes.
Characterization of high gap state densitites in heavily hydrogenated a-Si

Abstract Measurements are reported of dc conductivity, photoconductivity spectral dependence, photoconductivity time decay and photoluminescence in rf sputtered a-Si:H samples made at high hydrogen pressures and also in phosphorus doped specimens. The data show that a close similarity exists between these two groups of samples and imply that additional states appear in the gap. The experimental data are used to infer two features in the state distribution, 1.2eV and ∼ 0.3eV respectively below the conduction band.
Experimental and theoretical studies of dissolution roughness

Periodic dissolution patterns that result from the interaction of a soluble surface and an adjacent turbulent flow have been investigated experimentally and theoretically. They occur at a Reynolds number based on a characteristic wavelength and friction velocity of about 2200. Experimental results for the stable geometry, propagation, mass-transfer distribution, average mass-transfer correlation and friction factor are presented. An interpretation based upon the repetitive transitional nature of the flow structure is advanced to explain aspects of the origin and behaviour of this type of roughness.
The differential effects produced by cis‐ and trans‐DDP on DNA in calf thymus nucleosomes

Calf thymus nucleosomes containing H1 were treated with dichlorodiammineplatinum (DDP) at low binding ratios (r = 0.05–0.15). Change in the electrophoretic mobility of the extracted nucleosomal DNA was observed following treatment with cis-DDP and little change with trans-DDP. There was a decrease in the electrophoretic mobility of the nucleosomal DNA as well as obliteration of the nucleosomal repeat distance. The fluorescence intensity of terbium binding to the extracted DNA showed minimal change following drug treatment. However, the thermal melting behavior of the nucleosomal DNA was altered to a greater extent following cis-DDP treatment at 280 rather than 260 nm and a destabilization of the DNA helix was observed. These data suggest that in the whole nucleosome, cis-DDP produces greater structural effects on the packaged DNA than trans-DDP, although similar amounts of drug are bound with both isomers.
Reduction potentials of antimycobacterial agents: relationship to activity

Abstract Electrochemical studies (reduction potential and reversibility) were performed on several antimycobacterial agents to gain insight regarding the proposal that many drugs exert part of their activity via an electron transfer process which results in the production of oxidative stress or the disruption of electron transport systems. Reduction potentials provide data relevant to the feasibility of electron transfer in vivo. Categories of antimycobacterial agents include iminium-type ions from ethionamide and pyrazinamide, coordination complexes (Cu or Fe) of chelators (isoniazid, thiosemicarbazones, p -aminosalicylic acid, and ethambutol) and quinone types (clofazimine). Reduction potentials ranged from 0.26 to −0.6 V. Relevant literature data are discussed.
Brain Indices of Nonconscious Associative Learning

Abstract Using a classical conditioning technique, this study investigated whether nonconscious associative learning could be indexed by event-related brain activity (ERP). There were three phases. In a preconditioning baseline phase, pleasant and unpleasant facial schematics were presented in awareness (suprathreshold). A conditioning phase followed, in which stimuli were presented outside awareness (subthreshold, via energy masking), with an unpleasant face (CS+) linked to an aversive shock and a pleasant face (CS−) not linked to a shock. The third, postconditioning phase, involved stimulus presentations in awareness (suprathreshold). Evidence for acquisition of a conditional response was sought by comparing suprathreshold pre- and postconditioning phases, as well as in the subthreshold conditioning phase itself. For the pre-postconditioning phase analyses, significant ERP component differences differentiating CS+ and CS− were observed for N1, P2, and especially P3. For the conditioning phase, significant differences were observed in the 100–400 ms. post-stimulus region reflecting a CS+ processing negativity. Brain activity does indeed index the acquisition of a conditional response to subthreshold stimuli. Associative learning can occur outside awareness.
Interstitial cystitis: Successfulmanagement by increasing urinary voiding intervals

A variant of the interstitial cystitis (IC) syndrome, minimal or no pain or significant pain that has been lessened by another therapy, can be clinically improved by retraining of the individual's voiding pattern. Patients with greater pain but capable of completing this protocol also may be helped. While this group of patients fills the diagnostic criteria of IC and has many of the classic changes, many differ in that they have minimal or no pain, while simultaneously they have a dysfunctional bladder as expected from long-term low-volume voiding. All patients were placed on a protocol which focused on progressively increasing intervals between voids. Fifteen to thirty minutes initially were added to their present voiding time. The same increase was added to the voiding pattern every three or four weeks until an interval of three to four hours between voids was achieved. Twenty-one patients fit the criteria to be entered into this study. Overall 71 percent (15/21) had successful management of their symptoms and reported a 50 percent decrease in their symptoms of urinary urgency, frequency, and nocturia. Nineteen percent (4/21) reported 25 percent decrease in symptoms and 10 percent had no change. Presence of significant pain adversely affects outcome, 3/7 (with pain) improvements versus 12/14 (without pain). For all patients there was a significant increase in bladder capacity (92 mL average before study and 179 mL after) and average daily voids (13.2/day prestudy and 7.4 post-therapy). These differences in voided profiles were statistically significant (p value less than 0.01).
Control of Plant Bugs and Other Insects on Kentucky Bluegrass Grown for Seed

Insecticide tests were conducted in bluegrass fields to study the control of plant bugs and other insect pests; also the effect of these insects on yields of foliage and seed. Most insecticides gave excellent control of plant bugs but Leptopterna dolabratus (L.) was more difficult to kill than Amblytylus nasutus (Kirschbaum). Dieldrin was more effective as an emulsion than as the granular formulation. Control broke down when the bugs became adults. However, adult movement was for a comparatively short distance and damage to seed was not demonstrated by this stage of the insects. In dieldrin-treated plots, leafhoppers were suppressed at first but built up later to populations exceeding those of the untreated plots. Some insecticides probably had a carry-over effect against plant bugs from one year to the next. There was a residual effect against the armyworm ( Pseudaletia unipuncta (Haworth)) and grasshoppers ( Melanoplus spp.) hatching after the earlier spring insecticide applications. Increases in yield of viable seed in some insecticide-treated plots were significant, but a relationship to insect control was not established.
Functional impairment among preschoolers using mental health services

Abstract Serious emotional disturbance that develops before the age of 6 can interfere with crucial developmental processes, presaging a lifetime of problems. We identify the social stress and illness characteristics of children under the age of 6 years in U.S. specialty mental health programs, and estimate the relative influence of these characteristics on functional impairment with data from the national Client/Patient Sample Survey in order to recommend strategic interventions. Between one-third and three-quarters of preschoolers were seriously impaired, based on Global Assessment of Functioning scores of ≤ 50 and ≤ 60, respectively. Nearly 40% were admitted to mental health services without a psychiatric diagnosis or were identified as having psychiatric problems that stemmed from family stress (e.g., assigned an adjustment disorder). Factors associated with functional impairment in multivariate analyses were (1) minority versus non-minority, (2) public-insurance versus private insurance coverage, and (3) a psychiatric diagnosis of pervasive developmental disorder versus no diagnosis. Programming that addresses the complexities of early childhood development and the social stresses that contribute to poor outcomes will be necessary for effective preventative services and psychiatric treatment for the youngest youths in mental health care. This will require collaboration between mental health clinicians and child welfare professionals.
Heuristic search approach for mobile robot trap recovery

Abstract Trap recovery is required for autonomous mobile robots that sense and avoid local obstacles as they maneuver along a goal-oriented path. We have developed a heuristic search-based recovery algorithm that isinvoked immediately whenever a potential trap situation is identified. This algorithm generates intermediate short distance target points (via points) that are used as temporary goals to guide the robot out of thetrap situation and allow it to reach a final destination without "stopping-then-thinking" whenever traps are encountered. Real-time navigation is achieved by reacting quickly to the local sensor-detected feedbackinformation and employing on-line reasoning and planning to provide trap recovery. I. Introduction It is often important for mobile robots to navigate autonomously in unknown and changing environments.Several local obstacle avoidance algorithms have been developed for robot guidance [1, 2, 4, 5]. However, mostof them do not provide recovery from simple a-shaped trap situations (e.g. dead end) which is vital for trulyautonomous navigation. We have developed an advanced mobile robot navigation system that can be integratedinto the control systems of mobile robots to provide improved autonomous guidance. The techniques describedhere have been used with a modified commercial mobile robot platform that is intended to provide assistance toindividuals with mobility, cognitive and perceptual difficulties as well as to perform various tasks in hazardousenvironments.We present an approach which allows the mobile robot to recover from trap situations. This new approachdevelops two maps concurrently, a high level map for local obstacle avoidance and a low level map for traprecovery. A local obstacle avoidance algorithm used with the high level map allows the robot to traverseits pathand avoid collision with "enroute" obstacles. Whenever the robot nears or enters a trap, a heuristic search-basedrecovery algorithm is invoked to compute intermediate via points1 as temporary targets that move the robot awayfrom the trap. The trap recovery algorithm uses the low level inap and employs heuristic rules to determine thesearch goal and to evaluate the qualifications of each candidate via point. This approach allows the algorithmto employ environmental knowledge to accomplish more intelligent navigation. The robot continues its journeyunder the guidance of the local obstacle avoidance algorithm by using either the nearest qualified via point or thefinal target as its heading direction.The experimental results clearly demonstrate the success of this new approach. Because of the utilization of thetechniques described in the next section, our mobile robot recovers from trap situations without "stopping-then-
Stereotypes in the communication and translation of person impressions

Abstract Communications about other people may be shaped by group stereotypes. This study examined how racial stereotypes about academic performance affected communicators’ descriptions of individuals and interpreters’ “decoding” of those descriptions. Participants assigned to a “communicator” role viewed a college transcript of a Black or White student, and communicated their impressions to a peer. These communications were more positive when the target was Black than White. However, yoked “interpreters” back-translated the communications to mean that the Black student had an objectively worse record than the White student, an effect that did not emerge among interpreters blind to the student’s race or among no communication controls. Communicators also mis-remembered the Black student’s record as worse than the White student’s. These effects suggest the use of “shifting standards” to communicate about Blacks and Whites and to decode subjective evaluations, an interactive process that may contribute to stereotype maintenance.
Effect of the Use of Bovine Somatotropin on Culling Practices in Thirty-two Dairy Herds in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio

Data from 5468 Holstein dairy cows in 32 herds were used to determine the effect of the use of bovine somatotropin (bST) on culling practices over a 13-mo period. After an initial herd inventory, monthly information regarding cow entry and exit from the herds was obtained by seven participating veterinarians. Culling was coded by farmers for the following reasons: low production, reproduction, somatic cell count, mastitis, sickness, dairy purposes, lameness, death, and other. In the control herds, cows were not treated with bST during the trial. Adopter herds were defined as herds that utilized supplemental bST for ≥25% of the cow-days during the trial. Mean herd use of bST in adopter herds was 38.6%. No difference in the number of cows culled per cow-day at risk was detected between control and adopter herds (0.09 and 0.11%, respectively). Amount of in-herd use of bST was unrelated to culling. No significant differences were determined between adopter and control herds in the percentage of cows that were culled for any of the nine possible culling reasons. The results of this study suggest that culling patterns in herds that use bST are unaffected for at least the first year after adoption.
Synthesis of high specific radioactivity 3,5‐[3H6]dimethoxy‐4‐hydroxyacetophenone, an inducing compound of the vir gene in Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Acetosyringone (3',5'-dimethoxy-4'-hydroxyacetophenone, 1) is one of the plant signals that induce the vir genes of Agrobacterium tumefaciens which causes crown gall tumors on dicotyledonous plants. Vir gene induction is enhanced by other environmental factors like specific monosaccarides and acidic pH. However, it is still unclear how the inducer interacts with Agrobacterium. To identify the receptor(s) in Agrobacterium tumefaciens to which the plant signal binds, highly radioactive acetosyringone (3,5-[ 3 H 6 )dimethoxy-4-hydroxyacetophenone, 6) was synthesized using C 3 H 3 l which was generated by two different methods. In Method 1, C 3 H 3 l was generated from 4-[methyl- 3 H]methoxy biphenyl to give methyl species with tritium NMR peak intensity ratios (C 3 H 3 :C 3 H 2 H:C 3 HH 2 = 44 : 42 : 14), and a calculated specific radioactivity of 56.1 Ci/mmole. Method 2 gave higher specific radioactivity reagent (72.6 Ci/mmole), with measured NMR peak intensity ratios of (C 3 H 3 : C 3 H 2 H : C 3 HH 2 = 87 : 7 : 6).
A constant-factor approximation algorithm for TSP with pairwise-disjoint connected neighborhoods in the plane

In the Euclidean TSP with neighborhoods (TSPN) problem we seek. shortest tour that visits a given set of n neighborhoods. The Euclidean TSPN generalizes the standard TSP on points. We present the first constant-factor approximation algorithm for planar TSPN with pairwise-disjoint connected neighborhoods of any size or shape. Prior approximation bounds were O(log n), except in special cases.
Effect of thermal need on responses to pictorial stimuli.

Summary In order to provide more rigorous experimental evidence on the question of need projection in thematic materials, 72 U. S. Army enlistee volunteers were subjected to systematically varying degrees of body cooling and confronted with pictorial stimuli, varying in relevance, to which they could make quantifiable vicarious heat-seeking responses. Thermal need was independently assessed as a negatively accelerated inverse function of ambient temperature, and responses to the most relevant stimuli provided conclusive evidence of need projection as a similarly accelerated function. Scenes which differentiated significantly between thermal conditions were those which suggested the more immediate and thorough reduction of thermal discomfort. The relevance of results to studies of motivated perception was discussed.
The new formal competency-based curriculum and informal curriculum at Indiana University School of Medicine: overview and five-year analysis.

AbstractThere is growing recognition in the medical community that being a good doctor requires more than strong scientific knowledge and excellent clinical skills. Many key qualities are essential to providing comprehensive care, including the abilities to communicate effectively with patients and
Vaginal-cervical epithelial permeability decreases after menopause

Abstract Objective: To determine the effects of menopause (aging and E) on vaginal-cervical epithelial paracellular permeability. Design: Experimental, basic clinical research. Setting: Academic research environment. Patient(s):Premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal women, aged 35–65 years. Intervention(s): Primary to tertiary cultures of normal human ectocervical epithelial cells on filters. Cells were outgrown from surgically discarded ectocervical minces. Main Outcome Measurement(s): Changes in paracellular permeability were determined as changes in transepithelial electrical conductance and pyranine permeability. Result(s): [1] Levels of transepithelial electrical conductance and pyranine permeability decreased as women's age advanced. [2] Removal of E from the culture medium decreased paracellular permeability. Treatment of cells in vitro with 10 nmol/L 17β-E 2 increased transepithelial electrical conductance and pyranine permeability, but the effects were additive to the age-related decrease in permeability. [3] Coadministration of 100 nmol/L tamoxifen blocked the E increase in paracellular permeability in cells of both premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Conclusion(s): [1] Aging and E deficiency decrease independently vaginal-cervical epithelial paracellular permeability. [2] The E increase in vaginal-cervical epithelial paracellular permeability in cells of postmenopausal women is mediated by the E receptor. [3] The E increase in vaginal-cervical epithelial paracellular permeability in cells of postmenopausal women is masked by age-related increase in the tight junctional resistance, leading to overall decrease in paracellular permeability.
An Optimization Framework for Calibration of Material Models

Abstract In order to make the process of material model development more systematic for energetic materials, we have developed a procedure that makes use of nonlinear optimization to derive optimal values of parameters in the material models. A framework has been developed that makes use of the optimization software package LS-OPT driving the hydrocode CTH (CTH is developed and maintained at Sandia National Laboratories, LS-OPT is developed by LSTC). CTH was used to model a set of characterization experiments that were used as the basis for the calibration of a particular model; for example, the cylinder test was used to calibrate the JWL equation of state, and the wedge test for the HVRB reactive burn model. As a verification test of the framework, we have determined material model constants for PBX-9404 and compared them to values published in the literature as well as the equation of state library models in CTH.
Photocatalytic degradation of hydrogen sulfide and in situ FT-IR analysis of reaction products on surface of TiO2

Abstract The photocatalytic oxidation of hydrogen sulfide at the gas/solid interface was investigated using TiO 2 as the photocatalyst. A malodorous compound, hydrogen sulfide was removed via a photocatalytic process under ambient conditions. Hydrogen sulfide was oxidized to sulfate species on the surface of TiO 2 without producing a noticeable gaseous intermediate, e.g., sulfur dioxide. The formation of sulfate species was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The surface chemistry of this photocatalytic oxidation was probed using two different types of in situ infrared (IR) spectroscopy techniques: diffuse reflectance IR spectroscopy (DRIFTS), and thin-film transmission IR spectroscopy. From the results obtained from DRIFT analysis, sulfate ions were accumulating proportionally with time on the surface of the catalyst during the course of the photocatalytic reaction. From further information gleaned from the transmission IR spectra (detected peaks at 1093 and 996 cm −1 ), SO 2 − may be one of the predominant intermediates that appear over the time of this reaction. Although these results do not reveal the entire reaction pathway of the conversion of sulfides to sulfates, our results using these in situ FT-IR techniques have been valuable in confirming that the photocatalytic oxidation of hydrogen sulfide occurs on the surface of particulate TiO 2 .
On the Gau–Wu number for some classes of matrices☆

Abstract For a given n × n matrix A, let k ( A ) stand for the maximal number of orthonormal vectors x j such that the scalar products 〈 A x j , x j 〉 lie on the boundary of the numerical range W ( A ) . This number was recently introduced by Gau and Wu and we therefore call it the Gau–Wu number of the matrix A. We compute k ( A ) for two classes of n × n matrices A. A simple and explicit expression for k ( A ) for tridiagonal Toeplitz matrices A is derived. Furthermore, we prove that k ( A ) = 2 for every pure almost normal matrix A. Note that for every matrix A we have k ( A ) ⩾ 2 , and for normal matrices A we have k ( A ) = n , so our results show that pure almost normal matrices are in fact as far from normal as possible with respect to the Gau–Wu number. Finally, matrices with maximal Gau–Wu number ( k ( A ) = n ) are considered.
Image reconstruction for computer tomography using the bimodal optical computer

Image reconstruction for computer tomography using an optical computer is proposed and tested. The computer simulation results are reported.
Engineering properties of two types of pulverized fuel ash

Abstract The engineering characteristics of two types of pulverized fuel ash (PFA) are investigated in terms of their geotechnical properties. The two PFAs investigated are (1) a ‘lagoon’ PFA, subsequently stockpiled and then end-tipped for infilling an old gravel pit in Staffordshire, and (2) a ‘conditioned’ PFA used to create a mound adjacent to a coal power station in Yorkshire. Measurements of strength and compressibility characteristics are discussed with respect to predicting the behaviour of these two PFAs vis-a-vis slope stability and settlement. Charts are presented (a) for determining settlements of lagoon PFAs, and (b) for establishing strength parameters of conditioned PFAs.
Does a Third Party Observer Affect Neuropsychological Test Performance? It Depends

This study is a meta-analysis of available literature examining the effect of an observer on cognitive task performance. Of the 210 identified relevant articles, 62 met inclusion criteria yielding a final sample with 4405 individuals (2496 observed cases, 1909 not observed). The overall effect size was significant (d=-0.24), i.e., the presence of an observer was associated with poorer performance. However results were moderated by the effect size calculation method, cognitive domain, visibility of the observer, and number of observers. Attention, learning/memory, and delayed recall tasks were most adversely impacted by the presence of an observer.
Doing arithmetic by hand: Hand movements during exact arithmetic reveal systematic, dynamic spatial processing

Mathematics requires precise inferences about abstract objects inaccessible to perception. How is this possible? One proposal is that mathematical reasoning, while concerned with entirely abstract ...
Principal component analysis of CYP2C9 and CYP3A4 probe substrate/inhibitor panels

Cytochrome P450 (P450) inhibition often occurs in a strongly substrate- and inhibitor-dependent manner, with a given inhibitor affecting the metabolism of different substrates to differing degrees and with a given substrate responding differently to different inhibitors. Traditionally, patterns of functional similarity and dissimilarity among substrates and inhibitors have been studied using clustering analysis of pair-wise correlation coefficients. Principal component analysis (PCA) is a widely used statistical technique that identifies the globally most significant independent trends in a set of data. Here, we show that PCA can be usefully applied to study the differential effects on a panel of P450 probe substrates by a panel of inhibitors, using published data on CYP3A4 (Kenworthy et al., 1999) and CYP2C9 (Kumar et al., 2006). PCA can detect functional similarities among substrates and inhibitors that are not readily apparent using pair-wise clustering analysis. PCA also allows identification of the functionally typical and atypical substrates that might be used in combination to fully explore the P450 functional landscape.
Forecasting friendship: How marital quality, maternal mood, and attachment security are linked to children's peer relationships

Abstract Mothers' perceptions of marital quality and depressed mood and children's attachment security and friendship quality were assessed in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. One month after their birth and again when the children were 3 and 4 years old and in first and third grades, mothers rated the quality of their marital relationship; when the children were 2 years old, the Attachment Q-Set was used to assess the mother–child attachment relationship; the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale was used to measure the mother's depressed mood when the child was 2 years old and in third grade; and when children were in fourth grade, they were observed interacting with their best friend to assess friendship quality. Using a series of regression and path analyses, we determined whether and how marital quality, maternal mood, and attachment security predicted friendship quality. Better quality friendship interactions in fourth grade were significantly associated with better marital quality and greater attachment security. The association between marital quality and friendship quality was partially mediated by attachment security. Friendship quality was not related to maternal mood.
Influence of Personality on a Senior Project Combining Innovation and Entrepreneurship

A pilot multidisciplinary engineering senior design project incorporating innovation and entrepreneurship was undertaken at SanJose State University in the 2010–2011 academic year. The influence of personality domains described by the Big-Five(extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness) on individual student performance, groupexperience, and attitudes towards multidisciplinarity, after the conclusion of the first semester of a two semester experience, areexplored in this paper.
Capillary Flow in an Interior Corner

The design of fluids management processes in the low-gravity environment of space requires an accurate model and description of capillarity-controlled flow in containers of irregular geometry. Here we consider the capillary rise of a fluid along an interior corner of a container following a rapid reduction in gravity. The analytical portion of the work presents an asymptotic formulation in the limit of a slender fluid column, slight surface curvature along the corner, small inertia, and low gravity. New similarity solutions are found and a list of closed form expressions is provided for flow rate and column length. In particular, it is found that the flow is proportional to t(exp 1/2) for a constant height boundary condition, t(exp 2/5) for a spreading drop, and t(exp 3/5) for constant flow. In the experimental portion of the work, measurements from a 2.2s drop tower are reported. An extensive data set, collected over a previously unexplored range of flow parameters, includes estimates of repeatability and accuracy, the role of inertia and column slenderness, and the effects of corner angle, container geometry, and fluid properties. Comprehensive comparisons are made which illustrate the applicability of the analytic results to low-g fluid systems design.
Clerkship enhancement of interpersonal skills.

Abstract Background The purpose of this research was to determine if students improve interpersonal skills as the third year progresses despite the lack of any specific curriculum or teaching methods. Methods Third-year students completed 1 of 3 16-week sequential clerkship blocks. Each student completed a clinical performance examination before and after clerkship consisting of a videotaped standardized patient interview and physical examination. Videotapes were randomly assigned to communication faculty for evaluation. Results Although the majority (73%) of students improved during their block, 17% showed no improvement, and 12% had deficient interpersonal skills after their clerkship. Conclusions Despite the lack of skill-directed curriculum, most medical students showed improved interpersonal skill performance after a 16-week clerkship. Developing an interpersonal curriculum for all third-year students may not be necessary. Because faculty are being asked to do more with less, we believe efforts focused on individual students during the third year will be more productive.
Cryoablation: a novel approach to neurolysis of the ganglion impar.

THE ganglion impar (also known as the ganglion of Walther) is a solitary retroperitoneal structure at the caudal end of the sympathetic chain. Blockade of this ganglion has been advocated as a means for managing intractable perineal pain. Chemical neurolysis has been the technique of choice for therapeutic neurolytic blockade of the ganglion impar because of a lack of viable alternative techniques. 1 The use of cryoablation for neurolysis of the ganglion impar has not been heretofore reported. Using a novel technique, a patient with perineal pain after rectal surgery for removal of tumor received successful long-lasting pain relief without adverse sequelae from cryoablation of this ganglion. This report demonstrates that cryoanalgesic lesioning of the ganglion impar is efficacious using the technique reported here.
Heart failure due to "disappearing" aortic valve in hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

We present the unusual case of a “disappearing” aortic valve in an infant with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (mitral and aortic stenosis) that underwent Norwood palliation at birth and subsequent...
Extracellular TG2: emerging functions and regulation

Tissue transglutaminase (TG2) is a ubiquitously expressed member of the transglutaminase family of Ca(2+)-dependent crosslinking enzymes. Unlike other family members, TG2 is a multifunctional protein, which has several other well documented enzymatic and non-enzymatic functions. A significant body of evidence accumulated over the last decade reveals multiple and complex activities of this protein on the cell surface and in the extracellular matrix (ECM), including its role in the regulation of cell-ECM interactions and outside-in signaling by several types of transmembrane receptors. Moreover, recent findings indicate a dynamic regulation of the levels and functions of extracellular TG2 by several complementary mechanisms. This review summarizes and assesses recent research into the emerging functions and regulation of extracellular TG2.
Role of collagenase clostridium histolyticum in Peyronie's disease

Peyronie’s disease is a localized connective tissue disease characterized by an active, inflammatory phase and a stable, quiescent phase, with the eventual development of collagenous plaques within the tunica albuginea of the penis. Risk factors primarily associated with Peyronie’s disease include Dupuytren’s contracture, penile trauma, and family history. A variety of treatment strategies have been utilized, including oral and topical agents, electromotive drug administration, intralesional injections, extracorporeal shockwave therapy, penile traction, and surgery. However, most of these strategies are ineffective, with surgery being the only definitive treatment. Collagenase clostridium histolyticum is a newly US Food and Drug Administration-approved agent for intralesional injection. It is thought to downregulate many of the disease-related genes, cytokines, and growth factors and degrade collagen fibers. It also suppresses cell attachment, spreading, and proliferation. Collagenase clostridium histolyticum has been clinically proven to be a safe and effective therapeutic option, demonstrating decreases in penile curvature and plaque consistency, as well as increases in patient satisfaction. During clinical evaluation, the Peyronie’s Disease Questionnaire was validated as an effective tool for assessing treatment outcomes.
Long-term changes in forest composition and diversity following early logging (1919-1923) and the decline of American chestnut (Castanea dentata)

Chestnut blight fungus (Endothia parasitica [Murr.] P.J. And. & H.W. And.)) is a classic example of an invasive species, which severely damaged populations of its host, Castanea dentata, and had widespread and long-term impacts on eastern North American forests. Concurrently, forests were further disturbed by lumbering, which was common across the region from the mid 1800s to the early 1900s. In 1926, local infestations of chestnut blight were reported in the Coweeta Basin, Southern Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. We used permanent plot inventories of the Basin (first sampled in 1934 and twice afterward in 1969–72 and 1988–93) to describe the distribution of species along a complex environmental gradient. Specifically, we asked: How does vegetation change over approximately 60 years following logging and the demise of C. dentata? Does the association between vegetation and environment determine the pattern of species distributions through time? Which species replaced C. dentata across this complex environmental gradient? We used nonmetric multidimensional scaling ordination and multiresponse permutation procedure for the analyses of the inventory periods. In 1934, C. dentata was the most important species in the Coweeta Basin. It was present in 98% of the plots and contributed 22% of the total density and 36% of the total basal area. Diversity increased significantly over time and was attributed to an increase in evenness of species distribution. The canopy dominant, C. dentata, was replaced by more than one species across the environmental gradient. Importance values of Quercus prinus, Acer rubrum, Cornus florida, Tsuga canadensis, and Oxydendrum arboreum increased by 2–5% across the basin following the decline of C. dentata. Tsuga canadensis increased in abundance and distribution, especially near streams across elevations. Liriodendron tulipifera replaced C. dentata in moist coves, which have low terrain shape and high organic matter content. In contrast, Q. prinus and A. rubrum were ubiquitous, much like C. dentata before the chestnut blight becoming dominant or co-dominant species across all environmental conditions.
Eye movement recording: a brief review.

The history of the electro-oculographic method of recording eye movements is briefly reviewed. Its dependence on the corneo-retinal potential difference is demonstrated.