cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Longitudinal Construct Validity of Brief Symptom Inventory Subscales in Schizophrenia.

Longitudinal validity of Brief Symptom Inventory subscales was examined in a sample (N = 318) with schizophrenia-related illness measured at baseline and every 6 months for 3 years. Nonlinear factor analysis of items was used to test graded response models (GRMs) for subscales in isolation. The models varied in their within-time and between-times parameter constraints, with the homogeneous model being the least constrained, followed by the 2-parameter GRM and 1-parameter GRM. Results show that 4 subscales (Interpersonal Sensitivity, Hostility, Paranoid Ideation, Psychoticism) were consistent with the 1-parameter GRM, and 5 subscales (Somatization, Obsessive-Compulsive, Depression, Anxiety, Phobic Anxiety) were consistent with the 2-parameter GRM. There is evidence that the 9 subscales may be validly used to study change in single constructs over time.
The Chromatin Targeting Protein Brd2 is Required for Neural Tube Closure and Embryogenesis

Chromatin modifications are essential for directing transcription during embryonic development. Bromodomain-containing protein 2 (Brd2; also called RING3 and Fsrg1) is one of four BET (bromodomain and extra-terminal domain) family members known to selectively bind acetylated histones H3 and H4. Brd2 associates with multiple subunits of the transcriptional apparatus including the mediator, TFIID and Swi/Snf multiprotein complexes. While molecular interactions of Brd2 are known, the functions of Brd2 in mammalian embryogenesis remain unknown. In developing a mouse model deficient in Brd2, we find that Brd2 is required for the completion of embryogenesis and proper neural tube closure during development. Embryos lacking Brd2 expression survive up to embryonic day 13.5, soon after mid-gestation, and display fully penetrant neurulation defects that largely result in exencephaly of the developing hindbrain. In this study, we find that highest expression of Brd2 is detected in the developing neural tube, correlating with the neural tube defects found in Brd2-null embryos. Additionally, embryos lacking Brd2 expression display altered gene expression programs, including the mis-expression of multiple genes known to guide neuronal development. Together these results implicate essential roles for Brd2 as a critical integrator of chromatin structure and transcription during mammalian embryogenesis and neurogenesis.
Community-Building in a Diverse Setting

Research demonstrates that community-building in schools is an integral aspect of student success. Based on a foundation of research findings related to the importance of implementing community-building into all aspects of a school, community-building activities, including five specific classroom strategies (parent visits class to tell about child, weekly newsletter with interactive activities, bi-monthly open-house hour where children explain school work to parents, Valentine letters filled with true compliments, and a cultural celebration unit focused on Africa), were implemented in an urban magnet school. This school was moving toward racial integration as well as implementation of a Montessori education program. As predicted from research information, incorporating community-building strategies geared at creating a welcoming climate, at improving faculty interaction, at fostering collaborative classrooms, and towards on-going and open teacher/parent communication and collaboration resulted in positive outcomes in what could have otherwise been a difficult, negative or unproductive situation.
The Diagnostician's Portfolio: A Tool for Evaluation and Reflection

This article discusses the benefits of professional portfolios for educational diagnosticians throughout their careers as a means of documenting proficiency and experience in communication, assessment, time management, organization, community resources, and educational planning. Various purposes of the portfolio are considered; for gaining employment, as a tool for informing performance evaluations, for supporting professional growth and development throughout the career, along with differences in the nature of the portfolio according to its purpose. The article also addresses the possible contents, organization, and format of the educational diagnostician's portfolio.
Impaired beta-adrenoceptor function, increased leukocyte respiratory burst, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness

Inflammatory processes have potential importance in the pathogenesis of bronchial hyperresponsiveness and asthma. Because beta-adrenoceptor function may be impaired in asthma, we studied regulation of the leukocyte respiratory burst using blood samples from subjects with bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine. Leukocytes from hyperresponsive subjects were less responsive to the beta-agonist isoproterenol than were leukocytes from healthy control subjects. The magnitude of the respiratory burst was increased in cells from hyperresponsive subjects and correlated with the degree of methacholine responsiveness. These results demonstrate that peripheral leukocytes reflect a functional impairment in beta-adrenergic responsiveness that parallels airway hyperresponsiveness. Because untreated subjects demonstrated a reduction in beta-adrenergic response, the impairment in beta-adrenoceptor function was not a result of drug therapy and may be associated with the pathogenesis of asthma.
Improved liposome immunomigration strip assay for alachlor determination

The feasibility of a simple, single-use immunomigration strip assay for alachlor was previously demonstrated. In the device, capillary action caused alachlor and alachlor-tagged, dye-containing liposomes to migrate through an anti-alachlor antibody zone, on a plastic-backed nitrocellulose strip, where competitive binding occurred. Unbound liposomes continued migration to a liposome capture zone, where they were quantified by densitometry. The amount of liposome-entrapped dye measured in this zone was directly proportional to the alachlor concentration in the sample. This report describes modifications to various components of the system, leading to improvement in the sensitivity of the assay to the point where the maximum contaminant level of alachlor, 2 ppb, can be easily detected. Measurements of liposome size and antibody cross-reactivity are also presented. The new methodology involves acid treatment of the antibody and the use of preincubation of the analyte-tagged liposomes, free analyte and anti-alachlor before initiating migration. This results in strong interactions between the anti-alachlor, liposome and strip such that liposomes that have bound to antibody do not migrate. This inhibition of migration is reversed by free analyte, which competes with the liposome for the available antibody binding sites. As in the previous assay, unbound liposomes migrate to a capture zone where they can be quantified, and the color intensity of this zone is directly proportional to the amount of analyte present. This technique produces an assay capable of detecting alachlor at levels down to 1 ppb.
Measuring mercury in coastal fog water

Mercury, a heavy metal neurotoxin, accumulates in sea life, in some cases reaching levels that make seafood unsafe for humans to eat. How mercury gets into aquatic organisms is debated, but part of the pathway could include mercury carried in precipitation, including rain, snow, and fog. The contribution of mercury in fog water in particular is not well known, especially in foggy coastal areas such as coastal California. To learn more,Weiss-Penzias et al. measured total mercury and monomethyl mercury concentrations in fog water and rainwater samples taken from four locations around Monterey Bay, California, during spring and summer 2011. They found that the mean monomethyl mercury concentrations in their fog water samples were about 34 times higher than the mean concentrations in their rainwater samples. Therefore, the authors believe that fog is an important, previously unrecognized source of mercury to coastal ecosystems. They also explored potential sources of mercury, finding that biotically formed monomethyl mercury from oceanic upwelling may contribute to monomethyl mercury in fog. (Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1029/2011GL050324, 2012)
Modulation of Human Vascular Endothelial Cell Behaviors by Nanotopographic Cues

Basement membranes possess a complex three-dimensional topography in the nanoscale and submicron range which have been shown to profoundly modulate a large menu of fundamental cell behaviors. Using the topographic features found in native vascular endothelial basement membranes as a guide, polyurethane substrates were fabricated containing anisotropically ordered ridge and groove structures and isotropically ordered pores from 200 nm to 2000 nm in size. We investigated the impact of biomimetic length-scale topographic cues on orientation/elongation, proliferation and migration on four human vascular endothelial cell-types from large and small diameter vessels. We found that all cell-types exhibited orientation and alignment with the most pronounced response on anisotropically ordered ridges > or =800 nm. HUVEC cells were the only cell-type examined to demonstrate a decrease in proliferation in response to the smallest topographic features regardless of surface order. On anisotropically ordered surfaces all cell-types migrated preferentially parallel to the long axis of the ridges, with the greatest increase in cell migration being observed on the 1200 nm pitch. In contrast, cells did not exhibit any preference in direction or increase in migration speed on isotropically ordered surfaces. Overall, our data demonstrate that surface topographic features impact vascular endothelial cell behavior and that the impact of features varies with the cell behavior being considered, topographic feature scale, surface order, and the anatomic origin of the cell being investigated.
Cross-talk between the Histidine Protein Kinase VanS and the Response Regulator PhoB: CHARACTERIZATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF A VanS DOMAIN THAT INHIBITS ACTIVATION OF PhoB

VanS is a two-component transmembrane sensory kinase that, together with its response regulator VanR, activates the expression of genes responsible for vancomycin resistance in Enterococcus faecium BM4147. In this report, we demonstrate that the cytoplasmic domain of VanS (including residues Met95 to Ser384) is capable of high level activation (> 500 fold) of the Escherichia coli response regulator PhoB in vivo in the absence of its signaling kinases PhoR, CreC (PhoM), or acetyl phosphate synthesis. In vitro experiments carried out on the purified proteins confirmed that the activation is due to efficient cross-talk between VanS and PhoB, since phospho-VanS catalyzed transfer of its phosphoryl group to PhoB with approximately 90% transfer in 5 min at a 1:4 VanS/PhoB stoichiometry. However, the rate of transfer was at least 100-fold slower than that observed between phospho-VanS and VanR. The in vivo activation of PhoB was used as a reporter system to identify peptide fragments of VanS capable of interfering with activation by VanS(Met95-Ser384), in order to identify an interaction domain. A library of plasmids encoding fragments of VanS(Met95-Ser384) was constructed using transposon mutagenesis, and a subpopulation of these plasmids encoded peptides that interfered with activation of PhoB by VanS(Met95-Ser384). A minimal size fragment (Met95-Ile174) was shown to be both necessary and sufficient for potent inhibition (85%) of this activation.
Computational criticisms of the revelation principle

The revelation principle is a cornerstone tool in mechanism design. It states that one can restrict attention, without loss in the designer’s objective, to mechanisms in which A) the agents report their types completely in a single step up front, and B) the agents are motivated to be truthful. We show that reasonable constraints on computation and communication can invalidate the revelation principle. Regarding A, we show that by moving to multi-step mechanisms, one can reduce exponential communication and computation to linear—thereby answering a recognized important open question in mechanism design. Regarding B, we criticize the focus on truthful mechanisms—a dogma that has, to our knowledge, never been criticized before. First, we study settings where the optimal truthful mechanism is NP -complete to execute for the center. In that setting we show that by moving to insincere mechanisms, one can shift the burden of having to solve theNP -complete problem from the center to one of the agents. Second, we study a new oracle model that captures the setting where utility values can be hard to compute even when all the pertinent information is available—a situation that occurs in many practical applications. In this model we show that by moving to insincere mechanisms, one can shift the burden of having to ask the oracle an exponential number of costly queries from the center to one of the agents. In both cases the insincere mechanism is equally good as the optimal truthful mechanism in the presence of unlimited computation. More interestingly, whereas being unable to carry out either difficult task would have hurt the center in achieving his objective in the truthful setting, if the agent is unable to carry out either difficult task, the value of the center’s objective strictly improves.
The thermoregulatory consequences of heat stroke: Are cytokines involved?

Abstract The thermoregulatory changes induced by prolonged heat exposure consist of hyperthermia in response to direct heat exposure, and a biphasic response consisting of hypothermia followed by “fever”, which develops during long-term recovery. This review discusses the importance of these thermoregulatory responses for prediction of heat stroke morbidity and mortality and the potential role of endogenous cytokines in the regulation of these responses. Current data suggest that the magnitude and duration of hypothermia is directly related to severity of the heat insult, whereas “fever” is a biomarker of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) that ensues during heat stroke recovery. Correlation studies showing elevated cytokine concentrations in human and animal heat stroke models suggest an adverse role of these substances in heat-induced SIRS, although few neutralization studies have been conducted to support this hypothesis. Preliminary results from cytokine and cytokine receptor knockout mice suggest that cytokines may not be involved in the thermoregulatory responses to heat stroke, but in some cases appear to have a protective, permissive role for heat stroke survival.
Unit-Based Staff Hand Hygiene (HH) Monitors To Improve Compliance in a Comprehensive Cancer Center

ISSUE: Both the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization's (JCAHO) patient safety goal and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) guidelines recommend monitoring of hand hygiene adherence and providing feedback to patient care staff. In order to advance patient safety and HH compliance, a three-pronged approach was implemented to enhance HH education, observation and measurement of HH compliance. PROJECT: Three components were implemented to improve compliance with HH practices: Education Component (Phase I) Development and implementation of a mandatory computer-based learning module on hand hygiene for all patient care staff that included HH's “Top Ten List” based on CDC's Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings, 2002 Focused and targeted educational program for fellows, residents and mid-level providers including staff in invasive procedural areas Special educational HH program in Spanish for spanish-speaking staff Training of unit-based HH observers (100) using the Train-the-Trainer model Focus on HH compliance during Patient Safety Week Campaign in March 2005 Evaluation Component (Phase II) Three HH observational periods for assessment of HH compliance by trained HH monitors and infection control practitioners in all patient care areas Monthly self-assessment in patient care area units and diagnostic areas Communication and Feedback of Results Component (Phase III) Communication to staff, managers and administration regarding HH violations and compliance rates Prompt follow-up with re-education in patient care areas where HH violations rates were lower than expected. RESULTS: In Phase I, 100% of patient care staff complied with HH computer-based training. A total of 100 unit-based HH observers were trained using the Train-the-Trainer approach with education on HH basics, use of HH tool and feedback to colleagues and peers. In Phases II and III, observational periods with assessment of HH compliance were implemented by the trained HH observer of each clinical area. Data from observation periods, demonstrated an incremental improvement in HH practices with an initial baseline of 79% and an average of 91% in subsequent periods. LESSONS LEARNED: A coordinated systems approach that includes patient care staff, physicians, committees and administration is essential when initiating a process change. Providing education and feedback to staff and physicians will improve compliance. Identification of areas where additional education and feedback on HH is required and will also improve compliance.
Plan recognition strategies for language understanding

Abstract In recent years the emphasis in natural language understanding research has shifted from studying mechanisms for understanding isolated utterances to developing strategies for interpreting sentences within the context of a discourse or an extended dialogue. A very fruitful approach to this problem has derived from a view of human behavior as goal-directed and understanding as explanation-based. According to this view, people perform actions and communicate to advance their goals, and language understanding therefore involves recognizing and reasoning about the goals and plans of others. This paper explores plan inference in natural language understanding. It presents a core set of ideas on which most models of plan recognition are based and illustrates these by critically analysing three systems in detail. It then discusses issues that have been addressed by various research efforts, explores the major problems that limit the capability of current plan recognition systems, and describes current research directed toward solving some of these problems.
Intraindustry information transfer: An analysis of research methods and additional evidence

This study analyzes estimators used in information transfer research. It concludes that tests which use the announcing firm's abnormal return to proxy for the information signal generally overstate the significance of information transfer due to cross-covariation of regression disturbances. However, some related approaches may actually understate information transfer. Another approach, based on direct estimation of the signal, yields an estimator that is less sensitive to assumptions about regression disturbances. This study also tests hypotheses concerning the influence of industry structure on information transfer, since the econometric analysis suggests that prior results concerning this issue should be interpreted with caution. The evidence indicates that transfers are most pronounced in homogeneous and concentrated industries.
OUT-PATIENT GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY WITH PARANOID SCHIZOPHRENIC PATIENTS.

The treatment of two groups of paranoid schizophrenic patients with group psychotherapy was approached with the following goals in mind: (1) to maintain a group in treatment on an out-patient basis by means of ego supportive psychotherapy and drugs as necessary; (2) to help patients within the group to achieve more successful or healthy adjustments to social, family, and employment relationships by means of the group process.
Therapeutic Agents in Perioperative Third Molar Surgical Procedures

Surgical extraction of third molars is one of the most common of all surgical procedures. The outcome of third molar surgery includes pain, trismus, edema, nausea, infection, and alveolar osteitis. The intent of this article is to provide a literature review and analysis of the various chemotherapeutic agents used to control, minimize, or eliminate these outcomes. Unfortunately, comparison of the published studies represents a tremendous challenge because of the variability in parameters and methods used for each study. A trend does exist among many of the current researchers, who realize that randomized, controlled, evidence-based research rather than personal experience is necessary to develop appropriate guidelines for using chemotherapeutic agents.
Benefits of Screening Mammography

Breast cancer is a leading cause of premature death for women in their forties, and mammographic screening significantly reduces the risk of death due to breast cancer. The latter was the conclusion of the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) meta-analysis of the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of screening mammography1. The USPSTF concluded, however, that the absolute benefit from routine mammographic screening of women in their forties was too low to offset the harms. As a woman in her forties, and a radiologist specializing in breast imaging, I find their conclusions puzzling. RCTs underestimate the true benefits of mammographic screening2. RCTs assess mortality reduction among women randomized to the group invited to be screened rather than those who actually participated in screening. In an RCT, an invited woman who never has a mammogram and dies of breast cancer is counted as having been screened, just as a woman in the control group who decides to have a mammogram outside the trial is counted as having not been screened. In several RCTs, mammographic quality was quite poor or only a single mammographic view was obtained, both of which reduce cancer detection. Two observational studies among women who underwent screening mammography (with the current standard of two views of each breast), comprising millions of person-years of observation of both screened and unscreened populations, reported a 30 to 40% reduction in breast cancer mortality for women in their forties3, 4. However, these high-quality observational data were not considered by the USPSTF, which limited its focus to RCTs. For women aged 40 to 49 in a screening program, on average, about 1 in 460 will be diagnosed with breast cancer in any given year; during that decade of life, one in 69 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer2. The incidence of breast cancer increases with age, particularly above age 40, with the rates at ages 45 to 49 virtually identical to those at ages 50 to 54, and no abrupt change at age 502. At least a third of potential years of life lost to breast cancer occur among women who died of breast cancer after being diagnosed in their forties5. Over 40,000 women die from breast cancer each year, of whom 18% were diagnosed during their forties (personal communication, Carol DeSantis, MPH, American Cancer Society, December 10, 2009); assuming a 30% reduction in breast cancer deaths due to screening, annual mammography prevents over 2000 deaths per year among women diagnosed in their forties in the United States. Mammographic screening also increases the chance of detecting breast cancer small enough to be treated by lumpectomy instead of mastectomy and decreases the need for chemotherapy. Harms of treating more advanced disease and the increased risk of recurrence for women not screened by mammography were not considered by the USPSTF.
Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography biliary tissue sampling

Abstract Confirming suspected pancreaticobiliary malignancy expedites treatment options. Narrowed ducts and periductular fibrosis may, however, limit tissue acquisition to achieve a definitive diagnosis. Based on clinical presentation, the pretest probability of malignancy often determines the approach and extent of evaluation. The least technically demanding technique that is safe, simple, and relatively inexpensive is brush cytology; however, when used alone, it often has an unacceptably low sensitivity. Endobiliary forceps biopsies have demonstrated higher rates for cancer detection but are more technically challenging. At the index procedure, multimodality sampling that involves combining at least 2 sampling techniques (typically brushings and biopsies) should be routinely performed, given a higher rate for detecting malignancy. For indeterminate biliary strictures, cholangioscopy visualization combined with directed biopsies, appears to significantly improve the diagnostic yield of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography sampling. However, although data are available suggesting superiority to brush cytology and conventional forceps biopsy, data from randomized controlled trials are lacking. Further, the role of advanced mucosal imaging and molecular studies continue to evolve.
Two psychologies of perception and the prospect of their synthesis

Two traditions have had a great impact on the theoretical and experimental research of perception. One tradition is statistical, stretching from Fechner's enunciation of psychophysics in 1860 to the modern view of perception as statistical decision making. The other tradition is phenomenological, from Brentano's “empirical standpoint” of 1874 to the Gestalt movement and the modern work on perceptual organization. Each tradition has at its core a distinctive assumption about the indivisible constituents of perception: the just-noticeable differences of sensation in the tradition of Fechner vs. the phenomenological Gestalts in the tradition of Brentano. But some key results from the two traditions can be explained and connected using an approach that is neither statistical nor phenomenological. This approach rests on a basic property of any information exchange: a principle of measurement formulated in 1946 by Gabor as a part of his quantal theory of information. Here the indivisible components are units (q...
Characterizing Ester Crosslinkages in Cotton Cellulose with FT-IR Photoacoustic Spectroscopy 1

Polycarboxylic acids are being developed as new nonformaldehyde finishes for cotton fabrics to replace the traditional dimethyloldihydroxylethyleneurea. In this research, Fourier transform infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy (FT-IR/PAS) was used to char acterize the intermolecular ester crosslinkages in cotton cellulose. When esterification occurs between a polycarboxylic acid and cotton cellulose, the carbonyls retained in the cotton exist in three forms: ester, carboxylic acid, and carboxylate anion. The FT- IR data show that the band of the ester carbonyl can be separated from the bands of the other two carbonyls; therefore, the ester crosslinkages of the finished cotton fabrics can be compared on a semiquantitative basis with FT-IR spectroscopy. FT-IR/PAS was used to study the hydrolysis of the ester linkages, the recurability of the finished cotton fabrics, and the distribution of ester crosslinkages between the surfaces of the cotton fabrics and their interiors.
Intravenous injection of urocortin 1 induces a CRF2 mediated increase in circulating ghrelin and glucose levels through distinct mechanisms in rats

Urocortins (Ucns) injected peripherally decrease food intake and gastric emptying through peripheral CRF(2) receptors in rodents. However, whether Ucns influence circulating levels of the orexigenic and prokinetic hormone, ghrelin has been little investigated. We examined plasma levels of ghrelin and blood glucose after intravenous (iv) injection of Ucn 1, the CRF receptor subtype involved and underlying mechanisms in ad libitum fed rats equipped with a chronic iv cannula. Ucn 1 (10 μg/kg, iv) induced a rapid onset and long lasting increase in ghrelin levels reaching 68% and 219% at 0.5 and 3h post injection respectively and a 5-h hyperglycemic response. The selective CRF(2) agonist, Ucn 2 (3 μg/kg, iv) increased fasting acyl (3h: 49%) and des-acyl ghrelin levels (3h: 30%) compared to vehicle while the preferential CRF(1) agonist, CRF (3 μg/kg, iv) had no effect. Ucn 1's stimulatory actions were blocked by the selective CRF(2) antagonist, astressin(2)-B (100 μg/kg, iv). Hexamethonium (10 mg/kg, sc) prevented Ucn 1-induced rise in total ghrelin levels while not altering the hyperglycemic response. These data indicate that systemic injection of Ucns induces a CRF(2)-mediated increase in circulating ghrelin levels likely via indirect actions on gastric ghrelin cells that involves a nicotinic pathway independently from the hyperglycemic response.
The relation between hand morphology and quadrupedalism in primates

Primate hands can be classified into two broad categories on the basis of ray proportions and other features. Ectaxonic hands are characterized by a longer fourth ray and are found in most strepsirhines. Most haplorhines possess mesaxonic hands which are characterized by a longer third ray. Preuschoft et al. ([1993] in H. Preuschoft and D.J. Chivers (eds.): Hands of Primates. Berlin: Springer-Verlag, pp. 21–30) proposed a biomechanical model which predicts that, during quadrupedalism, a mesaxonic hand should be held in a more neutral position with respect to the forearm, whereas an ectaxonic hand should be more ulnarly deviated. The relation between hand positioning and the mesaxony/ectaxony categorization is investigated for 27 primate taxa. Videotapes were recorded for each species walking quadrupedally on arboreal supports. Several species were also videotaped during ground quadrupedalism. The degree of deviation of the hand relative to the substrate and the grips utilized were quantified for 18 species from the videotapes. Primates with mesaxonic hands use deviated hand positions and grips, especially when walking quadrupedally on small poles. Several species with ectaxonic hands use neutral hand positions and grips when walking quadrupedally on similar supports. Also, several primates, with either ectaxonic or mesaxonic hands, display a combination of deviated hand positions and grips when on arboreal substrates and neutral hand positioning when on the ground. The statistical results indicate that hand positioning during quadrupedal walking is more variable than expected based on the mesaxony/ectaxony classification. Furthermore, radiographic data suggest that primates evolved at least two different mechanisms of hand ulnar deviation. Am J Phys Anthropol 105:185–197, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Acetate Utilization for Maintenance of Motility of Bull Spermatozoa

THE oxidation of acetate by mammalian tissue in vitro has been demonstrated; but comparatively little is known concerning the pathway of its oxidation or the possibility of its oxidation being coupled with phosphorylation. Recently Barcroft, McAnally and Phillipson1 showed that acetate maintained the beat of the perfused rabbit's heart. Their demonstration suggests the ability of acetate to furnish energy for the maintenance of function in this tissue.
Polyenes and vision

Polyenes are important for vision in all sighted species. The visual pigments (the rhodopsins) all use 11-cis-retinal as the chromophore; some possible reasons for the importance of this isomer are now emerging. New results on the involvement of xanthophils in the maintenance of the retina are also discussed.
Stroke and episodic memory disorders

Memory impairments are common after stroke, and the anatomical basis for impairments may be quite variable. To determine the range of stroke-related memory impairment, we identified all case reports and group studies through the Medline database and the Science Citation Index. There is no hypothesis about memory that is unique to stroke, but there are several important facets of memory impairment after stroke: (1) Every node of the limbic system implicated in memory may be damaged by stroke but very rarely in isolation and the combination of amnesia with the associated deficits often illuminates additional aspects of memory functions. (2) Stroke produces amnesia by damage to critical convergence white matter connections of the limbic system, and stroke is the only etiology of amnesia that can delineate the entire pathway of memory and critical convergence points. (3) Stroke also impairs memory, without causing classical amnesia, by damaging brain regions responsible for cognitive processes, some modality specific and some more generally strategic, that are essential for normal learning and recall.
Heterozygosity in capsicum annuum L. limits tissue analysis as a tool for nitrogen management

Abstract Nitrate‐N analysis of chile (Capsicum annuum L.) stem‐petiole tissue from field plots with seven different N treatments showed greater variation within, than among treatments and no significant correlation with red chile yield. A greenhouse study under a uniform soil, moisture and fertility condition using both NO3 and NH4 N sources produced similar extreme variation in both NO3 concentration and in 15N%. There was also no significant correlation between NO3 and 15N% concentrations for different plants grown in the same pot. These data indicate a genetic rather than environmental basis for the variable tissue N concentration, making it very difficult to use tissue analysis as a diagnostic tool to determine N status of mildly pungent, long green peppers grown in the arid Rio Grande valleys of New Mexico and Texas.
The gp120 glycoprotein of HIV-1 binds to sulfatide and to the myelin associated glycoprotein.

We investigated the binding of the gp120 glycoprotein of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) to neural glycolipids and glycoproteins by ELISA. The gp120 protein bound to sulfatide (GalS), a sulfated glycolipid autoantigen implicated in sensory neuritis, and to the myelin associated glycoprotein (MAG), an autoantigen in demyelinating neuropathy. Binding of gp120 to MAG was inhibited by the HNK-1 antibody, which recognizes a sulfated glucuronic acid epitope, suggesting that the interaction involves carbohydrate determinants. Sulfatide and MAG are potential receptors for gp120 in peripheral nerve and may have a role in the neuropathy associated with HIV-1 infection. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Congenital muscular dystrophy with cerebellar atrophy.

SUMMARY Congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD) is a disorder which usually presents at birth with skeletal muscle dysfunction. Cases have been described with associated severe central nervous system (CNS) abnormalities, but usually the condition proceeds without CNS impairment, particularly in less severe cases. A 25-year-old patient is described with clinical and pathological features of CMD accompanied by cerebellar dysfunction, most likely the result of cerebellar atrophy. This patient is thought to have a benign variety of CMD with CNS involvement, and this report stresses the fact that CMD can be associated with minimal CNS abnormalities and have a benign course. RESUME Myopathie congenitale avec atrophie cerebelleuse La myopathie congenitale (CMD) est un trouble qui entraine habituellement des la naissance une dysfonction des muscles squelettiques. Des cas ont ete decrits associes a de graves anomalies du systeme nerveux central (CNS) mais habituellement, les cas ne sont pas associes a une atteinte CNS surtout dans les formes moins severes. L'article rapporte le cas d'un patient de 25 ans presentant les caracteristiques cliniques et pathologiques d'une CMD associee a un syndrome cerebelleux tres vraisemblablement le resultat d'une atrophie cearebelleuse. Les auteurs pensent qu'il s'agit d'une variete benigne de CMD avec atteinte CNS et le cas demontre qu'une CMD peut etre associee a des anomalies minimes CNS et avoir une evolution benigne. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Congenitale Muskeldystrophie mit cerebellarer Atrophie Die congenitale Muskeldystrophie (CMD) ist eine Erkrankung, die sich gewohnlich bei der Geburt durch eine Dysfunktion der Skelettmuskulatur bemerkbar macht. Es wurden Falle beschrieben, die mit schweren Misbildungen des Zentralnervensystems (CNS) einhergingen, aber in der Regal verlauft die Erkrankung ohne Beeintrachtigung des CNS, insbesondere in den weniger schweren Fallen. Es wird uber einen 25 jahrigen Patienten mit den klinischen und pathologischen Merkmalen der CMD berichtet, bei dem gleichzeitig eine cerebellare Dysfunktion, wahrscheinlich durch eine cerebelare Atrophie bedingt, bestand. Man nimmt an, das dieser Patient eine benigne Variante der CMD mit CNS Beteiligung hat und dieser Bericht unterstreicht die Tatsache, das CMD mit minimalen CNS Anomalien einhergehen und einen beningnen Verlauf haben kann. RESUMEN Distrofia muscular congenita con atrofia cerebelosa La distrofia muscular congenita (DMC) es una alteracoh que corrientemente se presenta al nacer con disfuncion de la musculatura equeletica. Se han descrito casos asociados a anomalias graves del sistema nervioso central (SNC), pero por regla general la enfermedad cursa sin anomalias en el SNC, especialmente en los casos menos graves. Se describe un paciente con caracteristicas y anatomopatologicas de DMC junto con una disfuncion cerebelar, probablemente por atrofia cerebelosa. Se Cree que este paciente tenia una variedad benigna de DMC con alteracion del SNC, y esta comunicacion refuerza el hecho de que la DMC puede ir asociada a anormalias minimas del SNC y seguir un curso benigno.
The Church on the Move: Mission in an Age of Migration

Abstract Migration is not only a contemporary challenge but something that humanity has undergone since earliest times. Interwoven into our genetic, biological, and spiritual DNA, it is fundamental to our identity as human beings, and it is also at the core of Christian mission. This article examines (1) the external journey of migrants, (2) the internal journey or spirituality of migrants, and (3) the human journey before God or a theology of migration. The author presents not only what the Church teaches about migration but also the underlying reasons why it does so. It looks at the contemporary challenges of global migration in light of God’s migration to us in the incarnation and our return migration to God through discipleship, mission, and the journey to redemption. It argues that our fundamental identity rests in the end not on the creed of a nation but on who we are as a pilgrim people and our movement outward in mission to strangers in need.
Postlog: Bringing Performance Back In

Performance programs, games, rituals and story telling are looked at as part of the performance of organization. Some leaders in these methods are gifted performers, and they are able to pass on the plots of these themes to succeeding generations of employees.
On Equatorial Waves and El Niño. II: Effects of Air-Sea Thermal Coupling

Abstract Dynamics readjustment of a stratified ocean model to wind perturbations leads to variations in sea surface temperature (SST) related to the early phases of the observed interannual warming of the tropical Pacific known as El Nino. The role that the atmosphere plays in determining the extent and strength of the SST warming is examined through numerical experiments with varying parameterizations for the atmospheric thermal response to SST anomalies. A prior specification of the atmospheric temperature (even as a function of space and time) amounts to assuming infinite heat capacity for the atmosphere. A zero-heat capacity atmospheric model is constructed, in which the surface air temperature is balanced between the SST and a radiative equilibrium temperature. In the latter model, SST perturbations are damped through radiative relaxation from the atmosphere, rather than through direct cooling to the atmosphere. This greatly increases the lifetime of SST anomalies and increases their areal extent. Th...
Inhibition of N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine-induced esophageal neoplasms by the Bowman-Birk protease inhibitor.

Model systems in which carcinogenesis by given agents can be prevented or reduced offer a means of gaining insight into the mechanism(s) of action of carcinogens and the feasibility of chemoprevention in humans. In the current study, the ability of the soy-bean derived Bowman-Birk protease (BBI) to suppress esophageal carcinogenesis induced by N-nitrosomethylbenylamine (NMBzA) was examined. Esophageal lesions were produced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by i.p. injection of 2 mg/kg NMBzA twice weekly for 3 weeks. Groups receiving BBI were fed three tablets a week containing 180 mg BBI each in a mixture of Witepsol H15 and peanut butter for the duration of the experiment. The frequency of papillomas and carcinomas was reduced 45% in groups receiving BBI. Furthermore, the frequency of appearance of five separate characteristics of preneoplastic lesions was significantly reduced in the esophagi of BBI-treated animals. The most significant reduction was in the total number of lesions with simple hyperplasia. Groups receiving NMBzA and placebo tablets, containing only Witepsol H15 and peanut butter, did not display statistically significant differences in the frequency of esophageal lesions as compared to animals receiving NMBzA alone. These results demonstrate that BBI can effectively inhibit NMBzA-induced esophageal tumors when given in tablet form separate from the regular diet.
Hospitalist utilization and hospital performance on 6 publicly reported patient outcomes

BACKGROUND: The increase in hospitalist-provided inpatient care may be accompanied by an expectation of improvement on patient outcomes. To date, the association between utilization of hospitalists and the publicly reported patient outcomes is unknown. OBJECTIVE: Assess the relationship between hospitalist utilization and performance on 6 publicly reported patient outcomes. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: Representatives of 598 hospitals in the United States with direct knowledge of inpatient service models. INTERVENTION: Survey of hospital personnel with knowledge of hospitalist use and hospitalist programs. MEASUREMENTS: Six publicly reported quality outcome measures across 3 medical conditions: acute myocardial infarction (AMI), congestive heart failure (HF), and pneumonia. Using multivariable regression models, we assessed the relationship between presence of hospitalists and performance on each outcome measure; we further assessed the relationship between the percentage of patients admitted by hospitalists and each outcome measure. RESULTS: Of 598 respondents, 429 (72%) reported the use of hospitalist services. In the comparison of hospitals with and without hospitalists, there was no statistically significant difference on any of the mortality or readmissions measures with the exception of the risk-stratified readmission rate for heart failure. For hospitals that used hospitalists, there was no significant change in any of the outcome measures with increasing percentage of patients admitted by hospitalists. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of hospitalists is not an independent predictor of performance on publicly reported mortality and readmissions measures for AMI, HF, or pneumonia. It is likely that broader system or organizational interventions are required to improve performance on patient outcomes. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2012; © 2012 Society of Hospital Medicine
Wnt4 is not sufficient to induce lobuloalveolar mammary development

Background Brisken et al (2000) showed that Wnt4 null mammary glands were deficient in early lobuloalveolar mammary outgrowth during pregnancy, and implicated Wnt4 as an effector for the progesterone-induced mammary growth program. Though ectopic Wnt1 signaling is known to be mitogenic and oncogenic, no endogenously expressed Wnt ligands have ever been directly implicated in mammary growth and morphogenesis. Therefore, we generated conditional transgenic mice to test whether Wnt4 can stimulate mammary epithelial cell growth.
Carbon monoxide suppresses bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is an incurable fibrosing disorder that progresses relentlessly to respiratory failure. We hypothesized that a product of heme oxygenase activity, carbon monoxide (CO), may have anti-fibrotic effects. To test this hypothesis, mice treated with intratracheal bleomycin were exposed to low-concentration inhaled CO or ambient air. Lungs of mice treated with CO had significantly lower hydroxyproline accumulation than controls. Fibroblast proliferation, thought to play a central role in the progression of fibrosis, was suppressed by in vitro exposure to CO. CO caused increased cellular levels of p21(Cip1) and decreased levels of cyclins A and D. This effect was independent of the observed suppression of MAPK's phosphorylation by CO but was dependent on increased cGMP levels. Further, CO-exposed cells elaborated significantly less fibronectin and collagen-1 than control cells. This same effect was seen in vivo. Suppression of collagen-1 production did not depend on MAPK or guanylate cyclase signaling pathways but did depend on the transcriptional regulator Id1. Taken together, these data suggest that CO exerts an anti-fibrotic effect in the lung, and this effect may be due to suppression of fibroblast proliferation and/or suppression of matrix deposition by fibroblasts.
FEA-based impedance method for designing active structures

The impedance method predicts the response of a structure to piezoelectric patch actuators. The drawback has always been that the structure's impedances had to be calculated analytically. This work uses fmite element analysis (FEA) to generate the structure's impedances from eigenvectors. This approach allows for the method to be applied to a much wider variety of structures than before, as for many structures of interest the necessary closed form expressions do not exist. At present, the method has been used with two-dimensional structures, though it should be extendable to any structure that can be accurately modeled by FEA. From a single fmite element run, multiple actuator and response locations can be examined. The equations to recover the impedances and structure's response from a FEA normal mode analysis are developed. The method is then experimentally verified for plates with different boundary conditions, material types, and actuator orientations. Comparisons are made between calculating the impedances using just the eigenvectors at the center points of the patch sides and using a shape function to describe the eigenvectors along the patch sides. The method is found to accurately predict the plate's response. In several cases the predicted response fell within the range of experimentally recovered responses.
Alcohol use, ethnicity, and disability: A comparison of African-American and Caucasian groups

Previous research has consistently reported that alcohol consumption among the general population varies across cultural groups. However, studies investigating risk factors and drinking patterns of African-Americans and Caucasians with disabilities have been limited. The current study explored the factors of alcohol use among African-Americans and Caucasians with disabilities who were seeking rehabilitation services in three mid-western states. Multivariate data analysis revealed that African-Americans were more likely to use alcohol than their Caucasian counterparts when other demographic and disability variables were controlled. Additionally, separate multiple-regression models differentiated patterns between African-Americans and Caucasians in selected variables on alcohol use. Cultural issues and implications for rehabilitation services are discussed.
Block copolymers by transformation of living ring-opening metathesis polymerization into controlled/living atom transfer radical polymerization

A general method of transformation of living ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) into controlled/“living” atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) is reported for the preparation of block copolymers. For example, the macroinitiators PNB−C6H4−CH2Br (Mn = 30 520, Mw/Mn = 1.09) or PDCPD−C6H4−CH2Br (Mn = 12 100, Mw/Mn = 1.24) were prepared by ROMP of norbornene (NB) or dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) and subsequent Wittig-like reactions with p-(bromomethyl)benzaldehyde. These compounds were used as efficient macroinitiators for homogeneous controlled/“living” ATRP to prepare block copolymers with styrene (St), PNB-b-PSt (Mn = 110 400, Mw/Mn = 1.06) and PDCPD-b-PSt (Mn = 20 100, Mw/Mn = 1.37), and methyl acrylate (MA), PNB-b-PMA (Mn = 85 100, Mw/Mn = 1.07) and PDCPD-b-PMA (Mn = 25 300, Mw/Mn = 1.47).