cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A genome-wide association analysis of loss of ambulation in dystrophinopathy patients suggests multiple candidate modifiers of disease severity

The major determinant of disease severity in patients with severe Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) or milder Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) is whether their dystrophin gene (DMD) mutation disrupts the mRNA reading frame or allows expression of a partially functional protein. However, even in the complete absence of dystrophin, variability in disease severity is observed, and candidate gene studies have implicated several genes as possible modifiers. Our previous genome-wide association study (GWAS) for age at loss of ambulation (LOA) in DMD provided confirmation for the role of genetic modifiers of TGF-β signaling in disease progression. Here we present the largest genome-wide search to date for loci influencing disease severity in DMD patients. Availability of subjects for such studies is still quite limited, leading to modest sample sizes, which present a challenge for GWAS design. We have therefore taken special steps to minimize heterogeneity within our dataset at the DMD locus itself, taking a novel and conservative approach to mutation classification to effectively exclude the possibility of residual dystrophin expression. We have also utilized statistical methods that are well adapted to smaller sample sizes, including the use of a novel linear regression-like residual for time to ambulatory loss and the application of evidential statistics for the GWAS approach. Based on the resulting sample size of N = 419 patients, we have identified multiple potential candidate genetic modifier loci. In a companion paper to this one, we use a systematic bioinformatic pipeline to implicate specific genes within these loci as potential DMD modifiers.
THREE-DIMENSIONAL SUSPENSION STRUCTURES

An analytical procedure is presented for determining displacements of elastic three-dimensional suspension structures subjected to static loads applied in any direction, to temperature change, and to support movement. The structures considered are composed of cables and compression members which are assumed incapable of resisting bending. The analytical method is valid regardless of the magnitude of the displacements. Large sets of simultaneous nonlinear algebraic equations result from the analysis. Two methods are used for their solution: the method of continuity and an incremental load method. In the method of continuity the algebraic equations are transformed into nonlinear differential equations which are numerically integrated. In the incremental load method the loads are applied incrementally and the equations solved at each load level by means of an iterative technique. Both methods of solution were programmed for an electronic digital computer having a large storage capacity. These programs were used for numerical studies of isolated cables, counterstressed dual cable structures, and prestressed nets.
Foundations of Dynamic Economic Analysis: Necessary and Sufficient Conditions for Infinite Horizon Control Problems

In many optimal control problems in economics, the planning horizon is assumed to be of infinite length. This means that the person who solves such an optimal control problem is choosing the time path of the control variables for eternity at the initial date of the planning horizon. At first glance, the infinite horizon assumption may seem to be an arbitrary and extreme one, but in fact it is often less extreme than it first appears. For example, it is often just as arbitrary and extreme to assume that a firm would stop planning at some finite date in the future. This issue is especially pertinent if one takes the view of a planner making decisions for an entire economy. Thus the infinite horizon assumption is no more or less extreme, in general, than the assumption of a finite planning horizon. In the end, the choice of the horizon length should be made based on the appropriateness of the assumption for the economic question under consideration as well as the qualitative implications it implies, and their consistency with observed behavior. It is also important to point out that infinite horizon control problems have certain properties that help to considerably simplify the analysis of them that can render an otherwise intractable problem tractable, as this chapter and several others will demonstrate. On the other hand, infinite horizon control problems present two bodacious difficulties of their own.
SU-E-T-415: Experimental Determination of the Relative Stopping Power of TRUFILL N-BCA Liquid Embolic System in a Clinical Proton Beam

Purpose: Patients who undergo n-BCA glue embolization as part of treatment for AVMs are later referred for proton therapy. Knowing the relative stopping power of the glue accurately allows us to perform accurate dose calculations. In this study we experimentally determine the relative stopping power of an n-BCA mixture in a 126 MeV and 149.6 MeV proton beams. Methods: One unit of the TRUFILL™ n-BCA liquid embolic system consists of 1g unit of n-BCA, 1g unit of Tantalum powder and one 10mL vial of Ethiodized oil. The physician mixed 3:1 Ethiodized oil to n-BCA. Five units (20cc) of the n-BCA liquid embolic glue were prepared and placed in a 6cm x 3cm x3cm Lucite container. The container was placed in front of a water tank in the proton beam path. A diamond detector (active volume 0.004mm3) was used to measure distal edge of depth dose of a modulated 126 MeV proton beam collimated using a 3cm brass aperture. The procedure was repeated with a container carrying the same amount of water placed in front of the water tank. The difference in the depth dose measured with glue and with water was used to determine the relative stopping power of the glue. The same determination was done earlier at 149.6 MeV using a different smaller sample (4cc) of n-BCA. Results: The relative stopping power of this particular n-BCA mixture was determined to be 1.06 at both 126 MeV and 149.6 MeV. We are working on obtaining the composition data of the n-BCA glue so we can perform Monte Carlo calculations. Conclusion: Accurate value of the stopping power of the n-BCA glue in the proton beam was determined to be 1.06. It will improve the accuracy of dose calculations in proton radiosurgery procedures on AVM patients with n-BCA embolization.
Pressure characterization between the upper body and space suit during mission-realistic movements

Gas-pressurized space suits are incredibly well engineered tools allowing astronauts to perform critical duties. However, current gas pressurized space suits have an inherent stiffness, causing fatigue, unnecessary energy expenditure, and in some instances injury. Prior to this research effort there was no technology allowing the human-space suit interface to be measured internally. We quantify and evaluate human-space suit interaction with a novel pressure sensing tool, focusing on the arm under different loading regimes. An experiment was performed inside the Mark III space suit at NASA Johnson Space Center. One highly experienced male subject was asked to perform a series of mission-realistic movements for planetary exploration: kneel and recover, boot tighten, and prone and recover. These motions were performed in conjunction with an upper-body motion experiment to assess human-space suit interaction during controlled movements. The subject was asked to perform these mission-realistic tasks to determine the utility of the pressure sensing system in experiments not intentionally directed at loading the sensors. Loading over the upper forearm for each task was compared against experimental video to determine motion induced loading on the subject's body and gave insight into how the system could be used to index the person's body inside the suit and determine how motion occurs and the nature of that motion. We propose future improvements for the characterization of human biomechanics and injury mechanisms inside the space suit.
Monadic Computation And Iterative Algebraic Theories

The notion algebraic theory was introduced by Lawvere in 1963 (cf. S. Eilenberg and J. B. Wright, Automata in general algebras, Information and Control 11 (1967) 4) to study equationally definable classes of algebras from a more intrinsic point of view. We make use of it to study Turing machines and machines with a similar kind of control at a level of abstraction which disregards the nature of ‘storage’ or ‘external memory’.
A flux control for improved dynamic response (induction machines)

Flux levels can be easily adjusted using field orientation, but this considerably reduces response times. The flux response is increased by using an estimate of the flux generated by an open loop observer in a flux control. Computer simulations are made to verify improvements made in the flux response and torque responses. The effect of current limitations along with errors in estimation in parameters of the observer are investigated using these simulations. >
Modeling Circulation and Mixing in Estuaries and Coastal Oceans

Publisher Summary This chapter describes modeling of circulation and mixing in estuaries and coastal oceans. The most crucial factor limiting the development of a truly predictive circulation model is a lack of a comprehensive observational database for model initialization, boundary condition specification, and model result assessment. The estuarine and coastal ocean circulation model (ECOM) model is three-dimensional with prognostic variables being the three components of velocity, temperature, salinity, turbulence kinetic energy, and turbulence macroscale. The density, vertical eddy viscosity, and vertical eddy diffusivity are also calculated. The model responds to surface wind stress, heat flux, and salinity flux and to the specification of tidal forcing, freshwater discharge, and other lateral boundary conditions. The condition under which a given estuary may be well approximated by a two-dimensional vertical-plane model is obtained. It is found that in continental shelf regions in which baroclinic effects are important, fine cross-shelf grid spacing that resolves the baroclinic Rossby radius is required. It is suggested that numerical models with variable grid spacing would be most appropriate in this case.
What Scattered Ashes Leave behind: Expressions of Nuyorican Identity in Miguel Piñero’s A Lower East Side Poem

Miguel Pinero’s (1985) A Lower East Side Poem offers social and spatial critique of New York City’s Lower East Side and the corruption and neocolonialism that made it a contested domain in the 1970s and 80s. In so doing, the poem functions as Pinero’s last will and testament and description of how the urban landscape of The Lower East side was ground for reshaping Nuyorican identity. This essay takes A Lower East Side Poem as a starting point for understanding Nuyorican identity as a dynamic expression of vernacular cosmopolitan and indigenous concerns using rich rhetorical representations. Key words : Nuyorican; Rhetoric; Miguel Pinero; Puerto Rico; Identity; Vernacular Cosmopolitanism; Indigeneity Resume: Le poeme de Lower East Side de Miguel Pinero (1985) offre une critique sociale et spatiale sur le Lower East Side de la cite de New York et sur la corruption et le neocolonialisme qui l'ont transformee en un domaine conteste dans les annees 1970 et 80. Cela faisant, le poeme fonctionne comme le dernier souhait et le testament de Pinero et la description de la facon dont le paysage urbain du Lower East Side a ete broye pour remodeler l'identite Nuyoricane. Cet essai considere Le Poeme de Lower East Side comme le point de depart pour comprendre l'identite Nuyoricane comme une expression dynamique de quietudes vernaculaires cosmopolitaines et indigenes en utilisant des representation rhetoriques riches Mots-cles: Nuyorican; Rhetorique; Miguel Pinero; Puerto Rico; Identite; Cosmopolitanisme Vernaculaire; Indigeneite
Race disparities attributed to volumetric tumor burden in patients with head and neck cancer treated with radiotherapy.

Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate how gross tumor volume (GTV) affects treatment outcome among different race/ethnic groups in patients with head and neck cancer receiving definitive radiotherapy (RT). Methods Ninety-one patients with head and neck cancer were treated to a median RT dose of 69.96 Gy in 33 fractions. The patient's self-reported race/ethnicity, primary tumor, and nodal GTV were obtained. Two-year actuarial local, nodal, and distant control, and overall and disease-free survival were calculated. Results The patients were categorized as white (n = 43) or non-white (n = 48), which included 29 African Americans, 11 Hispanics, 5 Asians, and 3 others. The mean primary GTV was 21.0 cc and 39.9 cc for whites and non-whites, respectively (p = .011). White patients reported improved overall survival of 85.4% compared to non-whites (65.8%; p = .006). Improvements in local and nodal control and disease-free survival rates were also observed. Conclusion White patients demonstrated improved treatment outcomes compared with non-whites, which may be reflective of tumor volume. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2015
An amphioxus snail gene: expression in paraxial mesoderm and neural plate suggests a conserved role in patterning the chordate embryo.

Homologs of the Drosophilasnail gene have been characterized in several vertebrates. In addition to being expressed in mesoderm during gastrulation, vertebrate snail genes are also expressed in presumptive neural crest and/or its derivatives. Given that neural crest is unique to vertebrates and is considered to be of fundamental importance in their evolution, we have cloned and characterized the expression of a snail gene from amphioxus, a cephalochordate widely accepted as the sister group of the vertebrates. We show that, at the amino acid sequence level, the amphioxus snail gene is a clear phylogenetic outgroup to all the characterized vertebrate snail genes. During embryogenesis snail expression initially becomes restricted to the paraxial or presomitic mesoderm of amphioxus. Later, snail is expressed at high levels in the lateral neural plate, where it persists during neurulation. Our results indicate that an ancestral function of snail genes in the lineage leading to vertebrates is to define the paraxial mesoderm. Furthermore, our results indicate that a cell population homologous to the vertebrate neural crest may be present in amphioxus, thus providing an important link in the evolution of this key vertebrate tissue.
Characterization of CD4(+) T cell autoreactivity to self-MHC in New Zealand hybrid mice.

Abstract The New Zealand white (NZW) H2z locus is strongly associated with the development of autoimmune disease in (NZB × NZW)F1 mice, a model of systemic lupus erythematosus. To better understand the role of H2z in autoimmunity, we generated CD4+ T cell hybridomas from the spleen and lymph nodes of unimmunized (NZB × NZW)F1 mice and characterized their specificity. We found that over 50% of the hybridomas responded to syngeneic (H2d/z) spleen cells in the absence of exogenous antigen. Many of these autoreactive hybridomas responded to spleen cells expressing H2z and used H2z class II (I-Az or I-Ez) molecules for presentation. Interestingly, nearly one third of the H2z-reactive hybridomas could not respond to spleen cells expressing only H2z class II molecules. These studies characterize a frequent population of autoreactive CD4+ T cells in lupus mice and indicate that major histocompatibility complex molecules in addition to class II may be important for this self-recognition.
A quantitative definition of severe psoriasis for use in clinical trials

Clinical trials of new agents for severe psoriasis require clear, well‐characterized and objective measurement criteria to define the study population. The purpose of this paper is to offer paramet...
Evolution of neuroendocrine mechanisms linking attachment and life history: The social neuroendocrinology of middle childhood

An extended period of childhood and juvenility is a distinctive aspect of human life history. This stage appears to be important for learning cultural, social, and ecological skills that help prepare the child for the adult socio-competitive environment. The unusual pattern of adrenarche in humans (and chimpanzees) may facilitate adaptive modification of the neurobiological mechanisms that underpin reproductive strategies. Longitudinal monitoring of DHEA/S in naturalistic context could provide important new insights into these aspects of child development.
Growth stresses and viscosity of thermal oxides on silicon and polysilicon

Stresses in thermally grown SiO2 films on silicon have traditionally been determined by substrate curvature measurements. This technique is useful for studying stresses in thin films, but it cannot be used to investigate stresses generated in the substrate during film growth. In the present work, we used microelectromechanical systems-based microstrain gauge devices fabricated from single-crystal and polycrystalline silicon (henceforth silicon and polysilicon, respectively) to measure oxidation-induced stresses in both dry and wet oxidizing ambients. Our microstrain gauges had thicknesses on the micrometer scale, and were themselves used as the substrates to be oxidized. Stresses could be detected in both the SiO2 scales and the silicon and polysilicon substrates. In the SiO2 scales, the stresses were compressive and exhibited viscoelastic relaxation. The as-grown compressive stresses were greater for wet oxidation than they were for dry oxidation, and greater in scales grown on polysilicon than they were in scales grown on silicon. The viscosity of thermally grown SiO2 was the same whether scales formed by wet or dry oxidation, and the same for oxide scales on silicon and polysilicon. Significant compressive stresses were also generated in polysilicon during oxidation, but not in silicon.
Cambridge Changes of Color

Locke's porphyry argument at 2.8.19 of the Essay has not been properly appreciated. On my reconstruction, Locke argues from the premise that porphyry undergoes a mere Cambridge change of color in different lighting conditions to the conclusion that porphyry's colors do not belong to it as it is in itself. I argue that his argument is not quite sound, but it would be if Locke chose a different stone, alexandrite. Examining his argument teaches us something about the relation between explanatory qualities and real alterations and something about the ways that colors inhere in bodies.
Similarity solution for laminar film boiling over a moving isothermal surface

Abstract Forced film boiling arises when a liquid flows over a highly superheated surface or when the surface moves through a liquid which is stationary or is itself in motion. As a result of the vapor layer separating the surface and the liquid, there is a significant reduction in the drag force and heat transfer. In this study, a similarity solution of the boundary layer equations is obtained, and for a wide range of subcolling parameters and surface velocities, related numerical results are shown to be in excellent agreement with predictions based on an integral method.
Experimental Studies on Evaporation Kinetics and Wetting Dynamics of Nanofluid Droplets on Superhydrophobic Surfaces of Micro-post Patterns

This paper reports experimental studies on the evaporation kinetics and wetting dynamics of nanofluid sessile droplets of systematically varying colloidal nanoparticle concentrations on the superhydrophobic surfaces patterned with micro-post structures of varying lateral dimensions. The superhydrophobic surface patterns with regulated inter-post distances (5, 10, 20, and 50 μm) were fabricated on a silicon substrate by photolithography and deep reactive-ion etching (DRIE) followed by a Teflon coating. The colloidal gold (Au) nanoparticles of 250 nm in size and varying concentrations (0.001, 0.01, and 0.1 wt%) in water were tested as nanofluids. With a goniometer system, the evaporation kinetics and wetting dynamics of the nanofluid droplets were measured by analyzing the evolution of droplet profiles evaporating on the superhydrophobic surfaces in ambient conditions, including changes in contact angle and contact diameter over time. The results show that there exist four distinct kinetic phases during the...
Fruit bagging, a useful method for studying anthocyanin synthesis and gene expression in apples

Abstract `Delicious' fruits were covered with one-, two-, or three-layered paper bags from the early development stage until harvest. Bagging did not affect fruit maturity but significantly inhibited anthocyanin accumulation in fruit peel. Fruits from one- or two-layer-bag treatments accumulated certain amount of anthocyanin, but no anthocyanin and only low level of other phenolics were accumulated in fruit peel in the three-layer-bag treatment. When fruits treated with three-layered bags were exposed to light, they started to accumulate anthocyanin rapidly and anthocyanin accumulation reached maximum after 3 days of light exposure. The capability of anthocyanin synthesis in fruits remained constant during 5 months of cold storage. Results indicate that these fruits could be a useful model in the research on anthocyanin synthesis and gene expression in apples.
Buccal mucosa grafts for hypospadias surgery: long-term results.

ABSTRACTPurpose: We review the long-term results of buccal mucosa grafts used as part of secondary hypospadias repair.Materials and Methods: We evaluated 47 patients for 10 years and analyzed long-term results of buccal mucosa grafts for hypospadias repair. Of the 47 patients 40 have been followed for more than 3 years.Results: The overall complication rate was 32% (13 of 47 cases). All complications occurred in the first 6 months following surgery, and the complication rate was significantly lower in the last 7 years of the series (19%) compared to the first 3 years (60%) (p = 0.01). All 3 patients in this series with a preoperative diagnosis of balanitis xerotica obliterans had a significant postoperative complication.Conclusions: Buccal mucosa appears to be a durable source of nongenital tissue for urethral replacement. Attention to detail in terms of graft harvest, graft preparation and graft fixation helps to avoid major postoperative complications. Onlay grafts appear to be preferable to tube grafts...
The Beautiful Soul: Aesthetic Morality in the Eighteenth Century

For many eighteenth-century European philosophers and writers, the "beautiful soul" was a symbol of enlightened humanity, carrying with it the possibility that aesthetic beauty and moral goodness would be fused in a new, indivisible unity. In the first book in English on the subject, Robert E. Norton follows the fortunes of this cultural icon, exploring the reasons for both its initial popularity and its subsequent decline as a cultural ideal during the Enlightenment.
Mute-Kars: Silent Kinase Activity Reporters Useful for Co-Imaging

Contemporary kinase activity reporters are sensitive molecular tools that unfortunately occupy a large portion of the visible spectrum. This precludes their simultaneous use with many subcellular translocation markers or single-color biosensors. We present a new, generalizable design of kinase reporters that permits co-imaging with a single-color biosensor of overlapping emission spectrum. We demonstrate the ability to monitor PKA and calcium signaling simultaneously using only two color channels. This work promotes multi-parameter imaging, which has become useful in many cell-signaling investigations.
Measuring the Extent of Coalition Formation in Group Decision Making

Many group decisions begin with small coalitions that recruit additional members until they satisfy a voting rule. This paper introduces a technique for measuring coalition formation in group decision making. The setting involves N players bargaining over the share distribution of an asset. The N-person game is analyzed as a set of triads, numerically equal to {N!/(N — 3)!}/3!. A three-person game is presented to establish the context and to offer insights into the bargaining process. A four-person game is also presented. The technique finds immediate application in controlled laboratory experiments but has further relevance for numerous real-world contexts.
Dysgerminoma of the ovary in a four-year-old girl with metastases clinically simulating wilms' tumor and adrenal neuroblastoma

Summary In summary, we have reported a case of bilateral dysgerminoma in a 4-year-oldNegro girl with rupture of the left ovary resulting in hemoperitoneum, with metastases into the following organs in the order of extent: 1. Left adrenal and left kidney. 2. Lymph nodes, (a) mesenteric (b) periaortic (c) cervical. 3. Pancreas. 4. Liver. 5. Right adrenal. 6. Serosa of urinary bladder and stomach. 7. Bone marrow of sternum and rib. Vascular dissemination was observed in the following: (a) lungs, (b) leftkidney, (c) liver, (d) spleen, (e) peripheral blood. There was extreme emaciation and mild jaundice. The early literature on the histogenesis of dysgerminoma and the various case reports found in young patients have been reviewed and presented.
TECHNIQUE OF SPLIT SKIN GRAFT FIXATION USING HYPAFIX: A 15‐YEAR REVIEW

The technique of graft fixation with Hypafix was introduced in 1986 and has since been adapted for use in all sites to become the standard technique in the management of paediatric burns at the Women's and Children's Hospital Burn Unit. The technique is versatile, safe, simple, reliable and inexpensive, and has proven to be effective in over 700 burn patients, with 18 patients (2%) requiring repeat grafts. The patient's care is continued in a designated Burn Scar Assessment Clinic with a range of 'contact media', including Hypafix, Elastofix, silicone gel and Elastomer products, being applied as necessary.
Influence de l'anticoagulation systémique chez les patients ayant une intervention pour création d'un accès pour hémodialyse

L'avantage de l'heparine intraveineuse comme anticoagulant pour eviter des complications thrombotiques pendant la chirurgie des acces pour hemodialyse est inconnu. Nous avons randomise de maniere prospective 115 patients consecutifs transferes dans notre etablissement en vue de la creation d'un acces permanent pour hemodialyse pour recevoir un traitement anticoagulant systemique ou aucune anticoagulation pendant l'intervention. Les caracteristiques demographiques des patients, les comorbidites, la duree operatoire, les complications, et la permeabilite ont ete enregistres selon les normes recommandees par la Society for Vascular Surgery. Des 115 patients randomises, 58 n'ont recu aucune anticoagulation et 57 ont recu une anticoagulation systemique par de l'heparine intraveineuse. Des fistules arterio-veineuses etaient creees chez 84 patients et des pontages arterio-veineux etaient realises chez 31. Les durees operatoires etaient plus longues pour les pontages compares aux fistules, mais il n'y avait aucune difference significative dans les durees operatoires entre les patients recevant une anticoagulation et ceux n'en recevant pas (p = 0,31). Les complications hemorragiques perioperatoires etaient plus frequentes chez les patients recevant de l'heparine (p = 0,008). La permeabilite primaire a 30 jours etait de 84% pour les patients recevant de l'heparine et 86% pour ceux n'en recevant pas (p = 0,79). La permeabilite fonctionnelle a trois mois etait de 68% pour les deux groupes (p = 0,99). L'âge, le sexe, la duree operatoire, et l'incidence des complications hemorragiques n'ont eu aucun impact sur la permeabilite. Dans notre experience, l'anticoagulation systemique pour la chirurgie des acces pour hemodialyse est associee a une plus grande incidence des complications hemorragique et n'offre aucun avantage en termes de permeabilite precoce.
Destruction of canals of hering in primary biliary cirrhosis

The canals of Hering (CoH), converging from the hepatic lobule onto the portal tract, connect bile canaliculi to the interlobular bile ducts, and represent the most proximal portion of the bile drainage pathway with a cholangiocyte lining. In this study we sought to ascertain whether this proximal pathway is involved by the disease process in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), which uniformly affects small bile ducts while sparing medium- and large-sized ducts. Ten biopsy specimens with early-stage PBC were compared with 6 normal control livers. Adjacent 4--thick sections of routinely processed, formalinfixed tissue were immunostained for CK19 and HLA-DR. Each terminal portal tract was assigned a stage: 0, normal; 1, bile duct damage or loss; 2, bile ductular proliferation; or 3, periportal fibrosis. The ratio of the number of CoH to number of portal tracts (i.e., the c/p ratio) was calculated for the control biopsies and individual portal tracts at each stage of PBC. The numbers of CoH were decreased in all stages of PBC (P <0.0001), with the fewest found around portal tracts at stages 0 and 1 and the most around portal tracts at stages 2 and 3, but never at normal levels. HLA-DR was expressed focally on bile ducts and CoH in PBC, but was absent in normal controls. We conclude that CoH are destroyed in PBC in concert with the destruction of small bile ducts. This destruction appears to be an early event, because CoH numbers are lowest around stage 0 portal tracts, which still contain normal bile ducts. HUM PATHOL 33:983-988. Copy
Health care reform in Russia: a survey of head doctors and insurance administrators.

In keeping with the introduction of market-oriented reforms since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia's health care system has undergone a series of sweeping changes since 1992. These reforms, intended to overhaul socialized methods of health care financing and delivery and to replace them with a structure of competitive incentives to improve efficiency and quality of care, have met with mixed levels of implementation and results. This article probes some of the sources of support for and resistance to change in Russia's system of health care financing and delivery. It does so through a national survey of two key groups of participants in that system: head doctors in Russian clinics and hospitals, and the heads of the regional-level quasi-governmental medical insurance Funds. The survey results demonstrate that, on the whole, both head doctors and health insurance Fund directors claim to support the recent health care system reforms, although the latter's support is consistently statistically significantly stronger than that of the former. In addition, the insurance Fund directors' responses to the survey questions tend consistently to fall in the shape of a standard bell curve around the average responses, with a small number of respondents more in agreement with the survey statements than average, and a similarly small number of respondents less so. By contrast, the head doctors, along a wide variety of reform measures, split into two camps: one that strongly favors the marketization of health care, and one that would prefer a return to Soviet-style socialized medicine. The survey results show remarkable national consistency, with no variance according to the respondents' geographic location, regional population levels or other demographic or health characteristics, age of respondents, or size of health facility represented. These findings demonstrate the emergence of well-defined bureaucratic and political constituencies, their composition mixed depending on the particular element of reform under discussion, for and against specific avenues of continuity and change in Russia's health policy. As Russia struggles to devise policy strategies and tactics that balance access, equity, quality, and efficiency, it confronts not only policy choices but also political challenges that look not dissimilar to those faced by health reformers elsewhere in the world.
Application of mortality prediction systems to individual intensive care units.

Objective: To evaluate the predictive accuracy of the severity of illness scoring systems in a single institution. Design: A prospective study conducted by collecting data on consecutive patients admitted to the medical intensive care unit over 20 months. Surgical and coronary care admissions were excluded. Setting: Veterans Affairs Medical Center at Buffalo, New York. Patients and participants: Data collected on 302 unique, consecutive patients admitted to the medical intensive care unit. Interventions: None. Measurements and results: Data required to calculate the patients' predicted mortality by the Mortality Probability Model (MPM) II, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II and Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II scoring systems were collected. The probability of mortality for the cohort of patients was analyzed using confidence interval analyses, receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves, two by two contingency tables and the Lemeshow–Hosmer chi-square statistic. Predicted mortality for all three scoring systems lay within the 95 % confidence interval for actual mortality. For the MPM II, SAPS II and APACHE II, the c-index (equivalent to the area under the ROC curve) was 0.695 ± 0.0307 SE, 0.702 ± 0.063 SE and 0.672 ± 0.0306 SE, respectively, which were not statistically different from each other but were lower than values obtained in previous studies. Conclusion: Although the overall mortality was consistent with the predicted mortality, the poor fit of the data to the model impairs the validity of the result. The observed outcoume could be due to erratic quality of care, or differences between the study population and the patient population in the original studies. The data cannot be used to distinguish between these possibilities. To increase predictive accuracy when studying individual intensive care units and enhance quality of care assessments it may be necessary to adapt the model to the patient population.
Photochemical‐radiative damping and instability in the stratosphere, II. Numerical results

In a paper by Strobel (1977), opacity effects on the joint photochemical-radiative relaxation in the stratosphere were evaluated by a linear perturbation analysis. Significant reductions in the photochemical acceleration of the thermal relaxation rate and the ozone photochemical relaxation rate were obtained in the upper stratosphere as a result of opacity changes. For very large vertical scale height ozone density perturbations, amplifying solutions were generated by large opacity changes in the O3 dissociation and heating rates. Such solutions could indicate that the stratosphere does not possess an equilibrium ozone concentration. In the present paper, some illustrative numerical calculations are presented to demonstrate the properties of the amplifying solutions. The results indicate that ungeophysically large disturbances are required and that they cease growth before attainment of geophysically interesting amplitudes, and decay to the unperturbed state.
The effect of high extracellular glucose on the regulation of voltage-dependent C2+ channels in the rat neonatal myocytes. |[dagger]| 426

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy occurs in up to 50% of infants of diabetic mothers (IDMS). Heart defects along with other congenital malformations have been frequently observed from IDMS as well. Since the voltage-dependent Ca++ channels plays very important functions in varies cardiopathological conditions, including arrhythmias and hypertrophy, we are interested in studying the regulation of voltage-dependent Ca++ channels in cardiac myocytes from IDMS.
High-Dose-Rate Endobronchial Brachytherapy for Recurrent Airway Obstruction From Hyperplastic Granulation Tissue

Purpose Benign endobronchial granulation tissue causes airway obstruction in up to 20% of patients after lung transplantation or stent placement. High-dose-rate endobronchial brachytherapy (HDR-EB) has been successful in some cases refractory to standard bronchoscopic interventions. Methods and Materials Between September 2004 and May 2005, 8 patients with refractory benign airway obstruction were treated with HDR-EB, using one to two fractions of Ir-192 prescribed to 7.1 Gy at a radius of 1 cm. Charts were retrospectively reviewed to evaluate subjective clinical response, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), and frequency of therapeutic bronchoscopies over 6-month periods before and after HDR-EB. Results The median follow-up was 14.6 months, and median survival was 10.5 months. The mean number of bronchoscopic interventions improved from 3.1 procedures in the 6-month pretreatment period to 1.8 after HDR-EB. Mean FEV1 improved from 36% predicted to 46% predicted. Six patients had a good-to-excellent subjective early response, but only one maintained this response beyond 6 months, and this was the only patient treated with HDR-EB within 24 h from the most recent bronchoscopic intervention. Five patients have expired from causes related to their chronic pulmonary disease, including one from hemoptysis resulting from a bronchoarterial fistula. Conclusion High-dose-rate-EB may be an effective treatment for select patients with refractory hyperplastic granulation tissue causing recurrent airway stenosis. Performing HDR-EB within 24–48 h after excision of obstructive granulation tissue could further improve outcomes. Careful patient selection is important to maximize therapeutic benefit and minimize toxicity. The optimal patient population, dose, and timing of HDR-EB should be investigated prospectively.
An Information Theoretic Framework for Ontology-based Bioinformatics

With myriad information being generated from high-throughput experiments such as microarrays and sequencing technologies, an ever-increasing amount of data is being recorded and analyzed with the help of hierarchical ontologies, such as the gene ontology (GO). We have developed a novel framework- based on the well established foundations of information theory- that allows for the evaluation of new types of hypotheses. The framework, encapsulated in open biomedical ontology-based exploration and search (OBOES), has already been applied in the investigation of different kinds of questions. The resulting framework enables the new field of information theoretic ontology-based analysis. We have applied this framework to create methods to re-engineer ontologies, explore fundamental questions on the evolution of biological complexity, determine optimal ontology terms for bioinformatics analysis, and quantify the usefulness of biofluids as proxies for tissues/diseases. In each case, we found that our methods provide novel, significant findings. An open source Java implementation of OBOES is available at: http://oboes.sourceforge.net.
Attitudinal Moderators and Effects of Leaders' Punitive Behavior

This investigation looks at the moderating effects of job involvement on the relationships between leaders' punitive behavior and job satisfaction. The focal research hypothesis was tested with measures having well established psychometric properties and including the Job Descriptive Index, the Job Involvement instrument, and Measures of Leader Reward and Punishment Behavior. For a sample of 323 hospital nursing department employees, negative effects of leaders' punitive behavior on job satisfaction were evident only among employees with low levels of job involvement. For those highly involved with their jobs, compensatory or buffer processes are postulated as explanations for their apparent immunity to the negative effects of punishment.
Distinct temporal phases in the behavioral pharmacology of LSD: dopamine D2 receptor-mediated effects in the rat and implications for psychosis.

The effect of LSD in humans has been described as occurring in two temporal phases. The behavioral effects in rats also occur in two temporal phases: an initial suppression of exploration followed by increased locomotor activity. We decided to investigate this phenomenon from the perspective that the pharmacology might have relevance to the neurochemical mechanisms underlying psychosis. Twenty-five male Sprague–Dawley rats were trained to discriminate LSD (186 nmol/kg, 0.08 mg/kg, i.p.) with a 30-min preinjection time (LSD-30, N=12) and LSD (372 nmol/kg, 0.16 mg/kg, i.p.) with a 90-min preinjection time (LSD-90, N=13) from saline, using a two-lever, food-reinforced operant conditioning task. LSD (186 or 372 nmol/kg, 0.08 or 0.16 mg/kg) given 30 min prior to training produced a cue that was completely antagonized by 5-HT2A antagonists and lasted no longer than 1 h. LSD (372 nmol/kg, 0.16 mg/kg) injected 90 min before training produced a cue that was not fully blocked by 5-HT2A antagonists, but instead was significantly inhibited by haloperidol. In these rats, substitution no longer occurred with the 5-HT2 agonists DOI or LSD (30 min preinjection), but full substitution was obtained with the D2 agonists apomorphine, N-propyldihydrexidine, and quinelorane. The discriminative stimulus effect of LSD in rats occurs in two phases, and these studies provide evidence that the later temporal phase is mediated by D2 dopamine receptor stimulation. A second temporal phase that involves dopaminergic pathways would be consistent with the widespread belief that excessive dopaminergic activity may be an underlying cause of paranoid psychosis.
The indirect effects of advertisements designed to change product attribute beliefs

This study investigated the dynamics of attitude change by examining indirect effects of an ad designed to change a belief. Results showed that an ad had indirect effects on unmentioned beliefs, which were a function of (1) the manner in which beliefs are organized internally in ad recipients' cognitive structure and (2) retrieval cues provided externally in the ad. Also, the ad had indirect effects on evaluations (ai) of the intended attribute; these effects were observed especially when the belief was directly attacked by the ad and the ad recipients' beliefs were held with high confidence.
Comparison of Severity of Aortic Regurgitation by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Versus Transthoracic Echocardiography

Transthoracic echocardiography is the current standard for assessing aortic regurgitation (AR). AR severity can also be evaluated by flow measurement in the ascending aorta using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR); however, the optimal site for flow measurement and the regurgitant fraction (RF) severity grading criteria that best compares with the transthoracic echocardiographic assessment of AR are not clear. The present study aimed to determine the optimal site and RF grading criteria for AR severity using phase-contrast flow measurements and CMR. A prospective observational study was performed of 107 consecutive patients who were undergoing CMR of the thoracic aorta. Using CMR, the AR severity and aortic dimensions were measured at 3 levels in the aorta (the sinotubular junction, mid-ascending aorta, and distal ascending aorta). The results were compared to the transthoracic echocardiographic grade of AR severity using multiple qualitative and quantitative criteria (grade 0, none; I+, mild; II+, mild to moderate; III+, moderate to severe; and IV+, severe). The mean RF values were significantly greater at the sinotubular junction than at the distal ascending aorta (13 ± 13.3% vs 9.4 ± 12.6%, respectively; p <0.001). The RF values that best defined AR severity using phase-contrast CMR were as follows: grade 0 to I+, <8%; grade II+, 8% to 19%; grade III+, 20 to 29%; and grade IV+, 30%) at the sinotubular or mid-ascending aorta. In conclusion, the quantitative RF values of AR severity using phase-contrast flow are best assessed in the proximal ascending aorta and differ from recognized quantitative echocardiographic criteria.
The HD 200775/NGC 7023 complex : a question of reddening.

The separation of the observed reddening of HD 200775 into intrinsic and interstellar components is rediscussed in the light of new surface-brightness data for NGC 7023, the reflection nebula surrounding HD 200775. Appropriate correction for the nebular contribution to reported ultraviolet flux measurements of HD 200775 leads to new values due to dust reddening: E(B-V) sub D = 0.44, and due to intrinsic reddening: E(B-V) sub I = 0.13-0.26. The newly derived extinction curve for HD 200775 is characterized by an abnormally weak interstellar 2200 A absorption feature, and the deduced nebular brightness in the far-ultraviolet is consistent either with dust in NGC 7023 having a relatively high albedo (a approximately equal to 0.6) and a nearly isotropic phase function (g approximately equal to 0.2), or with low albedo dust (a approximately equal to 0.3) with a forward-throwing phase function (g approximately equal to 0.6).
Surface properties of mussel adhesive protein component films

Abstract Mussel adhesive protein (MAP) is the adhesive agent used by the blue sea mussel (Mytilus edulis) to attach the animal to various underwater surfaces. It is composed of 75→85 repeating decameric units with the reported primary sequence NH2-A(1)-K(2)-P(3)-S(4)-Y(5)-Hyp(6)-Hyp(7)-T(8)-DOPA(9)-K(10)-COOH. This study identifies and compares the surface properties of the decameric unit, selected fragments and individual amino acid constituents with the complete MAP preparation. These molecular systems were examined: (a) in the solid state as thin films formed on germanium substrata using multiple-attenuated-internal-reflectance infrared (MAIR-IR) spectroscopy, ellipsometry and contact angle analysis; and (b) in the solution state using circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Extensive molecular modelling of the decamer was performed making integral use of the experimentally derived data. These cumulative semi-empirical and empirical results suggest a conformation for the decamer that closely associates the l -DOPA and tyrosine residues with the solid substratum. This model provides the first representation of MAP derived from a rational integration of theoretical and experimental data. On the basis of this model, a possible explanation for the bioadhesive properties of MAP is suggested.
The health effects of motorization.

Kavi Bhalla provides a perspective on new research by Christopher Millett and colleagues that reports rural dwellers who migrate to cities have worse cardiovascular outcomes, partly due to a shift to private motor vehicles and reduced physical activity. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary. Language: en
An investigation of heat transfer process in a chemically reacting packed bed

In the present work a numerical simulation of the natural convection process in a chemically reacting packed bed has been carried out. The simulation has been based on a Galerkin method of finite element formulation. An investigation of the transient as well as steady state results is presented. The heat source term is represented by an Arrtnhius-type source term, which typically represents several zero-order chemical reactions in practice. The ensuing transient process of natural convection in the cavity is investigated, and the effect of the temperature of the not boundary on the heat removal capacity is also presented. The critical boundary temperature that will result in the thermal runaway inside the cavity was investigated, and the effect of the boundary temperature on the thermal explosion in the cavity was also analyzed. It was found that the flow field was symmetrical about the vertical centertine and the temperatures continued increasing away from the horizontal walls of the cavity, thus giving ...