cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reactivation predicts the consolidation of unbiased long-term cognitive maps

Spatial memories that can last a lifetime are thought to be encoded during ‘online’ periods of exploration and subsequently consolidated into stable cognitive maps through their ‘offline’ reactivation. However, the mechanisms and computational principles by which offline reactivation stabilize long-lasting spatial representations remain poorly understood. Here, we employed simultaneous fast calcium imaging and electrophysiology to track hippocampal place cells over 2 weeks of online spatial reward learning behavior and offline resting. We describe that recruitment to persistent network-level offline reactivation of spatial experiences in mice predicts the future representational stability of place cells days in advance of their online reinstatement. Moreover, while representations of reward-adjacent locations are generally more stable across days, offline-reactivation-related stability is, conversely, most prominent for reward-distal locations. Thus, while occurring on the tens of milliseconds timescale, offline reactivation is uniquely associated with the stability of multiday representations that counterbalance the overall reward-adjacency bias, thereby predicting the stabilization of cognitive maps that comprehensively reflect entire underlying spatial contexts. These findings suggest that post-learning offline-related memory consolidation plays a complimentary and computationally distinct role in learning compared to online encoding. Grosmark et al. use simultaneous calcium imaging and electrophysiology to track the formation and long-term evolution of hippocampal memory traces in mice and uncover a role for post-learning reactivation in the formation of spatially uniform cognitive maps.
Rings which are a Homomorphic Image of a Centralizer Near-Ring

In this work the near-rings under consideration will be exclusively centralizer near-rings M A(G) where G is a finite group and A is a group of automorphisms of G.
Energetics and Mechanism of 2-Aminopurine Induced Mutations

Template specified base selection in nucleic acid synthesis underlies the expression of the genetic code. This comprises the storage replication and processing of information embedded in the chromosomal base sequences and is fundamental for the dynamics of the living state of matter. The fidelity of the gene copying is manifested in an error discrimination of the order of one error in 106−109 replicated bases /1/. What gives the fidelity to this selection specificity has intrigued physicists from the early days of genetics. To explain the stability of the genetic code, Delbruck /2/ and Schrodinger /3/ have considered the genome to be in a stationary quantum state. The discovery of the double helical structure of the DNA by Watson, Crick and Wilkins /4,5/ has provided the structural basis for a more explicit physical theory of the genetic code.
Unequal but Together: Inequality Within and Between Families

In this chapter, we review a selection of topics regarding inequality between and within families: public definitions of family, parent-sibling relations, the household division of labor, and the treatment of mothers in the workforce. Our review of the family and inequality literature suggests that families, as the primary basis for social organization and for the reproduction of inequalities, provide an ideal test of many social psychological theories. Indeed, we highlight a number of important contributions that have been made when insights from social psychologists, family scholars, and social stratification scholars have been merged. Despite these recent gains, there is still a need for even more discussion across these groups. We conclude by discussing avenues for future research that explicitly integrates social psychological insights into the study of family inequality. For example, we suggest that multi-theoretical and methodological work may be especially well suited for answering questions related to family inequality. Further, we argue that future studies can attend more fully to cross-cultural variation, diversity of family forms, and the interaction of familial roles with other institutional roles in the study of family inequality.
Dorsal penile nerve block for male pediatric circumcision--randomized comparison of ultrasound-guided vs anatomical landmark technique.

Summary Background: Dorsal penile nerve block (DPNB) is a commonly performed regional anesthetic technique for male circumcision. Traditionally, DPNB is based on an anatomical landmark technique. Recently, an ultrasound-guided technique for DPNB has been described. Objectives: The aim of our study was to compare the anatomical landmark technique with this ultrasound-guided technique. The hypothesis to be tested was that ultrasound guidance of DPNB would lead to less administration of opioid when compared to the anatomical landmark technique. Methods: Boys of ASA status I/II scheduled for day case circumcision were prospectively recruited and randomized. DPNB was performed under general anesthesia using the anatomical landmark technique or ultrasound guidance. Fentanyl was administered intraoperatively and immediately postoperatively if patients demonstrated signs of pain. Similarly, oral codeine was given prior to discharge if required. The primary outcome measure was the number of patients requiring fentanyl. Secondary outcome measures included initial pain score on emergence from general anesthesia, requirement for codeine predischarge, and time to perform block. Results: A total of 32 patients were recruited to the landmark group and 34 to the ultrasound group. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of fentanyl administration. The ultrasound technique took longer to perform but was associated with a reduction in codeine requirement prior to discharge. Conclusions: This study does not support the routine use of ultrasound for the performance of DPNB in male pediatric circumcision. Nonetheless, an associated reduction in codeine administration postoperatively suggests some benefit in terms of postoperative pain.
Evaluation of Malingering and Deception

The evaluation of malingering and other forms of deception is a cornerstone issue in forensic practice. This chapter provides both conceptual and clinical issues about the assessment of response styles. It carefully distinguishes explanatory models that address the underlying motivation for dissimulation from detection models that consider clinical methods for the identification of response styles. In particular, malingering can be unduly influenced by our misassumptions and our perspectives toward its assessment. Regarding the latter, intuitional, standard, and specialized perspectives of malingering are explored. Clinical methods for the assessment of response styles are highly dependent on their validation. Relative contributions of different research designs (simulation, known-groups, differential-prevalence, and bootstrapping) are reviewed. Detection strategies are examined for dissimulation with mental disorders and feigned cognitive impairment. Specialized measures (e.g., the SIRS, PDRT, and VIP) are featured for: (1) malingering and mental disorders, (2) defensiveness and mental disorders, and (3) malingering and cognitive impairment. Keywords: deception; dissimulation; feigning; forensic assessment; malingering
Nursing Research: Components of A Clinical Research Study

Nursing research is the systematic collection and analysis of data about clinically important phenomena. While there are norms for conducting research and rules for using certain research procedures, the reader must always filter the research report against his or her nursing knowledge. The most common questions a reader should ask are "Does it make sense? Can I think of any other reasonable explanation for the findings? Do the findings fit what I have observed?" If the answers are reasonable, research findings from carefully conducted studies can provide a basis for making nursing decisions. One of the earliest accounts of nursing research, which indicates the power of making systematic observations, was Florence Nightingale's study. It compared deaths among soldiers in the Crimean War with deaths of soldiers in the barracks of London. Her research demonstrated that soldiers in the barracks had a much higher death rate than did the soldiers at war. On the basis of the study, sanitary conditions in the barracks were changed substantially.
Fertility Sparing Surgery for Localized Ovarian Cancers Maintains an Ability to Conceive, but is Associated With Diminished Reproductive Potential

Background Little is known about fertility outcomes after fertility sparing surgery (FSS) for localized ovarian cancers. Methods A random sample of 783 women treated for ovarian cancer were identified from the California Cancer Registry for survey (age 18–40 years at diagnosis; diagnosed from 1993–2007). We evaluated outcomes including post-treatment amenorrhea, infertility, early menopause (age <45), and disease recurrence. Logistic regression was used to determine the probability of amenorrhea, infertility, and recurrence. Censored data methods were used to determine the probability of early menopause. Results A total of 382 women replied. One hundred and sixteen and 266 completed our survey. Two hundred and forty-five reported treatment with potential to impact fertility (i.e., systemic chemotherapy ± radiation/surgery to the abdomen/pelvis). A total of 125 had disease/stage eligible for FSS and 82 (66%) underwent FSS. While many who attempted conception did conceive, 32% did not. Younger age at diagnosis was associated with higher rates of early menopause (P < 0.001) after FSS. Recurrence rates for those undergoing FSS were 8–10%, while none of the women who underwent non-FSS surgery had a recurrence. Conclusions FSS maintains an ability to conceive for most patients. However, after FSS, there may be risks of infertility, early menopause with earlier age of treatment, and increased probability of disease recurrence. J. Surg. Oncol. 2015 111:26–30. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Evaluation of Bone Strength During Aflatoxicosis and Ochratoxicosis

Abstract Young chickens were fed graded levels of aflatoxin (0, 0.625, 1.25, 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 μg/g of diet) or ochratoxin (0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, and 8.0 μg/g of diet), and the breaking strength, displacement before failure, and diameter of their tibias were determined. Breaking strength was decreased at growth inhibitory levels of aflatoxin (2.5 μg/g) and ochratoxin (2 μg/g), whereas a reduction in diameter required higher levels (5.0 and 4.0 μg/g, respectively). Bones from birds with ochratoxicosis selected to have diameters equal to control bones had lower breaking strength. In an attempt to negate mathematically the effect of decreased diameter and bias in any selection process, stress at time of failure of the bones was calculated and found to be decreased by feeding aflatoxin but not ochratoxin. Total displacement of bones before breaking was increased significantly (P < 0.05) by both toxins at the highest levels administered, but this increase was primarily the result of an increase in displacement from the start of failure to complete failure. Increased displacement associated with both toxicoses was equal in bones selected to be of equal diameter or in bones from the same treatment but of different diameters. However, calculation of modulus of elasticity which is corrected for diameter revealed aflatoxin had no effect whereas ochratoxin tripled the effect. These data indicate that the material properties of bones can be altered during mycotoxicoses and suggest yet another way in which mycotoxins are detrimental to animal health.
Direct synthesis of polypeptides. I. Polycondensation of glycine in aqueous ammonia.

Abstract Polyglycines with average degrees of polymerization up to 18 were synthesized by heating glycine in aqueous ammonium hydroxide solutions. The rate of the reaction increased with the ammonium hydroxide concentration, and the optimum temperature of synthesis was found at about 140 °C. The polymers are white, light powders, soluble in lithium bromide solutions; they are biuret-positive and yield glycine upon acid hydrolysis. The infrared spectra in KBr disks has shown that the polymers have the configuration of polyglycine II. The significance of these findings in relation to the formation of polypeptides on the primitive earth according to the theory of Akabori is briefly discussed.
Two Extraordinary New Museums in South-Eastern China

Various architectural and aesthetic matters are discussed in this analytic commentary regarding two highly significant new museums in South-Eastern China in the ancient cities of Suzhou (architect: I. M. Pei) and Ningbo (architect: Wang Shu). Questions regarding the aesthetics of innovation, the public acceptance of nontraditional work in city cores, and the determinants and logistics of real-world decision-making in these domains are also addressed.
Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium effects on biomass yield and flavonoid content of American skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora)

ABSTRACTGreenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the effects of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) fertilizer on biomass yield and flavonoid content of American skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora). Each experiment was carried out two times and consisted of six levels of each nutrient. The regressions gave maxima for dry matter, baicalein yield, and chrysin yield at 446, 412, and 351 kg N/ha for N fertilizer, respectively. Dry matter yield exhibited linear response to P application. The yield of scutellarein, baicalin, baicalein, and chrysin increased with addition of P. The regression gave maximum for dry matter at 208 kg K/ha for K fertilizer. A linear response to K fertilization was observed for scutellarein concentration. P application had the greatest effect on the flavonoids analyzed, whereas K had least, which may be attributed in part to the presence of K in the fritted clay medium.
Who Responds to Crying

!Kung San (Bushman) hunter-gatherers have unusually high levels of mother-infant contact and represent one of the environments of human evolutionary adaptedness (EEAs). Studies among the !Kung show that levels of crying—the most basic sign of mammalian infant distress—are low, and response to crying is high, and some suggest that responses are overwhelmingly maternal. We show that although !Kung mothers respond to crying most often, one-third of crying bouts are managed solely by someone else. Mothers responded to all bouts lasting ≥30 s, but in half of these responses they were joined by one or more others. Mothers are the most consistent responders, but multiple caregiving is common. The mother is rarely alone when her baby cries; others often substitute or join her in interventions. This social support may facilitate the high levels of maternal responsiveness characteristic of the !Kung, and of hunter-gatherers generally, but it is also consistent with recent theory emphasizing nonmaternal care (allocare) and cooperative breeding.
Introduction to plasmid biology.

An array of issues pertaining to plasmid biology are presented in this unit. Topics include replicators, an explanation of the mechanism of replication and copy-number control, plasmid incompatibility, selectable markers, cloning sites, and factors to consider when choosing a plasmid vector, whether it be for production of ssDNA, cloning of large inserts, or expression of large quantities of recombinant proteins. Considerations are discussed for the use of plasmids in yeast, cultured mammalian cells and non-E. coli bacteria. Finally, maps of many common useful plasmids are presented. This unit has recently been updated and extensively revised to include some of the latest developments in plasmid construction and experimental use.
Dietary fat and cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular disease among women with type 2 diabetes

Background: Nutritional therapy is a cornerstone of diabetes management, but no epidemiologic studies have investigated the relation between specific dietary fatty acids and cholesterol and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among diabetic patients. Objective: This study assessed the relation between specific dietary fatty acids and cholesterol and CVD risk among women with type 2 diabetes. Design: Among 5672 women with type 2 diabetes from the Nurses' Health Study, diet was assessed prospectively and updated periodically. Relative risks of CVD were estimated from Cox proportional hazards analysis after adjustment for potential confounders. Results: Between 1980 and 1998, we identified 619 new cases of CVD (nonfatal myocardial infarction, fatal coronary heart disease, and stroke). The relative risk (RR) of CVD for an increase of 200 mg cholesterol/1000 kcal was 1.37 (95% CI: 1.12, 1.68; P = 0.003). Each 5% of energy intake from saturated fat, as compared with equivalent energy from carbohydrates, was associated with a 29% greater risk of CVD (RR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.63; P = 0.04). The ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fat (P:S) was inversely associated with the risk of fatal CVD. We estimated that replacement of 5% of energy from saturated fat with equivalent energy from carbohydrates or monounsaturated fat was associated with a 22% or 37% lower risk of CVD, respectively. Conclusions: A higher intake of cholesterol and saturated fat and a low P:S were related to increased CVD risk among women with type 2 diabetes. Among diabetic persons, replacement of saturated fat with monounsaturated fat may be more effective in lowering CVD risk than is replacement with carbohydrates.
Protein nanoparticles for therapeutic protein delivery

Therapeutic proteins can face substantial challenges to their activity, requiring protein modification or use of a delivery vehicle. Nanoparticles can significantly enhance delivery of encapsulated cargo, but traditional small molecule carriers have some limitations in their use for protein delivery. Nanoparticles made from protein have been proposed as alternative carriers and have benefits specific to therapeutic protein delivery. This review describes protein nanoparticles made by self-assembly, including protein cages, protein polymers, and charged or amphipathic peptides, and by desolvation. It presents particle fabrication and delivery characterization for a variety of therapeutic and model proteins, as well as comparison of the features of different protein nanoparticles.
The dopamine D-2 antagonist, Ro 22-1319, inhibits the persistent behavioral syndrome induced by iminodipropionitrile (IDPN) in mice.

Abstract Chronic administration of β,β′-iminodipropionitrile causes a persistent syndrome of excitement, choreoathetoid movements, and circling (the “ECC-syndrome”) which persists indefinitely after termination of the IDPN injections. Ro 22-1319 is a specific D-2 dopamine receptor antagonist which was recently synthesized to fit a hypothetical model of the D-2 receptor. Ro 22-1319 inhibited several aspects of the ECC-syndrome, although some of its components, such as backward pedaling and forepaw treading reminiscent of the serotonin syndrome, were exacerbated. These results suggest that several neurotransmitter systems may be involved in the ECC-syndrome.
Metargidin, a Membrane-anchored Metalloprotease-Disintegrin Protein with an RGD Integrin Binding Sequence

Cellular disintegrins are a family of membrane-anchored proteins with structural homology to snake venom metalloproteases and disintegrins. We report here the cDNA cloning and initial biochemical characterization of the first cellular disintegrin protein with an RGD sequence in its disintegrin domain, which we propose to name metargidin (for metalloprotease-RGD-disintegrin protein). The domain organization of metargidin is identical with that of previously reported members of the cellular disintegrin family, comprising (i) a pro- and a metalloprotease domain including a zinc-binding consensus motif, (ii) a disintegrin domain containing the RGD motif, (iii) a cysteine-rich domain, (iv) an epidermal growth factor-like domain, (v) a hydrophobic transmembrane domain, and (vi) a cytoplasmic tail with proline-rich sequences that could act as potential SH3 ligands. Antibodies raised against the cytoplasmic tail of metargidin recognize a glycoprotein of 110 kDa in MDA-MB-468 mammary epithelial carcinoma cells, which can be cell surface-biotinylated, indicating its localization in the plasma membrane. A second protein of 56 kDa co-immunoprecipitates with metargidin, suggesting that it is part of a protein complex. These features are consistent with a model in which metargidin is an integrin ligand which, as a transmembrane protein, might function in cell-cell adhesion and/or signaling.
Optimal procurement portfolios when using B2Bs: A model and analysis

Abstract B2Bs are online markets where buyers and sellers trade products either in the spot market or via derivate instruments such as option contracts. Our goal in this paper is to show how procurement managers, in addition to buying on the spot market in cash (physical transactions), can integrate risk management tools (paper transactions) to mitigate risk over multiple time periods. Specifically, our scenario includes a buyer who is making procurement decisions to satisfy demand. Demand can be satisfied either by buying and exercising options on the B2B (for a price) or by directly trading on the spot market with an uncertain spot market price distribution. Over a two-period time horizon, we provide a model to compute the optimal number of options and physical quantities of the product that are needed to satisfy demand while minimizing relevant procurement and inventory costs over the two periods.
Novel mutations in ataxia telangiectasia and AOA2 associated with prolonged survival

Ataxia telangiectasia (AT) and ataxia oculomotor apraxia type 2 (AOA2) are autosomal recessive ataxias caused by mutations in genes involved in maintaining DNA integrity. Lifespan in AT is greatly shortened (20s–30s) due to increased susceptibility to malignancies (leukemia/lymphoma). Lifespan in AOA2 is uncertain. We describe a woman with variant AT with two novel mutations in ATM (IVS14 + 2 T > G and 5825C > T, p.A1942V) who died at age 48 with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Her mutations are associated with an unusually long life for AT and with a cancer rarely associated with that disease. We also describe two siblings with AOA2, heterozygous for two novel mutations in senataxin (3 bp deletion c.343–345 and 1398 T > G, p.I466M) who have survived into their 70s, allowing us to characterize the longitudinal course of AOA2. In contrast to AT, we show that persons with AOA2 can experience a prolonged lifespan with considerable motor disability.
Pyrimidine biosynthesis in Serratia marcescens: a possible role for nonsequential enzyme interactions in mimicking coordinate gene expression.

The coordinate expression of four sequential enzymes in the de novo pyrimidine pathway may result from the interaction of the various polypeptides of the pathway in Serratia marcescens rather than represent some unit of transcriptional regulation. These interactions were defined by examining the polypeptide association observed in extracts of parental and mutant strains in a series of pleiotropic pyrimidine auxotrophs. Extracts of pyrE auxotrophs [possessing dihydroorotate (DHOase) activity but no orotidine-5′-monophosphate pyrophosphorylase (OMPppase) activity] stimulate OMPppase activity in extracts of pyrC auxotrophs (possessing reduced OMPppase activity but no DHOase activity). Separation by molecular weight on Sephadex G200 has suggested an aggregation between the final two enzymes, OMPppase and OMPdecarboxylase (OMPdecase), and the earlier enzyme, DHOase. The reduction of OMPppase activity in pyrC auxotrophs (encoding either a defective polypeptide or reduced levels) is explained by the lack of adequate levels of DHOase for aggregate formation. Such polypeptide interactions appear to mimic the coordinate formation of polypeptides which are controlled as a unit of regulation. The measurable levels of enzymatic activity vary in a quantitatively identical manner, but the variation does not result directly from the regulation of polypeptide formation.
Periglacial Wedges and the Late Pleistocene Environment of Wyoming's Intermontane Basins

Nonsorted polygons in the uppermost 2 to 3 m beneath Pleistocene surfaces indicate permafrost at 1340 m and higher elevations in the intermontane and piedmont plains of Wyoming during the Wisconsin, and perhaps earlier, glacial maxima. The polygons, as much as 10 m in diameter, are delineated by wedges that vary in depths, range from narrow to moderately flared forms, and deform host materials. The wedges have silty fine-to-medium sand matrices (largely eolian) with pebbles or clasts from hosts of gravel or bedrock. Some wedges may reflect seasonal cracking in a periglacial active zone, but most are either permafrost sand-wedge relics or, less commonly, ice-wedge casts. Alternative explanations are rejected largely because similar features are apparently lacking in the lower and warmer plains from eastern Colorado southward. The wedges suggest an arid, windy, periglacial environment whose mean-annual temperatures are conservatively estimated as some 10° to 13°C colder than those at present. Although late Wisconsin-early Holocene floral and faunal evidence indicates lowered montane biotic zones, the eolian and periglacial features indicate a lack of extensive forest cover on the basin floors. In conjunction with vertebrate-fossil associations of grazing and tundra animals, the wedges may provide a parallel line of evidence for a former periglacial steppe, or “steppe-tundra”, in the Wyoming basins.
Health-care charges generated by patients with diabetes.

ABSTRACT For assessment of health-care charges generated by patients with diabetes, 50 patients (25 who were older than 65 years and 25 who were age 65 or younger) whose primary care had been delivered between 1990 and 1995 by a single diabetologist were randomly selected. Institutional health-care bills were accessed from all but three medical center billing offices (dermatology, psychiatry, and radiation oncology areas did not respond). For each dollar billed by endocrinology, the hospital billed $25.90, other medical specialties $2.70, surgery $1.10, radiology $0.70 and pathology $0.60. The charges generated by the endocrinologist-diabetologist account for approximately 3% of the total charges for the care of the patient with diabetes mellitus in a fee-for-service practice. Although the endocrinologist-diabetologist provides the most costeffective medical service for patients with diabetes, low reimbursement jeopardizes the practice of this subspecialty. (Endocr Pract. 1998;4:237-239)
Inverse-affine dependence of recovery-time sensitivities on critical disturbance parameters: A nonlinear dynamics explanation

We study the sensitivity properties of non-linear dynamical systems subject to disturbances, when disturbance parameters are near critical values. In particular, in seeking to explain recent experimental and simulation results, we give an explanation for why the inverses of response-time sensitivities to disturbance parameters often display an affine dependence on the parameters near critical points. Application of the results in electrical power system analysis and virus-spreading control examples are presented.
Doublet Suppression in the Principal Series of Cesium

The suppression of the doublet structure in mixtures of cesium and foreign gases with increasing foreign gas concentration is investigated. The observations are made in absorption with the foreign gases helium, neon, argon, xenon, and neopentane. The foreign gases investigated which demonstrate complete suppression, xenon and neopentane, also produce satellites on both doublet components. The growth of the satellites with increasing foreign gas concentration is shown to produce anomalously broadened lines, considering that the satellite and its parent line together constitute the same transition. The anomalous broadening of the components results in excessive loss of measured absorption as the center of the lines is depressed and the absorption in the wings predominates. Assuming a minimum detectable absorptivity of 0.03, the absorption of the weaker components ($^{2}P_{\frac{1}{2}}$) is seen to be undetectable for many of the higher doublets, while the strong components ($^{2}P_{\frac{3}{2}}$) remain detectable, although considerably broadened.
Measuring potential access to food stores and food-service places in rural areas in the U.S

Geographic access to healthy food resources remains a major focus of research that examines the contribution of the built environment to healthful eating. Methods used to define and measure spatial accessibility can significantly affect the results. Considering the implications for marketing, policy, and programs, adequate measurement of the food environment is important. Little of the published work on food access has focused on rural areas, where the burden of nutrition-related disease is greater. This article seeks to expand our understanding of the challenges to measurement of potential spatial access to food resources in rural areas in the U.S. Key challenges to the accurate measurement of the food environment in rural areas include: (1) defining the rural food environment while recognizing that market factors may be changing; (2) describing characteristics that may differentiate similar types of food stores and food-service places; and (3) determining location coordinates for food stores and food-service places. In order to enhance measurements in rural areas, "ground-truthed" methodology, which includes on-site observation and collection of GPS data, should become the standard for rural areas. Measurement must also recognize the emergence of new and changing store formats. Efforts should be made to determine accessibility, in terms of both proximity to a single location and variety of multiple locations within a specified buffer, from origins other than the home, and consider multipurpose trips and trip chaining. The measurement of food access will be critical for community-based approaches to meet dietary needs. Researchers must be willing to take the steps necessary for rigorous measurement of a dynamic food environment.
Etiologic factors of chronic constipation: review of the scientific evidence.

Geriatric patient educational material and a general practice review suggest insufficient dietary fiber intake, inadequate fluid intake, decrease physical activity, side effects of drugs, hypothyroidism, sex harmones and colorectal cancer obstructin may play a role in the pathogenesis of constipation. A search of recent literature, however, reveals that there is a paucity of evidence-based publications that address the etiologic factors of chronic constipation. Much of current writings on the subject may be based primarily on myths handed down from one generation to the next. In the absence of well-designed studies, there do not appear to be sufficient evidence-based information to implicate the above as major etilogic factors in the development of chronic constipation. The etiological role of each of these factors in the development of chronic constipation deserves to be assessed by modern techniques and methodologies. Funding agencies including the government and industry sponsors should support the development of evidence-based data sets. The understanding of the etiology of chronic constipation is the foundation on which cost-effective management strategies are to be built.
Improving Sight-Singing Performance in the Choral Ensemble: The Effect of Individual Testing:

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of individual testing, in conjunction with group instruction, on students' sight-singing skills. A quasi-experimental study was designed to test ...
Effect of inhibition of dynein function and microtubule-altering drugs on AAV2 transduction

Over the past decade, adeno-associated (AAV) virus has emerged as an important vector for gene therapy. As a result, understanding its basic biology, including intracellular trafficking, has become increasingly important. Here, we describe the effect of inhibiting dynein function or altering the state of microtubule polymerization on rAAV2 transduction. Overexpression of dynamitin, resulting in a functional inhibition of the minus-end-directed microtubule motor protein dynein, did not inhibit transduction. Equally, treatment of cells with nocodazole, or concentrations of vinblastine that result in the disruption of microtubules, had no significant effect on transduction. In contrast, high concentrations of Taxol and vinblastine, resulting in microtubule stabilization and the formation of tubulin paracrystals respectively, reduced rAAV2 transduction in a vector-dose-dependent manner. These results demonstrate that AAV2 can infect HeLa cells independently of dynein function or an intact microtubule network.
Uptake of monocrotophos by chrysanthemum cultivars and resulting control of melon aphid.

The uptake and distribution of monocrotophos in plants of 4 chrysanthemum cultivars were followed by observing the mortality of Aphis gossypii Glover on the various leaves and in the flowers and by analysis of residues in leaf and flower samples. After 8 days, generally lower residues were found in lower leaves (8.8–21 ppm) than were found in middle (12.1–32.5ppm) or upper (18.6–31 ppm) leaves of plants receiving 40 lb monocrotophos, although complete control was obtained of melon aphids in all 3 zones; residues in the flower were low (0.4–2.9 ppm), and little or no melon aphid control was observed in these flowers. Analyses of plants receiving 120 lb monocrotophos showed that a 3 × increase of applied insecticide resulted in ca. 10 × increase in residues in the flowers of all 4 cultivars (5.2–16.9 ppm) and in the foliage of ‘Mefo’ (110–194 ppm). However, an unequal distribution of the pesticide in constituent flower parts was found explaining aphid survival in the flowers. Some varietal differences were noted in translocation of monocrotophos into the flowers.
Bacterial Cells as Model Factories

Bacteria, like industrial engineers, must manage processes that convert low value inputs into high value outputs. Bacteria are not intelligent, so they utilize self-organizing production systems to accelerate life-sustaining chemical processes. Here I explore two questions. First, can businesses apply the principles of self-organization? Second, can operations researchers contribute to our understanding of biological systems? I explain biochemical concepts in plain terms, illustrated with a few informative laboratory evolution experiments, and describe the organizing principles that underlie complex biological systems. I describe the new disciplines of synthetic biology and metabolic engineering, which offer opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration between life scientists and operations researchers.
Localized Autocorrelation Diagnostic Statistic (LADS) for Sociological Models: Time-Series, Network, and Geographic Data Sets

Regression models in sociology, because they are often based on data sets with a surfeit of variables and an underlying connectivity pattern, permit the use of unique diagnostic techniques. This article elaborates on the localized autocorrelation diagnostic statistic, LADS, which determines the probability that in a model with N cases, a connected set of size C or more among the E most extreme, same-signed residuals occurred by chance. LADS can suggest variables to be included in a model and can be applied to time-series, geographic, group (i.e., cliques, blocks, clusters, and different values on a nominal variable), and network data. Exact formulas for LADS for time-series and grouped data, as well as principles for the robustness of LADS under global autocorrelation, are introduced, and a general algorithm for all data sets of connected cases is presented. Examples demonstrate how LADS can suggest new variables and improve the overall fit of models.
Foundations of good ulcer care

Diabetic foot ulcers are a significant healthcare problem affecting more than 1 million patients at some point in their lifetime. Good ulcer care begins with thorough assessment of the ulcer, which includes determining whether the ulcer is infected and whether neuropathy or peripheral vascular disease is present. The principles of good wound care include use of proper footwear, non-weight-bearing limb support, use of appropriate antibiotics, debridement, aggressive revascularization, control of serum glucose levels, and careful monitoring of the ulcer. For refractory ulcers, new therapies, such as the use of exogenous recombinant growth factors, are being developed that may have a significant benefit in treating these ulcers and lowering the amputation rate.
Photochemistry of the SO2, 2‐pentene system at 3660 Å

The photolysis of SO2 in the presence of cis- and trans-2-pentene has been investigated at 3660 A and 22°C. Quantum yield measurements of the SO2 photosensitized conversion of one isomer into the other are consistent with a mechanism in which the only participating excited electronic state of SO2 is the SO2(3B1) state. Quantum yield measurements were made for a variation in PSO2/Pisomer reactant ratios of 4.01–283 and 57.5–351 for the cis and trans isomers, respectively. The data are consistent with a mechanism in which a (SO2-olefin)3 collision intermediate is the precursor to the photosensitized isomeric products. The intermediate undergoes unimolecular decay to yield the cis and trans isomers with probabilities of 0.26 ± 0.05 and 0.69 ± 0.04, respectively. Estimates of the quenching rate constants at 22°C for removal of SO2(3B1) molecules by cis- and trans-2-pentene are (0.633 ± 0.125) × 1011 l./mole/sec and (1.00 ± 0.27) × 1011 l./mole/sec, respectively. An experimentally determined photostationary composition, [trans-2-pentene]/[cis-2-pentene] = 2.3 ± 0.1 was in fair agreement with that of 1.7 ± 0.7 as predicted from kinetic data derived in this study.
Tumor-stroma interactions in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

The host stromal response to an invasive epithelial carcinoma is frequently called a desmoplastic reaction (DR) and is a universal feature of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA). This DR is characterized by a complex interplay between the normal host epithelial cells, invading tumor cells, stromal fibroblasts, inflammatory cells, proliferating endothelial cells, an altered extracellular matrix, and growth factors activating oncogenic signaling pathways by autocrine and paracrine mechanisms. Hence, the tumor microenvironment is a dynamic process promoting tumor growth and invasion through mechanisms likely to include anoikis resistance, genomic instability, and drug resistance. Cell coculture models, murine models (xenograft and genetic), and gene expression profiling studies on human PDA biopsies have identified several key molecules, such as collagen type I, fibronectin, laminin, matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) and their inhibitors (tissue inhibitors of MMP), growth factors (transforming growth factor β, platelet-derived growth factor, connective tissue growth factor, and hepatocyte growth factor), chemokines, and integrins as constituents of the DR. Despite these findings, it is unclear which molecular-cellular events initiate and drive desmoplasia in PDA. Accumulating evidence indicates that pancreatic stellate cells when activated switch to a myofibroblast phenotype that produces components of the extracellular matrix, MMPs, and tissue inhibitors of MMPs by activating the mitogen-activated protein kinase (extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2) pathway. Based on current evidence, several therapeutic strategies are been evaluated on identified potential therapeutic targets. This review summarizes our current understanding of the mechanisms that potentially drive the DR in PDA and future possibilities for therapeutic targeting of this critical process. [Mol Cancer Ther 2007;6(4):1186–97]
A giant ovarian cyst in a neonate.

Abstract Background Antenatally diagnosed abdominal cysts are common, and frequently are ovarian in origin, which usually regress spontaneously. Surgery is indicated in the infantile period in case of very large, persisting or symptomatic cysts. Many surgeons feel that watchful waiting can be justified in newborns with simple and complex cysts. Case We present a neonate with an ovarian cyst diagnosed antenatally by ultrasound (US) and showing persistent enlargement within 3 months after birth when reached a diameter of 13 cm. Assessment and treatment is described. Conclusion The extremely large, non-resolving ovarian cysts in neonates present a major challenge for clinicians and should be treated by surgery to avoid complications. We advocate laparotomy and cystectomy when possible to avoid unnecessary loss of functional ovarian tissue.
Dependent quantization for stereo image coding

In this paper, we address the problem of optimal bit allocation for stereo images. Conventional rate-distortion based methods have mainly concentrated on minimizing total distortion within a given bit budget by independently encoding each image. However, stereo image coding, like video coding, requires dependent bit allocation framework to further improve encoding performance because binocular and spatial dependencies are introduced by the disparity estimation and differential pulse coded modulation of the disparity vector field. We first formulate the dependent bit allocation problem for stereo image coding and extend it to blockwise dependent bit allocation. We then focus on the blockwise dependent quantization because using open-loop disparity estimation decouples the dependent bit allocation problem into two independent problems; disparity estimation and dependent quantization. The encoding complexity and delay in the dependent quantization framework can be significantly reduced by exploiting the unidirectional binocular dependency. An optimal set of quantizers can be selected using the Viterbi algorithm. For a given three quantization scales, the proposed scheme provides higher PSNR, about 3dB compared to JPEG without disparity compensation and 0.5dB compared to optimal higher PSNR, about 3dB compared to JPEG without disparity compensation and 0.5dB compared to optimal independent blockwise quantization with disparity compensation and 0.5dB compared to optimal independent blockwise quantization with disparity compensation. The proposed scheme can help develop a fast and efficient bit allocation strategy, be a benchmark of practical rate control schemes or be used in asymmetric applications, which may involve offline encoding, such as CD-ROM, DVD, video-on-demand, etc.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Personality and Ability Predictors of Training Performance for Flight Attendants

The present study examined the selection-utility implications of employing personality and ability predictors versus an employment interview in the selection of candidates for a flight attendant tr...
Seasonal changes in light availability modify the temperature dependence of ecosystem metabolism in an arctic stream

Light and temperature are key ecosystem drivers, but their synchronous annual cycles typically confound partitioning of their relative influence. Arctic spring-streams, subject to extreme annual fluctuations in light but stable water temperatures, provide a rare contrast that allows the parsing of their independent effects. Over 30 months, we assessed the effects of light and temperature on ecosystem metabolism and nutrient uptake in Ivishak Spring, Alaska, USA. (latitude 69° N, water temperature range ∼4°–7°C) using open-channel methods and short-term NH4+-N, NO3−-N, and P additions, respectively. We predicted that rates of ecosystem respiration (ER) would mirror seasonal patterns of gross primary production (GPP), rather than temperature, due to relatively constant rates of metabolic demand year-round, resulting in carbon limitation during winter (October–March) when photosynthesis effectively ceases. Because patterns of nutrient uptake and GPP are often coupled due to assimilatory demand, we also predi...
High-dose intravenous melphalan and autologous stem cell transplantation as initial therapy or following two cycles of oral chemotherapy for the treatment of AL amyloidosis: results of a prospective randomized trial

A prospective randomized trial was conducted to study the timing of high-dose intravenous melphalan and autologous stem cell transplantation (HDM/SCT) in AL amyloidosis. In all, 100 newly diagnosed patients were randomized to receive HDM/SCT, either as initial therapy (Arm-1) or following two cycles of oral melphalan and prednisone (Arm-2). The objectives of the trial were to compare survival and hematologic and clinical responses. With a median follow-up of 45 months (range 24–70), the overall survival was not significantly different between the two treatment arms (P=0.39). The hematologic response and organ system improvements after treatment did not differ between the two groups. Fewer patients received HDM/SCT in Arm-2 because of disease progression during the oral chemotherapy phase of the study, rendering them ineligible for subsequent high-dose therapy. This affected patients with cardiac involvement particularly, and led to a trend for an early survival disadvantage in Arm-2. Hence, newly diagnosed patients with AL amyloidosis eligible for HDM/SCT did not benefit from initial treatment with oral melphalan and prednisone, and there was a survival disadvantage for patients with cardiac involvement if HDM/SCT was delayed by initial oral chemotherapy.
Enkephalin convertase: Potent, selective, and irreversible inhibitors

Biproduct analogs of lysine and arginine are potent inhibitors of enkephalin convertase, a carboxypeptidase B-like enzyme which appears to be physiologically associated with enkephalin biosynthesis. The most effective derivatives are guanidinoethylmercaptosuccinic acid and guanidinopropylsuccinic acid with respective Ki's of 8.8 and 7.5 nM. These dicarboxylic acid analogs of arginine are several hundred fold more potent towards enkephalin convertase than towards carboxypeptidase B or N. Kinetic analysis indicates the pure competitive nature of the inhibition. Bromoacetyl-D-arginine, an irreversible inhibitor of carboxypeptidase B and N, is also an efficient irreversible inhibitor of enkephalin convertase.
The continuum fusion theory of signal detection applied to a bi-modal fusion problem

A new formalism has been developed that produces detection algorithms for model-based problems, in which one or more parameter values is unknown. Continuum Fusion can be used to generate different flavors of algorithm for any composite hypothesis testing problem. The methodology is defined by a fusion logic that can be translated into max/min conditions. Here it is applied to a simple sensor fusion model, but one for which the generalized likelihood ratio test is intractable. By contrast, a fusion-based response to the same problem can be devised that is solvable in closed form and represents a good approximation to the GLR test.