cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An in vitro model fails to demonstrate aerosolization of tumor cells

Background: We investigated the ability of pressurized CO2 gas to aerosolize B16 melanoma (B16) tumor cells in an in vitro model. Methods: The experimental apparatus consisted of an 18.9-L plastic cylindrical vessel and a compliant latex pouch was attached to the top. Two 5-mm ports penetrated the vessel; insufflation and desufflation were carried out through them. A culture dish containing 20 million B16 cells in liquid culture media was placed at the base within the container. In the first experiment, the vessel was insufflated with CO2 gas to a static pressure of 15 or 30 mm Hg with the outflow port closed. After 10 min, the outflow port was opened and the gas was desufflated through a collecting device containing sterile culture medium. In a second experiment, a continuous flow of CO2 through the vessel was maintained after a pressure of 15 or 30 mm Hg was established. A total of 10 L CO2 was cycled through the vessel. In both experiments, 24 determinations were carried out at each pressure. Each experimental culture dish was microscopically scanned for 2 weeks for the presence of tumor cells. The third and fourth experiments tested for the presence of aerosolized nonviable tumor cells in the expelled gas. Using the model described above, after 10 mins of 30 mm Hg static pressure, the CO2 gas was expelled directly onto a glass slide and cytofixed. Alternately, after 10 mins at 30 mm Hg static pressure, the gas was expelled through a saline-filled Soluset (Abbott Laboratories), centrifuged, and the residue cytofixed onto a glass slide. Each of the five slides per experiment were examined microscopically for the presence of cells. Results: In the first and second experiments, no cells or growth were observed in any of the 96 experimental dishes. In experiments three and four, no cells were detected on any of the slides. Conclusions: It was not possible with this model to aerosolize tumor cells in a pressurized CO2 environment. Our results suggest that aerosolization of tumor cells is not the mechanism of port site recurrences after laparoscopic surgery for malignant disease.
Scientific Societies and Whistleblowers: the Relationship between the Community and the Individual

Formalizing shared ethical standards is an activity of scientific societies designed to achieve a collective goal of promoting ethical conduct. A scientist who is faced with the choice of becoming a “whistleblower” by exposing misconduct does so in the context of these ethical standards. Examination of ethics policies of scientific societies which are members of the Council of Scientific Society Presidents (CSSP) shows a breadth of purpose and scope in these policies. Among the CSSP member societies, some ethics policies chiefly present the ethical culture of the community in an educational context and do not have enforcement procedures. Other policies are more comprehensive and include standards for certification, procedures for addressing ethical issues, and established sanctions. Of the 36 member societies of CSSP that have developed a code or adopted a code of another professional society, 18 specifically identified a responsibility to expose ethical misconduct, demonstrating an acknowledgment of the possible critical role of the whistleblower in addressing ethical issues. Scientific societies may revise their ethics codes based upon experience gained in addressing cases of ethical misconduct.
A conformational model for cyclic β-(1 → 2)-linked glucans based on NMR analysis of the β-glucans produced by Xanthomonas campestris

Abstract A cyclic hexadecaglucoside containing 15 β -(1 → 2)-linkages and one α -(1 → 6)-linkage {A. Amemura and J. Cabrera-Crespo, J. Gen. Microbiol . 132 (1986) 2443–2452} was purified from cultures of Xanthomonas campestris . The homogeneity of this glucan preparation facilitated the complete assignment of its 1 H NMR spectrum and the assignment of all of the C-1 and C-2 resonances in its 13 C NMR spectrum to specific residues within the glucan. The resonances (i.e., H-1, H-2, C-1 and C-2) that are closely associated with the β -(1 → 2) glycosidic bonds of this glucan are dispersed over a relatively broad chemical shift range. This chemical shift dispersion is attributed to the differences in the time-averaged geometry of individual β -(1 → 2)-linked glycosidic bonds in this glucan and is consistent with the hypothesis that these glycosidic bonds have less conformational freedom than do the glycosidic bonds in a linear β -(1 → 2)-linked glucan. The chemical shifts of H-1, H-2, C-1, and C-2 exhibit an alternating pattern when plotted as a function of their locations within the macrocyclic ring, suggesting that the glycosidic bond geometry also alternates in the glucan. A new conformational model for cyclic β -(1 → 2)-linked glucans was developed on the basis of these observations. This model is consistent with the observed spectroscopic features of all cyclic β -(1 → 2)-linked glucans known to be produced by Gram-negative bacteria.
A Theory of Organizational Response to Hospital Regulation: A Reply to Smith and Mick

Smith and Mick identify four basic problems with the theory the present writers developed to explain organizational responses (in this case the behavior of hospitals) to regulation. They challenge the basic assumption regarding autonomy, disagree with the implied cause and effect relations between organizational response and regulation, criticize the omission of goals, and claim that the theory has only limited generality. In so doing they state that their primary concern is with “improving our understanding of the limitations and benefits of the theory.” Each of the four topics they raise for consideration will receive comment.
Disability, spiritual beliefs and the church: the experiences of adults with disabilities and family members.

Aims. This paper reports the findings of a qualitative interpretive study that explored how people with disabilities and family members use their spiritual beliefs to establish meaning for disability, and to respond to the challenges of lived experience with disability. The participants' perceptions of the evangelical Christian church's influence on their spiritual experiences related to disability suggest recommendations for improved integration by the church. Applications are drawn for helping professionals and religious leaders who provide holistic care. Background/rationale. Although there is a well-established literature on coping in families with disabled children, little is known about how people use spiritual beliefs to establish meaning for and respond to life with disability. Even less is known about how people with a particular set of shared spiritual beliefs make meaning for lived experience with disability. Design/methods. The author interviewed 30 persons, comprising two major groups: 13 parents of children with mixed developmental disabilities and nine adults with physical disabilities. Predominantly white, the participants lived in a south-western metropolitan area in the United States of America (USA) in 1998. Findings. Trial or difficulty contributed to spiritual challenge, the breaking of self, reliance on God, and strengthened faith in God. The participants chose to live with thankfulness and joy despite difficulties common to experience with disability. The participants' spiritual beliefs stabilized their lives, providing meaning for the experience of disability, assistance with coping and other benefits. The participants' recommendations include increased assistance by the church in promoting theological understanding of disability, and religious support using a continuing model of caring. Conclusions. Although the study design limits the generalizability of the findings, applications can be drawn for helping professionals and religious leaders who provide holistic care
Receptor Chimeras Indicate That the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 (VEGFR-1) Modulates Mitogenic Activity of VEGFR-2 in Endothelial Cells

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) provokes angiogenesis in vivo and stimulates growth and differentiation of endothelial cells in vitro. Although VEGF receptor-1 (VEGFR-1) and VEGFR-2 are known to be high affinity receptors for VEGF, it is not clear which of the VEGFRs are responsible for the transmission of the diverse biological responses of VEGF. For this purpose we have constructed a chimeric receptor for VEGFR-1 (CTR) and VEGFR-2 (CKR) in which the extracellular domain of each receptor was replaced with the extracellular domain of human colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF-1R), and these receptors were expressed in pig aortic endothelial (PAE) cells. We show that CKR individually expressed in PAE cells is readily tyrosine-phosphorylated in vivo, autophosphorylated in vitro, and stimulates cell proliferation in a CSF-1-dependent manner. In contrast, CTR individually expressed in PAE cells showed no significant in vivo, in vitro tyrosine phosphorylation and cell growth in response to CSF-1 stimulation. The kinase activity of CKR was essential for its biological activity, since mutation of lysine 866 to arginine abolished its in vivo, in vitro tyrosine phosphorylation and mitogenic signals. Remarkably, activation of CTR repressed CKR-mediated mitogen-activate protein kinase activation and cell proliferation. Similar effects were observed for VEGFR-2 co-expressed with VEGFR-1. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that VEGFR-2 activation plays a positive role in angiogenesis by promoting endothelial cell proliferation. In contrast, activation of VEGFR-1 plays a stationary role in angiogenesis by antagonizing VEGFR-2 responses.
Diabetic kidney stone formers excrete more oxalate and have lower urine pH than nondiabetic stone formers.

Purpose: The epidemiological relationship between nephrolithiasis and type 2 diabetes mellitus is well-known. Patients with diabetes mellitus are at increased risk for nephrolithiasis and those with nephrolithiasis are at risk for diabetes mellitus. We examined 24-hour urine composition in stone formers with and without diabetes mellitus.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed a database of 462 stone forming patients to examine the relationship between hypertension and 24-hour urine composition. Multivariate linear regression models were adjusted for age, race, gender, body mass index, hypertension, relevant medications and 24-hour urine constituents.Results: On univariate analysis diabetic patients had significantly greater urine volume than nondiabetic patients (2.5 vs 2.1 l daily, p = 0.004). Those with diabetes mellitus also excreted less daily potassium (61.1 vs 68.8 mEq, p = 0.04), phosphate (0.84 vs 1.0 gm, p = 0.002) and creatinine (1405.5 vs 1562.8 mg, p = 0.03), and had significantly ...
Regional Changes in Cerebral Blood Flow and Blood — Brain Barrier Permeability during Epileptiform Seizures and in Acute Hypertension in Rabbits:

Interrelationship between the breakdown of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) to Evans blue and elevations in the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was studied in rabbits subjected to adrenaline- or metaraminol-induced systemic hypertension and also in bicuculline-induced seizures. The rCBF was assessed in small samples from various regions of the brain with the use of [3H]nicotine, and the permeability of the BBB was evaluated with an Evans blue tracer. In acute hypertension, Evans blue extravasations were observed in the occipital cortex and sometimes in the superior colliculus, i.e., the regions which also showed the highest elevations in rCBF. The breakdown of the BBB in acute hypertension was clearly related to the rate of mean arterial blood pressure rise, being much less pronounced in the metaraminol group, which showed a much slower blood pressure elevation rate. In bicuculline-induced seizures, there was no evident correlation between the amplitude of rCBF elevations and Evans blue extravasations. P...
Synthesis and Structures of New Layered Ternary Manganese Selenides: AMnSe2 (A=Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs) and Na2Mn2Se3

Abstract The synthesis and crystal structures of new ternary manganese selenides, AMnSe2 (A=Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs) and Na2Mn2Se3, are reported. These compounds were synthesized by solid state reaction and cation exchange techniques. The single-crystal structures of AMnSe2 (A=Li, Na, Rb) and Na2Mn2Se3 have been determined; LiMnSe2: a=4.1905(3) A, c=6.619(2) A, and P3m1 (No. 156, Z=1); NaMnSe2: a=4.2330(7) A, c=6.942(3) A, and P3m1 (No. 156, Z=1); RbMnSe2: a=4.2660(4) A, c=14.033(2) A, and I 4 m2 (No. 119, Z=2); Na2Mn2Se3: a=15.689(2) A, b=13.888(2) A, c=7.220(1) A, β=115.65(2)°, and C2/c (No. 15, Z=8). The fundamental building blocks of the title compounds are MnSe4 tetrahedra. AMnSe2 (A=Li, Na) are layered compounds in which MnSe4 tetrahedra share three corners in the formation of polar 2∞[MnSe3/3Se]− layers. AMnSe2 (A=K, Rb, Cs) exhibit 2∞[MnSe4/2]− layers which are built up by four-corner-shared MnSe4 tetrahedra. Na2Mn2Se3 shows four-membered zigzag chains formed by edge-shared MnSe4 tetrahedra. These chains are fused by the remaining apices to form a two-dimensional layer, 2∞[MnSe2/3Se1/3Se1/2]−. Magnetic susceptibility data for these compounds were fit with a modified Curie–Weiss expression.
Foams from a three-phase emulsion

Abstract Foam stability was related to phase behavior in a foamed three-phase region consisting of an aqueous solution (L1), an alcohol solution (L2) and lamellar liquid-crystalline (LC) phases in the C8H17SO3Na/C8H17OH/H2O system. The state of the system before foaming was LC/L2 + LC/L1 or L1 + L2/LC type emulsions up to a high octanol/water ratio of 77/23. In L2 + LC/L1 emulsion, the LC droplets exist separately from the alcohol droplets in an aqueous continuous medium. The viscosity of the system was enhanced with an increase in the content of dispersed phases, i.e. alcohol and/or liquid crystal phases contributing to the stabilizing of the foam. With higher than optimal liquid-crystalline phases present the high viscosity prevented foaming. Higher than optimal alcohol amounts led to phase inversion and instability. The drainage rate of the alcohol phase was considerably faster than of the other phases. As a result, the three-phase foam was stabilized by the liquid-crystalline phase for the water continuous part of the system in spite of the presence of a foam-destabilizing compound, octanol.
Real-time Guidance Camera Interface to Enhance Photo Aesthetic Quality

This paper explores whether it is effective to use real-time on-screen guidance to help users take better photos with mobile devices. Using a three-camera array, we developed a photo-taking interface that provides real-time feedback on how to position the subject-of-interest according to a photography composition rule: rule-of-thirds. We conduct a user study to compare the aesthetic quality of photos taken with our real-time guidance interface against a static gridline interface common to existing digital cameras. Expert photographers and Mechanical Turk workers rate the aesthetic quality of these pairs of photos. Results indicate the photos taken with our real-time guidance interface have significantly higher aesthetics scores. This study shows the potential in using camera array, computational photography, and real-time guidance interface to help non-expert users take better photos.
Irua Ria Atumia and Anti-Colonial Struggles Among the Gĩkũyũ of Kenya: A Counter Narrative on “Female Genital Mutulation” 1

The message that is typically conveyed in contemporary discussions of what is now problematically called “female genital mutilation” (FGM) is that these disturbing traditional practices, rooted in the domination of women by men, are a significantly widespread psychological and physical health threat to young women and girls in Africa. Fran Hosken, a persistently vocal critic of such practices since the 1970s, regularly employs terms such as “backward,” “barbaric,” and “primitive” to establish the unacceptability of FGM, a label that she herself coined (e.g., Hosken 1980, 1982, 1993). A host of other authors have since pursued this theme of unacceptability, seeking eradication and agreeing with Hosken that these practices amount to a mutilation not only of genitalia, but also of women’s sexuality. The assumption underlying all is that such harmful practices are vestiges of tradition that have no place in a world that is moving rapidly toward modernization (see, e.g., AAP 1998; AMA 1995; Daly 1978; Dugger 1996; El Dareer 1982; El Saadawi 1980; Equality Now 1996; Hosken 1980, 1982, 1993; Koso-Thomas 1987; Lightfoot-Klein 1989; Rahman and Toubia 2000; Schroeder 1994; Toubia 1993; Walker 1992; Walker and Parmar 1993; WHO 1997); once African women who perform FGM can be taught to see beyond the cultural blinders imposed by their traditions, the story goes, they surely will oppose such barbarity.
Uso da metformina ajustada à função renal – Uma revisão baseada na evidência

Resumo Introducao e objetivos A metformina e um agente amplamente usado no tratamento oral da diabetes mellitus tipo 2, considerada como terapeutica de primeira linha e usada em monoterapia ou em associacao com outros farmacos antidiabeticos e com a insulina. Pela sua excrecao exclusivamente renal, existem duvidas quanto a seguranca de seu uso em diabeticos com comprometimento da funcao renal. Esta revisao baseada na evidencia pretende esclarecer a existencia de valores de TFG, a partir dos quais o uso de metformina deve ser reduzido e/ou suspenso. Metodos Pesquisa de normas de orientacao clinica, revisoes sistematicas e estudos originais publicados em portugues ou ingles entre 1 de janeiro de 2000 e 31 de marco de 2014 com os termos MeSH “metformin”, “glomerular filtration rate” e “chronic kidney disease”. Foi usada a Strenght of Recomendation Taxonomy (Sort) da American Family Physician para atribuicao dos niveis de evidencia e forcas de recomendacao. Resultados e conclusoes Oito artigos cumpriam os criterios de inclusao (cinco normas de orientacao clinica, duas revisoes sistematicas e um artigo original). Constatou‐se maior consenso quanto aos valores a partir dos quais se deve suspender a metformina em relacao aos indicativos para a reducao da sua dose. As guidelines internacionais e as revisoes sistematicas indicam a suspensao da metformina quando a TFG e inferior a 30 ml/min (Sort A). Quanto a necessidade de ajuste da dose, em revisao sistematica, essa deve ser reduzida quando ocorre diminuicao da TFG para valores inferiores a 60 ml/min e a funcao renal monitorada a cada tres meses e nao se deve iniciar terapeutica de novo com metformina nesse estagio (Sort A).
Practical Molt Staging of Penaeus setiferus and Penaeus stylirostris

Molt staging has many applications in penaeid aquaculture as a routine procedure. Using criteria developed for various crustaceans, a method of rapid molt staging was applied to Penaeus stylirostris and Penaeus setiferus adults. The most useful characters were the degree of epidermal retraction from the setal bases and epidermal retraction from the cuticle coupled with the development of new setae. The duration of the molt cycle of P. stylirostris was 11.5 ± 1.0 days (N = 5) at 27–29 C. The early postmolt, late postmolt, intermolt, early premolt and late premolt stages were readily determined. For P. stylirostris, the duration of postmolt was 27% of the cycle; intermolt, 17%; and premolt, 56%. The length of the molt cycle of P. setiferus at 27–29 C was 13.6 ± 1.0 days (N = 21) with postmolt occupying 22% of the cycle; intermolt, 19%; and premolt, 59%. Unilaterally eyestalk enucleated P. setiferus had a significantly shorter molt cycle than intact P. setiferus (11.7 ± 1.21 days vs. 13.6 ± 1.02 days, P 0.05). A series of illustrations identifies the key characteristics for determining stage of molt in these penaeids.
Data set size and image quality in diffuse optical mammography: evaluation of a clinical prototype

A diffuse optical tomographic imager is described. It employs a large area CCD to collect large data sets (105 measurements) from 32 sources rapidly (30s). 3D images of breast tissue phantoms exhibit ~5mm resolution.
Hardware-assisted simulated annealing with application for fast FPGA placement

To truly exploit FPGAs for rapid turn-around development and prototyping, placement times must be reduced to seconds; late-bound, reconfigurable computing applications may demand placement times as short as microseconds. In this paper, we show how a systolic structure can accelerate placement by assigning one processing element to each possible location for an FPGA LUT from a design netlist. We demonstrate that our technique approaches the same quality point as traditional simulated annealing as measured by a simple linear wirelength metric. Experimental results look ahead to compare quality against VPR's fast placer when considering the minimum channel width required to route as the primary optimization criteria. Preliminary results from an FPGA implementation show the feasibility of accelerating simulated annealing by three orders of magnitude using this approach. This means we can place the largest design in the University of Toronto's "FPGA Placement and Routing Challenge" in around 4ms.
The geometry of basic, approximate, and minimum-norm solutions of linear equations

The basic solutions of the linear equations Ax = b are the solutions of subsystems corresponding to maximal nonsingular submatrices of A. The convex hull of the basic solutions is denoted by C = C(A, b). Given 1 ≤ p ≤ ∞, the lp-approximate solutions of Ax = b, denoted x{p}, are minimizers of ∥Ax − b∥p. Given M ∈ Dm, the set of positive diagonal m × m matrices, the solutions of minx ∥M(Ax − b)∥p are called scaledlp-approximate solutions. For 1 ≤ p1, p2 ≤ ∞, the minimum-lp2-norm lp1-approximate solutions are denoted x{p1}{p2}. Main results: 1. (1) If A ∈ Rm × nm, then C contains all [some] minimum lp-norm solutions, for 1 ≤ p < ∞ [p = ∞]. 2. (2) For general A and any 1 ≤ p1, p2 < ∞ the set C contains all x{p1}{p2}. 3. (3) The set of scaled lp-approximate solutions, with M ranging over Dm, is the same for all 1 < p < ∞. 4. (4) The set of scaled least-squares solutions has the same closure as the set of solutions of minx f (|Ax − b|), where f:Rm+ → R ranges over all strictly isotone functions.
Morphological Instability of Solid-on-Liquid Thin Film Structures

Subject to a compressive membrane force, a solid film on a liquid layer may form wrinkles. When the solid film is very thin, surface stresses contribute to the membrane force. When the liquid layer is very thin, the two interfaces bounding the liquid interact with each other through forces of various physical origins. We formulate the free energy of the solid-on-liquid structure, and carry out a linear perturbation analysis. A dimensionless parameter is identified to quantify the relative importance of flexural rigidity, membrane force, and interfacial force. Depending on the nature of the interfacial force, several intriguing behaviors are possible; for example, the solid film may remain flat under a compressive membrane force, or form wrinkles under a tensile membrane force.
Assessing the application of Ka/Ks ratio test to alternatively spliced exons

Summary: Recently, the Ka/Ks ratio test, which assesses the protein-coding potentials of genomic regions based on their non-synonymous to synonymous divergence rates, has been proposed and successfully used in genome annotations of eukaryotes. We systematically performed the Ka/Ks ratio test on 925 transcript-confirmed alternatively spliced exons in the human genome, which we describe in this manuscript. We found that 22.3% of evolutionarily conserved alternatively spliced exons cannot pass the Ka/Ks ratio test, compared with 9.8% for constitutive exons. The false negative rate was the highest (85.7%) for exons with low frequencies of transcript inclusion. Analyses of alternatively spliced exons supported by full-length mRNA sequences yielded similar results, and nearly half of exons involved in ancestral alternative splicing events could not pass this test. Our analysis suggests a future direction to incorporate comparative genomics-based alternative splicing predictions with the Ka/Ks ratio test in higher eukaryotes with extensive RNA alternative splicing. Contact: [email protected]
Integration of Emotion and Cognitive Control

Emotion is easily typecast as the nemesis of self-control. However, recent advances suggest a more nuanced view in which emotion and cognitive control are integrated, at times working in harmony. Emotional states can enhance high-level cognition, and can modulate the neural mechanisms that support cognitive control. Such an integrated neural organization might be adaptive: Emotional states could help resolve control dilemmas, facilitating the transition of the whole system into a more unified, situationally appropriate control state. This perspective is intriguing because control dilemmas are pervasive in human affairs (e.g., balancing risk vs. reward, short-term vs. long-term effects, and personal advantage vs. group advantage). Although many challenging questions remain, understanding emotion-cognition interactions at multiple levels of analysis is a realistic and exciting scientific goal.
Renal Dietitians' Self-Perceptions on Research Participation: A Pilot Study

Background As health care dollars are stretched thinner, it is important that dietitians conduct outcomes-based research to validate their contributions to the health care system. Objectives To determine the barriers that prevent renal dietitians from participating in research and to determine differences between those who participated in a recent national research study and those who did not. Methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted via e-mail. The survey was developed and distributed to members of the National Kidney Foundation's Council on Renal Nutrition. Multiple-choice questions were used to obtain data on respondent's characteristics and to identify barriers to research participation. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained from Case Western Reserve University and all participants were sent an informed consent along with the survey. Participants returned completed surveys by e-mail or fax, and all data were analyzed using SPSS 13.0 (Chicago, IL). Results Sixty-seven subjects completed the survey. Of these, 10 subjects had participated in a recent national research study and 57 had not. Dietitians, who had participated in the recent national study verses those who had not, did not differ significantly in descriptive data, educational level, nor general attitudes toward research. Barriers that were significantly different between the two groups included not having the time and energy for data collection (63% of those who did not participate versus 0% of those who participated) and family obligations (14% of those who did not participate versus 0% of those who participated). Comfort level in conducting subjective global assessment was higher in those who chose to participate than those who did not (86% versus 40%). Conclusion The greatest barrier for dietitians who did not participate in the national research study was a lack of time and energy to collect data for research. The majority of the renal dietitians recognized the importance of research.
Results of Anterior Segment Surgery with Vitrectomy Instruments

We used closed-eye endosurgery to treat 58 patients with anterior segment problems. These included nonsenile cataract, residual lens material, pupillary membranes, vitreocorneal touch, aphakic pupillary block glaucoma, intraocular lens complications, epithelial ingrowth, and total hyphema. Thirty-five eyes showed an increase in visual acuity of more than two Snellen lines, 13 eyes demonstrated no change, and ten eyes lost more than two lines. Complications included endophthalmitis, retinal detachment, retinal tears, increased intraocular pressure, postoperative hemorrhage, and bullous keratopathy.
Demographic Characteristics, Phenomenology, Comorbidity, and Family History in 200 Individuals With Body Dysmorphic Disorder

The authors examined characteristics of body dysmorphic disorder in the largest sample for which a wide range of clinical features has been reported. The authors also compared psychiatrically treated and untreated subjects. Body dysmorphic disorder usually began during adolescence, involved numerous body areas and behaviors, and was characterized by poor insight, high comorbidity rates, and high rates of functional impairment, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts. There were far more similarities than differences between the currently treated and untreated subjects, although the treated subjects displayed better insight and had more comorbidity.
A High-Throughput Screen with Isogenic PTEN+/+ and PTEN–/– Cells Identifies CID1340132 as a Novel Compound That Induces Apoptosis in PTEN and PIK3CA Mutant Human Cancer Cells

The PTEN tumor suppressor gene is one of the most commonly mutated genes in human cancer. Because inactivation of PTEN is a somatic event, PTEN mutations represent an important genetic difference b...
Functional requirements for Southwest Power Pool Energy Imbalance market dispatch

This paper discusses high-level functional requirements of the Energy Imbalance Service (EIS) market for the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) Regional Transmission Organization (RTO), in the USA. SPP has taken a controlled and step-by-step approach towards a full market model. Therefore, SPP has tried to introduce the EIS market on top of the traditional Market Participant (MP) activities with minimal impact. Currently in SPP, the EIS market is providing a central pool dispatch of energy imbalance in the Real-Time (RT) operations without Day-Ahead (DA) energy or Ancillary Services (AS) markets. Offering resources into the market is voluntary. This model of the light-weight electricity market is quite different than other major markets in the US, especially those in the northeast. The focus of this paper is on the dispatch model in the EIS market with emphasis on different constraint types. The EIS market dispatch is based on the nodal pricing like other major US electricity markets.
Absence of free, unbound carbon black in printer toners: a California Proposition 65 study

On February 21, 2003, California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) added carbon black to the Proposition 65 list of carcinogens. The listing was based on the reclassification of carbon black as a Group 2B agent (possibly carcinogenic to humans) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). However, IARC noted in its evaluation of carbon black carcinogenicity that end users of certain products are not exposed to carbon black per se, because carbon black is bound within the product matrix, and OEHHA has restricted the listing of carbon black to "airborne, unbound particles of respirable size". The objective of the present study was to determine if carbon black is bound within the polymer matrix in printer toners or if free, unbound carbon black is detectable in printer toners. Thirteen toners in five different polymer matrix categories from five manufacturers ranging from small workgroup printers to large production printers were analyzed. Both toners with and without surface treatment additives were included in the present study. The results of the present study showed that carbon black was bound in the polymer matrix of the tested printer toners and that free, unbound carbon black was not detectable in the tested printer toners. Therefore, the results support a conclusion that carbon black in printer toners is not subject to consumer warning under Proposition 65.
Family Involvement in Early Writing Instruction

This article focuses on the daily written replies of four casestudy families to their five to seven year-olds’ messages, about school activities, in Family Message Journals. Analysis of the instructional functions realized through text structure and lexicogrammatical features of families’ replies reveals how family members may have played a role in providing writing instruction. Results demonstrate that all families, regardless of sociocultural background, had the ability to skillfully scaffold learning to write through instructional feedback on children’s messages and modeling of genre conventions. In particular, the one immigrant family of English Language Learners modeled powerful writing that sometimes pushed the boundaries of mainstream genre expectations. Results demonstrate that even families typically considered less capable of participating, have much to contribute to children’s school literacy learning that may both extend classroom instruction and introduce alternative, hybrid text models. Thes...
Clinical trial report: eradication of Helicobacter pylori and MALT Lymphoma: where do we stand?

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is the most common lymphoma of the stomach and is directly related to infection with Helicobacter pylori in most instances. MALT lymphoma is a low grade, B-cell tumor that may be cured in its early stages by eradication of the H. pylori infection. Reported rates of remission and recurrence of these lymphomas by bacterial eradication vary greatly in the literature and most series are small and have variable quality and length of follow-up.
Knowledge and Performance in Knowledge-Worker Teams: A Longitudinal Study of Transactive Memory Systems

This study examined how transactive memory systems (TMSs) emerge and develop to affect the performance of knowledge-worker teams. Sixty-four MBA consulting teams (261 members) participated in the study. I proposed that the role and function of TMSs change to meet different task and knowledge demands during a project. Hypotheses predicting that TMSs emerge during a project-planning phase as a function of a team's initial conditions, and later develop and mature as a function of the nature and frequency of communication were generally supported, as were hypothesized relationships between TMSs and team performance and viability. Findings suggest that teams with initially distributed expertise and familiar members are more likely to develop a TMS. Frequent face-to-face communication also led to TMS emergence, but communication via other means had no effect. Teams with more established TMSs later benefited from face-to-face communication, but they were less helped by frequent communication via other means, suggesting that transactive retrieval processes may have been triggered during face-to-face communication and suppressed during other types of communication. TMSs were positively related to team viability and team performance, suggesting that developing a TMS is critical to the effectiveness of knowledge-worker teams.
Triglyceride-rich Lipoproteins Prevent Septic Death in Rats

Triglyceride-rich lipoproteins bind and inactive bacterial endotoxin in vitro and prevent death when given before a lethal dose of endotoxin in animals. However, lipoproteins have not yet been demonstrated to improve survival in polymicrobial gram-negative sepsis. We therefore tested the ability of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins to prevent death after cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in rats. Animals were given bolus infusions of either chylomicrons (1 g triglyceride/kg per 4 h) or an equal volume of saline for 28 h after CLP. Chylomicron infusions significantly improved survival (measured at 96 h) compared with saline controls (80 vs 27%, P < or = 0.03). Chylomicron infusions also reduced serum levels of endotoxin, measured 90 min (26 +/- 3 vs 136 +/- 51 pg/ml, mean +/- SEM, P < or = 0.03) and 6 h (121 +/- 54 vs 1,026 +/- 459 pg/ml, P < or = 0.05) after CLP. The reduction in serum endotoxin correlated with a reduction in serum tumor necrosis factor, measured 6 h after CLP (0 +/- 0 vs 58 +/- 24 pg/ml, P < or = 0.03), suggesting that chylomicrons improve survival in this model by limiting macrophage exposure to endotoxin and thereby reducing secretion of inflammatory cytokines. Infusions of a synthetic triglyceride-rich lipid emulsion (Intralipid; KabiVitrum, Inc., Alameda, CA) (1 g triglyceride/kg) also significantly improved survival compared with saline controls (71 vs 27%, P < or = 0.03). These data demonstrate that triglyceride-rich lipoproteins can protect animals from lethal polymicrobial gram-negative sepsis.
Vascular endothelial growth factor-C promotes alloimmunity by amplifying antigen-presenting cell maturation and lymphangiogenesis.

The Eye Bank Association of America reports that >40,000 corneal transplants are performed annually in the United States.1 However, survival of corneal transplants is severely compromised when grafts are placed in vascularized and inflamed so-called high risk host beds.2–5 In fact, recipient vascularization has been identified as a critical proximal cause for early and fulminant rejection episodes in corneal transplantation.4–7 Moreover, postoperative growth of blood and lymphatic vessels into the avascular recipient bed is a strong promoter of subsequent immune rejection, even in “normal risk” corneal transplants.8 Ingrowth of lymphatic neovessels enables efficient access of donor and host antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and antigenic material to regional lymph nodes, and accelerates host sensitization to graft antigens.3 Therefore, suppression of neovascularization in the setting of corneal transplantation has been a core area for many investigators interested in the immunobiology of corneal transplantation. Members of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family are critical modulators of endothelial cell proliferation and migration,9–11 and are key regulators of angiogenesis through three receptors (VEGFRs) including: VEGFR-1 (Flt-1), VEGFR-2 (KDR), and VEGFR-3 (Flt-4).12 Given the potent proangiogenic functions of VEGF-A, its blockade has been widely adopted to inhibit pathologic angiogenesis.13–15 Bevacizumab, a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a first-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer, inhibits angiogenesis by blocking VEGF-A binding to its receptors, VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2.16 Lymphangiogenesis, however, is considered to be regulated by different members of the VEGF family, that is, VEGF-C and VEGF-D, through their high-affinity binding to VEGFR-3.17,18 However, it is noteworthy that proteolytically processed VEGF-C binds to VEGFR-2 and subsequently induces hemangiogenesis in the cornea.19,20 However, there are sparse data evaluating the expression levels of individual members of VEGF ligands and receptors, and their function in particular in the context of immunity, after corneal transplantation. Failure of the immune privileged state of the cornea as a result of heme- and lymph- angiogenesis is associated with a significant deterioration of graft outcome.21 Here, we hypothesized that anti-VEGF-C therapy improves corneal graft survival by concomitant suppression of hem- and lymph-angiogenesis and alloimmune responses. Our data demonstrate that VEGF-C blockade, through administration of a VEGF-C blocking monoclonal antibody, suppresses corneal angiogenic response, inhibits trafficking and maturation of APCs, and significantly improves transplant survival.
The ECR heavy-ion source for ATLAS

The ATLAS PII-ECR (electron cyclotron resonance) source is the first ECR ion source to be designed for operation on a high-voltage platform. The source system is required to provide beams of heavy ions with a velocity of 0.01 c for subsequent acceleration by the superconducting ATLAS Positive Ion Injector Linac. A beamline for atomic physics has been installed and is now in use. The ATLAS PII-ECR has demonstrated that high-charge-state ECR ion sources can be reliably operated in difficult environments such as high-voltage platforms. The source capabilities and operating experience to date are discussed. >
Multiple cutaneous abscesses in a patient with Sjögren's syndrome

A 63-year-old woman presented with multiple tender, nonulcerating, erythematous nodules on her right hand and forearm for 10 days (Figure 1A). She was suffering from Sjogren’s syndrome for more than 1 year and had been treated continually with azathioprine and prednisolone. Under the tentative diagnosis of erythema nodosum, an incisional biopsy was performed on her right forearm. Histopathology showed septolobular panniculitis, heavy infiltrates of neutrophils and granulomatous inflammation (Figures 1B and 1C). Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and acid-fast stains were negative. She was then treated with prednisolone 20 mg per day for suspected autoimmune panniculitis. The patient returned to our clinic 2 months after initial presentation. Multiple erythematous to purpuric macules, papules, and punched out ulcers spread centripetally over the patient’s four extremities in a symmetrical distribution (Figure 2A). Tender erythematous nodular eruptions without ulcerations similar to her previous skin lesions at initial presentation were found over both hands and forearms (Figure 2B). There were no associated systemic symptoms, such as fever, chilling and myalgia. She was treated with higher dose of prednisolone of up to 60 mg per day for suspected autoimmune vasculitis by the rheumatologist. However, more papulonodules, ulcers and pustules developed over her extremities as we tapered the dose of systemic steroid. Another skin biopsy of a fresh pustule from her right hand was taken and submitted for both histopathology and culture. Acid-fast positive bacilli were found (Figure 3).
Actin Dynamics: From Nanoscale to Microscale

The dynamic nature of actin in cells manifests itself constantly. Polymerization near the cell edge is balanced by depolymerization in the interior, externally induced actin polymerization is followed by depolymerization, and spontaneous oscillations of actin at the cell periphery are frequently seen. I discuss how mathematical modeling relates quantitative measures of actin dynamics to the rates of underlying molecular level processes. The dynamic properties addressed include the rate of actin assembly at the leading edge of a moving cell, the disassembly rates of intracellular actin networks, the polymerization time course in externally stimulated cells, and spontaneous spatiotemporal patterns formed by actin. Although several aspects of actin assembly have been clarified by increasingly sophisticated models, our understanding of rapid actin disassembly is limited, and the origins of nonmonotonic features in externally stimulated actin polymerization remain unclear. Theory has generated several concrete, testable hypotheses for the origins of spontaneous actin waves and cell-edge oscillations. The development and use of more biomimetic systems applicable to the geometry of a cell will be key to obtaining a quantitative understanding of actin dynamics in cells.
Quadrigeminal non-aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage—a true variant of perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage. Case report

Spontaneous non-aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) centered in the quadrigeminal cistern has been proposed as a variant of perimesencephalic non-aneurysmal SAH (PNSH). Some authors contest the existence of this entity, claiming it results either from head trauma or an undiscovered P2-P3 aneurysm, and conclude that all PNSH arise in front of the brainstem in a 'pretruncal' location. We report a patient with a quadrigeminal pattern of subarachnoid blood who was investigated with two digital catheter angiograms, including 3-D angiography, plus a high-resolution computed tomography angiogram. No abnormal findings were present and the patient had an excellent outcome. We propose that the more common pretruncal PNSH and less common quadrigeminal PNSH are two types of perimesencephalic SAH with separate, distinct etiologies, both of which have a more benign clinical course than aneurysmal SAH.
Partial address directory for cache access

In most high performance computers the speeds of cache accessing are critical in determining the cycle times. A classical method for designing set-associative caches is to late-select array data based on the results of cache directory lookups. The impact on the critical path timing due to late-select will become more significant in future microprocessors with very high clock frequencies. In this paper we propose a new approach to the optimization of array access timing for set-associative caches. The basic idea is to utilize a relatively small partial address directory (PAD) for fast and accurate approximations of cache access coordinates. The PAD can speed up most cache array access by accurately predicting cache locations without having to wait for results from conventional cache directory lookups. Occasionally when the PAD guesses wrong, a memory access can be re-issued with only 1-cycle delays. The PAD may be closely integrated with the array design. The effectiveness of the PAD method is analyzed through combinatorial and simulation studies. >
Providing Performance Feedback: Reactions to Alternate Methods

Subordinate reactions to feedback given in four different ways were assessed. Method one was unilateral, top-down feedback. Method two was supervisoryfeedback with subordinate participation in the discussion. Methods three and four involved a self-appraisal instrument completed prior to a participative performance discussion. In method three, the self-appraisal was not explicitly discussed, whereas in methodfour it was the heart of the discussion. All participative methods tended to result in more positive subordinate perceptions than the unilateral method, but no one particular participative technique was consistently superior. The appraisal methods had no differential impact on post-feedback performance.
Stalking as a Variant of Domestic Violence

Much of what is presently known about stalking in a domestic context has been depicted by the popular press, typically following a tragic outcome, and suggests that it is a problem of increasing dimensions. However, scientific literature on this subject is quite limited. This article provides an overview of scientific data related to stalking and associated psychiatric syndromes, including erotomania. It reviews the current antistalking legislation and the National Institute of Justice Model Anti-Stalking Code. Four case studies of stalkers with psychotic disorders versus personality disorders are presented, and the differential diagnoses are discussed. The implications of diagnostic classification, with respect to criminal responsibility, are also discussed.
On the number of isomorphism classes of CM elliptic curves defined over a number field

Abstract The theory of complex multiplication has proven to be an essential tool in number theory, mainly due to the connections with class field theory developed by Kronecker, Weber, Fricke, Hasse, Deuring, and Shimura, among others. Certain important results have been shown first in the case of complex multiplication. Thus, it is a natural question to find all the isomorphism classes of elliptic curves with complex multiplication defined over a fixed number field, for which these important results hold. In this article, we prove an upper bound on the number of isomorphism classes (over C ) of CM elliptic curves defined over a number field of a fixed odd degree N, in terms of the prime factorization of N.
A geometric view of the mean of a set of numbers

Summary The sample mean is sometimes depicted as a fulcrum placed under the Dot plot. We provide an alternative geometric visualization of the sample mean using the empirical cumulative distribution function or the cumulative histogram data.
Resonant coherence in photosynthetic electronic energy transfer by site-dependent pigment-protein interactions.

We have numerically examined the effect of site-dependent reorganization on the dynamics of coherent electronic excitation energy transfer in a donor and acceptor pair of photosynthetic pigment–protein complex. Using the quasi-adiabatic propagator path integral method (QUAPI), we have found that a specific proportionality between the site-energy mismatch ϵ and the site-reorganization energy mismatch λ simultaneously increases the length and robustness of the quantum coherence. This behavior is associated with a Rabi type resonance that is manifested in the amplitude and frequency in the coherent portion of the population dynamics. Impact of the resonance on robustness of the coherence under static disorder is also discussed.