cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Natural History of Valvular Regurgitation Using Side-by-Side Echocardiographic Analysis in Anorexigen-Treated Subjects

In 1997, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported valvular regurgitation (aortic regurgitation [AR] mild or greater and/or mitral regurgitation [MR] moderate or greater) in 32.8% of patients treated with anorexigens. This study sought to determine the natural history of valvular regurgitation in patients who were included in the FDA's original report. This was a nonrandomized, natural history study of these subjects. Cohort I consisted of 155 of 186 patients (83%) who were reported to the FDA. Cohort II consisted of a similar group of 311 patients who were not included. Initial echocardiograms were obtained for medical indications before the study initiation, and study echocardiograms were standardized and obtained at 3-month intervals. Level III echocardiographers performed blinded, side-by-side comparison of the first and last study echocardiograms at a core laboratory. Cohorts I and II consisted of predominantly female, middle-aged, obese subjects. At enrollment, patients in cohorts I and II had mild or greater AR (17.9%, 13.5%) and moderate or greater MR (3.3%, 4.0%), respectively, which was less than in the FDA's report. At follow-up, there were no statistically significant changes in the degree of valvular regurgitation in either cohort when the first and last study echocardiograms were read side by side. In conclusion, this natural history follow-up study demonstrates that MR and AR in long-term anorexigen-treated patients was less than reported to the FDA, did not progress, and remained echocardiographically stable during the 10-month duration of the study.
Cooperative Interaction Between Cra and Fnr in the Regulation of the cydAB Operon of Escherichia coli

In vivo and in vitro experiments are reported demonstrating that the catabolite repressor-activator (Cra) protein (formerly designated FruR) regulates expression of the cydAB operon of Escherichia coli encoding cytochrome d oxidase. The Fnr protein is required for Cra-mediated transcriptional control, but the ArcA protein antagonizes the response to Cra. The results establish that Fnr, ArcA, and Cra exert their effects in an interdependent fashion.
Science and practice

IN their recent article ‘Don't forget the science’ ( VR , March 16, 2013, vol 172, pp 293-294) prominent figures in the British vet schools argue that the profession is at risk of becoming obsessed with technical competencies at the expense of being a science-led profession. As a relatively recent graduate, my experience of British veterinary education is rather the reverse. The …
Community-Relevant Measurement of Quality of Life: A Focus on Local Trends

A popular term for describing our cities emerged in the 1980s: quality of life. Recent efforts to measure quality of life have responded to the growing interest of citizens, business leaders, and government officials, but these measurements have emphasized comparisons among places. Although these measurements are of value for citizens and businesses who are comparison-shopping prospective new locations, locally committed citizens and organizations have different needs. Thus an alternative, community-oriented measurement process is required. The advice of local residents is essential for both selecting and weighting components for measurement. This community orientation also places emphasis upon the trends over time in different components of a community's quality of life. Closer attention to the local context of quality of life leads to a richer understanding of the subject.
Transannular Diels–Alder/1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition Cascade of 1,3,4-Oxadiazoles: Total Synthesis of a Unique Set of Vinblastine Analogues

A powerful tandem [4 + 2]/[3 + 2] cycloaddition cascade of 1,3,4-oxadiazoles initiated by a transannular [4 + 2] cycloaddition is detailed. An impressive four rings, four carbon–carbon bonds, and six stereocenters are set on each site of the newly formed central six-membered ring in a cascade thermal reaction that proceeds at temperatures as low as 80 °C. The resulting cycloadducts provide the basis for the synthesis of unique analogues of vinblastine containing metabolically benign deep-seated cyclic modifications at the C3/C4 centers of the vindoline-derived subunit of the natural product.
2-Hydroxyaldoximes as possible precursors in the biosynthesis of cyanogenic glucosides

Abstract The possibility of 2-hydroxyaldoximes being alternative intermediates to nitriles in the biosynthesis of cyanogenic glucosides was investigated. 2-Hydroxyisobutyraldoxime-1,3- 14 C and dl -2-hydroxyphenylacetaldoxime-2- 3 H were administered to linen flax ( Linum usitatissimum L.) and to cherry laurel ( Prunus laurocerasus L.) respectively. The incorporation of these precursors into the corresponding glucosides was sufficient to indicate that they may be intermediates in the biosynthesis.
The Bluetooth honeypot project

Bluetooth technology and the inherent security risks it introduces into the workplace can no longer be disregarded. A failure to understand or adequately safeguard the organization from Bluetooth threats increases the likelihood that unauthorized access to sensitive data will occur. The result is a loss of revenue from data theft, loss of business due to a poor reputation, litigation costs, and regulatory fines. While it may seem sufficient to prohibit Bluetooth technology on company owned equipment, the reality is that Bluetooth enabled devices will still be employed on employees' personal devices and vehicles. To thwart these potential vulnerabilities, security administrators must be proactive in the development and implementation of methodologies that address Bluetooth enabled technologies. As a practical approach to monitor Bluetooth threats, the employment of a Bluetooth honeypot will be discussed, including honeypot structure and the legalities of deploying them. Building on Andrew Smith's earlier work developing Bluepot, a functional Bluetooth honeypot, [1], researchers will test Bluepot and make recommendations on how it can be used as a prototype for developing a functional Bluetooth honeypot to secure corporate data.
Substance P receptor expression on lymphocytes is associated with the immune response to respiratory syncytial virus infection

The kinetics and magnitude of SP receptor expression was determined for bronchoalveolar leukocyte cell subsets from BALB/c mice in the primary immune response to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human parainfluenza virus-3 (PIV3) infection, and in the secondary immune response to RSV and PIV3 challenge. In both the primary and secondary responses to infection, expression of substance P (SP) receptors was markedly increased by infection, especially for T lymphocytes, compared to B220+, CD11b+ and CD14+ cells. CD4+ T lymphocytes predominantly expressed SP receptors in the secondary response. These results suggest that SP receptor expression may be important in the development of primary and secondary immune responses to respiratory virus infections.
Selective inversion radiofrequency pulses by optimal control

De nouvelles formes d'impulsions de 180° fortement selectives ont ete obtenues en appliquant les methodes descentes du gradient conjugue a un probleme de commande optimale non lineaire
Teachers at the crossroads: evaluating teaching in electronic environments

Abstract This article raises questions about the evaluation process for composition faculty who use computer and Internet technologies in the classroom, and for distance learning. In particular, I discuss the panoptic effect made possible by the accessibility of our class Web pages to administrators, and provide an example situation from which we might learn. I conclude with a set of practical recommendations on evaluating those who work with computer and Internet technologies for faculty and their departments.
Atomic covalent functionalization of graphene.

Although graphene’s physical structure is a single atom thick, two-dimensional, hexagonal crystal of sp2 bonded carbon, this simple description belies the myriad interesting and complex physical properties attributed to this fascinating material. Because of its unusual electronic structure and superlative properties, graphene serves as a leading candidate for many next generation technologies including high frequency electronics, broadband photodetectors, biological and gas sensors, and transparent conductive coatings. Despite this promise, researchers could apply graphene more routinely in real-world technologies if they could chemically adjust graphene’s electronic properties. For example, the covalent modification of graphene to create a band gap comparable to silicon (∼1 eV) would enable its use in digital electronics, and larger band gaps would provide new opportunities for graphene-based photonics. Toward this end, researchers have focused considerable effort on the chemical functionalization of gra...
Theological visions in economics and religion

Professional economists and religious thinkers have generally not communicated effectively over the past two centuries, largely because the two groups tend to think about social systems from the perspective of incompatible “theological visions.” A theological vision is an encompassing set of presuppositions about how the social world functions and (implicitly) how it ought to function. The dominant theological vision among economists asserts that economic systems, while the product of purposive actions by individuals, are not the product of any design. Religious thinkers reflecting on economic systems tend to assume, by contrast, that whatever results from economic interactions has been willed by some individuals or groups. The modal economist assigns the economic system a kind of autonomy, which the religious thinker will be inclined to regard as almost idolatrous. Dialogue capable of bridging this gap will require the kind of close attention to other people's arguments that is rare outside of very small...
Ngas determination for a parallel‐plate ion chamber

A parallel-plate ion chamber has been investigated with a view to determining Ngas, the cavity-gas calibration factor, introduced by the Task Group 21 protocol for dose determination. In-air and in-phantom irradiation of a Memorial Hospital parallel-plate ion chamber in a 60Co beam led to the determination of ion collecting volume and a calibration factor for the chamber. When these quantities were used to deduce Ngas factors for the chamber, an agreement within 1% was found. An average of the cavity-gas factors obtained from 60Co data agreed to within 0.5% with the factor determined through force fitting the doses received by the parallel-plate chamber and a cylindrical chamber in a 22-MeV (nominal) electron beam. Additionally, the parallel-plate chamber was utilized to study the effectiveness, in electron beam dosimetry, of the electron fluence perturbation correction factors introduced when the phantom material is replaced by a cylindrical ion chamber.
Biofilms with fungi in chronic rhinosinusitis

ObjectivesDemonstrate that bacterial biofilm in sinus mucosal samples from patients with eosinophilic mucin chronic rhinosinusitis (EMCRS) and allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) contains fungal elements; identify specific organisms in the biofilm.MethodsMucosa samples from 11 patients undergoing sinus surgery were collected. Patients were classified as having AFRS, EMCRS, or chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) based on histopathologic findings. Three mucosal samples from controls were also collected. Samples were stained with specific bacterial fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) DNA probes (Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumophilia, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and a general pan-fungal FISH probe. The samples were analyzed for bacterial biofilm ultrastructure and fungal elements using epifluorescent microscopy.ResultsBacterial biofilm was demonstrated in 9/11 samples and 2/3 controls. H. influenzae was the predominant biofilm present. There was a trend showing more fungal ...
W05-04 Family cohesion, psychoeducation, and insight in schizophrenia

The speaker will describe the first two modules of the culturally informed family therapy for schizophrenia, as well as some of her own research on insight in severe mental illness. The first module of the treatment is Family Collectivism. This module is based on strong research linking perceptions of family cohesion to decreased psychiatric symptoms and less general emotional distress (Weisman, Rosales, Kymalainen, & Armesto,2005). This module is aimed at fortifying a strong sense of family unity and helping members to view themselves as a team working towards a mutual goal with the objective of tapping into the protective effects of experiencing a cohesive family unit. A demonstration of this module will beconducted using volunteers from the audience. The second module, Education, is based on earlier psycho-educational programs of Falloonet al. (1984) and Miklowitz and Goldstein (1997). The Education module discusses the known causes of schizophrenia, the exacerbating factors, and ways in which family might influence the patient's mood, thoughts, and behaviors. This speaker will discuss patients' insight into having a mental illness, which is an important variable when conducting psychoeducational programs. Many individuals suffering from schizophrenia have limited or no insight into the fact that they have a mental illness. This speaker will explore possible mediators and moderators of the relationship between insight and distress and discuss how these factors may be important during treatment, particularly in the psychoeducation module.
Topology aggregation: Merged-star method for multiple non-isomorphic topology subgraphs

In a hierarchical network, each subnetwork advertises its topology information (i.e., topology graph) to the other subnetworks. Lots of work has been done to minimize the amount of advertised topology information. With the existing methods, however, the amount of advertised information linearly increases to the order of the number of link-state parameters. To solve this problem, using graph theory, we show how to convert multiple non-isomorphic topology-advertising subgraphs into an isomorphic graph.
The complexity of natural language mediators and its relation to paired-associate learning!

Natural language mediators (NLMs) are widely used by Ss in paired-associate learning. Experiments which have documented their effect on learning have largely ignored qualitative differences between them. Two large groups learned different CMC-word lists after which they reported any NLMs they had used. Judges rated the complexity of NLMs using a scale developed by Martin, Boersma, & Cox (1965) with different materials. The results agree with theirs in that complex NLMs produced fewer errors in learning. However, some categories on the scale were used infrequently which may indicate that, at least with highly meaningful material, a simpler dichotomous categorization (NLM or Rote) may be preferable.
Adaptation and Negative Aftereffect to Lateral Optical Displacement in Newly Hatched Chicks

Chicks wearing hoods containing 8.5-degree wedge prisms from the day of hatching showed both significant reduction in the average lateral displacement of pecking (adaptation) and significant pecking overcompensation in the direction opposite to the original displacement (negative aftereffect) when matched 0-degree plates were substituted for the prisms on the 8th day.
Atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia with a varying H-H interval, a fixed atrial cycle length and 2:1 A-V relation.

547-5271/$ -see front matter © 2007 Heart Rhythm Society. All rights reserved entricular stimulus during His bundle refractoriness, post acing interval minus the pacing tachycardia length of 208 s during entrainment from the right ventricular apex, and ite of successful ablation at the slow pathway region. Atrial achycardia was ruled out by demonstration of a longer AH nterval during right atrial pacing than during the tachycaria, dissociation of the atria from the tachycardia, and terination of the tachycardia with an early ventricular preature complex without subsequent atrial excitation. owever, twice during programmed stimulation the tachyardia demonstrated a sustained 2:1 atrio-ventricular rela-
Shortcomings Of Molecular Models Of Macroscopic Nonlinear Polarization

A formal relation between molecular polarization and macroscopic nonlinear dielectric susceptibilities is derived. The importance of local field effects is reiterated. Application to crystalline and random media are discussed. To test validity of averaging procedures and semiempirical local-field models some optical third-harmonic generation experiments in binary solutions are described.
Apparent desensitization of NMDA responses in Xenopus oocytes involves calcium-dependent chloride current

N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors were expressed and studied in Xenopus oocytes injected with rat brain RNA. NMDA application elicits a rapid inward current that decays in several seconds to a relatively stable level. This decay is reportedly due to desensitization. However, we found the early transient component could be evoked more than once during a single application of NMDA, suggesting that the receptor did not actually desensitize. Removal of external Ca2+, replacement of Ca2+ with Ba2+, or intracellular injection of EGTA abolished the transient component. Furthermore, a variety of Cl- channel blockers nearly eliminated the transient component and inhibited the plateau current as well. We propose that a significant portion of the NMDA current recorded in oocytes is carried by a transient inward Cl- current triggered by Ca2+ influx through the NMDA receptor/channel.
STUDIES ON TREPONEMA PALLIDUM AND SYPHILIS : III. THE INDIVIDUAL FLUCTUATIONS IN VIRULENCE AND COMPARATIVE VIRULENCE OF TREPONEMA PALLIDUM STRAINS PASSED THROUGH RABBITS.

1. As regards these strains, at least, there is no consistent change, either increase or decrease, of rabbit pathogenicity during progressive rabbit passage. 2. There is no difference in pathogenicity between these different strains, although some of them were isolated from condylomata, some from chancres, one from a mucous patch, and one by Nichols from the nervous system. 3. We do not believe that there is any consistency of difference in speed of incubation between these various strains. 4. We think that the nature of the lesion produced by any individual strain, and the incubation time as well, are dependent upon the fortuitous factors incident to the nature of the material used, the technique of injection, and the size of rabbit in which the injection is made. As to the tendency to generalize possessed by one strain or another, we are not prepared to make a statement. We have not inspected as carefully as we might all our rabbits in regard to the more obscure syphilitic lesions such as small nodules on the eyebrows, nodules on the nasal bones, and internal lesions of the eye. As a matter of fact, we have noticed three cases of keratitis, probably syphilitic, and a number of preputial metastases, we have seen occasional nodules about the anus, and in one case a peritonitis in the fluid of which living treponemata were found on examination. There has not been in our series an extensive number of generalizations. We attribute this largely to the fact that all the studies here recorded were made on rabbits intratesticularly inoculated. It appears from the writings of other investigators that intravenous and intracardial injection of rabbits leads to a more extensive metastatic or general distribution. Two of the few rabbits inoculated intravenously showed testicular lesions. A series of rabbits intracerebrally inoculated through trephine openings showed nothing definite on autopsy, though one of them showed interference with reflexes and rigidity of the limbs for a time which seemed significant of pathological change. This rabbit, however, recovered entirely.
Determination of the effects of cure conditions on the photopolymerization of liquid crystalline monomers using differential photo-calorimetry

Photopolymerization of diacrylate liquid crystalline monomers has several advantages over thermal polymerization. Most notably, photopolymerization allows for the cure reaction to occur at a temperature where a mesophase exists. In this paper we discuss the effects of several cure conditions, including temperature, on the conversion and reaction rates of two liquid crystalline monomers. Each of these monomers exhibits a nematic mesophase at elevated temperatures. The data indicate that the presence of the mesophase has an impact on both reaction rates and conversion. Further studies concerning the effects of photoinitiator composition and concentration reveal that these parameters significantly influence the polymerization rate but do not affect the degree of conversion at extended irradiation times.
Changes in the management of vulval cancer

Vulval carcinoma is relatively rare. The disease spreads from the vulva through embolization to the locoregional lymphatic station, the inguinofemoral nodes. Prior to this event cure can be achieved, but rarely predicted with certainty. This chapter reviews current therapeutic knowledge and recognizes the increasing importance of individualization of a treatment plan. The adoption of these principles will hopefully evolve a pattern of care that leads to a decrease in morbidity for those women with early tumours and less morbid but more effective strategies for those with advanced disease.
`Ours is the Way of God': Religion, Identity, And Intergroup Conflict

According to social identity theory, identity competition plays a central role in the inception and escalation of intergroup conflict, even when economic and political factors also are at play. Individual and group identity competition is considered a byproduct of individuals' efforts to satisfy basic human needs, including various psychological needs. Religions often serve these psychological needs more comprehensively and potently than other repositories of cultural meaning that contribute to the construction and maintenance of individual and group identities. Religions frequently supply cosmologies, moral frameworks, institutions, rituals, traditions, and other identity-supporting content that answers to individuals' needs for psychological stability in the form of a predictable world, a sense of belonging, self-esteem, and even self-actualization. The peculiar ability of religion to serve the human identity impulse thus may partially explain why intergroup conflict so frequently occurs along religious...
Recombination and the Properties of Tajima's D in the Context of Approximate-Likelihood Calculation

I show that Tajima's D, a commonly used summary of the site-frequency spectrum for single-nucleotide polymorphism data, is a biased summary of the site-frequency spectrum. Under neutral models, this bias depends on the population recombination rate. This bias of D in summarizing the data makes inference of demographic parameters sensitive to assumptions about recombination rates.
Finite element based three dimensional crack propagation simulation on interfaces in electronic packages

Interface delamination phenomenon has been a great concern for semiconductor package reliability. In order to better understand the package failure mechanisms, crack initiation and propagation behavior of interface flaws have to be investigated in detail. In this paper, three dimensional interface crack propagation is examined using the enriched finite element method. A fatigue crack growth simulation technique, which has been widely studied in the literature to predict steady state crack growth behavior after crack initiation in homogeneous materials, is extended to three dimensional interface cracks. The method described uses a modified version of the classical fatigue crack growth rate "law" developed by Paris and Erdogan to simulate stable crack growth under cyclic loading conditions, with the crack constrained to the plane of the interface. The crack driving force, which is chosen as cyclic strain energy release rate, is calculated using the enriched finite element method. As a practical example in semiconductor package reliability analysis, the method is used to simulate the propagation of a three-dimensional interface crack on a silicon/epoxy interface under various loading conditions. Plots of advancement of the crack front and the changes in total strain energy release rates as the crack shape evolves during propagation are also given. Lastly, crack propagation simulation is demonstrated for a generic package model using a submodeling technique.
Antigenic variation during persistent lentivirus infections and its implications for vaccine development.

During the past decade the role of genetic variation during RNA virus replication has gained increased attention as a strategy for viral persistence. Through mechanisms such as genomic point mutations, recombination, and reassortment of multipartite genomes, RNA viruses are capable of modifying their genetic constitution, often resulting in altered biologic (host cell specificity, pathogenicity) or immunologic properties (Holland et al., 1982). The propensity for variation among animal RNA viruses by mutation is usually attributed to the relatively high infidelity of virus-encoded RNA polymerases that replicate the viral genome. Compared to DNA polymerases that display error rates of 10-8 to 10-11 nucleotide substitutions per site per year, viral RNA polymerases reveal mutation rates of about 10-4 to 10-5. Moreover, the genetic variations introduced during viral RNA replication in the cell cytoplasm tend to accumulate, as RNA polymerases lack the editing and repair functions typically associated with nuclear DNA polymerases. Thus, RNA viruses appear to constitute a highly variable system of genetic information in which nature is constantly experimenting with novel genetic constitutions.
Use of Filmed Modeling to Reduce Uncooperative Behavior of Children During Dental Treatment

Sixteen inner city children attending a pedodontic clinic were shown either a filmed demonstration of a child model cooperatively undergoing dental treatment or a film unrelated to dental activity. The group viewing the modeling film showed significantly fewer disruptive behaviors during restorative care and were rated as less fearful than the control group.
The Atmospheric Response to Realistic Arctic Sea Ice Anomalies in an AGCM during Winter.

Abstract The influence of realistic Arctic sea ice anomalies on the atmosphere during winter is investigated with version 3.6 of the Community Climate Model (CCM3.6). Model experiments are performed for the winters with the most (1982/83) and least (1995/96) Arctic ice coverage during 1979–99, when ice concentration estimates were available from satellites. The experiments consist of 50-member ensembles: using large ensembles proved critical to distinguish the signal from noise. The local response to ice anomalies over the subpolar seas of both the Atlantic and Pacific is robust and generally shallow with large upward surface heat fluxes (>100 W m−2), near-surface warming, enhanced precipitation, and below-normal sea level pressure where sea ice receded, and the reverse where the ice expanded. The large-scale response to reduced (enhanced) ice extent to the east (west) of Greenland during 1982/83 resembles the negative phase of the Arctic Oscillation/North Atlantic Oscillation (AO/NAO) with a ridge over t...
Persistent fetal pulmonary hypoperfusion after acute hypoxia

To determine the effects of duration of hypoxia on fetal pulmonary blood flow and vasoreactivity, we studied the response of the fetal pulmonary vascular bed before, during, and after prolonged (2-h) and more brief (30-min) exposures to acute hypoxia in 19 chronically instrumented unanesthetized fetal lambs. Left pulmonary arterial blood flow was measured by an electromagnetic flow transducer. Fetal PO2 was lowered by delivering 10-12% O2 to the ewe. During 2-h periods of hypoxia left pulmonary arterial blood flow decreased, and main pulmonary arterial and pulmonary vascular resistance increased. The increase in pulmonary vascular resistance was sustained throughout the 2-h period of hypoxia. After the return of the ewe to room air breathing, pulmonary vascular resistance remained elevated for at least 1 h despite the rapid correction of hypoxemia and in the absence of acidemia. In contrast, after 30 min of hypoxia, left pulmonary arterial blood flow, pulmonary arterial pressure, and pulmonary vascular resistance returned to base-line values rapidly with the termination of hypoxia. The persistent pulmonary hypoperfusion after 2 h of hypoxia was attenuated by alpha-adrenergic blockade and was characterized by a blunted vasodilatory response to increases in fetal PO2. When fetal PO2 was elevated during the posthypoxia period in the presence of alpha-blockade, pulmonary blood flow still remained unresponsive to increases in fetal PO2. We conclude that 2-h periods of acute hypoxia can decrease fetal pulmonary vasoreactivity, and we speculate that related mechanisms may contribute to the failure of the normal adaptation of the pulmonary circulation at birth.
Terahertz Science and Technology Trends

The recent progress in terahertz science and technology (THz-S&T) opens up a range of potential research opportunities. Historically, THz technologies were mainly used by the astronomy community for searching far-infrared radiation (cosmic background), and by the laser fusion community for the diagnostics of plasmas. Since the first demonstration of THz wave time-domain spectroscopy in the late 1980s, there has been a series of significant advances (particularly in recent years) as intense THz sources and more sensitive detectors provide new opportunities for understanding the basic science in the THz frequency range. THz radiation can penetrate through many nonpolar dielectric materials and can be used for nondestructive/noninvasive sensing and imaging of targets under nonpolar, nonmetallic covers or containers. An immediate application of THz wave technology is in nondestructive testing or inspection. Short-term applications (within three to five years) are expected in spectroscopic sensing and imaging for homeland security. Biomedical applications are expected in the long term (five to ten years). By comparing the publication record trend of THz-S&T related papers with the publication record of proxy fields (laser, microwave, Raman, and infrared), it is possible to anticipate that the number of publications in the THz-S&T arena will increase and also the impact in other research areas. We compare the publication pattern (number of papers versus time) with searching keywords in title or abstract. We found that all the publication trends share a common pattern with four periods defined by discovery, acceptance, adoption, and maturity. From this pattern trend, THz-S&T seems to be in an acceptance period. The unique properties of THz-S&T suggest that its applications will grow.
Fate of the beta-cell in the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes.

Abstract Objective To describe the progression of beta-cell dysfunction, now presumed to be the primary progenitor of type 2 diabetes, which appears early in the clinical course (perhaps antedating and even contributing to the development of insulin resistance) and progressively worsens even under treatment. Data sources Medline search of all relevant clinical and review articles. Study selection By the author. Data extraction By the author. Data synthesis The physiology of glucose homeostasis requires the close cooperation of a number of organ systems, humoral secretions, and neural signaling complexes; disruption of any of these processes may lead to the development of type 2 diabetes. Predisposing risk factors for type 2 diabetes include overweight and obesity, poor diet, and lack of exercise. Genetic factors, many of which as yet require elucidation, may also elevate the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance (IR) has long been recognized as a primary, if not the primary, cause of type 2 diabetes. Recent research in disease pathogenesis suggests that IR is neither a necessary nor sufficient condition for development and progression of type 2 diabetes. Although IR is highly correlated with type 2 diabetes, many individuals with IR will not go on to develop the disease; and the disease may be present in individuals not markedly insulin resistant. The primary progenitor of type 2 diabetes is now presumed to be progressive beta-cell dysfunction, which appears early in the clinical course (perhaps antedating and even contributing to the development of IR) and progressively worsens even under treatment. Among the mechanisms of beta-cell dysfunction in type 2 diabetes is the reduction or abrogation of the “incretin effect.” Conclusion The incretins are gut hormones, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), which in healthy individuals potentiate glucose-dependent insulin secretion. In addition, these hormones, and particularly GLP-1, have a number of protective effects on the beta-cell, including reduction in apoptosis and promotion of beta-cell proliferation and neogenesis. As these benefits are lost in diabetes, “repairing” the incretin effect has become an important treatment target. Treatments that maintain the beta-cell could offer durable glycemic control and potentially reduce the micro- and macrovascular complications associated with type 2 diabetes.
The therapeutic alliance in medical-based interventions impacts outcome in treating alcohol dependence

This study examined the relationship of the therapeutic alliance and treatment outcomes for alcohol-dependent patients receiving naltrexone or placebo and one of three different types of clinical interventions, including two medical-based (non-specialty) treatments. This is a secondary analysis of a 24-week randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial of 100mg/day of naltrexone or placebo for patients with DSM-IV alcohol dependence. Patients were also randomized to one of three interventions: (1) medication clinic only, (2) medication clinic plus BRENDA (an intervention promoting pharmacotherapy), or (3) medication clinic plus cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Early in treatment, patients and clinicians completed the working alliance inventory (WAI). Regression analyses were conducted to determine the predictive validity of the WAI on percent days abstinent and percent of sessions attended over the clinical trial. In the medication clinic only condition, the clinicians' WAI total score was marginally correlated to percent of visits attended (p=.057) but not percent days abstinent. In the medication clinic plus BRENDA condition, clinicians' WAI total score was positively correlated with percent days abstinent (p=.013) but not percent visits attended. No significant relationships were found between the WAI scores and either outcome measure in the CBT condition or for any of the patient rated assessments. To our knowledge, this is the first published report providing some support for the importance of the therapeutic alliance in medical interventions for alcohol dependence but only in the context of the clinicians' ratings. The absence of other effects underscores the need for further research.
Network-aware positioning in sensor networks

Out of its importance to various applications and services, the geographical location of the sensed event is to be associated with the event itself being reported. Despite the numerous number of localization algorithms proposed, very few of them are really ad-hoc methods that are appropriate for sensor networks. In this paper, our contribution is double-folded. First, we design an experimental framework to evaluate localization methods for sensor networks. We use this framework to evaluate three localization methods: ad-hoc positioning system (APS), multi-dimensional scaling (MDS), and semi-definite programming (SDP). Using this evaluation, we identify five network properties that affect the localization accuracy. Second, we propose an adaptive localization method that we refer to as: network-aware positioning (NAP). NAP starts by assuming known network properties. Given these properties, NAP determines the best localization algorithm to use. Simulation results show that NAP performs the best among the three algorithms under all network conditions
Ni/YBa2Cu3O7−x and Ni/Bi2Sr2Ca0.8Y0.2Cu2Ox interface formation: Reactivity, segregation, and chemical trapping

Interfaces formed by condensing Ni atoms onto YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}{ital x}} (Y-123) and Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}Ca{sub 0.8}Y{sub 0.2}Cu{sub 2}O{sub {ital x}} (Bi-2212) have been studied with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. For both Y-123 and Bi-2212, the Ni 2{ital p}{sub 3/2} and O 1{ital s} core level features indicate Ni--O reactions and changes in the Cu 2{ital p}{sub 3/2} emission that reflect reduction from nominal Cu{sup 2+} to Cu{sup 1+} oxidation states. Ni deposition onto Bi-2212 also reduces Bi--O bonding and releases Bi atoms. For Ni/Y-123, analysis of emission intensities as a function of coverage shows that O and Ba intermix in the growing metal overlayer but that Cu is trapped at the buried interface. For Ni/Bi-2212, similar analysis shows O and Bi intermixing but less effective Cu trapping.
Nitrosation of drugs by human salivary nitrite.

Abstract Carcinogenic N -nitrosodimethylamine was formed when aminopyrine and oxytetracycline were incubated separately (10mg/ml) at 37 °C for 1 h with human saliva (nitrite, 6.6 ± 0.1 μg/ml). At pH 3 and 4, the yields of the nitrosamine were 9.5 ± 0.4 and 6.4 ± 0.9 μg/ml per h from aminopyrine and 7.7 ± 0.7 and 4.2 ± 0.5 μg/ml per 1 h from oxytetracycline, respectively.
Tissue interactions in embryonic mouse tooth germs: I. Reorganization of the dental epithelium during tooth-germ reconstruction

The ability of fragments of incisor enamel organ and lip-furrow epithelium from 15- and 16-day old embryonic mice to regulate into harmonious tooth constructions is described. The cervical loop and upper half portions of the incisor enamel organ were confronted with incisor or molar dental papillae. Similar combinations were made from lip-furrow epithelium and incisor or molar papillae. The cultures were grown in the anterior chambers of homologous host eyes. The epithelial fragments from the incisor enamel organ when associated with the dental papillae reconstruct teeth typical in all respects; enamel and dentin matrices are deposited. Lip-furrow epithelium arises from the oral epithelium and is temporally and spatially related to the incisor dental epithelium proper. This ectopic epithelium was confronted by incisor and molar papillae. Harmonious teeth developed in these explants. It is concluded that the ability of the dental papillae to elicit new cytodifferentiative and biochemical syntheses from the lip-furrow epithelium indicates that the dental papillae act inductively during tooth ontogeny. The shape of the teeth reconstructed from enamel organ fragments and lip-furrow epithelium were incisiform or molariform in response to the incisor or molar dental papillae. These data confirm the conclusion that the structural specificity for tooth shape resides in the dental papilla.
Demographic and Diagnostic Differences Among Suicide Ideators, Single Attempters, and Multiple Attempters Among Military Personnel and Veterans Receiving Outpatient Mental Health Care

Patients receiving outpatient psychiatric treatment who have made two or more lifetime suicide attempts (i.e., multiple attempters) report higher levels of psychopathology and are at increased risk for making additional suicide attempts relative to patients who have never attempted suicide (i.e., ideators) or made only one suicide attempt (i.e., single attempters). The present study examined these relationships among 590 Iraq and Afghanistan era military personnel and veterans using baseline data pooled from three randomized clinical trials. Diagnoses were established using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) or Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI); and history of suicide attempt was established using the Suicide Attempt Self-Injury Interview (SASII). Borderline personality disorder, but no other psychiatric diagnosis, was significantly more common among multiple attempters as compared to ideators and single attempters. Major depressive disorder was significantly more commo...
“Racial Threat”, Partisan Climate, and Direct Democracy: Contextual Effects in Three California Initiatives

Does context—racial, economic, fiscal, and political—affect whites’ votes on racially-related ballot propositions? We examine non-Hispanic whites’ voting behavior on three California ballot initiatives: Propositions 187, 209, and 227. Unlike previous analyses that lacked individual-level data and were therefore limited to ecological inference, we combine individual-level data from exit polls with county-level contextual variables in a hierarchical linear model. Racial/ethnic context affected whites’ votes only on Proposition 187, economic context had no influence on vote choice, and the effect of fiscal context was limited to Proposition 227. However, across the propositions, whites’ decisions were shaped by their political context. Thus, we do not find support for the “racial threat” hypothesis across all racially-charged issues.
Trough-Merger Characteristics over North America

Abstract Split flow, defined by the presence or two separate westerly airstreams in the mid- and upper troposphere, is common in middle latitudes. Occasionally, individual troughs in the separate branches of the westerlies will merge into one trough with a single vorticity maximum. Illustrative examples are used to demonstrate the significance of the trough merger process to the cyclogenesis process. The results of a subjective climatological study revealed the existence of 21 merger events across North America based upon the amalgamation of separate 500-mb vorticity centers. Eighteen of these occurred during the 1978–85 sampling period and three were added from other years. The trough merger cases were found to occur only in central and eastern North America east of 100°W and north of 35°N. Trough merger locations varied seasonally with the position of the principal tropospheric baroclinic zone. A composite of 17 trough-merger events demonstrated that the orientation of the 500-mb trough axis changed fro...
Scholarship In Real Time: Use Of Assignments To Achieve Scholarship Of Teaching

In higher education, Boyer’s work “Scholarship Revisited” has regained attention as a greater number of academic programs are applied fields where scholarship defined solely as research is too limited in concept. While discovery of knowledge is critical to the academic enterprise, effective teaching is acknowledged as equally important in the age of outcome-focused education, such as in allied health fields. The time required balancing teaching loads that require 12 hours in the classroom, plus office hours and committee participation can present quite a challenge to the tenure-track faculty member trying to also build and grow a body of research. In the Boyer Model, the Scholarship of Teaching is defined as means of not only educating students but also enticing them to be future scholars (Boyer, 1990). This scholarship demands that teachers be well- informed in the knowledge of their fields. In Allied Health fields, this can be another time challenge as research agendas often follow particular niches within the broader field of study while classroom expertise requires generalist information dissemination. And while continued clinical practice can be informative to the educational enterprise, practice alone does not provide best evidence based information for the classroom. This article will describe the use of assigned course work that bridges the time gap created by these conflicting demands. The assignment calls for the student learners to be critical appraisers of information as it is presented in public formats by requiring that they find the scientific source and analyze the accuracy of the publically presented information. It facilitates the teacher-learner in completing a literature review of emerging topics within the field of study to meet the requirement to be well-informed. Further information on how to make these efforts obvious for the tenure process is discussed.
Young Children’s Positive and Negative Parasocial Relationships with Media Characters

There is a scarcity of research on how young children form short- and long-term emotional connections with popular media characters. Preexisting research on young children’s parasocial relationships (PSR) with media personae has traditionally operationally defined PSR exclusively in terms of friendship and focused on television characters. However, a growing body of research suggests the need for a wider survey of children’s media platforms. Scholarship also actually points to two distinct constructs of PSR: positive PSR (friendly feelings or amicability) and negative PSR (unfriendly feelings or antipathy). This study engaged 88 children ages 5–7 in open- and closed-ended questions designed to measure both positive and negative PSR. Our research reveals a more nuanced understanding of young children’s PSR.
Multilevel Nonbinary LDPC-Coded Modulation for High-Speed Optical Transmissions

Multilevel nonbinary LDPC-coded modulation has been proposed to reduce decoding complexity while maintaining the large-coding-gain performance desired for high-speed optical transmissions. Simulation results show the proposed scheme outperforms bit-interleaved LDPC-coded modulation by 0.65 dB.
The Corn Earworm in Southwestern Idaho: Infestation Levels and Damage to Processing Corn and Sweet Corn Seed

Corn earworm damage to processing corn and sweet corn seed was determined in 2 cultivars, ‘Barbecue’ and ‘Elite’, that were silking from early July through mid-Aug. Penetration of the ear from the tip by 1, 2, 3, and 4 larvae/ear was determined for processing corn and cm2 of corn destroyed per ear for seed corn. Growing degree days (GDD), base 10° to 30°C (50°–86°F) were accumulated from Jan. 1 to silking. No significant differences were present between cultivars. Mean penetration for 1, 2, 3, or 4 larvae/ear was 4.0, 6.5, 7.3, and 7.6 cm, respectively. However, penetration by one larva/ear decreased from 4.0 cm for corn silking at 682 GDD to 2.5 cm for corn silking at 960 GDD, and then increased sharply to 5.5 cm for corn silking at 1050 GDD and remained high until late in the season. Damage to seed corn increased from 10 cm2/ear for corn silking early to a peak of 60 cm2/ear for corn silking at 1005 GDD, then gradually declined to ca. 35 cm2/ear for late silking corn. This represented a loss of 40–250 kg/10,000 ears. The regression of damage to population was calculated for both processing and seed corn.
Rigid Multi-Body Kinematics of Shovel Crawler-Formation Interactions

Large capacity shovels are deployed in surface mining operations for achieving economic bulk production targets. These shovels use crawler tracks for effective terrain engagement in these environments. Shovel reliability, maintainability, availability and efficiency depend on the service life of the crawler tracks. In rugged and challenging terrains, crawler wear, tear, cracks and failure are extensive resulting in prolonged downtimes with severe economic implications. In particular, crawler shoe wear, tear, cracks and fatigue failures can be expensive in terms of maintenance costs and production losses. No fundamental research has been undertaken to understand the crawler-formation interactions in challenging and rugged terrains in surface mining operations. This study forms the foundations for providing long-term solutions to crawler failure problems. The kinematic equations governing the crawler-formation interactions have been formulated to characterise the crawler motions during shovel production. Th...
Service Model with Different Service Rates and Prices

In this paper we consider a model where we allow for a server to choose different prices and service rates for two kinds of services. We present a method to identify the equilibrium and also offer some numerical analysis.