cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diagnosis of Sarcopenic Dysphagia in the Elderly: Critical Review and Future Perspectives.

Sarcopenic dysphagia (SD) is swallowing difficulty associated with loss of generalized skeletal muscles and swallowing‐related muscles. Diagnostic criteria for SD were suggested, yet there is a variability in instruments and cut-offs used. The aim of the current review is to critically evaluate tools used in diagnosis of sarcopenic dysphagia in the elderly. Comprehensive review of the literature was performed. Studies were qualitatively evaluated for the diagnostic tools used to make a diagnosis of “sarcopenic dysphagia” and compared to the known diagnostic criteria for SD and other accepted measures. Fourteen studies (N = 10,282) were selected from a search yield of 331 de-duplicated studies. Ninety-three percent of studies (13/14) were conducted in Japan. All subjects included were over the age of 65 years old (mean, 76.5 years). Various tools were used to assess sarcopenia including handgrip strength (14/14 of studies), followed by skeletal muscle mass/index (7/14), tongue pressure, gait speed, and calf circumference in 5/14 studies. The most commonly tool used for dysphagia and/or swallowing dysfunction was the food level intake scale (5/14 of studies) followed by the functional oral intake scale (3/14). The 100-mL water swallow test was used in 2 of the 14 included SD studies. Fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing, videofluoroscopic swallowing study, EAT-10 questionnaire, and standardized swallow assessment were each used in only one SD study. Further research is required to validate SD diagnostic tools, establish cut-offs in different populations, and investigate their role in screening of dysphagia and swallowing dysfunction in the elderly.
Capital Structure: Sell It Off!

In this chapter, we will examine the other primary component of capital structure. Most individuals understand the basic idea of stocks and stock markets, and for good reason. Equity markets are not just the focus of financial professionals. The idea that individual investors can own a piece of a publicly traded firm is probably the most important concept in investments as it allows firms to have a direct influence on individual wealth. In this chapter, we will cover the characteristics of equity, learn how to theoretically value stock, and most importantly, discuss equity from the company’s perspective.
Impact of Acculturation and Traditionalism

What have been the substance use, misuse, and abuse consequences for Puerto Ricans of becoming “Anglocized” or more like their English speaking counterparts on the mainland? Is substance misuse and the abuse problems arising from this a result of the striving to be like “everyone else” and integrating into the larger Anglo community? Which parts of this transition process are most related to substance misuse and abuse? Is the movement toward substance misuse and abuse merely a matter of time spent on the mainland or differences in education and class that result in the stresses of acculturation? Are the substance abuse problems of Puerto Ricans on the mainland more a product of the stresses resulting from their striving to “fit in” or during this process have they lost their commitment to certain traditional values that had served to protect them on “the Island?”
Specifying the Appearance of Escalator Treads: How to Minimize the Disorientation Effect

Escalator passengers sometimes experience a feeling of disorientation or dizziness while boarding or riding the machine. Prior work has shown that this perception may be due to a visual depth illusion caused by the appearance of the escalator tread. Measurements confirm that the escalator tread surface is a highly periodic visual stimulus exhibiting unusually high contrast as well as a spatial frequency matched to the preferences of the visual nervous system. Means of minimizing the depth illusion are explored. These center on disrupting the periodic structures of the tread surface. Expressions intended to serve as candidates for figure of merit for the tread appearance are developed. These take into account some properties of the visual nervous system including the decline with eccentricity of visual acuity and the bandpass character of spatial detail processing under light adapted conditions.
The Field Placement Contract: Its Use in Maintaining Comparability between Employment-Related and Traditional Field Placements.

Abstract As student financial aid for MSW education has decreased, the necessity for paid employment-related field placements has increased. An accompanying concern has been whether such employment-related experiences can offer satisfactory professional training in light of the demands generated by the employment itself. This study examines one alternative—the field placement contracting process—as an avenue for restructuring the work experience to better suit the educational needs of the MSW student employee. Results show that the designated approach can be effective in producing educational experiences and results comparable to those produced by traditional placements developed by MSW programs.
Temperature-sensitive adenosine-mediated vasoconstriction in the skin microcirculation.

The A1 and A2 adenosine receptor agonists (5'-(N-ethylcarboxamido)-adenosine, 2-chloroadenosine, adenosine (ADO) and N6-cyclohexyladenosine) were topically applied to 30- to 60-microns arterioles in the s.c. microcirculation of hamsters at different skin temperatures. Vasoconstrictor responses evoked by nanomolar concentrations of ADO and N6-cyclohexyladenosine were enhanced when local skin temperature (Ts) was increased, but unchanged when Ts was decreased. All these responses were antagonized by 8-phenyltheophylline, which suggests that temperature-sensitive vasoconstrictions were mediated by A1 receptors. In contrast, norepinephrine (10(-7) M) caused vasoconstrictions that were not enhanced at high Ts and were markedly reduced at low Ts, while angiotensin II (10(-8) M) caused vasoconstrictions that were temperature-insensitive. Vasodilator responses evoked by micromolar concentrations of ADO, 2-chloroadenosine and 5'-(N-ethylcarboxamido)-adenosine were temperature-insensitive. All these responses were antagonized by 8-phenyltheophylline, except those mediated by 10(-6) to 10(-4) M ADO, which can be explained by simple override of the receptor blockade. Thus, A1, but not A2, receptors show temperature-dependent actions in vivo, which suggests that temperature sensitivity could be an additional criterion for classification of ADO receptors.
How self-reported hot flashes may relate to affect, cognitive performance and sleep.

Abstract Purpose To explain the controversy about whether midlife women who self-report hot flashes have relatively increased affective symptoms, poor cognitive performance or worse sleep. Methods Retrospective data from 88 women seeking relief from bothersome day and night hot flashes were submitted to mixed linear regression modeling to find if estimated hot flashes, as measured by Women's Health Questionnaire (WHQ) items, or diary-documented hot flashes recorded daily, were associated with each other, or with affective, cognitive or sleep measures. Results Subjects averaged 6.3 daytime diary-documented hot flashes and 2.4 nighttime diary-documented hot flashes per 24 h. Confounder-controlled diary-documented hot flashes but not estimated hot flashes were associated with increased Leeds anxiety scores ( F = 4.9; t = 2.8; p = 0.01) and Leeds depression scores (3.4; 2.5; 0.02), decreased Stroop Color–Word test performance (9.4; 3.5; 0.001), increased subjective sleep disturbance (effect size = 0.83) and increased objective sleep disturbance (effect size = 0.35). Hot flash effects were small to moderate in size. Univariate but not multivariate analyses revealed that all hot flash measures were associated with all affect measures. Different measures of hot flashes associated differently with affect, cognition and sleep. Only nighttime diary-document hot flash consistently correlated with any affect measures in multivariate analyses. Conclusions The use of differing measures for hot flashes, affect, cognition and sleep may account for the continually reported inconsistencies in menopause study outcomes. This problem impedes forging a consensus on whether hot flashes correlate with neuropsychological symptoms.
Foreword to Special Issue: Papers from the 52nd Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Plasma Physics, Chicago, Illinois, USA, 2010

We present in this Special Issue of Physics of Plasmas the review, tutorial, and invited papers of the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Physical Society’s (APS) Division of Plasma Physics. This was the 52nd year of this meeting, and it was held in Chicago, Illinois on 8–12 November 2010. The meeting program was made up of over 100 review, tutorial, and invited oral presentations, and a significant fraction of these speakers prepared manuscripts which were peer-reviewed and are contained in this Special Issue.
Dynamics of the α-β phase transitions in quartz and cristobalite as observed by in-situ high temperature 29Si and 17O NMR

Relaxation times (T1) and lineshapes were examined as a function of temperature through the α-β transition for 29Si in a single crystal of amethyst, and for 29Si and 17O in cristobalite powders. For single crystal quartz, the three 29Si peaks observed at room temperature, representing each of the three differently oriented SiO4 tetrahedra in the unit cell, coalesce with increasing temperature such that at the α-β transition only one peak is observed. 29Si T1's decrease with increasing temperature up to the transition, above which they remain constant. Although these results are not uniquely interpretable, hopping between the Dauphine twin related configurations, α1 and α2, may be the fluctuations responsible for both effects. This exchange becomes observable up to 150° C below the transition, and persists above the transition, resulting in β-quartz being a time and space average of α1 and α2. 29Si T1's for isotopically enriched powdered cristobalite show much the same behavior as observed for quartz. In addition, 17O T1's decrease slowly up to the α-β transition at which point there is an abrupt 1.5 order of magnitude drop. Fitting of static powder 17O spectra for cristobalite gives an asymmetry parameter (η) of 0.125 at room T, which decreases to <0.040 at the transition temperature. The electric field gradient (EFG) and chemical shift anisotropy (CSA), however, remain the same, suggesting that the decrease in η is caused by a dynamical rotation of the tetrahedra below the transition. Thus, the mechanisms of the α-β phase transitions in quartz and cristobalite are similar: there appears to be some fluctuation of the tetrahedra between twin-related orientations below the transition temperature, and the β-phase is characterized by a dynamical average of the twin domains on a unit cell scale.
Differential in vitro growth properties of cells transformed by DNA and RNA tumor viruses.

Abstract Mammalian cells transformed by DNA and RNA tumor viruses are shown to display consistently different growth properties. All SV40, adenovirus type 7 and polyoma virus (DNA viruses) transformed cells propagated to high densities. The same cells transformed instead by RNA viruses: MSV strain Kirsten (MSV-Ki) or MSV strain Maloney (MSV-M) grew to densities which were consistently lower than DNA virus-transformed cells but greater than that of untransformed cells. The capacity to synthesize DNA at increasing densities also differentiated the RNA and DNA virus-transformed cells. As growing cultures of untransformed cells neared saturation density, the fraction of cells synthesizing DNA was minimal. The RNA virus-transformed cells were also contact-inhibited but at a significantly higher density. In contrast the DNA virus-transformed cells propagated to still greater densities and continued DNA synthesis at a high rate even at very high densities. Therefore the DNA virus-transformed cells truly are not contact inhibited. It is suggested that the capacity to continue DNA synthesis at high densities explains the attainment of much greater densities by DNA virus-transformed cells. There were no clear-cut differences in the ability to form colonies in agar, although a few of the RNA virus-transformed lines could not be propagated in semi-solid medium. These results may be explained as a persistence of the capacity of DNA tumor viruses to stimulate host cell DNA synthesis.
Epigenetic Modifications Unlock the Milk Protein Gene Loci during Mouse Mammary Gland Development and Differentiation

Background Unlike other tissues, development and differentiation of the mammary gland occur mostly after birth. The roles of systemic hormones and local growth factors important for this development and functional differentiation are well-studied. In other tissues, it has been shown that chromatin organization plays a key role in transcriptional regulation and underlies epigenetic regulation during development and differentiation. However, the role of chromatin organization in mammary gland development and differentiation is less well-defined. Here, we have studied the changes in chromatin organization at the milk protein gene loci (casein, whey acidic protein, and others) in the mouse mammary gland before and after functional differentiation. Methodology/Principal Findings Distal regulatory elements within the casein gene cluster and whey acidic protein gene region have an open chromatin organization after pubertal development, while proximal promoters only gain open-chromatin marks during pregnancy in conjunction with the major induction of their expression. In contrast, other milk protein genes, such as alpha-lactalbumin, already have an open chromatin organization in the mature virgin gland. Changes in chromatin organization in the casein gene cluster region that are present after puberty persisted after lactation has ceased, while the changes which occurred during pregnancy at the gene promoters were not maintained. In general, mammary gland expressed genes and their regulatory elements exhibit developmental stage- and tissue-specific chromatin organization. Conclusions/Significance A progressive gain of epigenetic marks indicative of open/active chromatin on genes marking functional differentiation accompanies the development of the mammary gland. These results support a model in which a chromatin organization is established during pubertal development that is then poised to respond to the systemic hormonal signals of pregnancy and lactation to achieve the full functional capacity of the mammary gland.
ORMEC: A three-dimensional MHD spectral inverse equilibrium code

The Oak Ridge Moments Equilibrium Code (ORMEC) is an efficient computer code that has been developed to calculate three-dimensional MHD equilibria using the inverse spectral method. The fixed boundary formulation, which is based on a variational principle for the spectral coefficients (moments) of the cylindrical coordinates R and Z, is described and compared with the finite difference code BETA developed by Bauer, Betancourt, and Garabedian. Calculations for Heliotron, Wendelstein VIIA, and ATF configurations are performed to establish the accuracy and mesh convergence properties for the spectral method.
The frontonasal flap: utility for lateral nasal defects and technical refinements.

Abstract This report details the experience with 27 patients over a 5-year period who had nasal reconstruction using a frontonasal flap. The frontonasal flap procedure is a useful method for the repair of relatively large post-Mohs micrographic surgery defects of the lower, upper, lateral and central nose. Our modified method has been extended (1) to resurface lateral as well as central defects of the caudal one-third of the nose; (2) the scar can be shortened so it does not extend into the forehead; (3) the flap can be combined with the island nasalis flap, or nasolabial flaps to resurface large (3–4 cm) defects; (4) early dermabrasion has improved the scars in sebaceous skin.
Kinetics and mechanism of the sensitized photodegradation of lignin model compounds

The kinetics of the sensitized photodegradation of a variety of well-defined lignin model compounds was studied to determine the mechanisms responsible for lignin's photochemically-mediated oxidation. Monomeric and dimeric models representing lignin's phenolic end groups and nonphenolic dimers representing its inner core were studied. It was determined that the rate constants for the reaction of the deprotonated phenolic models with singlet oxygen (1O2) range from 0.96 to 7.2 × 107 M−1 s−1. The models were substituted with zero, one, or two electron-donating methoxy groups on both aryl rings and, while the rate constants showed little dependence on the substitution of the nonphenolic ring, the rate constants increased dramatically with increasing methoxy substitution of the phenol. Reaction between these deprotonated models and 1O2 is thus proposed to occur at the phenolate ring. Under neutral conditions, it was observed that the phenolic models react with excited state sensitizer, with this reaction also occuring at the phenol ring. The sum of the rate constants for quenching of and reaction with excited state sensitizer by lignin model compound ranges from 5.4 to 75 × 107 M−1 s−1. This study corrects previous reports that attribute the sensitized degradation of neutral lignin model compounds to reaction with 1O2. A nonphenolic aromatic ketone inner-core model was observed to undergo direct photolysis, and its reduced analog was not degraded by direct photolysis or reaction with 1O2 or excited state sensitizer. The oxidized inner-core model was also shown to be able to act as a sensitizer for the degradation of a phenolic lignin model compound.
Emergency management of major hydrofluoric acid exposures

Exposures of as little as 2.5 per cent of the body surface to concentrated hydrofluoric acid (HF) may be fatal. Survival after major HF exposures is facilitated by aggressive emergency management which, we feel, includes wound irrigation, subeschar injection of calcium gluconate, monitored supplementation of serum calcium, and prompt wound excision carried out as an emergency procedure. The following case reports and literature review illustrate the important differences between exposures to concentrated HF of as little as 2 per cent of the body surface and smaller exposures to concentrated HF or exposure to dilute HF.
3He-B in a thin film: A comparison of boundary conditions

Abstract We calculate the gap function of stationary B-phase 3 He confined to a thin film and resting on a diffuse substrate with a freestanding upper surface. We employ two different formulations of the boundary conditions describing rough walls and compute the gap for various widths and surface roughnesses. Both formulations predict the abrupt vanishing of the perpendicular gap component at a width of about 2.5 coherence lengths irrespective of surface diffusivity. The parallel gap component persists down to a much smaller width which is quite roughness sensitive.
Electrostatic potential and electroosmotic flow in a cylindrical capillary filled with symmetric electrolyte: analytic solutions in thin double layer approximation.

The electrostatic potential in a capillary filled with electrolyte is derived by solving the nonlinear Poisson–Boltzmann equation using the method of matched asymptotic expansions. This approach allows obtaining an analytical result for arbitrary high wall potential if the double layer thickness is smaller than the capillary radius. The derived expression for the electrostatic potential is compared to numerical solutions of the Poisson–Boltzmann equation and it is shown that the agreement is excellent for capillaries with radii greater or equal to four times the electrical double layer thickness. The knowledge of the electrostatic potential distribution inside the capillary enables the derivation of the electroosmotic velocity flow profile in an analytical form. The obtained results are applicable to capillaries with radii ranging from nanometers to micrometers depending on the ionic strength of the solution.
Total assignment of the 1H and 13C NMR spectra of phenanthro[9,10‐b]thiophene: Concerted use of two‐dimensional NMR techniques

The 1H and 13C NMR spectra of phenanthro[9,10-b]thiophene were totally assigned using a combination of twodimensional NMR techniques. Direct hetcronuclear correlations were established using heteronuclear chemical shift correlation with semi-selective proton decoupling. Two methods were employed to establish the identity of vicinal neighboring protons: heteronuclear relayed coherence transfer and low-pass J-filtered heteronuclear relayed coherence transfer. The versatilities of the two techniques were compared. Quaternary carbon resonance assignments and the orientations of individual spin systems relative to one another were accomplished using the proton-detected long-range heteronuclear multiple quantum coherence experiment (HMBC). Key long-range inter-ring proton homonuclear spin couplings served to confirm the orientations of the proton spin systems.
Adopting new enrollment criteria for pharmaceutical trials in constipation: look before leaping.

In this issue Dr Camilleri provides an important critique of the use of the Rome III criteria for functional constipation as inclusion criteria for clinical trials of new drugs or other therapies for chronic constipation. He points out that the Rome criteria for functional constipation require the presence of any two of six symptoms, some of which are suggestive of slow transit (e.g. less than three stools per week, hard or lumpy stools) and some of which are suggestive of evacuatory dysfunction (e.g. straining, sensation of anorectal blockage, and manual maneuvers to facilitate defecation). He reminds us that recent studies suggest that patients with evacuation disorders show a poor response to laxatives and suggests that, consequently, the use of inclusion/exclusion criteria that do not distinguish among subtypes of constipation may lead to an underestimation of the efficacy of new therapeutic agents with a mechanism of action similar to laxatives and to an overestimation of the sample sizes required to adequately power clinical trials. He ends by proposing alternative symptom criteria for clinical trials based on the presence of key symptoms of infrequent stools and hard or lumpy stool consistency, combined with the absence of excessive straining and manual maneuvers to facilitate defecation. This is a valid concern: inclusion criteria based only on the Rome III criteria for functional constipation will inevitably result in the inclusion of a heterogeneous group of patients with constipation. However, one should be cautious about embracing new symptom criteria before evaluating their sensitivity and specificity for discriminating patients with disordered defecatio from patients with other types of chronic constipation. The comments below begin with an explanation of the rationale behind the Rome III symptom criteria for functional constipation, including comments on why the Rome criteria for functional constipation are different for children and adolescents compared with adults. Then we summarize published evidence suggesting that the new symptom criteria proposed by Dr Camilleri have only modest sensitivity and specificity and may require further testing to make sure they will achieve the objective of reducing the heterogeneity of study populations in clinical trials.
The growth of InAsSb/InGaAs strained-layer superlattices by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition

We have grown InAs{sub l-x}Sb{sub x}/In{sub 1-y}Ga{sub y}As strained-layer superlattice (SLS) semiconductors lattice matched to InAs using a variety of conditions by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. The V/III ratio was varied from 2.5 to 10 at 475 C, at pressures of 200 to 660 torr and growth rates of 3 {minus} 5 {angstrom}/s and layer thicknesses ranging from 55 to 152 {angstrom}. Composition of InAsSb ternary can be predicted from the input gas molar flow rates using a thermodynamic model. At lower temperatures, the thermodynamic model must be modified to take account of the incomplete decomposition of arsine and trimethylantimony. Diodes have been prepared using Zn as the p-type dopant and undoped SLS as the n-type material. The diode was found to emit at 3.56 {mu}m. These layers have been characterized by optical microscopy, SIMS, x-ray diffraction, and transmission electron diffraction. The optical properties of these SLS`s were determined by infrared photoluminescence and absorption measurements.
Type-specific antigens for serological discrimination of HTLV-I and HTLV-II infection

55 HTLV-I (human T-cell lymphotropic virus) and 45 HTLV-II carriers, confirmed by HTLV-type specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR), were distinguished by western blot assays with recombinant HTLV I or II envelope glycoproteins. Recombinant protein (RP) B1 contains aminoacids 166-201 from HTLV-I exterior glycoprotein gp46 and was reactive with HTLV-I samples only. RP-IIB, which contains aminoacids 96-235 from HTLV-II exterior glycoprotein gp52, was reactive with all HTLV-II samples. 39 patients (86.6%) had high reactivity by densitometry. Of 55 HTLV-I samples, 35 (65.5%) had antibody reactivity to RP-IIB, but only 1 (1.8%) had high reactivity by densitometry. RP B1 and IIB western blot assays may replace the PCR test in diagnosis of HTLV infection.
Prostate cancer involving the bladder neck: recurrence-free survival and implications for AJCC staging modification

Objectives. In the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM staging system, prostate cancer involving the bladder neck after radical prostatectomy is considered pT4 disease, suggesting a high risk of recurrence. The recurrence risk with pathologic invasion of the bladder neck, however, has not been definitively compared with that associated with extra-organ disease. We therefore compared the recurrence risk in cases with bladder neck involvement with that of cases with extraprostatic extension and/or seminal vesicle invasion. Methods. The study cohort was composed of 1123 men with clinically localized prostate cancer treated with prostatectomy as monotherapy. The preoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, bladder neck involvement, margin positivity, Gleason score, and other pathologic categories were assessed as covariates contributing to the PSA-recurrence risk in univariate and multivariable models. Results. Bladder neck involvement was found in 60 (5%) of 1123 cases. In univariate analysis, the bladder neck was the site-specific margin with the greatest PSA-recurrence risk of focal involvement (relative risk 1.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15 to 2.00, P = 0.0030). The PSA-recurrence relative risk with extraprostatic extension was 3.05 (95% CI 2.13 to 4.38, P <0.0001) and with seminal vesicle invasion was 8.59 (95% CI 5.76 to 12.82, P <0.0001). In the multivariable model, the PSA-recurrence risk with bladder neck involvement (relative risk 1.19, 95% CI 0.72 to 1.96, P = 0.5) was not a significant independent prognostic factor. Extraprostatic extension (relative risk 2.25, 95% CI 1.54 to 3.27, P <0.0001) and seminal vesicle invasion (relative risk 4.12, 95% CI 2.57 to 6.62, P <0.0001) were significant independent predictors of PSA recurrence. Conclusions. Any staging system should be evidence based. The current AJCC system for staging bladder neck involvement, however, is contrary to the available evidence. Reclassification of bladder neck involvement as part of the pT3 category should be considered.
Isolation of a chymotrypsin inhibitor from Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract A protease inhibitor from third instar larvae of Drosophila melanogaster was extracted and completely purified by ion-exchange column chromatography. The inhibitor called LCI (larval chymotrypsin inhibitor) is a small protein, which inhibits bovine α-chymotrypsin but not bovine trypsin. Furthermore it does not inhibit trypsin from numerous other sources including Drosophila. Its function in Drosophila is unknown, since no chymotrypsin-like activity is demonstrable in this organism.
Effects of Neutral Detergent Fiber and Roughage Source on Dry Matter Intake and Milk Yield and Composition of Dairy Cows

Data were from 20 experiments that utilized early to midlactation Holstein cows fed complete mixed diets or fed at constant forage:concentrate ratios. Within-cow diet comparisons (1688 cow-periods) were analyzed by least squares analysis of variance; mathematical model included experiment, cow in experiment, period, body weight, and source of roughage. Objectives were to determine relationships between neutral detergent fiber content of diet and milk yield and dry matter intake. Roughages and number of cow-periods were: sugarcane bagasse/silage (507), cottonseed hulls (504), corn silage (268), ground corrugated boxes (170), alfalfa/peanut hay (132), and others (107). Dry matter intake and estimated net energy intake had linear effects on milk yield and explained 21.6 and 24.0% of its residual variation; milk yield had curvilinear (quadratic) effect and explained 22.4% of dry matter intake residual variation. Interaction between neutral detergent fiber and source of roughage on milk yield, 4% fat-corrected milk, and dry matter intake resulted in reductions of 5.6, 5.6, and 13% in residual variations. Results suggest neutral detergent (% of dry matter) has greater effect on dry matter intake than on milk yield and its use in formulating diets for dairy cows will be within roughage source.
Mental health care: current realities, future directions.

Concern about the r i s ing cost of hea l th care has now reached epidemic proportions and, as a nat ion, we spend more on hea l th care t h a n any other count ry on earth. In 1965, paymen t s for hospitals and physicians, pharmacies , nurs ing homes, and other types of hea l th care to ta led about $42 billion. Twenty years later , t ha t total had r isen tenfold, to $423 bill ion and, in the 7 year period be tween 1985-1992, na t ional spending on hea l th doubled, to over $800 bill ion per year.(1) In 1992, the per capita out lay :for hea l th care exceeded $3000 for every man, woman and child.(2) In the absence of some radical change in the overal l pa t t e rn of hea l t h care spending, total hea l th care costs will approach $1.7 t r i l l ion by the yea r 2000.(1,2) The phenomena l ra te of growth in hea l th care expendi tures over the last 2 decades can also be measu red by compar ing it to the
Identification of European and Asian pears using EST-SSRs from Pyrus

Ten EST-SSRs previously isolated from Pyrus were used to identify 81 P. communis, 13 P. pyrifolia and 20 P. ussuriensis or P. × bretschneideri accessions. Cross-transference of these EST-SSRs was high in these species. PYC-008 and PYC-004 were the least informative SSRs in each of the pear species and were monomorphic in P. pyrifolia while PYC-013, PYC-002 and PYC-009b were the most informative in all species. EST-SSRs were very valuable for identification of incorrectly identified accessions, failed grafts and sets of synonyms in each of the species. Unsuspected relationships were uncovered, including a parental relationship between ‘Anjou’ and ‘Farmingdale’, a clonal relationship between ‘Berger’ and ‘Bartlett’, and a very close relationship between ‘Beurre Superfin’ and ‘Doyenne du Comice’. One SSR marker was different in one of three sports of ‘Doyenne du Comice’ (‘Doyenne du Comice Crimson Gem’) and in one of two sports of ‘Anjou’ (‘Gebhard Red’ red skin sport of ‘Anjou’). UPGMA cluster analysis separated the pear accessions into a large European cluster and an Asian group mostly according to common ancestry, geographical origin or time of ripening. High cross-transference of EST-SSRs in Pyrus species is very valuable for germplasm management in such a highly diverse collection as found at the NCGR Pyrus genebank in Corvallis, OR.
Thalamic pain syndrome: Anatomic and metabolic correlation

We report a patient with thalamic pain induced by stereotactic biopsy; therefore, the location of the anatomical lesion causing the syndrome is precisely known. The location of the lesion was confirmed by postoperative magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography. The metabolic consequences of the anatomic lesion were documented by positron emission tomography using as marker 18F-fluoro-2desoxy-glucose. The anatomic, metabolic, and clinical findings are discussed, as well as the neurophysiologic theories of the mechanisms of the thalamic pain syndrome.
Polonium-210 fallout from the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens and the mystery cloud of 1982

The amount of excess 210Po activity injected into the atmosphere by the 18 May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens was greater than that of 90Sr released by the 16 October 1980 Chinese test explosion of a 0.2 to 1 megaton nuclear device. The occurrence of a ‘mystery’ cloud prior to the 28 March 1982 eruption of El Chichon volcano was accompanied by an increase in the 210Po/210Pb ratio in rain samples collected at Fayetteville, Arkansas, during the months of January and February, 1982.
Sound localization and multi-modal steering for autonomous virtual agents

With the increasing realism of interactive applications, there is a growing need for harnessing additional sensory modalities such as hearing. While the synthesis and propagation of sounds in virtual environments has been explored, there has been little work that addresses sound localization and its integration into behaviors for autonomous virtual agents. This paper develops a framework that enables autonomous virtual agents to localize sounds in dynamic virtual environments, subject to distortion effects due to attenuation, reflection and diffraction from obstacles, as well as interference between multiple audio signals. We additionally integrate hearing into standard predictive collision avoidance techniques and couple it with vision to allow agents to react to what they see and hear, while navigating in virtual environments.
Dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids fail to reduce prostate tumorigenesis in the PB-ErbB-2 x Pten+/- preclinical mouse model

Diet and obesity, and their associated metabolic alterations, are some of the fastest-growing causes of disease and death in America. Findings from epidemiological studies correlating obesity, the sources of dietary fat and prostate cancer (PCa) are conflicting. We have previously shown that 15% of PB-ErbB-2 x pten(+/-) mice developed PCa and exhibited increased phosphorylated 4E-BP1, but not the key PI3-kinase intermediary phospho-protein, mTOR, when maintained on unrefined mouse chow. We report herein that 100% of animals fed refined, westernized AIN-93-based diets containing corn oil developed PCa by 12 months of age. Increases in visceral fat and mTO R activation in the tumors were also observed. Furthermore, nuclear cyclin E levels were significantly induced by the AIN-93-corn oil-based diets versus chow. Replacing 50% of the corn oil with menhaden oil, with 21% of its triglycerides being n-3 PUFA's, had no effect on tumorigenesis, fat deposition, cyclin E or mTOR. Phosphorylated BAD levels were similar in the tumors of mice in all three diets. Our data demonstrated that in the context of our preclinical model, components of crude chow, but not dietary n-3 PUFAs, protect against PCa progression. In addition, these data establish phosphorylated mTOR, nuclear cyclin E and visceral fat deposits as possible biomarkers of increased dietary risk for PCa.
Using Recall to Reduce False Recognition: Diagnostic and Disqualifying Monitoring.

Whether recall of studied words (e.g., parsley, rosemary, thyme) could reduce false recognition of related lures (e.g., basil) was investigated. Subjects studied words from several categories for a final recognition memory test. Half of the subjects were given standard test instructions, and half were instructed to use recall to reduce false recognition. Manipulation checks indicated that the latter instructions did elicit a recall-to-reject strategy. However, false recognition was selectively reduced only when all the words from a category could be recalled (Experiment 1). When longer categories were used, thereby minimizing exhaustive recall, a recall-to-reject strategy was ineffective at reducing false recognition (Experiment 2). It is suggested that exhaustively recalling a category allowed subjects to disqualify the lure as having occurred, analogous to recall-to-reject demonstrations in other tasks. In contrast, partially recalling a category did not help to diagnose the lure as nonstudied. These findings constrain theories of recall-based monitoring processes.
Comments on Montague J. Lord's “distributional effects of international commodity price stabilization: Do the aggregate gains apply to individual producing countries?” [JPM 3:61–75 (1981)]

Abstract Lord discusses the impact of international commodity price stabilization on Latin American producing country export revenues. He correctly emphasizes that the directions and magnitudes of such effects may vary substantially across producers, depending on the degree of segmentation of the commodity markets and the nature and distribution of the shocks. However his potential contribution may be lost because of a number of inaccuracies, which I discuss under three general topics.
Hotel expatriate managers in China: selection criteria, important skills and knowledge, repatriation concerns, and causes of failure

Abstract This study was designed to identify selection criteria and specific skills/areas of knowledge that are important to the success of expatriate hotel managers in China. Expatriate manager concerns and perceived causes of failure were also studied. Expatriates’ adaptability, inter-personal skills, technical competence, and understanding of Chinese culture were found to be the most important selection criteria. Adjustment and adaptation skills, inter-personal relations skills, cultural stress management, knowledge of Chinese culture, and survival language are the most important skills for expatriates to master for success in China. Expatriates assigned by their companies to China were concerned about their future jobs upon repatriation. Expatriate's inability to adapt, personality, and lack of motivation to work in China are the primary causes of failure.
Exploiting the Non-uniqueness of Seismic Inversion to Obtain Alternate Scenarios of Economic Interest

Summary Despite our best efforts to infer lithologic information from seismic data, the final answers we obtain (i.e., estimates of Vshale, porosity, etc.) are non-unique. Consequently, different geologic scenarios can explain a given seismic dataset equally well. Standard approaches for estimating the uncertainty or non-uniqueness are either statistically based inversion schemes (e.g., Bayesian type inversions to yield an answer with one-sigma error bars) or systematic forward modeling approaches (e.g., Monte Carlo simulation of a set of parameters) or some combination of the two. Both approaches depend upon the inputs provided, either statistical descriptions of the expected range of parameters or explicit limits on the range of parameters to be tried, which can lead to a bias in the final solution. In addition, the Monte Carlo type approaches can be extremely computer-intensive. We have developed a new method for obtaining what we call "best" and "worst" case solutions that does not have these limitations. We obtain these solutions by partitioning the matrix into two pieces: the model space, where perturbations to the data affect model parameters, and the null space, where they do not. Using the piece that pertains to the model space, we solve for: • the "most likely" distribution of Vshale and porosity given all available information (rock properties, wavelets, AVO, etc.).
Photoactive Spatial Proximity Probes for Binding Pairs with Epigenetic Marks

A new strategy for encoding polypeptide libraries with photolabile tags is developed. The photoassisted assay, based on conditional release of encoding tags only from bound pairs, can differentiate between peptides which have minor differences in a form of post-translational modifications with epigenetic marks. The encoding strategy is fully compatible with automated peptide synthesis. The encoding pendants are compact and do not perturb potential binding interactions.
Dynamic microbead arrays for biosensing applications

In this paper we present the development of an optical tweezers platform capable of creating on-demand dynamic microbead arrays for the multiplexed detection of biomolecules. We demonstrate the use of time-shared optical tweezers to dynamically assemble arrays of sensing microspheres, while simultaneously recording fluorescence signals in real time. The detection system is able to achieve multiplexing by using quantum dot nanocrystals as both signaling probes and encoding labels on the surface of the trapped microbeads. The encoding can be further extended by using a range of bead sizes. Finally, the platform is used to detect and identify three genes expressed by pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli O157:H7. The in situ actuation enabled by the optical tweezers, combined with multiplexed fluorescence detection offers a new tool, readily adaptable to biosensing applications in microfluidic devices, and could potentially enable the development of on-demand diagnostics platforms.
Low-power, transparent optical network interface for high bandwidth off-chip interconnects

The recent emergence of multicore architectures and chip multiprocessors (CMPs) has accelerated the bandwidth requirements in high-performance processors for both on-chip and off-chip interconnects. For next generation computing clusters, the delivery of scalable power efficient off-chip communications to each compute node has emerged as a key bottleneck to realizing the full computational performance of these systems. The power dissipation is dominated by the off-chip interface and the necessity to drive high-speed signals over long distances. We present a scalable photonic network interface approach that fully exploits the bandwidth capacity offered by optical interconnects while offering significant power savings over traditional E/O and O/E approaches. The power-efficient interface optically aggregates electronic serial data streams into a multiple WDM channel packet structure at time-of-flight latencies. We demonstrate a scalable optical network interface with 70% improvement in power efficiency for a complete end-to-end PCI Express data transfer.
Nonlinear laminate analysis for metal matrix fiber composites

A nonlinear laminate analysis is described for predicting the mechanical behavior (stress-strain relationships) of angleplied laminates in which the matrix is strained nonlinearly by both the residual stress and the mechanical load and in which additional nonlinearities are induced due to progressive fiber fractures and ply relative rotations. The nonlinear laminate analysis (NLA) is based on linear composite mechanics and a piece wise linear laminate analysis to handle the nonlinear responses. Results obtained by using this nonlinear analysis on boron fiber/aluminum matrix angleplied laminates agree well with experimental data. The results shown illustrate the in situ ply stress-strain behavior and synergistic strength enhancement.
Effects of pre-pressurization on damage of blast-loaded reinforced plates

The effects of pre-pressurization on blast-loaded reinforced rectangular aluminum plates were studied experimentally. In this study, small (0.508 × 0.609 × 0.0016 meter) clamped plates with rivet attached reinforcing members were used as a basic model of the fuselage skin of a commercial aircraft. Both non-pressurized and pre-pressurized plates (static pressure of 41.4 kPa (6.0 psi)) were considered to simulate the typical in-flight loads experienced by a commercial aircraft due to cabin pressurization. This work extends previous research on blast loading of pre-pressurized plates to incorporate the effects of reinforcing members [1]. An experimental configuration was designed using a vacuum vessel system to apply a pressure differential to the reinforced test plate. Bare spherical explosive charges of C4 were then detonated at fixed distances from the plate. The permanent plate deformations or the amount of tearing in the plates were measured for seventeen explosive tests that considered two different blast load intensities. Additionally, a high-speed camera was used to determine the mechanism and time scale of failure propagation in the reinforced panels. The high speed camera was used found to be an excellent tool to record the failure progression in the reinforced panels under blast loading. In general, commencing with the onset of panel deformation, the blast-loaded panels exhibited rivet failure in less than 0.5 milliseconds, initiation of plate tearing in less than 1.0 millisecond, and completion of plate tearing by about 10.0 milliseconds. A comparison of plate deformations and damage showed two distinct results. For the least intense blast load case, both the non-pressurized and pressurized panels deformed but did not tear. In this case, very little effect of pre-pressurization on final panel deformation was noted. For the more intense blast load case, a significant increase in panel damage was observed as static pre-pressurization increased from 0.0 kPa to 41.4 kPa.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Substructure Analysis of a Flexible System Contact-Impact Event

In this paper, the application of the substructure methodology to contact-impact analysis of flexible multibody systems is validated. Various impact model parameters that affect the model's accuracy are presented. A contact-impact system is used that consists of a flexible cantilever bar longitudinally struck at its free end by a rigid body moving at a finite velocity. First, a dynamic model using the substructure method is established. Second, the initial conditions of the system's dynamic responses during contact-impact are derived. Finally, a numeric contact-impact simulation is performed. The excellent agreement between the numeric solutions to both the substructure model and the analytical solutions demonstrates that the substructure model can successfully describe stress wave propagation within flexible bodies during contact-impact. The method can also clearly display the contact force time history and deformation distribution along the bar during contact-impact time and correctly predict the displacement of the contact surface of the flexible bar and the contact duration of the two bodies. It is shown that a larger substructure number will improve the accuracy of the numerical solutions, but an excessive number will lower the model 's accuracy since increasingly fine substructures increase the number of modal coordinates and lead to more serious computational round off errors and longer computational time.
Development of a pediatric body mass index using longitudinal single-index models

As a measure of human adiposity, the body mass index, defined as weight/height2, has been widely used in clinical investigations. For children undergoing pubertal development, whether this function of height and weight represents an optimal way of quantifying body mass for assessing of specific health outcomes has not been carefully studied. In this study, we propose an alternative pediatric body mass measure for prediction of blood pressure based on recorded height and weight data using single-index modeling techniques. Specifically, we present a general form of partially linear single-index mixed effect models for the determination of this new metric. A methodological contribution of this research is the development of an efficient algorithm for the fitting of a general class of partially linear single-index models in longitudinal data situations. The proposed model and related model fitting algorithm are easily implementable in most computational platforms. Simulation demonstrates superior performance ...