cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A hypothetical tissue oxygen carrier.

Abstract The relation between the respiration rate of fresh liver, kidney, or heart slices and the ambient partial pressure of oxygen follow “saturation” or Michaelis-Menten kinetics rather than those predicted if passive diffusion is the mechanism of tissue oxygen transport. This suggests that the transport of oxygen in those tissues is facilitated by a “carrier” mechanism. In the case of brain and artificial tissue slices, however, the kinetic pattern is different, and passive diffusion adequately describes oxygen transport in this tissue.
Outcomes of laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy with esophagojejunal reconstruction for chronic staple line disruption after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy

Abstract Background Sleeve gastrectomy is now a frequently performed bariatric procedure for severely obese patients and may have the lowest frequency of short-term or long-term complications. The aim of this study is to describe our experience in managing chronic proximal leaks with a proximal gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomy (PGEJ). Methods A retrospective review was performed of all patients having proximal chronic staple-line disruptions (CSLD) after undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Results Fifteen patients had proximal CSLD and were treated with PGEJ. There was 1 (6.6%) releak in this group, which resolved with nonoperative treatment. Other postoperative morbidities in this series included partial small bowel obstruction (n = 1) and subhepatic bile collection (n = 1), both of which resolved without operative intervention. Conclusion PGEJ appears to be a safe and effective procedure for chronic staple-line disruptions after sleeve gastrectomy.
Simplifying delineator applications for horizontal curves

The human factors study being reported measured drivers' estimates of horizontal curvature as a function of the size and spacing characteristics of post-mounted delineators. The study also assessed drivers' understanding of delineator color applications. The main objective of this study was to provide support for simplifying delineator applications of FHWA's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways (MUTCD), particularly the need to distinguish between single and double delineators and the need to have variable approach and departure horizontal curve delineator spacing. A closed-course nighttime study was conducted with 24 drivers aged 22 to 72 in a passenger sedan with low-beam headlights. Drivers rated their estimates of curvature for large- and small-radii curves from three stationary viewing distances. In addition, participants completed a test of their memory for the proper placement of yellow and white reflectors using photographs of roadways. Results from the visibility study show that drivers cannot distinguish between single and double delineators and they cannot distinguish between variable spacing and fixed spacing on approaches to horizontal curves. The results from the photograph test show that drivers do not understand the difference in placement for yellow and white delineators. As a result, the recommendations include the elimination of the single versus double delineator distinction in MUTCD and the use of a fixed spacing pattern for delineators on the approach to and departure from horizontal curves.
A Note on 'The Use of Categorical Variables in Data Envelopment Analysis'

A variant of Banker and Morey's (1986) DEA model for controllable ordinal outputs. As opposed to the original model, this version allows the comparison of a Decision Making Unit (DMU) to other DMU's operating at equal or higher levels of the ordinal outputs.
Measurement equivalence of the Revised Helping Alliance Questionnaire across African American and non-Latino White substance using adult outpatients

Abstract Analyses of the effectiveness of substance abuse treatments across racial/ethnic groups should ensure that outcome measures have the same conceptual meaning (i.e., measurement equivalence) across groups. Because racial groups differ in perceptions and experiences of the therapeutic alliance, this study investigated measurement equivalence properties of the Revised Helping Alliance Questionnaire (HAq-II) across racial groups. The sample included 138 African American and 133 non-Latino White participants, age 18–64 years, who participated in a randomized clinical trial investigating the effectiveness of Motivational Enhancement Therapy in the National Institute on Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network. Results demonstrated configural invariance and two forms of metric invariance (weak and strong/scalar), suggesting that conceptualizations of therapeutic alliance and overall levels of endorsement of therapeutic alliance are comparable across racial groups. The groups indicated partial, strict metric nonequivalence. No studies to date reported measurement equivalence properties of the HAq-II. Findings support valid measurement and interpretation of HAq-II outcomes.
Some Results on 2-Transitive Groups

A fundamental result of Tits [19] classifies all finite groups having an irreducible BN-pair of rank __> 3 and which is faithful in the sense that (~ B g = 1 (see [3] or [14] for the definition of a BN-pair). A group G is gEG said to have a faithful split BN-pair of rank n if it has a faithful BN-pair of rank n, H = (~ B", and B = X H with X be the corresponding maximal parabolic subgroup. Then, in its natural 2-transitive representation on the cosets of B, P either has a split BN-pair at characteristic p of rank 1 or is the solvable 2-transitive group of degree 9 and order 9 .8 .2 . Thus, excluding this exceptional case, we must have X ca XS< X.
A Review of Adult Mortality Due to 2009 Pandemic (H1N1) Influenza A in California

Background While children and young adults had the highest attack rates due to 2009 pandemic (H1N1) influenza A (2009 H1N1), studies of hospitalized cases noted high fatality in older adults. We analyzed California public health surveillance data to better characterize the populations at risk for dying due to 2009 H1N1. Methods and Findings A case was an adult ≥20 years who died with influenza-like symptoms and laboratory results indicative of 2009 H1N1. Demographic and clinical data were abstracted from medical records using a standardized case report form. From April 3, 2009 – August 10, 2010, 541 fatal cases ≥20 years with 2009 H1N1 were reported. Influenza fatality rates per 100,000 population were highest in persons 50–59 years (3.5; annualized rate = 2.6) and 60–69 years (2.3; annualized rate = 1.7) compared to younger and older age groups (0.4–1.9; annualized rates = 0.3–1.4). Of 486 cases hospitalized prior to death, 441 (91%) required intensive care unit (ICU) admission. ICU admission rates per 100,000 population were highest in adults 50–59 years (8.6). ICU case-fatality ratios among adults ranged from 24–42%, with the highest ratios in persons 70–79 years. A total of 425 (80%) cases had co-morbid conditions associated with severe seasonal influenza. The prevalence of most co-morbid conditions increased with increasing age, but obesity, pregnancy and obstructive sleep apnea decreased with age. Rapid testing was positive in 97 (35%) of 276 tested. Of 482 cases with available data, 384 (80%) received antiviral treatment, including 49 (15%) of 328 within 48 hours of symptom onset. Conclusions Adults aged 50–59 years had the highest fatality due to 2009 H1N1; older adults may have been spared due to pre-existing immunity. However, once infected and hospitalized in intensive care, case-fatality ratios were high for all adults, especially in those over 60 years. Vaccination of adults older than 50 years should be encouraged.
Superacid-Catalyzed Dimerization/Cyclization of Isopropenyl-PAHs – Novel Pathways to PAH Dimers, Phenalenes and Their Stable Carbocations

The isopropenyl derivatives of representative classes of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) having four and five fused-ring systems, namely pyrene, chrysene, benzo[c]phenanthrene (BcPh), dibenzo[a,c]anthracene (benzo[f]tetraphene) and perylene, were synthesized by Wittig olefination from the corresponding acetyl-PAHs. Under the influence of triflic acid (TfOH), the isopropenyl derivatives were converted to novel PAH dimers and/or phenalenes in a simple one-pot procedure. A plausible mechanism for this process has been outlined, and the synthetic scope of this chemistry has been explored. Structural features in the PAH dimers were examined by DFT. As representative initial and final carbocation intermediates in the reaction sequence, stable carbocations derived from 3-isopropenylperylene and from 4,6,6-trimethyl-6H-dibenzo[a,kl]anthracene were generated and studied directly by NMR spectroscopy. The NMR characteristics and charge delocalization modes in the resulting benzylic carbocations are discussed. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)
Soluble interleukin-2 receptors in children with kawasaki syndrome

We studied levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptors (IL-2R) in serial serum samples obtained from 93 patients with Kawasaki syndrome, using a double-antibody "sandwich" enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. Concentrations of soluble IL-2R were significantly increased in Kawasaki syndrome patients in the first 4 weeks of illness when compared with either healthy adult or pediatric controls (P less than 0.02), and in the first 2 weeks of illness when compared with a group of children with measles (P less than 0.0001). Furthermore, in the second week of illness, levels of soluble IL-2R were significantly greater in children who subsequently developed coronary artery aneurysms than in patients with normal appearing coronary arteries. Serum concentration of soluble IL-2R is a useful marker for detecting early Kawasaki syndrome and identifies those patients who are at greater risk of developing coronary artery aneurysms.
Headlock: a wearable navigation aid that helps blind cane users traverse large open spaces

Traversing large open spaces is a challenging task for blind cane users, as such spaces are often devoid of tactile features that can be followed. Consequently, in such spaces cane users may veer from their intended paths. Wearable devices have great potential for assistive applications for users who are blind as they typically feature a camera and support hands and eye free interaction. We present HEADLOCK; a navigation aid for an optical head-mounted display that helps blind users traverse large open spaces by letting them lock onto a salient landmark across the space, such as a door, and then providing audio feedback to guide the user towards the landmark. A user study with 8 blind users evaluated the usability and effectiveness of two types of audio feedback (sonification and text-to-speech) for guiding a user across an open space to a doorway. Qualitative results are reported, which may inform the design of assistive wearable technology for users who are blind.
Evaluating Swallowing Muscles Essential for Hyolaryngeal Elevation by Using Muscle Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Purpose Reduced hyolaryngeal elevation, a critical event in swallowing, is associated with radiation therapy. Two muscle groups that suspend the hyoid, larynx, and pharynx have been proposed to elevate the hyolaryngeal complex: the suprahyoid and longitudinal pharyngeal muscles. Thought to assist both groups is the thyrohyoid, a muscle intrinsic to the hyolaryngeal complex. Intensity modulated radiation therapy guidelines designed to preserve structures important to swallowing currently exclude the suprahyoid and thyrohyoid muscles. This study used muscle functional magnetic resonance imaging (mfMRI) in normal healthy adults to determine whether both muscle groups are active in swallowing and to test therapeutic exercises thought to be specific to hyolaryngeal elevation. Methods and Materials mfMRI data were acquired from 11 healthy subjects before and after normal swallowing and after swallowing exercise regimens (the Mendelsohn maneuver and effortful pitch glide). Whole-muscle transverse relaxation time (T2 signal, measured in milliseconds) profiles of 7 test muscles were used to evaluate the physiologic response of each muscle to each condition. Changes in effect size (using the Cohen d measure) of whole-muscle T2 profiles were used to determine which muscles underlie swallowing and swallowing exercises. Results Post-swallowing effect size changes (where a d value of >0.20 indicates significant activity during swallowing) for the T2 signal profile of the thyrohyoid was a d value of 0.09; a d value of 0.40 for the mylohyoid, 0.80 for the geniohyoid, 0.04 for the anterior digastric, and 0.25 for the posterior digastric-stylohyoid in the suprahyoid muscle group; and d values of 0.47 for the palatopharyngeus and 0.28 for the stylopharyngeus muscles in the longitudinal pharyngeal muscle group. The Mendelsohn maneuver and effortful pitch glide swallowing exercises showed significant effect size changes for all muscles tested, except for the thyrohyoid. Conclusions Muscles of both the suprahyoid and the longitudinal pharyngeal muscle groups are active in swallowing, and both swallowing exercises effectively target muscles elevating the hyolaryngeal complex. mfMRI is useful in testing swallowing muscle function.
Emotions in the Classroom: Examining Environmental Factors and Student Satisfaction

Education shares many similarities with service delivery in the business sector. The student often experiences the total service within the classroom. Marketers in retail stores and the hotel and hospitality industry have long acknowledged the ability of the physical environment to influence behaviors and therefore make concerted efforts to create environments that generate emotional responses from consumers. This research considers the role that environmental factors and students’ affective responses play in contributing to overall student satisfaction. Implications for higher education are provided.
Children's Art for Peace: Exhibit

Children's Art for Peace: Arab and Jewish Children's Drawings from the Givat Haviva Institute in Israel
AVERAGE DAILY NUTRIENT INTAKE AND MOOD AMONG OBESE WOMEN

This study examined the relations between stable moods (i.e., non clinical levels of anxiety and depression) and average daily intake of certain macro- and micronutrients, among a sample of obese women. Subjects were 38 women assessed at entry to a long-term weight-loss medication trial. Subjects' levels of anxiety and depression were assessed by self-report measures and by a psychiatrist's ratings. Average daily intakes of energy, macronutrients, certain micronutrients, and caffeine were computer analyzed (Nutritionist III) from subjects' eating diaries. Results were analyzed via Pearson correlation coefficients and multiple regression analyses. Higher carbohydrate (CHO) intake, particularly simple CHO intake, was consistently related to lower levels of both anxiety and depression. Some relations of mood to caffeine and micronutrients were also observed on correlational analyses. Discussion examines possible explanations for findings, particularly the surprisingly strong association between higher intakes of simple CHO and lower levels of depression and anxiety.
Interacting Ions in Biophysics: Real is not Ideal

Ions in water are important throughout biology, from molecules to organs. Classically, ions in water were treated as ideal noninteracting particles in a perfect gas. Excess free energy of each ion was zero. Mathematics was not available to deal consistently with flows, or interactions with other ions or boundaries. Nonclassical approaches are needed because ions in bio- logical conditions flow and interact. The concentration gradient of one ion can drive the flow of another, even in a bulk solution. A variational multiscale approach is needed to deal with interactions and flow. The recently developed energetic variational approach to dissipative systems allows mathematically consistent treatment of the bio-ions Na þ ,K þ ,C a 2þ , and Clas they interact and flow. Interactions produce large excess free energy that dominate the properties of the high concentration of ions in and near protein active sites, ion channels, and nucleic acids: the number density of ions is often >10 M. Ions in such crowded quarters interact strongly with each other as well as with the surrounding protein. Nonideal behavior found in many ex- periments has classically been ascribed to allosteric interactions mediated by the protein and its conformation changes. The ion- ion interactions present in crowded solutions—independent of conformation changes of the protein—are likely to change the interpretation of many allosteric phenomena. Computation of all atoms is a popular alternative to the multiscale approach. Such computations involve formidable challenges. Biological systems exist on very different scales from atomic motion. Biolog- ical systems exist in ionic mixtures (like extracellular and intracellular solutions), and usually involve flow and trace concentra- tions of messenger ions (e.g., 10 � 7 MC a 2þ ). Energetic variational methods can deal with these characteristic properties of biological systems as we await the maturation and calibration of all-atom simulations of ionic mixtures and divalents.
Plasma LDL cholesterol lowering by plant phytosterols in a hamster model

Cardiovascular disease is still the main cause of death in the US. High plasma cholesterol, 51.9% of Americans have cholesterol levels of 200 mg/dl or higher and especially low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and high ratios of LDL to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Plant stanol esters have been shown to be effective in reducing plasma cholesterol. Other phytosterol-like compounds such as oryzanol, a mixture of ferulate esters from rice bran, and tomatine, a glycoalkaloid in green tomatoes, have also shown cholesterol-reducing properties in test animals. Investigations of mechanisms and uses of plant phytosterols are facilitated by animal models that respond to phytosterols, as well as other known cholesterol-lowering agents. The hypercholesterolemic LDL hamster is used to efficiently screen phytosterols for plasma cholesterol-lowering properties. Hypercholesterolemia is induced in these animals by saturated fat and fish oil, and dietary cholesterol intake similar to that of humans, 0.025–0.05%. This results in rapid LDL hypercholesterolemia. Prolonged feeding of the hypercholesterolemic diet results in aortic fatty streak formation, which can be retarded by the antioxidants alphatocopherol or catechin. Known plasma cholesterol-reducing agents such as cholestyramine, soluble dietary fiber, stanol esters, oryzanol, and tomatine reduce total and LDL cholesterol. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry indicates that tomatine binds cholesterol, but fiber and cholestyramine increase bile acid excretion. Cardiovascular disease affects about 58 million people, or one-fourth of the US population, and kills about 960,000
In response to: Withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment in the first year of life.

In describing their experiences that deal with medically inappropriate interventions since the enactment of the Texas Advance Directives Act, Eason et al. (September 2008 issue)1 describe six patients who underwent withdrawal of care as outlined by the Texas Advance Directives Act. This article provides a good overview of the Texas Advance Directives Act in practice, the rarity with which it is invoked, and the outcomes of representative cases. The authors conclude, in part, that ‘a major part of the solution to these conflicts lies in improved communication.1’ This conclusion suggests that communication gaps or breakdowns played at least some role in these extraordinary cases, though the authors do not explore in detail the nature of these presumed communication gaps.
The Construct Validation of Tests of Communicative Competence

U This collection of articles on testing for communicative competence, edited by Palmer, Groot and Trosper, is an important addition to TESOL's list of publications. It is primarily a report of a colloquium held at the 1979 TESOL Convention in Boston, but it also includes one paper presented in the follow-up colloquium in 1980 in San Francisco. While the volume might be criticized for what it fails to include, it is basically a milestone work, indicating both the need for the development of oral tests of communicative competence and ways in which this might be done. The purpose of the colloquia was to identify ways in which communicative competence might be tested, that is, to identify methods which might be developed to ascertain construct validity. Once general agreement had been reached at the first colloquium in Boston, a pilot project was developed, and its results (along with other issues) became the focus of the San Francisco meeting. This volume contains the papers presented in Boston and the report of the pilot project presented in San Francisco. No other papers from the second colloquium or from the 1981 TESOL Convention in Detroit are included. The volume does not provide any quick and easy solutions for developing new tests for local programs, as it is "directed essentially to the language professional and others with research interests" (v). The book contains three sections: an introduction by Palmer and Groot, which explains the purposes and concepts of the book; five articles under the heading of "General Topics," which lay the foundation for the approaches ultimately undertaken by the colloquium project; and six articles presenting "Empirical Research,"
Psychiatric Comorbidity and Functioning in Clinically Referred Preschool Children and School-Age Youths With ADHD

ABSTRACT Objective Although the literature documents that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) commonly onsets prior to age 6, little is known about the disorder in preschool children. We evaluated the clinical characteristics, psychiatric comorbidity, and functioning of preschool children and school-age youths with ADHD referred to a pediatric psychiatric clinic for evaluation. Method Structured psychiatric interviews assessing lifetime psychopathology by DSM-III-R criteria were completed with parents about their children. Family, social, and overall functioning were also assessed at intake. Results We identified 165 children with ADHD aged 4 to 6 years (preschool children) and 381 youths aged 7 to 9 years (school-age) with ADHD. Despite being younger, preschool children had similar rates of comorbid psychopathology compared with school-age youths with ADHD. There was an earlier onset of ADHD and co-occurring psychopathology in the preschool children compared to school-age youths. Both preschool children and school-age youths had substantial impairment in school, social, and overall functioning. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that despite being significantly younger, clinically referred preschool children with ADHD are reminiscent of school-age youths with ADHD in the quality of ADHD, high rates of comorbid psychopathology, and impaired functioning. Follow-up of these clinically referred preschool children with ADHD to evaluate the stability of their diagnoses, treatment response, and their long-term outcome are necessary.
“Alfonse, your Java is ready!”

Is Java suitable for teaching concurrent programming? This paper describes the features Java has for this, how well they work, and what is missing. The author has written a library of classes, also described here, to provide the missing features. Supplemented with these classes, Java works well as the concurrent programming language in operating systems and related courses.
Consumer Products and Hospitalized Burn Injuries Among Elderly Massachusetts Residents

This study is based on data for Massachusetts residents who were burned between July 1, 1978 and June 30, 1979 and who were treated as hospital inpatients in any of the 240 hospitals participating in the New England Regional Burn Program. Demographic information and information regarding the nature of the burn injury and consumer products involved were obtained by review of the medical record for each case. One hundred seven (9%) of the 1237 burn victims identified were aged 65 years or older, yielding a burn incidence rate equal to 15.5 burns per 100,000 person-years compared with a rate of 23.8 burns per 100,000 person-years for younger Massachusetts residents. The burn mortality rate for the elderly who survived long enough to be hospitalized was 2.6 deaths per 100,000 person-years compared with a rate of 0.4 deaths per 100,000 person-years for younger individuals. For survivors, the average length of hospital stay for elderly victims was 28.6 days compared with 12.0 days for younger individuals. Clothing ignition, stoves and ovens, smoking materials, and bathroom showers and tubs contributed significantly to the causes of burning among the elderly. In addition, evidence was found suggesting that elderly patients receive medical care relatively later after injury, thus considerably complicating their illness.
Cyclic voltammetry on Ag(111) and Ag(100) faces in sodium hydroxide solutions

Abstract The electrochemical behavior of silver (100) and (111) single crystal surfaces was examined by cyclic voltammetry in aqueous NaOH solution. In the `double layer' region (between −1.2 and 0.1 V (SCE)) adsorption of OH− ions followed by phase transformation into an Ag–OH monolayer was found to take place. The difference in peak potentials recorded in 0.1 and 0.01 mol dm−3 NaOH solutions of about 60 mV indicates that one electron is exchanged in the overall electrochemical reaction, implying a complete charge transfer between OH− ions and the silver surface. The adsorption process has been modeled to a Frumkin adsorption isotherm. Further oxidation of silver into Ag2O takes place at more positive potentials. The formation of bulk Ag2O results in considerable change to the original single crystal surface. This is likely to be due to roughening of the silver surface as a consequence of the formation and reduction of the oxide.
Programmed cell death: its possible contribution to neurotoxicity mediated by calcium channel antagonists.

Abstract Organic calcium channel antagonists attenuate ischemic or excitotoxic neuronal injury, probably by limiting Ca2+ influx through the voltage-gated calcium channels. However, the possibility that calcium channel antagonists may compromise neuronal survival with long-term exposure has not been systematically examined. In the present study, we report that cerebral cortical cultures exposed for 2 days to either nifedipine, verapamil, diltiazem, or flunarizine, undergo selective neuronal degradation in a concentration-dependent fashion. This degeneration could be attenuated by protein synthesis inhibitors cycloheximide and actinomycin-D. Cortical cultures incubated for 2 days in low calcium media also exhibit widespread neuronal damage, which is similarly blocked by cycloheximide. Although we cannot exclude other possibilities, these findings suggest that a decrease in intraneuronal calcium levels may trigger synthesis of proteins mediating neuronal cell death. Regardless of the exact toxic mechanisms involved, additional studies on neurotoxicity of calcium channel antagonists seem warranted since some of these compounds are currently being clinically used.
The Effect of Debt on Perceived Household Welfare

Much of the traditional literature on consumer credit implies that using consumer credit will make families feel worse off but economic investment theory implies the use of consumer credit will not cause a decrease in utility. The effect of changes in debt-asset ratios and other financial and demographic variables on perceived financial well-being are investigated in this article. The results of the analyses indicate families' utility levels did not decrease when they used consumer credit to acquire commodities.
Tribute to Robert Berliner

Robert William Berliner received his M.D. degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. He trained in internal medicine at Presbyterian Hospital of the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, where he was greatly influenced by Robert L. Loeb. Subsequently, he began an association with James A. Shannon at the Goldwater Memorial Hospital. A major contribution that emerged from those years, which were simultaneous with the second World War, was the development of quantitative methods to assess the response to anti-malarial drugs, in analyzing the effects on urinary flow of 2,3-dimercaptopropanol (BAL), Earle and Berliner found that BAL could prevent the diuresis induced by mercuhydrin, a mercurial diuretic, if administered before the diuretic. If given after mercuhydrin, BAL interrupted the diuresis. In the course of these experiments, however, they discovered that BAL alone had an antidiuretic effect. They theorized that BAL might stimulate secretion of antidiuretic hormone. To test that idea, they repeated the experiment in hypophysectomized dogs and found that in the absence of the capacity to secrete ADH, BAL had no antidiuretic effect [1]. Berliner subsequently was invited by Shannon to head the Laboratory of Kidney and Electrolyte Metabolism (LKEM) at the National Institutes of Health. In 1969 he became Deputy Director of Science at the NIH. He remained at the NIH until 1973, when he was appointed Dean of the Yale School of Medicine and Professor of Physiology and Medicine. He retired in 1984.
An assessment model for multidisciplinary, team-taught integrated pharmacy courses.

Objective. To design and implement an assessment model to effectively deliver integrated multidisciplinary team-taught pharmacy courses.Design. An assessment model was developed for an integrated p...
Activation of dormant cancer cells in the prostates and seminal vesicles of Lobund-Wistar rats.

Abstract Lobund-Wistar (L-W) rats are unique in their susceptibility to spontaneous and induced metastasizing adenocarcinomas in the prostate-seminal vesicle (P-SV) complex. Tumors were induced in 70–100% of rats by a combination of i.v. inoculated methylnitrosourea (MNU) followed by a series of subcutaneous slow-release implants of testosterone propionate (TP). Adenocarcinoma cells initiated by MNU in 3-month-old L-W rats were activated significantly by implants of the promoter, TP, after intervening periods of 3, 6 and 12 months following their exposures to MNU. The longer the time between MNU and TP, the shorter the subsequent latent period. Control rats inoculated with MNU (without TP) did not develop tumors during the observation period of 12 months, and their dormant tumor cells were activated by a single implant of TP, thereby eliciting P-SV tumors.
Sample function properties of a class of smoothed estimates

The structural properties of sample functions of the solution to the fixed-interval continuous/discrete smoothing problem are examined. It is shown that every sample function has a functional form determined by the poles of the signal model, and a degree of smoothness determined by the relative order of the model.
Relationships Among Clinical Measures of Periodontal Disease and Their Associations With Systemic Markers

Background: Recent investigations of the relationship between periodontitis and systemic disease require that periodontal disease also must be thought of as a disease process that is an exposure for a systemic disease or condition (outcome), rather than as the outcome itself. When viewing periodontal disease as an exposure, investigators must consider the clinical, microbiological, and inflammatory components of periodontitis that potentially convey risk for the systemic outcome of interest, which may or may not be the same as those associated with the assessments used to define tooth-based disease. Another important consideration is the temporal relationship between the exposure and the outcome of interest. Methods: To explore which definitions of periodontal disease or clustering of clinical signs are important with regards to systemic exposure to inflammatory stress, we examined the relationship between clinical periodontal disease measures and 2 systemic inflammatory markers of increased risk for card...
Unaltered phenotype, tissue distribution and function of Vα14+ NKT cells in germ-free mice

The expression pattern of mouse CD1d and the tissue distribution of CD1d-restricted Valpha14-Jalpha281 NKT cells suggest that the liver and the marginal zone of the spleen might be preferred sites of activation of this potent innate pathway of early cytokine secretion. Because these tissues are particularly involved with the filtration of blood-borne pathogens, and because NKT cells with an activated / memory phenotype accumulate over the first weeks of life and their CD1 ligands bind microbial glycolipids, it has been hypothesized that expansion of the NKT cell subset may be driven by exposure to the microbial environment. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed the frequency, surface phenotype and functional properties of NKT cells in normal and in germ-free C57BL / 6 mice. Surprisingly, we found that the NKT cell subset develops in the presence or absence of a microbial environment. Although these results do not rule out the possibility that NKT cells exert a protective function against some microbial agents, they demonstrate that non microbial ligands, possibly self-antigens are sufficient for the generation, maturation and peripheral accumulation of NKT cells.
Characterization, distribution and lateralization of baroreceptor-related neurons in the rat insular cortex.

The insular cortex contains a site of cardiovascular representation. Stimulation experiments suggest a discrete localization within the rostral posterior insula. In 34 urethane-anesthetized male Sprague-Dawley rats, we investigated whether cells responsive to baroreceptor stimulation with phenylephrine and sodium nitroprusside were selectively clustered within the insula compared with the surrounding frontoparietal cortex, the extent of distribution of these responsive cells within the insula, and whether there was any lateralization of response. In addition, we characterized the cells as SE (sympathoexcitatory), SI (sympathoinhibitory) or null cells using the criteria of Barman. Of the 128 insular cells investigated with extracellular recording techniques, 70% responded to baroreceptor manipulations compared to 32% of the 57 cells investigated outside the insula (P<0.0001). The majority of the responsive cells were SE units and were distributed widely throughout the insular cortex including anterior areas not previously thought to be involved in cardiovascular control. Within the rostral posterior insula from which cardiovascular effects are mainly obtained in stimulation experiments, lateralization was identified, with significantly more cells responding to blood pressure changes being found within the right posterior insula than the left (P<0.003). These data confirm the importance of the right posterior insula in the rat as a site of cardiovascular representation; identify a more extensive distribution of cells responsive to blood pressure changes within the insula than previous studies and imply more widespread convergence of visceral afferent information within the insula.
The Factorial and Predictive Validities of a Revised Measure of Zaichkowsky's Personal Involvement Inventory.

A shortened version of Zaichkowsky's (1985) 20-item Personal Involvement Inventory (Pll) was tested. Termed the Modified Personal Involvement Inventory (MPII), the new 16-item measure is an attempt to purge the PII of items potentially difficult to understand by non-college educated populations. The study investigates the psychometric properties of the MPII, as well as the extent to which the original factors of the Pll are stable with respect to population composition and stimulus objects rated on involvement. Findings from 136 undergraduate and graduate business students showed the revision to be successful. Two factors emerged using varimax rotation. The MPII is on a par with the Pll in its internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, and factorial and predictive validity. Tests of predictive validity demonstrated that scores on the MPII were positively related to three consequences of involvement.
Effects of inter-food interval on the variety effect in an instrumental food-seeking task. Clarifying the role of habituation.

Food variety increases consumption and the rate of instrumental behavior that is reinforced by food in humans and animals. The present experiment investigated the relationship between the variety effect and habituation to food by testing the role of the interval between successive food presentations on responding in an operant food-seeking task. Habituation to food was expected at short, but not long, interfood intervals. The effects of variety on food's long-term reinforcing value were also tested. Four groups of rats were trained to lever-press on different random-interval (RI) schedules of reinforcement to earn 45-mg food pellets. Half the rats in each group received an unpredictable mix of grain and sucrose pellets, while the other half consistently received sucrose pellets. Response rate began at a high rate and then decreased within each 30-min session for groups that received short inter-pellet intervals (i.e., RI-3 s and RI-6 s reinforcement schedules) but not in groups that received longer inter-pellet intervals (i.e., RI-12 s and RI-24 s). A variety effect in the form of higher responding in the mix group than the sucrose-only group was also only evident at the shorter intervals. Habituation and variety effects were also most evident with the short intervals when we controlled for the number of reinforcers earned, suggesting that they were not merely due to rapid satiation. The variety effect also appeared quickly when groups trained with longer inter-pellet intervals (RI-12 s and RI-24 s) were transitioned to shorter intervals (RI-3 s and RI-6 s). There was no effect of variety on resistance to extinction or on resistance to the response-suppressing effects of pre-session feeding. The results more clearly link this version of the variety effect to the short-term effect of variety on food habituation.
Dimethylnitrosamine in souse and similar jellied cured-meat products.

Abstract Dimethylnitrosamine was found in eight of ten samples of commercial souse and similar gelatin-containing cured-meat products at levels ranging from 3 to 63 μg/kg. One of the samples was also found to contain 19 μg nitrosopyrrolidine/kg. There appeared to be no correlation between residual levels of sodium nitrite and the nitrosamine concentration. The nitrosamines were determined quantitatively by gas-liquid chromatography (glc) using an alkali flame ionization detector and the analyses were confirmed by glc-high resolution mass spectrometry.
Improving Optimal Performance—And Life—For Young Athletes

A composite case study illustrates how a multidisciplinary approach can be used to improve athletic performance and overall life functioning. The use of heart rate/respiration biofeedback and QEEG-guided neurofeedback are built on a foundation of cognitive therapy. The elements in the article are taken from several successful cases over the course of several years. The athletes represented in this article range from 18 to 24 years old, are from a variety of sports, and are from higher levels of achievement.
Effectiveness of a free folic acid supplement program in family planning clinics

BACKGROUND Adequate periconceptional folic acid consumption lowers the risk for neural tube defects. We report the results of an evaluation of a folic acid intervention in Georgia family planning clinics that provided free folic acid supplements or fortified breakfast cereal. METHODS Six family planning clinics participated in the evaluation. Three clinics provided folic acid pills and educational materials to clients, two provided super-fortified cereal and educational materials, and one clinic provided educational materials only. Participants between the ages of 18 and 45 who visited the clinics in 2000 completed a brief survey and provided a blood sample. Of the 1093 women who participated, we evaluated the 165 women who had returned to the clinic at least once during the study period. We compared participants' survey and serum folate data from their first and subsequent visits. RESULTS Participation in the intervention was associated with increased knowledge about folic acid, (odds ratio, 1.94; 95% confidence interval, 1.37–2.76), but was not directly associated with increased self-reported folic acid consumption or increased serum folate levels. Reported use of folic acid supplements or cereal within two days of a visit was associated with higher serum folate levels. Knowledge about folic acid was one of the best predictors of self-reported folic acid consumption. CONCLUSIONS Participation in the intervention increased clients' knowledge about folic acid but did not directly increase reported folic acid consumption. Because knowledge predicted folic acid consumption, the intervention may be indirectly associated with increased consumption of folic acid. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2004. Published 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Ulam's method to estimate invariant measures and Lyapunov exponents for one-dimensional discretely randomized photonic structures

In the one-dimensional optical analog to Anderson localization, a periodically layered medium has one or more parameters randomly disordered. Such a medium can be modeled by an infinite product of 2x2 random transfer matrices with the upper Lyapunov exponent of the matrix product identified as the localization factor (inverse localization length). Furstenberg's integral formula for the Lyapunov exponent requires integration with respect to both the probability measure of the random matrices and the invariant probability measure of the direction of the vector propagated by the random matrix product. This invariant measure is difficult to find analytically, so one of several numerical techniques must be used in its calculation. Here, we focus on one of those techniques, Ulam's method, which sets up a sparse matrix of the probabilities that an entire interval of possible directions will be transferred to some other interval of directions. The left eigenvector of this sparse matrix forms the estimated invariant measure. While Ulam's method is shown to produce results as accurate as others, it suffers from long computation times. The Ulam method, along with other approaches, is demonstrated on a random Fibonacci sequence having a known answer, and on a quarter-wave stack model with discrete disorder in layer thickness.
Alternating evolution discontinuous Galerkin methods for Hamilton-Jacobi equations

In this work, we propose a high resolution Alternating Evolution Discontinuous Galerkin (AEDG) method to solve Hamilton-Jacobi equations. The construction of the AEDG method is based on an alternating evolution system of the Hamilton-Jacobi equation, following the previous work Liu et al. (2013) [31] on AE schemes for Hamilton-Jacobi equations. A semi-discrete AEDG scheme derives directly from a sampling of this system on alternating grids. Higher order accuracy is achieved by a combination of high-order polynomial approximation near each grid and a time discretization with matching accuracy. The AEDG methods have the advantage of easy formulation and implementation, and efficient computation of the solution. For the linear equation, we prove the L^2 stability of the method. Numerical experiments for a set of Hamilton-Jacobi equations are presented to demonstrate both accuracy and capacity of these AEDG schemes.
Attitude Importance as a Function of Repeated Attitude Expression

Abstract Past research has shown that attitudes that are personally important are also more accessible in memory. The hypothesis that accessibility causally influences importance was examined in a laboratory experiment. Accessibility was manipulated on a within-subject basis by varying frequency of attitude expression. Subjects first completed a booklet containing several separate questionnaires in which two target attitudes were solicited five times and two other target attitudes were not solicited at all. Subjects then responded to a computer-administered survey in which response latency was recorded and ratings of attitude importance were collected. Consistent with past research, repeated expression resulted in reduced response latencies (i.e., enhanced attitude accessibility). Repeated expression also resulted in greater perceived attitude importance. The effect of repeated expression on latencies remained reliable when importance ratings were controlled, but the effect of repeated expression on importance disappeared when latencies were controlled. These results suggest that individuals use attitude accessibility as a heuristic cue for inferring attitude importance. Accessibility may best be conceived of as a central index of attitude strength, with importance playing a role as antecedent or consequent to this variable.
Application of the LCAO method to some non-classical carbonium ions

Abstract Earlier MO calculations on homoallyl and homobenzyl cations have been extended to a number of other non-classical ions. These include norbornenyl, norbornadienyl, methylenecyclohexyl and octahydrodimethanonaphthyl cations, as well as trishomocyclopropenyl. A classification scheme for some non-classical cation patterns is suggested, and various unknown species are treated. The omega-method has been applied to some of the species and the question of hybridization has been considered.
Subpicosecond carrier dynamics in low-temperature grown GaAs as measured by time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy

The transient photoconductivity in a 1 μm layer of low temperature grown GaAs (LT-GaAs) on a GaAs substrate was measured using time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy. When photoexcitation occurs at 400 nm we find a time-dependent mobility that increases from 400±100 to 1100±100 cm2 V−1 s−1 with a time constant of 2 ps. Photoexcitation at 800 nm produces a time-independent mobility of 3000±500 cm2 V−1 s−1. We determine the carrier lifetime in LT-GaAs to be 1.1 ± 0.1 ps.
Functional forms and the relevance of contiguous migration in the study of migration and employment growth.

Previous studies on interstate migration have dealt with total migration without decomposing it into contiguous and noncontiguous migration flows. Since migration over borders of contiguous states may merely reflect changes in residence without changes in economic activities, the use of total migration data might reduce the reliability of empirical results. In this study, a simultaneous-equation model containing two equations, one for migration and the other for employment growth, has been specified in a general form and estimated by the 2SLS method for total, contiguous and noncontiguous migration flows. Results obtained from the use of 1970 Census data show that noncontiguous migration behaves significantly different from contiguous migration, and that noncontiguous migration, rather than total migration, should be used for the study of factors affecting interstate migration. Results also indicate that the log-linear functional form commonly used in empirical studies cannot be accepted statistically.