cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Numb modifies neuronal vulnerability to amyloid beta-peptide in an isoform-specific manner by a mechanism involving altered calcium homeostasis: implications for neuronal death in Alzheimer's disease.

Increased production of neurotoxic forms of amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) and abnormalities in neuronal calcium homeostasis play central roles in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Notch, a membrane receptor that controls cell-fate decisions during development of the nervous system, has been linked to AD because it is a substrate for the γ-secretase enzyme activity that involves the presenilin-1 (PS1) protein in which mutations cause early-onset inherited AD. The actions of Notch can be antagonized by Numb, an evolutionarily conserved protein that exists in four isoforms that differ in two functional domains: a phosphotyrosine-binding (PTB) domain and a proline-rich region (PRR). We now report that Numb isoforms containing a short PTB domain increase the vulnerability of PC12 cells to death induced by Aβ1-42 and by 4-hydroxynonenal, a lipid peroxidation product previously shown to mediate neurotoxic effects of Aβ. Dysregulation of cellular calcium homeostasis occurs in cells expressing Numb isoforms with a short PTB domain, and the death-promoting effect of Numb is abolished by pharmacological inhibition of calcium release. The levels of Numb are increased in cultured primary hippocampal neurons exposed to Aβ, suggesting a role for endogenous Numb in the neuronal death process. Furthermore, higher levels of Numb were detected in the cortex of mice expressing mutant amyloid precursor protein (APP) relative to age-matched wild-type mice. Our data identify a novel isoform-specific effect of Numb on neuronal life and death cell fate decisions potentially relevant to the pathogenesis of AD. Our findings also suggest that the effects of Numb on cell fate decisions, both during development of the nervous system and in neurodegenertive disorders, are mediated by changes in cellular calcium homeostasis.
Estimation for renewal processes with unobservable gamma or Erlang interarrival times

Abstract An estimator based on the number of renewals Nt in a fixed time t is proposed to estimate the parameter k in a renewal process where the interarrival times have gamma(μ, k) distribution. Consideration is also given to estimation in the case when k is an integer, the Erlang distribution. Actual interarrival times are assumed unobservable and only periodic inspection of the renewal process is possible. The estimator is improved by recording the excess life times, Y(t), occurring between the end of one inspection period and the time the next begins. The joint distribution of Nt and Y(t) assuming gamma interarrival times is derived. For the gamma case ( k ∈ R ), Fisher's information measure is used to define an efficiency criterion to show that when the cost of fully observing the renewal process is large compared to the cost of periodic inspection, the proposed estimator is superior. For the case of Erlang interarrivals, the probability of correctly estimating the parameter is used as the criterion for comparing estimators, and a similar conclusion is reached. Application to the estimation of k in the M/Ek/1 queue is considered by making use of the embedded renewal process consisting of departure points while the queue is busy.
The relationship of locus of control to pain coping strategies and psychological distress in chronic pain patients

Although behavioral scientists have long been interested in how an individual's locus of control relates to coping and adjustment, basic information remains to be gathered on the relevance of locus of control to adaptation to persistent pain. This study examined the relationship of locus of control orientation to pain coping strategies and psychological distress in chronic pain patients. Subjects were 62 chronic pain patients. All patients were administered: (1) the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scales to assess locus of control, (2) the Coping Strategies Questionnaire to evaluate pain coping strategies, and (3) the Symptom Checklist-90 Revised to assess psychological distress. Correlational analyses revealed that patients who viewed outcomes as controlled by chance factors such as fate or luck tended to rely on maladaptive pain coping strategies and rated their abilities to control and decrease pain as poor. They also exhibited greater psychological distress. Regression analyses indicated that patients having a chance orientation toward locus of control were more likely to report depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms and to have higher overall levels of psychological distress. Chance locus of control also predicted greater reliance on diverting attention and praying/hoping in dealing with their pain. In addition, patients high on chance locus of control reported feeling helpless to deal effectively with their pain problem. Clinicians evaluating chronic pain patients need to be aware that patients who view outcomes as controlled by external factors such as chance may have deficits in pain coping strategies and may report greater psychological distress than patients who do not have this locus of control orientation.
K-ras mutations in incident sporadic colorectal adenomas.

BACKGROUND Although K-ras is the most frequently mutated protooncogene in colorectal carcinoma, the specific role and timing of K-ras mutations in colorectal carcinogenesis remains controversial. In the current study, the authors investigated associations with K-ras mutation in incident sporadic colorectal adenomas that occurred during a chemoprevention trial of calcium supplementation. METHODS K-ras genotyping was performed on 303 colorectal adenomas that were removed from 207 participants during the follow-up phase of the Calcium Polyp Prevention Study. Mutations in codons 12 or 13 of K-ras were detected by denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography and were confirmed by direct sequencing. RESULTS The adenomas analyzed had a mean estimated size of 0.5 cm, and 3.0% were identified with mutations (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.3–4.4%). These mutations were more common in larger adenomas (risk ratio [RR], 12.7 for tumors that measured > 0.5 cm vs. ≤ 0.5 cm; 95% CI, 2.7–59.7), in adenomas with more advanced histology (RR, 20.6 for tubulovillous/villous vs. tubular; 95% CI, 4.4–96.0), and in adenomas that were located in the rectum compared with the colon (RR, 8.4; 95% CI, 2.3–30.5). CONCLUSIONS Compared with previous studies, the current analysis was novel, because it focused on incident adenomas that were diagnosed within a few years of a previous “clean” colonoscopy. The results provided evidence for a very low rate of K-ras mutation among these small, early adenomas and strong support for a role of K-ras mutations in adenoma progression. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Video-assisted thoracoscopic splanchnicectomy for pain control in chronic pancreatitis.

Background:Management of pain in patients with chronic pancreatitis can be frustrating. The authors retrospectively evaluated their experience with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for pain secondary to chronic pancreatitis.Methods:From September 1999 to August 2004, 16 patients underwent
A New Reaction Motif: “Homo-SN2′-Like” Direct Nucleophilic Addition to Neutral η3-Allylmolybdenum Complexes. Total Synthesis of the Antimalarial (+)-Isofebrifugine

Charge neutral TpMo(CO)2(5-acyloxy-η3-pyranyl) and TpMo(CO)2(5-acyloxy-η3-pyridinyl) scaffolds undergo a novel intermolecular “homo-SN2′-like” reaction with a variety of carbon nucleophiles. Combined with an annulative demetalation, the homo-SN2′-like substitution/annulative demetalation sequence rapidly generates 2,7-dioxabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane and 2-aza-7-oxabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane frameworks in good to excellent yields with high enantiopurity. An enantiocontrolled total synthesis of the antimalarial alkaloid (+)-isofebrifugine was achieved utilizing this reaction cascade.
Studies on Blood Coagulation and the Effect of Digitalis

Preceding the study of the effect of digitalis upon coagulation of the blood, the reliability of the Lee and White method was determined in 173 normal adults. The effect of digitalis was then studied in cardiac patients before and after compenation and with normal controls in eacgroup: digitalis in clinical doses; addition of heparin to the blood; the heparin tolerance curve; the substitution of methyl methacrylate (Lucite) tubes; liver function as determined by excretion of bromsulfalein; prothrombin times.
Jobs, Wealth, or Place: The Faces of Community Economic Development

Summary Multiple and conflicting practices characterize the field of community economic development. Much of the debate about these practices revolves around different understandings of the importance of jobs, wealth, and place. No overarching definition, typology, or theory, however, offers a plausible way to resolve these conflicts about community economic development goals, levers of change, and practices. One promising approach engages the complexity rather than trying to simplify it. Metaphors are multivalent images that call attention to crosscutting issues, underlying assumptions, and hidden connections. Metaphors enable a richer and more creative reading of neighborhoods and economies when used in planning and design. This article explores six metaphors with relevance for community economic development: plugging the leaks, brokering connections, asset management, building ladders and webs, creating level playing fields, and enhancing markets. How to support this complex version of community econom...
The Harmful Effect of Direct and Alternating Currents on Plant Growth

The plant growth hormone concept and the electrochemical theory of hormone movement in plants are presented. Direct and alternating currents were passed through oat seedlings to determine their effects on growth. Coleoptiles (leaf sheaths) with the anode at the apex (anode plants) were retarded in growth by currents above 0.5 microamp. d.c. and were killed by 5.0 microamp. d.c. Coleoptiles with cathode at the apex (cathode plants) were retarded in growth by currents above 0.7 microamp. d.c. and were killed by 8.0 microamp. d.c. No change in growth was apparent below 0.5 microamp. in either case. Alternating currents were found to have a decidedly smaller effect on growth than direct currents. The retardation of anode plants caused by 0.5 microamp. d.c. was the same as that resulting from the application of 9 microamp. a.c. At values as high as 27 microamp. a.c., the retardation in growth was only 28%. The growth of cathode and anode plants was found to follow a trend similar to that obtained by other experimenters, i.e., greater growth of cathode plants than of anode plants. However, no acceleration of growth was observed in any of the experiments performed. The difference between the action of an electrostatic field upon growth and that of an applied potential is ascribed to current as a complicating factor. The effect of 1.3 microamp. on growth of cathode plants is found to be due entirely to the action of current upon the tip portion causing, presumably, a variation in the amount of active hormone supplied by the tip. Current passing through the base of anode plants produced a retardation of growth. A discussion is presented of the effects of current which may occur indirectly through an effect upon supply of growth‐regulating hormone and directly through effects upon the complex system of protoplasm. The dependence of amount of auxin (plant growth promoting substance) upon current polarity is given as a possible explanation of difference in growth retardation of anode and cathode plants. Slowing of protoplasmic streaming is discussed as an explanation of the retardation observed in all cases of current passage. Inactivation of auxin or liberation of free acid from inactive salt may occur as the result of changes of pH gradients by direct current. The very great differences in growth retardation produced by d.c. and a.c. are related to the differences in their electrical nature.
Superconducting synchronous induction motor performance

A method is presented for determining the steady state running currents, torques, speeds, power factors and efficiencies of a superconducting synchronous/induction motor. Also, a method is presented for determining the current and magnetic flux densities that a superconductor must be able to withstand to successfully function in a superconducting synchronous/induction motor. The methods are applied to a hypothetical superconducting synchronous/induction motor. The hypothetical motor's design is a modification of that of an 11.2 kW squirrel cage induction motor. Hypothetically, the inner 5/6th of the induction motor's rotor conductors were replaced and liquid nitrogen cooling tubes were put next to the superconductor. >
Sensor calibration and characterization to meet climate monitoring requirements

The challenge of detecting small changes in the Earth's climate system over decadal and longer time scales places stringent requirements on environmental monitoring systems. Sensors must be well calibrated and maintain their calibration in challenging environments: space, oceans, mountains, tropics, polar regions, and deserts. Additionally, the assembly of regional and global time series for environmental variables, such as sea-surface temperature, vegetation coverage, and soil moisture, requires the integration of measurements from a variety of sensors of different designs, operated by different organizations, and acquired at different times. Success requires sensors that are calibrated and recalibrated against standards tied to the International System of Units (SI) to ensure that measurements are physics-based and comparable between nations, organizations, and over generations. The present talk will provide an overview of research and dissemination efforts at NIST to advance the calibration and characterization of sensors, highlighting satellite-based sensors, for application to measurements in support of climate science.
Purification and properties of antibodies having specificity for the carbohydrate moieties of synthetic glycoconjugates.

Abstract Three types of antibodies having specificity for carbohydrate moieties of glycoconjugate antigens have been isolated from the sera of rabbits immunized with vaccines of β- d -glucosyl-bovine serum albumin, β- d -galactosyl-bovine serum albumin, or β-lactosyl-bovine serum albumin. The antibodies were isolated by affinity chromatography on adsorbents bearing appropriate carbohydrate ligands. The antibody types are specific for the β- d -glucosyl, β- d -galactosyl, or β-lactosyl groups of the synthetic glycoconjugates. The specificities have been established by data on hapten-inhibition, agar-diffusion, periodate-oxidation, and affinity-chromatography experiments. Each antibody type is of the IgG class of immunoglobulins and is of uniform molecular size, with molecular weight of 1.5 × 10 5 . Data from gel-isoelectrofocusing experiments showed that each preparation of antibodies, although specific for identical determinant groups of the same antigen, nevertheless consisted of a set of different proteins. The anti- d -glucose antibodies consisted of five proteins, the anti- d -galactose antibodies of eleven proteins, and the anti-lactose antibodies of seventeen proteins. The suggestion has been made earlier that the members of such a set of antibodies, in which each member is induced by the same determinant group of an antigen and each member combines with this group in the precipitin reaction, be called isoantibodies.
Interactive effects of elevated temperature and CO2 levels on energy metabolism and biomineralization of marine bivalves Crassostrea virginica and Mercenaria mercenaria.

Abstract The continuing increase of carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere leads to increases in global temperatures and partial pressure of CO2 (PCO2) in surface waters, causing ocean acidification. These changes are especially pronounced in shallow coastal and estuarine waters and are expected to significantly affect marine calcifiers including bivalves that are ecosystem engineers in estuarine and coastal communities. To elucidate potential effects of higher temperatures and PCO2 on physiology and biomineralization of marine bivalves, we exposed two bivalve species, the eastern oysters Crassostrea virginica and the hard clams Mercenaria mercenaria to different combinations of PCO2 (~ 400 and 800 μatm) and temperatures (22 and 27 °C) for 15 weeks. Survival, bioenergetic traits (tissue levels of lipids, glycogen, glucose and high energy phosphates) and biomineralization parameters (mechanical properties of the shells and activity of carbonic anhydrase, CA) were determined in clams and oysters under different temperature and PCO2 regimes. Our analysis showed major inter-species differences in shell mechanical traits and bioenergetics parameters. Elevated temperature led to the depletion of tissue energy reserves indicating energy deficiency in both species and resulted in higher mortality in oysters. Interestingly, while elevated PCO2 had a small effect on the physiology and metabolism of both species, it improved survival in oysters. At the same time, a combination of high temperature and elevated PCO2 lead to a significant decrease in shell hardness in both species, suggesting major changes in their biomineralization processes. Overall, these studies show that global climate change and ocean acidification might have complex interactive effects on physiology, metabolism and biomineralization in coastal and estuarine marine bivalves.
A case study of streaming storage format for sparse matrices

The Field-Programmable Gate Array is an excellent match for the sparse matrix-vector multiply operation because of its enormous computational capacity and its ability to build a custom memory hierarchy that matches the memory access patterns of the operation. This paper describes a streaming sparse matrix format and a custom memory subsystem that decodes it on-the-fly for multiple compute units. Results show that the proposed design is very efficient and allows the sparse matrix to be streamed sequentially from off-chip RAM. On a Xilinx Virtex-4 device, this results in an average of 58% memory-bandwidth efficiency for one compute unit and 70% memory-bandwidth efficiency for two compute units. The design is capable of achieving an average of 47% of theoretical peak floating-point performance for each compute unit.
Vibration of High-Speed Spur Gear Webs

High cycle fatigue loading of gear webs due to in-plane stresses, caused by forced excitation resulting from centrifugal loading and dynamic tooth loads, has been known to cause radial fatigue cracks. This is especially prevalent in high-speed gears used in aerospace applications, with small web thickness, for weight reduction. Radial cracks have also been observed to originate at the outer edge of lightening holes machined in gear webs for weight reduction. This paper presents an analytical treatment of the in-plane vibration of high-speed gear webs resulting from rotational effects and periodic excitation from dynamic tooth loading. Dynamic tooth loads result from the combined effect of inertia forces of gear wheels which are significant at high speeds, the periodic variation of gear mesh stiffness, and involute tooth profile errors. The gear web is modeled as a thin rotating disc and the governing differential equations of motion and the associated boundary conditions are derived from first principles. The equations are then nondimensionalized which leads to some essential nondimensional parameters. A comprehensive tooth stiffness model for spur gears is used that accounts for periodic variation of mesh stiffness. The dynamic tooth loads are obtained by solving the pertinent equations of motion, using a collocation method, that yields a closed-form expression for the periodic excitation, that is used as an input for the in-plane vibration problem. The in-plane vibration equations are solved by an approximate method of weighted residuals. It is found that the displacement fields and the resulting stresses can be significant under certain speeds and loading conditions. The interaction between the forcing frequencies due to gear teeth dynamics and the in-plane vibration natural frequencies can result in resonances that induce high fatigue stresses in the gear web. The in-plane stresses leading to high cycle fatigue loading, and frequency components of the resulting response are discussed in detail.
The species survival plan and the conference on reproductive strategies for endangered wildlife

The application of advanced reproduction technology to the breeding of vanishing species in captivity, as planned by the Species Survival Plan (SSP) of the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, may be crucial to practical longterm propagation of some species. However, current techniques are usually specific to domestic animals and man. Major modifications and new approaches, on a species-specific basis, will be required for broad application to specialized wild animals. Prerequisites include basic studies of unique species' physiology and basic care requirements. The current SSP program needs a major research component.
β-Catenin Activation in Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome

Purpose β-catenin, an integral cell-cell adhesion adaptor protein and a transcriptional co-regulator, has recently been shown to be important in promoting mesenchymal cell activation. BOS is a fibrotic disease of the small airways with BO lesions demonstrating myofibroblast infiltration and collagen deposition as prominent features. In this study we investigate β-catenin activation in human BOS as well as animal BO model. Methods and Materials Whole cell lysate and nuclear cell fraction from mesenchymal stromal cells derived from patients with and without BOS were collected and analyzed by western blot for β-catenin activation. Immunofluorescence and immunohistochemical staining were done on human cells and fibrotic biopsy tissue from patients with BOS. Heterotopic tracheal transplant model was used to test for β-catenin activation at different time points. Results Up regulation of total and nuclear β-catenin expression was noted in mesenchymal cells from patients with BOS. In vitro, β-catenin staining demonstrated positive nuclear localization in BOS cells. In vivo activation was confirmed by the positive nuclear β-catenin staining in myofibroblasts in human biopsy tissue from BOS patients. In heterotopic tracheal transplant model animal model, a significant increase in β-catenin mRNA expression was noted in allografts at day 7 after tracheal transplantation. Investigation of protein expression in tracheal grafts demonstrated a significantly β-catenin in allografts by day 14 as compared to isografts. β-catenin staining by immunohistochemical staining was studied at day 21, a time point by which complete luminal obliteration by mesenchymal cells is noted. Allografts demonstrated intense cytoplasmic and nuclear β-catenin staining in the infiltrating cells in the lumen. In isografts, β-catenin staining was noted in the membranous pattern in the epithelial cells with no significant nuclear staining. Conclusions This is the first investigation of β-catenin activation in BOS and suggests an important role for this pathway in the fibrogenesis in allografts.
Experimental demonstration of linear deep subwavelength spoof surface plasmonic waveguides

Due to the large transverse mode size in the frequency regime far below plasma frequency, some important applications of surface plasmons in the THz or microwave frequency regime have been limited where deep subwavelength optical devices are a critical technique. Here we experimentally demonstrated focusing and guiding electromagnetic (EM) waves in a 3D spoof surface plasmonic waveguide, which is a row of rectangular rods patterned on an aluminum slab. The maximum of the mode size can be mapped in the middle plane of two neighboring rods. The mode size slightly varies with different frequencies and minimizes at 0.04λ-by-0.03λ at 2.25 GHz. Moreover, due to the tight binding of surface waves, the decrease of the waveguide width does not significantly affect the dispersion of the guided modes. This fact enables the mode tapering in the transverse direction from a wide waveguide into deep subwavelength waveguide with high efficiency. To this end, a tapered spoof surface plasmonic waveguide was fabricated as the input is the uniform spoof surface plasmonic waveguide and its performance was investigated in experiments. From the experimental results, as the EM waves propagate in the taper, the mode size becomes smaller and smaller with the intensity gradually increasing, and eventually EM waves are coupled into the deep subwavelength mode.
Deposition of particles in turbulent pipe flows

Abstract Deposition rates of aerosol particles onto pipe walls under turbulent flow conditions were measured. Dioctyl phthalate (DOP) aerosols of six different sizes ranging from 0.035 to 1.3 μm were used in air flows whose Reynolds numbers were controlled at selected values between 1800 and 15,600. The turbulent inertial impaction, transition, and turbulent diffusion regimes were covered. The measured results show that the theory by Wells and Chamberlain (1967, Brit. J. appl. Phys.19, 1793) predicts deposition by diffusion in turbulent flows reasonably well, while the theory of Friedlander and Johnstone (1957, Ind. Engr. Chem.49, 1151) is suitable for correlating the data for deposition by inertial impaction. However, these theories alone were not satisfactory for estimating deposition rates in the neighborhood of the minimum aerosol deposition regime where both Brownian diffusional and inertial deposition mechanisms operate simultaneously.
Crystal growth of mineral phases in skeletal tissues

Abstract The study of crystal growth mechanisms in skeletal tissues is complicated by the fact that important physicochemical factors governing the nucleation and growth of apatite crystals, the principal component of bone mineral, are often obscured by cellular and biochemical processes. Fortunately, many kinetic and thermodynamic features of apatite growth in vivo can be inferred from solution investigations of synthetic analogues possessing biological-like properties. This paper reviews these synthetic studies and considers their applicability to the biological situation. As a preface, a brief description of some of the salient features of the biomineralization process as it pertains to skeletal tissues is included. Two points of great significance which have emerged from these comparative studies to date are that: (1) apatite formation is not simple and straightforward, but is a complex process involving one or more precursor phases, and (2) both the cells of mineralized tissue and the extracellular organic matrices play important roles in initiating and controlling in vivo mineral deposition.
Restriction varieties and geometric branching rules

Abstract This paper develops a new method for studying the cohomology of orthogonal flag varieties. Restriction varieties are subvarieties of orthogonal flag varieties defined by rank conditions with respect to (not necessarily isotropic) flags. They interpolate between Schubert varieties in orthogonal flag varieties and the restrictions of general Schubert varieties in ordinary flag varieties. We give a positive, geometric rule for calculating their cohomology classes, obtaining a branching rule for Schubert calculus for the inclusion of the orthogonal flag varieties in Type A flag varieties. Our rule, in addition to being an essential step in finding a Littlewood–Richardson rule, has applications to computing the moment polytopes of the inclusion of SO ( n ) in SU ( n ) , the asymptotic of the restrictions of representations of SL ( n ) to SO ( n ) and the classes of the moduli spaces of rank two vector bundles with fixed odd determinant on hyperelliptic curves. Furthermore, for odd orthogonal flag varieties, we obtain an algorithm for expressing a Schubert cycle in terms of restrictions of Schubert cycles of Type A flag varieties, thereby giving a geometric (though not positive) algorithm for multiplying any two Schubert cycles.
Quantitative analysis of memantine in human plasma by gas chromatography/negative ion chemical ionization/mass spectrometry.

A sensitive and specific method for the determination of memantine in human plasma is presented. Memantine was extracted from plasma and derivatized to the pentafluorobenzoyl derivative in a one-step procedure avoiding any sample concentration steps. Amantadine was used as an internal standard. The compounds were measured by gas chromatography/negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry without any further processing. Using this detection mode, the fragment ions at m/z 353 and 325 were obtained at high relative abundance. Calibration graphs were linear over the range 0.117-30 ng ml(-1). At the limit of quantification (LOQ), the inter-assay precision was 2.00% and the intra-assay variability was 3.22%. The accuracy at the LOQ showed deviations of -1.42% (intra-assay) and -2.47% (inter-assay). The method is rugged, rapid and robust and was applied to the batch determination of memantine during pharmacokinetic profiling of the drug.
Efficient multi-die placement for blank defect mitigation in EUV lithography

Due to the absence of defect-free blanks in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, defect mitigation is necessary before mass production. One effective way to mitigate the defect impact is to increase the distance between the defects and feature boundaries such that the defects will not affect the printing of the features. Some algorithms have been developed to move the whole layout within the exposure field in order to avoid all defect impact. However, in reality the die size is usually much smaller than the exposure field, such that one blank is packed with multiple copies of the die, and each die can be placed independently within the exposure field. In this paper, we develop an EUV reticle placement algorithm to maximize the number of valid dies that are immune to defects. Given the layout of a die and a defective blank, we first apply a layout relocation algorithm to find all feasible regions for the die on the blank. Then we develop an efficient placement algorithm to place the dies within the feasible regions one at a time until all feasible regions are fully occupied. The simulation results show that our algorithm is able to find a solution efficiently and the number of valid dies placed by our algorithm is very close to the optimal solution.
Medical devices: US medical device regulation

Medical devices are regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) within the Center for Devices and Radiological Health. Center for Devices and Radiological Health is responsible for protecting and promoting the public health by ensuring the safety, effectiveness, and quality of medical devices, ensuring the safety of radiation-emitting products, fostering innovation, and providing the public with accurate, science-based information about the products we oversee, throughout the total product life cycle. The FDA was granted the authority to regulate the manufacturing and marketing of medical devices in 1976. It does not regulate the practice of medicine. Devices are classified based on complexity and level of risk, and "pre-1976" devices were allowed to remain on the market after being classified without FDA review. Post-1976 devices of lower complexity and risk that are substantially equivalent to a marketed "predicate" device may be cleared through the 510(k) premarket notification process. Clinical data are typically not needed for 510(k) clearance. In contrast, higher-risk devices typically require premarket approval. Premarket approval applications must contain data demonstrating reasonable assurance of safety and efficacy, and this information typically includes clinical data. For novel devices that are not high risk, the de novo process allows FDA to simultaneously review and classify new devices. Devices that are not legally marketed are permitted to be used for clinical investigation purposes in the United States under the Investigational Device Exemptions regulation.
Helicopter transport of patients during acute myocardial infarction.

Abstract Initial experience with a regional system of emergency helicopter transport of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) referred for emergent cardiac catheterization and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is described. Two hundred fifty patients with AMI were transported from within a 150-mile radius to Duke University Medical Center over a 15-month period. All patients were within 12 hours of onset of symptoms. Thrombolytic therapy was administered to 240 (96%) patients (72% before or in-flight). The time to administration of thrombolytic therapy ranged from 30 to 120 minutes (median 180), while the time to arrival in the interventional catheterization laboratory ranged from 105 to 815 minutes (median 300). The flight time was 12 to 77 minutes (median 31). Most patients had 1- or 2-vessel coronary artery disease; the baseline ejection fraction ranged from 27 to 70% (median 42). Transient hypotension was the most common complication both pre-flight and inflight. Third-degree atrioventricular block and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia were the next most common complications. Ventricular fibrillation or sustained ventricular tachycardia occurred before takeoff in 38 patients (15%). No patients had ventricular fibrillation, asystole or respiratory arrest during transport. Fluid boluses for hypotension were the most common intervention. Five patients required cardiopulmonary resuscitation in-flight; 3 before liftoff and 2 required a brief period of cardiopulmonary resuscitation during sustained ventricular tachycardia. Fourteen patients had presser therapy, military antishock trousers or both to maintain adequate blood pressure. Neither cardioversion, defibrillation nor intubation were performed in-flight. Thus, inflight complications are infrequent and can be managed en route to an intervention center. The overall benefit of regional helicopter transportation relative to its cost has yet to be determined.
Sexual harassment of women professors by students: Exploring the dynamics of power, authority, and gender in a university setting

Although much research on sexual harassment within the academy has been concerned with how prevalent this problem is, it continues to be very narrow in its scope by focusing almost entirely on the abuse directed toward subordinates. This study explores the sexual harassment of women professors by students to gain insight into how widespread the problem is, and to understand better how both gender and status define an individual's vulnerability to sexual harassment. Survey data from 208 female instructors employed at a major university revealed that women professors experience a variety of behaviors, mostly from male students, which range from sexist comments to sexual assault. Furthermore, most professors perceive such behaviors to be sexual harassment, despite the professor's formal power. Generally, women professors are able to deal effectively with these situations, usually by confronting the individual directly or trying to avoid the student, at least in relatively minor instances of sexual harassment.
Evolution of a new drug formulation: the rationale for high-dose, short-course therapy with azithromycin

The rationale for the use of high-dose, short-course azithromycin treatment regimens is based on the pharmacokinetic properties of azithromycin. Its long elimination half-life (approximately 60 h) and antibacterial potency make short-course (1-day) regimens feasible. Azithromycin is concentrated within phagocytic cells, which deliver it in a targeted manner to sites of infection. In vitro and in vivo models demonstrate that azithromycin is taken up, transported and released at the sites of infection by polymorphonuclear neutrophils and macrophages. Uptake is not saturable, so delivery of the total azithromycin therapeutic regimen as a single dose of azithromycin microspheres should lead to increased uptake and delivery of the drug to sites of infection. By achieving higher drug concentrations at the site of infection, a single, high dose of azithromycin microspheres should maximize efficacy. The new microsphere formulation allows for 'front loading' of the dose to achieve the highest drug levels early in the course of infection while maintaining favorable tolerability.
Evaluating Score Equity Assessment for State NAEP

Score equity assessment is an important analysis to ensure inferences drawn from test scores are comparable across subgroups of examinees. The purpose of the present evaluation was to assess the extent to which the Grade 8 NAEP Math and Reading assessments for 2005 were equivalent across selected states. More specifically, the present study examined the consistency of the achievement level results (i.e., Basic, Proficient, and Advanced) across five selected states for each assessment when they were treated separately versus as part of the national sample. The proportions of examinees within each achievement level were obtained using the item statistics for the respective state and the national sample. The achievement level proportions were highly comparable for each state comparison for the Math and Reading assessment (almost indistinguishable), which suggests any lack of score equity with respect to the five studied states was inconsequential. These findings lend credibility for the current practice of u...
AN ERIKSONIAN MEASURE OF PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT IN CHILD-ABUSING MOTHERS

It was expected that 20 child-abusing mothers would score lower on a measure of Eriksonian developmental outcome than a carefully selected group of 20 nonabusing mothers. All mothers were administered a questionnaire designed to assess resolution of the first seven Eriksonian developmental stages. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to test for significant differences while controlling for the effect of other factors which may have covaried with abusive or nonabusive status. Abusive mothers scored significantly lower on measures of the first six developmental stages. Implications and suggestions for research are discussed.
Teaching rational prescribing: a new clinical pharmacology curriculum for medical schools.

In most U.S. and Canadian medical schools, pharmacology is taught during the preclinical year 2 of the 4-year-long curriculum. This is despite the fact that medical school graduates and residency directors have identified teaching rational therapeutics as a priority. Hence, we have developed a core curriculum in clinical pharmacology for 4th-year medical students that builds on the core principles of rational therapeutics described by Nierenberg 10 years ago (Nierenberg, DW. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1990; 48:606–610). Here we report on our 3-year experience teaching this course, which addresses the following teaching objectives: to teach medical students on how to (1) critically evaluate medications; (2) obtain a complete medication history including herbal and over-the-counter medications; (3) apply pharmacokinetic principles to clinical practice; (4) recognize and report adverse drug events and interactions; (5) optimize pain management; (6) recognize and treat substance abuse and poisoning; and (7) prescribe rationally regardless of prescribing environment. Student assessment was in the form of multiple-choice and formative oral examinations, which were validated against the clinical part of the U.S. medical licensing examination. The course significantly increased the student rating of clinical pharmacology teaching measured by a national survey of U.S. medical school graduates. We conclude that this course may be useful for teaching rational prescribing to medical students. With the guidance and educational material provided by this article, a successful implementation of such a course should be possible in most medical schools.
Speed Optimizations for Fermilab MULTI

Although the Fermilab MULTI event analysis program basic processing loop is capable of 400 Hz operation, analysis of real data causes the program to rapidly bog down, in our case to the range of 10 to 20 Hz. There are a number of factors causing this effect; operation of the "live" display, interpretation of "evaluation" statements and the speed at which histograms can be incremented. We have addressed all these areas and present our solutions to them. We have succeeded in raising the basic processing speed to approximately 600 Hz, and a reasonable live analysis to 200 Hz without the need to sacrifice the display or to resort to "user" Fortran subroutines.
Excited states of neutral zinc, copper, and mercury in photoconducting germanium

Abstract The energy levels of excited states of neutral zinc, copper and mercury in germanium have been measured using a photoconductive technique. The similarity of the spacings of the known excited states of zinc and copper to those of the group III impurities holds for the newly observed states.
Preparation and Solid-State Properties of Self-Assembled Dinuclear Platinum(II) and Palladium(II) Rhomboids from Carbon and Silicon Tectons

Self-assembly reactions of hitherto unknown bis(4-pyridyl)silanes 2a,b with bis(triethylphosphine)platinum and bis(triethylphosphine)palladium bistriflates 5a,b lead to the formation of new silicon-containing rhomboids 6a−d. In addition, a similar carbon analogue 7 was prepared by reaction of bispyridyl acetal 4 and bis(triethylphosphine)platinum bistriflate (5a). Surprisingly, reaction of the bis(4-pyridyl)ketone (3) and the platinum complex 5a gave a similar rhomboid, 10, due to unexpected hydration of the ketone. The crystal structures of silicon complex 6a and its carbon analogue 7 were solved and compared to each other as well as to already known carbon-containing dinuclear rhomboids. In addition, the dinuclear bisporphyrin complex 8 was also characterized by X-ray structure analysis. Electrospray and FAB mass spectral data are reported as well, confirming the binuclear nature of the entities formed.
Neuroendocrinology of context-dependent stress responses: vasotocin alters the effect of corticosterone on amphibian behaviors

The ability of an animal to respond with appropriate defensive behaviors when confronted with an immediate threat can affect its survival and reproductive success. In the roughskin newt (Taricha granulosa), exogenous corticosterone (CORT) rapidly blocks and vasotocin (VT) enhances reproductive behaviors (mainly clasping behavior). Electrophysiological studies have shown that pretreatment of male Taricha with VT counteracts the inhibitory effects of CORT on neuronal activity in the medulla. To test whether similar interactions between VT and CORT influence reproductive behaviors in Taricha, we recorded the time spent and incidence of clasping in males injected with VT or vehicle at 60 min and then CORT or vehicle at 5 min before presentation of a female. This study found that clasping behavior is suppressed in males that received vehicle and then CORT, but is not suppressed in males that received VT and then CORT. Considering these results and the possibility that the performance of clasping behaviors might cause increases in endogenous VT activity, we tested whether the suppressive effects of CORT administration on clasping behavior would occur in males that had recently clasped females. The study found that, in contrast to males that had been isolated from females, CORT administration did not suppress clasping behavior in males that had been allowed to clasp females for 60 min prior to the hormone injection. Our results suggest that, at least in this amphibian and perhaps in other animals, the neuroendocrine regulation of alternative behavioral responses to threats involves functional interactions between corticosteroids and VT-like peptides.
Physical layer security in wireless networks with passive and active eavesdroppers

Security is becoming an increasingly important issue in wireless communications, to which physical layer approaches can contribute by providing addition resources for securing confidential messages. In this paper, the resilience of multi-user networks to passive and active eavesdropping is investigated. In particular, average secrecy capacities are evaluated in scenarios involving a base station and several terminals, some of which constitute passive or active eavesdroppers. Network resources (e.g. power) are allocated by the base station based on the available channel state information. The average secrecy capacity of such a network is evaluated in the following cases: (i) in the presence of passive eavesdroppers when no side information is available to the base station; (ii) in the presence of passive eavesdroppers with side information available; and (iii) in the presence of a single active eavesdropper with side information available. This investigation demonstrates that substantial secrecy rates are attainable in the presence of passive eavesdroppers as long as minimal side information, e.g. a statistical characterization of the number of potential eavesdroppers, is available to the base station. On the other hand, it is further found that active eavesdroppers can potentially compromise such networks unless statistical inference is employed to restrict their ability to attack.
Applications of diagnostic ultrasound and, radionuclides to cardiovascular diagnosis. Part II. Cardiovascular disease in the young

Noninvasive methods have become an important part of the diagnostic process for evaluation of cardiovascular anatomy and function in adults and in the young. Because there is a multiplicity of noninvasive methods presently available, in some cases with overlapping capabilities, there has been some confusion as to which constitutes the method of choice in a given clinical circumstance. The reviews that follow outline some of the practical strengths and limitations of two methods (echocardiography and radionuclide cardiography), hopefully thereby providing some rationale for choosing the more appropriate technique in the approach to specific clinical problems. We have found that the information available from radionuclide and from ultrasound studies frequently is complementary and that the most optimal diagnostic results often are obtained when they are combined. Since advances in technique and improvements in instrumentation are occurring continually in both of these areas, we have tried to provide only an overview. Further investigations and clinical experience will help to define the specificity, sensitivity, and capabilities of these methods in terms of present and future applications.