cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The National Evaluation of Senior Mentor Programs : Older Adults in Medical Education

OBJECTIVES: To identify models for senior mentor programs (SMPs), critical factors in program development, achievement of goals and objectives, effect on medical school environment, and future of programs. DESIGN: Ten SMPs were systematically selected to represent a variety of medical schools, geographic regions, and program types. The National Senior Mentor Program Evaluation relied upon archived data within the programs and new data collected during site visits. Archived data included internally conducted program evaluations, student course evaluations, and survey and focus group results. Site visit data were collected from key informant interviews with program staff and faculty, medical school leadership and students, and older adults serving as mentors. SETTING: Ten U.S. medical schools with SMPs. PARTICIPANTS: Evaluation participants at each site included program faculty, key medical school administrators, participating students, and mentors. MEASUREMENTS: Program evaluation. RESULTS: All 10 programs demonstrated a positive effect on student attitudes toward older adults. Student acceptance of the programs was strong, and mentor acceptance and support were extraordinary. Eight of the 10 programs were operating in 2008 and having considerable effect on medical school environments. Most of the operating programs expect to be continuing for 5 or more years into the future. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the national evaluation point toward continuation and likely growth of the senior mentor phenomenon in U.S. medical education.
Monitoring the Black Hole Binary GRS 1758-258 with INTEGRAL and RXTE

The microquasar GRS 1758-258 is one of only three persistent black hole binaries that spend most of their time in the hard spectral state, the other two being Cyg X-l and 1E 1741.7-2942. It therefore provides the rare opportunity for an extensive long term study of this important black hole state which is associated with strong variability and radio jet emission. INTEGRAL has been monitoring the source since the first Galactic Center Deep Exposure season in spring 2003 during two 2-3 months long Galactic Center viewing epochs each year, amounting to 11 epochs including spring of 2008. With the exception of the last epoch quasi-simultaneous RXTE monitoring observations are available as well. Here we present an analysis of the epoch averaged broad band spectra which display considerable long term variability, most notably the occurrence of two soft/off states, extreme examples for the hysteretic behavior of black hole binaries. The hard source spectrum and long exposures allow us to extend the analysis for several epochs to approximately 800 keV using PICsIT data and address the question of the presence of a non-thermal Comptonization component.
Nucleoside diphosphate kinase activity of nm23-H1 and H2 is not critical for the phosphorylation of deoxynucleoside analogs in the cells

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 45, 2004 2967 Nucleoside analogs are an important class of anti-cancer and anti-viral agents. Most of the D-deoxy and D-dideoxy nucleoside analogs used in the clinic require their phosphorylation to the respective triphosphate metabolites, in order to exert their activity through inhibition of DNA synthesis. The last step in the phosphorylation of these analogs has been assumed to be catalyzed by nucleoside diphosphate (NDP) kinases of the nm23 family of proteins, based on the in vitro studies. Of the eight isoforms of nm23, only the H1 and H2 isoforms are localized in the cytosol. Our earlier studies with nucleoside metabolizing enzymes isolated from a human hepatoma cell line showed that D-nucleoside analog diphosphates were capable of being phosphorylated by NDP kinases as well as by creatine kinase, pyruvate kinase and 3-phosphoglycerate kinase. D-Dideoxy nucleoside analogs were in fact better substrates for creatine kinase. In order to explore this further, H1 and H2 were down-regulated in HelaS3 cell line (human cervical carcinoma) using siRNAs. The siRNA-H1 down-regulated H1 by 85 %, however, siRNA-H2 (due to sequence homology with H1) reduced expression of H1 by 50 % and H2 by at least 85 %. Moreover, use of both siRNAs down-regulated both proteins without significantly affecting the cellular growth. The relative NDP kinase activity in the corresponding cellular extracts was reduced 25 % by siRNA-H1, 53 % by siRNA-H2 and 58 % by the combination of both siRNAs. This indicated that enzymes other than H1 and H2 contributed to the NDP kinase activity in the cellular extracts. Down-regulation of either or both the proteins did not have any significant effect on the ribonucleotide and deoxyribonucleotide pool. The effect of these proteins on the metabolism of gemcitabine and exogenous thymidine was also studied. Down-regulation of H1 decreased the amount of gemcitabine triphosphate and TTP formation. Their incorporation into the DNA also decreased. The down-regulation of H2 had no effect on the metabolism of gemcitabine or thymidine. This indicates that nucleoside metabolism does not require the NDP kinase activity of nm23-H2. The down-regulation of nm23-H1 does not correlate with the reduction in its NDP kinase activity or the effects on the metabolism of gemcitabine and thymidine. In conclusion, NDP kinase activity of nm23 H1 and H2 cannot account for the entire maintenance of ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide pools or for the phosphorylation of anti-cancer agents like gemcitabine to the respective triphosphate metabolites. Cellular enzymes other than nm23-H1 must have NDP kinase activity. (This work is supported by NIH grants R01CA63477 and R01AI38204.)
Master's Degree in Management Information Systems with a Supply Chain Management Focus.

A graduate curriculum in Management Information Systems with a Supply Chain Management focus is presented. The motivation for this endeavor stems from the fact that the global scope of modern business organizations and the competitive environment in which they operate, requires an information system leveraged supply chain management system (SCM) to ensure the efficient delivery of the right product, at the right place, at the right time, in the right quantity, and at a competitive price to the customer.
CAST THE FIRST STONE

Notorious scientific scandals leave the impression that a line between ethical and unethical research can be drawn, but routine examples show that an ethical penumbra exists. Breaches of ethics in science rarely surface. Most collegial charges of unethical conduct can be dismissed as being partisan; outsiders’ethical questions are more threatening, because they imply that violations are widespread. Such implications can be neutralized by “self-regulation.” Unethical behavior must be purposive. Technical violations can be attributed to ignorance. The downplaying of ethics preserves the “community-of-scholars” myth; highlighting the ethics issue would destroy this myth.
PRACTICE OF PEDIATRICS A PLAY PROGRAM FOR HOSPITALIZED CHILDREN: THE ROLE OF THE PLAYROOM TEACHER

The observation of preschool children in a hospital playroom emphasizes the young child9s grief and regression during hospitalization. The younger the child the less he is able to play unless relationship with an available and "constant" mother-substitute is established. Children younger than 4 years old need an active approach from the teacher, while the preschool children from 4 to 6 years reach out and compete for the teacher9s attention. Once the grief is relieved and the pain of separation is alleviated, the children are ready to play out actively whatever they had to endure passively during the illness and hospitalization. These observations highlight the meaning of the teacher as the most important single factor, the indispensable constituent of a hospital9s playroom. Young children do not need a great variety of toys in this setting, but they do need available and interested adults. Case histories are presented to demonstrate the psychotherapeutic function the playroom teachers may perform in selected cases.
Multi-day recurrences of intimate partner violence and alcohol intake across dynamic patterns of violence

RATIONALE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Consistent links exist between male alcohol intake and male-perpetrated intimate partner violence (IPV) as well as female alcohol intake and female-perpetrated IPV. However, the nature of the relationship remains unclear. This study attempted to identify unique alcohol-violence patterns within three different types of relationship dynamics to better understand the alcohol-violence relationship and its role in violence dynamics. METHOD: Two hundred women in abusive relationships were recruited from six primary care clinics. Subjects completed daily assessments of their relationship using interactive verbal response via telephone for 12 weeks. Dynamic patterns (periodic, chaotic, random) were determined by positive versus negative Lyapunov exponents and measures of correlation dimension saturation. To identify recurrent day-to-day activities, we used orbital decomposition (based on symbolic dynamics). RESULTS: Periodic dynamics included daily reports with mutual abuse and alcohol intake while random dynamics included a variety of patterns, especially those involving unequal mutual abuse. Unique strings for each dynamic pattern were examined. Periodic dynamics involved heavy alcohol intake by the husband or mutual moderate-severe violence. Random dynamics uniquely involved mutual verbal abuse with husband's alcohol intake on same or different days as well as husband-perpetrated moderate-severe violence with or without husband-perpetrated minor violence. Chaotic dynamics uniquely involved combinations from wife-perpetrated minor violence alone to combinations of husband's heavy alcohol intake (with or without husband-perpetrated minor violence), mutual verbal abuse, and husband-perpetrated verbal abuse (with or without husband's heavy alcohol intake). CONCLUSION: Recurrent 4-day patterns were observed. Each dynamic pattern was characterized by recurrent strings unique to that pattern. Language: en
HOW DO EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS FIT WITH THE CATTELL-HORN-CARROLL MODEL? SOME EVIDENCE FROM A JOINT FACTOR ANALYSIS OF THE DELIS-KAPLAN EXECUTIVE FUNCTION SYSTEM AND THE WOODCOCK-JOHNSON III TESTS OF COGNITIVE ABILITIES

This study investigated the relations among executive functions and cognitive abilities through a joint exploratory factor analysis and joint conÞrmatory factor analysis of 25 test scores from the Delis–Kaplan Executive Function System and the Woodcock–Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities. Participants were 100 children and adolescents recruited from general education classrooms. Principal axis factoring followed by an oblique rotation yielded a six-factor solution. The Schmid–Leiman transformation was then used to examine the relations between speciÞc cognitive ability factors and a general factor. A variety of hypothesis-driven models were also tested using conÞrmatory factor analysis. Results indicated that all tests measure the general factor, and 24 tests measure at least one of Þve broad cognitive ability factors outlined by the Cattell–Horn–Carroll theory of cognitive abilities. These results, with limitations considered, add to the body of evidence supporting the consuence of measures of executive functions and measures of cognitive abilities derived from individual testing. C � 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The rheology of aramid platelet suspensions

The flow responses of aramid platelets (fibrids) suspended in a mixture of corn syrup and water at loadings of less than 1% were determined in steady shear, oscillatory shear, transient shear, and extensional flow. The effects of fibrid size, concentration, and suspending medium viscosity were examined. These suspensions exhibit a high zero-shear viscosity, strong shear thinning with power law indices as low as 0.2, an infinite shear viscosity, and thixotropy. Steady shear viscosity data over six decades of shear rate were described very well by traditional models such as the Carreau or Cross equations. The platelets appear to form an interacting, flocculated network at rest that is the reason for the large relative viscosity. The largest platelets, however, appear to curl or fold and offer the least flow resistance during shear flow. The structure formed at rest is easily destroyed, and this is the reason for the observed shear thinning. In extensional flow, large Trouton ratios are observed even at very low fibrid concentrations, and these increase with the true aspect ratio, indicating that the fibrids are fully unfurled in the strongly orienting extensional flow. These rheological properties make fibrid suspensions good candidates for thickeners in sealant, caulk, and adhesive applications. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers
FUNCTIONAL PHYCOBILISOMES FROM TOLYPOTHRIX TENUIS (CYANOPHYTA) GROWN HETEROTROPHICALLY IN THE DARK1

Phycobiliproteins produced in dark-grown cells of Tolypothrix tenuis Kutzing formed Phycobilisomes functionally capable of energy transfer. The phycobilisomes could be recovered in high yield (80% of extracted phycobiliproteins). Phycobilisomes from cells grown without light and in red light had the same size, morphology, and spectral characteristics. They had a phycocyanin to allophycocyanin malar ratio of 3:1. Phycocyanin and allophycocyanin in phycobilisomes were energetically coupled as indicated by their fluorescence emission (maximum of ca. 690 nm at –196° C) and excitation spectra. Phycobilisomes were attached to the outer surface of thylakoids and were hemidiscoidal in shape. In thin sections they had a diameter of 42 ± 3nm, a height of 24 ± 4 nm and a thickness of 10 ± 2 nm. Isolated and negatively stained Phycobilisomes were larger with a diameter of 51 ± 2 nm and height of 33 ± 2 nm, Isolated phycobilisomes in face view had a central core of three units and six peripheral rods. Each rod appeared to be composed of three hexamers (three double discs), consistent with the observed dimensions and substructure. After Phycoerythria synthesis was induced by a 15 min green light exposure, phycobilisomes of dark-grown cells exhibited energy transfer from phycoerythrin to a long wavelength allophycocyanin, indicating that phycoerythrin synthesized in darkness was incorporated into functional phycobilisomes.
Enhancing surface plasmon polariton propagation lengths via coupling to asymmetric waveguide structures.

We determine and analyze the properties of regenerated surface plasmon polaritons (R-SPPs) in an asymmetric waveguide structure [T.-W. Lee and S. K. Gray, Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 141105 (2005)]. Both finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) calculations and frequency-domain modal analysis are employed. The FDTD results, which explicitly include excitation via attenuated total reflection, show an oscillatory dependence of the R-SPP propagation length ${L}_{x}$ as a function of core layer thickness $d$, with maxima corresponding to 30-fold propagation enhancements. For fixed incident light wavelength and angle, a variety of thicknesses can therefore be used to excite very long propagating SPPs. Modal analysis shows that the oscillations are due to tuning $d$ through the opening of new transverse magnetic waveguide modes. In addition to increased propagation lengths, surface confinement is not significantly deteriorated and large intensity enhancements in the propagation region can also be achieved.
Some tentative thoughts concerning the study of interpersonal relationships and their development

(1980). Some tentative thoughts concerning the study of interpersonal relationships and their development. Western Journal of Speech Communication: Vol. 44, Theoretical Explorations of the Processes of Initial Interactions, pp. 97-103.
Resolution dependence of cross-tropopause ozone transport over east Asia

[1] Detailed analysis of mesoscale transport of ozone across the tropopause over east Asia during the spring of 2001 is conducted using regional simulations with the University of Wisconsin Nonhydrostatic Modeling System (UWNMS), in situ flight data, and a new two-scale approach to diagnosing this ozone flux. From late February to early April, synoptic activity regularly deformed the tropopause, leading to observations of ozone-rich (concentration exceeding 80 ppbv) stratospheric intrusions and filaments at tropospheric altitudes. Since model resolution is generally not sufficient to capture detailed small-scale mixing processes, an upper bound on the flux is proposed by assuming that there exists a dynamical division by spatial scale, above which the wind conservatively advects large-scale structures, while below it the wind leads to irreversible transport through nonconservative random strain. A formulation for this diagnosis is given and applied to ozone flux across the dynamical tropopause. Simulations were chosen to correspond with DC-8 flight 15 on 26–27 March over east Asia during the Transport and Chemical Evolution Over the Pacific (TRACE-P) campaign. Local and domain-averaged flux values using this method agree with other numerical and observational studies in similar synoptic environments. Sensitivity to numerical resolution, prescribed divisional spatial scale, and potential vorticity (PV) level is investigated. Divergent residual flow in regions of high ozone, and PV gradients tended to maximize flux magnitudes. We estimated the domain-integrated flow of ozone out of the lowermost stratosphere to be about 0.127 Tg/day. Spectral analysis of the wind field lends support for utilization of this dynamical division in this methodology.
Characterization of ovomucoid‐specific T‐cell lines and clones from egg‐allergic subjects

In the pathogenesis of allergic reactions, T cells and cytokines play a major role. However, characterizations of food allergen-specific T cells are very limited. In this study, we screened the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of 14 patients for reactivity to ovomucoid (Gal d I), the major hen's egg allergen, and ovalbumin (Gal d II). Cell lines and clones specific to ovomucoid were generated from PBMC of four egg-allergic subjects, in order to study antigen domain specificity and cell cytokine production profiles. The results demonstrated, firstly, that egg-allergic patients respond to ovomucoid rather than to ovalbumin, and secondly, that antigen specificity is predominantly directed toward the second and third domains of ovomucoid. The T-cell cytokine message was characterized by reverse transcrip-tase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Cell lines and clones from all four patients consistently expressed interleukin (IL)-5. IL-4, IL-13. and in-terferon-gamma were found to be expressed only by certain lines or clones. This observation suggests a central pathogenic role for IL-5 in food allergy-related symptoms.
On the natural history and distribution of oceanic ctenophores

Abstract Oceanic ctenophores show aa great diversity in feeding biology, ranging from Leucothea multicornis , which can eat only small copepods, to species of Ocyropsis , which can capture and ingest small fish and euphausiids. The Cydippida capture prey with tentacles, while most of the Lobata use tentacles and their mucus-covered oral lobes. Leucothea multicornis has elaborate oral lobes, which can function independently of one another; Ocyropsis crystallina feeds by trapping prey in its muscular oral lobes, without use of mucus or tentacles. These two species represent extremes in the feeding biology of the Lobata. The Cestida feed by trapping small prey on tentacles that lie over the sides of the body. Several genera of hyperiid amphipods are closely associated with ctenophores, both as parasites and predators. Medusae and heteropods have also been seen to feed on ctenophores. We have encountered oceanic ctenophores often in abundance on about 75% of the 250 dives we have made in the past three years. Our collections from the North Atlantic and Indian oceans suggest that ctenophores are important predators in the upper waters of the open sea. Because most of the species discussed in this paper are never reported from net plankton collections, they constitute a hitherto ignored component of the open ocean ecosystem.
A mathematical model approach toward combining information from multiple image projections of the same patient

In this study, we used a mathematical observer model to combine information obtained from multiple angular projections of the same breast to determine the overall detection performance of a multi-projection breast imaging system in detectability of a simulated mass. 82 subjects participated in the study and 25 angular projections of each breast were acquired. Projections from a simulated 3 mm 3-D lesion were added to the projection images. The lesion was assumed to be embedded in the compressed breast at a distance of 3 cm from the detector. Hotelling observer with Laguerre-Gauss channels (LG CHO) was applied to each image. Detectability was analyzed in terms of ROC curves and the area under ROC curves (AUC). The critical question studied is how to best integrate the individual decision variables across multiple (correlated) views. Towards that end, three different methods were investigated. Specifically, 1) ROCs from different projections were simply averaged; 2) the test statistics from different projections were averaged; and 3) a Bayesian decision fusion rule was used. Finally, AUC of the combined ROC was used as a parameter to optimize the acquisition parameters to maximize the performance of the system. It was found that the Bayesian decision fusion technique performs better than the other two techniques and likely offers the best approximation of the diagnostic process. Furthermore, if the total dose level is held constant at 1/25th of dual-view mammographic screening dose, the highest detectability performance is observed when considering only two projections spread along an angular span of 11.4°.
School Reform: The Role of the Economic Educator

L. Scott Miller confronts us with the inadequacy of the schooling establishment's response to the educational needs of the special and rapidly growing group of minority students. Restructuring is urged as the most effective approach for meeting the urgent needs of disadvantaged at-risk students. Two experienced and prominent economics educators comment on the challenge and policy proposals.
Long-term marginal copper intake by rats: Effects on copper enzyme activities and responses to dimethylhydrazine

Studies of marginal copper intake by rats generally use feeding periods of 6 weeks or less. Longer periods may abolish adverse effects due to adaptive mechanisms conserving copper. In the present study, rats were fed either adequate or marginal copper (8 or 2 mg copper/kg diet) for 6 months. Rats consuming the lower copper level showed none of three classical signs of copper deficiency: low body weight, cardiac hypertrophy, or anemia. In contrast, these rats had low activities for the serum copper enzymes ceruloplasmin, extracellular superoxide dismutase, and diamine oxidase, as well as for liver and colon superoxide dismutase 1 and heart cytochrome c oxidase. No dietary copper effects were seen for colon carcinogenesis response to treatment with dimethylhydrazine [(DMH), 30 mg/kg, intraperitoneally (i.p.), 12 weekly injections, beginning at week 5]. Carcinogenesis was assessed as total tumor numbers, number of rats with tumors, and tumor mass per rat. For the latter, the mean value was much higher in the marginal group, but the effect was not statistically significant. DMH treatment caused anemia in the marginal but not in the adequate group. The anemia did not involve variations in ceruloplasmin activities but may have involved low diamine oxidase activities. In summary, long-term, marginally low copper intake produced low activities for a number of copper enzymes and produced an anemia response to DMH. J. Trace Elem. Exp. Med. 13:359–365, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Larval Chironomidae (Diptera) of the Big Thicket streams

Eighty-seven species of chironomid larvae were collected from streams in the Big Thicket area of southeast Texas. Samples of leaf debris, wood debris, and sand were taken from the streams and the larvae occupying the substrates were analyzed. Four subfamilies were represented including Tanypodinae (12 species), Diamesinae (2 species), Orthocladiinae (30 species), and Chironominae (43 species). Dominant species included Lopescladius sp., Polypedilum ? convictum, Polypedilum ? halterale, Cladotanytarsus sp. group A, Rheotanytarsus sp., and Tanytarsus sp. 2. A brief account of the habitat and the distribution of each species encountered during this study is given.
Convalescent care of infants in the neonatal intensive care unit in community hospitals: risk or benefit?

OBJECTIVE: To compare very low birth weight (VLBW) infants transported to a community hospital (CH) before discharge with infants who received convalescent care in a regional-referral NICU (RR-NICU) on 4 parameters: health indicators at the time of hospital discharge, health care use during the 4 months after discharge to home, parent satisfaction with hospital care, and cost of hospitalization. PATIENTS AND METHODS: VLBW infants cared for in 2 RR-NICUs during 2004–2006 were enrolled in the study. One RR-NICU transfers infants to a CH for convalescent care and the other discharges infants directly home. Infants were followed prospectively. Information was gathered from medical charts, parent interviews, and hospital business offices. RESULTS: A total of 255 VLBW infants were enrolled in the study, and 148 were transferred to 15 CHs. Nineteen percent of transferred infants were readmitted to a higher level of care before discharge from the hospital. Preventative health measures and screening examinations were more frequently missed, readmission within 2 weeks of discharge from the hospital was more frequent, parents were less satisfied with hospital care, and duration of hospitalization was 12 days longer, although not statistically different, if infants were transferred to a CH for convalescence rather than discharged from the RR-NICU. Total hospital charges did not differ significantly between the groups. CONCLUSION: Transfer of infants to a CH from an RR-NICU for convalescent care has become routine but may place infants at risk. Our study indicates room for improvement by both CHs and RR-NICUs in the care of transferred VLBW infants.
Evolution of mineralizing brines in the east Tennessee Mississippi Valley-type ore field

The east Tennessee Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) ore field contains barite-fluorite and sphalerite deposits in a continuous paleoaquifer consisting of breccia zones in the Upper Cambrian-Lower Ordovician Knox Group. Paragenetic observations and fluid inclusion compositions in these deposits indicate that the Knox paleoaquifer was invaded first by Ca-rich brines (Ca:Na about 1) that deposited fluorite and barite, and later by Na-Ca brines (Ca:Na = 0.1 to 0.5) that deposited sphalerite. Geologic relations indicate that these brines were derived from the southeast, in the area of the Middle Ordovician Sevier foreland shale basin, and that membrane filtration could have played a role in enriching the early brines in Ca. Constraints imposed by fluorite solubility indicate further that all original connate water in the Sevier basin was required to deposit the estimated fluorite reserves of the ore field. Thus, the later, sphalerite-depositing brines represent recycled meteoric water from the Sevier basin or connate brines from underlying (Cambrian) shales.
Stress and Resource Pathways Connecting Early Socioeconomic Adversity to Young Adults’ Physical Health Risk

Although research has established the impact of early stress, including stressful life contexts, and early resources, such as educational attainment, on various adolescent health outcomes, previous research has not adequately investigated “integrative models” incorporating both stress and resource mediational pathways to explain how early socioeconomic adversity impacts physical health outcomes, particularly in early life stages. Data on early childhood/adolescent stress and socioeconomic resources as well as biomarkers indicating physical health status in young adulthood were collected from 11,798 respondents (54 % female) over a 13-year period from youth participating in the National Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Physical health risk in young adulthood was measured using a composite index of nine regulatory biomarkers of cardiovascular and metabolic systems. Heterogeneity in stress and socioeconomic resource pathways was assessed using latent class analysis to identify clusters, or classes, of stress and socioeconomic resource trajectories. The influence of early socioeconomic adversity on young adults’ physical health risk, as measured by biomarkers, was estimated, and the role of stress and socioeconomic resource trajectory classes as linking mechanisms was assessed. There was evidence for the influence of early socioeconomic adversity on young adults’ physical health risk directly and indirectly through stress and socioeconomic resource trajectory classes over the early life course. These findings suggest that health models should be broadened to incorporate both stress and resource experiences simultaneously. Furthermore, these findings have prevention and intervention implications, including the importance of early socioeconomic adversity and key intervention points for “turning” the trajectories of at-risk youth.
Setting high-impact clinical research priorities for the Society for Vascular Surgery

With the overall goal of enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of vascular care, the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) recently completed a process by which it identified its top clinical research priorities to address critical gaps in knowledge guiding practitioners in prevention and treatment of vascular disease. After a survey of the SVS membership, a panel of SVS committee members and opinion leaders considered 53 distinct research questions through a structured process that resulted in identification of nine clinical issues that were felt to merit immediate attention by vascular investigators and external funding agencies. These are, in order of priority: (1) define optimal management of asymptomatic carotid stenosis, (2) compare the effectiveness of medical vs invasive treatment (open or endovascular) of vasculogenic claudication, (3) compare effectiveness of open vs endovascular infrainguinal revascularization as initial treatment of critical limb ischemia, (4) develop and compare the effectiveness of clinical strategies to reduce cardiovascular and other perioperative complications (eg, wound) after vascular intervention, (5) compare the effectiveness of strategies to enhance arteriovenous fistula maturation and durability, (6) develop best practices for management of chronic venous ulcer, (7) define optimal adjunctive medical therapy to enhance the success of lower extremity revascularization, (8) identify and evaluate medical therapy to prevent abdominal aortic aneurysm growth, and (9) evaluate ultrasound vs computed tomographic angiography surveillance after endovascular aneurysm repair.
Linear-Scaling Quantum Monte Carlo Calculations

A method is presented for using truncated, maximally localized Wannier functions to introduce sparsity into the Slater determinant part of the trial wave function in quantum Monte Carlo calculations. When combined with an efficient numerical evaluation of these localized orbitals, the dominant cost in the calculation, namely, the evaluation of the Slater determinant, scales linearly with system size. This technique is applied to accurate total energy calculation of hydrogenated silicon clusters and carbon fullerenes containing 20-1000 valence electrons.
Mars Science Laboratory Descent Stage Propulsion tubing configuration and design

JPL is in the process of designing the next rover to be sent to the surface of Mars. The landing scheme for this mission requires the development of a Descent Stage (DS) in order to perform a “skycrane” maneuver. The Descent Stage carries all the fuel and flight controls for the entry, descent and landing (EDL) phase of this mission. The Descent Stage propulsion system is a pressure-fed monopropellant system that consists of two helium tanks, three propellant tanks, eight Mars Landing Engines (MLE), eight Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters, one pressure control assembly and three propellant control assemblies. The propulsion tubing ranges in size from ¼ inch to 1-¼ inch outer diameter, consists of stainless steel and titanium tubes, and has a total length of approximately 120 feet. This paper will explore and discuss the steps taken to place the major components and tubing of the propulsion system, the required structural analysis of the system, and the testing setups to validate the analysis.
Developmental changes in the cyclic AMP-dependent phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of a protein endogenous to murine brain and liver.

Brain and liver cytosol extracts from mice of different ages were incubated with (γ-32P)ATP. The phosphorylated substrates were separated by gel electrophoresis and examined by autoradiography. The amount of P32 that could be incorporated into a 49,000 M.W. protein (called protein 49) postnatally increased in brain but decreased in liver. Cyclic AMP stimulated both the phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of liver protein 49 to a greater extent in adults than in neonates. Brain protein 49 phosphorylation was more sensitive to cyclic AMP in neonates than in adults.
Quantitative trait locus on chromosome 1q influences bone loss in young Mexican American adults.

Bone loss occurs as early as the third decade and its cumulative effect throughout adulthood may impact risk for osteoporosis in later life, however, the genes and environmental factors influencing early bone loss are largely unknown. We investigated the role of genes in the change in bone mineral density (BMD) in participants in the San Antonio Family Osteoporosis Study. BMD change in 327 Mexican Americans (ages 25–45 years) from 32 extended pedigrees was calculated from DXA measurements at baseline and follow-up (3.5 to 8.9 years later). Family-based likelihood methods were used to estimate heritability (h 2) and perform autosome-wide linkage analysis for BMD change of the proximal femur and forearm and to estimate heritability for BMD change of lumbar spine. BMD change was significantly heritable for total hip, ultradistal radius, and 33% radius (h 2 = 0.34, 0.34, and 0.27, respectively; p < 0.03 for all), modestly heritable for femoral neck (h 2 = 0.22; p = 0.06) and not heritable for spine BMD. Covariates associated with BMD change included age, sex, baseline BMD, menopause, body mass index, and interim BMI change, and accounted for 6% to 24% of phenotype variation. A significant quantitative trait locus (LOD = 3.6) for femoral neck BMD change was observed on chromosome 1q23. In conclusion, we observed that change in BMD in young adults is heritable and performed one of the first linkage studies for BMD change. Linkage to chromosome 1q23 suggests that this region may harbor one or more genes involved in regulating early BMD change of the femoral neck.
Adverse outcome pathways: A conceptual framework to support ecotoxicology research and risk assessment

Ecological risk assessors face increasing demands to assess more chemicals, with greater speed and accuracy, and to do so using fewer resources and experimental animals. New approaches in biological and computational sciences may be able to generate mechanistic information that could help in meeting these challenges. However, to use mechanistic data to support chemical assessments, there is a need for effective translation of this information into endpoints meaningful to ecological risk-effects on survival, development, and reproduction in individual organisms and, by extension, impacts on populations. Here we discuss a framework designed for this purpose, the adverse outcome pathway (AOP). An AOP is a conceptual construct that portrays existing knowledge concerning the linkage between a direct molecular initiating event and an adverse outcome at a biological level of organization relevant to risk assessment. The practical utility of AOPs for ecological risk assessment of chemicals is illustrated using five case examples. The examples demonstrate how the AOP concept can focus toxicity testing in terms of species and endpoint selection, enhance across-chemical extrapolation, and support prediction of mixture effects. The examples also show how AOPs facilitate use of molecular or biochemical endpoints (sometimes referred to as biomarkers) for forecasting chemical impacts on individuals and populations. In the concluding sections of the paper, we discuss how AOPs can help to guide research that supports chemical risk assessments and advocate for the incorporation of this approach into a broader systems biology framework.
Proton ATPase of rat liver mitochondria: A rapid procedure for purification of a stable, reconstitutively active F1 preparation using a modified chloroform method

Abstract A method is described for the purification of rat liver F 1 -ATPase by a modification of the chloroform extraction procedure originally described by Beechey et al. ( Biochem. J. (1975) 148 , 533). Purified liver membrane vesicles are extracted with chloroform in the presence of ATP and EDTA. The procedure yields pure F 1 in only 2–3 h without the necessity of ion-exchange chromatography. The enzyme exhibits the α, β, γ, δ, and ϵ bands characteristic of F 1 -ATPase. It has a high ATPase specific activity, and is reconstitutively active, catalyzing high rates of ATP synthesis. Significantly, it can be readily crystallized. If desired, the enzyme can be passed over a gel filtration column to place it in a stabilizing phosphate-EDTA buffer, lyophilized and stored indefinitely at −20°C.
From Codex to Calabash: Recovery of a Painted Organic Artifact from the Archaeological Site of Cerén, El Salvador

AbstractDuring the 1989 field season, a layered deposit of paint fragments was excavated at the site of Ceren, El Salvador, and thought to be the remains of a classic Maya Period codex. Information gained from materials analysis and conservation treatment now suggests that it once was a painted calabash (or gourd), with the strongest evidence provided by the reconstructed decorative scheme and impressions of the disintegrated substrate preserved on the fragments' reverses. Supporting archaeological and literary evidence for this interpretation is presented, and treatment procedures and mount design are discussed.
Phase behavior and emulsion formation of novel fluoroether amphiphiles in carbon dioxide

Abstract The limitations of carbon dioxide as a processing fluid are primarily attributed to its insolubility of polar compounds. The development of new CO2-philic amphiphiles could resolve the solubility problem. A new series of fluoroether amphiphiles have been developed to address the solubility problem. The development of novel fluoroether amphiphiles has been completed for sorbitol ester, sulfates and sulfonates. The primary objective was to design and synthesize materials that have strong polar hydrophilic heads and highly CO2-philic tails. All of the amphiphiles are soluble in carbon dioxide at moderate pressures and have the capability of forming WI, WII and WIII type emulsions in CO2. The degree of solubility is heavily influenced by amphiphilic structure including chain length and branching. An examination of pressure effect on emulsion behavior shows that the high compressibility of carbon dioxide enables WI → WIII → WII phase transitions which are similar to those found with increased electrolyte concentrations.
Large Anomalous Fibrous Sac in the Right Side of the Heart

In an adult with atrial septal defect, an unusual conical-shaped fibrous sac resembling a closed windsock occupied the right ventricle and main pulmonary artery. The base of the sac being attached by fibrous strands to the right atrium suggests that the structure is derived from the right valve of the sinus venosus. The sac is considered to have filled with blood, thereby reducing potential right ventricular diastolic volume. It is probable that the sac emptied into the right atrium during right ventricular systole, thereby creating a functional state comparable to that of tricuspid insufficiency. Occupation of right ventricular space by the sac established a state somewhat comparable to that in Ebstein's anomaly of the tricuspid valve.
Towards electronic paper displays made from microbial cellulose

Cellulose (in the form of printed paper) has always been the prime medium for displaying information in our society and is far better than the various existing display technologies. This is because of its high reflectivity, contrast, low cost and flexibility. There is a major initiative to push for a dynamic display technology that emulates paper (popularly known as “electronic paper”). We have successfully demonstrated the proof of the concept of developing a dynamic display on cellulose. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first significant effort to achieve an electronic display using bacterial cellulose. First, bacterial cellulose is synthesized in a culture of Acetobacter xylinum in standard glucose-rich medium. The bacterial cellulose membrane thus formed (not pulp) is dimensionally stable, has a paper-like appearance and has a unique microfibrillar nanostructure. The technique then involves first making the cellulose an electrically conducting (or semi-conducting) sheet by depositing ions around the microfibrils to provide conducting pathways and then immobilizing electrochromic dyes within the microstructure. The whole system is then cased between transparent electrodes, and upon application of switching potentials (2–5 V) a reversible color change can be demonstrated down to a standard pixel-sized area (ca. 100 μm2). Using a standard back-plane or in-plane drive circuit, a high-resolution dynamic display device using cellulose as substrate can be constructed. The major advantages of such a device are its high paper-like reflectivity, flexibility, contrast and biodegradability. The device has the potential to be extended to various applications, such as e-book tablets, e-newspapers, dynamic wall papers, rewritable maps and learning tools.
Insertion of a bovine SMT3B gene in NS4B and duplication of NS3 in a bovine viral diarrhea virus genome correlate with the cytopathogenicity of the virus

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) infection in cattle can lead to the development of a fatal syndrome called mucosal disease (MD). The induction of MD requires co-existence of two biotypes of BVDV: cytopathic (cp) and non-cytopathic (ncp). Studies have shown that in some cases, cp viruses are generated from ncp viruses by cellular gene insertions, duplications or rearrangements in the viral genome. Cellular ubiquitin gene is the most frequently reported insert in BVDV 1. Here we report the finding of a novel cellular gene insertion (termed cSNCINS) in the NS4B gene accompanied by the duplication of NS3 in a cpBVDV genome. The amino acid sequence of the insert is identical to that of the human SMT3B protein and is 98% similar to that of the human SMT3A protein. Both SMT3B and SMT3A proteins are homologues of the yeast SMT3 protein. The cSNCINS protein is encoded by an open reading frame located on a 1150-bp bovine endometrial cDNA fragment. Our results indicate that the cSNCINS is a bovine homologue of the human SMT3B gene and that insertion of the BSMT3B gene together with duplication of NS3 in the viral genome may account for the cytopathogenicity of this virus.
Cystectomy for Refractory Hemorrhagic Cystitis: Contemporary Etiology, Presentation and Outcomes

Purpose: We evaluate the clinical presentation, management and outcomes of patients undergoing cystectomy for refractory hemorrhagic cystitis.Materials and Methods: We identified 21 patients with refractory hematuria treated with cystectomy at our institution between 2000 and 2012. Clot evacuation, bladder fulguration and bladder irrigation had failed in all patients before cystectomy. In addition, 45% of patients had received prior intravesical therapy (aminocaproic acid, alum or formalin), hyperbaric oxygen therapy (25%), nephrostomy tube placement for attempted urinary diversion (15%) and/or selective bladder angioembolization (5%).Results: Median patient age at surgery was 77 years (IQR 72, 80) and 81% (17 of 21) of patients were male. The most common etiology for hemorrhagic cystitis was prior radiation therapy for prostate cancer (17, 81%). Median time from receipt of radiation to cystectomy in these patients was 91 months (IQR 73, 125). Median ASA® (American Society of Anesthesiologists) score at c...
Mediators of slow synaptic potentials in the myenteric plexus of the guinea‐pig ileum

1. Intracellular recordings were made from neurones in the myenteric plexus of the ileum isolated from adult guinea-pigs. 2. Three synaptic potentials were evoked in different myenteric neurones by focal stimulation of the ganglion surface at a distance of up to 100 μm from the cell body from which the recording was made. These were the fast cholinergic excitatory post-synaptic potential (e.p.s.p.), the slow e.p.s.p. and the slow inhibitory post-synaptic potential (i.p.s.p.). 3. 5-hydroxytryptamine and substance P were applied to the neurones by superfusion (10 n m-1 μ m) or by electrophoresis within 5 μm of the neurone cell body. 5-HT depolarized, hyperpolarized or had no effect on approximately equal numbers of neurones, whereas substance P depolarized 90% of neurones. 4. Many neurones with a depolarizing slow e.p.s.p. were hyperpolarized by superfusion or electrophoretic application of 5-HT. 5. Superfusion with 5-HT reversibly depressed the fast e.p.s.p., slow e.p.s.p. and slow i.p.s.p. Superfusion with substance P depressed the slow e.p.s.p. 6. Methysergide (10-30 μ m) reduced the amplitude of the fast e.p.s.p., the slow e.p.s.p. and the slow i.p.s.p. 7. Chymotrypsin (200 μg/ml.) reversibly reduced the amplitude of the slow e.p.s.p., but had no effect on membrane potential, the action potential or the fast e.p.s.p. Chymotrypsin reduced or abolished the depolarization caused by electrophoretic application of substance P, but had no effect on the depolarization or hyperpolarization caused by 5HT. 8. The results provide evidence that 5-HT is not the transmitter which mediates the slow e.p.s.p. in myenteric neurones. The slow e.p.s.p. may be caused by substance P or another similar peptide.
1266 ABNORMALITIES IN VASCULAR ARACHIDONIC ACID (AA) METABOLISM IN THE INFANT OF THE DIABETIC MOTHER (IDM)

Studies of coagulation have not identified the cause(s) for the prothrombotic tendency in the IDM. Our work was designed to evaluate AA metabolism in IDM vessels, and to assess circulating PGI2 levels in these neonates (n=17) compared to control infants (n=15). When endogenous vascular 6KPGF1α(the metabolite of PGI2) was measured by RIA, control neonates produced 6.5±1.5(1SD) pmol per rag of umbilical arterial tissue. Although IDMs born to mothers in glucose homeostasis were similar to controls (6.4±1.8), IDMs born to mothers with ↑ HbA1c levels demonstrated a decrease in vascular 6KPGF1α (4.3±1.1; p<0.02). However, when 14CAA was utilized as substrate by vascular microsomes, 14C6KPGF1α was similar in controls (975±478 pmol per mg) and in IDMs born to mothers in normal or abnormal metabolic homeostasis (1199±479; 1092±577). A significant decrease (p<0.02) in the circulating plasma level of 6KPGF1α was observed in the IDM (0.75±0.24 pmol per ml) compared to controls (1.65±1.2). Correlation in the IDM between endogenous vascular 6KPGF1α production,and plasma levels of PGI2 was seen (r=0.7; p<0.05). This latter finding demonstrates that the invitro deficiency in vascular 6KPGF1α in the IDM reflects an Invivo abnormality as well. Besides its antiplatelet-aggregatory properties, PGI2 is an endogenous pulmonary vasodilator. The deficiency in PGI2 could thus contribute not only to a prothrombotic tendency, but to pulmonary vasoconstriction and to the transient respiratory distress seen in the IDM.