cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pharmacogenomic testing to guide treatment using antipsychotic medications

This review evaluates the utilization of pharmacogenomic testing to guide treatment with antipsychotic medications as well as the evidence supporting the use of pharmacogenomic testing. There are two basic objectives for using pharmacogenomic testing. The first pharmacogenomic objective is to minimize adverse effects. The second pharmacogenomic objective is to improve clinical outcomes. While available pharmacogenomic testing has been demonstrated to increase the likelihood of achieving a good response, the primary current indication is to improve patient safety.
Preoperative Leukocytosis in Colorectal Cancer Patients

Background Preoperative asymptomatic leukocytosis has been reported as a factor that affects morbidity of surgical patients. We sought to identify the relationship between asymptomatic preoperative leukocytosis and postoperative complications in elective colorectal cancer surgery. Study Design The NSQIP database was used to examine the clinical data of patients who had preoperative leukocytosis (white blood cell count more than 11,000/μL) and colorectal cancer resection from 2005 to 2013. Patients with preoperative sepsis, recent steroid use, disseminated cancer, renal failure, pneumonia, and emergently admitted patients were excluded from the study. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to identify outcomes of preoperative leukocytosis. Results We evaluated a total of 59,805 patients with a diagnosis of colorectal cancer who underwent colorectal resection. The rate of preoperative asymptomatic leukocytosis was 5.6%. Asymptomatic leukocytosis was associated with preoperative serum albumin level (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.58, p Conclusions Preoperative asymptomatic leukocytosis has a prevalence of 5.6% in colorectal cancer resections and carries a significant increased risk of mortality and morbidity. Asymptomatic leukocytosis is associated with preoperative dehydration and malnutrition. Further studies are indicated to validate and explain these findings.
Treatment of Tendon and Muscle Using Platelet-Rich Plasma

Tendon and muscle injuries are common in elite and weekend athletes. Treatment of these injuries in both groups is rapidly evolving. Sports medicine patients are demanding better and less invasive solutions for all types of musculoskeletal disorders. In this context, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has emerged as a potential solution. PRP is a fraction of whole blood containing concentrated growth factors and proteins. These cytokines direct tissue healing through autocrine and paracrine effects. The number of basic science, animal, and human investigations of PRP for tendon and muscle injuries worldwide has risen sharply in recent years. These studies are helping clinicians better understand the mechanisms of PRP and are guiding novel treatment protocols. In this paper, the value of PRP as a treatment for acute or chronic tendon and muscle disorders is explored.
Initiating Ethanol Drinking in a Simian Social Group in a Naturalistic Setting

We examined in nine group-living, male Japanese Snow monkeys the initiation of alcohol-drinking behavior in an enriched environment where both social and nonsocial stimuli could influence drinking. The monkeys usually could move freely between an indoor shelter and a large outdoor corral, which contained three drinkometers. During daily 2-hr sessions in pre- and post-training periods (with food and water available ad libitum), the drinkometers held (on different days) Koolaid-saccharin, water, water with 5% ethanol, Koolaid-saccharin with 5% ethanol, or Koolaid-sucrose with acetic acid (matched in calories and palatability to Koolaid-saccharin with 5% ethanol). Between pre-and post-training periods was a long training period, in which Koolaid-saccharin with various ethanol concentrations was presented with the daily food ration in 2-hr drinking sessions. On other selected training days, water with 5% ethanol was presented. During training sessions some monkeys drank high doses; others did not. During the period of peak drinking, the daily mean ethanol consumption ranged among animals from 0.54-1.99 ml/kg. Blood ethanol concentrations then sometimes exceeded 100 mg/dl. During the post-training period, with return to ad libitum food and water, consumption declined from these peaks, but remained significantly higher than pretraining consumption; the ethanol solution was established as a reinforcer. Monkeys differed significantly in the extent of this pre/post increase. In both pre- and post-training periods, consumption was significantly greater when all three drinkometers operated, compared with only one. On pretraining days when only one drinkometer operated, more dominant animals drank significantly more than less dominant animals; this difference disappeared by the post-training period, as less dominant animals learned to use the drinkometers at times when the dominant animals eschewed the machines. Pretraining consumption did not predict (among animals) post-training consumption. Before, during, and after training, these animals drank less of both alcohol and control solutions than did members of another species, which we had studied in smaller indoor pens. We discuss possible explanations and implications.
Imaging The Development Of Neural Circuits In The Mammalian Retina

I will describe two ongoing studies that combine novel fluorescent markers of subcellular neuronal structures with confocal and multiphoton imaging to study the assembly of retinal circuits during development.
Defective herpes simplex virus vectors expressing the rat brain stress-inducible heat shock protein 72 protect cultured neurons from severe heat shock

Recently, preinduction of the heat shock response has been shown to protect CNS neurons undergoing various stressful insults, e.g., heat, ischemia, or exposure to excitotoxins. However, it is not known which of the proteins induced by the heat shock response mediate the protective effects. Previous correlative evidence points to a role for the highly stress-induced 72-kDa heat shock protein (hsp72). However, it is not known whether hsp72 expression alone can protect against a range of acute neuronal insults. We constructed a herpes simplex virus-1 vector carrying the rat brain stress-inducible hsp72 gene and the Escherichia coli lacZ (marker) gene. Infection with the vector caused hippocampal neurons to coexpress hsp72 and beta-galactosidase. Infection with a control vector led to marker gene expression only. Overexpression of hsp72 protected cultured hippocampal neurons against a heat shock but not against the metabolic toxin 3-nitropropionic acid or the excitotoxin glutamate. This is the first published report of protection following heat shock protein transfection in CNS neurons.
Superlattice in single crystal barium-doped sodium bismuth titanate

Abstract Na 1/2 Bi 1/2 TiO 3 (NBT) doped with BaTiO 3 (BT) has recently shown promising piezoelectric properties in single crystal form. The piezoelectric properties appear to be highly dependent on BT concentration, with compositions close to the morphotropic phase boundary (∼6% BT) having the highest piezoelectric coefficients. Previous studies have resulted in conflicting conclusions regarding the presence and nature of the superlattice in NBT. Using HREM and hot-stage TEM electron diffraction, we show that flux-grown single crystals of compositions (1− x )NBT– x BT with x a 0 a 0 c + ). The dependence of the superlattice reflection intensity on temperature and BT content as well as possible mechanisms of superlattice formation are discussed.
Rheological characterization of animal fats and their mixtures with #2 fuel oil

Abstract To aid in the development of biomass fuels based on waste animal fats, as of yet unpublished rheological properties of these fats and their mixtures with petroleum-based fuels are needed. The viscosities and densities of beef tallow, choice white pork fat, poultry fat and yellow grease were experimentally determined to examine their potential use as fuel substitutes or additives. The viscosities of 30% mixtures of these fats with #2 fuel oil fuel were also examined. Dynamic viscosities of these agricultural oils were measured for shear rates of 0.65– 32.34 s −1 at temperatures between 54.4°C and 85°C. The resulting measurements were fitted to a power law model to obtain values for the consistency coefficient and the flow behavior index. These results indicated pseudoplastic flow behavior for all products, with increasingly Newtonian behavior at higher temperatures and shear rates. The mixtures of these fats with fuel oil exhibited even more encouraging rheological properties very near those of pure fuel oil.
Pyogenic Arthritis, Pyoderma Gangrenosum, and Acne Syndrome Maps to Chromosome 15q

Pyoderma gangrenosum, cystic acne, and aseptic arthritis are clinically distinct disorders within the broad class of inflammatory diseases. Although this triad of symptoms is rarely observed in a single patient, a three-generation kindred with autosomal-dominant transmission of these three disorders has been reported as “PAPA syndrome” (MIM 604416). We report mapping of a disease locus for familial pyoderma gangrenosum–acne–arthritis to the long arm of chromosome 15 (maximum two-point LOD score, 5.83; recombination fraction [θ] 0 at locus D15S206). Under the assumption of complete penetrance, haplotype analysis of recombination events defined a disease interval of 10 cM, between D15S1023 and D15S979. Successful identification of a single disease locus for this syndrome suggests that these clinically distinct disorders may share a genetic etiology. These data further indicate the role of genes outside the major histocompatibility locus in inflammatory disease.
Radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy procedure for adenocarcinoma of the body and tail of the pancreas : Ability to obtain negative tangential margins

Background Positive resection margins and low lymph node counts are common in resections of cancers of the body and tail of the pancreas. In 2003, we described a novel approach for resection of the pancreas called radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (RAMPS), which was directed toward these problems. We now present results of treatment of patients with adenocarcinoma using RAMPS with particular reference to the ability of this procedure to obtain negative tangential margin rates. Study design Data from 23 patients treated with RAMPS procedure were collected in a prospective database. Data from the operative notes, pathology reports, and postoperative data were entered into the database. Results Mean (±SD) operative time was 6.3 (±1.8) hours. Fifteen patients had anterior RAMPS procedure and eight posterior RAMPS procedure. There were no postoperative (30 days) or hospital deaths. Eighteen postoperative complications developed in 12 of 23 (52%) patients. Mean tumor size was 5.1 cm. Invasion outside the pancreatic capsule was identified in 78% of patients. Median number of nodes was 15. Ninety-one percent had negative tangential margins, which is the main finding of the study. Median survival was 21 months. The 5-year overall survival is 26%, but followup is still short. Conclusions RAMPS procedure can achieve negative tangential margins in a high percent of patients with resectable carcinoma of the body and tail of the pancreas. Median and overall survival rates are quite satisfactory for this tumor and are similar to rates reported for the Whipple procedure.
SAR studies of fluorine-substituted benzylamines and substituted 2-phenylethylamines as substrates and inactivators of monoamine oxidase B.

AbstractTo test whether addition of electron-withdrawing substituents to good substrates of monoamine oxi-dase (MAO) will transform them into inactivators, a series of fluorine-substituted benzylamines and a series of substituted 2-phenylethylamines were synthesized and tested as substrates and inactivators of monoamine oxidase B. All of the compounds were substrates. None of the benzylamines was an inactivator, but several of the phenethylamines were. These results suggest that either stronger electron withdrawing character or additional stabilizing factors are needed to stabilize the hypothesized enzyme adduct.
Modeling and stochastic control for Home Energy Management

The problem of modeling and control for Home Energy Management (HEM) is considered. A first order thermal dynamic model is considered and its parameters are extracted using real measurements over a period of three summer months. The identified model is validated using separate data sets. The extracted model shows certain nonstationarity and non-Gaussianity. However, local approximations using a stationary model are shown to have relatively small modeling and prediction errors. The extracted model is then used for developing a multi-scale multi-stage stochastic optimization framework for the control of the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) unit, the charging of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV), and the scheduling of deferrable load such as washer/dryer operations. A two time scale Model Predictive Control (MPC) strategy is proposed that minimizes the discomfort level subject to power and budget constraints: at the slow time scale, a power budget is allocated across different appliances at the hourly level; at the fast time scale, sensor measurements are used for the scheduling and control of different loads. Using parameters extracted from the real data, the proposed approach is compared with the simple rule based control strategy typically used in HVAC controllers.
PMO theory for hydrogen abstraction from saturated hydrocarbons

Abstract Saturated hydrocarbon radicals in the hybrid orbital all-valence-electron basis possess a nonbonding molecular orbital whose eigencoefficients can be written by inspection. Perturbational MO calculations using these coefficients lead to good correlations of hydrogen abstraction reactivity data.
Innominosacral dissociation: mechanism of injury as a predictor of resuscitation requirements, morbidity, and mortality.

Objectives: To assess mechanism of injury as a clinical course predictor in patients with complete anterior and posterior pelvic ring disruptions [innominosacral dissociation (ISD)]. Design: Retrospective review of radiographs and medical data. Setting: R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, Baltimore, Maryland, statewide trauma center. Patients: Forty-three patients with ISD were admitted to our institution between August 1986 and October 1991. Five patients were excluded because of incomplete medical records (4) or refusal of blood transfusion (1). Intervention: Injuries were grouped according to the Young classification: 18 anteroposterior compression (APC), 14 vertical shear (VS), and 6 other injuries. Main Outcome Measurements: The mean blood replacement requirements, incidence of multiple organ system failure, mortality rate, and length of hospital stay for each injury classification were comapared. Results: The mean ISS was 34, and the mean 24hour packed red blood cell transfusion requirement was 12.6 units. Thirteen patients (34.4%) developed multisystem organ failure. Eight patients (21%) died. Patients in the APC group were more likely to require ≥ 10 units of blood (15/18, p = 0.001, and those in the VS group were more likely to receive <10 units (11/14, p = 0.0014). Multisystem organ failure occurred more frequently (11/18 8 versus 2/14; p < 0.005), mortality was significantly higher (39 versus 0%, respectively; p = 0.01), and mean hospital stay for survivors was longer (48 versus 27 days; p < 0.025) in the APC than in the VS group, respectively. Conclusions: These findings suggest that mechanism of injury is an important determinant of clinical behavior in patients with IDS, and that ISD secondary to the APC mechanism is associated with substantially greater resuscitation requirements, morbidity, and mortality than ISD secondary to the VS mechanism.
A scalable parallel algorithm for large-scale reactive force-field molecular dynamics simulations

Abstract A scalable parallel algorithm has been designed to perform multimillion-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, in which first principles-based reactive force fields (ReaxFF) describe chemical reactions. Environment-dependent bond orders associated with atomic pairs and their derivatives are reused extensively with the aid of linked-list cells to minimize the computation associated with atomic n-tuple interactions ( n ⩽ 4 explicitly and ⩽6 due to chain-rule differentiation). These n-tuple computations are made modular, so that they can be reconfigured effectively with a multiple time-step integrator to further reduce the computation time. Atomic charges are updated dynamically with an electronegativity equalization method, by iteratively minimizing the electrostatic energy with the charge-neutrality constraint. The ReaxFF-MD simulation algorithm has been implemented on parallel computers based on a spatial decomposition scheme combined with distributed n-tuple data structures. The measured parallel efficiency of the parallel ReaxFF-MD algorithm is 0.998 on 131,072 IBM BlueGene/L processors for a 1.01 billion-atom RDX system.
Enhancing the Jacquez k nearest neighbor test for space-time interaction.

The Jacquez k nearest neighbor test, originally developed to improve upon shortcomings of existing tests for space–time interaction, has been shown to be a robust and powerful method of detecting interaction. Despite its flexibility and power, however, the test has three main shortcomings: (i) it discards important information regarding the spatial and temporal scales at which the detected interaction takes place; (ii) the results of the test have not been visualized; and (iii) recent research demonstrates the test to be susceptible to population shift bias. This study presents enhancements to the Jacquez k nearest neighbors test with the goal of addressing each of these three shortcomings and of improving the utility of the test. Data on Burkitt's lymphoma cases in Uganda between 1961 and 1975 are used to illustrate the modifications and enhanced visual output of the test. Output from the enhanced test is compared with that provided by alternative tests of space–time interaction. Results show the enhancements presented in this study transform the Jacquez test into a complete, descriptive, and informative metric that can be used as a stand-alone measure of global space–time interaction. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
EYE FIXATION AND THE CONTENTS OF RECALL AND IMAGES AS A FUNCTION OF HEART RATE.

Our aim was to illustrate an eye-fixation photographic method of studying cognition both with and without awareness. We focused upon (a) the time of inspection of a part of the visual field in relation to (b) the recall of that part of the stimulus and (c) the relationships of (a) and (b) as a function of heart rate. Recall was defined in two ways: direct and unintentional, i.e., recovery in the content of waking images of picture content which had not appeared in direct recall. Eighteen Ss were overloaded with information by a 6-sec. exposure of a card containing four complex pictures. Waking images were followed by recall. Recovery via images was significantly related to inspection time of the picture quadrant; direct recall was not. The more the person was accelerated in his response via heart rate or fixation rate, the greater his recovery in images.
Testing Circuit-Partitioned 3D IC Designs

3D integration is an emerging technology that allows for the vertical stacking of multiple silicon die. These stacked die are tightly integrated with through-silicon vias and promise significant power and area reductions by replacing long global wires with short vertical connections. This technology necessitates that neighboring logical blocks exist on different layers in the stack. However, such functional partitions disable intra-chip communication pre-bond and thus disrupt traditional test techniques.Previous work has described a general test architecture that enables pre-bond testability of an architecturally partitioned 3D processor and provided mechanisms for basic layer functionality. This work proposes new test methods for designs partitioned at the circuits level,in which the gates and transistors of individual circuits could be split across multiple die layers. We investigated a bit-partitioned adder unit and a port-split register file, which represents the most difficult circuit-partitioned design to test pre-bond but which is used widely in many circuits. Two layouts of each circuit, planar and 3D, are produced. Our experiments verify the performance and power results and examine the test coverage achieved.
Management of HIV-1 Infection in Adults and Adolescents

The management of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) infection has undergone dramatic change since its initial identification. Advances have occurred in drug development, viral pathology understanding, laboratory monitoring and genetic analysis. With the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), there has been a substantial decline in HIV-1-related morbidity and mortality. Today, HIV-1 infection is treated as a chronic disease that requires strict patient adherence to HAART. Pharmacists provide pharmaceutical care to patients with HIV disease in a variety of ways, and they can improve patient adherence rates. Current therapeutic strategies have not resulted in eradication of HIV-1 infection. Present and future therapeutic challenges include viral resistance, reservoirs of virus and drug toxicities. Globally, the spread of HIV-1 infection continues at an alarming rate, and economic and social barriers may limit access and success of HAART. New strategies and novel approaches in managing H...
How to measure the information gained from one symbol

Information theory provides a powerful framework to analyse how neurons represent sensory stimuli or other behavioural variables. A recurring question regards the amount of information conveyed by a specific neuronal response. Here we show that the commonly used definition for this quantity has a serious flaw: the information accumulated during subsequent observations of neural activity fails to combine additively. Additivity is a highly desirable property, both on theoretical grounds and for the practical purpose of analysing population codes. We propose an alternative measure for the information per observation and prove that this is the only definition that satisfies additivity. The old and the new definitions measure very different aspects of the neural code, which is illustrated with visual responses from a motion-sensitive neuron in the primate cortex. Our analysis allows additional interpretation of several published results, which suggests that the neurons studied are operating far from their information capacity.
Sertoli Cell-Based Gene Therapy?

The Sertoli cell has always been depicted as a critical cell type within the testis even in the first paper by Enrico Sertoli. When describing the Sertoli cells, he used the term ‘‘mother cells,’’ suggesting a unique role for these cells in germ cell maturation and development [1]. In the 1950s, with the use of better microscopy, Enrico Sertoli’s intuitive observations were confirmed [2]. Scientists determined that Sertoli cells stretch from the basement membrane to the lumen and are in intimate contact with germ cells as they mature and develop into viable sperm. Later, the Sertoli cell was recognized as a major orchestrator of the testis during sex differentiation and gonadal development since it expresses Sry [3] and initiates the cascade of gene expression that regulates both seminiferous cord formation and sex-specific vascular development [4–6]. Thus, there is no denying that the Sertoli cell has a critical function in testis development, spermatogenesis and male fertility.
High-performance p-type independent-gate FinFETs

We present, to our knowledge, the first successful integration of two independent gates on a p-type FinFET. These results also represent a significant performance improvement over previously reported Independent-Gate FinFET results. The devices have gate lengths ranging from 0.5 to 5 /spl mu/m, and designed fin thicknesses ranging from 25 to 75 nm. Electrical results show near-ideal subthreshold slopes in double-gate mode (both gates modulated simultaneously). Independent-Gate operation is also examined by modulating saturated drain current with both front and back-gate voltages independently. The results are compiled to analyze performance trends versus fin thickness and gate length.
Hope for the Mobility Ratio

Macdonald's criticism of structural models of mobility is empty because it denies ideas or theories a place in model con'struction. Specifically, the equivalent models proposed by Macdonald do not meet the criterion of minimal asymmetry that was applied in the selection of models for British and American mobility tables. Under certain conditions, equivalent models meet the symmetry criterion, but these conditions do not apply to the examples discussed by Macdonald. Also, he exaggerates the usefulness of odds-ratios in formulating models for non-ordered data, and he proposes an empirical revision of the Featheman-Hauser model of mobility to first occupations that is less appealing than the original model. Hope's criticism of the new mobility ratio rests on an illogical comparison between the Featherman-Hauser model and various saturated models of the mobility table. Also, his commenta y makes erroneous statements about the relationship between the FeathermanHauser model and their criticisms of Blau and Duncan and about the relationship between that model and Goodman's quasi-independence models. Macdonald's commentary on structural models of the mobility table is both instructive and cautionary, but I disagree with much of it. I wrote some time ago that "Any number of models may imply the same set of oddsratios, and in this sense they will be equivalent. One such model may be transformed into another by multiplicative rescaling" (b, 453). Macdonald cites this passage as the point of his note, but he questions whether "the force of the known has been attended to." I believe it has, but Macdonald ignores relevant features of my several published analyses of occupational mobility classifications. In this note I will show how Macdonald's criticism *This research was carried out with support from the National Institute for Mental Health (Grant No. 6275) and the National Science Foundation (Grant No. SES-8010640) using computational facilities of the Center for Demography and Ecology at the University of WisconsinMadison, which has core support from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (Grant No. 5876). I thank Peter Mossel and Peter Dickinson for assistance in computation. I thank Richard T. Campbell for comments on a draft of this note. I thank John H. Goldthorpe, Robert D. Mare, Michael T. Sobel, Aage 8. Sarensen, and Halliman H. Winsborough for their advice. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author.
Modulation of the 5′-Deoxyribose-5-phosphate Lyase and DNA Synthesis Activities of Mammalian DNA Polymerase β by Apurinic/Apyrimidinic Endonuclease 1

The Ape1 protein initiates the repair of apurinic/apyrimidinic sites during mammalian base excision repair (BER) of DNA. Ape1 catalyzes hydrolysis of the 5′-phosphodiester bond of abasic DNA to create nicks flanked by 3′-hydroxyl and 5′-deoxyribose 5-phosphate (dRP) termini. DNA polymerase (pol) β catalyzes both DNA synthesis at the 3′-hydroxyl terminus and excision of the 5′-dRP moiety prior to completion of BER by DNA ligase. During BER, Ape1 recruits pol β to the incised apurinic/apyrimidinic site and stimulates 5′-dRP excision by pol β. The activities of these two enzymes are thus coordinated during BER. To examine further the coordination of BER, we investigated the ability of Ape1 to modulate the deoxynucleotidyltransferase and 5′-dRP lyase activities of pol β. We report here that Ape1 stimulates 5′-dRP excision by a mechanism independent of its apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease activity. We also demonstrate a second mechanism, independent of Ape1, in which conditions that support DNA synthesis by pol β also enhance 5′-dRP excision. Ape1 modulates the gap-filling activity of pol β by specifically inhibiting synthesis on an incised abasic substrate but not on single-nucleotide gapped DNA. In contrast to the wild-type Ape1 protein, a catalytically impaired mutant form of Ape1 did not affect DNA synthesis by pol β. However, this mutant protein retained the ability to stimulate 5′-dRP excision by pol β. Simultaneous monitoring of 5′-dRP excision and DNA synthesis by pol β demonstrated that the 5′-dRP lyase activity lags behind the polymerase activity despite the coordination of these two steps by Ape1 during BER.
Invited Commentary: Lipoproteins and Dementia—Is It the Apolipoprotein A-I?

Currently, there are an estimated 24 million people worldwide with dementia. Two thirds of them live in developing countries. This figure is set to increase to more than 80 million by 2040. Much of this increase will be in rapidly developing and heavily populated regions such as China, India, and Latin America (http://www.alz.co.uk/alzheimers/faq.html). Alzheimer's disease is by far the commonest cause of dementia in the elderly, being responsible for 65–80 percent of dementia cases (1, 2). Alzheimer's disease is the commonest neurologic disease, and it has become extremely frequent in the developed countries (3–5): more than 4.5 million people suffer from Alzheimer's disease in the United States, and it is estimated that this number will increase threefold, exceeding 13 million by 2050. National direct and indirect annual costs of caring for Alzheimer's disease patients are at least $100 billion, with an average lifetime cost of care for each person with Alzheimer's disease approximating $174,000 (6–8). One in eight men and almost one in four women will develop Alzheimer's disease during their lifetime. In a population-based study of people older than age 65 years, dementia was the strongest risk factor for mortality, surpassing heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer (9). Despite a previous sharp distinction between vascular and neurodegenerative diseases, evidence linking vascular risk factors and indicators of vascular disease to Alzheimer's disease has accumulated over the past decade, blurring the classic borders and reshaping them into a broader dementia spectrum, from purely vascular to mixed (in different degrees) to purely degenerative. In particular, evidence is growing for a possible association between lipids and Alzheimer's disease or dementia.
Measuring protein flexibility with terahertz spectroscopy: basic research and applications

We have used terahertz time domain spectroscopy (TTDS) to measure protein dielectric response and investigate conformational vibrational modes. The bacteriorhodopsin discuss our more recent work on cytochrome c. Bacteriorhodopsin is a photoactive membrane protein from halobacterium salinarum.
Toward accurate models of achievable routing

Models of achievable routing, i.e., chip wireability, rely on estimates of available and required routing resources. Required routing resources are estimated from placement or (a priori) using wire length estimation models. Available routing resources are estimated by calculating a nominal "supply" then take into account such factors as the efficiency of the router and the impact of vias. Models of achievable routing can be used to optimize interconnect process parameters for future designs or to supply objectives that guide layout tools to promising solutions. Such models must be accurate in order to be useful and must support empirical verification and calibration by actual routing results. In this paper, we discuss the validation of such models and we apply our validation process to three existing models. We find notable inaccuracies in the existing models when matched against real data. We then present a thorough analysis of the assumptions underlying these models. Based on this analysis, we discuss requirements for predictors of routing resources and make suggestions for a new model of achievable routing.
ROBUST ADAPTIVE CRITIC BASED NEUROCONTROLLERS FOR MISSILES WITH MODEL UNCERTAINTIES

A Lyapunov theory based controller is proposed in this paper for robustness against model uncertainties in the control of a missile. The controller design consists of two parts; in the first phase, an optimal nonlinear controller is designed with neural networks for tracking. This is based on the adaptive critic method that consists of one neural network called the supervisor or critic and a second network called an action network or a controller. Each network is trained through the output of the other network and equations related to optimal control. When their outputs are mutually consistent, the controller network output is optimal. In the second phase, we use this controller as a reference and formulate a Lyapunov theory based controller for robustness to unmodeled dynamics or uncertainty. This formulation results in an expression for extra control. Combined with the control effort for the reference model, the extra control can keep the system stable in the presence of unmodeled uncertainty. We illustrate this approach through the design of a longitudinal autopilot for a nonlinear
Essay: Considering a Treaty on Corporations and Human Rights: Mostly Failures But with a Glimmer of Success

In June 2014, three years after it endorsed the U. N. Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the UN Human Rights Council moved to establish an open-ended intergovernmental working group to elaborate an international legally binding instrument to regulate, in international human rights law, the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises. These actions brought into the open long festering tensions among stakeholders involved in developing governance frameworks to manage the human rights behaviors of enterprises. The substantive positions of most stakeholders are now quite clear. They appear perhaps irreconcilable. This chapter will consider what the process of negotiating the contemplated treaty may reveal about the state of structuring governance frameworks for business and human rights either within the anticipated treaty framework or under the UNGPs. What analysis may reveal is that while the move toward the negotiation of a treaty may reveal substantial normative and conceptual failures, it also suggests some not inconsiderable successes. After setting the context of the current debate, Part II considers the normative and structural difficulties of the move toward a comprehensive business and human rights treaty. Part III then considers its benefits, both for the process of developing structures of governance for business and human rights, and its substance. Taken together what may become clear is that even were the move toward a treaty to end in failure, the movement toward more robust governance of the human rights effects of economic activity will emerge stronger.
Blends and Composites

Chemical modification is not the only means of changing the properties of a polymer. In many cases, this can be done more simply, more effectively, and less expensively by mixing the polymer with other materials. The new properties produced depend on the nature and physical state of the original polymer, on the nature, physical state, and means of processing in the added material, on the mixing ratio of the original polymer to added material, on the interaction between the components, as well as on the processing steps to which they are then subjected. The original polymer may be a thermoplast, a thermoset, an elastoplast, or an elastomer. The additive may be a gas, a low-molar-mass liquid, a plastic, or another solid material. The added material may be present three dimensionally as a network, two dimensionally as a fabric, one dimensionally as a fiber, or “zero dimensionally” as powder or flakes. The resulting mixture may be single or multiphased.
A screening tool for obstructive sleep apnea in cerebrovascular patients

Abstract Background A majority of stroke patients suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which can go unrecognized as the current OSA screens do not perform well in stroke patients. The objective of this study is to modify the existing OSA screening tools for use in stroke patients. Methods The cohort study consisted of patients who completed the validated OSA STOP screen and underwent polysomnography within one year. Six prediction models were created and sensitivity and specificity of various cut points were calculated. Results There were 208 patients with mean age of 55.4 years; 61.0% had sleep apnea. Models with the highest c-statistics included the STOP items plus BMI, age, and sex (STOP–BAG). Addition of neck circumference and other variables did not significantly improve the models. The STOP–BAG 2 model, using continuous variables, had a greater sensitivity of 0.94 (95% CI 0.89–0.98) and specificity 0.60 (95% CI 0.49–0.71) compared to the STOP–BAG model, which used dichotomous variables, and had a sensitivity of 0.91 (95% CI 0.85–0.96) and specificity of 0.48 (95% CI 0.37–0.60). Conclusions The STOP–BAG screen can be used to identify cerebrovascular patients at an increased risk of OSA. The use of continuous variables (STOP–BAG 2 ) is preferable if automated score calculation is available. It can improve the efficiency of evaluation for OSA and lead to improved outcomes of patients with cerebrovascular disease.
Chemoprevention of oral cancer in hamster cheek pouch by topical application of lyophilized black raspberries

B7 Introduction and Purpose: Oral cancers represent 2.3% of US cancers and account for a sixth of the worldwide cancer burden. Oral cancer is directly linked to tobacco exposure and has a poor prognosis. 5- and 10-year survival rates are 59% and 48%, respectively, and have not changed dramatically over the past three decades. 20%-40% of patients will develop a locoregional recurrence or a second primary tumor. Since current treatments are relatively ineffective for long-term survival, it appears germane to develop and evaluate novel strategies for prevention of secondary tumors and inhibition of primary tumor development.. An animal model that mimics the major characteristics of human oral cancer is the hamster cheek pouch (HCP); a model has been used to evaluate chemoprevention by natural and synthetic food products. In the current study, we examined the ability of topically applied LBR to inhibit the progression of established premalignant lesions into malignant oral cancer. This method of administration mimics a delivery system that is amenable to humans for prevention of primary tumors or recurrence. >Methods: Lyophilized black raspberries (LBR) were suspended to a 10% concentration in a 1:1 mixture of saliva substitute and 2% methylcellulose. Premalignant lesions were established by application of 0.2% 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) in DMSO to both HCPs for 6 weeks at which time premalignant lesions were present. One cheek pouch of each hamster was treated topically with 0.1 ml of LBR suspension, 3x per week, for six weeks; the contralateral pouch of the same animal was treated with 0.1 ml of the vehicle. Animals were sacrificed and examined at 12 weeks to determine the effect of berries on tumor incidence and multiplicity. To evaluate the effect of LBR on early premalignant oral lesions, treated and control cheek pouches containing carcinogen-induced lesions were harvested at 0, 2, 4, 7, 10, and 14 days after berry administration. mRNA was isolated from HCP and relative expression of cancer-relevant genes was determined using real-time PCR. >Results: Treatment of hamsters with the carcinogen or berries did not affect weight gain or food consumption. LBR administration inhibited tumor formation by 37% and 42% in separate animal experiments using the same lot of berries. After 7 days of LBR treatment of HCP, Bax, Ccnb2, Cdk2na(p13-ARF), Cdk2na(p16), and p53 showed increasing expression, whereas Cdk2 and Bcl2, showed decreasing expression; the expression of c-myc and Vegf remained constant. >Conclusions: These experiments provide evidence of prevention of oral cancer by a natural food product under conditions that mimic those present in former tobacco users and an assessment of the ability to modulate gene expression and inhibit oral cancer development when given in a delivery mode that is suitable for administration to the human oral mucosa. >Acknowledgements. Grant support: Prevent Cancer Foundation and OSU Comprehensive Cancer Center, MCC Program. > >
Assessment of the Patient

Nutrition assessment is a means of identifying critical care patients at greatest risk for complications. It should include manifestations both of disease-related malnutrition and starvation. Critically ill patients are at risk for accelerated loss of lean body mass with even greater loss of weight if nutrient intake is poor or absent. Recognizing those patients who are unable to eat and barriers that interfere with adequate nourishment are important aspects of clinical decision-making. This chapter discusses at risk patient populations, dietary intake analysis, delays and obstacles to feeding, nutrition-focused history and physical examination, laboratory evaluation, and body composition assessment. The multidisciplinary critical care team should discuss relevant components of the nutrition assessment daily. Ongoing evaluation of nutrition adequacy is essential for optimal patient care.
Crisis, trauma, and challenge: A relational resilience approach for healing, transformation, and growth∗

The concept of resilience — strengths forged through adversity — offers a valuable framework for working with a broad diversity of clients and life challenges. Grounded in a developmental systemic ...
Mechanisms of surface litter mass loss in the northern Chihuahuan desert: a reinterpretation

A re-examination of surface litter decomposition studies in the northern Chihuahuan desert (New Mexico, U.S.A.) suggests mass loss patterns may be more closely regulated by abiotic processes than originally thought. Although biological mechanisms have been proposed to explain the high rate of surface litter disappearance in this ecosystem, non-biological processes, such as the leaching of solubles and photochemical degradation of lignins, may account for much of the total loss. Results of some recent studies may be better explained when the probable contributions of abiotic factors are considered.
Relationships Between Quantitative Measures of Evaluation Plan and Program Model Quality and a Qualitative Measure of Participant Perceptions of an Evaluation Capacity Building Approach

Despite a heightened emphasis on building evaluation capacity and evaluation quality, there is a lack of tools available to identify high-quality evaluation. In the context of testing the Systems Evaluation Protocol (SEP), quantitative rubrics were designed and tested to assess the quality of evaluation plans and models. Interview data were also collected and analyzed using a priori codes. A mixed methods approach was used to synthesize quantitative and qualitative data and explore trends. Consistencies between data types were found for attitude and capacity, and disconnects were found for knowledge, cyberinfrastructure, time, and quality. This approach to data integration represents a novel way to tap the generative potential of divergence that arises when different methods produce contradictory results.
Distribution of Body Weight in the Organs and Tissues of the Rabbit.

SummaryTen adult, male, New Zealand albino rabbits were used to determine the percentages of body weight of blood, skin and fur, viscera, bone, brain and muscle. The brain weight is a constant percentage of body weight, the bone weight fairly constant and the other tissues vary within 6%.
The influence of ouabain on in vitro renin secretion.

SummaryUsing rat kidney cortex slices, in vitro renin secretion was measured as a function of sodium concentration of the incubation medium. We found, as have many others previously, that renin secretion increases with increasing medium sodium concentration. However, in the presence of 10−3M ouabain, renin secretion decreased with increasing medium sodium concentration. Since others have shown that intracellular sodium concentration varies directly with medium sodium concentration in the presence of ouabain, it seems unlikely that these results can be explained by a single unifying hypothesis, such as that renin secretion is inversely related to intracellular sodium concentration.
Function and specificity of T cell subsets in the mouse.

Publisher Summary To deal with intracellular organisms, the immune system has evolved a quite different set of immunocompetent cells, T cells. These cells are imbued with a number of interesting properties. In contrast to B cells and antibody molecules, T cells generally do not manifest specificity. Unlike B cells, T cells do not secrete their antigen-specific receptors. Under physiological conditions, T cells only respond to antigen displayed on the surface of living cells. T cells show the intriguing requirement that, to be immunogenic, antigen has to be aligned on the cell surface in association with gene products of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), the H-2 complex, in mice. Parasitized cells recognized by T cells, especially in the case of viral infections, are destroyed by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), a subset of T cells with cytolytic properties. T cells also play a major role in controlling the quantity and quality of specific antibody made by B cells. This function of T cells is controlled by a different subset of T cells, T helper cells. Whereas T killer cells provide a negative (cytotoxic) signal to antigen-bearing cells, T helper cells provide a positive signal. The chapter outlines the way the specificity, function, and induction of T cells and T cell subsets are under the strict control of H-2 molecules.
KINETICS STUDY ON THE Ca-Dy_2O_3-Fe SYSTEM

The thermodynamic feasibility to produce DyFe2 by reduction-diffusion at high tem- perature from Ca-Dy2O3-Fe system was analyzed. The contracting core model was applied, and it was shown that the diffusion is the rate-determining step of the system. XRD, EDX and SME analysis confirmed that at high temperature Ca could reduce Dy2O3 and produce Dy, and then through the diffusion of Dy into Fe, DyFe2 formed. The apparent activation energy of the DyFe2 is 210 kJ/mol.
The relation between the flow of non-Newtonian fluids and turbulent Newtonian fluids

It is well known [1]** that if a Newtonian fluid such as water flows through a tube of circular cross-section under conditions for which the critical Reynolds number is exceeded, the relation between pressure gradient and volume rate of flow is non-linear. Further [2], the radial distribution of velocity (averaged over regions large compared with the eddy dimensions) departs markedly from the parabolic distribution which would be expected for a Newtonian fluid. These results suggest that some analogy may exist between the turbulent Newtonian fluid and the laminar flow of a non-Newtonian fluid. It is the object of this note to pursue this line of thought and to indicate some of the phenomena which might, in accordance with it, be observed in turbulent fluids.
Microflora of Cheddar cheese made with sodium chloride, potassium chloride, or mixtures of sodium and potassium chloride

Cheddar cheese samples from three different split lots of cheese curd were prepared with added NaCl, KCl, or mixtures of NaCl/KCl (2:1, 1:1, 1:2 and 3:4, all on wt/wt basis) to achieve a final salt concentration of 1.5 or 1.75%. Cheeses were stored at 3 ± 1°C and their microbiological characteristics were evaluated over a 36-week ripening period. Populations of aerobic microorganisms, lactic acid bacteria, nonstarter lactic acid bacteria, aerobic spores, coliforms, and yeasts and molds in cheeses made with KCl or NaCl/KCl mixtures were not significantly (P>0.05) different from those of control cheeses made with NaCl. Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were not detected in any of the test or control cheeses.