cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On Using ``Climatology'' as a Reference Strategy in the Brier and Ranked Probability Skill Scores

Abstract The Brier and ranked probability skill scores are widely used as skill metrics of probabilistic forecasts of weather and climate. As skill scores, they compare the extent to which a forecast strategy outperforms a (usually simpler) reference forecast strategy. The most widely used reference strategy is that of “climatology,” in which the climatological probability (or probabilities in the case of the ranked probability skill score) of the forecast variable is issued perpetually. The Brier and ranked probability skill scores are often considered harsh standards. It is shown that the scores are harsh because the expected value of these skill scores is less than 0 if nonclimatological forecast probabilities are issued. As a result, negative skill scores can often hide useful information content in the forecasts. An alternative formulation of the skill scores based on a reference strategy in which the outcome is independent of the forecast is equivalent to using randomly assigned probabilities but is...
Endoscopic Mucosal Resection Results in Change of Histologic Diagnosis in Barrett’s Esophagus Patients with Visible and Flat Neoplasia: A Multicenter Cohort Study

There are limited data on the effect of endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) on changes of histopathologic diagnosis for Barrett’s esophagus (BE) patients undergoing endoscopic eradication therapy (EET); especially those without visible lesions. To compare the frequency of changes of diagnosis by EMR compared with pre-EMR biopsy diagnosis for patients with and without visible lesions. In this multicenter outcomes project, patients with Barrett’s-related neoplasia undergoing EET at three tertiary-care centers were included. Patients undergoing biopsies followed by EMR within six months were included. The main outcome measures were frequency of overall change of histopathologic diagnosis, change based on pre-EMR biopsy diagnosis, and change based on the presence of visible lesions. One-hundred and thirty-eight BE patients (low-grade dysplasia (LGD) 15 (10.9 %), high-grade dysplasia (HGD) 87 (63 %), esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) 36 (26.1 %)) were included; 114 (82.6 %) patients had visible lesions. EMR resulted in a change of diagnosis for 43 (31.1 %) patients (upgrade 14 (10.1 %); downgrade 29 (21 %)). For HGD patients, EMR downstaged dysplasia grade for 17 (19.5 %) cases and upstaged it to EAC for nine (10.3 %) cases. There was a change of diagnosis for 26 (29.9 %) HGD patients, irrespective of the presence or absence of visible lesions (p = 0.76). For EAC patients, EMR downstaged dysplasia grade in 10 (27.8 %) cases. There was a change of diagnosis for 10 (27.8 %) EAC patients, irrespective of the presence or absence of endoscopically visible lesions (p = 0.48). EMR results in a change of diagnosis for approximately 30 % of BE patients with early neoplasia (with and without visible lesions) referred for EET.
Intelligent Visual Inspection Machines

Visual inspection is a common feature of manufacturing for which machines are currently ill- suited.A major problem has been in bringing enough knowledge to bear on the camera input, fast enough, tobe of practical value. This paper describes a machine architecture for such expert vision research inthe domain of pattern inspection: in particular, the inspection of printed wiring patterns. The machineincludes a powerful model of image -to- symbol transduction and a Lisp multiprocessor environment.This paper describes a machine for the computational studyof highly skilled visual perception. Visual perception is likeverbal perception in that both forms of perception are typically
Flow structures in a lean-premixed swirl-stabilized combustor with microjet air injection

Abstract The major challenge facing the development of low-emission combustors is combustion instability. By lowering flame temperatures, lean-premixed combustion has the potential to nearly eliminate emissions of thermally generated nitric oxides, but the chamber acoustics and heat release rate are highly susceptible to coupling in ways that lead to sustained, high-amplitude pressure oscillations, known as combustion instability. At different operating conditions, different modes of instability are observed, corresponding to particular flame shapes and resonant acoustic modes. Here we show that in a swirl-stabilized combustor, these instability modes also correspond to particular interactions between the flame and the inner recirculation zone. Two stable and two unstable modes are examined. At lean equivalence ratios, a stable conical flame anchors on the upstream edge of the inner recirculation zone and extends several diameters downstream along the wall. At higher equivalence ratios, with the injection of counter-swirling microjet air flow, another stable flame is observed. This flame is anchored along the upstream edge of a stronger recirculation zone, extending less than one diameter downstream along the wall. Without the microjets, a stationary instability coupled to the 1/4 wave mode of the combustor shows weak velocity oscillations and a stable configuration of the inner and outer recirculation zones. Another instability, coupled to the 3/4 wave mode of the combustor, exhibits periodic vortex breakdown in which the core flow alternates between a columnar mode and a vortex breakdown mode.
Designing a robotic colorectal program.

Designing a successful robotic colorectal program requires consideration and implementation of several important concepts with continued perseverance through many obstacles that may arise. The ideal strategy is to establish a core group of committed individuals, define the goals and vision of the program, enlist corporate partners, and gain financial support with a sound business, educational, and research plan. Factors such as cost, limited availability, and demanding training are often hindrances to the implementation of a new robotic colorectal program while scheduling conflicts and inadequate resources may present obstacles to developing a colorectal program in institutions with existing robotic surgical programs. In developing a business plan one should consider the potential for increased patient referrals and the benefits of reduced hospital stay, decreased infection and complication rates, and quicker recovery compared with open surgical procedures. The optimal robotics surgical staff will include those most eager to be trained, as they are highly motivated and have the greatest enthusiasm to succeed. The early foundation of accomplishment will be vital to the long-term success of the program. In addition to building the ideal surgical team, patient selection is one of the most crucial considerations in developing a successful robotics program. Initiating a positive impression for robotic-assisted laparoscopic colorectal procedures will be an important precursor to continued success. Likewise, maintaining a regular schedule of procedures may advance the team’s competencies and deter complacency. Proper planning, deliberate implementation, and sustained perseverance are key to the successful initiation of a robotic colorectal program.
Detection of radiographic joint space narrowing in subjects with knee osteoarthritis: longitudinal comparison of the metatarsophalangeal and semiflexed anteroposterior views.

Objective Although recent protocols for standardized knee radiography afford highly reproducible radioanatomic alignment of the joint and measurement of joint space width (JSW) in repeat radiographs acquired on the same day, the sensitivity of these techniques to joint space narrowing (JSN) over time in subjects with knee osteoarthritis (OA) is unknown. The present study was undertaken to compare the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) view and the semiflexed anteroposterior (AP) view with respect to sensitivity to JSN in knee OA. Methods In 49 subjects with definite knee OA, 2 MTP radiographs and 1 semiflexed AP radiograph were obtained at baseline. Each examination was repeated 14 months later. In MTP views, minimum JSW and the distance between the anterior and posterior margins of the medial tibial plateau (intermargin distance [IMD], an indicator of parallel alignment of the tibial plateau and the x-ray beam) were measured with a pair of calipers and a magnifying lens fitted with a graticule. JSW in semiflexed AP views was measured by digital image analysis. Results The mean of within-knee standard deviations of JSW in the baseline MTP examinations (n = 52 OA knees) was 0.24 mm (coefficient of variation 5.8%). Although IMDs in the 2 baseline MTP views were very highly correlated (+0.88), IMDs in the serial examinations were only moderately correlated (+0.45). Serial MTP views showed a small increase in mean JSW over 14 months that was not significantly greater than zero (mean ± SD +0.09 ± 0.66 mm; P not significant). In contrast, concurrent semiflexed AP examinations showed a marginally significant decrease in mean JSW (−0.09 ± 0.31 mm; P = 0.10). Conclusion These results demonstrate that evidence of the short-term reproducibility of a radiographic protocol is an insufficient basis on which to predict the quality of its longitudinal performance.
Improving smile and dental esthetics: A comprehensive periodontal and restorative approach after orthodontics

The esthetic demands in smile are continually rising, being thus, critical factors such as; dental midline, smile line, incisal embrasures, tooth position, width to length crown ratio, symmetry of contra-lateral gingival margins, and gingival display need to be taken into consideration. The aim of this case report is to describe the improvement of smile esthetics in a patient that after orthodontic therapy, presented excessive gingival display, asymmetric gingival margins, and shape altered upper right and left lateral incisors, which in turn compromised dental esthetics. The present clinical case required comprehensive treatment process, including proper diagnosis and excellent communication between the prosthodontist and periodontist in order to carry out successful esthetic crown lengthening and restorative dentistry. Results were followed-up for 2 years after the case completion. A pleasant smile was obtained, showing stability over time.
Characterization of myoglobins from Atlantic and Pacific green sea turtles.

Abstract 1. 1. This paper presents information on the isolation, purification, and characterization of myoglobins from two sub-species of green sea turtles, Chelonia mydas mydas (Atlantic) and Chelonia mydas caranigra (Pacific). 2. 2. Data presented include amino acid composition, extinction coefficients for a variety of derivatives, estimation of molecular weight by Sephadex chromatography and acrylamide gel electrophoresis, isoelectric points, extent of heterogeneity, and oxygen equilibria. 3. 3. Also included is a picture of a cross-section of muscle fibers stained for myoglobin.
Conditional inactivation of the mouse von Hippel–Lindau tumor suppressor gene results in wide-spread hyperplastic, inflammatory and fibrotic lesions in the kidney

Conditional inactivation of the mouse von Hippel–Lindau tumor suppressor gene results in wide-spread hyperplastic, inflammatory and fibrotic lesions in the kidney
Predictive value of the parent guide to quality day care centers study ii

The purpose of the present study was to establish, through a replication in a second community, the reliability and predictive validity of the Parent Guide to Quality Day Care Centers. 28 women wer...
Dendrochronology and Late Holocene History of Bering Piedmont Glacier, Alaska

Fluctuations of the piedmont lobe of Bering Glacier and its sublobe Steller Glacier over the past two millennia are reconstructed using 34 radiocarbon dates and tree-ring data from 16 sites across the glaciers' forelands. The general sequence of glacial activity is consistent with well-dated fluctuations of tidewater and land-terminating glaciers elsewhere along the Gulf of Alaska. Extensive forested areas along 25 km of the Bering ice margin were inundated by glacio-lacustrine and glacio-fluvial sediments during a probable ice advance shortly before 500 cal yr A.D. Regrowth of forests followed the retreating ice as early as the 7th century A.D., with frequent interruptions of tree growth due to outwash aggradation. Forests overrun by ice and buried in outwash indicate readvance about 1080 cal yr A.D. Retreat followed, with ice-free conditions maintained along the distal portions of the forefield until the early 17th century after which the ice advanced to within a few kilometers of its outer Neoglacial moraine. Ice reached this position after the mid-17th century and prior to 200 yr ago. Since the early 20th century, glacial retreat has been punctuated by periodic surges. The record from forests overrun by the nonsurging Steller Lobe shows that this western ice margin was advancing by 1250 A.D., reaching near its outer moraine after 1420 cal yr A.D. Since the late 19th century, the lobe has dominantly retreated.
Exponent inequalities for the bulk conductivity of a hierarchical model

The bulk conductivityσ *(p) of the bond lattice in ℤ d is considered, where the bonds have conductivity 1 with probabilityp or e≧0 with probability 1-p Various representations of the derivatives ofσ *(p) are developed. These representations are used to analyze the behavior ofσ *(p) for e=0 near the percolation thresholdp c , when the conducting backbone is assumed to have a hierarchical node-link-blob (NLB) structure. This model has loops on arbitrarily many length scales and contains both singly and multiply connected bonds. Exact asymptotics of $$\frac{{d^2 \sigma ^* }}{{dp^2 }}$$ for the NLB model are proven under some technical assumptions. The proof employs a novel technique whereby $$\frac{{d^2 \sigma ^* }}{{dp^2 }}$$ for the NLB model with e=0 andp nearp c is computed using perturbation theory forσ *(p) (for two- and three-component resistor lattices) aroundp=1 with a sequence of e′s converging to 1 as one goes deeper in the hierarchy. These asymptotics establish convexity ofσ *(p) (for the NLB model) nearp c , and that its critical exponentt obeys the inequalities 1≦t≦2 ford=2,3, while 2≦t≦3 ford≧4. The upper boundt=2 ind=3, which is realizable in the NLB class, virtually coincides with two very recent numerical estimates obtained from simulation and series expansion for the original model.
“Hey mom, look at me!”

The degree to which infant and maternal characteristics were related to maternal psychological distress and play competence was examined in 40 mother preterm and full-term dyads. Measures of maternal psychological distress, self-efficacy, infant temperament, and mother-infant interaction in a play situation, were obtained at 4 months corrected for prematurity. Results revealed that maternal self-efficacy was the strongest correlate of maternal psychological distress but was not related to maternal play competence. Interaction effects for unadaptable temperament and infant behavioral involvement were found in the regressions predicting both maternal psychological distress and maternal play competence. Mothers of more adaptable and less behaviorally involved infants reported greater psychological distress and exhibited greater play competence than mothers of more adaptable and involved infants. The results suggest that a lack of concordance between mothers' perceptions of their infants' behavior and actual behavioral experiences adversely affects mothers' affect and the quality of their play interactions.
cAMP modulation during sheep in vitro oocyte maturation delays progression of meiosis without affecting oocyte parthenogenetic developmental competence

Abstract Removal of oocytes from their natural inhibitory follicular environment results in spontaneous resumption of meiosis independent of normal signaling events that occur in vivo . Controlling the onset of meiotic resumption via maintenance of elevated oocyte cAMP levels with adenylyl cyclase (AC) activation and phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibition, and subsequent hormone stimulation with follicle FSH has been shown to dramatically improve developmental competence of bovine and murine IVM oocytes. This study evaluated the effect of cAMP modulation during IVM of sheep oocytes on meiotic progression and development to blastocyst after parthenogenetic activation. Changes in oocyte cAMP levels were quantified during the first 2h of in vitro maturation in control or cAMP-modulating medium. No significant changes in intra-oocyte cAMP were observed under control conditions, though a slight and transient drop was noticed at 15min of maturation. Addition of the AC stimulator Forskolin and the PDE inhibitors IBMX altered the cAMP profile, resulting in 10-fold elevation of cAMP by 15min and sustained >3-fold elevated levels from 30 to 120min. The effect of cAMP elevation on meiotic resumption was measured by completion of germinal vesicle breakdown. Modulated oocytes were significantly delayed when compared to control media oocytes. Also, progression to MII was significantly delayed in modulated versus control oocytes at 20 and 24h, though no differences persisted to 28h. Lastly, when control and modulated oocytes were parthenogenetically activated, no differences in blastocyst formation were observed. Thus, while cAMP modulation delayed meiotic progression, it did not improve developmental competence of sheep IVM oocytes.
Normal and variant arterial supply of the liver and gallbladder

The vascular supply of the liver and gallbladder is characterized by a striking degree of polymorphism. The occurrence of variants that differ from the usual pattern is both surprisingly common and unpredictable. Knowledge of this variable anatomy is particularly important during surgical interventions in which preoperative imaging studies are not available, such as in organ procurements. In this report we consider various anatomical arterial configurations, and describe an unusual variant.
Effects of polyamine analogues on prostatic adenocarcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo.

Purpose: The overall purpose of this study was to determine the potential usefulness of 1,19-di-(ethylamino)-5,10,15-triazononadecane (BE-4-4-4-4) in the treatment of prostate cancer using in vitro and in vivo models. More specifically the objectives were: (1) to determine the in vitro and in vivo sensitivity of human and rat prostate cancer cells to two polyamine analogues N 1,N 11-di(ethyl)norspermine (DENSPM) and BE-4-4-4-4; (2) to determine whether the mechanism of cell kill occurred through an apoptotic pathway; and (3) to determine the toxicity associated with therapeutic doses of BE-4-4-4-4 using an animal model. Methods: In order to determine the ability of these drugs to cause in vitro cytotoxicity, colony-forming assays were performed utilizing the well-characterized Dunning rat prostate cancer cell lines AT3.1, AT6.1 and AT6.3, and the androgen-insensitive human prostate cancer cell lines DU145, DuPro-1 and TSU-Pr1. Apoptotic cell death was determined using DNA laddering and DAPI staining of nuclei. The antitumor activity of BE-4-4-4-4 was evaluated by treatment of DuPro-1 and PC-3 xenograft tumors in nude mice. Results: BE-4-4-4-4 was shown to be approximately 4 to 86 times more cytotoxic in clonogenic assays than DENSPM in both rat and human prostate carcinoma cell lines. Cells treated with cytotoxic doses of DENSPM or BE-4-4-4-4 showed no signs of apoptosis using either DNA laddering or DAPI staining of nuclei. There was a significant inhibition of DuPro-1 tumors for animals treated with BE-4-4-4-4 compared with control animals. Equitoxic doses of BE-4-4-4-4 resulted in greater tumor inhibition than DENSPM, although the difference was not significant. After treatment with therapeutic doses of BE-4-4-4-4, histopathologic evaluation indicated minimal to mild necrosis and inflammation in the kidneys on days 15 and 22 following treatment. On day 35, there was no necrosis or regeneration present in the kidney, indicating that the toxicity was transient and that regeneration of epithelial cells was complete with apparent return to normalcy. Conclusions: These initial studies demonstrate that BE-4-4-4-4 is cytotoxic against rat and human prostate cancer cells in culture and effective against DuPro-1 xenografts in nude mice. Polyamine analogues, such as DENSPM or BE-4-4-4-4, should be considered for clinical use in the treatment of prostate adenocarcinomas.
Learning subjective nouns using extraction pattern bootstrapping

We explore the idea of creating a subjectivity classifier that uses lists of subjective nouns learned by bootstrapping algorithms. The goal of our research is to develop a system that can distinguish subjective sentences from objective sentences. First, we use two bootstrapping algorithms that exploit extraction patterns to learn sets of subjective nouns. Then we train a Naive Bayes classifier using the subjective nouns, discourse features, and subjectivity clues identified in prior research. The bootstrapping algorithms learned over 1000 subjective nouns, and the subjectivity classifier performed well, achieving 77% recall with 81% precision.
Pharmacological interventions for peripheral artery disease

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) encompasses the vascular diseases caused primarily by atherosclerosis and thromboembolic pathophysiological processes that alter the normal structure and function of the aorta, its visceral arterial branches and the arteries of the upper and lower extremities. PAD is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The goals for pharmacological therapy in PAD should focus on reducing cardiovascular risk, improving walking distance and preventing critical limb ischaemia. Exercise training plays a key role in the therapeutic assessment, as well stopping smoking. Antiplatelet therapy (aspirin) should be given to every PAD patient if there are no contraindications. Neither their combination nor anticoagulant therapy has shown additional benefit in PAD patients. Several pharmacological agents have been developed to improve the functional state of the claudicant and to relieve the symptoms. Many studied drugs have shown either no, a small or a potential benefit. With future development of new drugs for PAD, there is an absolute need for very strict well-designed protocols in order to evaluate the claudication distance, the progression of the disease and the reduction in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. New developments should focus on improvement of endothelial function, vascular repair and enhancement of collateral circulation.
Clinical pharmacology of trimetrexate

The clinical pharmacokinetics of trimetrexate were determined in 11 patients during the phase I trial. The plasma drug disappearance curve was triphasic, with a t1/2 alpha of 8 +/- 5 minutes, t1/2 beta of 102 +/- 48 minutes, and t1/2 gamma of 15.2 +/- 5.7 hours. The AUC was 373 +/- 336 (micrograms/ml) hr (normalized to a dose of 200 mg/m2), volume of distribution by the area method (Varea) was 25.2 +/- 16.1 L/m2, total clearance (CL) was 14 +/- 8 ml/min/m2, and renal clearance (CLR) was 8 +/- 6 ml/min/m2. Four patients who received 190 to 200 mg/m2 did not develop severe toxicity. However, three patients who received 120 to 210 mg/m2 developed severe myelosuppression, skin rash, and stomatitis. This latter group had significantly longer terminal half-lives, greater AUCs, smaller Vareas, and lower rates of CL and CLR. One of these patients received an unusually large total amount of trimetrexate (470 mg) because of his obesity. The remaining two patients had renal problems. One developed toxicity despite having received a reduced dose (120 mg/m2) because of impaired renal function. The other patient, with normal renal function, had ascites and had undergone a unilateral nephrectomy for renal carcinoma. These data suggest that prolonged exposure to high trimetrexate levels may lead to increased toxicity. Dosage adjustment may have to be considered for patients who have renal dysfunction.
Environmentally-Friendly Navigation

One of the major successes in ITS technology lately has been in the area of advanced traveler information systems (ATIS). In particular, there are now many good navigation systems that can advise drivers on route selection within a roadway network. This type of navigation software is now available on the Internet that can be used for trip planning, as well as in on-board navigation systems that can calculate optimal routes based on current vehicle location. The primary role of these navigation systems is to help drivers find their destinations. More advanced navigation systems can now help drivers avoid congestion on the roadways based on receiving real-time roadway data information. To date, these navigation systems have embedded algorithms that attempt to minimize trip distance and/or travel time. However, many drivers are now becoming increasingly concerned with rising fuel costs and pollutant emissions. Therefore, it is desirable to create new "environmentally-friendly" navigation algorithms. Taking advantage of the latest navigation technology, we have developed new navigation techniques that focus on minimizing energy consumption and pollutant emissions. These methods combine sophisticated mobile-source energy and emission models with route minimization algorithms that are used for navigational purposes. These new methods have been applied in several southern California case studies resulting in significant energy savings compared to standard navigation techniques.
Forecasting Distribution of Body Mass Index in the United States: Is There More Room for Growth?

Background. Much of the literature on obesity has consistently documented the unprecedented rise in body weight over the past 2 decades. Less attention is paid to future projections of the population distribution of body mass index (BMI). Objective. To forecast the distribution of BMI in children (6—17 years) and adults (>17 years) in the United States (US) by age group, sex, and race over the period 2004—2014. Methods. Analysis of Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data (2001—2002 and 2004— 2005) to estimate and compare the 1-year transitions across BMI categories for children and adults. Forecasting distributions of obesity over 2004—2014 using a probabilistic population-level simulation model and validating it with prevalence data from 2005—2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Results. During 2004— 2005, a majority of adults in each BMI category remained in the same category after 1 year, these estimates being not significantly different than the corresponding estimates in 2001—2002. Am...
Service equality in virtual reference

Research is divided about the potential of e-service to bridge communication gaps, particularly to diverse user groups. According to the existing body of literature, e-service may either increase or decrease the quality of service received. This study analyzes the level of service received by different genders and ethnic groups when academic and public librarians answered 676 online reference queries. Quality of e-service was evaluated along three dimensions: timely response, reliability, and courtesy. This study found no significant differences among different user groups along any of these dimensions, supporting the argument that the virtual environment facilitates equitable service and may overcome some challenges of diverse user groups. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Biokinetics of dietaryRRR-α-tocopherol in the male guinea pig at three dietary levels of vitamin C and two levels of vitamin E. Evidence that vitamin C does not “spare” vitamin Ein vivo

The net rates of uptake of “new” and loss of “old”2R,4′ R,8′ R-α-tocopherol (RRR-α-TOH, which is natural vitamin E) have been measured in the blood and in nine tissues of male guinea pigs over an eight week period by feeding diets containing deuterium-labelled α-tocopheryl acetate (d6-RRR-α-TOAc). There was an initial two week “lead-in” period during which 24 animals [the “high” vitamin E (HE) group] received diets containing 36 mg of unlabelled (d0)RRR-α-TOAc and 250 mg of ascorbic acid per kg diet, while another 24 animals [the “low” vitamin E (LE) group] received diets containing 5 mgd0-RRR-α-TOAc and 250 mg ascorbic acid per kg diet. The HE group was then tivided into three equal subgroups, which were fed diets containing 36 mgd6-RRR-α-TOAc and 5000 mg [the “high” vitamin C (HEHC) subgroup], 250 mg [the “normal” vitamin C (HENC) subgroup] and 50 mg [the “low” vitamin C (HELC) subgroup] ascorbic acid per kg diet. One animal from each group was sacrificed each week and the blood and tissues were analyzed ford0- andd6-RRR-α-TOH by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The LE group was similarly divided into three equal subgroups with animals receiving diets containing 5 mgd6-RRR-α-TOAc and 5,000 mg (LEHC), 250 mg (LENC) and 50 mg (LELC) ascorbic acid per kg diet with a similar protocol being followed for sacrifice and analyses. In the HE group the totald0-+d6-)RRR-α-TOH concentrations in blood and tissues remained essentially constant over the eight week experiment, whereas in the LE group the totalRRR-α-TOH concentrations declined noticeably (except in the brain, an organ with a particularly slow turnover of vitamin E). There were no significant differences in the concentrations of “old”d0-RRR-α-TOH nor in the concentrations of “new”d6-RRR-α-TOH found in any tissue at a particular time between the HEHC, HENC and HELC subgroups, nor between the LEHC, LENC and LELC subgroups. We conclude that the long-postulated “spring” action of vitamin C on vitamin E, which is well documentedin vitro, is of negligible importancein vivo in guinea pigs that are not oxidatively stressed in comparison with the normal metabolic processes which consume vitamin E (e.g., by oxidizing it irreversibly) or elminate it from the body. This is true both for guinea pigs with an adequate, well-maintained vitamin E status and for guinea pigs which are receiving insufficient vitamin E to maintain their body stores.
Integrative analysis of multiple diverse omics datasets by sparse group multitask regression

A variety of high throughput genome-wide assays enable the exploration of genetic risk factors underlying complex traits. Although these studies have remarkable impact on identifying susceptible biomarkers, they suffer from issues such as limited sample size and low reproducibility. Combining individual studies of different genetic levels/platforms has the promise to improve the power and consistency of biomarker identification. In this paper, we propose a novel integrative method, namely sparse group multitask regression, for integrating diverse omics datasets, platforms and populations to identify risk genes/factors of complex diseases. This method combines multitask learning with sparse group regularization, which will: 1) treat the biomarker identification in each single study as a task and then combine them by multitask learning; 2) group variables from all studies for identifying significant genes; 3) enforce sparse constraint on groups of variables to overcome the ‘small sample, but large variables’ problem. We introduce two sparse group penalties: sparse group lasso and sparse group ridge in our multitask model, and provide an effective algorithm for each model. In addition, we propose a significance test for the identification of potential risk genes. Two simulation studies are performed to evaluate the performance of our integrative method by comparing it with conventional meta-analysis method. The results show that our sparse group multitask method outperforms meta-analysis method significantly. In an application to our osteoporosis studies, 7 genes are identified as significant genes by our method and are found to have significant effects in other three independent studies for validation. The most significant gene SOD2 has been identified in our previous osteoporosis study involving the same expression dataset. Several other genes such as TREML2, HTR1E and GLO1 are shown to be novel susceptible genes for osteoporosis, as confirmed from other studies.
Clinical evaluator reliability for quantitative and manual muscle testing measures of strength in children

Measurements of muscle strength in clinical trials of Duchenne muscular dystrophy have relied heavily on manual muscle testing (MMT). The high level of intra- and interrater variability of MMT compromises clinical study results. We compared the reliability of 12 clinical evaluators in performing MMT and quantitative muscle testing (QMT) on 12 children with muscular dystrophy. QMT was reliable, with an interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of >0.9 for biceps and grip strength, and >0.8 for quadriceps strength. Training of both subjects and evaluators was easily accomplished. MMT was not as reliable, and required repeated training of evaluators to bring all groups to an ICC >0.75 for shoulder abduction, elbow and hip flexion, knee extension, and ankle dorsiflexion. We conclude that QMT shows greater reliability and is easier to implement than MMT. Consequently, QMT will be a superior measure of strength for use in pediatric, neuromuscular, multicenter clinical trials.
The SLq(2) extension of the standard model

The idea that the elementary particles might have the symmetry of knots has had a long history. In any modern formulation of this idea, however, the knot must be quantized. The present review is a summary of a small set of papers that began as an attempt to correlate the properties of quantized knots with empirical properties of the elementary particles. As the ideas behind these papers have developed over a number of years, the model has evolved, and this review is intended to present the model in its current form. The original picture of an elementary fermion as a solitonic knot of field, described by the trefoil representation of SUq(2), has expanded into its present form in which a knotted field is complementary to a composite structure composed of three preons that in turn are described by the fundamental representation of SLq(2). Higher representations of SLq(2) are interpreted as describing composite particles composed of three or more preons bound by a knotted field. This preon model unexpectedly agrees in important detail with the Harari–Shupe model. There is an associated Lagrangian dynamics capable in principle of describing the interactions and masses of the particles generated by the model.
Accuracy of in vivo neuroreceptor quantification by PET and review of steady-state, transient, double injection, and equilibrium models

The accuracy of in vivo dopamine D2 receptor quantification by positron emission tomography (PET) was determined for several models by means of singular-value decomposition, and some of the model assumptions were reviewed. These include steady-state, transient, double injection, and equilibrium approaches. All four modes are augmented by including a realistic kinetic interaction of the radioligand with the striatal serotonin S2 receptor. When a set of parameters derived specifically with reference to the equilibrium model was applied, it was found that a reversible radioligand used in conjunction with the equilibrium model permits accurate quantification. However, an assumption of the equilibrium model-that equilibrium is achieved during the time of measurement-is shown to be unsupported by the published experimental data. These results indicate that the equilibrium approach can provide an alternative to the kinetic approaches, but that additional experimental evidence is required to demonstrate the validity of the equilibrium assumption. >
Exchange algorithms for constructing large spatial designs

Exchange algorithms are widely used for optimizing design criteria and have proven to be highly effective. However, application of these algorithms can be computationally prohibitive for very large design problems, and in situations for which the design criterion is sufficiently complex so as to prevent efficient evaluation strategies. This paper reports on several modifications to exchange algorithms that lead to large reductions in the computational burden associated with optimizing any given design criterion. A small study indicates that these modifications do not significantly impact the quality of designs, while reductions in effort of over 90% can be achieved.
Energy locality: processing/communication/interface tradeoffs to optimize energy in mobile systems

Summary form only given, as follows. As computers continue to shrink, research and commercial interest in mobile/wearable computing is rapidly growing. Unlike traditional desktop computing in which the user is required to come to the computer, mobile computing brings the computer to the user. Mobile/wearable computers represent the next evolutionary step in the trend toward more people-centric computing. One of the key problems with mobile/wearable computing is energy consumption. Battery weight for mobile/wearable computers often exceeds the weight of all other components combined. In order to make mobile/wearable computing widely applicable, major advances in reducing power consumption and battery weight are needed. While a "Moore's Law" exists for power consumption of microprocessors with mW/MIPS decreasing by a factor of ten every five year, there is no such similar trend in wireless communications. This suggests that future wearable computers will be communications bound. In fact, we estimate that nearly 80% of the power consumed by wearable computers can be due to communications. Trading off energy expensive communication for energy cheap computation through effective partitioning of control and data can result in significant energy savings. Examples and measurements will illustrate how the use of proxies can reduce power consumption due to communications by several orders of magnitude. In addition, the interface design must be carefully matched with user tasks and balanced against energy consumption. Many complex and interrelated issues determine the balance between ease-of-use and power consumption. Simply trading off ease-of-use for lower per operation power consumption may result in higher task energy consumption due to the increase in the number of operations needed to traverse a less intuitive interface. The effect of user interface on energy consumption can be evaluated by developing several different interfaces and measuring and comparing the ease-of-use and energy consumption. In conclusion, an architecture that supports these studies will be introduced. The Spot wearable computer includes a dozen power monitors that can be read under software control to determine which subsystems are active and their power consumption during an application.
Novel intra-arterial strategies in the treatment of acute ischaemic stroke.

Summary Acute ischaemic stroke is among the leading causes of death and disability in developed societies. I.v. and intra-arterial thrombolysis, and mechanical thrombectomy carried out within the appropriate time window can result in superior clinical outcomes compared with traditional therapy consisting of anticoagulation and/or aspirin. In cases where thrombolysis and/or thrombectomy have not been proven effective or have failed to result in rapid clinical and/or angiographic improvement, novel intra-arterial strategies may be applied by experienced interventional neuroradiologists to achieve recanalization of recalcitrant vessel occlusions with good clinical outcomes.
Subcellular Trafficking, Pentameric Assembly, and Subunit Stoichiometry of Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Containing Fluorescently Labeled α6 and β3 Subunits

Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptors are ligand-gated, cation-selective ion channels. Nicotinic receptors containing α4, α6, β2, and β3 subunits are expressed in midbrain dopaminergic neurons, and they are implicated in the response to smoked nicotine. Here, we have studied the cell biological and biophysical properties of receptors containing α6 and β3 subunits by using fluorescent proteins fused within the M3-M4 intracellular loop. Receptors containing fluorescently tagged β3 subunits were fully functional compared with receptors with untagged β3 subunits. We find that β3- and α6-containing receptors are highly expressed in neurons and that they colocalize with coexpressed, fluorescent α4 and β2 subunits in neuronal soma and dendrites. Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) reveals efficient, specific assembly of β3 and α6 into nicotinic receptor pentamers of various subunit compositions. Using FRET, we demonstrate directly that only a single β3 subunit is incorporated into nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) containing this subunit, whereas multiple subunit stoichiometries exist for α4- and α6-containing receptors. Finally, we demonstrate that nicotinic ACh receptors are localized in distinct microdomains at or near the plasma membrane using total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy. We suggest that neurons contain large, intracellular pools of assembled, functional nicotinic receptors, which may provide them with the ability to rapidly up-regulate nicotinic responses to endogenous ligands such as ACh, or to exogenous agents such as nicotine. Furthermore, this report is the first to directly measure nAChR subunit stoichiometry using FRET and plasma membrane localization of α6- and β3-containing receptors using TIRF.
Physiological Advantage of the Mechanism of the Tryptophan Synthetase Reaction

Indole-accumulating and indole-utilizing tryptophan synthetase mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were found to form complementing diploids with unusual growth properties. These strains grew at nearly the wild-type exponential rate, but only after an abnormally prolonged lag period of a duration that depended on the initial cell density. The exaggerated lag was reduced by adding low concentrations of indole in the medium. The growth properties were interpreted to be a consequence of the inability of these strains to synthesize tryptophan by the normal mechanism.
Collisions of resonantly coupled round beams at the Cornell electron-positron storage ring (CESR)

As a first step toward testing the proposed "Mobius" scheme, we used existing CESR elements to collide round, rather than flat, beams. The tune shift parameter, /spl xi/, was inferred from the beam profiles and current, was compared to the tune shift of the coherent beam-beam /spl pi/ mode, and was corroborated by luminosity measurement. Values of /spl xi/ up to 0.09 were achieved without significant lifetime reduction.
Special Education and Students At Risk: Findings From a National Study:

This article addresses the relationship between students with and without special education who are considered at risk. Data were analyzed from the national Phi Delta Kappa study of 22,018 students, 9,652 teachers, and 276 principals in 39 states and a Canadian province. Approximately 64% of the students eligible for special education services were categorized as having learning disabilities. It would appear that these students with special education needs, all of whom were enrolled in classes, are at greater risk than other students who do not possess a special categorical label. This was true for all special categories identified as well as for all grade levels assessed. The data also indicated that principals and teachers view special education as one of the more appropriate and effective intervention strategies for use with at-risk students. This finding poses more questions than answers, as a greater number of students with special education needs are being placed in general classrooms for instructio...
Racial/Ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in the prevalence and treatment of otitis media in children in the United States†‡

Objectives: Although racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in child health are prevalent, little is known about them within common pediatric otolaryngic problems. Otitis media (OM) is a frequent diagnosis in children, and tympanostomy tube placement is the most common surgical treatment for OM. We sought to identify current knowledge regarding racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in children with OM or tympanostomy tube placement. Methods: Qualitative systematic review of MEDLINE database for U.S.-based articles reporting on racial/ethnic or socioeconomic disparities in diagnosis or surgical treatment of OM over the last 30 years. Results: Of 428 abstracts identified, 15 met inclusion criteria. Articles addressed OM prevalence (12 of 15), risk factors (9 of 15), and tympanostomy tube insertion (4 of 15). Minority racial/ethnic groups studied were Black (11 of 15), Hispanic (6 of 15), American Indian/Alaska Native (2 of 15), and Asian (1 of 15). Predominant findings showed: 1) the most common identified risk factor for OM is socioeconomic status; 2) considerable variability exists concerning racial/ethnic disparities in disease prevalence; and 3) White children are more likely to undergo tympanostomy tube insertion compared to Black or Hispanic children. Conclusions: Racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities exist for the prevalence and treatment of children with OM. Socioeconomic deprivation increases the risk of OM in children. Despite the frequency of tympanostomy tube insertion in children in the United States, few studies have addressed inequalities in access or utilization of surgical therapy. Given the changing healthcare climate and the social and economic impact of OM in children, further investigation of racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities targeting access to surgical treatment of OM should take precedence in health services research. Laryngoscope, 2010
Multiplexed Reverse Transcriptase PCR Assay for Identification of Viral Respiratory Pathogens at the Point of Care

We have developed a nucleic acid-based assay that is rapid, sensitive, and specific and can be used for the simultaneous detection of five common human respiratory pathogens, including influenza virus A, influenza virus B, parainfluenza virus types 1 and 3, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and adenovirus groups B, C, and E. Typically, diagnosis on an unextracted clinical sample can be provided in less than 3 h, including sample collection, preparation, and processing, as well as data analysis. Such a multiplexed panel would enable rapid broad-spectrum pathogen testing on nasal swabs and therefore allow implementation of infection control measures and the timely administration of antiviral therapies. We present here a summary of the assay performance in terms of sensitivity and specificity. The limits of detection are provided for each targeted respiratory pathogen, and result comparisons were performed on clinical samples, our goal being to compare the sensitivity and specificity of the multiplexed assay to the combination of immunofluorescence and shell vial culture currently implemented at the University of California-Davis Medical Center hospital. Overall, the use of the multiplexed reverse transcription-PCR assay reduced the rate of false-negative results by 4% and reduced the rate of false-positive results by up to 10%. The assay correctly identified 99.3% of the clinical negatives and 97% of the adenovirus, 95% of the RSV, 92% of the influenza virus B, and 77% of the influenza virus A samples without any extraction performed on the clinical samples. The data also showed that extraction will be needed for parainfluenza virus, which was only identified correctly 24% of the time on unextracted samples.
The double-isotope-label technique and inorganic reaction mechanisms

Abstract The double-isotope-tracer technique provides a way of investigating a number of aspects concerning reaction mechanisms. In the case of the peroxyacid decomposition it is seen that the structures of two transition states of identical constitution were clarified. In the oxidation of hydrazine the isotope data showed what intermediates were present and also showed something about the timing of bond breaking of these intermediates. Also, in the case of the hydrazine oxidations and peroxide decompositions the positions of bond breaking were discovered. The technique will certainly be used in further studies of the cage effect. Finally, it is possible to study reactions which occur when there is no net chemical change.