cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The MASCC/ISOO Mucositis Guidelines Update: introduction to the first set of articles.

(MASCC), in partnership with the International Society of Oral Oncology (ISOO), is dedicated to improving the lives of oncology patients, with a focus on prevention and management of the adverse effects of cancer and of cancer therapy. Effective supportive care in oncology can significantly improve patient outcomes, including quality of life, and allow patients to tolerate and benefit from cancer therapy. The work of MASCC/ISOO is largely carried out through its study groups, which are groups of MASCC/ISOO members who haveself-identifiedaninterestina particulartoxicityofcancer or of its treatment. The Mucositis Study Group (MSG) is one of these study groups, comprising some 200–250 members committed to reducing the burden of mucositis through research, policy, and effective programs. Our membership includes clinicians, researchers, and industry representatives
Monte Carlo simulations and the chi-square test of independence

A Monte Carlo program for sampling 2 by 2 contingency tables from a user-specified population is discussed. Applications include computer-assisted instruction (CAI) of statistics, evaluation of actual vs nominal Type I error rates of the chi-square test of independence when expected frequencies are less than 10, and estimation of the power of the chi-square test.
Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative: A one-year follow up study using tensor-based morphometry correlating degenerative rates, biomarkers and cognition

Tensor-based morphometry can recover three-dimensional longitudinal brain changes over time by nonlinearly registering baseline to follow-up MRI scans of the same subject. Here, we compared the anatomical distribution of longitudinal brain structural changes, over 12 months, using a subset of the ADNI dataset consisting of 20 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), 40 healthy elderly controls, and 40 individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Each individual longitudinal change map (Jacobian map) was created using an unbiased registration technique, and spatially normalized to a geometrically-centered average image based on healthy controls. Voxelwise statistical analyses revealed regional differences in atrophy rates, and these differences were correlated with clinical measures and biomarkers. Consistent with prior studies, we detected widespread cerebral atrophy in AD, and a more restricted atrophic pattern in MCI. In MCI, temporal lobe atrophy rates were correlated with changes in mini-mental state exam (MMSE) scores, clinical dementia rating (CDR), and logical/verbal learning memory scores. In AD, temporal atrophy rates were correlated with several biomarker indices, including a higher CSF level of p-tau protein, and a greater CSF tau/beta amyloid 1-42 (ABeta42) ratio. Temporal lobe atrophy was significantly faster in MCI subjects who converted to AD than in non-converters. Serial MRI scans can therefore be analyzed with nonlinear image registration to relate ongoing neurodegeneration to a variety of pathological biomarkers, cognitive changes, and conversion from MCI to AD, tracking disease progression in 3-dimensional detail.
On matrix variate skew-normal distributions

Consider an experiment in which m measurements are observed in each of n treatments (for example, different dosages of a drug). When the experimenter is interested in the differences of the treatment effects, statistical testing of the corresponding mean vectors for skew populations necessitates a new model, which is called the matrix variate of skew normal distributions. In this note, we propose the model and derive the moment generating function and distribution of the quadratic forms of such random matrices. We show that the quadratic form of a skew normal matrix variate follows a Wishart distribution.
Synergistic Transcriptional Activation of the Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases-1 Promoter via Functional Interaction of AP-1 and Ets-1 Transcription Factors

The tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) is an inhibitor of the extracellular matrix-degrading metalloproteinases. We characterized response elements that control TIMP-1 gene expression. One contains a binding site that selectively binds c-Fos and c-Jun in vitro and confers a response to multiple AP-1 family members in vivo. Adjacent to this is a binding site for Ets domain proteins. Although c-Ets-1 alone did not activate transcription from this element, it enhanced transcription synergistically with AP-1 either in the context of the natural promoter or when the sequence was linked upstream of a heterologous promoter. Furthermore, a complex of c-Jun and c-Fos interacted with c-Ets-1 in vitro. These results suggest that AP-1 tethers c-Ets-1 to the TIMP-1 promoter via protein-protein interaction to achieve Ets-dependent transcriptional regulation. Collectively, our results indicate that TIMP-1 expression is controlled by several DNA response elements that respond to variations in the level and activity of AP-1 and Ets transcriptional regulatory proteins.
Fisetin, a natural flavonoid, targets chemoresistant human pancreatic cancer AsPC-1 cells through DR3-mediated inhibition of NF-κB

Death receptors of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor super family have been implicated in constitutive activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) in pancreatic cancer (PaC) cells. In this study, we demonstrate that fisetin, a natural flavonoid, induces apoptosis and inhibits invasion of chemoresistant PaC AsPC-1 cells through suppression of DR3-mediated NF-kappaB activation. Fisetin treatment resulted in dose-dependent inhibition of PaC cell growth and cell proliferation with concomitant induction of apoptosis. A cDNA array analysis revealed that fisetin modulates expression of more than 20 genes at transcription level with maximum decrease observed in DR3 expression and a parallel increase observed in the expression levels of IkappaBalpha, an NF-kappaB inhibitor. Down-regulation of DR3 in PaC cells was found to down regulate activated pNF-kappaB/p65, pIkBalpha/beta kinases (pIKK's), MMP9 and XIAP that mostly impart chemoresistance in PaC. Immunoblotting and EMSA analysis showed a marked decrease in pNF-kappaB and NF-kappaB DNA binding activity, respectively, with modest decrease in NF-kappaB promoter activity and significant decrease in MMP9 promoter activity with fisetin treatment. Importantly, consistent with these findings, we further found that transient down-regulation of DR3 by RNA interference significantly augmented fisetin induced changes in cell proliferation, cell invasion and apoptosis paralleled with decrease in pNF-kappaB, pIKKalpha/beta, MMP9, XIAP and NF-kappaB DNA binding activity. Blocking of DR3 receptor with an extra cellular domain blocking antibody demonstrated similar effects. These data provide evidence that fisetin could provide a biological rationale for treatment of pancreatic cancer or as an adjuvant with conventional therapeutic regimens.
An approach to determine calibration samples in NIR modelling for cotton fibre strength

adopted for cotton fi bre quality assessment, little effort has been made to unravel the relationship between the two. In the latest study, 5 we have not only demonstrated the consistency of strength readings between two instruments if the strength readings were divided by cotton micronaire, but also developed a better NIR model by using the modifi ed strength index rather than using raw strength data as reference values. Nevertheless, two strength readings from two independent strength tests should be highly correlated if the cotton fi bres used for the testing are homogeneous. This concept could be implemented before developing a NIR model on cotton strength to select an appropriate sample set.
Mexican and Central American immigrant communities in the boom and bust housing markets of the 2000s

Classic immigrant enclaves, largely voluntary and temporary, have historically served as a strong platform for integration in United States metropolitan areas. However, trends in the early 2000s, including new destinations and skyrocketing housing costs, may have reshaped the landscape, particularly for numerically dominant immigrant groups with very low socioeconomic status. In this article, I use data for 56 metropolitan areas and 31,563 census tracts from the 2000 Census and the 2005–2009 American Community Survey to examine the relationship between the change in concentration of Mexican and Central American immigrants and the characteristics of neighborhoods in 2000. The analyses suggest that, across metropolitan areas, these immigrant communities consolidated in neighborhoods with low home values, adequate but overcrowded housing, relatively small shares of their own immigrant group, and large shares of other Hispanics. Demographic dynamics may have weakened immigrant support networks, leaving Mexica...
Site-specific techniques of joint injection. Useful additions to your treatment repertoire.

PREVIEWPrimary care physicians who master the techniques of aspiration and injection can diagnose and treat many joint and soft-tissue conditions successfully in an office setting. An article by Drs Rifat and Moeller in our January issue (page 157) covered the basics of joint injection. In this article, the authors explain site-specific techniques from the subacromial space to the plantar fascia. For each site, they provide a list of necessary equipment and an anatomic drawing to illustrate correct needle placement.
Ion-momentum imaging of dissociative electron attachment dynamics in acetylene

We present experimental results for dissociative electron attachment to acetylene near the 3 eV ${}^{2}{\ensuremath{\Pi}}_{g}$ resonance. In particular, we use an ion-momentum imaging technique to investigate the dissociation channel leading to ${\mathrm{C}}_{2}{\mathrm{H}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ fragments. From our measured ion-momentum results we extract fragment kinetic energy and angular distributions. We directly observe a significant dissociation bending dynamic associated with the formation of the transitory negative ion. In modeling this bending dynamic with ab initio electronic structure and fixed-nuclei scattering calculations we obtain good agreement with the experiment.
Light Ion Linacs for Medical Applications

Recent advances in linear accelerator technology point to the feasibility of designing and developing practical medical linacs for producing protons, neutrons, or pi mesons for the radiation therapy of cancer. Additional uses of such linacs could include radioisotope production and charged particle radiography. For widespread utilization medical linacs must exhibit reasonable cost, compactness, reliability, and simplicity of operation. Possible extensions of current accelerator technology which might provide these characteristics are discussed in connection with linac design, fabrication techniques, materials, power sources, injectors, and particle collection and delivery systems. Parameters for a medical proton linac for producing pions are listed.
Criminal Justice Decisions of Various International Courts of 2004

This review summarizes the jurisprudence for the calendar year 2004 of international tribunals and courts that are contributing to the development of international legal norms for the accountability of human rights violations involving criminal justice issues. The pertinent jurisprudence for international criminal law is summarized for the two ad hoc international criminal tribunals: the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Also the legal developments from two major sources of legal norms for international human rights are summarized here for the U.N. Human Rights Committee and for the European Court of Human Rights.
Review The Preclinical Pharmacology of Dorzolamide Hydrochloride, a Topical Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitor

ABSTRACT Dorzolamide hydrochloride (S,S-5,6-dihydro-4H-4-ethylamino-6-methylthieno[2,3-b]thiopyran-2-sulfonamide-7,7-dioxide HCl; MK-507; L-671,152) is a water-soluble, potent inhibitor of human carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes II and IV in vitro, the respective IC50 values being 0.18 nM and 6.9 nM. In contrast, it was found to be a much weaker inhibitor of human carbonic anhydrase isoenzyme I (IC50 value of 600 nM). The topical administration of one 50 μl drop of 0.5%, 1% and 2% solutions of dorzolamide maximally lowered the intraocular pressure (IOP) of glaucomatous monkeys by 22%, 30% and 37%, respectively. Good ocular hypotensive activity was also observed in ocular normotensive and hypertensive rabbits. Its site of action was within the eye, and the reductions in IOP in both species was achieved via decreased aqueous humor inflow. The duration of action of 2% dorzolamide was shorter than that of 0.5% timolol in glaucomatous monkeys. The IOP lowering activity of timolol in this paradigm was enhanced by t...
An Exercise in Symbolic Programming: Computation of General Normalized Inclination Functions

Computation of the general normalized inclination functionsA k lm(i) defined by R. H. Gooding is studies as an example of a representative problem in symbolic programming applied to celestial mechanics. The performance of three different computing systems (one for general use, one for special-purpose applications in celestial mechanics, and one whose data-structures are intended to adapt themselves to descriptions of special-purpose applications) on the problem is discussed, together with aspects of their operation which are likely to require the user's attention in most such computations. An Appendix contains the values of the functions throughl=6.
Relations between transverse electric fields and field-aligned currents

A model for the field-aligned propagation of transverse electric fields and associated field-aligned sheet currents is presented which takes into account the wave nature of the process. The model is applied to the separate cases of ionospheric and magnetospheric sources, and the resulting ionospheric electric field to field-aligned sheet current ratios are determined for comparison with experimental observations. It is found that the magnetospheric wave 'conductivity' for shear mode Alfven waves is small with respect to typical values of the height-integrated ionospheric Pedersen conductivity. For plasma convecting across a stationary disturbance a dynamic equilibrium is achieved in which field-aligned currents flow continuously away from the source on convecting field lines. Consistency with typical ionospheric electric fields requires that the field-aligned sheet currents are limited to around 0.1 A/m for ionospheric polarization sources, while magnetospheric sources are easily capable of 1 A/m or more.
Robust Digital Image Analysis of Pendant Drop Shapes

Abstract The advent of digital image analysis permits the use of several hundred data points defining the profile of a pendant drop in order to determine the surface tension from a fit to a solution to the Young–Laplace equation. This paper discusses several improvements to both the experimental apparatus for carrying out pendant drop measurements and to the methodology for analyzing the drop profiles in order to determine the surface tension. Several standard minimization algorithms were evaluated for fitting the theoretical and experimental drop profiles. These algorithms are very reliable, although there is a tradeoff between robustness and speed of computation. The most robust algorithm was found to converge irrespective of the “roughness” of the experimental drop profile or the accuracy of the initial estimates of the fitting parameters. Whereas the standard deviation of the surface-tension data provides a measure of the precision, the objective function is shown to be an indicator of systematic error in the data. Surface-tension measurements are reported for two standard liquids, methanol and toluene. A standard deviation of 0.016 dyn/cm is obtained for methanol using the full drop profile; this is significantly below the value of 0.036 dyn/cm obtained using the selected plane method, thus indicating that this improved pendant drop technique can give very precise measurements of surface tension.
Spectroscopic influences of ion pairing: Infrared matrix isolation spectra of the M+BF−4 ion pair and its chlorine—fluorine analogs

Abstract The matrix isolation technique has been combined with the salt/molecule reaction for the study of contact ion pairs in matrices. The infrared spectrum of the Cs + BF − 4 ion pair shows a splitting of the triply degenerate BF − 4 stretching band due to cesium cation perturbation, with a splitting of nearly 200 cm −1 . Normal coordinate calculations support a C 3υ model for the anion, and lead to a value of Δ K of 4.1 for Cs + , 4.7 for K + and 3.8 for Tl + , where Δ K is the difference in BF stretching force constant between the coordinated fluorine and the non-coordinated fluorines. Similar calculations were carried out for the Cs + BCl − 4 ion pair, and an optimal value of Δ K = 1.6 was obtained.
Cephalometric appraisal of patients treated with fixed lingual orthodontic appliances: Historic review and analysis of cases

In the first part of this article, a retrospective look was taken of evolvement and progression in design of the lingual fixed orthodontic appliance. The second part is a retrospective study of treated lingual cases. By the use of standardized cephalometric radiographs, selected treatment parameters were analyzed:--namely, bite opening, changes in mandibular position, inclination, torque and intrusion of incisors, and soft-tissue effects. For the clinician who uses this treatment modality, the most significant effects are the bite opening, intrusion of the mandibular incisors (particularly in extraction cases), and limited reduction of lower lip protrusion. The mandibular plane angle and torque and inclination of incisors did not follow a consistent and predictable pattern. On the basis of the study's findings, it is suggested that lingual fixed appliance therapy is a useful supplement to our treatment modalities; good results are both realistic and possible.
Spatial Variation in Fish Species Richness of the Upper Mississippi River System

Abstract Important natural environmental gradients, including the connectivity of off-channel aquatic habitats to the main-stem river, have been lost in many reaches of the upper Mississippi River system, and an understanding of the consequences of this isolation is lacking in regard to native fish communities. The objectives of this study were to describe patterns of fish species richness, evenness, and diversity among representative habitats and river reaches and to examine the relationship between fish species richness and habitat diversity. Each year (1994–1999) fish communities of main-channel borders (MCB), side channel borders (SCB), and contiguous backwater shorelines (BWS) were sampled using boat-mounted electrofishing, mini-fyke-nets, fyke nets, hoop nets, and seines at a standardized number of sites. A total of 0.65 million fish were collected, representing 106 species from upper Mississippi River Pools 4, 8, 13, and 26; the open (unimpounded) river reach; and the La Grange Reach of the Illinoi...
Pro- and antiarrhythmic effects of ATP-sensitive potassium current activation on reentry during early afterdepolarization-mediated arrhythmias

Background Under conditions promoting early afterdepolarizations (EADs), ventricular tissue can become bi-excitable, that is, capable of wave propagation mediated by either the Na current (I Na ) or the L-type calcium current (I Ca,L ), raising the possibility that I Ca,L -mediated reentry may contribute to polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (PVT) and torsades de pointes. ATP-sensitive K current (I KATP ) activation suppresses EADs, but the effects on I Ca,L -mediated reentry are unknown. Objective To investigate the effects of I KATP activation on I Ca,L -mediated reentry. Methods We performed optical voltage mapping in cultured neonatal rat ventricular myocyte monolayers exposed to BayK8644 and isoproterenol. The effects of pharmacologically activating I KATP with pinacidil were analyzed. Results In 13 monolayers with anatomic I Ca,L -mediated reentry around a central obstacle, pinacidil (50 μM) converted I Ca,L -mediated reentry to I Na -mediated reentry. In 33 monolayers with functional I Ca,L -mediated reentry (spiral waves), pinacidil terminated reentry in 17, converted reentry into more complex I Na -mediated reentry resembling fibrillation in 12, and had no effect in 4. In simulated 2-dimensional bi-excitable tissue in which I Ca,L - and I Na -mediated wave fronts coexisted, slow I KATP activation (over minutes) reliably terminated rotors but rapid I KATP activation (over seconds) often converted I Ca,L -mediated reentry to I Na -mediated reentry resembling fibrillation. Conclusions I KATP activation can have proarrhythmic effects on EAD-mediated arrhythmias if I Ca,L -mediated reentry is present.
Salivary amylase; its activity and stability with the evidence for the existence of a labile fraction.

The activity of salivary amylase is due to at least two different amylases. One enzyme that has amylase activity is stable to dissolved oxygen, while another enzyme that has amylase activity is labile to dissolved oxygen. The irregularities in the activity of salivary amylase in the same individual are not as reat as the literature indicates. Uniform salivary amylase activity in the same individual may be shown by one of two different methods of analysis. In one method the sample of saliva is oxygenated before the analysis is made. This gives the salivary amylase activity of the oxygen-stable form. In the other method the sample of saliva is protected against oxygen. This gives the amylase activity of both the oxygen-stable and oxygen-labile forms. Irregular results in the assays of salivary amylase are obtained with the ordinary methods of analysis in which the inactivating effect of oxygen is not considered.
The motivation of boys who leave school early: impact of teachers

How well boys perform during the compulsory years of schooling is a significant concern with considerable research highlighting that boys experience problems at school in terms of learning, behaviour, achievement and participation when compared to girls. In particular, the retention of boys to Year 12 has been problematic. This article reports on a study exploring boys’ motivations to leave school early on the basis of an opportunistic sample of 22 boys aged 16 in Queensland. The article briefly explores the issues surrounding boys’ early school leaving, and makes links between their experiences with teachers at school to their early school leaving decision.
Adult education and the modern nation‐state: reflections on ’Social Commitment and Adult Education‘

This paper, a series of reflections on Social Commitment and Adult Education (O'Sullivan, 1989) examines the question, ‘What roles does, or ought, adult education play in the formation and transformation of modern society?’. I answer this question by interpreting the history of the modern state, particularly Ireland, in terms of three theoretical phases in each one of which adult education can be seen to serve a distinct and often controversial role. During the first phase, the emergence of the nation‐state, adult education, like the many other nascent institutions and cultural forms, serves in the creation of nationalism and consensus. During the second phase, as the new state takes its place on the world stage, adult education becomes a tool proper for the enforcement of national and cultural identity, while at the same time meeting a variety of professionalizing and middle‐class needs. During the third or current phase, with the loosening of consensus and the emergence of cultural pluralism, adult educ...
Regulation of chloride channels in secretory epithelia.

Fluid and electrolyte secretion from secretory epithelia is a highly regulated process. Chloride channel activity at the apical membrane determines the rate and direction of salt and water secretion. Multiple classes of Cl− channels with distinct gating mechanisms are involved in moving ions and water. Secretory agonists that induce intracellular increases in two second messenger systems, cAMP and [Ca2+] i , are generally associated with secretion. However, changes in cell volume and the membrane potential may also play a role in regulating fluid and electrolyte secretion in some tissues. In this review we discuss the regulation of the different types of Cl− channels found in secretory epithelia.
Crowding-induced organization in cells: spontaneous alignment and sorting of filaments with physiological control points

Under sufficiently crowded conditions, elongated particles spontaneously align along a common axis and separate from particles with dissimilar packing parameters. Clarifying the relevance of these entropy-driven phenomena to intact cells has required the development of theoretical approaches that tractably take into account daunting physiological complexities including the extreme crowding of the cytosol, the complex mixture of macromolecules present, the process of filament self-assembly, and the characteristic widths, flexibilities and charges of filaments formed by different proteins. This review summarizes the approaches taken, including their validation by observations of simpler systems, and the insights that have been gained into the means by which cells can modulate and capitalize upon spontaneous ordering. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
X-ray spectroscopy and imaging of stainless steel X-pinches with application to astrophysics

X-pinches are very good sources of x-rays and can be used for studying radiative properties of high density and temperature plasmas with scale from a few μm to several mm in size. An X-pinch is formed by the touch-crossing of two or more wires between the electrodes of a high-current pulsed-power generator. As a result of current quickly vaporizing and strongly ionizing the wire material, X-pinch yields short (few nsec) x-ray bursts from one or few bright plasma spots near the wire cross point. Other distinct features of X-pinches are strong electron beams, which make them attractive objects for x-ray spectropolarimetry, as well as plasmas jets for astrophysical applications. Recently, we spectroscopically studied x-ray L-shell and K-shell radiation from variety of X-pinches from different materials and load configurations. In the present work, the results of x-ray spectroscopy and imaging of X-pinches from stainless steel are presented. The application of these results to astrophysics is highlighted.
Muscle-Strengthening Activities and Participation Among Adults in the United States

Purpose: To describe those who reported meeting the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (2008 Guidelines) muscle-strengthening standard of 2 or more days per week, including all seven muscle groups, and to assess the type and location of muscle-strengthening activities performed. Method: Data from HealthStyles 2009, a cross-sectional, consumer mail-panel survey, was used for analyses (n = 4,271). The prevalence estimates with 95% confidence intervals of those meeting the 2008 Guidelines standards were calculated. Pairwise t-tests were performed to examine differences between estimates, tests for linear trends were performed among age, education, and body mass index (BMI) groups, and differences and trends were considered statistically significant at p < .05. Results: Overall, 6.0% of participants reported meeting 2008 Guidelines, and there were no significant differences between sex and racial/ethnic groups. A significant linear increase was noted among education groups, with respondents who r...
Public Support for Political Compromise on a Volatile Racial Issue: Insight from the Survey Experiment

In 2000, South Carolina officials, after years of political wrangling over the flying of the Confederate flag over the state capitol, finally removed it, placing it at a Confederate monument on the statehouse grounds. Here, via iterative survey experimentation, I look at the public response to the political compromise required to bring down the flag. I show that the public did respond positively to the multifaceted compromise and that black flag opponents were much more likely than white flag proponents to support the compromise. I also show that more white flag proponents can be swayed to support the compromise if they understand that it is supported by a majority of South Carolinians, thus breaking their misperception of the issue. Flag proponents, however, do not respond more positively to compromise simply because it is the by-product of white and black negotiations. The political process necessarily evokes competitive intergroup attitudes. Can we think about process in a way that redirects these attitudes and makes political compromise more acceptable? Language: en
Treatment of complicated grief in elderly persons: a randomized clinical trial.

Importance Complicated grief (CG) is a debilitating condition, most prevalent in elderly persons. However, to our knowledge, no full-scale randomized clinical trial has studied CG in this population. Objective To determine whether complicated grief treatment (CGT) produces greater improvement in CG and depressive symptoms than grief-focused interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT). Design, Setting, and Participants Randomized clinical trial enrolling 151 individuals 50 years or older (mean [SD] age, 66.1 [8.9] years) scoring at least 30 on the Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG). Participants were recruited from the New York metropolitan area from August 20, 2008, through January 7, 2013, and randomized to receive CGT or IPT. The main outcome was assessed at 20 weeks after baseline, with interim measures collected at 8, 12, and 16 weeks after baseline. Interventions Sixteen sessions of CGT (n = 74) or IPT (n = 77) delivered approximately weekly. Main Outcomes and Measures Rate of treatment response, defined as a rating from an independent evaluator of much or very much improved on the Improvement subscale of the Clinical Global Impression Scale. Results Both treatments produced improvement in CG symptoms. Response rate for CGT (52 individuals [70.5%]) was more than twice that for IPT (24 [32.0%]) (relative risk, 2.20 [95% CI, 1.51-3.22]; P P = .001]), rate of CG symptom reduction (1.05 ICG points per week for CGT vs 0.75 points per week for IPT [ t 633 = 3.85; P t 503 = 2.87; P = .004]). Results were not moderated by participant age. Conclusions and Relevance Complicated grief treatment produced clinically and statistically significantly greater response rates for CG symptoms than a proven efficacious treatment for depression (IPT). Results strongly support the need for physicians and other health care providers to distinguish CG from depression. Given the growing elderly population, the high prevalence of bereavement in aging individuals, and the marked physical and psychological impact of CG, clinicians need to know how to treat CG in older adults. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT01244295
Detection of occult cervical micrometastases in patients with head and neck squamous cell cancer.

Objective The incidence of occult nodal metastases associated with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and the clinical significance of nodal micrometastases by cytokeratin immunohistochemical analysis are examined. Study Design In all, 1012 lymph nodes from 50 patients treated between 1992 and 2001 at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center (Denver, CO) were evaluated retrospectively for micrometastases. Methods Serial sectioning in 5-to 6-μm interval specimens stained either with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) or immunostaining for cytokeratins using the monoclonal antibody cocktail AE1/AE3 was performed in 21 N0, 11 N1, and 14 N2 patient cases. Cases that showed scattered cells with suspect staining qualities but without morphological features consistent with HNSCC were further evaluated by epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) immunohistochemical analysis. Results H&E-stained and cytokeratin-stained sections revealed occult nodal micrometastases in 3.8% of N0 and 5% of N1 cases. Overall, 26 micrometastases were identified in N0 and N1 patients, causing 29% of N0 patients and 45% of N1 patients to be upstaged. Cytokeratin immunostaining detected micrometastases in eight cases that were negative on H&E serial sectioning. Serial sectioning by H&E alone identified three additional micrometastases. Negative EMA immunostaining confirmed the absence of malignant cells in lymph node sections that were equivocal on cytokeratin staining. Conclusions The use of serial sectioning with H&E and cytokeratin immunohistochemical analysis increases the detection of micrometastases that are often elusive by routine processing in patients with HNSCC. Improved methods of detecting micrometastases may provide a basis for improved planning of postoperative therapy for patients already at risk for tumor recurrence.
Genetic linkage of autosomal recessive canine narcolepsy with a mu immunoglobulin heavy-chain switch-like segment.

Abstract Identification of genes determining narcolepsy susceptibility is important not only for understanding that disorder but also for possible clues to general sleep-control mechanisms. Studies in humans reveal at least one such gene related to the major histocompatibility complex and in dog an as-yet-unmapped single, autosomal recessive gene canarc-1. Gene markers for canarc-1 were therefore sought by DNA restriction fragment length polymorphisms in our colony of narcoleptic dogs. A human mu-switch immunoglobulin probe and the enzyme Hae III identified a gene cosegregating with canarc-1 in backcrossed animals (logarithm of odds scores: m = 24, Z max = 7.2 at theta = 0%). canarc-1 was also shown not to be tightly linked with the dog major histocompatibility complex (m = 40, Z less than -2 at theta less than 4.8%). These results represent the mapping of a non-major histocompatibility complex narcolepsy gene and strongly suggest involvement of the immune system in the pathophysiology of that disease.
Towards characterizing cloud backend workloads: insights from Google compute clusters

The advent of cloud computing promises highly available, efficient, and flexible computing services for applications such as web search, email, voice over IP, and web search alerts. Our experience at Google is that realizing the promises of cloud computing requires an extremely scalable backend consisting of many large compute clusters that are shared by application tasks with diverse service level requirements for throughput, latency, and jitter. These considerations impact (a) capacity planning to determine which machine resources must grow and by how much and (b) task scheduling to achieve high machine utilization and to meet service level objectives.Both capacity planning and task scheduling require a good understanding of task resource consumption (e.g., CPU and memory usage). This in turn demands simple and accurate approaches to workload classification-determining how to form groups of tasks (workloads) with similar resource demands. One approach to workload classification is to make each task its own workload. However, this approach scales poorly since tens of thousands of tasks execute daily on Google compute clusters. Another approach to workload classification is to view all tasks as belonging to a single workload. Unfortunately, applying such a coarse-grain workload classification to the diversity of tasks running on Google compute clusters results in large variances in predicted resource consumptions.This paper describes an approach to workload classification and its application to the Google Cloud Backend, arguably the largest cloud backend on the planet. Our methodology for workload classification consists of: (1) identifying the workload dimensions; (2) constructing task classes using an off-the-shelf algorithm such as k-means; (3) determining the break points for qualitative coordinates within the workload dimensions; and (4) merging adjacent task classes to reduce the number of workloads. We use the foregoing, especially the notion of qualitative coordinates, to glean several insights about the Google Cloud Backend: (a) the duration of task executions is bimodal in that tasks either have a short duration or a long duration; (b) most tasks have short durations; and (c) most resources are consumed by a few tasks with long duration that have large demands for CPU and memory.
Double time-scale image reconstruction of the beating and developing embryonic zebrafish heart

We present a time-lapse collection and reconstruction technique that allows following embryonic heart development at any computationally halted heart contraction state. The central idea is to image at least one full heartbeat at a fast frame rate, resulting in a two-dimensional plus time (2D+T) data set, and repeat this operation every few minutes over several hours for multiple axial positions. The acquired data are five dimensional (X, Y, and Z in space, 'fast' and 'slow' dimensions in time). The (2D+T) image series are then synchronized to their neighbors in the axial and development time dimensions using a non-rigid registration algorithm (constrained such as to leave all but the fast time dimension unchanged). The algorithm proceeds recursively over the different axial positions and developmental stages. We successfully applied this procedure to image the development of the embryonic zebrafish heart between 32 and 44 hours post fertilization (hpf).
Thoughts on Saving Our Planet Political, Economic, Cultural, and Bureaucratic Impediments to Ecological Activism

One does not pursue ecological activist efforts long before realizing that an impressive array of forces impede any change efforts. Several of the lessons learned from ecocounseling projects are discussed in detail. Finally, a careful analysis of conservation programs sponsored by public utilities are found to inadvertently produce economic hardships for the poor Part of the research agenda of ecocounseling psychologists might be to develop programs to alleviate the economic hardships that some conservation programs might now unknowingly inflict on lower income groups.
Reduction of solar cell efficiency by bulk defects across the back-surface-field junction

The degradation of solar cell performance due to bulk defects distributed across the back-surface field junction is analyzed in terms of a three-region developed-perimeter model. Families of curves are computed and their physical significance is discussed in detail with reference to three parameters used to characterize the defects: defect area, defect density, and defect surface recombination velocity. A reduction in the open-circuit voltage due to the presence of a defect is expressed as a function of the defect area, density, cell thickness, and defect surface recombination velocity. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the importance of the particular defect parameters.
Uncertainty Assessment for Reconstructions Based on Deformable Geometry

Deformable geometric models can be used in the context of Bayesian analysis to solve ill-posed tomographic reconstruction problems. The uncertainties associated with a Bay esian analy sis maybe assessed bygenerating a set of random samples from the posterior, which maybe accomplished using a Markov-Chain Monte-Carlo (MCMC) technique. We demonstrate the combination of these techniques for a reconstruction of a two-dimensional object from two orthogonal noisyprojections. The reconstructed object is modeled in terms of a deformable geometrically -defined boundarywith a uniform interior densityy ielding a nonlinear reconstruction problem. We show how an MCMC sequence can be used to estimate uncertainties in the location of the edge of the reconstructed object.
Rapid separation of pharmaceutical enantiomers using electrokinetic chromatography with a novel chiral microemulsion

A novel oil-in-water microemulsion incorporating the chiral surfactant dodecoxycarbonylvaline (DDCV) was used to achieve the rapid enantiomeric separation of pharmaceutical drugs by electrokinetic chromatography (EKC). Incorporation of DDCV into a microemulsion resulted in an elution range more than double that provided the micellar form of the surfactant aggregate. Interestingly, for the same compounds the enantioselectivity provided by the chiral DDCV microemulsions ranged from 1.06–1.30 for the neutral and cationic drugs, which was slightly higher than that provided by chiral DDCV micelles. The use of a low surface tension oil (ethyl acetate) permitted a much lower concentration of chiral surfactant to be employed; this, together with the use of a zwitterionic buffer (ACES) resulted in a very low conductivity microemulsion that allowed a higher separation voltage to be utilized, resulting in rapid enantiomeric separations (<8 min.). Mobility matching of the buffer cation(s) was used to improve peak shape and efficiencies. In our limited survey of the phase diagram, the optimum composition of the microemulsion buffer was 1.0% (w/v) DDCV (30 mM), 0.5% (v/v) ethyl acetate, 1.2% (v/v) 1-butanol and 50 mM ACES buffer at pH 7.
e+ e- INTERACTIONS AT HIGH-ENERGIES

In this review I shall attempt to cover the new experimental results on high energy e+e- colliding beam physics since the Berkeley Conference of last year. The data have been obtained mostly from PEP and PETRA, together with some contribution from CESR and TRISTAN. Studies of searches for Higgs Bosons at LEP are also presented here.
Methods for Integration of Pharmacokinetic and Phenotypic Information in the Treatment of Infection with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Interest in monitoring antiretroviral drug concentrations in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients has gained considerable momentum in recent years. We present a potential method for integrating pharmacokinetic and phenotypic information that will assist clinicians in choosing optimal treatment regimens for their patients and that will provide an approach for the interpretation of antiretroviral plasma drug concentrations.
Gradient search with autonomous underwater vehicles using scalar measurements

We examine how AUVs can be used to locate features of interest from scalar measurements without exhaustive search. It is first shown how the Autonomous Benthic Explorer (ABE) was used to successfully locate the deepest part of a pond. ABE computed the total water depth by combining the computed vehicle depth with the return of a single beam sonar altimeter. While moving in a straight line, ABE was able to estimate the gradient of total water depth along the vehicle track. By executing circular maneuvers, ABE was further able to estimate the 2D horizontal slope of the bathymetry. These two functions were combined to produce a procedure to locate the deepest point in the search region. This was accomplished without the need for a global navigation system. It is discussed how a vehicle with the capabilities of ABE could be used to locate hydrothermal vents using temperature, optical backscatter or chemical tracers as the search parameter. Data from an actual preprogrammed survey conducted by ABE in an area of sea-bed hydrothermal activity is illustrated. This data has been combined with measurements conducted by moorings, towed vehicles and the manned deep submersible Alvin to create a mathematical model of a vent field as might be seen by an AUV maneuvering through the region. Using this model we will show techniques for locating hydrothermal vents based on gradient following and other optimization methods that exploit the current understanding of the structure and physics of hydrothermal plumes.
Omental Transposition in Treatment of Alzheimer Disease

BACKGROUND The neurodegenerative effects of AD have been wellestablished, but, because the exact cause of AD remains unknown,itisdifficulttodevelopprogramstopreventand treat the disease with any degree of precision. What is known is that in the brain of a patient with AD, there are, at any one time, three neuronal states: normally functioning neurons, dead neurons, and neurons that are slowly deteriorating.The goal in prevention and treatment of AD will be to maintain the viability of normal cerebral neurons and improve neuronal function, or at least prevent it from deteriorating. AD is a disease in which neurons die slowly during the course of many years.The dementia that eventually occurs as a hallmark of the disease begins to manifest itself when there is loss in the critical mass of neurons located in key regions of the brain that are responsible for cognitive function. When these critically located cerebral neurons lose function during the course of time, dementia can eventually result.
Some Old and Some New Statistical Tools for Outcomes Research

Outcomes research “seeks to understand the end results of particular health care practices and interventions”1 to inform the development of clinical practice guidelines, evaluate the quality of medical care, and foster effective interventions to improve the quality of care.2 Although randomized trial designs have been used to assess quality of care and to identify effective interventions in the real world,3,4 the empirical basis of outcomes research largely rests on data collected in the observational setting (eg, in the routine setting of everyday practice). With more emphasis placed on increasing the value of health care in terms of lives saved and morbidity avoided, outcomes researchers are making unprecedented demands of observational databases. This is evidenced by the increasing number of and participation in national registries. These include the National Cardiac Data Registry of the American College of Cardiology; the Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Registry launched jointly by the American College of Cardiology and the Heart Rhythm Society; the National Cardiac Surgery Database of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons; and the Interagency Registry of Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support Devices funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and others. Empirical analyses of these databases require statistical tools that can handle the complexity of the data: observational, sometimes hierarchical, often with multiple outcomes, and always with some missing data. The purpose of the present article is to review key statistical methods important to outcomes research and to introduce newer methodology. The article describes 4 methodological issues commonly present when observational data are analyzed; summarizes the primary assumptions associated with strategies to handle these common problems; demonstrates methods to assess the plausibility of the assumptions associated with each strategy; and illustrates these concepts using examples from cardiovascular outcomes research. Although the intent of the …