cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Psychosocial predictors of cardiac rehabilitation quality-of-life outcomes.

Abstract Objective This study investigated hostility, social support, coping, depression, and their contributions to concurrent and posttreatment quality of life (QoL) among a group of patients participating in a 6-week cardiac rehabilitation program. Method Both direct and mediational relationships among psychosocial factors, QoL baseline, and QoL outcome were examined using structural equation modeling analysis, while age, education, and severity of illness (risk for future event) were controlled. Results The final model was well supported ( χ 2 =64.88, df =56, P >.05; CFI=.99, RMSEA=.04). Results indicated that baseline QoL, hostility, and depressive symptom severity directly and independently predicted QoL outcome, while depression and hostility were also associated with baseline QoL. Hostility, social support, and maladaptive coping also contributed to baseline and follow-up QoL by their associations with depression. Conclusion Psychosocial characteristics were interrelated, and they predicted postrehabilitation QoL outcome directly or indirectly through depression symptom severity.
Sudden Approximation Mass Validity Criteria Values for Accurate Transition Probabilities in Two-Mode Collinear Collisions

By comparing approximate and exact transition probabilities for several new collision systems, we have established lower, less restrictive, values for validity criteria for use in predicting which ...
The Accuracy of Age Reporting among Elderly African Americans Evidence of a Birth Registration Effect

This article expands on previous research that has documented disparities in age information for elderly African Americans. Drawing on a sample of death certificates for Maryland-born African Americans purportedly aged 65-79 years, the validity of age data on both death certificates and social security records is examined through comparison with birth dates provided on linked birth records. The commonly assumed relationship between birth registration and quality of age reporting also is investigated. When compared to birth records, age reporting on social security records is significantly more accurate than that on death records. Age agreement between matched death and social security records closely reflects age validity as determined from birth records. Findings based on logistic regression analysis support the hypothesized birth registration effect: Controlling for demographic characteristics, persons known to have birth certificates exhibited significantly greater age agreement on linked death certifi...
A nearly antiferromagnetic Fermi liquid approach to high Tc

Abstract I present the results of extensive numerical calculations of a system of coupled quasiparticles and spin fluctuations using the Eliashberg formalism for YBa 2 Cu 3 U 7 . Following a brief review of the phenomenological model and the computational approach, the sensitivity of T c to the hole concentration and to the details of the spin fluctuation spectrum is examined. The results of the influence of potential impurity scattering are discussed. It is shown, with the aid of a simple model to describe the disruption of the local magnetic brought about by the substitution of Zn, that the latter has a strong influence on T c . The competition between antiferromagnetic and superconducting instabilities is considered and it is found that, for the model parameters used, the instability to a superconducting state always comes first.
Simultaneous banding of rat embryo DNA, RNA, and protein in cesium trifluoroacetate gradients

Abstract A procedure for the simultaneous banding of cellular DNA, RNA, and protein by centrifugation in cesium trifluoracetate (CsTFA) gradients is described. Starting with homogenates of Day 11 rat embryos, this procedure was used to separate total DNA, RNA, and protein. Under the conditions used DNA banded at a peak density of 1.63 g/ml, RNA at a peak density of 1.83 g/ml, and protein at a peak density of 1.40 g/ml. Nucleic acids isolated from CsTFA gradients were judged to be protein free. RNA isolated by this method is apparently free of DNA contamination; however, DNA isolated by this method does contain some RNA (less than 5% contamination).
Application of the interface potential approach to calculate the wetting properties of a water model system

The interface potential approach is used to compute the interfacial properties of a model system consisting of SPC/E water at a structureless non-polar surface. Both the spreading and drying versio...
The role of the "basic course" in the teaching of foreign and comparative law

As to how an introductory comparative law course should be constructed today, my views are on record. For good or for ill, they are enshrined in my coursebook, the third edition of which is only a few months old.' Thus I need not spend any time on the past or the present, and can rush headlong into that borderland between extrapolation and wishful thinking which is knowvi as prophecy. How will the basic Comparative Law course develop over the next thirty years? My crystal ball indicates a number of significant changes, mixed into certain elements of probable stability.
Sensitivity of Types 1 and 2 Herpes Simplex Virus to 5-Iodo-2′-Deoxyuridine and 9-β-d-Arabinofuranosyladenine

The sensitivities of 21 strains of herpes simplex virus (HSV), 13 type 1 strains and 8 type 2 strains, to 5-iodo-2′-deoxyuridine (IUdR) and 9-β-d-arabinofuranosyladenine (ara-A) were evaluated by the plaque-suppression test in chick embryo fibroblast (CEF), WI-38, and HeLa cell cultures. In CEF, type 1 strains were considerably more sensitive to the inhibitors than were the type 2 strains. In WI-38, the type 1 strains were more sensitive than the type 2 strains to IUdR; however, the two serotypes were equally sensitive to ara-A. In HeLa cells, the differences in sensitivity to IUdR between the two serotypes were less. Eight HeLa-adapted strains (four type 1 and four type 2) evaluated in HeLa cell cultures were equally sensitive to IUdR; the type 2 strains were slightly more sensitive than type 1 strains to ara-A. These results demonstrate the wide variation in sensitivity of HSV types 1 and 2 to antiviral agents which results from differences in the cell culture system and passage history of the strains.
Native Language for School Success.

This paper provides insights regarding family provisions for home (native) language use as it relates to the school's perception of young children's school achievement. Teachers of young mainland Puerto Rican children nominated higher and lower achieving learners in grades K-2. Standardized achievement tests confirmed teacher nominations. Thirty families were interviewed at home where it was found that parents of higher achieving children prefer a native language environment to a greater extent man families of lower achieving children. These findings lend support for native language instruction (at home and at school) as an avenue for strengtfiening the academic school achievement of young mainland Puerto Rican children. A discussion of these findings is provided as are suggestions for future research.
Cloud-Based Multicasting with Feedback in Mobile Social Networks

With the rapid growth of smartphone usage, mobile social networks (MSNs) are becoming increasingly popular. MSN can be considered as a type of delay tolerant network (DTN) which lacks continuous end-to-end connections between nodes, due to the node mobility and limited transmission range. Inspired by the homophily of social networks that friends are usually similar in characteristics, we present a novel concept - cloud, where the nodes in frequent contact with the destinations will form destination clouds. Neighbors in the destination cloud have a special status that can forward the message to the destination directly. We propose a cloud-based multicast scheme with feedback in MSNs with two phases: pre-cloud and inside-cloud. In the pre-cloud process, the message holder will forward the copy of the multicast message to the encountered node, based on a given forwarding metric. The forwarding metric can be iteratively refined from a feedback control mechanism. In the inside-cloud process, the message holder will wait until it meets with the destinations. We analytically formulate the multicast problem into a continuous Markov chain problem, and formally analyze the latency in this model. Extensive trace-driven simulations show that our scheme significantly improves the performance compared to existing schemes.
The more things change the more they stay the same: Mexican naturalization before and after welfare reform

During the last decade there has been a dramatic increase in the both the number and the rate of Mexican naturalization. Some have interpreted this increase as a response to changes in welfare and immigration policy surrounding the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), which limited public assistance to non-citizens, and the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA), which may have increased the incentive to naturalize by making it more difficult for legal immigrants to sponsor their relatives for entry to the United States. This article uses Current Population Survey data from 1994/95 and 2000/01 to examine how the social and economic determinants of naturalization may have changed in order to provide insight into which explanation for the increase in naturalizations is most relevant. We find that while the proportion of Mexican immigrants who are naturalized increased during the 1990s, their determinants have remained largely the same with the exception that those with noncitizen spouses have become more likely to be naturalized in the post-reform period. This suggests that a more cautious interpretation be taken about the relationship between the increase in naturalizations and welfare and sponsorship restrictions, particularly when regarding Mexican immigrants.
Bismuth oxide-based solid electrolytes for fuel cells

During the last three decades, a large number of investigations has been reported pertaining to the science and technology of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) based mainly on the yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte. Because of the problems associated with the high temperature of operation (~ 1000°C) of the YSZ-based cells, there has been a substantial effort to develop alternative electrolytes with ionic conductivity comparable to that of YSZ at relatively lower temperatures. This review presents a systematic evolution in the area of the development of new electrolytes based on bismuth sesquioxide for fuel cell applications at moderate temperatures.
On the ground state energies of first-row atoms and ions

Truncation of the interelectron Coulomb potential at a minimum distance related to the energy has resulted in obtaining simple analytic forms for ground and excited state two-electron systems yielding good agreement for energies in comparison with other calculations. Extension of these methods using hydrogenic type wave functions has been accomplished for the Li-Ne isoelectron sequences. Ground state atom energies agree with “exact” nonrelativistic energies to within 0.1%, ranging from differences of - 0.00030 a.u. for Li and 0.00057 a.u. for Be up to a maximum difference of 0.05562 a.u. for F and 0.01339 a.u. for Ne. Tabulation of the energies of the ions for each sequence is given up to Z = 10. For Li to C the calculated ionization potentials agree with experiment to within 0.25 eV, but become progressively worse as the number of 2p electrons increases. For Ne the calculated ionization potential is only 15.835 eV rather than the experimental value of 21.55 eV. For ion energies the maximum differences from best other calculations are 0.25 a.u. for Ne+, decreasing to 0.02 a.u. or less for the 3- and 4-electron sequences, and tend to decrease with an increase in the degree of ionization.
On conditional possibility distributions

Abstract In a recent paper in Fuzzy Sets and Systems, L.A. Zadeh has defined the concept of a conditional possibility distribution. In the present paper, we show that, in order to be consistent with the notion of noninteraction of fuzzy variables, the expression for conditional possibility distribution must be normalized. A comparison of the properties of conditional possibility and probability distributions is made, and an application to the optimization of a possibilistic finite-state system is outlined.
Sympathetic rhythms in spinal cats.

Abstract Simultaneous recordings from preganglionic sympathetic nerves at different spinal levels, cervical sympathetic and greater splanchnic, reveal the presence of common periodicities as shown by cross-correlation and power spectral analysis; the major types of periodicities are cardiac, respiratory and 10/sec rhythm. These common periodicities could be explained in two ways: (1) there are common periodic inputs to the two types of preganglionic neurons; and (2) there are feedback connections in the spinal cord between the two groups of neurons. To distinguish between these two possibilities, spinal cord transections at C2–C3 were performed on decerebrate unanesthetized cats; recordings were then taken at hourly intervals for more than 12 h, during which time activity gradually increased but still remained small compared to pre-section levels. This low level activity showed no sign of periodicity. Asphyxia of sufficient duration produced increased activity in sympathetic nerves. Splanchnic activity during asphyxia had 2–3/sec oscillations; but the cross-correlation histograms (CCHs) of cervical sympathetic and splanchnic activity were almost flat. Strychnine excited spinal cord neurons more effectively than asphyxia; the CCHs showed locking of activity in phrenic, cervical sympathetic and splanchnic nerves on a slow time-scale (1–5 sec), but no appreciable locking of cervical sympathetic and splanchnic activity on a faster time-scale (100–500 msec) such as occurs in the intact animal. Thus, while there can be oscillation of sympathetic activity at the spinal cord level, the normally occurring synchrony of oscillations between different segmental levels is dependent on inputs from the brain stem.
Brain stem generation of the hippocampal EEG

In summary, based on unit recording studies in behaving animals it appears that the brain stem cells best suited for a role in theta generation are the pontine RF neurons in the rat (Vertes, 1980, 1981) rabbit (Klemm, 1970) and dog (Arnolds, 1977) that fire selectively during the identical states in which theta is present in the hippocampus and whose discharge characteristics closely parallel properties attributed to hippocampal theta (Vertes, 1981). The omission of any description of RF cells in the behaving cat with theta-like properties (McCarley and Hobson, 1971; Hobson et al., 1974; Siegel et al., 1977, 1979) could stem from any of the following factors: (1) species differences; (2) differences in RF recording sites; (3) failure of the cat studies to specifically evaluate RF cell discharge in relation to hippocampal theta. The only other brain stem nucleus directly implicated in theta generation in unit recording studies was the raphe magnus (Sheu et al., 1974). The firing of cells within other monoaminergic nuclei including the locus coeruleus was unrelated or only loosely related to states of hippocampal synchronization or desynchronization (Sheu et al., 1974; Chu and Bloom, 1973, 1974; Hobson et al., 1975; Foote and Bloom, 1979; Aston-Jones and Bloom, 1981; Heym et al. 1981).
Imaging and spectroscopy at terahertz frequencies using hot electron bolometer technology

Imaging and spectroscopy at terahertz frequencies (defined roughly as 300 GHz - 3 THz) have great potential for both healthcare and homeland security applications. Terahertz frequencies correspond to energy level transitions of important molecules in biology and astrophysics. Terahertz radiation (T-rays) can penetrate clothing and, to some extent, can also penetrate biological materials, and because of their shorter wavelengths they offer higher spatial resolution than microwaves or millimeter waves. We describe the development of a novel two-dimensional scanning, passive, terahertz imaging system based on a hot electron bolometer (HEB) detector element. HEB mixers are near quantum noise limited heterodyne detectors operating over the entire terahertz spectrum. HEB devices absorb terahertz radiation up to the visible range due to the very short momentum scattering times. The terahertz imaging system consists of a front-end heterodyne detector integrated with a state-of-the-art monolithic microwave integrated-circuit low-noise amplifier (MMIC LNA) on the same mixer block. The terahertz local oscillator (LO) signal is provided by a commercial harmonic multiplier source.
Splitting fields for characteristic polynomials of matrices with entries in a finite field

Let M"n be the set of all nxn matrices with entries in the finite field F"q. Let X(A) be the degree of the splitting field of the characteristic polynomial of A, and let @m"n be the average degree:@m"n=1|M"n|@?A@?M"nX(A). A theorem of Reiner is used to prove that, as n->~,@m"n=e^B^n^/^l^o^g^n^(^1^+^o^(^1^)^), where B is an explicit constant.
Internal medicine resident training and provision of diabetes quality of care indicators.

Abstract Objective Existing research is inconsistent on whether clinical experience is associated with improved management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. We sought to determine whether meeting diabetes quality indicators improves as general internal medicine physicians progress from first to last year of residency. Methods We performed a chart abstraction of electronic health records data covering the period from September 2008 to August 2011. In all, 352 patient records were abstracted and linked to year of resident provider. Type 2 diabetes quality indicators included glycated hemoglobin (A1C), low-density lipoprotein, diastolic and systolic blood pressure control, obtaining urine microalbumin or prescription for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker and documented foot and eye examinations. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analysis were used to determine whether year of residency was associated with quality of care indices before and after adjusting for patient age, gender, race, body mass index and cigarette smoking. Results Urine microalbumin was the most often met indicator (76.9%), and the least often met indicator was documented eye examination (37.4%). Results of adjusted analysis indicated that the odds of A1C, low-density lipoprotein control, obtaining urine microalbumin and documented eye and foot examinations were greater among patients of second- and third-year residents compared with those of first-year residents (odds ratios range, 1.26–5.12). Urine microalbumin was the indicator most often in optimal control and least often met indicators were eye and foot examinations. Conclusions We observed improvement in quality of diabetes care throughout residency. However, the low prevalence of several quality indicators indicates a need for additional training and quality improvement.
Evaluation of groundwater discharge into small lakes based on the temporal distribution of radon-222

In order to evaluate groundwater discharge into small lakes we constructed a model that is based on the budget of 222 Rn (radon, t 1/2 = 3.8 d) as a tracer. The main assumptions in our model are that the lake's waters are well-mixed horizontally and vertically; the only significant 222 Rn source is via groundwater discharge; and the only losses are due to decay and atmospheric evasion. In order to evaluate the groundwater-derived 222 Rn flux, we monitored the 222 Rn concentration in lake water over periods long enough (usually 1-3 d) to observe changes likely caused by variations in atmospheric exchange (primarily a function of wind speed and temperature). We then attempt to reproduce the observed record by accounting for decay and atmospheric losses and by estimating the total 222 Rn input flux using an iterative approach. Our methodology was tested in two lakes in central Florida: one of which is thought to have significant groundwater inputs (Lake Haines) and another that is known not to have any groundwater inflows but requires daily groundwater augmentation from a deep aquifer (Round Lake). Model results were consistent with independent seepage meter data at both Lake Haines (positive seepage of ∼ 1.6 × 10 4 m 3 d ―1 in Mar 2008) and at Round Lake (no net groundwater seepage).
PARENTAL COMMUNICATION DEVIANCE IN CHILDHOOD ONSET SCHIZOPHRENIA SPECTRUM AND DEPRESSIVE DISORDERS

Rates of parental communication deviance (CD) were compared in children with schizophrenia and schizotypal personality disorder and in contrast groups of children with major depression and dysthymic disorders. Results indicated significantly higher rates of CD in parents of schizophrenic and schizotypal children than in parents of children with major depression and dysthymic disorders. Schizophrenic and schizotypal children from high CD families showed the most severe impairments and the poorest attentional functioning. However, the small number of schizophrenic and schizotypal children with low CD parents underscored the strong association between schizophrenia spectrum disorders, parental CD and psychosocial and attentional impairment in the child.
Bicontinuous Phase in Diblock Copolymer Melts with Added Homopolymer

We compute in the strong-segregation regime the phase diagram of A−B diblock copolymer with added B homopolymer to see if the bicontinuous phase can be stabilized by adding homopolymers. Our work is motivated by the results of Ajdari and Leibler, who showed using a bending expansion that a single copolymer bilayer in excess homopolymer is unstable to Gaussian bends if the copolymers are sufficiently asymmetric. Our methods, which are not limited to a bending expansion, determine the region of homopolymer concentration and copolymer asymmetry for which a bicontinuous phase might be stable.
Comparison of Three Spin Algebras Employed in SU(6) Theories

The Lipkin-Meshkov (LM) $\mathcal{W}$ spin, Foldy-Wouthuysen (FW) mean spin, and an algebra constructed from the four generators of the Wigner little group provide $\mathrm{SU}(2)$ algebras which can be imbedded in an $\mathrm{SU}(6)$ description of moving hadrons. It is shown that when acting on particles states obeying the Dirac equation, all three are identical. Differences occur with regard to behavior under charge conjugation. In particular, the FW spin acts on particles and antiparticles alike and, in the quark model, does not lead to the LM spin flip between the vector and pseudoscalar mesons.
Adsorption and Interaction Forces of Micellar and Microemulsion Solutions in Ultrathin Films

The interactions between surfaces across a nonionic surfactant (tetraoxyethylene dodecyl ether, C12E4) solution and its microemulsion in the dilute regime have been directly measured using the surface force apparatus. The results show that the structure of the adsorbed surfactant layer depends dramatically on the size and shape of the self-assembled structures in the bulk solution as well as the chemical nature of the substrate. On hydrophilic surfaces, the adsorption from surfactant solutions is relatively weak and the resulting long-range repulsive force is attributed to entropic confinement and elastic compression of adsorbed micelles. Microemulsion droplets adsorb much more strongly. On hydrophobic surfaces, a compact surfactant monolayer adsorbs leading, to a strong but shorter-ranged force. In contrast to the results with hydrophilic surfaces, the adsorbed surfactant layer is “destabilized” by the presence of oil from the microemulsion solution and is easily expelled upon compression. Quantitative a...
Label-Free Characterization of Cancer-Activated Fibroblasts Using Infrared Spectroscopic Imaging

Glandular tumors arising in epithelial cells comprise the majority of solid human cancers. Glands are supported by stroma, which is activated in the proximity of a tumor. Activated stroma is often characterized by the molecular expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) within fibroblasts. However, the precise spatial and temporal evolution of chemical changes in fibroblasts upon epithelial tumor signaling is poorly understood. Here we report a label-free method to characterize fibroblast changes by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic imaging and comparing spectra with α-SMA expression in primary normal human fibroblasts. We recorded the fibroblast activation process by spectroscopic imaging using increasingly tissue-like conditions: 1), stimulation with the growth factor TGFβ1; 2), coculture with MCF-7 human breast cancerous epithelial cells in Transwell coculture; and 3), coculture with MCF-7 in three-dimensional cell culture. Finally, we compared the spectral signatures of stromal transformation with normal and malignant human breast tissue biopsies. The results indicate that this approach reveals temporally complex spectral changes and thus provides a richer assessment than simple molecular imaging based on α-SMA expression. Some changes are conserved across culture conditions and in human tissue, providing a label-free method to monitor stromal transformations.
Effects of Lygus borealis Kelton (Hemiptera: Miridae) and Adelphocoris lineolatus (Goeze) (Hemiptera: Miridae) Feeding on Sainfoin Seed Production

There was a highly significant negative linear correlation between seed production of sainfoin, Onobrychis viciifolia Scop., and population densities of Lygus borealis Kelton and Adelphocoris lineolatus (Goeze) during and after blooming. Insect population densities were reduced by applications of carbofuran at 0.28, 0.56, and 0.84 kg (AI)/ha during blossoming. Seed production was significantly increased by treatments of carbofuran during and after blooming.
Photophobia and abnormally sustained pupil responses in a mouse model of bradyopsia.

Purpose Mutations in the RGS9 gene cause the visual disorder bradyopsia, which includes difficulty adapting to changes in light and photophobia. The purpose of this study was to determine whether lack of Rgs9 also caused photophobia-like behavior in Rgs9 knockout (Rgs9-/-) mice and to identify useful diagnostic measures of Rgs9 dysfunction. Methods We measured two behavioral responses to light and the pupillary light reflex to determine the form and basis of photophobia in Rgs9-/- mice. Results Rgs9-/- mice spent less time than wild-type mice in both dim and bright light. The mice also showed increased sensitivity to light in negative masking behavior, with a half maximal response at 0.08 lux (0.01 μW·cm(-2)) in Rgs9-/- mice compared to 5.0 lux (0.85 μW·cm(-2)) in wild-type mice. These behaviors were not due to increased anxiety or increased pupil size causing more light to enter the eye. Rather, constriction of the pupil showed that Rgs9-/- mice had an abnormally sustained response to light across multiple irradiance measurement pathways. Conclusions Rgs9-/- mice recapitulate a photophobia phenotype of bradyopsia, and the pupil light reflex identifies a simple means to screen for irradiance measurement abnormalities in bradyopsia and potentially other genetic disorders involving photophobia.
Organosulfur antioxidants: Mechanisms of action

Abstract Organic sulfides comprise an important class of highly effective and widely used antioxidants. This paper presents an overview of key developments in the understanding of their mechanism of action as achieved through model system studies and provides further consideration of two complexities observed: induction periods and pro-oxidant effects. Work describing the effects of di-t-butyl sulfoxide and its derivatives on the decomposition of cumene hydroperoxide under nitrogen and autoxidizing conditions is presented. It is shown that strong acids generated from the sulfoxide can interact in three ways: (a) The strong acid decomposes hydroperoxide catalytically resulting in antioxidant effects. (b) The strong acid can react with hydroperoxide resulting in pro-oxidant effects. (c) The strong acid can be complexed by the parent sulfoxide reducing the hydroperoxide decomposing activity of the acid.
(+)- and (-)-N-allylnormetazocine binding sites in mouse brain: in vitro and in vivo characterization and regional distribution

In vivo and in vitro binding studies, both in whole brain and in selected areas, indicate that non-identical (+)- and (-)-NANM sites exist in the mouse brain, and each exhibits a different regional distribution. The in vivo binding of (+)-/sup 3/H-NANM was found to be saturable at pharmacologically relevant doses, and represents a relatively small (10 - 22%) portion of total brain (+)-/sup 3/H-NANM concentrations. The in vivo binding of (+)-/sup 3/H-NANM was selectively displaced by (+)-NANM and PCP, and more sensitive to haloperidol and (+)-ketocyclazocine than the (-)-/sup 3/H-NANM site. The in vivo binding of (-)-/sup 3/H-NANM was selectively displaced by (-)-NANM, and more sensitive to naloxone and (-) ketocyclazocine than the (+)-/sup 3/H-NANM site, and insensitive to PCP. This study indicates that the investigation of NANM binding sites is possible using in vivo binding techniques, and that each isomer apparently binds, in the mouse brain, to a single class of distinct sites. 32 references, 4 figures, 2 tables.
Isolated local-regional recurrence of breast cancer following mastectomy: radiotherapeutic management.

Two hundred twenty-four patients with their first, isolated local-regional recurrence of breast cancer were irradiated with curative intent. Patients who had previous chest wall or regional lymphatic irradiation were not included in the study. With a median follow-up of 46 months (range 24 to 241 months), the 5- and 10-year survival for the entire group were 43% and 26%, respectively. Overall, 57% of the patients were projected to be loco-regionally controlled at 5 years. The 5-year local-regional tumor control was best for patients with isolated chest wall recurrences (63%), intermediate for nodal recurrences (45%), and poor for concomitant chest wall and nodal recurrences (27%). In patients with solitary chest wall recurrences, large field radiotherapy encompassing the entire chest wall resulted in a 5- and 10-year freedom from chest wall re-recurrence of 75% and 63% in contrast to 36% and 18% with small field irradiation (p = 0.0001). For the group with recurrences completely excised, tumor control was adequate at all doses ranging from 4500 to 7000 cGy. For the recurrences less than 3 cm, 100% were controlled at doses greater than or equal to 6000 cGy versus 76% at lower doses. No dose response could be demonstrated for the larger lesions. The supraclavicular failure rate was 16% without elective radiotherapy versus 6% with elective radiotherapy (p = 0.0489). Prophylactic irradiation of the uninvolved chest wall decreased the subsequent re-recurrence rate (17% versus 27%), but the difference is not statistically significant (p = .32). The incidence of chest wall re-recurrence was 12% with doses greater than or equal to 5000 cGy compared to 27% with no elective radiotherapy, but again was not statistically significant (p = .20). Axillary and internal mammary failures were infrequent, regardless of prophylactic treatment. Although the majority of patients with local and/or regional recurrence of breast cancer will eventually develop distant metastases and succumb to their disease, a significant percentage will live 5 years. Therefore, aggressive radiotherapy should be used to provide optimal local-regional control.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Searching the Literature Creatively: Updating Your Skills in Reviewing the Literature:

Reviewing the literature is not only an essential aspect of research, it can be a creative process. Computerized searches decrease the hours that searches formerly took and allow the researcher to link concepts in ways that were previously difficult to do. Be consistent with your approach to reviewing the literature and your reward will be a comprehensive overview of the extant literature--an excellent start to validating your research project.
Extracellular pH and Regulation of Integrin Activation

It is well established that chemomechanical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) can have a profound effect on cell processes such as adhesion, migration, and differentiation. To understand and modulate such complex processes, it is crucial to have a detailed understanding of the feedback between a cell and the adjacent microenvironment. This is particularly important in the tumor and wound environments, where the ECM often exhibits altered characteristics such as acidic extracellular pH. This microenvironmental property could significantly alter the interactions between cell surface integrin receptors and ECM ligands, which are critical to downstream cell behaviors such as adhesion, migration, and signaling. Here, we use molecular dynamics simulations to examine the role of acidic extracellular pH in regulating integrin activation. The simulation system is the headpiece domains of integrin αvβ3 in complex with a cyclic RGD peptide. Multi Conformation Continuum Electrostatics was used to predict pKa values for all titratable residues in the system, and results were used to select residues for protonation in order to represent an effective acidic extracellular pH. Molecular dynamics simulations at acidic and physiological pH were compared to examine the effect of pH on αvβ3-RGD conformational states. Our results suggest that acidic pH promotes integrin headpiece opening, which is one of the steps in integrin activation, and we propose a possible mechanism for this effect. This finding is consistent with experimental data from the literature, and has important implications for cell adhesion and migration in cancer and wound healing.
Rhetorical situations and their constituents

(1997). Rhetorical situations and their constituents. Rhetoric Review: Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 264-279.
Formation of submarine lava channel textures: Insights from laboratory simulations

[1] Laboratory simulations using polyethylene glycol (PEG) extruded at a constant rate and temperature into a tank with a uniform basal slope and filled with a cold sucrose solution generate channels that are defined by stationary levees and mobile flow interiors. These laboratory channels consistently display the following surface textures in the channel: smooth, folded, lineated, and chaotic. In the simulations, we can observe specific local conditions including flow rate, position within the channel, and time that combine to develop each texture. The textures in PEG flows form due to relative differences in shear forces between the PEG crust and the underlying liquid wax. Minimal shear forces form smooth crust, whereas folded crust forms when the shear is sufficiently high to cause ductile deformation. Brittle deformation of solid PEG creates a chaotic texture, and lineated crust results from shear forces along the channel-levee margin. We observe similar textures in submarine lava channels with sources at or near the Axial Summit Trough of the East Pacific Rise between 9° and 10°N. We mapped the surface textures of nine submarine lava channels using high-resolution digital images collected during camera tows. These textural maps, along with observations of the formation of similar features in analog flows, reveal important information about the mechanisms occurring across the channel during emplacement, including relative flow velocity and shear stress.
A DSP Hardware-Based Laboratory for Signals and Systems

Hardware-based laboratories have been successfully integrated into individual Digital Signal Processing (DSP) courses at many universities. Typically, most hardware-based DSP laboratory experiences are offered to upper-level students and focus on programming the signal processor. While this approach may be ideal for preparing motivated upper-level students for future careers in signal processing, it is not suitable for students with no prior experience in the field. To address this issue, a hardware-based signal processing alboratory, based on the Texas Instruments 6713 DSP Starter Kit (DSK), suitable for students in an introductory signals and systems course has been developed. After two semesters of implementation, results indicate that student understanding is enhanced and interest levels increase when a DSP hardwarebased laboratory is integrated into an introductory signal processing course.
Is subsidized housing in sustainable neighborhoods? Evidence from Chicago

This article explores the connection between subsidized housing and sustainable urban form. Given the general disconnect between new market-rate housing in sustainable, walkable neighborhoods and affordable housing opportunities, we expect affordable housing to be located in less sustainable locations in terms of proximity to amenities, walkability, street connectivity, density, and diversity of urban form. A rich set of parcel and planning data for the city of Chicago was used to correlate sustainability indicators with the locations of both project- and tenant-based affordable housing programs. Difference-in-means tests and other descriptive statistical analysis suggest that project-based locations (with the exception of Chicago Housing Authority family units) actually score above average, especially in terms of accessibility and walkability, albeit it at the cost of concentrated poverty, racial segregation, and crime. In contrast, vouchers are located in less sustainable locations when it comes to acce...
Poorly cited articles in peer-reviewed cardiovascular journals from 1997 to 2007: analysis of 5-year citation rates

Background—The extent to which articles are cited is a surrogate of the impact and importance of the research conducted; poorly cited articles may identify research of limited use and potential wasted investments. We assessed trends in the rates of poorly cited articles and journals in the cardiovascular literature from 1997 to 2007. Methods and Results—We identified original articles published in cardiovascular journals and indexed in the Scopus citation database from 1997 to 2007. We defined poorly cited articles as those with ≤5 citations in the 5 years following publication and poorly cited journals as those with >75% of journal content poorly cited. We identified 164 377 articles in 222 cardiovascular journals from 1997 to 2007. From 1997 to 2007, the number of cardiovascular articles and journals increased by 56.9% and 75.2%, respectively. Of all the articles, 75 550 (46.0%) were poorly cited, of which 25 650 (15.6% overall) had no citations. From 1997 to 2007, the proportion of poorly cited article...
New Guidance Laws to Implement Parallel Navigation

The proposed new guidance laws improve the effectiveness of the proportional navigation law against maneuvering targets. Their efficiency for the midcourse guidance is comparable with the performance of the Kappa law. However, the new guidance laws are algorithmically simpler than known in the literature because they are not based on information about the intercept point and/or time-to-go. This new class of the guidance laws is developed based on the Lyapunov method. The new laws will augment the PN law which is a part of these laws; additional components are selected based on the negative definiteness of the derivative of the Lyapunov function.
Patterns of habitat segregation among large fishes in a Venezuelan floodplain river

Distribution and abundance of large fishes (SL>100 mm) in the rio Cinaruco, a floodplain river in the Venezuelan llanos, were examined by gill net sampling in four habitat types: sand banks, backwater creeks, floodplain lagoons, and river channel. Sampling was standardized using nets (25 m x 2 m) of three mesh sizes set for 24-h periods. Based on data from >10,000 hours of gill netting over three years, there were significant differences in assemblage composition among the four habitats. Pair-wise comparisons suggested differences in assemblage composition between all pairs of habitats except creeks and lagoons. Differences in assemblage composition likely arose from species-specific habitat affinities. For example, 21 taxa were collected from both creeks and lagoons, but not from sand banks or the main river channel; each of these 21 taxa were associated with particular features characteristic of creeks and lagoons (e.g. abundant detritus). Assemblage structure also could be influenced by predation or other biological interactions, but mechanistic experiments are needed to evaluate this hypothesis. Assemblage composition was highly variable within all habitat types, likely the result of spatial and temporal heterogeneity associated with seasonal hydrology. Long distance migrations by prochilodontids and other taxa contributed to higher CPUE during the rising-water period of May 2002. Data from this study will provide a baseline to assess changes in the abundance and distribution of large-bodied fishes in response to increasing impacts from illegal commercial fishing in this region.
1,3-dihydroxybenzene-2-13C: Its preparation and reaction with chlorine and bromine in aqueous solution

1,3-cyclohexanedione-2-13C was prepared by intramolecular Claisen condensation of methyl 5-oxohexanote-6-13C with sodium methoxide. Formation of the ketoester starting material involved treatment of a mixed dicarboxylic anhydride with an isotopicallylabelled Grignard reagent, methyl-13C magnesium iodide. Dehydrogenation of carbon-13 labelled cyclohexanedione over a palladium/carbon catalyst produced 1,3-dihydroxybenzene-2-13C. Chlorination and bromination of dihydroxybenzene in aqueous solution yielded isotopically-labelled chloroform and bromoform, each having enriched carbon-13 contents equivalent to that of the organic substrate.
Investment Risk Profiling Utilizing Business Resource Slack

Financial investor classes are commonly depicted via a tripartite model that distinguishes among risk averse, risk neutral and risk seeking behaviors. This paper contributes to the literature by capturing the essence of risk tolerance in the context of a profit-maximizing firm’s investment decision vis-a-vis the business’ resource slack. The paradigm introduced in this paper contextualizes risk profiling in a rigorous manner which should augment treatments relayed in standard principles of finance textbooks. This paper illustrates that it is the existence or absence of resource slack that influences, if not dictates, a business’ risk disposition.
The Ionic Permeability Changes during Acetylcholine-Induced Responses of Aplysia Ganglion Cells

ACh-induced depolarization (D response) in D cells markedly decreases as the external Na+ is reduced. However, when Na+ is completely replaced with Mg++, the D response remains unchanged. When Na+ is replaced with Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane, the D response completely disappears, except for a slight decrease in membrane resistance. ACh-induced hyperpolarization (H response) in H cells is markedly depressed as the external Cl- is reduced. Frequently, the reversal of the H response; i.e., depolarization, is observed during perfusion with Cl--free media. In cells which show both D and H responses superimposed, it was possible to separate these responses from each other by perfusing the cells with either Na+-free or Cl--free Ringer's solution. High [K+]0 often caused a marked hyperpolarization in either D or H cells. This is due to the primary effect of high [K+]0 on the presynaptic inhibitory fibers. The removal of this inhibitory afferent interference by applying Nembutal readily disclosed the predicted K+ depolarization. In perfusates containing normal [Na+]0, the effects of Ca++ and Mg++ on the activities of postsynaptic membrane were minimal, supporting the current theory that the effects of these ions on the synaptic transmission are mainly presynaptic. The possible mechanism of the hyperpolarization produced by simultaneous perfusion with both high [K+]0 and ACh in certain H cells is explained quantitatively under the assumption that ACh induces exclusively an increase in Cl- permeability of the H membrane.
Segmentation and tracking of mesoscale eddies in numeric ocean models

An adequate understanding of climate variability and the eventual prediction of climate change are among the most urgent and far-reaching efforts of the scientific community. Measurements done to-date have suggested that the mesoscale eddies and mesoscale features play a strong role in carrying heat poleward. Oceanographic visualizations may play a key role in unraveling these mysteries. In this paper -we propose techniques for the automated detection, segmentation and tracking of these eddies. A structuring element based on velocity data is designed to detect centers of eddies. Best fitting ellipses/circular donuts are determined to outline and segment out the region of swirling currents around the detected centers. Segmented images from consecutive days of data are used to track eddies temporally. Small-motion assumption is used to track the full trajectory of the eddies. Visualizations resulting from this project provides oceanographers an invaluable tool to assess mesoscale eddies and the Lagrangian characteristics of this mesoscale oceanic feature.
Integrating Single Molecule Techniques to Investigate Antigen-Independent Effects of IgE Binding to FcεRI

Using single particle tracking and super-resolution, we have examined the influence of IgE binding on FceRI mobility and distribution. The high affinity IgE receptor, FceRI, of mast cells is an abγ2 tetramer, where the a subunit binds IgE and the b and γ subunits contribute ITAM-motifs for signaling. IgE binding is known to stabilize the receptor on the cell surface and recent evidence has shown that IgE plays a role in cell survival. Furthermore, the cytokinergic class of IgEs can induce signaling in the absence of antigen-mediated crosslinking.To examine IgE- and antigen-independent receptor behavior, we have generated a Fluorogen Activating Peptide (FAP)-tagged γ-subunit that allows us to track the non-IgE-bound receptor. Fluorogen activating peptides (FAPs) are genetically expressible tags that increase the fluorescence excitation cross-section of dye binding partners by up to four orders of magnitude, with bound lifetimes of up to ten seconds. These properties make the FAP system a convenient expressible probe for single particle tracking. We found that binding of non-cytokinergic IgE did not alter FceRI mobility. However, in the presence of cytokinergic IgE (SPE7), we observed a decrease in mobility that is dependent upon accessibility of the SPE7 variable region. The far red emission of the malachite green based fluorogen (MG2p) is also advantageous for simultaneous tracking of FAP-γ with respect to GFP-tagged proteins, such as clathrin, to identify regions of receptor localization. To identify changes in receptor distribution associated with binding of cytokinergic IgEs, we use multi-colored direct STORM to simultaneously image the receptor bound to cytokinergic and non-cytokinergic IgEs, and compare this to the receptor distribution in the absence of IgE.
The Association Between Rate of Initial Weight Loss and Long-Term Success in Obesity Treatment: Does Slow and Steady Win the Race?

Background Controversy exists regarding the optimal rate of weight loss for long-term weight management success.