cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Amytal on Smooth Muscle.

While using sodium amytal (sodium iso-amyl-ethyl barbiturate) as a routine laboratory anesthetic, it was observed that some of the dogs seemed to show certain signs of increased intestinal motility. Gruber1 found the tone of isolated intestine, uterus and ureter diminished by the barbituric acid derivatives (uterus by 1:10,000 or stronger amytal solution). Drabkin et al.2 reported maintenance of the rhythmic contractions and of response to the oxytocic principle of pituitary by the isolated uterus following large doses of amytal (1:1,000).3 Swanson4 obtained only a depression of the tone of all smooth muscle structures (by 1:25,000 sodium amytal or stronger).As these observations are somewhat in conflict, a series of experiments was done with smooth muscle tissues from various animals. The animals were killed by exsanguination and the desired parts removed at once and placed in iced Tyrode's or Locke's solution, where they were kept 2-4 hours. (In one or two instances where ether had been used a longer co...
Religion, Race, and Othering Barack Obama:

The nascent literature on the propensity to endorse conspiratorial views of President Barack Obama suggests that such sentiments may be grounded in racial animus or political partisanship. Yet to date, little attention has been paid to the religious elements that may underlie such claims. We extend the research in this area by using a national survey to assess the relationship between white conservative Protestant affiliation and an inclination to endorse the idea that Obama is a Muslim and/or a noncitizen. The results show that white conservative Protestant affiliation is associated with a greater tendency to support these characterizations of Obama. Importantly, this relationship is substantially mediated by racial resentment. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for the United States’ increasing ethnic and religious pluralism.
Multiscale Occupancy Patterns of Anurans in Prairie Wetlands

Abstract: Habitat loss and degradation appear to be the primary drivers of amphibian declines. Given the losses of native prairie and prairie wetlands, it is essential to understand the habitat conditions that support amphibian species in remaining prairie ecosystems. In this study, we combine wetland surveys, geographic information systems (GIS), and hierarchical statistical modeling to assess anuran occupancy relationships with wetland and landscape factors. We surveyed 141 wetlands with repeated sampling for amphibian breeding activity (calling, eggs, tadpoles, metamorphs) in the Sheyenne National Grasslands—one of the largest contiguous prairies on the North American continent. Overall we observed evidence of seven amphibian species breeding in the Sheyenne National Grasslands. Species with ubiquitous distributions (Boreal Chorus Frogs) or species that occurred infrequently (Canadian Toads and Great Plains Toads) had little variance in occupancy. However, Northern Leopard Frogs, Wood Frogs, and Gray T...
Challenges in Valuing Loss of Services

This chapter examines five analytical challenges to the expert who undertakes a valuation of lost services: (1) establishing what types of services have been lost, (2) identifying which of these services are permitted by the courts to be valued, (3) determining the magnitude of each service, (4) determining a proper valuation method to apply to the identified services, and (5) specifying the monetary value of each service being measured. The types of services that could be considered are explained as the methods available for measuring both their quantity and monetary value. The paper also examines the joint production of services as well as their joint consumption. Readers will learn that valuation of lost services in personal litigation matters can range from the simple to the complex.
Processability‐enhanced bimodal high‐density polyethylene with comb‐branched high‐density polyethylene

Two solution reactors in series were utilized to synthesize comb-branched high-density polyethylene (HDPE), cbHDPE, where the first reactor prepares vinyl-terminated HDPE macromers catalyzed by an organometallic catalyst favoring beta hydride transfer and the second reactor copolymerizes HDPE macromers with ethylene using a different organometallic catalyst capable of incorporating macromers. A bimodal HDPE, biHDPE with bimodalities in molecular weight, and hexene content of the desired composition distribution was also prepared in a gas phase reactor using silica supported dual organometallic catalysts. By blending 3% solution-made cbHDPE into the gas-phase biHDPE, the resulting trimodal HDPE preserves the excellent stiffness and toughness of the bimodal HDPE while having exceptional melt strength and processability. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 45755.
Deletions of chromosome 5 in malignant myeloid disorders.

Recurring chromosomal abnormalities are characteristic of human malignant diseases, particularly the leukemias and lymphomas (Mitelman, 1991). Molecular analysis has revealed that alterations in the function of the genes that are located at the breakpoints of the recurring structural rearrangements play an integral role in the process of malignant transformation. The transforming genes that are involved in chromosomal translocations fall into several functional classes, including tyrosine protein kinases (ABL), serine protein kinases (BCR), cell surface receptors (TAN1), growth factors (IL3), and inner mitochondrial membrane proteins (BCL2). However, the largest class encode transcriptional regulating factors (PBX1, E2A); these genes have been implicated in the pathogenesis of T cell and B cell neoplasms as well as some myeloid leukemias.
Inguinal Hernia Resulting in Testicular Ischemia

The absence of blood flow in the testicle is classically thought to be secondary to testicular torsion; however, other etiologies of compromised testicular blood flow have been described. We present an unusual case of testicular ischemia secondary to an inguinal hernia. A 58-year-old male presented to the emergency department with right-sided scrotal pain and swelling. Color-flow Doppler ultrasound evaluation demonstrated lack of blood flow in the right testicle and a right-sided inguinal hernia. The testicular blood flow was re-established with reduction of an inguinal hernia.
A comparison of zonotope order reduction techniques

Abstract This brief paper provides a comparison of methods for enclosing a given zonotope within another of lower complexity, commonly called order reduction. These techniques are essential for maintaining efficiency in recursive computations with zonotopes and are widely used in set-based estimation, hybrid systems verification, and fault detection. We first review existing methods and provide a new theoretical analysis of the method recently introduced by Scott et al. (2016). We then compare methods in terms of computational cost and overestimation error, and investigate the effects of zonotope dimension, initial order, and reduced order on these metrics. These results provide valuable guidance for the design of robust estimation and control algorithms that more effectively balance accuracy with computational cost.
Implementation of numerically stable Hidden Markov model

A Hidden Markov model (HMM) is a statistical Markov model in which the system being modeled is assumed to be a Markov process with unobserved (hidden) states. HMM is an extremely flexible tool and has been successfully applied to a wide variety of stochastic modeling tasks. One of the first applications of HMM is speech recognition. Later they came to be known for their applicability in handwriting recognition, part-of-speech tagging and bio-informatics. In this thesis, we will explain the mathematics involved in HMMs and how to efficiently perform HMM computations using dynamic programming (DP) which makes it easy to implement HMM. We will also address the practical issues associated with the use of HMM like numerical scaling of conditional probabilities to model long sequences and smoothing of poor probability estimates caused by sparse training data.
Abbreviated Psychological Assessment

Many persons coming to you for care will develop emotional distress from time to time, and for this reason, it is important for you to develop skills for evaluating their psychological status. A psychological evaluation of this type can be accomplished by conducting a specially designed interview, the principles of which you can easily learn and use with your patients.
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE B-CELL REPERTOIRE ONTOGENY IN PARENTAL AND F1 MICE

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the comparative analysis of the B-cell repertoire ontogeny in parental and F1 mice. Monoclonal antibodies specific for the hemagglutinin (HA) molecule of the influenza virus strain PR8 were generated by limiting dilution culture of neonatal B-cells. PR8 HA-specific antibodies were then tested for their ability to bind the HA1s of six additional virus strains. Each of these heterologous viruses differs in the quality and quantity of antigenic determinants shared with PR8. It is found that each antibody will bind a characteristic array of the heterologous viruses and each such reactivity pattern defines an antibody specificity that differs from antibodies displaying any other RP. This technique allows the extensive dissection of the HA specific response into its component clonotypes and, thus, facilitates comprehensive B-cell repertoire comparisons. The results of this analysis reveal that the neonatal B10.D2 and (BALB/c × B10.D2) F1 repertoires each display restricted heterogeneity compared to adults. This conclusion is consequent upon the observation that fewer than nine clonotypes have been observed among the neonates of each strain, whereas adults regularly exhibit many more clonotypes within samples of similar size.
Understanding Chinese consumer adoption of apparel mobile commerce: An extended TAM approach

Abstract This study proposes and applies an extended technology acceptance model (TAM) that incorporates brand equity and website quality as determinants of perceived usefulness and perceived ease‐of‐use to predict Chinese consumer intention to use apparel mobile commerce (m-commerce). 786 eligible responses were collected via an online questionnaire survey. The psychometric properties of the proposed extended TAM model were examined and the multiple regression method was applied to test the hypotheses. All dimensions of brand equity (i.e., brand loyalty, brand association, brand perceived quality, and brand image) significantly affect Chinese consumer perceived ease of use of apparel m-commerce while brand loyalty, perceived quality, and image enhance consumer perceived usefulness. This suggests a greater need for attention to branding effect within an increasingly saturated apparel m-commerce channel. All dimensions of website quality (i.e., website system quality, information quality, and service quality) significantly influence consumer perceived usefulness of apparel m-commerce while website system quality and information quality increase perceived use easiness. These website qualities play an important role in meeting the needs of consumers who are looking for good usability of mobile shopping. Both perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use result in positive consumer attitudes toward shopping apparel via m-commerce channel. The positive attitude and perceived usefulness lead to a greater likelihood for Chinese consumers to use apparel m-commerce. The research model exhibits a high explanatory power, collectively accounting for 64.6% of the variance in Chinese consumer intention to use apparel m-commerce.
What Discharge Instructions and Follow-Up Planning Should Patients with Chronic Abdominal Pain Be Given?

Chronic abdominal pain can be difficult to manage with regard to discharge planning and instructions. Medically, pain control should be given in the safest and smallest doses necessary. Narcotics and benzodiazepines should be avoided when possible. An empathetic approach and utilization of support systems can encourage patient independence in this multifactorial and overwhelming process. Referral to the appropriate clinicians for follow-up, including the gastroenterologist, gynecologist, urologist, psychiatrist, or primary care provider, facilitates ongoing treatment.
Abstract 220: Understanding Recovery in Patients Following Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) poses a traumatic experience that is a life-challenging event for patients. Yet, there is a lack of descriptive accounts of patients’ experiences post ...
Preoperative Cytologic Diagnosis of NIFTP

For the majority of cases, the preoperative cytologic diagnosis of noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP) will fall into indeterminate categories in The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology. The smears from fine-needle aspiration biopsies of NIFTP typically show low to moderate cellularity, and the cellular changes include a predominance of microfollicles or at least a focal follicular growth pattern with a mixture of syncytial sheets and microfollicles. In NIFTP, the nuclear features of papillary carcinoma are often more subtle and focal compared to invasive papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Both the nuclei of NIFTP and invasive PTC show nuclear clearing. However compared to invasive PTC, the nuclei of NIFTP are smaller, less elongated, and more rounded. NIFTP nuclei are also not as crowded and have grooves that are more delicate and focal in comparison to its PTC counterpart. Papillae, psammoma bodies, and nuclear pseudoinclusions are usually absent in cases of NIFTP.
Temperature-dependence of the dielectric relaxation of water using non-polarizable water models.

Key physical and chemical properties of aqueous fluids are determined by the structure and dynamics of the hydrogen bond network of water but we lack adequate models for the linkages between hydrogen bonding and aqueous chemistry, particularly in non-ambient conditions or in confinement. Dielectric relaxation spectroscopy (DRS) provides a sensitive approach for probing water dynamics but sound interpretation of DRS data requires molecular simulation and associated computational methods capable of accurately representing aqueous fluids and their frequency dependent, complex permittivity. Here, we test the accuracy of dielectric spectra of bulk liquid water calculated from molecular dynamics simulations using 19 non-polarizable water models at 298 K. In contrast to prior studies, the simulation size, time-step and duration allow calculation of the dielectric function from 107-1012 Hz without assuming an analytical form. The accuracy of the prediction of the low-frequency (static) dielectric constant at room temperature is related to the water molecule dipole moment, specifically models with μ ≥ 2.4 D give e(0) with a relative error lower than 5%. However, no water model tested can fully reproduce the complex dielectric spectra of water. For a subset of models, calculations of the dielectric response from -5 to 60 °C reproduces the experimental trend in water dynamics with temperature but the characteristic relaxation time is always underestimated. The calculated water dipole relaxation time and hydrogen-bond lifetime are both exponentially decaying functions of temperature, and exhibit a linear correlation very close to equality. The comparison provides new computational support for the concept that the Debye relaxation of liquid water is determined by the dynamics of the hydrogen-bond network, and that both are ensemble properties.
ON SOME QUESTIONS OF PARTITIO NUMERORUM: TRES CUBI

This paper is concerned with the function r3(n), the number of representations of n as the sum of at most three positive cubes, , Our understanding of this function is surprisingly poor, and we examine various averages of it. In particular and
Abstract WP18: Cerebral Mechanical Thrombectomy Simulator Using Hydrogel Polymers and 3D Printing Technology

Introduction: While stroke remains a leading cause of death and disability, recent advances in endovascular technology an important opportunity to make a significant impact in clinical outcomes. Ho...
Utilization of muscle tissue in periparturient dairy cattle as assessed by ultrasonographic measurement of muscle thickness and plasma creatinine concentration

High producing dairy cattle experience a state of negative energy balance in early lactation. Dairy cattle address this metabolic challenge by increasing the rate of fat and protein mobilization. Previous studies have emphasized the rate of fat mobilization and consequently the rate of protein mobilization has not been fully investigated. The primary objective of this study was therefore to characterize the change in muscle mass during early lactation using ultrasonography and plasma creatinine concentration (creatinine).
The association of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors with the biochemical recurrence-free and overall survival of patients with prostate cancer following radical prostatectomy.

Abstract Purpose To determine whether phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor documentation is associated with biochemical relapse-free and overall survival of patients with prostate cancer treated with radical prostatectomy. Materials and methods We undertook a retrospective cohort analysis of 3,100 patients with prostate cancer treated with radical prostatectomy between 2003 and 2015. The patients were categorized as a phosphodiesterase- 5- inhibitor user or non-user. The biochemical relapse-free and overall survival at 5-years and 10-years were determined. Results Of the patients, 1,372 reported phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor documentation, and 1,728 did not. The biochemical recurrence-free survival for non-users at 5- and 10-years follow-up was 87.6% and 85.3%, respectively, and the overall survival at these time intervals was 97.9% and 94.5%. The biochemical recurrence-free survival for phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor users was 94.3% and 93.2% at 5- and 10-years follow-up, respectively, and overall survival was 99.2% and 95.8% at these intervals. The hazard ratio for biochemical recurrence-free survival was 0.44 (CI 0.34–0.56) and for overall survival was 0.65 (CI 0.45–0.94). On the multivariate analysis, phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor documentation was associated with a lower risk of biochemical recurrence and death when corrected for the other variables. Age at surgery and Gleason scores >8 was associated with a higher risk of death. Higher pathological stage, higher Gleason score, presence of lymph node metastases, and nonwhite race were associated with a higher risk of recurrence. Conclusion This retrospective analysis revealed a significant association of postoperative phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor documentation with biochemical recurrence-free- and overall survival in patients with localized prostate cancer treated with radical prostatectomy. Larger scale studies are warranted to investigate the clinical significance of this association.
Potential genotype-based climate change adaptation strategies for sustaining cotton production in the Texas High Plains: A simulation study

Abstract The Texas High Plains (THP) is a major cotton-producing region in the United States. Sustaining cotton production under declining groundwater availability in the underlying Ogallala Aquifer and changing climate remains a key challenge for stakeholders in this region. The objectives of this study were to assess climate change impacts on cotton yield and irrigation water use, and evaluate six ideotypes for adaptation. In this study, we used the DSSAT-CSM-CROPGRO-Cotton model for simulating cotton production under 18 projected future climate scenarios and with six potential adaptation ideotypes at Bushland, Halfway and Lamesa in the northern, central, and southern parts of the THP region, respectively. Seed cotton yield and irrigation water use between baseline (1976–2005) and future periods (mid-century:2036–2065 and late-century: 2066–2095) were compared. The irrigated seed cotton yield is expected to increase by 12–21 % at cooler northern sites, and decrease by 2% at the warmer southern site, in the mid-century compared to the baseline. For the same period, seasonal irrigation water use is expected to increase by 6–11 % and dryland seed cotton yield is expected to change by +6 % to −11 % across the locations. The increases in irrigated seed cotton yield were attributed to increased vegetative growth under elevated CO2, while the decline in dryland seed cotton yield was due to poor boll retention at high growing season temperatures. Six potential climate change adaptive ideotypes with greater drought and heat tolerances, higher yield potential, and longer maturity were designed and compared to the reference cultivar. For irrigated conditions, increasing area of full leaf and enhancing partitioning of assimilates to reproductive growth (high yield potential) were preferred, because these characteristics increased seed cotton yield substantially (by 3–9 %) with a marginal change in irrigation water use (by −1 to 3 %). For dryland production, a long maturity ideotype with longer boll filling duration was the most effective ideotype with a substantial increase in seed cotton yield by 11–45 %. The results from this study will be useful to THP cotton producers and water managers in making appropriate decisions for adapting cotton production to projected changes in future climate and groundwater availability.
Nonequilibrium dissociative dynamics of D 2 in two-color, few-photon excitation and ionization

${\mathrm{D}}_{2}$ molecules, excited by linearly cross-polarized femtosecond extreme ultraviolet (XUV) and near-infrared (NIR) light pulses, reveal highly structured ${\mathrm{D}}^{+}$ ion fragment momenta and angular distributions that originate from two different four-step dissociative ionization pathways after four-photon absorption (one XUV $+$ three NIR). We show that, even for very low dissociation kinetic energy release $\ensuremath{\le}$ 240 meV, specific electronic excitation pathways can be identified and isolated in the final ion momentum distributions. With the aid of ab initio electronic structure and time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation calculations, angular momentum, energy, and parity conservation are used to identify the excited neutral molecular states and molecular orientations relative to the polarization vectors in these different photoexcitation and dissociation sequences of the neutral ${\mathrm{D}}_{2}$ molecule and its ${\mathrm{D}}_{2}^{+}$ cation. In one sequential photodissociation pathway, molecules aligned along either of the two light polarization vectors are excluded, while another pathway selects molecules aligned parallel to the light propagation direction. The evolution of the nuclear wave packet on the intermediate $B{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{1}{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}}_{u}^{+}$ electronic state of the neutral ${\mathrm{D}}_{2}$ molecule is also probed in real time.
Network Support and Negative Life Events Associated With Chronic Cardiometabolic Disease Outcomes.

Introduction Stress from negative life events may be an important risk factor for chronic cardiometabolic conditions, which are increasingly prevalent among young adults. Support from personal networks is known to buffer stress from negative life events. Yet, evidence for these relationships among both young and older adults remains unclear. Methods Longitudinal data came from the University of California, Berkeley Social Networks Study (2015–2018), which followed young (aged 21–30 years) and late middle-aged (aged 50–70 years) adults over 4 years. Weighted hybrid fixed and random effects models (completed in 2020) were used to examine the causal relationships among 4 negative life events, distinct forms of network support (e.g., social companionship, emergency help), and self-reported chronic cardiometabolic disease outcomes (i.e., hypertension, diabetes, or a heart condition). Results Among young adults, both the death of a close tie (average marginal effect=0.10, p Conclusions Negative life events may be important risk factors for chronic cardiometabolic disease outcomes, particularly among young adults. Although there is no evidence of network support mediating the effects of negative life events, increases in network support were directly associated with chronic cardiometabolic outcomes.
MFC-Prov: Media forensics challenge image provenance evaluation and data analysis on large-scale datasets

Abstract With the development of storage, transmission, editing, and sharing tools, digital forgery images are propagating rapidly. The need for image provenance analysis has never been more timely. Typical applications are content tracking, copyright enforcement, and forensics reasoning. However, large-scale image provenance datasets, which contain diverse manipulation history graphs with various manipulation operations and rich metadata, are still needed to facilitate the research. It is one of the major factors that hinders the development of techniques for image provenance analysis. To address this issue, we introduce large-scale datasets for provenance analysis, namely Media Forensics Challenge-Image Provenance (MFC-Prov) datasets. Two provenance tasks are designed along with evaluation metrics. Furthermore, extensive analysis is conducted for system performance in terms of accuracy on our datasets.
Two-Dimensional Heat Transfer to Superfluid Helium

Steady-state boiling heat transfer to superfluid helium has been studied by many investigators [1–3]. In previous experiments a metal block was attached to the end of a tube filled with superfluid helium. When the block is heated, internal convection currents take place which result in one-dimensional flow inside the tube. Matthews and Leonard [4] studied boiling heat transfer from rectangular surfaces in a saturated superfluid helium bath. They measured the critical heat flux as a function of orientation, temperature, and depth.
Development of Micro-scale Sample Preparation and Prefractionation Methods in LC-MS-Based Proteomic Studies

One of the most significant difficulties in studying clinical specimens such as cancer stem cells by mass spectrometry based proteomics approaches arises from the small sample size which limits the use of conventional proteome profiling procedures. The ideal strategy to avoid sample loss is to entirely diminish sample preparation, but current mass spectrometry techniques do not allow direct identification/quantification of proteins present in complex biological matrices. In this chapter, we describe a workflow that combines a single-tube cell lysis procedure using PPS silent surfactant (3-[3-(1,1-bisalkyloxyethyl)pyridin-1-yl]propane-1-sulfonate) and a capillary isoelectric focusing (CIEF) step to specifically analyze a small number of cells. This workflow can be directly coupled to reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) followed by nanoflow rate electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (nanoESI- MS) to study the global proteome expression pattern with the proteins from 104 pancreatic cancer tissue stem cells (equal to <1 μg of protein material) which is 100 times less than the number of cells needed in a typical proteome profiling experiment.
Komarov Calling Apollo-Soyuz

"What for?" I said. This was 1983 and the movies Convoy and Smokey and the Bandit had come and gone and any interest I'd had in CBs had gone with them. But we were poor and didn't get new things very often, so I took it from her and tried not to wish she'd gotten me one when I was a lot younger instead, and I pretended I didn't realize what was going on here. See, let me say something right up front about my family: I had a grandmother who worried way too much about me and a mom who's mentally retarded and had to be sent off to live in an institution. "You're out on your own now. What if the car breaks down? It's my car and I'd never forgive myself. So just take it." She nodded her head and looked very serious. "Please, Jeff." I was always careful not to hurt her feelings, so I just stood there and stared at the picture of the guy on the box it came in. He was in a skiing outfit and was talking into the CB. I figured he was supposed to be a rescue person, talking about someone who'd just broken his thigh or gotten buried in an avalanche. The seal was broken on the box and I could picture her making the clerk open it up to prove to her it worked. Of course she'd waited until after dinner to give it to me; she liked to have a peaceful meal so we could talk about other things?bigger things. Today we'd managed to keep it limited mostly to my job dealing with weeds for Greener Thumb Landscaping and the clothes shopping for the start of school we were going to have to do soon.
Viral genetic variation, AIDS, and the multistep nature of carcinogenesis: The feline leukemia virus model

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) infection in cats serves as a valuable animal model system for understanding the mechanisms of human diseases such as cancer and immunodeficiency. We have used experimental infection with molecularly cloned viruses to isolate and characterize novel FeLV variants that evolved in vivo and that were associated with the development of thymic lymphoma. One variant, FeLV-81T, contained a mutated envelope gene that conferred cytopathicity, enhanced replication rate, and syncytium induction in feline T cells, and is reminiscent of immunodeficiency-inducing strains of FeLV. Another variant transduced a portion of the feline Notch2 gene, which was expressed as a novel truncated protein in the cell nucleus and which we believe functioned as an oncogene in the development of T cell malignancy. Understanding how FeLV variants that either stimulate or destroy lymphocytes evolve and interrelate during disease progression will help elucidate the mechanisms of retroviral pathogenicity.
Grief, Demoralization, and Depression: Diagnostic Challenges and Treatment Modalities

Patients with advanced illness and their caregivers are intimately familiar with the experience of grief and loss. Being diagnosed with a serious illness is often the beginning of emotional and physical losses that may end with the patient's death. Along the difficult journey through illness, patients and caregivers may develop varying degrees and types of emotional distress. Depression, severe grief reactions, and demoralization are common types of disorders experienced by patients and caregivers in the palliative care setting. While commonly recognized as separate diagnostic entities, these disorders share many symptoms, making their differentiation challenging. Accurate diagnosis is crucial because of its treatment implications. This article reviews the characteristic features of these disorders in the context of palliative and end-of-life care. Assessment and non-pharmacologic treatment modalities are presented.
Assessing individual risk for high-risk colorectal adenoma at first-time screening colonoscopy

Assessing risk of colorectal adenoma at first-time colonoscopy that are of higher likelihood of developing advanced neoplasia during surveillance could help tailor first-line colorectal cancer screening. We developed prediction models for high-risk colorectal adenoma (at least one adenoma ≥1 cm, or with advanced histology, or ≥3 adenomas) among 4,881 asymptomatic white men and 17,970 women who underwent colonoscopy as their first-time screening for colorectal cancer in two prospective US studies using logistic regressions. C-statistics and Hosmer-Lemeshow tests were used to evaluate discrimination and calibration. Ten-fold cross-validation was used for internal validation. A total of 330 (6.7%) men and 678 (3.8%) women were diagnosed with high-risk adenoma at first-time screening colonoscopy. The model for men included age, family history of colorectal cancer, BMI, smoking, sitting watching TV/VCR, regular aspirin/NSAID use, physical activity, and a joint term of multivitamin and alcohol. For women, the model included age, family history of colorectal cancer, BMI, smoking, alcohol, beef/pork/lamb as main dish, regular aspirin/NSAID, calcium, and oral contraceptive use. The C-statistic of the model for men was 0.67 and 0.60 for women (0.64 and 0.57 in cross-validation). Both models calibrated well. The predicted risk of high-risk adenoma for men in the top decile was 15.4% vs. 1.8% for men in the bottom decile (Odds Ratio [OR] = 9.41), and 6.6% vs. 2.1% for women (OR = 3.48). In summary, we developed and internally validated an absolute risk assessment tool for high-risk colorectal adenoma among the US population that may provide guidance for first-time colorectal cancer screening.
Blogging the Political: Politics and Participation in a Networked Society, by Antoinette Pole

The potential of the Internet to democratize the press has long been extolled by scholars, with its low barriers to entry seen as leveling the playing field between institutional and citizen publis...
Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery via Mini-Thoracotomy: Current Update

In recent years, minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS) has established itself as an alternative and increasingly used option for patients with mitral valve (MV) pathology. MIMVS is associated with a very low perioperative morbidity and mortality rate in appropriately selected patients, comparable to a full sternotomy approach. Besides superior cosmetic results, patients after MIMVS enjoy shorter recovery times and earlier returns to full activity. A number of approaches are branded as minimally invasive, but the most widely used one entails peripheral cardiopulmonary bypass and a small right anterolateral mini-thoracotomy. The operative technique and outcomes of this approach are summarized in the current update.
Students' Intentions to Purchase Electronic Textbooks

Textbooks have played an important role in education for decades. Given the significant number of technology applications in education, it is not surprising that at least one such application is the electronic textbook (e-textbook). There are a variety of motivations to adopt an e-textbook, including frequent content updates and low costs. The research presented here examines students’ behavioral intentions to purchase an e-textbook when given the choice. The theoretical foundation of the research is provided by social cognitive theory. The data used in the empirical study were collected by distributing a questionnaire to students at a medium-sized university in the western United States. Student responses used in the analysis all reported prior use of an e-textbook. The model was estimated using a structural equations approach. The results showed that both ease of e-textbook use and verbal persuasion/social norm positively influence behavioral intentions to purchase an e-textbook through both self-efficacy and outcome expectancy/usefulness. Previous computer experience positively influences behavioral intentions to purchase an e-textbook only through self-efficacy. Based on these results, conclusions are provided.
Improving patient safety with intelligent infusion devices.

Breland’s[1][1] report in this issue of AJHP on implementing intelligent infusion pumps at a community teaching hospital conveys a sense of how complex and difficult this process is when it is done properly. His report offers a platform for discussing some key issues related to this technology’s
ECHOvirus 33 replication in human peripheral white blood cells

ECHOvirus 33 isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid of a patient with agammaglobulinemia was shown to replicate in vitro in peripheral leukocyte suspensions from a normal antibody negative donor. Replication was demonstrated by use of sequential dilution experiments. Washed glass adherent mononuclear cell cultures from a normal antibody negative donor were also capable of supporting ECHOvirus 33 replication in vitro. Leukocyte suspensions from the infected agammaglobulinemic patient extinguished detectable infectious virus in vitro.
Biomembrane phospholipid-oxide surface interactions: crystal chemical and thermodynamic basis.

Quartz has the least favored surface among many oxides for bacterial attachment and for lipid bilayer or micelle interactions. Tetrahedrally coordinated crystalline silica polymorphs are membranolytic toward liposomes, lysosomes, erythrocytes, and macrophages. Amorphous silica, the octahedral silica polymorph, (stishovite), and oxides such as Al2O3, Fe2 O3, and TiO2 are less cytotoxic. Existing theories for membrane rupture that invoke interactions between oxide surfaces and cell membrane phospholipids (PLs) do not adequately explain these differences in membranolytic potential of the oxides. The author presents a crystal chemical, thermodynamic model for the initial interaction of oxide surfaces with the quaternary ammonium component of the PL's polar head group. The model includes solvation energy changes and electrostatic forces during adsorption, represented by the dielectric constant of the solid and the charge-to-radius ratio of the adsorbing solute. The nature of oxide-solute interactions compared with oxide-water, solute-water, and water-water interactions determines the membranolytic activity of the oxide, where the solute is TMA+, the quaternary ammonium moeity. Significant membrane rupture, as on quartz, requires unfavorable adsorption entropy (DeltaS(ads,TMA+) 0, so disruption of structure is limited, even though G(exc,TMA+/Na+) is 0 at the acidic to circumneutral pHs of cellular and subcellular organelle fluids. The model predicts the correct sequence of membranolytic ability: quartz > or = amorphous SiO2 >Al2O3 >Fe2O3 >TiO2. The model thus explains the relatively poor adhesion of bacterial cells to quartz and the lack of quartz as a biomineral. It is proposed that one function of extracellular polymeric substances exuded by bacteria is to render mineral surfaces more hydrophilic.
Rupture dimensions of the 1998 Antarctic Earthquake from low‐frequency waves

We inverted frequency dependent phase and amplitude measurements from 1st orbit Rayleigh waves at global stations for the 1st and 2nd degree polynomial moments of the stress-glut rate tensor. The higher moments of the slip-rate distribution determine the fault plane and approximate rupture dimensions. The results show strong rupture propagation to the west with an average velocity of the instantaneous centroid of 3.6±.1 km/s. The rupture had a characteristic length of 178±46 km in the east-west direction and a characteristic duration of 48±2 s. The results are consistent with unilateral rupture on the east-west fault plane of the focal mechanism and rule out significant rupture on the north-south nodal plane.
Isolation and Characterization of a Novel Gene Up-Regulated by Granulocyte Colony-Stimulation Factor in a Murine Progenitor Cell Line |[bull]| 1409

Hematopoietic stem cells give rise to progenitor cells with progressively more restricted fates. This process is directed, in part, by a network of stimulating factors. Elucidation of the genetic events of hematopoiesis will provide insight into diseases of this system and novel strategies that may be employed to manipulate lineage commitment in a clinical setting. Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) is a hematopoietic growth factor which induces differentiation and maturation of the interleukin-3 (IL-3) dependent murine progenitor cell line 32D C13. In order to identify genes involved in commitment of myeloid progenitor cells to a differentiation program, 32D cells were withdrawn from IL-3 and cultured with G-CSF at a concentration of 400 U/ml. The cells were analyzed by napthol chloroesterase and myeloperoxidase staining at 24 hour time periods. At 96 hours after addition of G-CSF, 86% of the cells were napthol chloroesterase positive while 77% were myeloperoxidase positive. mRNA was extracted from a population of cells cultured for 96 hours with G-CSF, reverse transcribed to constitute the “tester” cDNA population, and used in a subtractive hybridization procedure with“driver” IL-3 cDNA. After two rounds of subtractive hybridization, the products were cloned into the Bluescript plasmid and screened for duplicates and true subtraction. DNA sequencing revealed the identity of a 164 base pair clone having 100% homology to the Tag-7 gene isolated in a differential display analysis of metastatic mouse tumors (Kustikova, et al; Genetika, 1996). Isolation of the full length cDNA sequence from a newborn murine brain library confirmed close homology to the Tag-7 gene. The deduced amino acid sequence encodes a novel protein that lacks known functional motifs. Both IL-3 and G-CSF induced 32D mRNA were probed for presence of the Tag-7 transcript by northern blot analysis. Signal quantitation showed a three-fold increase of Tag-7 message in the 96 hour G-CSF induced cells. Examination by RT-PCR indicated differential expression of Tag-7 in hematopoietic organs derived from adult and newborn mice. The authors conclude that the Tag-7 gene plays some yet undefined regulatory role in cell proliferation and differentiation. Further efforts are underway to isolate a corresponding human gene and to define the role of the Tag-7 gene in hematopoiesis.
ERNST WYNDER: A REMEMBRANCE

Ernst Wynder, founder and president of the American Health Foundation, was my employer, mentor, and colleague for nearly 25 years. This brief remembrance provides some experiences and perspectives that influenced my career as a cancer epidemiologist.
Abiomed Biventricular Assist Device as a Bridge to Transplantation in a 14-Year-Old With Cardiomyopathy Resulting from Ventricular Noncompaction

Ventricular noncompaction is a rare but well-documented cause of cardiomyopathy. This report presents a case of ventricular noncompaction diagnosed late in end-stage cardiac failure and malignant ventricular arrhythmia, which required an Abiomed biventricular assist device as a bridge to transplantation.
SQUARES AND COVERING MATRICES

Abstract Viale introduced covering matrices in his proof that SCH follows from PFA. In the course of the proof and subsequent work with Sharon, he isolated two reflection principles, CP and S, which, under certain circumstances, are satisfied by all covering matrices of a certain shape. Using square sequences, we construct covering matrices for which CP and S fail. This leads naturally to an investigation of square principles intermediate between □ κ and □ ( κ + ) for a regular cardinal κ. We provide a detailed picture of the implications between these square principles.
Prototypical analysis of adolescent psychopathy: investigating the juvenile justice perspective

The past ten years have seen a dramatic increase in the empirical investigation of psychopathic characteristics in children and adolescents. In general, the focus of this research has been on the validation of assessment instruments to evaluate psychopathy as well as concurrent and predictive validity. Little attention has been directed toward elucidating the core characteristics of this construct. The current study expands on previous research by asking juvenile justice personnel (424 juvenile detention and probation officers) to identify the core characteristics of the construct via prototypical analysis for both male and female adolescents. Results of separate factor analyses by gender revealed five identifiable dimensions: juvenile delinquency, serious/violent conduct problems, narcissistic/manipulation of others, impulsivity/acting out, and family problems. The results suggest that juvenile justice personnel focus on a wide range of behavioral indicators as indicative of adolescent psychopathy in addition to affective and interpersonal characteristics typically viewed as crucial to the construct by clinicians.
Old Road, New Directions: Plan for Adeline Street in Berkeley, California

This paper presents a plan for transforming a major arterial and a transit station that divide a low-income business and residential district into an economically healthy, context-sensitive, transit-oriented development. Adeline Street is a major point of entry into Berkeley, California, linking the city of Oakland on the south to the central districts of Berkeley. Formerly a major streetcar corridor, Adeline is now the location of a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station and a surface parking lot, for which housing and businesses were removed in the 1960s. The street's 180-ft right-of-way, fast-moving traffic, and many uncontrolled intersections present an imposing barrier to pedestrians and bicyclists and detract from the retail uses that remain on portions of the street. The goal of this study was to redesign Adeline to be safer and more inviting. The design envisions Adeline as a balanced, multimodal link in the transportation network and a safe, attractive district for residents and visitors. The prop...
Minority carrier diffusion lengths and absorption coefficients in silicon sheet material

Most of the methods which have been developed for the measurement of the minority carrier diffusion length of silicon wafers require that the material have either a Schottky or an ohmic contact. The surface photovoltage (SPV) technique is an exception. The SPV technique could, therefore, become a valuable diagnostic tool in connection with current efforts to develop low-cost processes for the production of solar cells. The technique depends on a knowledge of the optical absorption coefficient. The considered investigation is concerned with a reevaluation of the absorption coefficient as a function of silicon processing. A comparison of absorption coefficient values showed these values to be relatively consistent from sample to sample, and independent of the sample growth method.
Discovery and structure determination of the orphan enzyme isoxanthopterin deaminase.

Two previously uncharacterized proteins have been identified that efficiently catalyze the deamination of isoxanthopterin and pterin 6-carboxylate. The genes encoding these two enzymes, NYSGXRC-9339a (gi|44585104) and NYSGXRC-9236b (gi|44611670), were first identified from DNA isolated from the Sargasso Sea as part of the Global Ocean Sampling Project. The genes were synthesized, and the proteins were subsequently expressed and purified. The X-ray structure of Sgx9339a was determined at 2.7 A resolution (Protein Data Bank entry 2PAJ). This protein folds as a distorted (β/α)8 barrel and contains a single zinc ion in the active site. These enzymes are members of the amidohydrolase superfamily and belong to cog0402 within the clusters of orthologous groups (COG). Enzymes in cog0402 have previously been shown to catalyze the deamination of guanine, cytosine, S-adenosylhomocysteine, and 8-oxoguanine. A small compound library of pteridines, purines, and pyrimidines was used to probe catalytic activity. The only...
Functional analysis and unsuccessful treatment of Tourette's syndrome in a man with profound mental retardation*

The head and vocal tics of a man with Tourette's syndrome and profound mental retardation were successfully assessed with the Motivation Assessment Scale and an analog functional analysis procedure. The functional analysis revealed that the primary motivation of the tic behaviors was escape from demand situations. A combined intervention of social disapproval and escape extinction was implemented without success. Subsequent administration of haloperidol also failed to decrease the frequency of tic behavior. The functional analysis and intervention results are discussed within the context of the scientist-practitioner model and the need for hypothesis-driven intervention strategies.