cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pediatric melanoma in the Hispanic population: An analysis of institutional and national data

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Pediatric melanoma is rare and remains poorly characterized, especially in racial/ethnic minorities of whom Hispanics are the largest and fastest growing in the United States. The health care burden of melanoma in Hispanics, who often present with more advanced disease, is rising and has even been called an early epidemic in California. We sought to document key clinicopathologic features of melanoma in Hispanic pediatric patients and to compare these parameters to pediatric non-Hispanic whites (NHWs) under the a priori hypothesis that Spitzoid melanomas occur in greater proportions in Hispanics. METHODS Single-institution cross-sectional study of pediatric melanoma cases (age < 20 years) with Hispanic stratification and comparison with matched Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data from the same time frame (1988-2016). RESULTS Of our 61 institutional cases of pediatric melanoma, Hispanics (11), compared with NHWs (40), presented significantly younger (11.7 years, 95% CI: 2.77-8.00 years; P = .001), with lower limb predominance (46%; P < .05), mostly Spitzoid melanomas (82%; P < .05), and thicker tumors (2.34 mm, CI: 0.26-2.19 mm; P < .05). Similarly, SEER data (2499 cases) showed greater proportions of childhood/pre-pubertal adolescent melanomas (<15 years), lower limb involvement, Spitzoid subtype (36.5% vs 22.5% in NHWs; P = .001), and advanced (regional/distant) disease stages in Hispanics (212) compared with NHWs (2197). CONCLUSIONS Pediatric melanomas may present differently in Hispanics, and heightened awareness/lower threshold to biopsy high-risk Spitzoid tumors on the lower limb may be warranted. Further investigations are needed to aid prevention and early detection in a vulnerable minority population less likely to seek outpatient dermatology specialty care.
Broad-spectrum in vitro antiviral activity of ODBG-P-RVn: an orally-available, lipid-modified monophosphate prodrug of remdesivir parent nucleoside (GS-441524)

The intravenous administration of remdesivir for COVID-19 confines its utility to hospitalized patients. We evaluated the broad-spectrum antiviral activity of ODBG-P-RVn, an orally available, lipid-modified monophosphate prodrug of the remdesivir parent nucleoside (GS-441524) against viruses that cause diseases of human public health concern, including SARS-CoV-2. ODBG-P-RVn showed 20-fold greater antiviral activity than GS-441524 and had near-equivalent activity to remdesivir in primary-like human small airway epithelial cells. Our results warrant investigation of ODBG-P-RVn efficacy in vivo.
Inference for Gaussian Processes with Mat\'ern Covariogram on Compact Riemannian Manifolds.

Gaussian processes are widely employed as versatile modelling and predictive tools in spatial statistics, functional data analysis, computer modelling and diverse applications of machine learning. They have been widely studied over Euclidean spaces, where they are specified using covariance functions or covariograms for modelling complex dependencies. There is a growing literature on Gaussian processes over Riemannian manifolds in order to develop richer and more flexible inferential frameworks. While Gaussian processes have been extensively studied for asymptotic inference on Euclidean spaces using well-defined (positive definite) covariograms, such results are relatively sparse on Riemannian manifolds. We undertake analogous developments for Gaussian processes constructed over compact Riemannian manifolds. Building upon the recently introduced Matern covariograms on a compact Riemannian manifold, we employ formal notions and conditions for the equivalence of two Matern Gaussian random measures on compact manifolds to derive the microergodic parameters and formally establish the consistency of their maximum likelihood estimates as well as asymptotic optimality of the best linear unbiased predictor. The circle and sphere are studied as two specific examples of compact Riemannian manifolds with numerical experiments to illustrate and corroborate the theory.
Design Criteria for EV Drivetrain

Designing and testing of electric vehicles (EVs) is a time-consuming process because of the iterations involved in the electric machines (EMs) and their power electronics (PEs) designs. Most of the time, both designs are done sequentially by using the output of the machine design step for proper sizing of its PEs. This paper proposes a novel fast and systematic method that sets a common ground for electric machine design and drive engineers allowing them to work in parallel and speed up the EV drivetrain development process. The proposed method is based on estimating key parameters such as magnet flux linkage, the d-q axis inductances, motor terminal voltages, and currents based on the drive requirement in terms of torque-speed envelope and battery terminal voltage. A case study based on an industrial project has been performed to show the feasibility of the proposed approach on a 7.12 kW surface and inset permanent magnet synchronous machine (SPMSM and IPMSM) drivetrains. New equations have been developed for getting IPMSM parameters from a feasible SPMSM design. Design steps and performance characteristics using simulation and finite element analysis (FEA) software are discussed. The effectiveness of the proposed design approach is also validated using MATLAB Simulink.
Sulfur, Phosphorus, and Iron Metabolism

This chapter focuses on the varied fungal responses to limitation for iron, phosphorus, and sulfur. Common threads include the versatility and resourcefulness of fungi in the acquisition of these nutrients. Further, transcriptional upregulation of high-affinity transporters is a repeated theme that allows for the scavenging under low and growth limiting nutrient element levels. Storage and macronutrient homeostasis, including regulatory aspects, are also briefly discussed. While Aspergillus and Neurospora are considered overall in greater depth in the chapter, details of the metabolism of iron, phosphorus, and sulfur from other filamentous fungal species are included throughout. Release of cysteine and methionine from exogenous protein can also serve as a source of sulfur for many fungi. The uptake of sulfate into fungal cells is carried out by sulfate permeases, providing a primary sulfur source for the subsequent assimilation pathway. Most studies on sulfur transport in fungi have focused on sulfate permeases in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Neurospora crassa, and A. nidulans. Among the filamentous fungi, N. crassa and A. nidulans have served as primary model systems for sulfur metabolism. Siderophore-mediated nonreductive iron uptake represents the second type of high-affinity system for iron acquisition. Siderophores, which can be classified as catecholates, phenolates, carboxylates, hydroxylates, and mixed types, are synthesized under iron limiting conditions to chelate ferric (Fe3+) iron.
Small- and Large-Bowel Dysfunction

In the past 10–15 years, the application of molecular biological and genetic techniques to research in the luminal gastrointestinal tract epithelium has led to exciting advances in several broad areas. Many enterocyte-specific genes that play critical roles in the digestion and absorption of luminal nutrients have been cloned and sequenced. Their chromosomal localization, structure, and regulation of expression have been at least partially characterized. These studies have provided the groundwork for understanding the pathophysiology of several rare but well-described genetic disorders of small intestinal transport and have begun to clarify the mechanisms underlying more common gastrointestinal problems, such as lactase deficiency. In addition, sophisticated genetic and molecular techniques are finally being applied to the study of complex, multifaceted disorders, such as the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), providing novel animal models to be used to understand their pathophysiology and to design new therapies. Of great potential clinical importance are the identification of a disease-susceptibility locus for Crohn’s disease and of very specific susceptibility loci for celiac sprue. This chapter will attempt to summarize the important molecular and genetic developments relevant to the study of inflammatory bowel disease, celiac sprue, lactase deficiency, glucose-galactose malabsorption, and abetalipoproteinemia as several prominent examples of how molecular techniques can help advance the practice of gastrointestinal medicine.
Cutting Edge: IL-4 Receptor Expression by Non-Bone Marrow-Derived Cells Is Required to Expel Gastrointestinal Nematode Parasites

Expulsion of two gastrointestinal nematode parasites, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis and Trichinella spiralis , is similar in that both require IL-4Rα expression, but different in that T cells and mast cells are required for IL-4-induced expulsion of T. spiralis but not N. brasiliensis . To examine the role of IL-4Rα signaling in immunity to these parasites, we studied worm expulsion in chimeric mice that selectively expressed IL-4Rα on bone marrow-derived or non-bone marrow-derived cells. N. brasiliensis was expelled by mice that expressed IL-4Rα only on non-bone marrow-derived cells, but not by mice that expressed IL-4Rα only on bone marrow-derived cells. Although T. spiralis expulsion required IL-4Rα expression by both bone marrow- and non-bone marrow-derived cells, IL-4 stimulation eliminated the requirement for IL-4Rα expression by bone marrow-derived cells. Thus, direct IL-4Rα signaling of nonimmune gastrointestinal cells may be generally required to induce worm expulsion, even when mast cell and T cell responses are also required.
Religiosity and gender ideology as predictors of relationship quality: Mediating effects of relationship commitment

Researchers have found religiosity and gender ideology to be associated with higher levels of relationship quality. These effects are weakening as recent generations have become less traditional, but remain consistent for much of the American population. For all couples, it is important to determine the underlying mechanisms governing these associations. It is likely that the associations between religiosity, gender ideology, and relationship quality are mediated by relationship commitment, which has been understood to have three dimensions. The current study uses data from the 1999 wave of the Family Transitions Project (N = 290) to test the mediating effects of relationship commitment. Religiosity is operationalized in individual and dyadic models as either attendance or religious beliefs. Among the findings, women who report attending religious services more frequently were observed to have higher relationship quality. For men and women, there was a negative indirect effect of traditional gender ideology on relationship quality through one dimension, personal commitment, but not the other two, moral and structural commitment. There was an indirect effect of religiosity on relationship quality through personal commitment for men (attendance) and women (religious beliefs). In the dyadic model, there was an indirect effect of average frequency of attendance on relationship quality through personal commitment. Traditional gender ideology had an indirect effect on relationship quality through personal commitment. In the model with religious beliefs, there was also a positive direct effect of traditional gender ideology. These results emphasize the importance of considering the influence of the three dimensions of relationship commitment in explaining the associations between religiosity, gender ideology, and relationship quality.
World television trade: The economic effects of privatization and new technology

Abstract Sovereign nations around the world are undergoing or anticipating the expansion and privatization of broadcast systems, and the introduction of cable and other multichannel video technologies. This paper analyses the short- and long-term implications of this form an economic perspective, focusing on the major nations of western Europe and Japan. The author introduces the main facts about world trade in television programmes; sets out an economic framework which provides a rationale for the historical dominance of programme trade by the USA; uses the economic model to suggest likely effects of privatization and new technologies on programme trade; and examines the policy issues concerned.
Studies on ribonucleic acid synthesis in tadpole liver during metamorphosis induced by thyroxine. I. Relation of synthesis of ribonucleic acid and of carbamyl phosphate synthetase.

Abstract Liver of tadpoles exposed to thyroxine shows a biphasic pattern of ribonucleic acid synthesis, with an initial sharp peak appearing after 36 to 48 hours. This is followed by a gradual increase during the period 6 to 15 days later. An induction of carbamyl phosphate synthetase was observed when tadpoles were treated with thyroxine for 2 days. The maximum specific radioactivity of RNA was seen in the microsomal RNA fraction 2 days after thyroxine treatment. Actinomycin D inhibited RNA synthesis in liver at all the stages of metamorphosis induced by thyroxine; however, delayed administration of actinomycin D did not inhibit induction of carbamyl phosphate synthetase. In the later stages of metamorphosis, temperature-dependent (thyroxine-independent) carbamyl phosphate synthetase synthesis was observed accompanied by a rapid RNA turnover.
Robust adaptive control design for quadcopter payload add and drop applications

Payload add or drop occurs commonly in various quadcopter applications. Generally the control parameters of the onboard autopilot or stabilizer are tuned for a particular condition such as no payload or constant payload. Therefore, such mass change may significantly deteriorate the automatic control performance. In our work, a robust adaptive control method is proposed to deal with this challenging issue, aiming at 1) achieving a consistent performance for the altitude control of a quadcopter and 2) enhancing the robustness the system subject to signal noises. Using our custom built quadcopter platform as a case study, we demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed controller in terms of mass estimation, position tracking and velocity tracking via a series of simulations. Its superiority over the benchmark PID control is also highlighted via tracking performance comparison.
Description and evaluation of an EBM curriculum using a block rotation

Background While previous authors have emphasized the importance of integrating and reinforcing evidence-based medicine (EBM) skills in residency, there are few published examples of such curricula. We designed an EBM curriculum to train family practice interns in essential EBM skills for information mastery using clinical questions generated by the family practice inpatient service. We sought to evaluate the impact of this curriculum on interns, residents, and faculty.
The Archipelago of Faith: Religious Individualism and Faith Community in America Today1

Through an interpretation of ethnographies of four very different religious communities, the author argues that there is a deep cultural commonality underlying the diversity of religious expression among the American middle classes. This commonality can be described in terms of religious individualism. But unlike previous accounts of religious individualism, this article emphasizes the ways in which it combines both “seeking” and “dwelling” and leads to both “progressive” and “orthodox” forms of religious expression.
The Anaplasma phagocytophilum-occupied vacuole selectively recruits Rab-GTPases that are predominantly associated with recycling endosomes

Summary Anaplasma phagocytophilum is an obligate intracellular bacterium that infects neutrophils to reside within a host cell-derived vacuole. The A. phagocytophilum-occupied vacuole (ApV) fails to mature along the endocytic pathway and is non-fusogenic with lysosomes. Rab GTPases regulate membrane traffic. To better understand how the bacterium modulates the ApV's selective fusogencity, we examined the intracellular localization of 20 green fluorescent protein (GFP) or red fluorescent protein (RFP)-tagged Rab GTPases in A. phagocytophilum-infected HL-60 cells. GFP-Rab4A, GFP-Rab10, GFP-Rab11A, GFP-Rab14, RFP-Rab22A and GFP-Rab35, which regulate endocytic recycling, and GFP-Rab1, which mediates endoplasmic reticulum to Golgi apparatus trafficking, localize to the ApV. Fluorescently tagged Rabs are recruited to the ApV upon its formation and remain associated throughout infection. Endogenous Rab14 localizes to the ApV. Tetracycline treatment concomitantly promotes loss of recycling endosome-associated GFP-Rabs and acquisition of GFP-Rab5, GFP-Rab7, and the lysosomal marker, LAMP-1. Wild-type and GTPase- deficient versions, but not GDP-restricted versions of GFP-Rab1, GFP-Rab4A and GFP-Rab11A, localize to the ApV. Strikingly, GFP-Rab10 recruitment to the ApV is guanine nucleotide-independent. These data establish that A. phagocytophilum selectively recruits Rab GTPases that are primarily associated with recycling endosomes to facilitate its intracellular survival and implicate bacterial proteins in regulating Rab10 membrane cycling on the ApV.
Response of Walnut Husk Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) to Low Temperature, Irrigation, and Pest-Free Period for Exported Stone Fruits

A 1993 and 1994 trapping program in walnuts in 5 counties of the San Joaquin Valley verified the pest-free period for walnut husk fly, Rhagaletis campleta Cresson, between the beginning of stone fruit harvest in the spring and 1 July. First emergence of adults in walnuts occurred after the pest-free period in 7 of 8 trapping sites in both years. A single adult was collected in a trap before 1 July in Fresno County in 1993 and in Tulare County in 1994. Peak populations of walnut husk fly occurred in walnut orchards and road side trees in late August after early, midseason, and most late season stone fruit cultivars had been harvested. The pest-free period and late seasonal emergence of peak populations in walnuts show that the biological risk is negligible for accidental introductions of walnut husk fly into countries where the pest does not occur through shipments of stone fruits from California. No relationship was observed between immersion of walnut husk fly pupae in soil saturated with water and survival to the adult stage. Survival to the pupal stage for 2nd and 3rd instars was significantly lower than controls after exposure to low temperature storage in green walnuts at 1.1-1.7 for 7, 14, and 21 d. Few pupae developed from eggs and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd instars after a 21-d exposure. The loss of food quality of green walnuts after storage probably affected survival of immatures to the pupal stage.
Solar ponds in alkaline lake and oil well regions

Abstract Solar ponds are probably the simplest technology available for the useful conversion of solar energy. The basic technology is proven. Solar ponds have been shown to be technically feasible and economically viable for many applications, particularly for thermal use. The electrical conversion and use of solar energy via solar ponds is still questionable, in general, for economic viability. By putting the untapped sources together in the South Plains region, it looks promising economically both for thermal and electrical conversions and applications. There are a number of alkaline lake basins randomly scattered in the South Plains region of the U.S.A. In that area, there are thousands of crude oil producing wells that produce brine in abundance. The selection of suitable alkaline lake basins as a solar pond site and as depository sites of brine from oil wells and the using of this brine and salty water from alkaline lakes makes the solar pond economically viable for both thermal and electrical demands in the area.
Formation of carbon nanotubes in counter-flow, oxy-methane diffusion flames without catalysts

In oxygen enriched methane diffusion flames, carbon nanotubes were discovered to be formed in the region on the fuel-rich side of the flame front at an oxygen enrichment of 50%. No catalyst was employed. An opposed flow diffusion flames with varying strain rate and oxygen content in the oxidizer stream was used. Substantial quantities of nanotube material are produced at atmospheric pressure in this continuous (non-batch) process. Thermophoretic sampling of the flame and collecting the carbon material deposited near the exhaust was done. Both confirm the growth of carbon nanotubes and other carbon clusters.
The evolution of pore shape and orientation in plastically deforming metals: Implications for macroscopic response and shear localization

Abstract A constitutive model is proposed for the macroscopic response of porous plastic metals at finite strains. Besides taking into account the porosity evolution, which leads to pressure sensitivity and dilatant response, the model can also account for changes in the average shape and orientation of the pores by means of suitable microstructural variables which play the role of internal variables and serve to characterize the evolving anisotropy of the material. In particular, the model is used to determine the evolution of the average shape and orientation of the voids under simple shear loading, as well as to explore the concomitant implications for the macroscopic response and shear localization. The intrinsic effect of the void rotations is deduced from comparisons with corresponding results for pure shear loading (where the voids change shape, but undergo no rotation on average), and found to be significant. In addition, more general loading conditions, involving combined tension and shear, are considered, and the effect of the stress triaxiality is investigated. For such more general plane strain conditions, it is found that there is an abrupt transition in the localization strain at a certain value of the triaxiality of about 0.3–0.4, with the localization strain dropping sharply both as the triaxiality increases, or decreases from this value. Furthermore, the results suggest that void rotations can dramatically enhance the susceptibility of the material to shear localization for a certain range of triaxiality values (between, approximately, 0.3 and 0.8).
BSRI Scores: Stability Over Four Years for College Women:

This study examined the four-year test-retest reliability of Bem Sex-Role Inventory scores for 77 college women who responded to the instrument as freshmen and again as seniors. The BSRI scales were found to have moderate long-term reliability. The BSRI was judged to be as reliable as other paper-and-pencil instruments which attempt to measure similar personality variables and to have adequate reliability for research purposes.
Real-time online detection of organic compounds in aqueous environments using polymer-coated QCRs

Quartz crystal resonators (QCR) coated with various selected sensitive polymers have been investigated for the detection of organic compounds in liquid phase. The targeted organic compounds are tetrachloroethane, trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethane, chloroform, toluene, and xylenes in aqueous solutions. Under optimized experimental conditions using properly designed measurement flow cells and oscillator circuits, proper flow rate, and different coating thicknesses, low detection limits for organic compounds have been achieved. Detection limits as low as 150 ppb and 500 ppb have been achieved with short response time, reversibility and reproducibility using PEA-coated QCR operating at the series-resonant frequency, fs, for tetrachloroethane and trichloroethylene, respectively. Such limits together with the response time clearly indicate that the coated sensors can be used for real-time water analysis. Moreover, using the measured frequency changes, the partition coefficients, KL, of the analyte molecules in the coating/water composite are discussed in order to analyze the sensor mechanism and implement sensor and sensor arrays. Preliminary results on the detection of binary mixtures of analytes are presented and discussed.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Generation of ultrashort radiation pulses by injection locking a regenerative free-electron-laser amplifier

We demonstrate how a steady-state train of ultrashort radiation pulses can be produced utilizing a new free-electron laser (FEL) configuration, the injection-locked regenerative klystron amplifier (IRKA). This configuration consists of two elements: (1) a prebuncher, which microbunches the electron beams at the desired output wavelength, and (2) a multipass FEL operated at a very small cavity desynchronism and below the lasing threshold, in the regime of regenerative amplification. The regenerative amplifier is driven by the microbunched electron beam, so that the pulse-to-pulse stability is provided by the pre-buncher. The broad amplification bandwidth of this regenerative amplifier enables generation of ultrashort pulses, much shorter than a slippage length, with high efficiency. The IRKA configuration can produce such ultra-short radiation pulses while avoiding the chaotic dynamics that limits conventional FEL performance. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
Internal iliac artery angioplasty and stenting: an underutilized therapy.

Background Internal iliac artery (IIA) stenosis is a common finding in patients undergoing angiography. In patients with localized thigh and buttock claudication, endovascular treatment of an isolated IIA stenosis may lead to symptomatic improvement. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the records of nine patients who underwent IIA intervention for symptomatic thigh/buttock claudication. Patient demographics, angiographic status of both IIAs, and technical success were assessed by chart and angiogram review. Symptom relief was considered a successful outcome. Results Nine patients underwent unilateral or bilateral IIA angioplasty and/or stenting. There was a 100% technical success rate, and there were no complications. Six patients underwent a bilateral intervention and three underwent unilateral intervention. Fifteen arteries were treated. Seven arteries were treated with angioplasty, two with angioplasty and stenting, and six with primary stenting. Of the nine patients treated, seven had symptomatic relief from their claudication. Mean follow-up was 1 month. Conclusion Percutaneous angioplasty and stenting of the IIA is technically feasible and safe. In patients who present with isolated proximal thigh and buttock claudication, IIA occlusive disease should be considered as an etiology. A majority of patients undergoing intervention report symptomatic improvement. Percutaneous intervention of the IIA has not been reported previously and should be an endovascular treatment option given its low morbidity and success rate. Also, there may be a beneficial role for IIA intervention in those patients undergoing unilateral IIA embolization during the course of endovascular aneurysmorrhaphy.
Montaigne, Lying and Early Modern Self-Fashioning: A Discursive Dialogue with Lope's El perro del hortelano on the Page and on Stage

A shared code of connection arguably exists between two plays by Lope de Vega—El mayordomo de la duquesa de Amalfi and El perro del hortelano—and the work of Michel de Montaigne. Nevertheless, one cannot but ask: how it can be that in two works produced so close in time, the same situation is resolved so differently? Montaigne can be said to provide an answer in his Essays, explaining that a similar situation can produce wholly different results: how in the first, one is ‘saved’, and in the second, one is destroyed. One might imagine, too, that Belflor's countess and her ennobled secretary, who together sustain a lie in a society that lived by the lie, would have been likewise ‘consoled’ by ‘a set of interlocking tropes and similitudes’ in the words of Stephen Greenblatt, which linked two contemporary and complementary fashioners of human nature, Lope and Montaigne, in a discursive dialogue on how otherwise honest women and men were subject to the vice of lying in their process of self-fashioning, as well...
Alemtuzumab versus interferon beta-1a in early multiple sclerosis.

Introduction: Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) have the potential to revolutionize multiple sclerosis (MS) therapeutics. The availability of natalizumab (Tysabri; Biogen Idec, Cambridge, MA) as the fi rst MAb treatment for MS approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been a signifi cant advancement in MS therapeutics [1]. Targeted against the alpha-4 integrin on leukocytes, natalizumab blocks migration of pathogenic lymphocytes into the central nervous system. Natalizumab currently is used as a second-line agent for relapsing forms of MS. Rituximab (Rituxan; Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, and Biogen Idec) and daclizumab (Zenapax; Roche Laboratories, Nutley, NJ) are two additional MAbs that appear to be promising treatment options for relapsing MS [2–5]. Rituximab and daclizumab are directed against CD20+ B cells and CD25+ T cells, respectively. Hauser et al. [4] reported that intravenous rituximab given in two doses had signifi cant benefi cial effect on clinical and MRI-visualized disease activity that was maintained over 48 weeks. Daclizumab administered every 4 weeks appeared equally promising in clinical effi cacy in MS [2,3,5]. Alemtuzumab (Campath; Genzyme, Cambridge, MA), a MAb that targets CD52 on lymphocytes and monocytes, is being explored as a potential agent in MS treatment. Alemtuzumab has FDA approval for B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia [6]. In this report, we review a phase 2 clinical trial of alemtuzumab in MS and revisit the advantages and potential serious side effects of MAbs for treating MS.
Brief research report: Somatization in young versus older female panic disorder patients

Background and rationale. Studies in younger patients with panic disorder suggest greater somatization compared to similarly aged normal controls. Thus, we compared the degree of somatization in young versus older female patients with panic disorder to ascertain whether similarly high levels of somatization exist in older panic disorder patients. Method. Community-dwelling subjects were recruited for clinical trials for panic disorder and met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III-R) criteria for panic disorder as a primary diagnosis. Our sample (N=64) contained 42 younger females (l55 years of age; age range 21–54, mean age 34·6) who were compared to 22 older females (g55 years of age; age range 55–73, mean age 60·8). Subjects were evaluated at baseline using the Self-Report Inventory for Somatic Symptoms (SISS). Statistical analysis of total somatization disorder scores (TSDS) was accomplished by t-tests for independent groups. Results. Older patients showed statistically significantly higher total somatization disorder scores (TSDS) (X=11·54, SD=7·45) than did younger patients (X=8·07, SD=4·77; t(62)=2·27, p=<0·05). Conclusion. Our results are suggestive of a higher degree of somatization in older compared to younger female panic disorder patients. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Clutch size in the swallowtail butterfly, Battus philenor: the role of host quality and egg load within and among seasonal flights in California

Clutch size in the pipevine swallowtail of California (Battus philenor hirsuta) varies widely within and among two seasonal flights, early and late spring. Pilson and Rausher (1988) proposed that variation in clutch size in a Texan B. philenor population is due to assessment of host quality with subsequent adjustment of clutch size and to differences in motivational state. The assessment hypothesis and a nonexclusive alternative that clutch size is determined by mature egg load were tested for populations in Sacramento, California. Weak and sporadic correlations between host quality and clutch size were found, suggesting that host assessment with adjustment of clutch size is not a strong factor in this population. Clutch size was highly correlated to mature egg load in the early but not in the late spring flight. Yet, females from both flights had similar loads of mature eggs. It is proposed that females lay clutch sizes proportional to egg load, up to a maximum threshold. The threshold may be lowered in the late spring flight in response to changes in overall host quality or to increased egg predation, reducing both the mean clutch size and the correlation between clutch size and egg load. Potential mechanisms for the change in behavior among flights, based on changes in the threshold, are discussed.
985-65 The Importance of the Ventilatory Blood Pump During Exercise, in Patients without a Sub-pulmonary Ventricle (Fontan Operation)

In patients without a sub-pulmonary ventricle (Fontan operation), the mechanism for increasing cardiac output (Qc) during exercise, is unclear. To test the hypothesis that the effective pumping action of exercise hyperpnea, plays a critical role in supporting an increase in Qc during exercise, we measured: QC (C2H2 re-breathing), HR (ECG), ventilation (V?) and oxygen uptake (V0?, breath by breath) in 8 patients aged 14.7 ± 5.3 (x ± sd) yrs at 6.1 ± 1.9 yrs after surgery. Data were obtained: at rest (R) and 1) after 3 minutes of steady state exercise (Ex) on a cycle ergometer, at 50% of individual working capacity; 2) during unloaded cycling (0 watts), with isocapnic hyperpnea (H), matching respiratory rate and V? obtained during Ex; and 3) during Ex + an expiratory load (L) of 12.6 ± 1.7 cm H20. Download : Download high-res image (60KB) Download : Download full-size image Results SVI increased during submaximal exercise (p l 0.001), and was increased to the same amount by unloaded cycling with exercise equivalent hyperpnea (p = 0.69). Addition of an expiratory load during exercise reduced SVI by 66% (p = 0.057). Cl was lower during H compared to Ex, entirely due to a lower HR (94 ± 4 vs 120 ± 6, p l 0.001) Conclusion In patients without a sub-pulmonary ventricle (Fontan operation), the skeletal muscle and ventilatory pumps account for all the increase in stroke volume during submaximal exercise.
Reversal of Dopamine Inhibition of Dopaminergic Neurons of the Ventral Tegmental Area is Mediated by Protein Kinase C

Adaptation of putative dopaminergic (pDA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to drugs of abuse may alter information processing related to reward and reinforcement and is an important factor in the development of addiction. We have demonstrated that prolonged increases in the concentration of dopamine (DA) result in a time-dependent decrease in sensitivity of pDA neurons to DA, which we termed DA inhibition reversal (DIR). In this study, we used extracellular recordings to examine factors mediating DIR. A 40 min administration of DA (2.5–10 μM), but not the DA D2 receptor agonist quinpirole (50–200 nM), resulted in inhibition of neuronal firing followed by DIR. In the presence of 100 nM cocaine, inhibition followed by DIR was seen with much lower DA concentrations. Reversal of quinpirole inhibition could be induced by an activator of protein kinase C, but not of protein kinase A. Inhibitors of protein kinase C or phospholipase C blocked the development of DIR. Disruption of intracellular calcium release also prevented DIR. Reduction of extracellular calcium or inhibition of store-operated calcium entry blocked DIR, but the L-type calcium channel blocker nifedipine did not. DIR was age-dependent and not seen in pDA VTA neurons from rat pups younger than 15 days postnatally. Our data indicate that DIR is mediated by protein kinase C, and implicate a conventional protein kinase C. This characterization of DIR gives insight into the regulation of autoinhibition of pDA VTA neurons, and the resulting long-term alteration in information processing related to reward and reinforcement.
Transorbital therapy delivery: phantom testing

ABSTRACT We have developed a combined image-guided and minimally invasive system for the delivery of therapy to the back of the eye. It is composed of a short 4.5 mm diameter endoscope with a magnetic tracker embedded in the tip. In previous work we have defined an optimized fidu cial placement for accurate guidance to th e back of the eye and are now moving to system testing. The fundamental difficulty in testing performance is esta blishing a target in a manne r which closely mimics the physiological task. We have to have a penetrable material which obscures line of sight, similar to the orbital fat. In addition we need to have some independe nt measure of knowing when a target ha s been reached to compare to the ideal performance. Lastly, the target cannot be rigidly attached to the skull phantom since the optic nerve lies buried in the orbital fat. We have developed a skull phantom with white cloth stellate balls supporting a correctly sized globe. Placed in the white balls are red, blue, orange and yellow balls. One of the colored balls has been soaked in barium to make it bright on CT. The user guides the tracked endoscope to the target as defined by the images and tells us its color. We record task accuracy and time to target. We have tested this with 28 residents, fellows an d attending physicians. Each physician performs the task twice guided and twice unguided. Results will be presented.
The spore coat of a fucosylation mutant in Dictyostelium discoideum

Strain HL250 of Dictyostelium discoideum cannot convert GDP-mannose to GDP-fucose, resulting in an inability to fucosylate protein. This affects a group of proteins which are normally fucosylated intracellularly and then secreted via prespore vesicles to become part of the outer lamina of the spore coat. We have found that strain HL250 nevertheless accumulates typical amounts of these proteins, stores them normally in prespore vesicles, and secretes them normally to become a part of the spore coat. However, affected proteins are proteolyzed after germination, the spore coat is more accessible to penetration by a macromolecular probe, and germination is inefficient in older spores. These findings can be explained by a dependence of the integrity of the outer layer of the spore coat on protein-linked fucose.
Separation and Identification of Labile Polyacetylenes by RP-HPLC

Abstract Traditional methods of isolation and identification of labile polyacetylenes often lead to substantial loss of material. Reverse-phase HPLC coupled with a diode array detector offers a fast and convenient way to isolate and identify polyacetylenes from plant sources. Minimizing the number of manipulations reduces the potential for losses, and makes a more accurate quantitative analysis of the polyacetylenes possible.
The Performance of Fundamental Gross Motor Skills by Children Enrolled in Head Start

The purpose of study was to descriptively evaluate the performance of fundamental gross motor skills in children enrolled in Head Start. Participants of this study were 138 children (73 females and 65 males), ages five years old. Children's fundamental gross motor skills were assessed with the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD) (Ulrich, 1985). The levels of performance in children who were enrolled in Head Start were compared and contrasted with performance profiles of the TGMD and normative data for same‐aged children. The results of this study indicated that 41% of children in Head Start performed below average and 16% of children demonstrated substantial deficiency in overall fundamental gross motor skills. Multivariate statistics followed by univariate statistics indicated significant group differences on locomotor skills (F,,244 = 229.50, p<.01 with 02 = .49) and overall gross motor skill (F1,244 = 34.77, p<.01 with 02 = .13). Based on these results, the authors suggest that curriculum for Head S...
Analyzing communication in medical consultations. Do behavioral measures correspond to patients' perceptions?

When analyzing relationships between physician-patient communication and medical outcomes, researchers typically rely on quantitative measures of behavior (e.g., frequencies or ratios) derived from observer-coding of transcripts, audiotapes, or videotapes. Interestingly, rarely have researchers assessed whether quantitative measures of communication (e.g., the physician's information giving) correspond to patients' perceptions of physicians' communication (e.g., informative). This investigation of 115 pediatric consultations examined this issue and yielded several notable findings. First, less satisfied parents received more directives and proportionally less patient-centered utterances from physicians than did more satisfied parents. Second, findings were mixed regarding the degree to which behavioral measures related to analogue measures of parents' perceptions. For example, the doctors' use of patient-centered statements was predictive of parents' perceptions of physicians' interpersonal sensitivity and partnership building, but the amount of information physicians provided parents was unrelated to judgments of the doctors' informativeness. Third, with some important exceptions, relationships between behavioral measures and parents' evaluations did not vary for parents differing in education and anxiety about the child's health. Finally, behavioral measures in the form of frequencies tended to be better predictors of parents' perceptions than were measures in the form of proportions. Implications are discussed.
Trouble-shooting the pour resins.

Summary Information is provided to update the clinician on the pour-resin technique. Procedures have been emphasized which may cause quality control problems. The greatest disadvantage of the pour resin is its “technique sensitivity,” and care must be taken. Technique “shortcuts” will have a deleterious effect on the accuracy and quality of the denture base. As in all phases of dental science, attention to detail must be observed.
Using a Contract Net to Dynamically Configure Sensor Webs

We describe how we developed a multi-agent system to represent a collection of sensors that are dynamically combined into a Sensor Web. The sensors use a combination of a Matchmaker architecture together with the Contract Net protocol to enable the reasoned, task-based creation of a dynamic Sensor Web that adapts to the data sensed and to the requirements generated by the agent sensors. We tested our system using EO-1 instruments, and showed how Sensor Web instrument coalitions can be generated based on sensing and processing needs.
First principles investigation of water adsorption and charge transfer on III–V(110) semiconductor surfaces

Abstract We report a DFT/GGA study of water adsorption and charge transfer at the relaxed (110) surfaces of several III–V binary semiconductors: GaAs, GaSb, and InAs. Our calculations are the first to show that adsorption of dissociated water changes the (110) surface structure. The characteristic III–V bond rotation through an angle of 30° is reversed. The buckled III–V bond at the semiconductor/water interface rotates into the surface through a new angle, which we calculate to be approximately 11° on all three binaries. Only dissociation of water – as opposed to chemisorption or physisorption – leads to this pseudo-unrelaxed configuration. We calculate geometries and reaction energies for several different adsorption mechanisms and find that molecular adsorption is the most favorable. We are able to reproduce binding configurations and energies for known adsorption sites on GaAs(110), but we also show new calculations for water on GaSb(110) and InAs(110). Lastly, we calculate the shift in electronic work function and induced surface dipole moment due to adsorbed water. We show that shifts in work function maximize at 1 ML of water, consistent with previous experimental works. Analysis of the partial charges and electron density reveals that adsorption of water polarizes the (110) surface, leading to local charge transfer across the semiconductor/water interface.
The effect of demands for honesty on the efficacy of the Carleton Skills-Training program.

Abstract 30 low hypnotizable Ss were administered the Carleton Skills-Training (CST) program. Prior to testing, 15 Ss were administered honesty instructions (Bowers, 1967) in an effort to encourage responses that were consistent with subjective experiences and to dissuade Ss from performing in a manner intended to please E. Posttraining hypnotizability scores for Ss given honesty instructions were consistently smaller than those for 15 Ss who did not receive these instructions, implying that scores for the latter group exaggerate the extent to which hypnotic experiences are altered by the CST program. The pattern of results supports the view that demand characteristics contribute to the efficacy of the CST program, and that improvements in actual hypnotic talent are more limited than Spanos' original work implies.
The pure phases, the irreducible quantum fields, and dynamical symmetry breaking in Symanzik-Nelson positive quantum field theories

Abstract We prove that a Symanzik-Nelson positive quantum field theory, i.e., a quantum field theory derived from a Euclidean field theory, has a unique decomposition into pure phases which preserves Symanzik-Nelson positivity and Poincare covariance. We derive useful sufficient conditions for the breakdown of an internal symmetry of such a theory in its pure phases, for the sefl-adjointness and nontriviality (in the sense of Borchers classes) of its quantum fields, and the existence of time-ordered and retarded products. All these general results are then applied to the P(φ)2 and the φ34 quantum field models.
Lean health care: what can hospitals learn from a world-class automaker?

BACKGROUND With health care costs continuing to rise, a variety of process improvement methodologies have been proposed to address the reported inefficiencies in health care delivery. Lean production is one such method. The management philosophy and tools of lean production come from the manufacturing industry, where they were pioneered by Toyota Motor Corporation, which is viewed as the leader in utilizing these performance improvement methods. Lean has already enjoyed tremendous success in improving quality and efficiency in both the manufacturing and the service sector industries. RESULTS Health care systems have just begun to utilize lean methods, with reports of improvements just beginning to appear in the literature. We describe some of the basic philosophy and principles of lean production methods and how these concepts can be applied in the health care environment. We describe some of the early success stories and ongoing endeavors of lean production in various health care organizations. We believe the hospital is an ideal setting for use of the lean production method, which could significantly affect how health care is delivered to patients. CONCLUSIONS We conclude by discussing some of the potential challenges in introducing and implementing lean production methods in the health care environment. Lean production is a novel approach to delivering high-quality and efficient care to patients, and we believe that the health care sector can anticipate the same high level of success that the manufacturing and service industries have achieved using this approach. Hospitalists are primed to take action in delivering care of greater quality with more efficiency by applying these new principles in the hospital setting. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2006;1:191–199. © 2006 Society of Hospital Medicine.
Using software testing to move students from trial-and-error to reflection-in-action

Introductory computer science students rely on a trial and error approach to fixing errors and debugging for too long. Moving to a reflection in action strategy can help students become more successful. Traditional programming assignments are usually assessed in a way that ignores the skills needed for reflection in action, but software testing promotes the hypothesis-forming and experimental validation that are central to this mode of learning. By changing the way assignments are assessed--where students are responsible for demonstrating correctness through testing, and then assessed on how well they achieve this goal--it is possible to reinforce desired skills. Automated feedback can also play a valuable role in encouraging students while also showing them where they can improve.