cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A logistic regression model for the decision to perform access surgery.

Abstract Access surgery may be recommended to about 80% of patients who present with advanced forms of periodontal disease. In this report, a multivariate logistic regression analysis which incorporated several clinical parameters for each tooth examined, i.e., tooth type, furcation involvement, bleeding on probing, attachment level, probing depth, mobility and BANA test score, was conducted using generalized estimating equations (GEE). This approach identified parameters that were significantly associated at p < 0.05 level with the need for access surgery or extraction for periodontal purposes. The estimated probabilities derived from the GEE model were plotted over the complete spectrum of operating conditions to obtain a receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curve. At a probability cutpoint of 0.8, the decision threshold for surgery/extraction at the pre-treatment examination would have a sensitivity of 76.1% and a specificity of 75.3%. We have taken this 0.8 cut point to look at specific clinical decisions made by our examiners after the patients had received scaling and root planing plus 2 weeks unsupervised usage of systemic antimicrobials. The clinicians' decision was taken as the primary reference standard. The model's estimated decision agreed with the clinicians' decision in 226 of the 284 teeth, for an accuracy of 80%. The specificity was 90% and the sensitivity was 43%.
Some remarks on set-valued mappings

LET E BE a Banach space, D a nonempty subset of E, and for S = E or S = D let a(S) denote the family of all closed and bounded subsets of S. A mapping T : D -+ B(S) is said to have a fixed point if there is an x ED for which x E T(x). The study of fEeted point problems of this type was initiated in 1941 by Kakutani [lo], and subsequently developed by numerous authors (notably [3, 5, 6, 17, 19, 201). Fixed point theorems of this type appear to provide a natural setting for many problems in control theory (see, for example, [27]). In this paper we concentrate on further development of the geometric fixed point theory for set-valued maps. This study was initiated in the work of Nadler [19] and Markin [17] and considers mappings T : D + 99(D) where 99(D) is endowed with the Hausdorff metric H. Calling such a mapping lipschitzian if there is a constant k’ > 0 such that H(Tx, Ty) d K(Jx yj( they observed that several known results for single-valued contraction mappings and nonexpansive mappings have analogues for multivalued mappings. These geometric ideas were pursued by several authors (for example [l, 2,7,14,24,25], or [26]), and ultimately Lim obtained the following rather deep result.
Mechanical Stimulation and Intermittent Parathyroid Hormone Treatment Induce Disproportional Osteogenic, Geometric, and Biomechanical Effects in Growing Mouse Bone

Mechanical loading and intermittent parathyroid (iPTH) treatment are both osteoanabolic stimuli and are regulated by partially overlapping cellular signaling pathways. iPTH has been shown clinically to be effective in increasing bone mass and reducing fracture risk. Likewise, mechanical stimulation can significantly enhance bone apposition and prevent bone loss, but its clinical effects on fracture susceptibility are less certain. Many of the osteogenic effects of iPTH are localized to biomechanically suboptimal bone surfaces, whereas mechanical loading directs new bone formation to high-stress areas and not to strain-neutral areas. These differences in localization in new tissue, resulting from load-induced versus iPTH-induced bone accumulation, should affect the relation between bone mass and bone strength, or “tissue economy.” We investigated the changes in bone mass and strength induced by 6 weeks of mechanical loading and compared them to changes induced by 6 weeks of iPTH treatment. Loading and iPTH both increased ulnar bone accrual, as measured by bone mineral density and content, and fluorochrome-derived bone formation. iPTH induced a significantly greater increase in bone mass than loading, but ulnar bone strength was increased approximately the same amount by both treatments. Mechanical loading during growth can spatially optimize new bone formation to improve structural integrity with a minimal increase in mass, thereby increasing tissue economy, i.e., the amount of strength returned per unit bone mass added. Furthermore, exercise studies in which only small changes in bone mass are detected might be more beneficial to bone health and fracture resistance than has commonly been presumed.
Revascularization of the distal profunda femoris artery in the reconstructive treatment of aortoiliac occlusive disease

Abstract The distal profunda femoris artery is frequently spared from atherosclerosis and can be used as a recipient vessel in the absence of a satisfactory common or superficial femoral artery. During a 15-year period 53 inflow procedures were done to the distal profunda femoris artery at a point more than 3 cm from its origin. The ankle-brachial systolic pressure index increased an average of 0.27 ± 0.04 postoperatively. Limb salvage was achieved in 33 of 37 threatened extremities (89%) and claudication improved in 10 of 14 cases (71%). Symptomatic improvement was dependent on an open popliteal segment and a low profundapopliteal collateral index. The overall 4-year patency by life-table methods was 76%, with a patency of 100% for femoroprofunda crossover grafts, 96% for aorto- and ilioprofunda grafts but only 26% for axilloprofunda grafts. Bypass to the distal profunda femoris artery represents a viable alternative when the common and superficial femoral arteries are unsuitable for outflow, with results comparable to procedures done to a healthy common femoral artery. (J VASC SURG 1987;6:217-20.)
Religion and Country Music

Country music as a commercial genre began in a society where religion exerted considerable cultural influence – the U.S. South of the 1920s. Musicians of the white working-class recorded songs for national record companies, who codified their oeuvres into a form they called “hillbilly” music, or what we know as the first country music. Hillbilly music bore the clear imprint of working-class religion, a folk form of Protestantism that took shape in the late nineteenth century. Over the music’s subsequent history, folk Protestantism receded as an influence as the white working-class went through drastic economic change and dislocation. Country music after the mid-1950s sang less of longings defined by religion and more of secular working-class life. In the 1970s, a newer, national Protestant movement – evangelicalism – made some inroads, primarily in the personal lives of country musicians. More recently, the quasi-religion of U.S. nationalism has informed popular country music songs, even as a distinct regional or working-class character has faded from the music, in fan base, image, or personal background of musicians.
Pulmonary regurgitation end-diastolic gradient is a Doppler marker of cardiac status: data from the Heart and Soul Study.

Background Echocardiograms routinely sample pulmonary regurgitation signals from which it is possible to measure end diastolic gradients; these correlate with pulmonary artery diastolic pressures. Methods We performed echocardiograms in 741 ambulatory adults with coronary artery disease who were recruited for the Heart and Soul Study. We compared indicators of cardiac status among individuals with normal (0-5.0 mm Hg) and elevated (>5.0 mm Hg) end diastolic pulmonary regurgitation (EDPR) gradients. Results Of the 481 participants with measurable EDPR gradients, 21% had elevated EDPR gradients (>5.0 mm Hg). EDPR gradients >5.0 mm Hg were associated with higher New York Heart Association functional class ( P = .002), higher brain natriuretic peptide ( P = .002), fewer metabolic equivalents achieved on treadmill testing ( P P 5.0 mm Hg had a sensitivity of 25% (95% confidence interval 20-30%) and a specificity of 86% (80-91%) for detecting at least one of the following: systolic dysfunction, diastolic dysfunction, or abnormal wall motion score. The EDPR gradient >5.0 mm HG was statistically equivalent to the tricuspid regurgitation (TR) gradient >30 mm Hg in terms of diagnostic value (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve equaled 0.58 for each test). The EDPR gradient increased the yield of pulmonary artery pressures from 61% (TR gradient alone) to 84% ( P Conclusion The EDPR gradient provides valuable information independent of the TR gradient in evaluating pulmonary artery pressures and cardiac dysfunction.
Cloning, functional expression and phylogenetic analysis of plant sterol 24C-methyltransferases involved in sitosterol biosynthesis

Abstract Sterol 24C-methyltransferases (SMTs) constitute a group of sequence-related proteins that catalyze the distinct patterns of 24-alkyl sterols that occur throughout nature. Two SMT cDNAs (SMT2-1 and SMT2-2) were cloned by homology based PCR methods from young leaves of Glycine max (soybean) and the corresponding enzymes were expressed functionally in Escherichia coli. The full-length cDNA for SMT2-1 and SMT2-2 have open reading frames of 1086 bp and 1092 bp, respectively, and encode proteins of 361 and 363 residues with a calculated molecular mass of 40.3 and 40.4 kDa, respectively. The substrate preference of the two isoforms was similar yet they differed from SMT1; kinetically SMT2-1 and SMT2-2 generated kcat values for the optimal substrate 24(28)methylene lophenol of 0.8 min−1 and 1.34 min−1, respectively, compared to the activity of SMT1 that generated a kcat for the optimal substrate cycloartenol of 0.6 min−1. SMT2-2 was purified to homogeneity and the subunit organization shown to be tetrameric in similar fashion to other cloned SMTs. Analysis of the accumulated products catalyzed by the recombinant enzymes demonstrated that soybean SMT2-1 and SMT2-2 operate transalkylation activities analogous to the soybean plant SMT1. Metabolite analyses correlated with transcript profiling of the three SMT isoforms during soybean maturation clearly demonstrated that SMT isoform expression determines specific C24-methyl to C24-ethyl ratios to flowering whereas with seed development there is a disconnection such that the SMT transcript levels decrease against an increase in sterol content; generally SMT2-2 is expressed more than SMT2-1 or SMT1. These observations suggest that the genes that encode SMT1 and SMT2 in sitosterol biosynthesis may have undergone divergent evolution. In support of this proposition, the genomic organization for SMT1 of fungi and protozoa align very closely with one another and to those of the plant SMT2; both sets of SMTs lack introns. Unexpectedly, the SMT1 from Glycine max and other embryophytes of diverse origin possess disparate intron–exon characteristics that can be shown relates back to the algae. Our results suggest that the order of SMT1 appearing before SMT2 in phytosterol synthesis arose recently in plant evolution in response to duplication of a more primitive SMT gene likely to have been bifunctional and catalytically promiscuous.
A Judgment for Solomon: The d'Hauteville Case and Legal Experience in Antebellum America

A Judgment for Solomon tells the story of the d'Hauteville case, a controversial child custody battle fought in 1840. It uses the story of one couple's bitter fight over their son to explore some timebound and timeless features of American legal culture. In a narrative analysis, it recounts how marital woes led Ellen and Gonzalve d'Hauteville into what Alexis de Tocqueville called the 'shadow of the law'. Their multiple legal experiences culminated in an eagerly followed Philadelphia trial that sparked a national debate over the legal rights and duties of mothers and fathers, and husbands and wives. The story of the d'Hauteville case explains why popular trials become 'precedents of legal experience' - mediums for debates about highly contested social issues. It also demonstrates the ability of individual women and men to contribute to legal change by turning to the law to fight for what they want.
An application of the theory of neural nets to the study of motion sickness

The results from a study by M. F. Morales on the labyrinthine response to motion are used, together with results of neural net theory, to enable one to calculate, in terms of a small number of parameters, the percentage of individuals who have motion sickness when exposed to rather general patterns of motion which may vary with time.
Biases in Affective Forecasting and Recall in Individuals With Depression and Anxiety Symptoms

The authors used experience sampling to investigate biases in affective forecasting and recall in individuals with varying levels of depression and anxiety symptoms. Participants who were higher in depression symptoms demonstrated stronger (more pessimistic) negative mood prediction biases, marginally stronger negative mood recall biases, and weaker (less optimistic) positive mood prediction and recall biases. Participants who were higher in anxiety symptoms demonstrated stronger negative mood prediction biases, but positive mood prediction biases that were on par with those who were lower in anxiety. Anxiety symptoms were not associated with mood recall biases. Neither depression symptoms nor anxiety symptoms were associated with bias in event prediction. Their findings fit well with the tripartite model of depression and anxiety. Results are also consistent with the conceptualization of anxiety as a “forward-looking” disorder, and with theories that emphasize the importance of pessimism and general nega...
Wind tunnel flight responses by hymenopterous parasitoid Campoletis sonorensis to cotton cultivars and lines

The behavior of parasitoid Campoletis sonorensis females to cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) leaf odor sources was examined in a wind tunnel bioassay. Parasitoids exhibited oriented flights to cotton but not to inert sources, and flew in significantly greater proportion to glanded cotton when compared to glandless cotton in choice tests. A relative lack of volatile terpenes in glandless cotton may account for response differences. Significantly more parasitoids flew to the G. hirsutum cultivar Tamcot CAMD-E than to the diploid cottons G. arboreum and G. anomalum in choice tests. Differences in volatile chemical composition of the diploid cottons may account for these results. The data are discussed with regard to host habitat location. Resume Reponse en tunnel de vol du parasitoide Campoletis sonorensis aux lignees et cultivars de coton Campoletis sonorensis (Cameron) est attire par diverses plantes et manifeste une forte attraction pour le coton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Le vol etant certainement le moyen utilise lors de la detection d'habitats chez ce parasitoide, un test biologique en tunnel de vol a ete developpe pour evaluer ces reponses de detection d'habitat chez des femelles de C. sonorensis en presence de coton. Des essais comparatifs ont montre l'existence de vols orientes vers le coton mais non vers des sources inertes, et, sur le coton, les vols ont ete plus nombreux vers les plantes avec glandes que vers celles sans glande. Ces resultats sont apparus consistents sur trois paires de lignees avec et sans glandes. Le coton depourvu de glande ne possede pas, ou seulement en faibles quantites, les terpenes volatils present en quantites abondantes dans le coton avec glandes. Ce fait peut donc etre reponsable des differences de comportement de vol observe envers les deux types de coton. Lors d'essais comparatifs, un nombre de parasitoides significativement superieur a vole vers le cultivar G. hirsutum L. Tamcot CAMD-E par rapport aux especes diploides G. arboreum et G. anomalum. Les cotons diploides manquent de certains terpenes volatils demontre attractifs pour C. sonorensis et ces differences peuvent expliquer les resultats observes. Des changements significatifs de reponse des parasitoides peuvent donc naitre des variations de composition chimiques resultant de pression de selection naturelles ou artificielles.
Appropriating Visual Form: The iPod “Silhouette” Campaign as Representative Form

The iPod “silhouette” advertising campaign is a highly visible and very successful visual form. In this essay, I argue that this form constitutes a representative form, reducible to its component parts, through which myriad appropriations are made possible. Drawing on the theories of form from Kenneth Burke, and Janis Edwards and Carol Winkler, I demonstrate the rhetorical potential for visual argument through appropriations of the visual form of the iPod ad campaign. I argue that this powerful visual form allows authors to both assert and subvert intended messages and to produce new and powerful arguments, with goals ranging from political awareness to commercial appeal.
Emissivity of Al2O3 particles in a rocket plume

The infrared radiance from the plume of an aluminized rocket is anomalously high; however, the responsible physical mechanism is not known. In this paper, the conclusion is reached that the high emissivity is most likely due to the A12O3 particulates containing very small amounts of aluminum and/or carbon impurities. To support this conclusion, experimental results of the radiance from single-alumina particles are discussed and calculated emissivity spectra of microscopic composite particles of alumina-carbon and alumina-aluminum are presented.
Increasing Severity of Presenting Problems in College Counseling Centers: A Closer Look

Dealing with increasing numbers of college students who present with serious psychological problems has been identified as a significant challenge for counseling centers in the current decade. On the basis of their review of research, G. L. Stone and J. Archer (1990) concluded that the level of psychopathology among counseling center clients increased during the 1980s and likely would continue to do so into the 1990s. A closer look at the research shows that there is the perception among counseling center practitioners that psychopathology is on the rise but little direct evidence to support such a trend. Although not necessarily on the increase, there is empirical evidence that certain forms of psychological disturbance are not uncommon among clinical and nonclinical college student samples. Implications for counseling center research and practice based on this literature review are discussed.
The design of disaster

Chernobyl & Nuclear Power in the USSR. By David R. Marples. Macmillan, London/ St Martin's Press, New York: 1987. Pp.228. Hbk £25, $35;pbk £8.95, $14.95.
Specification-Based Design of Self-Stabilization

Research in system stabilization has traditionally relied on the availability of a complete system implementation. As such, it would appear that the scalability and reusability of stabilization is limited in practice. To redress this perception, in this paper, we show for the first time that system stabilization may be designed knowing only the system specification but not the system implementation. We refer to stabilization designed thus as specification-based design of stabilization and identify “local everywhere specifications” and “convergence refinements” as being amenable to the specification-based design of stabilization. Using our approach, we present the design of Dijkstra’s four-state stabilizing token-ring system starting from an abstract fault-intolerant token-ring system. We also present an illustration of automated design of specification-based stabilization on a three-state token-ring system.
Instrumental Considerations for Thermal Methods

The techniques of thermal measurements in chemistry have received a spectacular revival due to relatively recent developments in instrumentation for the reliable measurement of heats or rates of heat transfer associated with various types of physical and chemical changes. The commercial availability of instrumentation has in turn stimulated experimentation in other areas which provide auxilliary information to thoroughly define the chemical or physical processes taking place. The measurement of temperature or differential temperature is a direct or related important part of the process.
Pharmacological profile of the α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor partial agonist varenicline, an effective smoking cessation aid

The preclinical pharmacology of the α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) partial agonist varenicline, a novel smoking cessation agent is described. Varenicline binds with subnanomolar affinity only to α4β2 nAChRs and in vitro functional patch clamp studies in HEK cells expressing nAChRs show that varenicline is a partial agonist with 45% of nicotine's maximal efficacy at α4β2 nAChRs. In neurochemical models varenicline has significantly lower (40–60%) efficacy than nicotine in stimulating [3H]-dopamine release from rat brain slices in vitro and in increasing dopamine release from rat nucleus accumbens in vivo, while it is more potent than nicotine. In addition, when combined with nicotine, varenicline effectively attenuates the nicotine-induced dopamine release to the level of the effect of varenicline alone, consistent with partial agonism. Finally, varenicline reduces nicotine self-administration in rats and supports lower self-administration break points than nicotine. These data suggest that varenicline can reproduce to some extent the subjective effects of smoking by partially activating α4β2 nAChRs, while preventing full activation of these receptors by nicotine. Based on these findings, varenicline was advanced into clinical development and recently shown to be an effective and safe aid for smoking cessation treatment.
The equilibrium phase transition in liquid helium

In collaboration withH. Aroeste andS. Baldursson we have attempted an investigation of the properties of a Bose-Einstein liquid. The essential feature of the treatment is to express the properties of the Bose-Einstein liquid in terms of those of an hypothetical Boltzmann liquid for which the density matrix has not been symmetrized. The pair and higher distribution functions of the Boltzmann liquid enter the equations. The X-ray diffraction pattern of He I is used to obtain the necessary function for two atoms, and the Kirkwood closure assumed for the higher functions. The parameters necessary to reproduce some of the features observed in the transition are all reasonable.
Release of the Pro-Inflammatory Markers by BEAS-2B Cells Following In Vitro Exposure to Biodiesel Extracts

Biodiesel, an alkyl ester of plant oils that can be used in an unmodified diesel engine, is the first renewable die- sel fuel alternative to become a commercially accepted part of our nation's energy infrastructure. For traditional diesel fuel exhaust, it has been demonstrated that the particulate matter (PM) organic components play a role in acute inflamma- tory reactions. However, there have been only a few cytotoxicity and mutagenicity studies on biodiesel emissions. In this study, BEAS-2B cells, a transformed human airway epithelial cell line, were exposed in vitro to the PM organic extracts from Standard Reference Material (SRM) 1975, soy ethyl ester (SEE), soy methyl ester (SME), and petroleum diesel for 24 hours. This study demonstrated that the organic extracts of biodiesel PM in an aqueous solution can increase the re- lease of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-8 and IL-6 by respiratory epithelial cells. On a microgram PM equivalent per ml (μg PM eq/ml) basis, exposure to biodiesel extracts was associated with a greater release of IL-8 and IL-6 relative to or- ganic extracts of two diesel PM samples. The dose range tested was not cytotoxic. It was also noted that the solvent ex- change method, which was used to prepare the aqueous exposure doses, may not be appropriate for the investigation of biodiesel extracts, though it has been used extensively in petroleum diesel research. A valuable new finding from these experiments is that the soluble organic fraction (SOF) of biodiesel PM begins to elicit a cytokine response in BEAS-2B cells at an exposure lower than petroleum diesel PM extract (approximately 40 μg PM eq/ml). However, more research is required to better characterize the potency of the organic fraction of biodiesel compared to petroleum diesel.
Short-Term Consequences of Severe Marital Stressors:

The current longitudinal study was conducted to examine the short-term impact of severe marital stressors and marital discord on psychological distress and marital dissolution in two groups of women. One group consisted of women reporting a recent severe marital stressor (e.g., infidelity, threat of separation), whereas the maritally discordant group consisted of women denying a recent marital stressor but reporting similar levels of marital discord. Results indicated that baseline marital discord was related to later depressive and anxiety symptoms for the control group only. In addition, women experiencing a marital stressor reported reductions in depressive and anxiety symptoms within several months after the event, after which their symptoms leveled off. In contrast, the control group’s symptoms remained stable over all three assessments. Those in the marital stressor group were significantly more likely to separate or divorce than were those in the control group. These results are discussed in light of models of marital and psychological distress.
A meta-analysis suggesting that the relationship between biodiversity and risk of zoonotic pathogen transmission is idiosyncratic

Zoonotic pathogens are significant burdens on global public health. Because they are transmitted to humans from non-human animals, the transmission dynamics of zoonoses are necessarily influenced by the ecology of their animal hosts and vectors. The ‘dilution effect’ proposes that increased species diversity reduces disease risk, suggesting that conservation and public health initiatives can work synergistically to improve human health and wildlife biodiversity. However, the meta-analysis that we present here indicates a weak and highly heterogeneous relationship between host biodiversity and disease. Our results suggest that disease risk is more likely a local phenomenon that relies on the specific composition of reservoir hosts and vectors, and their ecology, rather than patterns of species biodiversity.
Vocabulary to support socially-valued adult roles

Individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) have new expectations for life after high school. However, the vocabulary needed to support socially-valued adult roles may not be available in their communication devices. This study explored whether vocabulary needed to participate in six adult roles currently existed in three widely used symbol sets. Electronic mailing lists were used to generate words needed for each adult role. From these vocabulary sets, discrepancy analyses were conducted to determine whether symbols or symbol combinations in each of the symbol sets studied could represent those words. Results suggest that, overall, an average of 55% of the identified words was currently available in these symbol sets. The need for easily accessible vocabulary that reflects socially-valued adult roles is discussed.
Activation of Signaling Pathways Following Localized Delivery of Systemically-Administered Neurotrophic Factors across the Blood-Brain Barrier Using Focused Ultrasound and Microbubbles

The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been shown to have broad neuroprotective effects in addition to its therapeutic role in neurodegenerative disease. In this study, the efficacy of delivering exogenous BDNF to the left hippocampus is demonstrated in wild-type mice (n = 7) through the noninvasively disrupted blood-brain barrier (BBB) using focused ultrasound (FUS). The BDNF bioactivity was found to be preserved following delivery as assessed quantitatively by immunohistochemical detection of the pTrkB receptor and activated pAkt, pMAPK, and pCREB in the hippocampal neurons. It was therefore shown for the first time that systemically administered neurotrophic factors can cross the noninvasively disrupted BBB and trigger neuronal downstream signaling effects in a highly localized region in the brain. This is the first time that the administered molecule is tracked through the BBB and localized in the neuron triggering molecular effects. Additional preliminary findings are shown in wild-type mice with two additional neurotrophic factors such as the glia-derived neurotrophic factor (n = 12) and neurturin (n = 2). This further demonstrates the impact of FUS for the early treatment of CNS diseases at the cellular and molecular level and strengthens its premise for FUS-assisted drug delivery and efficacy.
Isolation and chemical analysis of nanoparticles from English ivy (Hedera helix L.)

Bio-inspiration for novel adhesive development has drawn increasing interest in recent years with the discovery of the nanoscale morphology of the gecko footpad and mussel adhesive proteins. Similar to these animal systems, it was discovered that English ivy (Hedera helix L.) secretes a high strength adhesive containing uniform nanoparticles. Recent studies have demonstrated that the ivy nanoparticles not only contribute to the high strength of this adhesive, but also have ultraviolet (UV) protective abilities, making them ideal for sunscreen and cosmetic fillers, and may be used as nanocarriers for drug delivery. To make these applications a reality, the chemical nature of the ivy nanoparticles must be elucidated. In the current work, a method was developed to harvest bulk ivy nanoparticles from an adventitious root culture system, and the chemical composition of the nanoparticles was analysed. UV/visible spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and electrophoresis were used in this study to identify the chemical nature of the ivy nanoparticles. Based on this analysis, we conclude that the ivy nanoparticles are proteinaceous.
Synthesis of tricyclic ketones by copper-catalyzed cyclization of monocyclic olefinic diazoketones

Abstract Intramolecular trapping of intermediates of the copper-ketocarbene type by the double bond of monocyclic olefins leads to a variety of tricyclic ketones. The photolytically generated ketocarbene cannot be trapped in this way to a significant degree. Sufficient examples of the method are given to indicate its general usefulness in the synthesis of ketocyclopropanes.
A 97.2 mW 1.8 GHz Low Power CMOS Transmitter for Mobile WiBro and WiMAX

A low power high linear transmitter for mobile WiBro and WiMAX is developed. The transmitter is fabricated in a 0.18 mum 1P6M CMOS process for low power characteristics and SoC compatibility. To achieve high linearity performance with low power consumption, the transmitter employs new linearization methods. Linear transconductor is used for the transmitter mixer. The transconductor utilizes a negative feedback amplifier and a current mirror amplifier (CMA). In addition, a multiple-gated transistor (MGTR) with two auxiliary transistors and resistive source degeneration are used for the driver amplifier. With the proposed linearization techniques, a high linearity of 30.5 dBm OIP3 is achieved with 97.2 mW power consumption from a 1.8 V supply.
Effect of the degree of soft and hard segment ordering on the morphology and mechanical behavior of semicrystalline segmented polyurethanes

Abstract The hierarchical microstructure responsible for the unique energy-absorbing properties of natural materials, like native spider silk and wood, motivated the development of segmented polyurethanes with soft segments containing multiple levels of order. As a first step in correlating the effects of crystallinity in the soft segment phase to the hard segment phase, we chose to examine the morphology and mechanical behavior of polyurethanes containing polyether soft blocks with varying tendencies to crystallize and phase segregate and the evolution of the microstructure with deformation. A series of high molecular weight polyurethanes containing poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) (1000 and 4600 g/mol) and poly(ethylene oxide)–poly(propylene oxide)–poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO–PPO–PEO) (1900 g/mol) soft segments with varying hard segment content were synthesized using a two-step solution polymerization method. The presence of soft segment crystallinity (PEO 1000 g/mol) was shown to improve the storage modulus of the segmented polyurethanes below the Tm of the soft block and to enhance toughness compared to the PEO–PPO–PEO soft segment polyurethanes. We postulate that this enhancement in mechanical behavior is the result of crystalline soft regions that serve as an additional load-bearing component during deformation. Morphological characterization also revealed that the microstructure of the segmented polyurethanes shifts from soft segment continuous to interconnected and/or hard domain continuous with increasing hard segment size, resulting in diminished ultimate elongation, but enhanced initial moduli and tensile strengths. Tuning the soft segment phase crystallinity may ultimately lead to tougher polyurethane fibers.
Can patient-specific stem cell therapy enhance renal repair?*

The advancement of stem cell biology has not only enhanced our understanding of organogenesis and tumourigenesis, but has also helped in designing stem cells as a therapeutic tool to accelerate tissue repair. Despite a complex array of genetic alterations needed for differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into a particular subset of cells, retroviral transduction of as little as three transcription factors, Oct3/4, Sox2 and Klf4, can transform adult cells into cells mimicking pluripotent embryonic stem cells [1]. The ability of reprogramming differentiated somatic cells towards pluripotency by the nuclear transfer method has paved the way to generate patient-specific stem cell therapy without ethical concerns. This article will briefly summarize the potentials of stem cell therapy to enhance renal repair. Stem cells have the unique ability to differentiate and self-regenerate. A pleuripotent stem cell has the ability to differentiate in all the three germ layers, while the selfregenerating ability can increase the population of stem cells. Until very recently, research was directed towards identifying and characterizing three different types of stem cells (embryonic, bone marrow-derived and organ-bound) and exploring the prospects of using these cells to repair or regenerate damaged tissues and organs [2–7]. The necessity of artificial generation of stem cells came from the fact that the number of stem cells is much lower in adults than in embryos, partly because most stem cells in early embryonic life differentiate into specialized cell types to facilitate organogenesis. Moreover, isolating stem cells from adult tissues is difficult. Such limitations have motivated investigators to plan on using embryonic stem cells for potential therapeutics. However, embryonic stem cells have
Let's not presuppose that patients take their medications.

Atopic dermatitis is a very common condition with a variable response to treatment. In patients in whom more conservative therapies are ineffective, cyclosporine can be used. But even cyclosporine is only of variable efficacy in controlling atopic dermatitis. In this issue of the Journal of Dermatological Treatment, Beaumont and Arkwright describe a study designed to determine factors associated with the response of atopic dermatitis to cyclosporine treatment (1). They found that cyclosporine was highly effective in patients with atopic dermatitis in whom skin infection was the main trigger and in whom the infection was cleared with antibiotics. Cyclosporine was much less effective when the infection would not clear with antibiotics and when factors other than infection are driving the disease. The authors come to several intriguing conclusions, including the idea that since cyclosporine is less effective in those without infection, those patients may have a form of atopic dermatitis in which T cells are of relatively minor importance. The conclusions of this study depend on an unmentioned assumption that patients are taking their medication as directed. A better assumption would be that patients with resistant atopic dermatitis are not taking their medication. In clinical trials, atopic dermatitis study subjects do not use their medication as directed; atopic dermatitis patients in the clinic have even worse adherence (2,3). It should not be at all surprising that cyclosporine was less effective in patients in whom infection did not clear with antibiotics, for if patients aren’t taking their antibiotics, they probably aren’t taking their cyclosporine either. Explaining why cyclosporine did not work well in atopic dermatitis subgroups does not require patients to have T cells resistant to cyclosporine or dermatitis that isn’t driven by a T-cell pathogenesis. These subgroups may have been most resistant to treatment because they were least likely to use treatment. The variability in response of atopic dermatitis treatment is likely in large measure determined by the variability in adherence to treatment for the disease. Mothers are fearful of steroids; they are probably terrified of cyclosporine. Getting children to take medications—even remembering to have them take it—are major hurdles. Assuring, and even measuring, adherence in a study like this one isn’t straightforward. Blood cyclosporine levels would be almost useless for identifying patients taking their medicine because patients tend to take their medication around the time of clinic and study visits and miss many more doses between visits. Without accurate monitoring of adherence, we should be a bit restrained about the conclusions we draw from atopic dermatitis clinical trials.
Chronic relapsing pancreatitis with extensive subacute peritonitis and chronic, recurrent massive "chylous" ascites.

Abstract A fifty-four year old man chronically addicted to the use of alcohol suffered from chronic relapsing pancreatitis. Peculiarly interesting is the appearance of chylous ascites eight weeks after a severe attack of pancreatitis which required repeated abdominal paracentesis for about six months. After exploration and roentgen therapy, ascites and pain had not recurred during the subsequent three years of observation.
Intrathoracic extracardiac shunts

Abstract The source of pulmonary collateral circulation varies according to the nature, location and duration of the inciting pathological process. Bronchial, intercostal, internal mammary, brachiocephalic and other arteries that arise in the mediastinum from the aorta or its branches are the major source of pulmonary arterial collateral circulation. The bronchial veins and mediastinal veins are interconnected with the azygos, vertebral, mediastinal, and thoracic wall veins. They constitute the major venous pathways of the collateral circulation. Anomalous arteries and veins may be recognized radiologically as the cause of a variety of intrathoracic, extracardiac shunts.
Antifungal Chemoprophylaxis after Blood and Marrow Transplantation

Invasive fungal infections are common and deadly in recipients of blood and marrow transplants. Current diagnostic techniques do not allow accurate early diagnosis, especially of infection with mould pathogens, and delays in diagnosis are associated with treatment failure. This lack of early diagnosis has provided the impetus for the development of antifungal prophylaxis. Fluconazole prophylaxis is highly effective for the control of invasive yeast infections and associated with few breakthrough infections. The development of antimould prophylaxis in this patient population is a high priority.
Open questions on state rescaling

Recent work on state rescaling has opened up productive lines of theorization and research. However, this literature contains many open theoretical, interpretive, methodological and empirical questions. By drawing attention to several of these, this article aims to promote reflection and debate on possible future lines of research within this field. I argue, in particular, for greater attention to questions of method—specifically, to the mediations linking
SDR-based radar system for meteor detection

The idea of monitoring atmospheric events using radio waves has been implemented in the past. The concept has also been employed to detect meteors, that is, ionized trails created by meteors. The approach exploits the property of ionized trails to reflect radio waves and the use of bistatic radar and forward scattering. In this paper we present a setup of a data acquisition (DAQ) system based on software defined radio. We provide results of processed signals obtained by our system. In a similar way, the concept may be extended to detect ultra high energy cosmic rays. We discuss the challenges in upgrading the system for meeting the latter objective.
Unisexual Reproduction Enhances Fungal Competitiveness by Promoting Habitat Exploration via Hyphal Growth and Sporulation

Unisexual reproduction is a novel homothallic sexual cycle recently discovered in both ascomycetous and basidiomycetous pathogenic fungi. It is a form of selfing that induces the yeast-to-hyphal dimorphic transition in isolates of the α mating type of the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. Unisexual reproduction may benefit the pathogen by facilitating sexual reproduction in the absence of the opposite a mating type and by generating infectious propagules called basidiospores. Here, we report an independent potential selective advantage of unisexual reproduction beyond genetic exchange and recombination. We competed a wild-type strain capable of undergoing unisexual reproduction with mutants defective in this developmental pathway and found that unisexual reproduction provides a considerable dispersal advantage through hyphal growth and sporulation. Our results show that unisexual reproduction may serve to facilitate access to both nutrients and potential mating partners and may provide a means to maintain the capacity for dimorphic transitions in the environment.
A prototype beam delivery system for the proton medical accelerator at Loma Linda

A variable energy proton accelerator was commissioned at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory for use in cancer treatment at the Loma Linda University Medical Center. The advantages of precise dose localization by proton therapy, while sparing nearby healthy tissue, are well documented [R. R. Wilson, Radiology 47, 487 (1946); M. Wagner, Med. Phys. 9, 749 (1982); M. Goitein and F. Chen, Med. Phys. 10, 831 (1983)]. One of the components of the proton therapy facility is a beam delivery system capable of delivering precise dose distributions to the target volume in the patient. To this end, a prototype beam delivery system was tested during the accelerator's commissioning period. The beam delivery system consisted of a beam spreading device to produce a large, uniform field, a range modulator to generate a spread out Bragg peak (SOBP), and various beam detectors to measure intensity, beam centering, and dose distributions. The beam delivery system provided a uniform proton dose distribution in a cylindrical volume of 20-cm-diam area and 9-cm depth. The dose variations throughout the target volume were found to be less than +/- 5%. Modifications in the range modulator should reduce this considerably. The central axis dose rate in the region of the SOBP was found to be 0.4 cGy/spill with an incident beam intensity of 6.7 x 10(9) protons/spill. With an accelerator repetition rate of 30 spills/min and expected intensity of 2.5 x 10(10) protons/spill for patient treatment, this system can provide 50 cGy/min for a 20-cm-diam field and 9-cm range modulation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Spiritually Conscious Psychological Care

There is increasing recognition of the importance of identifying and perhaps incorporating into psychological services the spiritual and religious beliefs and practices (SRBP) of patients. Research suggests that psychologists are reluctant to address the SRBP of their patients, because they are unsure how to do so without contravention of ethical standards. Moreover, numerous approaches have been published and promoted, and psychologists may feel overwhelmed by the profusion of advice. We organize the suggested approaches into four categories and place them on a continuum, and we discuss the ethical concerns related to each. At one end is spiritually avoidant care, which entails the attempt to avoid conversations with patients about their SRBP. Given the importance of these issues to psychological health and to understanding the patient, this approach is untenable. At the other end of the continuum, spiritually directive psychotherapy is characterized by an explicit attempt to maintain or change the SRBP of patients. Spiritually integrated psychotherapy entails utilizing SRBP to ameliorate patients’ emotional distress. We suggest that psychologists should at least engage in spiritually conscious care, which we characterize as the explicit assessment of the general importance of SRBP to the patient, its influence on the presenting problem, and the potential of SRBP as a resource to help recovery. Specific suggestions are presented for how spiritually conscious care might be implemented. Finally, the need for better training in both basic and specific competencies needed to address patients’ SRBP is reviewed.
Desirable properties and use of rubber impression materials

The use o f hydrocolloid impression ma­ terials to obtain accurate and delicate impressions of prepared cavities has been justified for many years. The work of Sears,1 Thom pson,2 Bignell,3 Buchmann4 and others on this subject is well known. The chief advantage o f these materials over the other well known types o f im­ pression materials is their ability to re­ cover their shape and original dimensions after passing over undercuts and similar irregularities in teeth. T he chief disad­ vantage o f these materials is their lack of dimensional stability. Unless dies and casts are processed within a short period after the impression has been removed from the mouth, inaccuracies of form and dimension will occur. A recent innovation along the line of elastic impression materials is the intro­ duction o f a synthetic rubber material which sets or “ vulcanizes” while it is in the mouth, adjacent to the tissues. It is claimed that this impression material is not only elastic and strong, but also that it is accurate and dimensionally stable. It was the purpose of this research to evaluate such claims in terms o f the rub­ ber materials at hand, and to determine their worth as they may be applied to procedures o f operative dentistry and crown and bridge work.
Characterization of a Wind Tunnel for Use in Offshore Wind Turbine Development

In this work a wind tunnel with an open jet configuration is investigated for use in offshore wind turbine testing. This study characterizes the open-jet wind-tunnel using measurements of the velocity field detailing mean velocities and turbulence intensities with and without a scaled wind turbine. Measurements have been taken downstream to evaluate the expected area of turbine operation and the shear zone. The effects on the flow due to the wake and turbine blockage have also been identified. Additionally, the combination of honeycomb and screens necessary to produce a homogeneous flow at the desired velocity with low turbulence intensity has been identified.This work provides a useful data set that will be used as a benchmark to evaluate the benefits of recirculating wind tunnels. The data set has resulted in identifying conditions that would prevent producing the desired flows. The data set has also resulted in recommendations concerning the shape of the wind tunnel sections at the University of Maine’s wind-wave (W2) facility to minimize its interactions with the turbine wake expansion, turbine blockage, and the turbine associated wake shear zone.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
No Difference Between Oxycodone/Acetaminophen and Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen for Acute Extremity Pain.

This study found no significant difference in the management of acute musculoskeletal extremity pain, including fractures, with oxycodone/acetaminophen vs. hydrocodone/acetaminophen. Adverse events, including nausea and dizziness, occurred significantly more often with oxycodone/acetaminophen.