cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MinPD: distance-based phylogenetic analysis and recombination detection of serially-sampled HIV quasispecies

A new computational method to study within-host viral evolution is explored to better understand the evolution and pathogenesis of viruses. Traditional phylogenetic tree methods are better suited to study relationships between contemporaneous species, which appear as leaves of a phylogenetic tree. However, viral sequences are often sampled serially from a single host. Consequently, data may be available at the leaves as well as the internal nodes of a phylogenetic tree. Recombination may further complicate the analysis. Such relationships are not easily expressed by traditional phylogenetic methods. We propose a new algorithm, called MinPD, based on minimum pairwise distances. Our algorithm uses multiple distance matrices and correlation rules to output a MinPD tree or network. We test our algorithm using extensive simulations and apply it to a set of HIV sequence data isolated from one patient over a period often years. The proposed visualization of the phylogenetic tree/spl bsol/network further enhances the benefits of our methods.
Phylogenetic evidence for multiple Alu source genes.

A member of the young PV Alu sub-family is detected in chimpanzee DNA showing that the PV subfamily is not specific to human DNA. This particular Alu is absent from the orthologous loci in both human and gorilla DNAs, indicating that PV subfamily members transposed within the chimpanzee lineage following the divergence of chimpanzee from both gorilla and human. These findings and previous reports describing the transpositional activity of other Alu sequences within the human, gorilla, and chimpanzee lineages provide phylogenetic evidence for the existence of multiple Alu source genes. Sequences surrounding this particular Alu resemble known transcriptional control elements associated with RNA polymerase III, suggesting a mechanism by which cis-acting elements might be acquired upon retrotransposition.
Peer communication relationships and psychological climate

This study examined the association between psychological climate and the types of communication relationships employees form with their peers. 194 teachers completed a questionnaire measuring psychological climate. They also reported their proportions of information, collegial and special peer relationships. Perceptions of the organization's climate were associated with the types of communication relationships employees form with their peers. These associations were moderated, in part, by gender, suggesting that men and women differ significantly in the ways they approach friendships at work. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Comparison of spectral sensitivity using heterochromatic flicker photometry and an acuity criterion

The CIE luminosity function Vδ is based largely upon the spectral sensitivity of normal observers measured by flicker photometry. Nonetheless, it is used to specify illumination for visual tasks in which the performance criterion is not temporal resolution, e.g., acuity tasks. It has recently become clear that different channels in the human visual system detect acuity targets than detect flicker. Furthermore, the flicker and acuity channels have ostensibly different spectral sensitivities. Thus it becomes important to verify that lights equated by a flicker criterion and lights equated by an acuity criterion agree. If the spectral sensitivity measured by flicker and acuity criteria differ, then performance on an acuity task for lights of equal luminance but dissimilar spectral composition will differ. Six monochromatic background fields (460, 500, 550, 580, 600, and 660 nm) were flickermatched to a standard white field. the monochromaticplus-white-standard fields were used as backgrounds for 10 cycle/degree monochromatic gratings presented as increments. Four observers participated in the experiment. Excepting the 460 nm condition, the contrast required to detect a grating on flicker-matched backgrounds is independent of wavelength. Although subserved by different channels, flicker photometric and threshold acuity criteria produce similar spectral sensitivities.
Medicare reimbursement, debt financing, and measures of service efforts and accomplishments in the healthcare industry

This paper investigates the relationships among selected SEA measures and Medicare reimbursement. The findings generally indicate that those hospitals most heavily reliant on Medicare reimbursement are characterized by different levels of service efforts and accomplishments than other hospitals. The empirical analysis also provides evidence of a linkage between SEA measures and market measures of the risk associated with bonds issued by the sample hospitals.
Delivering cellular therapies: lessons learned from ex vivo culture and clinical applications of hematopoietic cells

Advances in stem cell biology and cellular therapy have led to promising treatments in a range of incurable diseases. However, it is unclear whether primitive stem cells can be delivered to damage tissue for regeneration of functional mature cells or stem cells must be stimulated to differentiate into mature cells in vitro and these cells delivered to patients. A range of other questions remains to be determined including how to formulate cellular products for in vivo delivery and how to undertake pharmacological testing of cellular products. Insights into these questions can be obtained from hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) which have been used for the past 50 years in bone marrow transplantation for regeneration of blood cells in patients undergoing high dose chemotherapy to treat cancer. The differentiation of HSC into mature blood cells is controlled by proteins called hematopoietic growth factors and these factors have been used to generate cellular products in vitro for clinical applications. This chapter will review some of the results of cellular therapies performed with HSC and the lessons that can be learned from these studies.
The mineralocorticoid receptor agonist, fludrocortisone, differentially inhibits pituitary-adrenal activity in humans with psychotic major depression.

Summary Introduction Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation has been linked with major depression, particularly psychotic major depression (PMD), with mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs) playing a role in HPA-axis regulation and the pathophysiology of depression. Herein we hypothesize that the MR agonist fludrocortisone differentially inhibits the HPA axis of psychotic major depression subjects (PMDs), non-psychotic major depression subjects (NPMDs), and healthy control subjects (HCs). Methods Fourteen PMDs, 16 NPMDs, and 19 HCs were admitted to the Stanford University Hospital General Clinical Research Center. Serum cortisol levels were sampled at baseline and every hour from 18:00 to 23:00 h, when greatest MR activity is expected, on two consecutive nights. On the second afternoon at 16:00 h all subjects were given 0.5 mg fludrocortisone. Mean cortisol levels pre- and post-fludrocortisone and percent change in cortisol levels were computed. Results There were no significant group differences for cortisol at baseline: F(2,47) = .19, p = .83. There were significant group differences for post-fludrocortisone cortisol: F(2,47) = 5.13, p = .01, which were significantly higher in PMDs compared to HCs (p = .007), but not compared to NPMDs (p = .18). There were no differences between NPMD's and HC's (p = .61). Also, PMDs had a lower percent change from baseline in cortisol levels at 2200 h than NPMDs (p = .01) or HCs (p = .009). Conclusions Individuals with psychotic major depression compared to healthy control subjects have diminished feedback inhibition of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis in response to the mineralocorticoid receptor agonist fludrocortisone. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine HPA axis response to MR stimulation in major depression (with and without psychosis), and only the third study to demonstrate that exogenously administered fludrocortisone can down-regulate the HPA axis in humans.
Ethical Issues in Informed Consent

The informed consent process grew out of a social movement toward greater autonomy, as well as from life-preserving medical advances that patients sometimes questioned the value of. With informed consent, the patient and health care provider each play a role formulating an acceptable plan for medical care. Important aspects of informed consent include ethical obligations to promote autonomy, provide information, and avoid unethical forms of bias. Patients have the right to refuse medical therapies, whether on religious or other grounds, if they are competent to do so. Providers cannot subject patients to certain perioperative tests without informed consent. All patients should be involved in medical decision making to the degree their capacity allows, irrespective of age.
Quantitative protein sequencing using mass spectrometry: A protein sequenator-mass spectrometer interface employing flash evaporative techniques

Abstract A manually operated interface system has been described for coupling an automatic protein sequenator to a mass spectrometer. The system is designed to accept a solution composed of the product of the Edman reaction in a volatile solvent, and isolate the thiazolinone derivative by flash evaporation onto a gold gauze located in a solid probe tip. The mass spectrum of the sample is subsequently obtained by inserting the probe tip into the ion source of the mass spectrometer and slowly volatilizing the sample into the electron beam. The interface described eliminates the need for intermediate isolation of the thiazolinone derivatives prior to analysis. The system as described is designed to operate on a du Pont model 21-490 mass spectrometer.
Oxygen saturation monitoring during endoscopy

The role of monitoring during endoscopy is not clearly defined. We have prospectively investigated continuous arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) monitoring in 326 patients undergoing upper endoscopy (EGD) and 90 undergoing colonoscopy. Automated blood pressure recording was evaluated in 278 of these patients. SaO2 desaturation (less than 90%) occurred in 17.8% of patients undergoing EGD and 12.9% undergoing colonoscopy. Systolic blood pressure abnormalities (greater than 200 or less than 90 mmHg) occurred in 19.8% of EGD patients and 19.6% of colonoscopy patients. Treatment based on these abnormalities was required in 4.3% of patients during EGD and 8.8% during colonoscopy. A history of pulmonary or cardiac disease predicted increased risk during colonoscopy, while cardiac disease and age 60 years or above predicted desaturation during EGD. Pulse oximetry and automated blood pressure monitoring was especially valuable during endoscopy in the elderly and patients with cardiac or pulmonary disease. It may be used as a guide to therapeutic intervention and to avert major cardiopulmonary complications.
Criteria for estimating the impact of series resistance on MOSFET performance

Abstract We derive simple engineering criteria which may be used as a guideline in MOSFET design. In particular, with respect to series resistance it is clear that a too high RS value is detrimental to device performance. On the other hand, pressing for a value which is lower than necessary may call for other unwelcome features (e.g. too deep junctions). Hence, a means for estimating the allowed RS values is of prime importance. We show how such criteria may be obtained and used for estimating the necessary quantities.
ON THE DIAMETER AND GIRTH OF A ZERO-DIVISOR GRAPH

Abstract For a commutative ring R with zero-divisors Z ( R ) , the zero-divisor graph of R is Γ ( R ) = Z ( R ) − { 0 } , with distinct vertices x and y adjacent if and only if x y = 0 . In this paper, we characterize when either diam ( Γ ( R ) ) ≤ 2 or gr ( Γ ( R ) ) ≥ 4 . We then use these results to investigate the diameter and girth for the zero-divisor graphs of polynomial rings, power series rings, and idealizations.
Connexon integrity is maintained by non-covalent bonds: intramolecular disulfide bonds link the extracellular domains in rat connexin-43.

Abstract Rat heart connexin-43 (RC×43) has been isolated using a modified procedure that is rapid and can be used with fresh or frozen hearts. When RC×43 is isolated in the presence of the alkylating reagent iodoacetamide, no intermolecular disulfide bonds are found. However, the alkylated RC×43 does have at least one intramolecular disulfide bond. By using site directed antibodies and proteolytic cleavage the location of the intramolecular disulfide bonding is shown between the two extracellular loops of RC×43.
Remembering Laurence Veysey (1933–2004)

Larry Veysey was my colleague and friend at the University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC) for almost twenty years. We shared a common fascination with utopias past and present; we talked often; and we taught several graduate seminars together. Though Larry never aspired to be anyone's mentor, I learned much from him about intellectual history. He was a complex individual-a difficult and at times infuriating colleague but also a loyal and generous friend and a person of extraordinary intelligence and at times alarming bluntness. In faculty meetings he never failed to speak his mind, and he could rarely resist baiting and provoking colleagues with whom he disagreed. But he also remained a tireless, fair-minded, and thoroughly conscientious participant in search committees, for which he compiled detailed, carefully nuanced evaluations of the leading candidates, often with grades attached. He also graded sunsets and dinners. He appeared to be intransigent and set in his ways, but he believed in change and relished risk-taking. He loved to walk near the edge of the cliff, pushing and testing himself. Larry Veysey was full of contradictions. But at the center of his personality, I think, lay an irresistible, often mischievous, penchant for truth-telling, combined with a barely concealed scorn for whatever and whomever he regarded as bland, half-hearted, facile or perfunctory, and a conviction that the truth is generally darker and less appealing than we would like it to be. When he inscribed a copy of The Communal Experience for me, he wrote: "In the hope that it may not too greatly dampen your enthusiasm for utopia." He often commented sardonically on the amount of myth-making and sheer fabrication that went into the writing of politically correct movement history. But he was no less hard on the conservative recourse to comforting myths about the "good old days." The truth for him was never simple and rarely uplifting; and his own sympathies went first of
Development of a framework to assess and guide IT investments: An analysis based on a discretionary-mandatory classification

Assessing the economic feasibility of information technology (IT) projects remains a challenge for most organizations. On one hand there are concerns for the rising IT costs, on the other hand organizations may lose significantly if they do not make an appropriate investment in IT. Considering the range of IT projects, a single, standardized capital budgeting approach may not serve the best interests of organizations. This paper presents a framework to help evaluate different IT projects through a mix of suitable methods. The framework is based on the classification of IT projects along a discretionary-mandatory dimension into four types: purely discretionary, mainly discretionary, mainly mandatory, and purely mandatory. A set of factors are identified that may influence the final classification of an IT project into one of the four types. This classification is used to arrive at suitable IT evaluation techniques and methods. Use of strict financial evaluation criteria is suggested for discretionary projects. The need for analyzing financial risks associated with IT projects is also identified and it is suggested that higher standards of project acceptance be used for riskier projects that are not deemed mandatory in the earlier analysis. The framework should be useful for information systems researchers and practitioners in streamlining the assessment of IT projects.
Muscle engraftment of myogenic progenitor cells following intraarterial transplantation

Cell-based therapy continues to be a promising avenue for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), an X-linked skeletal muscle-wasting disease. Recently, we demonstrated that freshly isolated myogenic progenitors contained within the adult skeletal muscle side population (SP) can engraft into dystrophic fibers of nonirradiated mdx(5cv) mice after intravenous transplantation. Engraftment rates, however, have not been therapeutically significant, achieving at most 1% of skeletal muscle myofibers expressing protein from donor-derived nuclei. To enhance the engraftment of transplanted myogenic progenitors, an intraarterial delivery method was adapted from a previously described procedure. Cultured, lentivirus-transduced skeletal muscle SP cells, derived from mdx(5cv) mice, were transplanted into the femoral artery of noninjured mdx(5cv) mice. Based on the expression of microdystrophin or green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenes in host muscle, sections of the recipient muscles exhibited 5%-8% of skeletal muscle fibers expressing donor-derived transgenes. Further, donor muscle SP cells, which did not express any myogenic markers prior to transplant, expressed the satellite cell transcription factor, Pax7, and the muscle-specific intermediate filament, desmin, after extravasation into host muscle. The expression of these muscle-specific markers indicates that progenitors within the side population can differentiate along the myogenic lineage after intraarterial transplantation and extravasation into host muscle. Given that femoral artery catheterization is a common, safe clinical procedure and that the transplantation of cultured adult muscle progenitor cells has proven to be safe in mice, our data may represent a step toward the improvement of cell-based therapies for DMD and other myogenic disorders.
Chronic stress, acute stress, and depressive symptoms

Although life events continue to be the major focus of stress research, recent studies suggest that chronic stress should be a more central focus. An evaluation of this issue is presented using data from a large community survey of married men (n = 819) and women (n = 936). Results show that chronic stresses are more strongly related to depressive symptoms than acute stresses in all but one life domain. The interaction patterns exhibited by chronic and acute stresses are predominantly associated with lower levels of depression than those predicted by a main effects model. This pattern suggests that chronic stresses may reduce the emotional effects of acute stresses. Although the processes through which this effect occurs are not clear, it is suggested that anticipation and reappraisal reduce the stressfulness of an event by making its meaning more benign. Implications for future research on chronic and acute stress effects are discussed.
Relationship Between Plasma Cholesterol Levels and Fecal Steroid Excretion of Cockerels Fed Low-Cholesterol and Cholesterol-Containing Diets

Abstract Cockerels having relatively high plasma cholesterol levels when fed a commercial diet low in cholesterol, excreted significantly higher amounts of bile acids in their feces than those with low plasma cholesterol levels on the same diet. Neutral steroids balance in these birds was not consistent. Plasma cholesterol levels of all the chickens and the amount of bile acids excreted by those with the high plasma cholesterol levels both decreased slightly when 2.5% stripped lard was added to the diet. No relationship was observed between plasma cholesterol levels of individual chickens before and after feeding 0.25% cholesterol. The differences in plasma cholesterol levels observed among individuals fed cholesterol did not seem to be due to differences in neutral steroids retention or fecal bile acid excretion. Excretion of bile acids was increased five-fold when cholesterol was fed, while the amount of fecal neutral steroids increased only two-fold. The chickens seemed to partially control the high positive balance of neutral steroids observed when they had been fed cholesterol, by considerably increasing the amount of bile acids excreted. Hyodeoxycholic acid was the main fecal bile acid. During high cholesterol ingestion a considerable amount of fecal lithocholic acid was also observed.
Performance of the Cockcroft-Gault and Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Equations in Estimating GFR in Ill Hospitalized Patients

Background: Estimating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in severely ill inpatients is clinically important for therapeutic interventions and prognosis, but notoriously difficult to do accurately. The Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equation and Cockcroft-Gault (CG) formula are widely used to estimate renal function in sick hospitalized patients; however, neither method has been validated in this setting. Methods: Iodine 125-iothalamate clearances (iGFR) performed in 107 sick inpatients with renal dysfunction were compared with estimated GFRs (eGFRs) from the 6- and 4-variable MDRD (MDRD eGFR) and CG (CG eGFR) equations. Results: Mean serum creatinine (SCr) level was 3.5 ± 2.0 mg/dL (309 ± 177 μmol/L), and mean iGFR was 17.1 ± 17.9 mL/min/1.73 m2 (0.29 ± 0.30 mL/s/1.73 m2). Six-variable MDRD eGFR was 22.5 ± 17.4 mL/min/1.73 m2 (0.38 ± 0.29 mL/s/1.73 m2), 4-variable MDRD eGFR was 23.9 ± 16.3 mL/min/1.73 m2 (0.40 ± 0.27 mL/s/1.73 m2), and CG eGFR was 26.0 ± 17.1 mL/min/1.73 m2 (0.43 ± 0.29 mL/s/1.73 m2). Blood urea nitrogen (BUN)/SCr ratios greater than 20 were seen in 58% of patients. Overall, the CG and MDRD equations overestimated iGFR, with poor agreement. Overestimation of at least 25% of measured iGFR was seen in 63%, 67%, and 70% of all inpatients when using the 6-variable MDRD, 4-variable MDRD, and CG equations, respectively. Accuracy of eGFR within 50% of measured iGFR was 55% for the 6-variable MDRD equation, 49% for the 4-variable MDRD equation, and 40% for the CG formula. The performance of both methods deteriorated further in patients with a BUN/SCr ratio greater than 20. Conclusion: Estimation equations are performed poorly compared with iGFR and are not reliable measures of actual level of function in sick hospitalized patients, especially those with a high BUN/SCr ratio. Although use of the 6-variable MDRD equation provides a better estimation of GFR, it still is unsuitable for clinical application in this population.
Transfer of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate through rat milk and effects on milk composition and the mammary gland.

Abstract Five daily oral doses of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) (2 g/kg) given to rats on Days 2–6, 6–10, or 14–18 of lactation caused significant decreases in body weight and increases in hepatic peroxisomal enzymes palmitoyl CoA oxidase and carnitine acetyltransferase in the dams and their suckling pups. Plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels were decreased in the lactating dams. Decreased food consumption, as indicated by pair-fed rats, accounted for the decreased body weight in the pups but not the increases in enzyme activities. To determine whether DEHP and mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) were transferred through the milk, milk and plasma were collected from lactating rats 6 hr after the third dose of DEHP. The milk contained 216 ± 23 μg/ml DEHP and 25 ± 6 μg/ml MEHP (mean ± SE), while the plasma contained 200) indicates efficient extraction of DEHP from the plasma into the milk. DEHP dosing during lactation also caused a decrease in mammary gland weight and a decrease in mammary gland RNA content which reflects synthetic activity. The water content of the milk was reduced, which probably accounted for the increase in lipid in the milk. Milk lactose was decreased in DEHP-treated and pair-fed rats, consistent with the decrease in milk production. The results show that exposure to high doses of DEHP during lactation in rats can result in changes in milk quality and quantity and can lead to DEHP and MEHP exposure in the suckling rat pups.
Two Decades of Research on the Problem Solving Inventory: A Call for Empirical Clarity

Heppner, Witty, and Dixon's review of 2 decades of research on the Problem Solving Inventory (PSI) provides highlights of more than 120 studies relating problem-solving appraisal to psychological adjustment, physical health, coping, and educational and vocational issues. Although clearly an impressive body of literature, the level of data reported is uneven with attention to effect sizes (e.g., correlations) and sample descriptors (e.g., race/ethnicity, n size, gender). Acknowledging the importance of the PSI and this major review, we provide commentary on the need for a meta-analysis and the continual expansion of research on the PSI with respect to diversity issues (i.e., race/ethnicity, gender).
Isothiocyanate, IV. Umsetzungen mit m- und p-Phenylen-di-isothicyanat

m- und p-Phenylen-di-isothiocyanat addieren GRIGNARD-Reagenzien und C–H-acide Verbindungen bzw. deren Natriumsalze zu N-Aryl-thioamiden.
An histochemical and ultrastructural analysis of the dermal chromatophores of the variant ranid blue frog

Integument from blue and green areas of the variant blue frog were analyzed biochemically for pteridines and carotenoids. Solvent extraction and absorption spectrophotometry indicated that β carotene was greatly reduced in the blue skin, and present in high quantities in the green skin of the blue frog. Thin layer and paper chromatography indicated that the pteridines were almost totally lacking in the blue skin, and present in normal quantities in the green skin of the blue frog. Light and electron microscopy indicated that the xanthophore pigment cells were either greatly altered or absent from the blue integument and present in the green integument. The fine structure of the xanthphores of the green integument contained the normal ultrastructural components of xanthopores found in regular green integument. The blue integument contained an abnormal cell type that occupied the position in the dermal chromatophore unit normally held by the xanthophores. The possibility of these cells being abnormal xanthophores or some other cell type is discussed.
Two measures of insulin sensitivity provided similar information in a U.S. population.

Abstract Background and objective Two methods for measuring insulin sensitivity, fasting plasma insulin (FPI) and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) have been proposed for use in large epidemiological research and clinical practice. This project describes the range of observed values of the HOMA and FPI in a large sample of the U.S. population. Methods We used fasting plasma glucose and insulin values from the Third National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES III) to identify the FPI and HOMA values. For both FPI and HOMA, higher values indicate lower insulin sensitivity. Results Among 6,511 participants without treated diabetes mellitus, FPI ranged from 1.8 to 175.8 μU/mL, with 25th percentile = 6.7, median = 9.3, 75th percentile = 13.3, and mean±1 SD = 11.2±7.5; HOMA ranged from 0.3 to 52.6 (mmol)(μU)/L2, with 25th percentile = 1.5, median = 2.2, 75th percentile = 3.3, and mean±SD = 2.8±2.4. Conclusion These findings describe the spectrum of insulin sensitivity and may be useful in helping physicians develop a clinical understanding of the dynamic range of both FPI and HOMA measures.
Electromagnetic Field for a Tightly Focused Laser Beam Incident on a Layered Plane Surface

The effects of beam character (profile, focal point positioning, polarization, etc.) and layer/substrate properties on the electromagnetic field that results from the interaction of a tightly-focused laser beam with a layered plane surface are demonstrated.
Human Follicle-Stimulating Hormone β-Subunit Gene Encodes Multiple Messenger Ribonucleic Acids

FSH is a pituitary gonadotropin that is encoded by separate α- and β-subunit genes. We isolated a 12 kilobase (kb) DNA fragment containing the entire human FSHβ gene from a λ phage genomic DNA library. The nucleotide sequence of the FSHβ gene predicts a 19 amino acid signal sequence and a 111 amino acid apoprotein that differs from the reported protein sequence at three residues and lacks the carboxyterminal eight amino acids, thereby bringing the human FSHβ sequence into register with those described for other mammalian species. Southern blot analyses of human genomic DNA are consistent with a single copy of the FSHβ gene per haploid genome. The FSHβ transcriptional unit spans 3.9 kb and contains two introns. The second intron (1.4 kb) is located between amino acids 35 and 36, a position that is strictly conserved among all of the glycoprotein hormone β-subunit genes. The first intron occurs 6 base pairs upstream from the start of translation in a location analogous to that of the TSHβ gene. The first ex...
American Karma: Race, Culture, and Identity in the Indian Diaspora

by Sunil Bhatia, New York, New York University Press, 2007, 270 pp., US$23.00 (paperback), ISBN 9780814799581 Sunil Bhatia’s study of middle‐class, professional Indian immigrants in the USA is a la...
On tabu search for the location of interacting hub facilities

Abstract A new heuristic method based on tabu search is developed for the problem of locating p interacting hub facilities among n interacting nodes in a network. The method treats equally the problem of locating hub facilities, as well as the problem of allocating the nodes to one and only one hub. The algorithm obtained improved solutions to problems from the standard test set from literature which has been used in this study.
Airway carcinoembryonic antigen concentrations in patients with central lung cancer or chronic bronchitis.

To determine the clinical utility of airway carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) concentrations to distinguish malignant from inflammatory airway disease in patients undergoing bronchoscopy, we determined CEA concentrations by enzyme immunoassay in bronchial washings recovered in 48 subjects, including 20 patients with central lung cancer, 18 patients with chronic bronchitis, and ten nonsmoking patients with a diagnosis of pneumonia or peripheral granuloma. Concentrations of CEA in bronchial washings were standardized by using the total protein concentration in recovered fluid (CEA/TP). Concentrations of CEA were significantly increased in bronchial washings recovered from both patients with chronic bronchitis and lung cancer compared with patients with pneumonia or granuloma (252 ± 47 ng/mg and 199 ± 64 ng/ml vs 62 ± 11 ng/mg, SEM, p
Using Fit Indexes to Select a Covariance Model for Longitudinal Data.

This study investigated the performance of fit indexes in selecting a covariance structure for longitudinal data. Data were simulated to follow a compound symmetry, first-order autoregressive, first-order moving average, or random-coefficients covariance structure. We examined the ability of the likelihood ratio test (LRT), root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), comparative fit index (CFI), and Tucker–Lewis Index (TLI) to reject misspecified models with varying degrees of misspecification. With a sample size of 20, RMSEA, CFI, and TLI are high in both Type I and Type II error rates, whereas LRT has a high Type II error rate. With a sample size of 100, these indexes generally have satisfactory performance, but CFI and TLI are affected by a confounding effect of their baseline model. Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC) and Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) have high success rates in identifying the true model when sample size is 100. A comparison with the mixed model approach indicates that se...
Enhancing accountability of electronic health record usage via patient-centric monitoring

Electronic Health Record (EHR) and Personal Health Record (PHR) systems could allow patients to better manage their health information and share it to enhance the quality and efficiency of their healthcare. Unfortunately, misuse of information stored in EHR and PHR systems will create new risks for patients, and we need to empower them to safeguard their health information to avoid problems such as medical identity theft. In this paper, we introduce the notion of accountable use and update of electronic health records and design a patient-centric monitoring system based on it. We develop a system architecture and associated protocols that enable either explicit or implicit patient control over when and how health information is accessed. Our approach provides a reasonable solution rather than addressing the more general information flow control problem in distributed systems. We also implement and evaluate a prototype system motivated by a health record sharing scenario based on NHIN Direct to demonstrate that enhanced accountability can be supported with acceptable performance and integration overheads.
CONTAINMENT OF AN OUTBREAK OF VANCOMYCIN-RESISTANT ENTEROCOCCI IN THE NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT. † 1772

CONTAINMENT OF AN OUTBREAK OF VANCOMYCIN-RESISTANT ENTEROCOCCI IN THE NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT. † 1772
APPLIED ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE FELINE LOWER URINARY TRACT

The muscle coat of the bladder-urethra forms three functional entities: detrusor muscle (smooth muscle to evacuate the bladder), internal urethral sphincter (smooth muscle for tonic continence), and external urethral sphincter (striated muscle for phasic and voluntary continence). The detrusor is capable of great volume expansion with minimal increase of intravesical pressure, due to viscous accommodation and reflex inhibition. Both urethral sphincters are activated by spinal reflexes. Normal micturition (sustained detrusor contraction and sphincter inhibition) involves a spino-bulbo-spinal pathway and a pontine micturition center that switches from urine storage to micturition.
Proper time synchronization

A clock-transport method of synchronization employing proper time is described that yields in any given inertial system the same result as slow transport, but that imposes no limit on transport proper speed. It is argued that because the method involves only the empirically validated kinematic invariant proper time, on which all observers must agree, there exists an option to synchronize clocks in such a way that thesimultaneity of spatially separated events is agreed upon by all observers, hence is “absolute.” Such agreement refers only to phase equality of members (present at the events judged simultaneous) of comoving clock sets, not to clock rates or clock phase numerical values in different inertial systems. The demonstration employs only the on-worldline assertions of Einstein's kinematics. It thus depends on a limited subset of his ideas and allows a different identification of the spacelike invariant.
A new extremely thermophilic, sulfur-reducing heterotrophic, marine bacterium

An extremely thermophilic (optimum growth at 88° C), anaerobic bacterium was isolated from a shallow submarine thermal spring. It appears to be an obligate heterotroph, capable of reducing sulfur to H2S. Oxygen sensitivity is apparent only at and above those temperatures where growth occurs, while the cultures retain their viability for long periods under air at 4° C. Insensitivity to chloramphenicol, vancomycin and streptomycin, and lack of muramic acid in its cell wall, indicate a possible affilitation of the new isolate to the thermoacidophilic archaebacteria. However, its neutrophilic and hetertrophic nature, as well as its DNA base composition (39.1 mol % guanine plus cytosine) set it apart from the known genera of this group.
Electronic structure theory of surface, interface and thin-film magnetism

Low dimensional magnetic systems including surfaces, interfaces and thin-films, have attracted a great amount of attention in the past decade because, as expected, the lowered symmetry and coordination number offer a variety of opportunities for inducing new and exotic phenomena and so hold out the promise of new device applications. Local spin density functional (LSDF) ab initio electronic structure calculations played a key role in the development of this exciting field by not only providing a clearer understanding of the experimental observations but also predicting new systems with desired properties. Extensive calculated results reviewed here demonstrate that (1) weakened interatomic hybridization at clean surfaces or interfaces with inert substrates give rise to strong magnetic enhancement and (2) the strong interaction with nonmagnetic transition metals diminishes (entirely in some cases) the ferromagnetism and usually stabilizes the antiferromagnetic configuration. Surprisingly, experimentally observed surface (interface) magnetic anisotropy can be reproduced correctly in the theoretical calculations, although the anisotropy energy is only ∼10−4−10−5 eV.
The effect of clonidine on cell survival, glutamate, and aspartate release in normo- and hyperglycemic rats after near complete forebrain ischemia

The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of the α2 adrenergic agonist, clonidine, on the near complete cerebral ischemia (NCFI) evoked release of glutamate and aspartate from normo- and hyperglycemic rodent brain tissue using microdialysis tissue techniques. Hemodynamic variables, blood lactate, and glucose levels were monitored throughout the 40 min NCFI occlusion period. After 48 h, rats were killed and the extent of neuronal injury was determined in the cortex, striatum, and hippocampus. Hemodynamic variables recorded during ischemia improved with clonidine treatment in both normo- and hyperglycemic groups. Glutamate and aspartate levels were greatly increased over control values during normo- and hyperglycemic NCFI treatment. Clonidine pretreatment suppressed the release of both glutamate and aspartate during NCFI in normo- and hyperglycemic rodents when compared with NCFI-treated normo- and hyperglycemic rats without the drug. Significant neuroprotection of cells in the cortex, striatum, and hippocampus was also observed in drug-treated animals 48 h postischemia. The combined effects of diminished glutamate release after NCFI and reduced neuronal injury in both normo- and hyperglycemic states suggests that clonidine treatment during NCFI is neuroprotective. The neuroprotective effect of clonidine during ischemia may be ascribed to both a sensitization of central sympathetic activity and a reduced release of glutamate thereby reducing NMDA receptor activation and neuronal damage.
Chronic physical activity : hepatic hypertrophy and increased total biotransformation enzyme activity

Abstract Does chronic voluntary physical activity alter hepatic or intestinal capacities for xenobiotic biotransformation? This question was investigated by comparing biotransformation enzyme activities in liver and small intestine of active and sedentary rats. Male rats allowed unlimited access to a running wheel and fed ad lib . for 6 weeks were weight-matched to sedentary controls; the active rats ate 22% more food than the sedentary rats (P N -demethylase, ethacrynic acid glutathione S -transferase and morphine UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (P N -acetyltransferase activity toward p -aminobenzoic acid, 2-naphthylamine, and 2-aminofluorene as well as, relative hepatic enzyme activity (expressed per g liver or per mg protein) and total and relative intestinal enzyme activity. We conclude that chronic voluntary physical activity, accompanied by an increased food intake, results in liver hypertrophy and potentially increases total hepatic capacity to biotransform certain xenobiotic chemicals.
The Data Acquisition System for the Neutron Scattering Instruments at the Intense Pulsed Neutron Source

The Intense Pulsed Neutron Source (IPNS) at Argonne National Laboratory is a major new useroriented facility which is now coming on line for basic research in neutron scattering and neutron radiation damage. This paper describes the data acquisition system which will handle data acquisition and instrument control for the time-of-flight neutron scattering instruments at IPNS. This discussion covers the scientific and operational requirements for this system, and the system architecture that was chosen to satisfy these requirements. It also provides an overview of the current system implementation including brief descriptions of the hardware and software which have been developed.
Determinants of reproductive success in freshwater amphipod species that experience different mortality regimes

Selection on traits conferring enhanced mating success, and thus favoured through sexual selection, may be opposed by selection imposed by predators. This study compares determinants of reproductive success in two species of freshwater amphipods,Hyalellaspp., that differ substantially in adult body size and other life-history traits, and occupy ecologically dissimilar habitats. The small-bodied (‘lake’) species occurs in a lake with size-selective fish predators, and experiences increasing mortality with increasing body size. The large-bodied (‘marsh’) species inhabits a fishless marsh, and experiences decreasing mortality with increasing size. Although male reproductive success increased with body size in both species, the form and degree of the relative mating advantage for large males appeared to differ between species. In the marsh species, male pairing success increased throughout the range of variation in male body size. In the lake species, small males had lower pairing success than males of intermediate and large sizes, but large males did not have greater pairing success than males of an intermediate size. Female reproductive success (through fecundity) increased with body size similarly in both species. Positive assortative mating by size was weak in the marsh species, but stronger in the lake species. Species also differed in the intensity and form of sexual selection acting on the size of male gnathopods, a pair of sexually dimorphic appendages. In the marsh species, sexual selection favoured larger gnathopod width (relative to body size) throughout its range of variation, but no sexual selection for gnathopod width was detected in the lake species. Species differences in the relative importance of large body and gnathopod size in males may reflect an evolutionary divergence in mating behaviour stemming from species differences in countervailing mortality selection.
A COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF OILED WILDLIFE RESPONSE

ABSTRACT In discussions about the value of cleaning and rehabilitating oiled wildlife, much attention is focused on the costs to provide such care. Several references have made widely varying claims regarding these costs, yet none have provided a detailed accounting of costs associated with rehabilitation. Therefore, this paper focuses on three oil spill responses conducted in northern California (M/V Kure, M/V Stuyvesant, and S.S. Jacob Luckenbach) since 1997. We examine the costs associated with wildlife care using detailed accounting provided by the Oiled Wildlife Care Network. We include all variable costs (including labor and travel expenses for staff at the facility, facility expenses such as utilities and other indirect costs, and supplies) and compare these amounts to the numbers of birds collected live and dead, as well as the number treated and released. We discuss other fixed and variable costs that are not included, as well as characteristics of the spill responses that impacted rehabilitation...
Modeling spent TRISO fuel for geological disposal: corrosion and failure under oxidizing conditions in the presence of water

High temperature gas reactors (HTGRs) are being considered for near term deployment in the United States under the GNEP program and farther term deployment under the Gen IV reactor design (U.S. DOE Nuclear Energy Research Advisory Committee, 2002). A common factor among current HTGR (prismatic or pebble) designs is the use of TRISO coated particle fuel. TRISO refers to the three types of coating layers (pyrolytic carbon, porous carbon, and silicon carbide) around the fuel kernel, which is both protected and contained by the layers. While there have been a number of reactors operated with coated particle fuel, and extensive amount of research has gone into designing new HTGRs, little work has been done on modeling and analysing the degradation rates of spent TRISO fuel for permanent geological disposal. An integral part of developing a spent fuel degradation modeling was to analyze the waste form without taking any consideration for engineering barriers. A basic model was developed to simulate the time to failure of spent TRISO fuel in a repository environment. Preliminary verification of the model was performed with comparison to output from a proprietary model called GARGOYLE that was also used to model degradation rates of TRISO fuel. A sensitivity study was performed to determine which fuel and repository parameters had the most significant effect on the predicted time to fuel particle failure. Results of the analysis indicate corrosion rates and thicknesses of the outer pyrolytic carbon and silicon carbide layers, along with the time dependent temperature of the spent fuel in the repository environment, have a significant effect on the time to particle failure. The thicknesses of the kernel, buffer, and IPyC layers along with the strength of the SiC layer and the pressure in the TRISO particle did not significantly alter the results from the model. It can be concluded that a better understanding of the corrosion rates of the OPyC and SiC layers, along with increasing the quality control of the OPyC and SiC layer thicknesses, can significantly reduce uncertainty in estimates of the time to failure of spent TRISO fuel in a repository environment.
Progress on the occulter experiment at Princeton

An occulter is used in conjunction with a separate telescope to suppress the light of a distant star. To demonstrate the performance of this system, we are building an occulter experiment in the laboratory at Princeton. This experiment will use an etched silicon mask as the occulter, with some modifications to try to improve the performance. The occulter is illuminated by a diverging laser beam to reduce the aberrations from the optics before the occulter. We present the progress of this experiment and expectations for future work.
Improved epidural analgesia in the parturient in the 30° tilt position

Purpose: To compare the incidence of incomplete analgesia when epidural local anesthetic is administered with the parturient supine in a 30° leftward tilt or in the left lateral decubitus position. Methods: After placement of a multiorifice catheter 5 cm into the epidural space, 293 women in active labour were randomly positioned either to the left lateral decubitus position (lateral group) or supine with a 30° leftward tilt (tilt group) and then received 13 mL bupivacaine 0.25%. The success of the epidural block was determined by asking the patient if she required additional medication 15 min later. The incidence of complications (fetal heart rate decelerations, hypotension, and ephedrine usage) was noted. Results: In the lateral group, 38% required additional medication compared with 24% in the tilt group (P=0.006). There were no differences between groups in the incidence of maternal hypotension or fetal heart rate decelerations, but more women (10%) received ephedrine in the lateral than in the tilt group (4%),P=0.035. Conclusions: Placing the parturient supine with a 30° leftward tilt is associated with a greater success rate of labour epidural analgesia without an increase in complications than in women in the left lateral decubitus position. This advantage should be considered when positioning the parturient after epidural catheter placement.