cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Large-scale charge storage by scanning capacitance microscopy

Abstract Charge trapping in the silicon nitride-silicon dioxide-silicon (NOS) system has been used for data storage in non-volatile semiconductor memories for many years. Recently, a scanning capacitance microscope has been used to store information densely by locally trapping and de-trapping charge in the NOS system. In this paper we expand on our previous work by demonstrating the storage of 256 kilobits of information over a (120 μm) 2 area. An error rate of less than 0.03% is observed. Track structures have also been etched into some NOS samples in order to aid the location of data which has been stored. The topography and capacitance measurement abilities of our microscope allow the simultaneous acquisition of position information and stored data. These tracks also contribute to confining the trapped charge to a small region.
Concurrent Validity of Standardized Measures of Written Expression

It is generally agreed that the most effective method of assessing written language is through spontaneous writing samples. The purpose of this study was to compare the results of measures of written language that utilize a spontaneous writing sample. The Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT) Written Expression subtest is of particular interest as there is only minimal information on this measure and little research is as yet available. As such, this study compares results of the Written Expression subtest of the WIAT with the Written Expression subtest (Level II) of the Peabody Individual Achievement Test - Revised (PIAT-R) and with the Spontaneous Writing Quotient of the Test of Written Language -2 (TOWL-2) in order to provide information specific to the concurrent validity of these measures. Pearson-product moment correlation coefficients indicated that the WIAT Written Expression subtest correlates moderately with both the Written Expression subtest of the PIAT-R and the Spontaneous Writing Quot...
Distribution of influenza-like illness (ILI) by occupation in Washington State, September 2009-August 2010.

Objectives : We aim to estimate the prevalence of influenza-like illness (ILI) by occupation and to identify occupations associated with increased ILI prevalence. Methods Between September 2009 and August 2010, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) included questions on ILI symptoms on the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Washington State collects the occupation of all employed BRFSS respondents. ILI prevalence and prevalence ratios (PR) were calculated by occupational group. Results There were 8,758 adult, currently employed, non-military respondents to the Washington BRFSS during the study period. The ILI prevalence for all employed respondents was 6.8% (95% Confidence Interval (95% CI) = 6.1, 7.6). PRs indicated a lower prevalence of ILI in Technicians (PR = 0.4, 95% CI = 0.2, 0.9) and Truck Drivers (PR = 0.2, 95% CI = 0.1, 0.7) and higher prevalence in Janitors and Cleaners (PR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1.3, 4.7) and Secretaries (PR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.1, 5.4). Conclusions Some occupations appear to have higher prevalence of ILI than others. These occupational differences may be explained, in part, by differing levels of social contact with the public or contact with contaminated surfaces at work, or by other occupational factors such as stress or access to health care resources.
Parental reactions to children with congenital heart disease

Informal discussions with 260 families of children with congenital heart disease are reported. Parents raised questions concerning etiology, timing of the diagnosis, pathophysiology and symptomatology, and need for restriction. Depending upon the stage and seriousness of the disease, common parental behavior was observed. A psychological process similar to mourning is required at the time of diagnosis and at the time of corrective surgery in order to promote the family's adaptation to the child with congenital heart disease. Management suggestions are included.
Optical Properties of Silicon and its Oxides

We have measured the inelastic electron scattering spectra of a variety of Si and SiO2 thin films from the fundamental absorption threshold to well above the L-shell thresholds. We have used Kramers–Kronig analyses and sum rules to obtain the dielectric and optical response functions. We compare the optical properties of crystalline and evaporated and hydrogenated amorphous Si, amorphous evaporated SiO and SiO2, and chemical-vapor-deposition SiO2 in both the interband and the L-shell absorption regions. The interband structure in crystalline Si shows three sharp peaks that are blended into a single broad peak in the amorphous samples. At the L threshold crystalline Si also shows more structure than amorphous Si, however, the overall shape in the region well above the threshold is quite similar in the three samples. Above the SiO2 band gap the three oxide samples show strikingly similar behavior.
Correlation of Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy on the Same Tissue Sample

Tissue processed for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in a critical point bomb utilizing Freon-13 showed excellent subsurface preservation when prepared for transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The critical point method is the only commercially available SEM preparation technique in which the quality of preservation will not limit microscopists in efforts to correlate SEM and TEM observations.
Do the extent and direction of arterial remodelling predict subsequent progression of coronary atherosclerosis? A serial intravascular ultrasound study

Objective: Despite the link between positive coronary remodelling and acute ischaemic events, no data exist about the impact of arterial remodelling on subsequent progression of coronary atherosclerosis. The objective of this study was to examine whether extent and direction of arterial remodelling are predictors of progression of coronary atherosclerosis. Design, setting and patients: From the Reversal of Atherosclerosis with Aggressive Lipid Lowering (REVERSAL) trial, 210 focal coronary lesions (single lesion per patient) were identified with ⩽50% angiographic diameter stenosis at baseline intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). Remodelling was categorised using the remodelling index. Main outcome measures: Lesion sites were matched to the 18-month follow-up IVUS examination and change in atheroma area was calculated. Additionally, change in atheroma volume of the whole imaged artery was calculated. Results: There were no relationships between baseline remodelling index and change in atheroma area at the lesion site (r = 0.004, p = 0.96) or change in atheroma volume in the whole artery (r = 0.06, p = 0.37). Change in atheroma area was not significantly different in lesions with positive, negative or no remodelling at baseline (0.4 (SD 2.1) vs 0.7 (SD 1.7) vs 0.6 (SD 1.8) mm 2 , p = 0.76). Similarly, change in atheroma volume in the whole artery was not significantly different among the three remodelling categories (2.2 (SD 25.0) vs 1.4 (SD 31.2) vs 2.4 (SD 27.1) mm 3 , p = 0.98). Conclusions: Extent and direction of arterial remodelling do not predict subsequent progression of coronary atherosclerosis. Although positively remodelled lesions are associated with unstable clinical presentation, they are not associated with accelerated progression of atherosclerosis during lipid lowering therapy.
Thin-Airfoil Theoretical Interpretation for Gurney Flap Lift Enhancement

Thin-airfoil theory is applied to the lift problem of an airfoil with a Gurney flap. The lift and pitching moment coefficient increments are given as a square-root function of the relative Gurney flap height, and they are proportionally related. This model interprets the Gurney flap lift enhancement as a special camber effect. The theoretical relations are in good agreement with experimental and numerical data for several different wings. The theoretical method developed in this paper can be applied to similar trailing-edge devices for lift enhancement, and it is useful in the preliminary design of these flow control devices.
A unified approach for subspace simulation of deformable bodies in multiple domains

Multi-domain subspace simulation can efficiently and conveniently simulate the deformation of a large deformable body, by constraining the deformation of each domain into a different subspace. The key challenge in implementing this method is how to handle the coupling among multiple deformable domains, so that the overall effect is free of gap or locking issues. In this paper, we present a new domain decomposition framework that connects two disjoint domains through coupling elements. Under this framework, we present a unified simulation system that solves subspace deformations and rigid motions of all of the domains by a single linear solve. Since the coupling elements are part of the deformable body, their elastic properties are the same as the rest of the body and our system does not need stiffness parameter tuning. To quickly evaluate the reduced elastic forces and their Jacobian matrices caused by the coupling elements, we further develop two cubature optimization schemes using uniform and non-uniform cubature weights. Our experiment shows that the whole system can efficiently handle large and complex scenes, many of which cannot be easily simulated by previous techniques without limitations.
Electromigration in metals

This paper provides an overview on the current understanding of electromigration in metals. The discussion is first focused on studies in bulk metals and alloys. This part includes a thermodynamic formulation of electromigration, a kinetic analysis of the atomic processes and a review of the theory. In addition, experimental results in interstitial and substitutional systems are summarised. The second part of the paper reviews the studies in metallic thin films. This emerged as an important area of electromigration studies since the late 1960s when electromigration damage was found to cause failure of conductor lines in integrated circuits. The discussion will review first the basic nature of electromigration in thin films with emphasis on the role of grain boundaries in mass transport and damage formation. Then the materials issues of electromigration will be explored according to the scaling trends in VLSI technology. Finally, the recent results of electromigration in fine lines and device contacts of dimensions in the micrometre range are discussed.
Deamidation and Disulfide Bonding in Human Lens γ-Crystallins

Abstract Detailed analysis of the three γ-crystallins present in the water-soluble portion of human lenses, γS, γD and γC, has identified disulfide bonding and deamidation as the major post-translational modifications of these crystallins. Chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques were used to isolate and identify water-soluble γ-crystallins from normal lenses, ages 32 week gestation, 0 day old, 4 day old, 19, 31, 45 and 55 year old. The amino acid sequences of the γ-crystallins were confirmed and/or corrected by mass spectrometric analysis of peptides produced by enzymatic digestion or chemical fragmentation of the isolated crystallins. The molecular weight of peptides were also used to identify, locate and quantify modifications. Each of the γ-crystallins had two disulfide bonds as well as several deamidated glutamine and asparagine residues. The extent of disulfide bond formation and deamidation appeared to increase with the age of the lens. This examination of normal human lens γ-crystallins, the first detailed characterization of the γ-crystallins, will provide a basis for comparison with modifications found in the water-insoluble portion and in cataractous lenses.
Conversion of the hemi-fontan procedure to fenestrated total extracardiac cavopulmonary bypass

Background Arrhythmias occur frequently after Fontan operations, and are related in part to high atrial pressure, wall distention, and scarring caused by extensive suture lines. These arrhythmic factors may be avoided by an extracardiac total cavopulmonary anastomosis. We have embarked on a program of conversion of the hemi-Fontan operation to a fenestrated extracardiac Fontan procedure with a relatively simple operation. Methods In a 4-month period ending in December 1994, 4 consecutive patients underwent this procedure. The inferior vena cava was divided and the cardiac end was oversewn. A large (20 to 25 mm) ascending aortic homograft, from which the inlet portion and valve had previously been excised, was interposed between the divided distal end of the inferior vena cava and the hood of the superior cavopulmonary anastomosis. A 4-mm fenestration with a pursestring snare mechanism was placed within the cavoatrial patch that had been implanted at the time of the hemi-Fontan procedure. Results There were no deaths, and the average length of stay was 12 ± 4 days (range, 8 to 18 days). In early follow-up, there have been no atrial arrhythmias, and three of the four fenestrations have been documented to be patent. Conclusions An extracardiac fenestrated Fontan procedure can safely and successfully be performed after a hemi-Fontan operation, and may have both hemodynamic and arrhythmic benefits.
Plasmonic detection of a model analyte in serum by a gold nanorod sensor.

We describe the fabrication of a label-free, chip-based biosensor based on the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of gold nanorods. Gold nanorods were chemisorbed onto a mercaptosilane-modified glass substrate, followed by conjugation of biotin to the nanorods. Streptavidin binding to biotin was monitored by the wavelength shift of the LSPR peak in the UV−vis extinction spectrum of the immobilized gold nanorods due to the change in local refractive index at the gold nanorod surface induced by streptavidin binding. The limit of detection of the sensor is 0.005 μg/mL (94 pM) in PBS and 1 μg/mL (19 nM) in serum, and the dynamic range spans 94 pM to 0.19 μM. The advantages of the nanorod-based sensor over an LSPR sensor that we had previously fabricated from gold nanospheres (Nath, N.; Chilkoti, A. Anal. Chem. 2002, 74, 504−509; J. Fluoresc. 2004, 14, 377−389; Anal. Chem. 2004, 76, 5370−5378) are the significantly lower detection limit and the internal self-reference that the signal of the nanorod sen...
Mechanisms of Endotoxin Tolerance with Special Reference to Man

In this review of the mechanisms underlying pyrogenic tolerance to bacterial endotoxins, two earlier concepts require modification. (1) Granulocytes are the major source of endogenous pyrogen release by endotoxin. (2) Pyrogenic tolerance results simply from accelerated clearance of endotoxin by the reticuloendothelial system (RES), diverting the toxin from the granulocytes. Rather, it now appears that hepatic Kupffer cells are the major source of endogenous pyrogen release by endotoxin, and that pyrogenic tolerance results primarily from refractoriness of these cells to further release of endogenous pyrogen. Accelerated clearance by the RES appears to be an ancillary protective mechanism that brings toxin more rapidly to the refractory cells. Refractoriness to the release of endogenous pyrogen can be achieved both by direct cellular interaction with endotoxin and by antibodies to endotoxin. The direct cellular effect is transient and requires closely spaced injections of endotoxin for maximal maintenance; antibodymediated protection is delayed but more enduring. The diverse, often conflicting observations on pyrogenic tolerance are explicable by the interplay of these protective mechanisms.
100 Laboratory Applications of Fetal EEG in the Guinea Pig

Adult brain wave patterns quickly reflect even small changes in homeostasis. That the fetal brain reacts in similar manner is poorly documented. This report demonstrates several applications of fetal electroencephalography in laboratory investigations. Three analogues of problems relating to the human fetus will be presented in studies of the guinea pig. 1. Drugs administered to the mother can be detected by alterations in the fetal electroencephalogram and correlated with associated maternal brain wave patterns. By monitoring both maternal and fetal brains simultaneously one can show the rapidity of drug transfer across the placenta. The drugs for which patterns have been demonstrated are meperidine, ether and thiopental—3 very common medications utilized in labor; 2. the slowing of brain wave frequencies and flattening of voltage provides a method for studying the response of the fetus to asphyxia and correlating this response with similar maternal brain wave alterations. This is useful in studying those prenatal situations in which fetal brain damage may occur. 3. The fetal electroencephalogram in utero was compared with the EEG of that same animal following cesarean section. Change in brain wave patterns was found to be a function of fetal maturity and not altered by a change from the in utero to the air breathing environment. (SPR)
Strategies for the Use of Base-Rate Information

Abstract Kahneman and Tversky ( Psychological Review , 1973 , 80 , 237–251) found that subjects given both base-rate information about the prevalence of some characteristic within a population and brief personality sketches of individual members of the population base their predictions almost solely on the sketches. Three experiments were done to determine the conditions under which subjects would rely on base-rate information in making predictions about individuals. In Experiment 1 it was found that the combination of a small population, exhaustive sampling of that population, and population percentages corresponding to an exact whole number partition of the sample (the “translatability” feature), resulted in substantial reliance on base rates. The results of Experiment 2 suggested that the translatability feature might be especially important in encouraging such usage. However, the results of Experiment 3 indicated that the enhanced use of translatable base-rates was limited to situations in which uninformative personality sketches were used. These findings were discussed in terms of Kahneman and Tversky's representativeness construct.
Analysis of watershed topography effects on summer precipitation variability in the southwestern United States

With climate change, precipitation variability is projected to increase. The present study investigates the potential interactions between watershed characteristics and precipitation variability. The watershed is considered as a functional unit that may impact seasonal precipitation. The study uses historical precipitation data from 370 meteorological stations over the last five decades, and digital elevation data from regional watersheds in the southwestern United States. This domain is part of the North American Monsoon region, and the summer period (June–July–August, JJA) was considered. Based on an initial analysis for 1895–2011, the JJA precipitation accounts, on average, for 22–43% of the total annual precipitation, with higher percentages in the arid part of the region. The unique contribution of this research is that entropy theory is used to address precipitation variability in time and space. An entropy-based disorder index was computed for each station’s precipitation record. The JJA total precipitation and number of precipitation events were considered in the analysis. The precipitation variability potentially induced by watershed topography was investigated using spatial regionalization combining principal component and cluster analysis. It was found that the disorder in precipitation total and number of events tended to be higher in arid regions. The spatial pattern showed that the entropy-based variability in precipitation amount and number of events gradually increased from east to west in the southwestern United States. Regarding the watershed topography influence on summer precipitation patterns, hilly relief has a stabilizing effect on seasonal precipitation variability in time and space. The results show the necessity to include watershed topography in global and regional climate model parameterizations.
Purification and characterization of a Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942 polypeptide structurally similar to the stress-induced Dps/PexB protein of Escherichia coli

A stable DNA/protein complex having an apparent molecular mass of approximately 150kDa was purified from nitrate-limited cultures of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942. Amino-terminal peptide sequencing indicated that the polypeptide was structurally similar to the Dps protein of Escherichia coli; Dps is also known as the product of the starvation- and stationary-phase-inducible gene, pexB. The 150-kDa complex dissociated into a 22-kDa protein monomer after boiling in 2% SDS. The 150-kDa complex preparation had approximately a 10% nucleic acid content and upon dissociation released DNA fragments that were sensitive to S1 nuclease digestion. Immunoblot data indicated that the complex accumulates during stationary phase and during nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus limitation. DNA-binding assays indicated that the protein nonspecifically binds both linear and supercoiled DNA. Circular dichroism spectroscopy revealed that the Synechococcus sp. Dps-like protein contains extensive regions of alpha-helical secondary structure. We propose that the 150-kDa complex represents a hexameric aggregate of the Dps-like protein complexed with single-stranded DNA and serves to bind a portion of the chromosomal DNA under nutrient-limited conditions.
The acute and chronic effects of cadmium on the estuarine mysid, Mysidopsis bahia.

Mysids, small shrimp-like Crustacea, proved to be a practical bioassay animal for investigating the effects of cadmium in seawater and may serve this purpose for other pollutants. In the laboratory under flow-through test conditions, the mysid,Mysidopsis bahia, was more sensitive to cadmium than other crustaceans tested. LC50 values were 15.5 μg/l within 96 hrs and 11.3 μg/l during a 17-day life cycle, whereas LC50's for other selected crustaceans were between 120 and 720 μg/l. Results of life-cycle bioassays can aid in the establishment of water quality criteria for marine and estuarine organisms.
Ribosomal proteins L11 and L5 activate TAp73 by overcoming MDM2 inhibition

Over the past decade, a number of ribosomal proteins (RPs) have been found to have a role in activating the tumor suppressor p53 by directly binding to MDM2 and impeding its activity toward p53. Herein, we report that RPL5 and RPL11 can also enhance the transcriptional activity of a p53 homolog TAp73, but through a distinct mechanism. Interestingly, even though RPL5 and RPL11 were not shown to bind to p53, they were able to directly associate with the transactivation domain of TAp73 independently of MDM2 in response to RS. This association led to perturbation of the MDM2-TAp73 interaction, consequently preventing MDM2 from its association with TAp73 target gene promoters. Furthermore, ectopic expression of RPL5 or RPL11 markedly induced TAp73 transcriptional activity by antagonizing MDM2 suppression. Conversely, ablation of either of the RPs compromised TAp73 transcriptional activity, as evident by the reduction of p21 and Puma expression, in response to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Consistently, overexpression of RPL5 or RPL11 enhanced, but knockdown of either of them hampered, TAp73-mediated apoptosis. Intriguingly, simultaneous knockdown of TAp73 and either of the RPs was required for rescuing the 5-FU-triggered S-phase arrest of p53-null tumor cells. These results demonstrate a novel mechanism underlying the inhibition of tumor cell proliferation and growth by these two RPs via TAp73 activation.
Association of self-reported physical activity with laboratory markers of nutrition and inflammation: the Comprehensive Dialysis Study.

Objective Patients on dialysis maintain extremely low levels of physical activity. Prior studies have demonstrated a direct correlation between nutrition and physical activity but provide conflicting data on the link between inflammation and physical activity. Using a cohort of patients new to dialysis from the Comprehensive Dialysis Study (CDS), we examined associations of self-reported physical activity with laboratory markers of nutrition and inflammation. Design, Setting, and Patients Between June 2005 and June 2007, CDS collected data on self-reported physical activity, nutrition, and health-related quality of life from patients starting dialysis in 296 facilities located throughout the United States. Baseline serum samples were collected from participants in a nutrition sub-study of CDS. Measures Serum albumin and prealbumin were measured as markers of nutrition, and C-reactive protein (CRP) and α-1-acid glycoprotein as markers of inflammation. Self-reported physical activity was characterized by the maximum activity score (MAS) and adjusted activity score (AAS) of the Human Activity Profile. Results The mean age of participants in the analytic cohort (n = 201) was 61 years. The MAS and AAS were below the 10th and first percentile, respectively, in comparison with healthy 60 year-old norms. Both activity scores were directly correlated with albumin ( r 2 = 0.3, P r 2 = 0.3, P r 2 = −0.2, P = .01; MAS: r 2 = −0.1, P = .08). In multivariate analyses adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, diabetes status, and center, both activity scores were directly correlated with prealbumin and inversely correlated with CRP. Conclusions Patients new to dialysis with laboratory-based evidence of malnutrition and/or inflammation are likely to report lower levels of physical activity.
Characterization of a Trans-permethrin hydrolyzing enzyme from the midgut of Pseudoplusia includens (Walker)☆

Abstract The enzymatic hydrolysis of trans -permethrin by midgut homogenates of the soybean looper, Pseudoplusia includens (Walker), was characterized through gel electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing, gel filtration chromatography, and selective inhibition. All three separation techniques indicated that one enzyme (or closely related enzyme forms) was responsible for the observed hydrolytic activity. The molecular weight was approximately 80,000, the isoelectric point ranged from pH 4.6 to 4.8, and the apparent K m was 59.5 ± 3.2 μ M . Enzyme activity was inhibited by organophosphates, carbamates, and sulfhydryl group inhibitors, as well as some chelators. The hydrolysis of trans -permethrin was distinct from the majority of “general esterase” activity when enzyme activity was separated by electrophoretic techniques.
Effect of short-term estrogen with and without progesterone therapy on circulating markers of endothelial activation and injury in postmenopausal women with unstable angina pectoris.

of insulin therapy. Am Heart J 1999;138:S381–S386. 5. Stefanidis A, Melidonis A, Tournis S, Zairis M, Handanis S, Olympios C, Asimacopoulos P, Foussas S. Intensive insulin treatment reduces transient ischaemic episodes during acute coronary events in diabetic patients. Acta Cardiol 2002;57:357–364. 6. Tei C, Nishimura RA, Seward JB, Tajik AJ. Noninvasive Doppler derived myocardial performance index: correlation with simultaneous measurements of cardiac catheterization measurements. J Am Soc Echocardiogr 1997;10:169–178. 7. Alberti KG, Zimmet PZ. Definition, diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus and its complications. Part 1: diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus provisional report of a WHO consultation. Diabet Med 1998;15:539– 553. 8. Fath-Ordoubadi F, Beatt K. Glucose-insulin-potassium therapy for treatment of acute myocardial infarction. Circulation 1997;96:1152–1156. 9. Apstein CS. Increased glycolytic substrate protection improves ischemic cardiac dysfunction and reduces injury. Am Heart J 2000;139:S107–S114. 10. Van den Berghe G, Wouters P, Weekers F, Verwaest C, Bruyninckx F, Schetz M, Vlasselaers D, Ferdinande P, Lauwers P, Bouillon R. Intensive insulin therapy in critically ill patients. N Engl J Med 2001;345:1359–1367. 11. Stanley W, Lopaschuk G, McCormack J. Regulation of energy metabolism in the diabetic heart. Cardiovasc Res 1997;34:25–33. 12. Baron A. Hemodynamic actions of insulin. Am J Physiol 1994;267:E187– E202. 13. Klamann A, Sarfert P, Launhardt V, Schulte G, Schmiegel W, Nauck M. Myocardial infarction in diabetic vs non-diabetic subjects. Survival and infarct size following therapy with sulfonylureas (glibenclamide). Eur Heart J 2000;21: 220–229. 14. Brady P, Terzic A. The sulfonylurea controversy: more questions from the heart. J Am Coll Cardiol 1998;31:950–956.
The role of childhood risk factors in initiation of alcohol use and progression to alcohol dependence

AIMS: To identify childhood risk factors that predict (a) age of first drink and (b) time from first use to alcohol dependence (AD) onset, using survival analysis. PARTICIPANTS: The sample consisted of 1269 offspring (mean age = 20.1 years) of male twins from the Vietnam Era Twin Registry; 46.2% were offspring of alcohol-dependent fathers. MEASUREMENTS: DSM-IV psychiatric diagnoses and substance use behaviors were assessed by structured telephone interview. FINDINGS: First drink occurred on average at 15.7 years; AD onset at 19.1 years. A Cox proportional hazard regression analysis revealed conduct disorder (CD) as the most potent predictor of early alcohol initiation (HR 2.48; CI 1.85-3.32). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), maternal AD, paternal AD, male gender and parental divorce were also associated with early first use (HR 1.20-1.52; CI 1.04-1.39-1.18-1.96). A Cox proportional hazard regression analysis modeling first drink to AD identified nicotine dependence (HR 3.91; CI 2.48-6.17) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) (HR 3.45; CI 2.08-5.72) as robust predictors of progression to AD. CD (HR 1.75; CI 1.10-2.77) and cannabis abuse (HR 1.88; CI 1.22-2.90) were also associated with rapid transition to AD. CONCLUSIONS: Results highlight the role of psychiatric and substance use disorders in progression from first drink to AD, underscore the continuity of risk associated with CD and indicate that (with the exception of CD) different factors play a role in transition to AD than in initiation of alcohol use. Distinctions between stages are interpreted in a developmental framework. Language: en
Serum protein changes during cardiopulmonary bypass: implications for host defence

A reduction in host defence capability, with increased risks of infection, occurs after open-heart surgery to a greater degree than after nonbypass surgery. Our costs for postoperative infections are large, about 15% of the total cost of open-heart surgery; better understanding of factors contributing to infection might allow reduction in these costs. Disturbance of the mechanisms involved in the handling of haemoglobin and iron may be among such factors, since free iron is a facultative requirement for the growth of all micro-organisms. We evaluated the change in serum proteins, particularly haptoglobin, during cardiopulmonary bypass. This study, in eight patients undergoing uncomplicated aortocoronary bypass employing a bubble oxygenator with haemodilution, and without clinical evidence of haemolysis, showed that free, unbound haptoglobin, evaluated by agarose gel electrophoresis, disappeared and was replaced by haemoglobin-bound haptoglobin within minutes of going on bypass. Such changes were not seen ...
Novel Membrane-associated Androgen Receptor Splice Variant Potentiates Proliferative and Survival Responses in Prostate Cancer Cells

Progression from the androgen-sensitive to androgen-insensitive (or castration-resistant) stage is the major obstacle for sustained effectiveness of hormonal therapy for prostate cancer. The androgen receptor (AR) and its splice variants play important roles in regulating the transcription program essential for castration resistance. Here, we report the identification of a novel AR splice variant, designated as AR8, which is up-regulated in castration-resistant prostate cancer cells. AR8 is structurally different from other known AR splice variants because it lacks a DNA binding domain and therefore, unlikely functions as a transcription factor on its own. Immunofluorescence staining revealed that AR8 was primarily localized on the plasma membrane, possibly through palmitoylation of two cysteine residues within its unique C-terminal sequence. Mutation of these putative palmitoylation sites in AR8 led to loss of its plasma membrane localization. In addition, we demonstrated that overexpression of AR8 in prostate cancer cells promoted association of Src and AR with the EGF receptor in response to EGF treatment and enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation of AR. Conversely, specific knockdown of AR8 expression in prostate cancer cells compromised EGF-induced Src activation and AR phosphorylation. This effect was accompanied with attenuation of proliferation and increased apoptosis in prostate cancer cells cultured in androgen-depleted medium. We also showed that AR8 was required for optimal transcriptional activity of AR in response to treatment of both androgen and EGF. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the membrane-associated AR8 isoform may contribute to castration resistance by potentiating AR-mediated proliferative and survival responses to hormones and growth factors.
Diurnal variation of the δ13C of pine needle respired CO2 evolved in darkness

The δ13C of pine needle CO2 evolved in darkness (δ13Cr) for slash pine trees (Pinus elliottii) was determined by placing recently collected pine needles in darkness and collecting respired CO2 over a short time period (< 15 min). δ13Cr measurements were made over several 24 h periods to test the hypothesis that significant variation in δ13Cr would be observed during a diurnal cycle. The δ13Cr measurements from the 24 h time series trials showed a consistent midday 13C-enrichment (5–10‰) relative to bulk biomass. The δ13Cr values became more 13C-depleted at night and following shading, and approached bulk-biomass δ13C values by dawn. The effect of night-time respired 13C-enriched CO2 on the δ13C value of the remaining assimilate is shown to be minimal (13C depleted by 0.22‰) under field conditions for P. elliottii needles.
Networks of Attachment Relationships in Low‐income Children of Mexican Heritage: Infancy through Preschool

Eighty-three low-income Mexican-heritage children (44 girls) and their mothers participated in this research. Children were observed with alternative caregivers at 14, 24, and 36 months of age using the Attachment Q-Set. Most children received regular care from infancy through preschool from relatives and childcare providers. Children had high attachment security scores with both mothers and caregivers. Child–mother and child-alternative caregiver attachment security scores were independent of each other. Children whose mothers did not participate in family clusters were lowest in child–mother attachment security at 14 months. More emotionally sensitive mothers and responsive alternative caregivers were associated with more secure child–adult attachments. Mothers who had more contact with relatives still in Mexico were more likely to have somewhat more positive relations between intrusive interaction and positive attachment relationships than mothers who had less contact.
Biosynthesis of blasticidin S. Cell-free demonstration of n-methylation as the last step

Abstract In continuing studies on the biosynthesis of the antifungal antibiotic blasticidin S, 1 , a crude cell-free extract was prepared from Streptomyces griseochromogenes that converted demethylblasticidin S and S -adenosyl-L[ 14 CH 3 ]methionine to 1a . Hydrolysis of 1a to blastidic acid (δ-N-methyl-L-β-arginine) and cytosinine and radiochemical analysis of the products confirmed that the former contained all the 14 C radioactivity. Thus, N-methylation is the last step in the biosynthesis of 1 .
Personal experience as social capital in online investor forums

Abstract Research demonstrates that information disseminated and circulated in online forums may have a significant impact on investors and on the securities market. Therefore, an understanding of that environment is critical. This research uses social capital theory as a framework for understanding how information exchange is facilitated in online investor forums. Specifically, it explores whether or not personal experience may generate social capital in the online environment. This work reports on the relationships between sharing personal experience and information sharing and use in three investor discussion forums. Four hundred forty threads containing 2405 posts were analyzed for this study. Thread starter posts and responses were quantified and coded for statements of personal experience. Citations to information sources were also measured. Results demonstrate that explicitly stating personal experience or lack of personal experience affects the quantity and quality of ensuing discussion and information exchange. Possible implications of this work on both the study of online investor forums and the study of social capital are discussed.
Right-to-work and union compensation structure

There are many reasons to expect that right-to-work legislation should affect unionism, independently of whether or not such legislation reflects the sentiments of the electorate. The strongest reason is that employees protected by right-to-work legislation can quit a union without quitting their job. This should make collective job actions more difficult and prompt local union leaders to strive more for consensus among members. If so, unions in right-to-work states should negotiate less pay for seniority than do unions in non-right-to-work states. PSID wage data generally confirm this prediction.
Accuracy of subsampling mill for granular materials

A subsampling mill was constructed with 19 subsample spouts similar to the 1 or 2 subsample spouts on the conventional subsampling mills. Samples of peanuts, each of which contained 1 kernel made radioactive by neutron activation, were comminuted in the mill. For treatment M the discharge from each spout was kept separate. For treatment R, the discharge from all 19 spouts was blended together in a twin-shelled blender and subdivided with a riffle divider into 16 subsamples which averaged the same weight as the M subsamples. Radioactivity counts/gram of each subsample were measured. Eleven samples were comminuted for each treatment which produced a total of 209 M samples and 176 R samples. An analysis of variance on the pooled data from each treatment showed a mean square error of 1318.3 for the M treatment and 1278.6 for the R treatment. The null hypothesis that the mean square errors for the two treatments are equal was not rejected by the F test (P=0.421).
Chemotherapy near the end of life.

A difficult decision with potentially unexpected implications Even as cancer treatments become more effective, we can still wonder about the symbolic meaning behind decisions to pursue chemotherapy near the end of life. Although most patients with metastatic cancer choose to receive palliative chemotherapy, evidence suggests that most do not clearly understand its intent.1 In decision making about chemotherapy, doctors are supposed to describe, and patients are supposed to understand, the direct outcomes of the proposed treatment (for example, clinical response rates and side effects). However, the broader implications of such decisions can be just as important. In the linked paper by Wright and colleagues (doi:10.1136/bmj.g1219),2 choosing palliative chemotherapy was associated with a whole set of outcomes that may not have been known, expected, or discussed by patients, their family caregivers, and their oncologists. Wright and colleagues studied the outcomes of a cohort of 386 cancer patients who died during the Coping with Cancer Study, a federally funded cohort study of terminally ill cancer patients and their informal caregivers.3 Wright and colleagues’ participants were patients at eight US outpatient oncology clinics who had advanced cancer refractory to …
Mapping the Literature of Radiation Therapy

OBJECTIVE This study characterizes the literature of the radiation therapy profession, identifies the journals most frequently cited by authors writing in this discipline, and determines the level of coverage of these journals by major bibliographic indexes. METHOD Cited references from three discipline-specific source journals were analyzed according to the Mapping the Literature of Allied Health Project Protocol of the Nursing and Allied Health Resources Section of the Medical Library Association. Bradford's Law of Scattering was applied to all journal references to identify the most frequently cited journal titles. RESULTS Journal references constituted 77.8% of the total, with books, government documents, Internet sites, and miscellaneous sources making up the remainder. Although a total of 908 journal titles were cited overall, approximately one-third of the journal citations came from just 11 journals. MEDLINE and Scopus provided the most comprehensive indexing of the journal titles in Zones 1 and 2. The source journals were indexed only by CINAHL and Scopus. CONCLUSION The knowledgebase of radiation therapy draws heavily from the fields of oncology, radiology, medical physics, and nursing. Discipline-specific publications are not currently well covered by major indexing services, and those wishing to conduct comprehensive literature searches should search multiple resources.
A Method To Determine The Instantaneous Blood-Flow Using Cine- Or Video-Densitometric Data

A new method for determining the time distribution of blood-flow within a vessel using x-ray imaging is presented. The method has been validated by both stationary and pulsatile flow experiments. The method is capable of determining average flow values under conditions of high pulsatile flow. The application of this method to cine-recorded data of aortic blood flow in dogs is in good agreement with the known shape of the aortic flow distribution. An application of this method to evaluate aortic regurgitation is shown.© (1978) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Directional specificity in the regeneration of lamprey spinal axons

After spinal transection in ammocoetes (lamprey larvae) 4 to 5 years old, functional recovery is accompanied by a limited regeneration in which axons grow as far as 5 millimeters beyond the scar. In axotomized giant interneurons labeled intracellularly with horseradish peroxidase 16 to 120 days after transection, 74 percent of regenerating neurites grew in their normal projection pattern, rostal and contralateral to the cell body. One third of the neurites originated anomalously from posterior dendrites. Despite their initial abnormal orientation, 80 percent of these neurites looped contralaterally and rostrally to assume the normal projection path. The directional specificity persisted when giant interneurons were located in islands formed by double simultaneous cord transection. This limited regeneration seems to be characterized by directional selectivity that cannot be attributed to nonspecific influences, such as a tendency of neurites to grow in an already established direction or a trophic effect of the zone of injury.
Multiphasic modification of intrinsic functional connectivity of the rat brain during increasing levels of propofol

The dose-dependent effects of anesthetics on brain functional connectivity are incompletely understood. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) is widely used to assess the functional connectivity in humans and animals. Propofol is an anesthetic agent with desirable characteristics for functional neuroimaging in animals but its dose-dependent effects on rsfMRI functional connectivity have not been determined. Here we tested the hypothesis that brain functional connectivity undergoes specific changes in distinct neural networks at anesthetic depths associated with loss of consciousness. We acquired spontaneous blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signals simultaneously with electroencephalographic (EEG) signals from rats under steady-state, intravenously administered propofol at increasing doses from light sedation to deep anesthesia (20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 mg/kg/h IV). Power spectra and burst suppression ratio were calculated from the EEG to verify anesthetic depth. Functional connectivity was determined from the whole brain correlation of BOLD data in regions of interest followed by a segmentation of the correlation maps into anatomically defined regional connectivity. We found that propofol produced multiphasic, dose dependent changes in functional connectivity of various cortical and subcortical networks. Cluster analysis predicted segregation of connectivity into two cortical and two subcortical clusters. In one cortical cluster (somatosensory and parietal), the early reduction in connectivity was followed by transient reversal; in the other cluster (sensory, motor and cingulate/retrosplenial), this rebound was absent. The connectivity of the subcortical cluster (brainstem, hippocampal and caudate) was strongly reduced, whereas that of another (hypothalamus, medial thalamus and n. basalis) did not. Subcortical connectivity increased again in deep anesthesia associated with EEG burst suppression. Regional correlation analysis confirmed the breakdown of connectivity within and between specific cortical and subcortical networks with deepening propofol anesthesia. Cortical connectivity was suppressed before subcortical connectivity at a critical propofol dose associated with loss of consciousness.
Induction and maintenance of epileptiform activity in the rabbit olfactory bulb depends on centrifugal input

A technique of cryogenic blockade was used in waking rabbits to produce complete and reversible isolation of the olfactory bulb from the rest of the brain. During cooling of the olfactory peduncle epileptiform activity occurred spontaneously in the pyriform cortex in 3 out of 20 sessions, but never in the bulb. Following removal of the cryoblockade, during the seizure state, epileptiform discharges appeared simultaneously in the bulb and pyriform cortex. In the control state, without cooling of the peduncle, epileptiform activity could be evoked in the bulb and cortex by intense electrical stimulation of either the bulb or the lateral olfactory tract. During the cryoblockade, however, intense stimulation of the bulb failed to evoke seizure-like discharges. The results demonstrate a dependency on more central olfactory structures for the induction and maintenance of epileptiform activity in the olfactory bulb.