cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Do palliative consultations improve patient outcomes

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether inpatient palliative consultation services improve outcomes of care. DESIGN: Retrospective telephone surveys conducted with family members of veterans who received inpatient or outpatient care from a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facility in the last month of life. SETTING: Five VA Medical Centers or their affiliated nursing homes and outpatient clinics. PARTICIPANTS: Veterans had received inpatient or outpatient care from a participating VA in the last month of life. One family member completed each survey. MEASUREMENTS: The telephone survey assessed nine aspects of the care the patient received in his or her last month of life: the patient's well-being and dignity (4 items), adequacy of communication (5 items), respect for treatment preferences (2 items), emotional and spiritual support (3 items), management of symptoms (4 items), access to the inpatient facility of choice (1 item), care around the time of death (6 items), access to home care services (4 items), and access to benefits and services after the patient's death (3 items). RESULTS: Interviews were completed with 524 respondents. In a multivariable linear regression model, after adjusting for the likelihood of receiving a palliative consultation (propensity score), palliative care patients had higher overall scores: 65 (95% confidence interval (CI)=62–66) versus 54 (95% CI=51–56; P<.001) and higher scores for almost all domains. Earlier consultations were independently associated with better overall scores (β=0.003; P=.006), a difference that was attributable primarily to improvements in communication and emotional support. CONCLUSION: Palliative consultations improve outcomes of care, and earlier consultations may confer additional benefit.
Linear Model of Convective Heat Transfer in a Spray

The relative motion between dropets in a spray and the ambient gas is represented in an idealized fashion (Oseen-type approximation) that allows for a linear analysis of gas-phase unsteadiness and transient heating of the droplets.
New algorithms for improved transcendental functions on IA-64

The IA-64 architecture provides new opportunities and challenges for implementing an improved set of transcendental functions. Using several novel polynomial-based table-driven techniques, we are able to provide new algorithms for the transcendental functions. Major improvements include an accuracy level of about 0.6 ulps (units in the last place) and forward trigonometric functions that have a period of 2/spl pi/. The accuracy enhancements are achieved at improved speed, yet without an increase in the table size. In this paper, we highlight the key IA-64 architectural features that influenced our designs, and explain the main ideas used in our new algorithms.
Perturbation Effects in the CEBAF Beam Transport System

The CEBAF accelerator design is a recirculating, superconducting, cw, electron linac producing beams with energies of 0.5 to 4.0 GeV.The lattice design of this machine is described elsewhere [1].Here, we will discuss the machine chromatic correction scheme and the anticipated machine performance in the presence of synchrotron radiation excitation, optical perturbations such as misalignments, mispowerings, and magnet inhomogeneities, and errors in the extraction process.
Action capture with accelerometers

We create a performance animation system that leverages the power of low-cost accelerometers, readily available motion capture databases, and construction techniques from e-textiles. Our system, built with only off-the-shelf parts, consists of five accelerometers sewn into a comfortable shirt that streams data to a computer. The accelerometer readings are continuously matched against accelerations computed from existing motion capture data, and an avatar is animated with the closest match. We evaluate our system visually and using simultaneous motion and accelerometer capture.
False recognition produced by semantic and phonetic relations under two presentation rates

College students listened to a list of 220 words at 2- and 5-sec presentation rates. They had to indicate for each word whether it had appeared before in the list (“yes”) or not (“no”). No differences were found between the conditions, because, it appears, Ss failed to use in a task-relevant manner the extra time available to them in the longer condition. Words related either semantically or phonetically to previously heard words produced more false-recognition errors (i.e., “yes” responses to new words) than control words, suggesting that phonetic traces, not only semantic ones, persist for at least 5 min (this being the maximum separation between a preceding word and a related word).
Multidisciplinary Approach to Working With Burn Victims of Child Abuse

Successful outcomes in abuse cases are dependent upon close coordination of professional hospital staff with referring agencies including child protective services and the legal and judicial systems. A four-year retrospective study of 369 pediatric burn patients admitted to our Burn/Trauma Center was completed to: (1) assess demographic factors of patients and families that differentiate cases of child abuse from cases of children burned as a result of accidental injury, and (2) determine the impact of a multidisciplinary team approach to working with abused children and their families during the course of hospitalization. When medical evaluation reveals the possibility of child abuse, a social work assessment, including a developmental history of the child and psychosocial assessment of the family, is crucial. In addition, physicians must be well versed in the gathering of evidence for potential utilization by the legal system. This includes the obtainment of photographs and detailed documentation of the burn injury. A plan of evaluation and the effective coordination of services during hospitalization and following discharge have proven essential to meeting the best interests of the child.
Origin of dolomite in sedimentary sequences: A critical analysis

Certain chemical conditions must have been fulfilled and certain hydrological framework must have prevailed when large bodies of sedimentary dolomites were formed. This paper discusses the chemistry of dolomite formation, analyses quantitatively the movement of subsurface waters and the relation of flow rate to dolomitization. The geologic environment favorable for dolomitization could be interpreted in terms of chemistry and/or hydrology. No new hypothesis of dolomitization is presented, only the minimum conditions necessary for dolomite formations are defined.
Smart border: ad-hoc wireless sensor networks for border surveillance

Wireless sensor networks have been proposed as promising candidates to provide automated monitoring, target tracking, and intrusion detection for border surveillance. In this paper, we demonstrate an ad-hoc wireless sensor network system for border surveillance. The network consists of heterogeneously autonomous sensor nodes that distributively cooperate with each other to enable a smart border in remote areas. This paper also presents energy-aware and sleeping algorithms designed to maximize the operating lifetime of the deployed sensor network. Lessons learned in building the network and important findings from field experiments are shared in the paper.
A Caring and Competent Society Revisited: The John F. Kennedy Center at 30

Many Americans are deeply concerned about what the future holds for our children. There was a time that speaking of childhood conjured up images of a mother reading a bedtime story to her toddler, or your 4-yearold dressing a teddy bear in doll clothes, or your fifth grader sliding into second base on a playground softball field on a hot summer afternoon. When I was growing up, I had never heard of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, fetal alcohol syndrome, or pediatric AIDS. Today we are reminded at every turn that our children face unprecedented risks to healthy and normal development. Our children face challenges from the moment of conception, through pregnancy and delivery and into early childhood. And the challenges do not stop there. Too many of our youth are falling through the cracks in our schools, and substance abuse and violence are wreaking havoc on the lives of far too many of our adolescents. Whether we are parents or teachers, business leaders or government officials, there is one thing we can all agree on-our children hold the key to all of our futures, and as a society we must work to guarantee a better tomorrow for all of our children. The John F. Kennedy Center was established by Nicholas
Structural requirements of HDAC inhibitors: SAHA analogs functionalized adjacent to the hydroxamic acid

Inhibitors of histone deacetylase (HDAC) proteins such as suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) have emerged as effective therapeutic anti-cancer agents. To better understand the structural requirements of HDAC inhibitors, a small molecule library with a variety of substituents attached adjacent to the metal binding hydroxamic acid of SAHA was synthesized. The presence of a substituent adjacent to the hydroxamic acid led to an 800- to 5000-fold decrease in inhibition compared to SAHA. The observed results have implications for drug design, suggesting that HDAC inhibitors with substituents near the metal binding moiety will have inhibitory activities in the micromolar rather than nanomolar range.
Vapor phase release of silicon nanostructures for optomechanics application

Suspended silicon based nanostructures for optomechanic applications have been successfully fabricated using the Hydrofluoric acid (HF) vapor phase etching technique. In this paper, we demonstrate the fabrication of parallel silicon waveguides with a cross section of 250nm x 220nm, and photonic crystal nanobeam cavities with an air gap as small as 50nm between these released structures. The waveguides have been suspended over a distance of more than 75um. Stiction is a major issue for releasing structures with gaps in the order of tens of nanometers. At the same time, the process has to be gentle due to the small dimensions of the structures involved in the release process. HF vapor etching technique was successfully utilized to etch the 2um thick thermally grown sacrificial silicon oxide layer. This process has an high yield as no liquid is in contact with the structures being released, thus eliminating any kind of liquid flow which typically proves to be a potential destruction source for such small structures. This HF vapor phase etching is a simple and controllable process which completely eliminates the requirement of any kind of sophisticated drying techniques needed with conventional wet etching.
New Concepts: Updated Reviews

This week the STKE unveils an important new feature: updated reviews. Because the STKE is a purely electronic resource, we've been able to develop a powerful new weapon in the battle against information overload. Today's issue includes an updated review on Nuclear Lipid Signaling by Robin F. Irvine ( ). Updated reviews allow the authors of an STKE review to revise their original review to keep its information up-to-date and accurate. Updating a review saves time for both the author and the reader. The author has a template into which to add or revise information as the field advances. The STKE also provides the reader who is familiar with the earlier version of the review a guide to the updated review called a "Review Update" ( ). This new type of document highlights the major changes in the updated review, allowing the reader to rapidly access the new information. In addition to these advantages, the online format of the STKE allows these related articles to be grouped through tools accessible in the left navigation area. The Review Update document will be accessibly labeled as a link called "Update." The new and previous versions of the review will be linked to each other through the "Related Resources" link. This feature allows materials at the STKE to be grouped so that the STKE reader can easily find items that the editors have chosen as related. Subscribers to the STKE can also create related resources links among items at the STKE as they encounter materials that are particularly relevant and related in their fields of interest. The Review Update will also be part of the PDF version of the updated review in order to make finding the new information in the printed format of the article easy. The editors would like to encourage you to read the updated review and explore the ways that information at the STKE can be linked for easier access. As always, we invite you to tell us your opinion and let us know how this new feature, updated reviews, is helping you wade through the multitude of information available and relevant to the multidisciplinary field of signal transduction.
Stroke After Aortic Valve Replacement The Known and Unknown

Stroke after aortic valve surgery is known as a devastating complication and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality.1 Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has emerged as a valid alternative for surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) both in inoperable patients and in those at high risk for surgery; however, the encouraging results were hampered by various complications, including stroke. In the pivotal Placement of Aortic Transcatheter (PARTNER) trial, the initial stroke rates of TAVR patients were almost double the stroke rates in patients who underwent SAVR (3.8% versus 2.1%; P =0.2),2 and this potentially affected the decision to choose 1 procedure over the other. However, continued follow-up to 3 years equated the stroke rates in SAVR and TAVR. More recent SAVR and TAVR data indicate that stroke rates in both procedural alternatives has declined, with rates of 1.7% to 2.5% from large registries such as the Society for Thoracic Surgeons and the German Aortic Valve registries.3,4 However, the unknowns with respect to stroke after AVR are numerous. In evaluations of neurological complications, overt clinical and obvious disabling stroke is only 1 potential neurological event that could occur after the procedure, and as opposed to permanent neurological deficits, these events either are clinically silent or go unnoticed because physicians are not performing tests to rule out these events (ie, cognitive deficits). The incidence and impact of these events on outcome are unknown. Furthermore, the role and impact of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detection of silent strokes also remain unknown. Article see p 2253 In the current issue of Circulation , Messe and colleagues5 prospectively assessed the incidence of both clinical stroke and silent neurological events in 196 patients ≥65 years of age who underwent SAVR as recorded by serial neurological examinations and MRI. The incidence …
Small mantle upwellings are pervasive on Venus and Earth

Observations of Venus and Africa, an analogous terrestrial plate, indicate that upwellings a few hundred kilometers across are pervasive in the ambient upper mantle of both Venus and Earth. Because of their small size, when they reach the lithosphere the upwellings affect the surface only under special circumstances. On Venus they form volcano-tectonic structures called coronae where the lithosphere has been thinned by rifting. On Earth the small upwellings produce topographic swells where they impinge on a plate stationary with respect to the hot-spot reference frame, as is Africa. The small upwellings' presence throughout the mantle explains both the corona paradox, in which coronae are associated with rifts on Venus but do not appear to drive rifting, and the basin and swell topography of the African plate. The morphology of coronae requires that the small upwellings have some diapiric properties. Their pervasiveness, transient nature, and generally small size make them fundamentally different from traditional Hawaiian-style plumes, and they may be detached diapirs within a mantle convecting in the hard-turbulence regime.
The nature of the black–white difference on various psychometric tests: Spearman's hypothesis

Although the black and white populations in the United States differ, on average, by about one standard deviation (equivalent to 15 IQ points) on current IQ tests, they differ by various amounts on different tests. The present study examines the nature of the highly variable black–white difference across diverse tests and indicates the major systematic source of this between-population variation, namely, Spearman's g. Charles Spearman originally suggested in 1927 that the varying magnitude of the mean difference between black and white populations on a variety of mental tests is directly related to the size of the test's loading on g, the general factor common to all complex tests of mental ability. Eleven large-scale studies, each comprising anywhere from 6 to 13 diverse tests, show a significant and substantial correlation between tests' g loadings and the mean black–white difference (expressed in standard score units) on the various tests. Hence, in accord with Spearman's hypothesis, the average black–white difference on diverse mental tests may be interpreted as chiefly a difference in g, rather than as a difference in the more specific sources of test score variance associated with any particular informational content, scholastic knowledge, specific acquired skill, or type of test. The results of recent chronometric studies of relatively simple cognitive tasks suggest that the g factor is related, at least in part, to the speed and efficiency of certain basic information-processing capacities. The consistent relationship of these processing variables to g and to Spearman's hypothesis suggests the hypothesis that the differences between black and white populations in the rate of information processing may account for a part of the average black–white difference on standard IQ tests and their educational and occupational correlates.
Evaluation of shark, dolphin, and monk seal interactions with Northwestern Hawaiian Island bottomfishing activity: a comparison of two time periods and an estimate of economic impacts

Abstract The incidence rates of bottomfish damaged by sharks, dolphins, and monk seals were compared from two sources of observer data taken aboard commercial bottomfishing vessels in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The current (1990–1993) shark damage rate is significantly different from, and nearly six times higher than, the rate measured in 1981–1982. The dolphin and monk seal damage rates are also currently higher than the earlier rates. These temporal differences could be indicative of an increasing trend in interaction rates. A theoretical model is developed to estimate unobservable losses of fish based on the amount of fishing gear lost. The current economic impact is estimated to be approximately $700,000 annually (or approximately $7000 of lost revenue per trip on average) considering all sources of losses.
Functions of the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Protein

Cloning of the cystic fibrosis (CF) gene through genetic linkage analysis has led to new discoveries concerning the function of ion channels and disease mechanisms. Current understanding of CF indicates that epithelial cells from CF patients have reduced Cl− permeability, which impairs fluid and electrolyte secretion and results in luminal dehydration. There is also evidence that the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is the cyclic AMP-dependent ion channel whose activation is defective in CF cells. The CFTR is composed of 1480 amino acids that reveal a structural homology to a family of transport proteins termed the transport ATPases. The nucleotide-binding domains of CFTR are the locus of many disease-causing mutations; the common mutation in CFTR is deletion of a phenylalanine at position 508. In addition, CFTR contains a regulatory domain with consensus sites for phosphorylation by protein kinases. Reversible phosphorylation is a regulatory feature of the signal transduction pa...
Structural biology: enzyme target to latch on to.

Insulin-degrading enzyme is implicated in diabetes and Alzheimer's disease, but few molecular tools exist that can probe its function. A study now reveals its unusual structure and may lead to an expanded toolbox.
Effects of Differences between Self- and others' Ratings on Children's

Five- and six-year-old black children (15 girls, 22 boys) who described themselves more favorably than they reported their teachers would describe them tended to show signs of emotional disturbance in their human drawings. These results are discussed from a self-presentational viewpoint. Cross-validation is essential.
The reversibility of female sterilization with the use of microsurgery: A report on 102 patients with more than one year of follow-up

A prospective study of 102 patients who underwent a reversal of sterilization between January, 1977, and February, 1982 revealed a pregnancy rate of 68% after more than 1 year of follow-up. The term delivery, abortion, and ectopic pregnancy rates were 52%,11 %, and 5%, respectively. The most reversible procedure was placement of the Falope ring (83% term delivery), and the least reversible was fimbriectomy (29%). The use of the microscope in performing tubal operation was associated with term delivery rates (60%) higher than those when no microscope was used (44%); this was particularly significant after tubal cautery (50% versus 25%). A total remaining tube length of 6 cm or more after previous sterilization resulted in a much better (74%) term delivery rate after microsurgical procedures than that in patients with shorter tubes (44%). The most successful site for tubal anastomosis was isthmus-isthmus and cornu-isthmus, with 81% and 67% term delivery rates, respectively.
The chemistry of sulfines. 9. A novel synthesis of α-chloroalkyl alkanethiosulfonate esters

Abstract Sulfines react with sulfinyl chlorides giving α-chloroalkyl alkanethiosulfonate esters and with thionyl chloride giving α-chloroalkanesulfenyl chlorides, both in good yields.
Biosynthesis of Alkyl Lysophosphatidic Acid by Diacylglycerol Kinases

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) designates a family of bioactive phosphoglycerides that differ in the length and degree of saturation of their radyl chain. Additional diversity is provided by the linkage of the radyl chain to glycerol: acyl, alkyl, or alk-1-enyl. Acyl-LPAs are the predominate species in tissues and biological fluids. Alkyl-LPAs exhibit distinct pharmacodynamics at LPA receptors, potently drive platelet aggregation, and contribute to ovarian cancer aggressiveness. Multiple biosynthetic pathways exist for alkyl-LPA production. Herein we report that diacylglycerol kinases (DGKs) contribute to cell-associated alkyl-LPA production involving phosphorylation of 1-alkyl-2-acetyl glycerol and document the biosynthesis of alkyl-LPA by DGKs in SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells, specifically identifying the contribution of DGKα. Concurrently, we discovered that treating SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cell with a sphingosine analog stimulates conversion of exogenous 1-alkyl-2-acetyl glycerol to alkyl-LPA, indicating that DGKα contributes significantly to the production of alkyl-LPA in SKOV-3 cells and identifying cross-talk between the sphingolipid and glycerol lipid pathways.
A minimally toxic dose of methylene dianiline injures biliary epithelial cells in rats.

The threshold for hepatotoxicity and cholestasis induced by methylene dianiline (DAPM) in rats is between 25 and 75 mg/kg (Bailieet al., Environ. Health Perspect.,124, 25–30, 1993). Our objectives were to determine if a minimally toxic dose of DAPM provided a model system for studies of selective injury to biliary epithelial cells (BEC)in vivo.Thus, we examined the effects of 50 mg DAPM/kg on (1) biliary constituents, (2) liver constituents likely involved in DAPM biotransformation/detoxification, and (3) early morphological and histochemical changes in the liver. Male Sprague Dawley rats had biliary cannulas positioned under pentobarbital anesthesia. After 1 h of control bile collection, rats received 50 mg DAPM/kg po in 35% ethanol or 35% ethanol only. Bile was collected for another 6 h. Histochemical, ultrastructural, and biochemical liver alterations were assessed at 3 h or at 3 and 6 h. DAPM had minimal effects on biliary bile salt and bilirubin excretion over 6 h. Biliary glucose and protein excretion were increased ∼2-fold starting in Hour 1, while inorganic phosphate excretion was not increased until Hour 2. Biliary glutathione excretion initially increased (Hour 1) but then declined steadily for 5 h. Microsomal cytochrome P-450 activities were transiently decreased at 3 h but had returned to control values by 6 h. Liver glutathione (GSH and GSSG) was not affected by DAPM at 3 or 6 h. Necrosis of intrahepatic bile ducts was severe at 6 h with moderate injury in smaller bile ducts. Ultrastructural alterations were observed in BEC mitochondria and microvilli at 3 h with no apparent alterations in hepatocyte mitochondria or tight junctions between cells. In addition, histochemical staining of liver sections and assays of mitochondrial enzyme activitiesin vitroat 3 h revealed no loss of mitochondrial function in hepatocytes. These results provide strong evidence for defining DAPM as a selective bile duct toxicant.
Emergency department evaluation and treatment of back pain.

Back pain is a common complaint that affects up to 90% of the general population at some time in their life and is second only to upper respiratory illness as a symptom-related reason to visit office-based physicians. Patients are commonly seen in the emergency department (ED) with acute back pain because of the episodes' occurring when their regular physician's offices are not open or unavailable. Because it is such a common complaint and one not generally associated with significant pathology, there can be a tendency to overlook potentially life- or neurologically threatening diseases. To prevent this, one must approach each patient systematically, specifically looking for the "red flags" in the history and physical examination that raise one's suspicion of potentially significant pathology. This article reviews the red flags of the history and physical examination, the differential diagnosis, the diagnostic evaluation, and the treatment regimens prescribed for acute low back pain.
Galvanic Skin Reflex and Plasma Free Fatty Acids During Insulin Reactions

Hypoglycemic reactions, induced by insulin (0.2 U./kg. intravenously), were studied in sixteen diabetic and twelve nondiabetic control subjects. The course of the reaction was monitored by continuous recording of the galvanic skin reflex (GSR) and by determination of the levels of blood glucose and free fatty acids (FFA) at 10, 20, 30, 60 and 120 minutes. Symptoms of reaction appeared in all of the controls at 32 ± 12 minutes after the insulin at a mean blood glucose level of 22 ± 7 mg. per 100 ml., and in the eleven of the diabetics at 70 ± 30 minutes and at a mean glucose level of 280 ± 192 mg. per 100 ml. Onset of the insulin reaction was documented by a sudden drop in GSR which corresponded with the onset of symptoms. The GSR fell to a mean of 75 per cent of the baseline value and returned to the baseline thirty minutes later. All of the controls and nine of the diabetics showed the GSR response. The GSR correlates well with symptoms of insulin reactions. Evidence of insulin reaction occurring in nine diabetic patients at high blood glucose levels is documented by GSR response. Free fatty acids (FFA) in the plasma showed a more rapid return to baseline values in those subjects manifesting the quicker GSR response. The change in the GSR is a more sensitive though less specific measure of the homeostatic response to insulin than the change in the FFA.
Dual-task effects of simulated lane navigation and story recall in older adults with and without memory impairment

ABSTRACT While driving is a complex task, it becomes relatively automatic over time although unfamiliar situations require increased cognitive effort. Much research has examined driving risk in cognitively impaired elders and found little effect. This study assessed whether mildly memory impaired elders made disproportionate errors in driving or story recall, under simultaneous simulated driving and story recall. Forty-six healthy (61% women; mean age = 76.4) and 15 memory impaired (66% women, mean age = 79.4) elders participated. Cognitive status was determined by neuropsychological performance. Results showed that during dual-task conditions, participants stayed in lane more, and recalled stories more poorly, than when they did the tasks separately. Follow-up analysis revealed that verbatim recall, in particular, was reduced while driving for healthy participants. While memory impaired participants performed more poorly than healthy controls on both tasks, cognitive status was not associated with greate...
Parametric effects of particle size and gas velocity on cluster characteristics in fast fluidized beds

An important characteristic of fast fluidized beds (FFB) is the tendency for the solid particles to aggregate into clusters. Such clusters can strongly affect operational characteristics such as particle holdup, pressure drop, wall heat transfer, and axial mixing. This paper presents results of an experimental study of cluster characteristics, as determined by capacitance-probe measurements of instantaneous local solid concentrations in a 15-cm diameter FFB. Results are presented that indicate the parametric effects of particle size (dp) and superficial gas velocity (Vg) on the duration time, occurrence frequency, time-fraction of existence, and solid concentration in clusters.
Insulin immunoassays in the detection of insulin analogues in factitious hypoglycemia.

ABSTRACT Objective To report a case of surreptitious insulin use and to review the differences in insulin assays and how they may be optimally used in testing for factitious hypoglycemia. Methods We describe the clinical, physical, and laboratory findings of the study patient and review the current relevant literature regarding surreptitious insulin use and detection by insulin assays. Results A 36-year-old man with type 1 diabetes mellitus was admitted to the hospital with a serum glucose concentration of 28 mg/dL. He reported taking very small amounts of glargine and aspart insulin (16 units per day). Mitigating endocrine causes of hypoglycemia (eg, adrenal insufficiency) were investigated and excluded. His serum insulin concentration was 14 μΙU/mL (reference range, 3-25 μΙU/mL) despite his statement that he was not taking human insulin. Serum insulin concentration steadily decreased over the hospital course. The declining insulin levels, coupled with resolution of hypoglycemia, suggested the abuse of human insulin. After confrontation with this evidence, he was referred to psychiatric services. Evaluation of surreptitious human insulin use is straightforward since it can be distinguished from endogenous insulin excess (eg, insulinoma) by existing assays for insulin, C-peptide, and proinsulin. However, the increasing use of insulin analogues in lieu of human insulin has made such evaluations more difficult because commercially available insulin assays detect these synthetic insulins with varying sensitivity. Conclusions Factitious insulin use remains an uncommon yet hazardous problem. Human insulin is readily available without a prescription, providing easy access to an extremely dangerous substance. Understanding the specific detection abilities of each assay is essential to the evaluation of factitious insulin-induced hypoglycemia. (Endocr Pract. 2008;14:1006-1010)
A left-hand advantage for self-description: the impact of schizotypal personality traits

Consistent with the possibility that the right hemisphere is responsible for processing information about the self, subjects responded faster with their left hand to adjectives that were self-descriptive. However, those who scored high on the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) did not show a left-hand advantage. These data add to a growing body of evidence that implicates the right hemisphere in processing information about the self and supports the hypothesis that self-processing may be impaired in schizophrenic-like populations.
Volcanic vents of Minusinsk intermontane trough

Basic volcanic vents of the Minusinsk intermontane trough are described. Salient features include funnel-shaped tops, associated pyroclastic deposits, nature of inclusions and petrologic character of plateau-basalts. Together, these indicate great depth of magma source, rapid ascent of magma, and single cycle eruption mechanics. — R.C. Epis.
Evolutionary Agent Based Microstorage Management for a Hybrid Power System

Abstract In the present paper, and agent based model is developed to balance the electric storage in a Hybrid Power Grid, where each house (end user) is modeled as an agent that can choose to store/release electricity at given times in order to tail the demand minimizing its own cost. The overall interaction of the agents causes the demand curve to change according to the decisions taken by the agents in the system. The system is solved by pursuing to reach a Nash-Equilibrium with the inclusion of a genetic algorithm that minimizes the cost of electricity for the overall Hybrid Power System, and hence the solution obtained is a best- response for all agents. The solution is a schedule of automated store/release electric policies for each time-step during the project length for each of the agents involved (end users) that minimizes the cost of electricity for all agents involved in the system.
Drag Reduction Control for Flow over a Hump with Surface-Mounted Thermoacoustic Actuator

Abstract : Motivated by the recent development in fabricating graphene/carbon nanotube-based surface compliant loud speakers, the effectiveness of thermoacoustic actuators that locally introduce high-intensity acoustic waves for active flow control is examined by performing high-fidelity large eddy simulation for compressible flow over a wall-mounted hump at a Reynolds number of 0:5 x 1000000 and Mach number of 0.25. Based on performance characteristics of the grephene-based thermoacoustic actuators, high-frequency actuation around Helmholtz number of 3.0 is considered. We observe that the actuation is able to introduce small-scale perturbations to the shear layer in the separated ow and attenuate the formation of large scale spanwise vortices. This ow control technique elongates the recirculation zone and shifts the low-pressure region downstream of the hump. As a consequence, the drag on the hump is reduced by approximately 4.31% and 6.33% for two and three-dimensional simulation, respectively.
Personality Patterns in Adolescence as Portrayed by the Rorschach Ink-Blot Method: I. The Movement Factors

(1943). Personality Patterns in Adolescence as Portrayed by the Rorschach Ink-Blot Method: II. The Color Factors. The Journal of General Psychology: Vol. 28, No. 1, pp. 3-61..
Where in the brain is nonliteral language

This review examines brain processing of nonliteral expressions that are familiar in form and meaning to the native speaker, such as idioms, proverbs, swearing, and speech formulas. The properties of stereotyped form and conventional meaning distinguish nonliteral utterances from novel expressions. An historical overview of preserved "automatic" speech in aphasia and impaired nonpropositional speech in other neurological diseases suggests that these kinds of language are stored and processed in the brain differently from newly created language. For production, lesion studies and other neurobehavioral observations associate nonliteral expressions with right hemisphere and subcortical structures. Comprehension studies implicate the right hemisphere. Although the entire brain is required for optimal performance, a right hemisphere—subcortical circuit may be important for processing of nonliteral expressions. A dual process model comprised of a holistic mode for nonliteral expressions and a compositional mode...
A systematic review of the effectiveness of antifungal drugs for the prevention and treatment of oropharyngeal candidiasis in HIV-positive patients * **

Abstract Objective: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials published between 1966 and April 2000 was undertaken to determine the strength of evidence for the effectiveness of antifungal drugs (nystatin, clotrimazole, amphotericin B, fluconazole, ketoconazole, and itraconazole) to prevent and treat oral candidiasis in human immunodeficiency virus–positive patients. Study Design: An automated database search identified 366 articles. Six met inclusion and exclusion criteria with respect to prophylaxis; 12 met criteria for treatment of oral candidiasis. Results: The evidence for the prophylactic efficacy of fluconazole is good, although insufficient to draw conclusions about the other antifungals. Evidence for treatment effectiveness is insufficient for amphotericin B but good for nystatin, clotrimazole, fluconazole, ketoconazole, and itraconazole. Conclusion: Suggestions for strengthening the evidence base include the following: use of larger, more well-defined groups; control for immunologic status, viral load, history of oral candidiasis, past exposure to antifungals, baseline oral Candida carriage, drug interactions, and antiretroviral therapy; and consistent use of compliance monitors, fungal speciation, and susceptibility testing. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2001;92:170-9)
Drainage network structure and the diameter-magnitude relation.

Drainage network structure can be described in terms of elongation or compaction by using the network diameter and magnitude. The relation between network diameter and magnitude is the topologic equivalent of the well-known relationship between mainstream length and drainage basin area. Diameter increases with magnitude but at a decreasing rate as networks are sampled over a greater size range. Downstream variations in river network structure reflect regional geomorphic environment, erosional history, and space-filling by tributaries of different sizes. The sequence of tributary magnitudes down a mainstream is not random. Large tributaries preempt drainage area and tend to be followed downstream by a number of small tributaries. In fluvial landscapes free from geological constraints, river networks tend to become relatively more elongate in structure with increasing size downstream.
DNA strands with alternating incorporations of LNA and 2′-O-(pyren-1-yl)methyluridine: SNP-discriminating RNA detection probes

Detection of nucleic acids using fluorophore-modified oligonucleotides forms the basis of many important applications in molecular biology, genetics and medical diagnostics. Here we demonstrate that DNA strands with central segments of alternating locked nucleic acid (LNA) and 2′-O-(pyren-1-yl)methyluridine monomers display very large and highly mismatch-sensitive increases in fluorescence emission upon RNA hybridization, whereas corresponding “LNA-free” controls do not. Absorbance spectra strongly suggest that LNA-induced conformational tuning of flanking 2′-O-(pyren-1-yl)methyluridine monomers places the reporter group in the minor groove upon RNA binding, whereby pyrene–nucleobase interactions leading to quenching of fluorescence are minimized. Accordingly, these easy-to-synthesize probes are promising SNP-discriminating RNA detection probes.
DOES FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT PROMOTE ECONOMIC GROWTH? EVIDENCE FROM EAST ASIA AND LATIN AMERICA

Although there is considerable evidence on the link between foreign direct investment (FDI) and economic growth in developing countries, causal patterns of the two variables has not been investigated yet with a reliable procedure. This article provides an empirical assessment of the issue by using data for 11 economies in East Asia and Latin America. Although FDI is expected to boost host economic growth, it is shown that the extent to which FDI is growth-enhancing appears to depend on country-specific characteristics. Particularly, FDI tends to be more likely to promote economic growth when host countries adopt liberalized trade regime, improve education and thereby human capital conditions, encourage export-oriented FDI, and maintain macroeconomic stability.
Real-time detection of actively metabolizing microbes by redox sensing as applied to methylotroph populations in Lake Washington

Redox sensor green (RSG), a novel fluorescent dye from Invitrogen was employed as a tool for real-time detection of microbes metabolically active in situ, in combination with flow cytometry and cell sorting. Lake Washington sediment, an environment known for high rates of methane oxidation, was used as a model, and methylotrophs were targeted as a functional group. We first tested and optimized the performance of the dye with pure methylotroph cultures. Most cells in actively growing cultures were positive for staining, whereas in starved cultures, few cells fluoresced. However, starved cells could be activated by addition of substrate. High numbers of fluorescing cells were observed in a Lake Washington sediment sample, and activation of subpopulations of cells was demonstrated in response to methane, methanol, methylamine and formaldehyde. The fraction of the population activated by methane was investigated in more detail, by phylogenetic profiling. This approach showed that the major responding species were the Methylomonas species, previously isolated from the site, and Methylobacter species that have not yet been cultivated from Lake Washington. In addition, from the methane-stimulated fraction, uncultivated bacterial sequences were obtained that belonged to unclassified Deltaproteobacteria, unclassified Verrucomicrobiles and unclassified Acidobacteria, suggesting that these microbes may also be involved in methane metabolism. The approach was further tested for its utility in facilitating enrichment for functional types that possess specific metabolic activities but resist cultivation. It was demonstrated that in enrichment cultures inoculated with cells that were sorted after stimulation with methane, Methylobacter sequences could be detected, whereas in enrichment cultures inoculated by randomly sorted cells, Methylomonas species quickly outcompeted all other types.
The role of cytoreductive surgery and heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) in patients with high-grade appendiceal carcinoma and extensive peritoneal carcinomatosis.

Patients with peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis (PMCA) of appendiceal origin and extensive disease are commonly advised against CRS/HIPEC. We hypothesize that CRS/HIPEC is a beneficial treatment for this group. Retrospective analysis of 134 patients with appendiceal cancer treated with CRS/HIPEC was performed from a prospective database. Extent of disease, measured by peritoneal cancer index (PCI), was related to completeness of cytoreduction (CC), lymph node (LN) status, and prior surgery score (PSS). Overall survival (OS) was estimated by Kaplan-Meier curves. Test differences were calculated using log-rank test. A total of 77 patients (57%) had PMCA. Mean follow-up was 22 months with a median of 18 months. OS was 88%, 56%, and 40% for 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively. 68% had PCI ≥ 20. LN metastasis was found in 44% of patients in PCI ≥ 20 and PCI < 20 groups. 73% and 60% of patients had PSS of 2 or 3 in PCI ≥ 20 and PCI < 20 groups, respectively (P = .196). Complete cytoreduction was achieved in 65% of PCI ≥ 20 group and 96% of PCI < 20 group (P = .004). With complete cytoreduction, the 5-year OS was 45% in PCI ≥ 20 group and 66% in PCI < 20 group (P = .139). 18 of 19 patients with incomplete cytoreduction had PCI ≥ 20, with 3- and 5-year OS of 27% and 0%. Hazard ratios (by Cox regression) were 2.8 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.8–10.2) and 3.6 (95% CI 1.5–8.8) for PCI < 20 and complete cytoreduction, respectively. Meaningful long-term survival could be achieved in patients with PMCA even with extensive peritoneal disease. PCI ≥ 20 should not be used as an exclusion criterion when selecting these patients for CRS/HIPEC, and every effort should be made to achieve complete cytoreduction.
Comparative ultrastructure of ant spermatozoa (formicidae: Hymenoptera)

Mature spermatozoa from spermathecae of founding queens were obtained from 5 species of ants, representing the major subfamilies Myrmicinae (Acromyrmex versicolor, Crematogaster sp.) and Dolichoderinae (Tapinoma sessile, Conomyrma insana, Conomyrma wheeleri). The ultrastructure of ant spermatozoa has many features in common with that of higher insects and is similar to that of other Hymenoptera. Structural similarities to spermatozoa of other Hymenoptera include an acrosome containing an internal rod that extends into the nucleus, two elongate mitochondrial derivatives, a centriolar adjunct, and an axonemal arrangement of 9 + 9 + 2 that includes well-developed coarse, or accessory, tubules. Spermatozoa obtained from A. versicolor, a species that is known to store and utilize viable sperm from this supply for over 10 years, show greater development of the mitochondrial derivatives than do the other species. The most distinctive feature of ant spermatozoa in comparison to other Hymenoptera is the large size of the centriolar adjunct relative to the other organelles. The centriolar adjunct is located posterior to the nucleus, anterior to the mitochondrial derivatives, and opposite the axoneme.
Control of differentiation in aggregates of embryonic skin cells: suppression of feather morphogenesis by cells from other tissues.

Abstract Aggregates of dissociated skin cells from 8-day chick embryos grafted to the chorioallantoic membrane reconstructed typical integumental tissues with feathers that developed to advanced stages. Similarly, aggregates of dissociated mouse skin cells from 15-day embryos grafted to the chorioallantois gave rise to skin, hair follicles, and sebaceous glands primordia. A complete suppression of feather formation was obtained consistently when the dissociated chick skin cells were commingled and coaggregated with mouse skin cells prior to grafting; hair formation was not markedly suppressed in such composite aggregates. A similarly complete and consistent suppression of feather morphogenesis was obtained in coaggregates of skin cells with cells from several other tissues of chick embryos, as well as of mouse embryos. Some aspects of the causality of feather suppression in aggregates were examined: (1) interspersion of skin cells and suppressor cells was essential for the effect, under the conditions employed; (2) by varying the relative concentration of suppressor cells it was found that a minority of suppressor cells caused a complete suppression of feather development; in the cases examined, only when the proportion of suppressor cells to skin cells was reduced to 1:24 did feathers develop. Additional changes took place in the developmental pattern of skin cells coaggregated with cells from other tissues and were related to the kind of admixed cells.
Small-cell comb does not control Varroa mites in colonies of honeybees of European origin

We tested the idea that Varroa destructor can be controlled in colonies of the European subspecies of Apis mellifera by providing them with combs built of small cells, in which immature mites might have difficulty developing for lack of space. We established seven pairs of equal-size colonies that started out equally infested with mites. In each pair, one hive contained only standard-cell (5.4 mm) comb, and the other contained only small-cell (4.8 mm) comb. We measured the colonies' mite loads at monthly intervals across a summer. No differences arose between the two treatment groups in their mean mite loads (mites per 100 worker bees or mite drop per 48 h). We suggest that providing small-cell combs did not inhibit mite reproduction because the fill factor (thorax width/cell width) was only slightly higher in the small cells than in the standard cells (79% and 73%, respectively).
Using Episcopic Fluorescence Image Capture, Ultrasound Biomicroscopy and Computational Fluid Dynamics to Study Geometry and Fluid Mechanics of Mouse Fetus and Neonate

Congenital cardiovascular malformations (CCM) affect 0.6% −1.9% of newborns (1), and has a mortality rate of approximately 48.1% in the first year of age, and 60.1% by 18 years of age (2).Copyright © 2012 by ASME