cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Communication of Recommendations for the Disposal of Unused Prescription Opioid Medications by Stakeholders in the News Media.

Objective The opioid epidemic is a national public health emergency that requires a comprehensive approach to reduce opioid-related deaths. Proper and timely disposal of unused prescription opioids is one method to deter improper use of these medications and prevent overdose. The objective of this study was to understand how recommendations for disposing of unused prescription opioids, including both take-back programs and toilet disposal, are communicated to the public. Methods Two hundred sixty-three US newspaper articles published between January 1, 2014, and June 30, 2017, containing information on opioids and take-back programs were found using LexisNexis. Using content analysis, articles were coded for the presentation of and recommendation for opioid disposal practices, beliefs about environmental harm from toilet disposal, and additional strategies to reduce opioid supply. The entity responsible for the statement was also captured. Results Take-back programs were presented as a recommended disposal strategy for unused prescription opioids in 88.6% of coded articles. Toilet disposal was presented as a recommended disposal strategy for unused prescription opioids in 3.4% of articles and as harmful to the environment in 16.0% of articles. Individuals from health care, government, and law enforcement were primarily involved in discussing opioid disposal practices. Conclusions Although toilet disposal is recommended by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for disposal of unused prescription opioids when a take-back program is not readily available, it was infrequently presented or recommended in news media articles. These results highlight the importance of improving communication of FDA guidelines for opioid disposal in the media, particularly by health care providers, government employees, and law enforcement officials.
The Reach and Impact of the Remote Frequency and Time Calibration Services at NIST

AbstractThe National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has provided remote frequency and time calibration services to customers for more than three decades. These services continuously c...
Suitable Tests and Machine Learning Approach to Predict Moisture Susceptibility of Hot-Mix Asphalt

AbstractThe objectives of this study were to determine a suitable set of tests to use with a moisture-conditioning process and to develop a machine learning model to predict the moisture susceptibi...
Association Between Shame and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Meta‐Analysis

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex condition with affective components that extend beyond fear and anxiety. The emotion of shame has long been considered critical in the relation between trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms. Yet, to date, no meta-analytic synthesis of the empirical association between shame and PTSD has been conducted. To address this gap, the current study summarized the magnitude of the association between shame and PTSD symptoms after trauma exposure. A systematic literature search yielded 624 publications, which were screened for inclusion criteria (individuals exposed to a Criterion A trauma, and PTSD and shame assessed using validated measures of each construct). In total, 25 studies employing 3,663 participants met full eligibility criteria. A random-effects meta-analysis revealed a significant moderate association between shame and posttraumatic stress symptoms, r = .49, 95% CI [0.43, 0.55], p < .001. Moderator analyses were not completed due to the absence of between-study heterogeneity. Publication bias analyses revealed minimal bias, determined by small attenuation after the superimposition of weight functions. The results underscore that across a diverse set of populations, shame is characteristic for many individuals with PTSD and that it warrants a central role in understanding the affective structure of PTSD. Highlighting shame as an important clinical target may help improve the efficacy of established treatments. Future research examining shame's interaction with other negative emotions and PTSD symptomology is recommended.
Parallel point defect identification in molecular dynamics simulations without post-processing: A compute and dump style for LAMMPS

Abstract Two classes for the molecular dynamics program LAMMPS – one compute style and one dump style – are presented that are designed to identify, count, and output point defects in cascade damage and related molecular dynamics simulations . The calculations are done in parallel across multiple MPI processes, and can be done at the same time as the original simulation. This drastically reduces storage requirements by eliminating the need to post-process every atom in the system. Non-cubic lattices, free surfaces, and large voids can be eliminated from the output by suitable choices of the reference lattice. The classes are derived from LAMMPS’s Dump and Compute classes, and pose no additional overhead to LAMMPS if they are not used. PROGRAM SUMMARY Program Title: Compute style “frenkel” and dump style “frenkel” Program Files doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.17632/p39kb4fshj.1 Licensing provisions: GPLv2 Programming language: C++ Nature of problem: Identify and count point defects (interstitials and vacancies) in metals created by high-energy cascade damage, in parallel, without post-processing, relative to an arbitrary defect-free crystal lattice . Solution method: Defects are identified and counted in parallel, across an arbitrary number of processors, through LAMMPS’s domain decomposition techniques [1]. Defects are counted according to the occupancy of the Wigner–Seitz cell of each lattice site, but can be visualized by either Wigner–Seitz cell occupancy or by Lindemann sphere analysis. Results are then shared across all processes by message-passing. Restrictions: This implementation is likely restricted to orthorhombic domains. It is also inadvisable to use this software in the presence of grain boundaries. It is possible (with care) to use it with free surfaces. [1] S. Plimpton, Fast Parallel Algorithms for Short-Range Molecular Dynamics, J. Comput. Phys. 117 (1) (1995) 1–19. doi: https://doi.org/10.1006/jcph.1995.1039 .
Ìn situ inactivation of human norovirus GII.4 by cold plasma: Ethidium monoazide (EMA)-coupled RT-qPCR underestimates virus reduction and fecal material suppresses inactivation

Abstract Cold atmospheric-gaseous plasma (CAP) is an emerging non-thermal technology for decontamination of foodborne bacterial and viral pathogens. We obtained a >5 log10 reduction in the titer (TCID50) of feline calicivirus (FCV) on stainless steel discs and Romaine lettuce leaves after 3 min wet exposure to air plasma generated by a two-dimensional array of integrated coaxial-microhollow dielectric barrier discharge (2D-AICM-DBD). However, when human norovirus (HuNoV GII.4) was treated for 5 min under the same conditions, ~2.6 log10 (>99.5%) reduction in genome copy number was observed as measured by ethidium monoazide-coupled RT-qPCR (EMA-RT-qPCR). To assess this discrepancy, we studied CAP's effect on FCV by the cell culture method and by the EMA-coupled RT-qPCR method. It was found that the molecular titration method (EMA-RT-qPCR) underestimates the level of virus reduction by CAP. Additionally, the fecal matter present in HuNoV samples partially suppressed virucidal activity of CAP. Assuming that the lower virus reduction measured by EMA-RT-qPCR method compared to cell culture method for FCV is the same as for HuNoV, we can conclude that FCV may be used as a surrogate for HuNoV to assess the virucidal effect of CAP. CAP is able to inactivate 3.5 Log10 units of HuNoV at low titers after 2 min of exposure.
Counteracting quantum decoherence with optimized disorder in discrete-time quantum walks

Decoherence and disorder are two major difficulties limiting the performance of quantum systems in practical settings. Yet they can potentially counteract each other to partially restore th...
Squamous cell carcinoma arising in residual odontogenic cyst: Report of a case and review of literature

Odontogenic cysts are common pathologic lesions found in the oral and perioral structures. A case of squamous cell carcinoma arising within the lining of a large odontogenic cyst is described. Clinical and pathologic aspects of the previously reported cases are presented.
Against Words with Two Main Stresses: The case of Guugu Yimidhirr Revisited

The main aim of this article is to reexamine and argue against the existence of words with two main stresses which have been reported to occur in Guugu Yimidhirr (a Pama- Nyungan language, spoken in Queensland, Australia). Based on phonological evidence from patterns of clash avoidance and the distribution of secondary stress, it is claimed that in the alleged words with two main-stressed syllables, each syllable has a different metrical status. Only the initial one is main-stressed. The second is treated as an unstressed syllable by the metrical phonology of this language. The article also entertains and explores a tonal account in order to explain why some Guugu Yimidhirr words have been reported to bear two main stresses. Moreover, the article connects the discussion to “level stress,” a phenomenon similar to the Guugu Yimidhirr’s but found in some Mainland Scandinavian dialects. In contrast to previous analyses found in the literature to solve the puzzle posed by Guugu Yimidhirr double-headed words and Scandinavian “level stress”, this article finds no empirical support that motivates the weakening of the prosodic theory by either allowing recursion at the level of the Prosodic Word or by proposing the existence of disyllabic feet with both of their syllables stressed.
The Communicative Ecology of Chinese Patients' Experiences with Health Care.

Patient satisfaction and trust are important intermediate outcomes along pathways linking clinician-patient communication to improve well-being, but they are difficult to achieve in Chinese health ...
Sample size requirements for detecting treatment effect heterogeneity in cluster randomized trials

Cluster randomized trials (CRTs) refer to experiments with randomization carried out at the cluster or the group level. While numerous statistical methods have been developed for the design and analysis of CRTs, most of the existing methods focused on testing the overall treatment effect across the population characteristics, with few discussions on the differential treatment effect among subpopulations. In addition, the sample size and power requirements for detecting differential treatment effect in CRTs remain unclear, but are helpful for studies planned with such an objective. In this article, we develop a new sample size formula for detecting treatment effect heterogeneity in two-level CRTs for continuous outcomes, continuous or binary covariates measured at cluster or individual level. We also investigate the roles of two intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs): the adjusted ICC for the outcome of interest and the marginal ICC for the covariate of interest. We further derive a closed-form design effect formula to facilitate the application of the proposed method, and provide extensions to accommodate multiple covariates. Extensive simulations are carried out to validate the proposed formula in finite samples. We find that the empirical power agrees well with the prediction across a range of parameter constellations, when data are analyzed by a linear mixed effects model with a treatment-by-covariate interaction. Finally, we use data from the HF-ACTION study to illustrate the proposed sample size procedure for detecting heterogeneous treatment effects.
Influence of sulfentrazone and metribuzin applied preemergence on soybean development and yield

The use of photosystem II (PSII)-inhibitor and/or protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO)-inhibitor PRE herbicides in soybean may, under adverse environmental conditions, result in early season crop injury. A field study was conducted near Brule and North Platte, Nebraska, during the 2016 and 2017 growing seasons with the objective to evaluate the impact of PRE herbicides metribuzin (PSII-inhibitor) and sulfentrazone (PPO-inhibitor) on early season soybean development, final plant stand, and yield using 22 soybean varieties adapted to southwestern Nebraska. Herbicide treatments consisted of metribuzin (560 g ai ha-1) and sulfentrazone (280 g ai ha-1) applied within 3 d after planting and a nontreated control (NTC). Sulfentrazone reduced green canopy vegetation at the V2 growth stage by 22% and final plant stand at physiological maturity by 10% compared with the NTC. The number of pods per plant was 16% higher for sulfentrazone and the number of seeds per plant was 15% and 4% higher for sulfentrazone and metribuzin compared with the NTC, respectively. Sulfentrazone and metribuzin resulted in a slightly higher yield (3%) compared with the NTC, thus no yield reduction from PRE herbicides was observed in this study. These results support other findings that sulfentrazone and metribuzin have potential to cause early-season crop injury; however, when applied according to their label recommendations and following regional agronomic management practices, this impact may not translate into soybean yield reduction while such herbicides provide effective soil residual weed control.Nomenclature: metribuzin; sulfentrazone; soybean; Glycine max L. Merr.
Hubel, David Hunter 1926–2013

David Hubel was born on February 27, 1926 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada to American parents. His father was a chemical engineer. The family moved to Montreal where Hubel attended public schools and privately experimented with chemistry and participated in his father’s hobby of photography.
Huntington’s Disease Testing in a Nonideal World

This paper critically examines the institutional practices of genetic counseling and testing for Huntington’s Disease (HD), a heritable and incurable neurodegenerative disorder. Drawing from Amartya Sen’s idea of justice and current genetic counseling practices, we make the case that genetic counseling and testing practices for HD must be improved within nonideal conditions with the goal of increasing the capabilities of patients as the main stakeholders in the process. While healthcare practitioners and medical institutions often create protocols and testing guidelines with the best interest of patients in mind, we assert that they fail to account for the obstacles and exclusionary mechanisms that result from the complex institutional interplay of healthcare as an ideal and the existing US health insurance system—a nonideal intersection that ultimately comes at the expense of individuals and families suffering from or at risk for HD. We make use of Amartya Sen’s realizations-oriented approach to justice to develop an ethical critique of the current institutional practices around HD, as well as to make proposals for a more just system of care that, though starting from nonideal conditions, values the lives and enhances the freedom of HD patients. To this end, we make a concerted effort to incorporate our combined philosophical, bioethical, and personal experiences with genetic counseling and testing literature in our critical analysis.
Upper bounds for |L(1,chi)|

Given a non-principal Dirichlet character chi mod q, an important problem in number theory is to obtain good estimates for the size of L(1,chi). In this paper we focus on sharpening the upper bounds known for |L(1,chi)|; in particular, we wish to determine constants c (as small as possible) for which the bound |L(1,chi)| <= (c+o(1)) log q holds.
A Big Data Dashboard for Urban Mobility

Abstract The public transit and roadway systems of large metropolitan areas transport millions of passengers in fleets of trains, buses and passenger cars to work, home, schools, entertainment and shopping. In addition, goods are moved every day on the same networks. The performance of these systems is critical for the orderly functioning of the city both in terms of human movement and the movement of goods. Currently, there isn’t a detailed monitoring system or a “dashboard” of Urban Mobility; a system that answers fine-grained questions such as: what is the crowding at a train station? how occupied are buses on in the peak time on a particular route? how can the available supply of transport capacity be better used to address daily demand as well as the demand on exceptional days (such as rallies and severe weather events). In this talk, we present a big data dashboard for urban mobility, describe its capabilities for operational and planning purposes, and as a learning system
Restoring Competency for Execution: The Paradoxical Debate Continues with the Case of Singleton v. Norris

ABSTRACT The role of medical and mental health professionals in the provision of treatment for mentally incompetent inmates facing execution has remained a subject of great debate in both psychological literature and practice for years. For some professionals, treating and restoring competence to a condemned inmate is inherently problematic on both legal and ethical grounds, as successful treatment may ultimately translate into the individual's re-eligibility for execution and subsequent death. The underlying ethical conflict of fulfilling the treatment needs of an individual awaiting execution, while simultaneously protecting the person from harm was recently highlighted in the 2003 decision of Singleton v. Norris. In a case of first impression, a divided United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit held the forcible administration of antipsychotic medication to treat and restore competence to a condemned inmate constitutional. Furthermore, the court held that the execution of an inmate chemical...
A PET study of visuospatial attention

Positron emission tomography (PET) was used to identify the neural systems involved in shifting spatial attention to visual stimuli in the left or right visual field along foveofugal or foveocentric directions. Psychophysical evidence indicated that stimuli at validly cued locations were responded to faster than stimuli at invalidly cued locations. Reaction times to invalid probes were faster when they were presented in the same than in the opposite direction of an ongoing attention movement. PET evidence indicated that superior parietal and superior frontal cortex were more active when attention was shifted to peripheral locations than when maintained at the center of gaze. Both regions encoded the visual field and not the direction of an attention shift. In the right superior parietal lobe, two distinct responses were localized for attention to left and right visual field. Finally, the superior parietal region was active when peripheral locations were selected on the basis of cognitive or sensory cues independent of the execution of an overt response. The frontal region was active only when responses were made to stimuli at selected peripheral locations. These findings indicate that parietal and frontal regions control different aspects of spatial selection. The functional asymmetry in superior parietal cortex may be relevant for the pathophysiology of unilateral neglect.
Trends in Prehistoric Subsistence on the Southern New England Coast: The View from Narragansett Bay:

Evidence from the Narragansett Bay region suggests that subsistence practices here progressively diversified and expanded over the last 3000 years of the prehistoric period. This trend is reflected in faunal (vertebrate and molluskan) and macrobotanical assemblages, as well as the regional palynological and ethnohistoric records. Although production expanded over time, the specialized or “focal” economies common elsewhere in eastern North America, did not seemingly develop. This increase (intensification) in production was achieved through diversification and cultural modification of the landscape rather than specialization. Some possible explanations for this pattern are considered.
Prevention by dexrazoxane of down-regulation of ryanodine receptor gene expression in anthracycline cardiomyopathy in the rat

Anthracyclines can cause cumulative dose-related cardiotoxicity characterized by changes in Ca2+ metabolism, including dysfunction of the sacroplasmic reticulum (SR) and decreased expression of Ca2+-handling proteins, such as the ryanodine receptor (RyR2). In this study, we examined the effect of dexrazoxane (ICRF-187), an iron chelator which prevents anthracycline cardiotoxicity, on RyR2 gene expression in rats treated chronically with daunorubicin. Daunorubicin (2.5 mg kg−1 i.v. weekly for 6 weeks) produced cardiotoxicity as demonstrated by histopathologic changes. The ryanodine receptor/glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) mRNA ratio was decreased by 38±3% (P<0.02) compared to values in control rats. Dexrazoxane pre-treatment (50 mg kg−1; 1 h prior to each daunorubicin injection) prevented the decrease in RyR2/GAPDH mRNA ratio and histopathologic lesions in daunorubicin-treated rats. This is the first report that a protective agent such as dexrazoxane can ameliorate the decreased expression of a specific gene involved in anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. British Journal of Pharmacology (2000) 131, 1–4; doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0703538
Preliminary results from BCG and ECG measurements in the heart failure clinic

We report on the preliminary deployment of a bathroom scale-based ballistocardiogram (BCG) system for the in-hospital monitoring of patients with heart failure. These early trials provided valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities for such monitoring. In particular, the need for robust algorithms and adapted BCG metric is suggested. The system was designed to be robust and user-friendly, with dual ballistocardiogram (BCG) and electrocardiogram (ECG) capabilities. The BCG was measured from a modified bathroom scale, while the ECG (used as timing reference) was measured using dry handlebar electrodes. The signal conditioning and digitization circuits were USB-powered, and data acquisition performed using a netbook. Four patients with a NYHA class III at admission were measured daily for the duration of their treatment at Stanford hospital. A measure of BCG quality, in essence a quantitative implementation of the BCG classes originally defined in the 1950s, is proposed as a practical parameter.
Induction of tumor cytotoxic immune cells using a protein from the bitter melon (Momordica charantia)

The fruit and seeds of the bitter melon (Momordica charantia) have been reported to have anti-leukemic and antiviral activities. This anti-leukemic and antiviral action was associated with an activation of murine lymphocytes. A partially purified protein factor from the bitter melon caused an infiltration and activation of peritoneal exudate cells in C57B1/6J, C3H/HeJ, and C3H/HeN mice. When the extract was injected twice a week at 8 micrograms of protein per ip injection for 0-4 weeks, the peritoneal exudate cells from the treated mice were cytotoxic in a long-term (18-hr) 51Cr-release assay against a range of labeled targets: L1210, P388, and MOLT-4 tumor cells. Cytotoxicity was also observed against YAC-1 targets in a short-term (4-hr) assay. Fractionation of the cytotoxic immune cells implicated a nonadherent cell population which was capable of killing an NK-sensitive cell line in a 4-hr 51Cr-release assay. Unit gravity sedimentation studies indicated that the cytotoxicity was due to either a neutrophil or a large lymphocyte. Antibody depletion experiments using antibody to asialo GM1, an NK cell-specific antibody, depleted cytotoxicity observed in nonadherent, Ficoll/Hypaque-separated PEC. This suggests that at least part of the anti-leukemic activity of the bitter melon extract is due to the activation of NK cells in the host mouse.
Raman and infrared spectra, conformational stability, ab initio calculations and vibrational assignments for dichloromethyl methyl silane

Abstract For dichloromethyl methyl silane, Cl 2 HCSiH 2 CH 3 , the infrared (3500 to 30 cm −1 ) spectra in the gaseous and solid phase, and the Raman (3500 to 10 cm −1 ) spectra of the liquid with quantitative depolarization ratios and of the solid, have been recorded. Similar data have also been recorded for the Sid 2 isotopomer. These data indicate that two conformers are present in the fluid states, but that only one conformer is present in the annealed crystalline state. The mid-infrared spectra of the sample dissolved in liquified xenon as a function of temperature (− 100 to − 60°C) have been recorded. Utilizing conformer pairs at 486 ( gauche ), 513 ( trans ), 638 ( trans ) and 660 ( gauche ) cm −1 , the enthalpy difference has been determined to be 120 ± 18 cm −1 (1.44 ± 0.22 kJ mol −1 ) with the trans conformer the more stable species. However, in the spectrum of the solid, the gauche conformer is the stable rotamer remaining after the sample is well annealed. The SiH distances have been obtained from the frequencies of the isolated SiH stretching modes from the infrared spectrum of the gaseous Cl 2 HCSiHDCH 3 isotopomer. This parameter has a value of 1.481 A for the trans conformer and 1.479 and 1.482 A for the gauche conformer. The optimized geometries, conformational stabilities, harmonic force fields, infrared intensities, Raman activities, depolarization ratios, and vibrational frequencies are reported for both conformers from RHF/6–31G∗ and/or MP2/6–31G∗, and MP2/6–311 + G∗∗ ab initio calculations. The trans conformer is predicted to be the more stable rotamer from all ab initio calculations, in agreement with the experimental results. The other calculated quantities are compared with the experimentally determined values where applicable, as well as with some corresponding results for some similar molecules.
A method for the preparation of an alternating multilayer film

Abstract A method to fabricate alternating Langmuir-Blodgett multilayers has been devised and evaluated. A quartz tube provides a substrate for the film, and itself acts as a barrier to separate two monolayers. Rotation of the tube results in the simultaneous deposition of both monolayers as confirmed by the deposition ratio and interference colours. Fluorescence quenching experiments using matrix monolayers incorporating dye molecules demonstrate that alternating structures are produced.
Evaluation of Cooked Breast Meat from Male Breeder Turkeys Fed Diets Containing Varying Amounts of Triticale, Variety Flora

Abstract Medium White Wrolstad breeder toms were fed either 13.9% crude protein corn-soy, 13.75% triticale-soy, or 8.5% triticale diets from 28 to 45 weeks of age. Birds were then processed and physical and sensory evaluations of cooked breast meat were conducted. Tenderness shear value of cooked breast meat from turkeys fed triticale was significantly improved (P
Responses of small mammals and vegetation to a reintroduction of Gunnison's prairie dogs

This study addressed the initial effects of a reintroduction of Gunnison's prairie dogs ( Cynomys gunnisoni ) on resident small mammal and plant communities on the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge (SNWR), New Mexico. In spring 1997, 60 prairie dogs (36.8 kg live mass) were introduced onto a former prairie dog colony in a desert grassland site. Small mammals and vegetation were sampled on both a treatment (reintroduction site) and a control site (without prairie dogs) before and after the prairie dogs were reintroduced. We tested for differences in small mammal and plant community change during the 1st year of the colony's existence using repeated measures analysis of variance. Although prairie dog biomass was ca. 32 times greater than that of the resident rodent community (1.2 kg), reintroduction of prairie dogs had no significant effect on the resident small mammal and plant communities. Total biomass and abundance of rodents, and percent cover and species richness of plants did not change during the 1st year following reintroduction of prairie dogs. However, two rodent species showed significant differences in abundance between the prairie dog colony and the control site. The banner-tailed kangaroo rat ( Dipodomys spectabilis ) was significantly more abundant on the treatment site before and after reintroduction of prairie dogs. In contrast, the white-footed mouse ( Peromyscus leucopus ) was significantly more abundant on the control site following reintroduction of prairie dogs. Habitat modifications made by the former prairie dog colony may be responsible for the habitat preferences observed by D. spectabilis and P. leucopus . Although reintroduction of prairie dogs had no observable influence on the resident small mammal and plant communities in the short-term, their influences may be more evident on a long-term time scale.
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990: Its Impact on Business and Education

Abstract Beginning in the 1960s, Congress, the courts, and federal agencies have acted to prohibit employment discrimination based upon race, religion, sex, color, national origin, and age. Most recently, President Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). To assist individuals and organizations in properly implementing the Act, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued proposed rules on the ADA in February 1991 and final rules in July 1991. The ADA is an extremely detailed law, and both the proposed and final rules of the EEOC contain extensive detail, definition, and documentation. This article outlines the key definitions, terms, and concepts discussed in the Act and subsequent EEOC interpretations and provides basic information on both the background and requirements of the ADA itself. In the final section, pedagogical suggestions are made concerning the inclusion and utilization of these materials in business curriculums.
Resistance of HER2/neu-overexpressing tumor targets to lymphokine-activated-killer-cell-mediated lysis: evidence for deficiency of binding and post-binding events

HER2/neu-overexpressing tumor cell lines are relatively resistant to lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell cytotoxicity when compared to HER2/neu-nonexpressing lines. HER2/neu+ targets were also resistant to binding by LAK large granular lymphocytes (LGL) as shown by visualization at the single-cell level, a target monolayer binding assay and in "cold" target inhibition experiments. HER2/neu+ LAK-resistant ovarian cell lines demonstrated an absence of ICAM-1 expression while expression of LFA-3, N-CAM, laminin and beta 1 integrins was comparable to that of HER2/neu- targets. In contrast, the HER2/neu+ breast cell line, SKBR-3, which was also resistant to lysis and binding by LAK LGL, demonstrated normal expression of ICAM-1. Anti-ICAM-1 antibodies blocked binding and lysis of HER2/neu- carcinoma targets by LAK cells, further supporting the notion that lack of ICAM-1 expression on HER2/neu+ cells contributes to their resistance. The modest binding and lysis of HER2/neu+ targets by LAK cells was significantly inhibited by anti-LFA-1 antibodies, suggesting the existence of another counter-receptor for LFA-1 on HER2/neu+ targets. The following also supported deficiencies in post-binding events when HER2/neu+ cells resisted the lytic activity of LAK cells: (a) when the relative resistance to effector cell binding was overcome by exogenous lectin. HER2/neu+ cell lines were still resistant to LAK cytolysis, and (b) HER2/neu+ targets were resistant to perforin-containing granule extracts obtained from the CTLL-R8 cytotoxic lymphocyte cell line. These results indicate that deficiency in effector binding as well as post-binding events contributes to the resistance of HER2/neu-overexpressing tumor targets to LAK-cell-mediated lysis.
The Electric Resistivity of AgO

The electric resistivity, ρ, of powder samples, made by the chemical oxidation of , was measured in situ up to 10 kbar. ρ increased linearly with decreasing content of the samples (>70%). 63 samples of 98.4% mean content had a mean ρ of 59.3 ohm cm at 2.1 kbar. When Mg, Ca, Cd, In, Si, Y, Pd, Ni, or Co was added (as compounds) during the preparation of , ρ of the sample increased. The addition of Hg, Ge, Sn, Pb, As, Sb, or Bi had a beneficial effect on ρ of samples. Pb increased the length of the higher voltage plateau of cells during discharge whereas Hg had no influence.
Relationship between dietary copper concentration and acetylcholine‐induced vasodilation in the microcirculation of rats

Dietary copper deficiency has been shown to significantly reduce acetylcholine (Ach)-induced vascular smooth muscle relaxation. The current study was designed to examine the relative relationship between dietary copper and the vasodilator response to Ach in the microcirculation of the rat. Male weanling rats were fed a purified basal diet supplemented with 6.0, 3.0, 1.5 or 0.0 microg Cu/g diet for 4 weeks to provide an adequate, two marginal, and deficient intakes of dietary copper. Arteriole dilation in response to increasing concentrations of acetylcholine (10(-7) to 10(-4) M) was measured in the in vivo cremaster muscle microcirculation for each dietary group. Liver copper and both aortic and erythrocyte Cu,Zn-SOD activity were used as indices of systemic copper status. Dilation to the increasing concentrations of Ach was only different in the 0 microg Cu supplemented group compared to the copper-adequate control values. However, the combined results showed an exponential increase in 10(-5) M Ach-induced vasodilation as liver copper concentration increases from 0 microg Cu/g dry wt. This relationship suggests that dilation is attenuated at liver Cu concentrations below 5 microg/g dry wt. The results indicate that Ach-induced vasodilation is copper-dependent but that the pathway is not very sensitive to short-term marginal restriction of copper intake.
Soft chemical synthesis of a high-pressure phase of molybdenum trioxide: MoO3-II

Abstract Topotactic dehydration of either the white molybdenum trioxide monohydrate, MoO3 · H2O, or the hemihydrate, MoO3 · 1 2 H2O, provides a convenient synthetic route to a high-pressure phase of molybdenum trioxide, MoO3-II. The structural filiations between the various molybdenum trioxide and trioxide hydrate phases are delineated, and simple mechanistic models for the transformations are proposed.
Effect of chemical structure and composition of the resin phase on mechanical strength and vinyl conversion of amorphous calcium phosphate-based composites.

The mechanical properties of recently developed bioactive, antidemineralizing/remineralizing, amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP)-based composites need improvement. The objective of this study was to elucidate the effect of structure and composition of resins on the biaxial flexure strength (BFS) and the degree of conversion (DC) of composites attained after photo-polymerization. Two series of 2,2-bis[p-(2′-hydroxy-3′-methacryloxypropoxy)phenyl]propane (Bis-GMA)/triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA)/X (X being a neutral or acidic comonomer) ternary resins were prepared and mixed with a mass fraction of 40% of zirconia-hybridized ACP. Both unfilled copolymers and their composites were evaluated for BFS (dry and wet specimens after 2 weeks of immersion in buffered saline) and for DC (after 24 h at 23°C). It was found that for the neutral X monomers, no correlation existed between the hydrophobic/hydrophilic character of the X monomer and the BFS values of the immersed composites. A flexible monomethacrylate yielded copolymers and composites with the highest DC. For the resins utilizing the acidic comonomers, methacrylic acid and mono-4-(methacryloyloxy) ethyltrimellitate (4MET), dry composites with improved BFS values were obtained. 4MET composites exhibited the least loss of strength of all the ternary resin ACP materials. The effect of acidic X on DC was most pronounced for maleic acid copolymers. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 68A: 763–772, 2004
Quantitative genetic analyses of complex behaviours in Drosophila

Behaviours are exceptionally complex quantitative traits. Sensitivity to environmental variation and genetic background, the presence of sexual dimorphism, and the widespread functional pleiotropy that is inherent in behavioural phenotypes pose daunting challenges for unravelling their underlying genetics. Drosophila melanogaster provides an attractive system for elucidating the unifying principles of the genetic architectures that drive behaviours, as genetically identical individuals can be reared rapidly in controlled environments and extensive publicly accessible genetic resources are available. Recent advances in quantitative genetic and functional genomic approaches now enable the extensive characterization of complex genetic networks that mediate behaviours in this important model organism. PLEIOTROPY The phenomenon in which a single gene is responsible for several different phenotypic effects.
Merkel Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck: Challenges in Diagnosis and Therapy

Since the original description of the trabecular carcinoma of the skin, now known as Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), by Toker in 1972, this malignancy has provided significant challenge to clinicians. With an increasing incidence and a known poor prognosis for advanced lesions, the disease continues to challenge physicians in the present time. New evidence indicates that not only the incidence is increasing in the overall population but also certain groups of patients such as those taking medications or immunosuppressed are at increased risk. Additionally, patients affected by MCC may be at risk for other malignant diseases. Therefore, it is likely that MCC will continue to challenge clinicians in the future. Current clinical questions regarding the optimal management of MCC include surgical challenges such as histologic diagnosis, sentinel lymph node biopsy, and margin control, as well as issues related to reconstruction. Radiation oncologists continue to evaluate the appropriate strategy for this rare disease in terms of locoregional control and appropriate dosing strategies. Medical oncologists continue their quest for effective treatments for this rare disease, which does not lend itself to randomized controlled trials due to the small number of eligible subjects. Recent new data regarding the analysis of MCC has resulted in a dramatic increase in our knowledge regarding this disease. The discovery of the Merkel cell polyomavirus by Feng, et al. and the subsequent work of Touze et al. which showed high antibody titers against the virus (anti-MCPyV) correlating to improved survival have provided us with new data with which to target this disease. Work in viral detection and protein expression continues to further elucidate the role of the virus in the genesis of MCC. The development of viral vaccines and targeted agents for the treatment of MCC is ongoing. The purpose of this special issue is to update the clinician on the current literature regarding Merkel cell carcinoma and provide a consolidated review of this disease for the clinician. A historical perspective as well as the current management strategies will be reviewed. Recent data will be presented regarding current diagnostic methods, and pathological evaluation as well as an evaluation of surgical, radiotherapeutic, and chemotherapeutic strategies employed in the treatment of MCC will be examined in the articles within the issue. In addition, future areas of research will be identified to allow the reader to plot the trajectory of our current understanding of this disease and where scientific and clinical research efforts are likely to yield advances in the future. Brett A. Miles
Testing for elevated disease rates using smoothed estimates.

A method of testing for elevated disease rates using smoothed estimates is introduced for counts aggregated to a specific administrative level. A test statistic is developed based on an approximation to the smoothed estimate from a penalized multinomial likelihood and an approximate critical value is derived. Empirical investigation reveals that smoothing can increase the ability to detect elevated rates. The methods are applied to data on gastric cancer in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Comparative hematology-studies on hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus).

Abstract Hedgehog blood clotted rapidly and the clots retracted only slightly. The prothrombin time was similar to human but the activated partial thromboplastin time was very fast. Thromboplastin generation was also similar to that of human blood. Thrombin and antithrombin III times were long. Coagulation factors assays gave values close to the human range. Platelet count was low (±100,000 per mm 3 ), the platelets were large and they reacted with ADP and collagen in a fashion similar to human platelets. Ultrastructure was also similar to that of human platelets. Erythrocytes were small and numerous. Leukocytes did not differ greatly in appearance from their human counterparts.
Biosynthesis of Dioscorea sapogenins from cholesterol

Abstract Radioactive cholesterol was converted to the sapogenins diosgenin and kryptogenin by Dioscorea spiculiflora seedlings. The sapogenins were isolated by chromatography and their radiochemical purity established by dilution with carrier material and crystallization to constant specific activity.
Body Size Matters in Provision of Help: Factors Related to Children's Willingness to Help Overweight Peers

Although children who are overweight may be vulnerable to negative social experiences, little is known about whether children will offer help to peers who are overweight. The present study examined whether children would offer aid to peers who are overweight with everyday tasks (such as picking up toys). This study also examined whether weight stereotypes and intentions to befriend these peers are related to intentions to help. Fifty-one children, aged 4–8, were interviewed about their stereotypes and behavioral intentions. Findings revealed that children were less likely to help overweight than average weight peers. Children who did not hold positive stereotypes about thinness and those who chose to play with overweight peers were more likely to help peers who are overweight. Results suggest that weight prejudice is pervasive and that children who are overweight might not be offered aid in classroom settings, highlighting the need for early intervention.
Saving Measurement Time in 13C NMR Spectroscopy

An algorithm to produce acceptably accurate Fourier transform NMR spectra using many fewer transients than commonly obtained is introduced and applied to 13C chemical shift and one-dimensional INADEQUATE Lorentzian type spectra. The algorithm supplies criteria to recognize when to stop transient collection at a time too early for an acceptable spectrum to be produced by Fourier signal processing but not by harmonic inversion signal processing.
Identification and molecular characterization of α-L-iduronidase mutations present in mucopolysaccharidosis type I patients undergoing enzyme replacement therapy†‡

Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder caused by a deficiency of alpha-L-iduronidase (IDUA). Mutations in the gene are responsible for the enzyme deficiency, which leads to the intralysosomal storage of the partially degraded glycosaminoglycans dermatan sulfate and heparan sulfate. Molecular characterization of MPS I patients has resulted in the identification of over 70 distinct mutations in the IDUA gene. The high degree of molecular heterogeneity reflects the wide clinical variability observed in MPS I patients. Six novel mutations, c.1087C>T (p.R363C), c.1804T>A (p.F602I), c.793G>C, c.712T>A (p.L238Q), c.1727+2T>A, and c.1269C>G (p.S423R), in a total of 14 different mutations, and 13 different polymorphic changes, including the novel c.246C>G (p.H82Q), were identified in a cohort of 10 MPS I patients enrolled in a clinical trial of enzyme-replacement therapy. Five novel amino acid substitutions and c.236C>T (p.A79V) were engineered into the wild-type IDUA cDNA and expressed. A p.G265R read-through mutation, arising from the c.793G>C splice mutation, was also expressed. Each mutation reduced IDUA protein and activity levels to varying degrees with the processing of many of the mutant forms also affected by IDUA. The varied properties of the expressed mutant forms of IDUA reflect the broad range of biochemical and clinical phenotypes of the 10 patients in this study. IDUA kinetic data derived from each patient's cultured fibroblasts, in combination with genotype data, was used to predict disease severity. Finally, residual IDUA protein concentration in cultured fibroblasts showed a weak correlation to the degree of immune response to enzyme-replacement therapy in each patient.
Seismic strain rates and distributed continental deformation in the northern Andes and three-dimensional seismotectonics of northwestern South America

Abstract The seismic strain rates and configuration in the northern Andes are estimated by summing the components of the Centroid Moment Tensor (CMT) solutions for earthquakes with Mw>5.0 and are compared with those predicted by various models of relative plate motions and GPS data. Moment tensor components are summed linearly in four different regions with similar seismotectonics to infer changes in the regional strain patterns along the northern Andes and to retrieve strain rates and relative plate velocities between this region and the stable South American plate. The Andean seismic strain rates are the result of east–southeast-directed contraction due to the collision of the Nazca and Caribbean plates with the South American plate and the collision of the Panama block against central Colombia, with a component of northeast-directed motion due to the obliquity of the eastern boundary of the northern Andes with respect to the boundary of the Nazca and Caribbean plates, with the South American plate along the Colombia trench and the Southern Caribbean Deformation zone, respectively, where the convergence is normal. The present motion of the Central Andes towards the northeast does not require the plate boundary between the Caribbean and South American plates to be along the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia and the Bocono Fault in Venezuela. The seismic moment rates for the northern Andes are small compared to the total expected seismic strain rates calculated from plate motion models and GPS data, suggesting that most of the strain is released aseismically and that is accommodated by folding, fault creeping, rigid block translation or other undetermined processes. Finally, a three-dimensional model of the CMT solutions and other seismicity in northwestern South America is presented, where major subducting slabs, including the Peru flat-slab and the Ecuador and Central Colombia segments of the Nazca and Caribbean plates, become more evident and easier to interpret. The Caribbean plate is interpreted to culminate at the location of the Bucaramanga “nest” offering an explanation to this swarm of seismicity in the northern Andes.
Predicting urine culture results by dipstick testing and phase contrast microscopy.

Aims: Urine is the most frequently received clinical specimen for bacterial culture. To determine whether dipstick or microscopy results reliably predicted the presence or absence of a reportable urinary pathogen we performed dipstick testing and phase contrast microscopy on unspun urine from 500 specimens. We also investigated the relationship between the presence of squamous epithelial cells (SECs) and mixed growth on culture.Methods: For each specimen, the presence of leukocyte esterase and urinary nitrite was recorded as well as the quantity of leukocytes (WBC), SECs, and erythrocytes. All cultures had the number and type of each organism recorded. Pyuria was defined as ≥10 WBC/mm3.Results: Specimens with <10 SEC/mm3 had fewer isolates (0.9 isolate per culture) than specimens with ≥10 SEC/mm3 (two isolates per culture); therefore, SEC contamination was defined as ≥10 SEC/mm3. Of 500 specimens, 266 (53%) had no growth and 136 (27%) had mixed growth. A total of 288 (58%) specimens had negative dipstick ...