cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A novel group of rhinoviruses is associated with asthma hospitalizations

Background Although recent studies have identified new group C human rhinoviruses (HRVCs), their spectrum of pediatric disease is unknown. Objective We sought to determine the presentation and burden of disease caused by HRVCs among young hospitalized children. Methods We conducted prospective population-based surveillance in 2 US counties among children less than 5 years of age hospitalized with acute respiratory illness or fever from October 2001 through September 2003. Nasal/throat swabs were obtained and tested for HRVs, as determined by means of RT-PCR and then characterized by means of partial sequencing. Results Of 1052 children enrolled and tested during the 2-year period, 167 (16%) had HRVs detected. Of 147 samples successfully sequenced, 64 were group A HRVs, 6 were group B HRVs, and 77 were HRVCs. Children with HRVCs were significantly more likely than those with group A HRVs to have underlying high-risk conditions, such as asthma (42% vs 23%, P = .023) and to have had a discharge diagnosis of asthma (55% vs 36%, P = .022). Conclusions Overall, HRVCs were detected in 7% of children hospitalized for fever or respiratory conditions and constituted almost half of all rhinovirus-associated hospitalizations, suggesting that this novel group causes a substantial burden of pediatric disease.
Attention and auditory evoked responses to low-detectability signals

Comparisons were made between cortical evoked responses obtained under two conditions: (1) while Ss were reading, and (2) while they were attempting to count auditory signals. The amplitudes of evoked responses to low-detectability auditory stimuli were found to be approximately doubled when the Ss were required to count the number of stimuli, as compared to amplitudes recorded when they were reading. The duration of the response was also markedly increased. These increases in response amplitude and duration are considerably greater than those observed in earlierexperiments, where high-levelsignalswere used. Inter-S variability of the waveform of the averageevoked response was observed to be much less when the Ss counted the stimuli. In another experiment the level of the auditory signalwas varied over a range of approximately +4 to -4 decibels relative to the listeners’ behavioral thresholds. The per cent of signalswhich they counted varied from near-zero to 100, over this range, and the evoked response concurrently showed a variation from “unmeasureable” to approximately 8 microvolts.
Processing effects on microstructure in Er and ErD2 thin-films

Erbium metal thin-films have been deposited on molybdenum-on-silicon substrates and then converted to erbium dideuteride (ErD{sub 2}). Here, we study the effects of deposition temperature ({approx}300 or 723 K) and deposition rate (1 or 20 nm/s) upon the initial Er metal microstructure and subsequent ErD{sub 2} microstructure. We find that low deposition temperature and low deposition rate lead to small Er metal grain sizes, and high deposition temperature and deposition rate led to larger Er metal grain sizes, consistent with published models of metal thin-film growth. ErD{sub 2} grain sizes are strongly influenced by the prior-metal grain size, with small metal grains leading to large ErD{sub 2} grains. A novel sample preparation technique for electron backscatter diffraction of air-sensitive ErD{sub 2} was developed, and allowed the quantitative measurement of ErD{sub 2} grain size and crystallographic texture. Finer-grained ErD{sub 2} showed a strong (1 1 1) fiber texture, whereas larger grained ErD{sub 2} had only weak texture. We hypothesize that this inverse correlation may arise from improved hydrogen diffusion kinetics in the more defective fine-grained metal structure or due to improved nucleation in the textured large-grain Er.
EPR Studies in Neutron-Irradiated Silicon: A Negative Charge State of a Nonplanar Five-Vacancy Cluster ( V 5 − )

EPR studies are carried out for the float-zone intrinsic silicon irradiated with reactor neutrons up to the total fluence ${10}^{18}$ n/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$. Details of the ${\mathrm{Si}}^{29}$ hyperfine structure and of the $g$ tensor in the $P\ensuremath{-}1$ spectrum are observed with respect to temperature from 77 to 350\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The anisotropy of the $g$ tensor and its continuous variation with temperatures are also discussed in terms of simple linear-combination-of-atomic-orbitals molecular orbitals and of the experimental results on the resonant wave function. In particular, the motional effect due to the electron-hopping between equivalent defect sites proposed by Nisenoff and Fan is not supported by these experiments, but an unusual thermal effect is observed in which the resonant-electron wave function is an average of both a ground and excited states, with the relative populations being proportional to the Boltzmann factor. The resonance properties of the pure ground state and pure excited state differ, which causes the $g$ and $A$ tensors to continuously vary with temperature and brings about a line broadening and narrowing in the hyperfine satellites as well as in the central lines. The line width broadening of the hyperfine lines is discussed on the basis that it is mainly due to transitions between the ground and excited electronic states. Based on the present results, a defect model for this center is established: a negative charge state of a nonplanar five-vacancy cluster.
Community participation: lip service?

Community participation is the cornerstone of primary health care, as defined by the World Health Organization. This article explores the concept of community participation and discusses the barriers and constraints to participation, as well as its implementation and health policy implications.
On a deficiency in unconditionally stable explicit time-integration methods in elastodynamics and heat transfer

On montre que les schemas d'integration (semi-) explicites stables pour les systemes d'equations generes par l'analyse par elements finis, souffrent du syndrome de Dufort-Frankh-Saul'ev, tandis que le couplage entre les discretisations spatiale et temporelle peut avoir un effet desastreux sur la precision des calculs
Cerebral blood flow changes during vagus nerve stimulation for depression

Positron emission tomography (PET oxygen-15 labeled water or PET [15O]H2O) was used to identify changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in response to acute vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) in four subjects with treatment-resistant major depression (TRMD). Four 90-s PET [15O]H2O scans were performed on each subject in an off-on sequence (2 VNS de-activated; 2 VNS activated). PET images were aligned, normalized for global uptake, and resampled to standard atlas space. Statistical t-images were used to evaluate change. VNS-induced increases in rCBF were found in the bilateral orbitofrontal cortex, bilateral anterior cingulate cortex, and right superior and medial frontal cortex. Decreases were found in the bilateral temporal cortex and right parietal area. Regions of change were consistent with brain structures associated with depression and the afferent pathways of the vagus nerve.
The stability in liver homogenates of indium-111 and yttrium-90 attached to antibody via two popular chelators

Abstract To investigate the influence of chelator on the stability in liver homogenates of 111 In and 90 Y-labeled antibodies, the C110 antibody was conjugated with the cyclic anhydride of DTPA (cDTPA) and with isocyanatobenzyl-DTPA (SCN-Bz-DTPA) and labeled with both radionuclides. After incubation in fresh liver homogenates at 37 °C for 1–2 days, the soluble fraction was analyzed by filtration, HPLC and TLC to determine the nature and extent of transchelation of the label and catabolism of the antibody. The loss of activity from antibody, as shown by passage through a low molecular weight (10kDa cut-off) filter, was 3–5 times more pronounced for 90 Y (51 and 68% at 1 and 2 days) than 111 In (11 and 29%, respectively). No significant difference was observed between chelators. Furthermore, analysis of these low molecular weight species showed that even at 1 day, 90 Y in contrast to 111 In was present as one or more weak complexes and therefore no longer chelated to either DTPA or Bz-DTPA. Little evidence was observed for instability in liver of the thiourea bond whereby SCN-Bz-DTPA is attached to the antibody. By contrast the identification of 111 In-DTPA in the homogenates demonstrates the instability of the amide bond generated by cDTPA conjugation. In conclusion, as expected, 90 Y was shown to form less stable chelates than 111 In, however, in this investigation the greater denticity of Bz-DTPA over DTPA did not improve stablity with either radiolabel.
Cementum, pulp, periodontal ligament, and bone response after direct injury with orthodontic anchorage screws: a histomorphologic study in an animal model.

Purpose To assess the histologic response of the periodontium, cementum, and pulp after intentional root injury with titanium screws. Materials and Methods Three female beagle dogs were used, and a total of 60 self-drilling/self-tapping miniscrews were manually inserted into the maxilla and the mandible with the intention of placement in close proximity or in direct contact with the roots. Digital radiographs were taken to select the sites with root injuries. After a 3-month period, the animals were killed and serial nondecalcified histologic sections were obtained with the miniscrew in place. Results Sixteen sites with significant root injury were identified. Four sites presented with cementum abrasion, 7 sites had dentin penetration up to 50% of the diameter of the screw, and 5 sites had miniscrew penetration into the pulp space with root fragmentation. At all damaged sites, continuous cementum repair could be observed. There was no evidence of external resorption or pulpal necrosis and/or inflammatory infiltrate. Point ankylosis was seen only in cases of severe injury with root fragmentation. Finally, woven bone was present along the miniscrew threads. Conclusion When titanium screws penetrate root cementum or dentin, pulpal necrosis and/or inflammation was not observed at 12 weeks in an animal model. Cementum regenerates at every injury site, but ankylosis can occur with root fragmentation. Woven bone is present at the screw-bone interface even with root contact suggesting osteointegration.
Topological equivalence of a structure-preserving power network model and a non-uniform Kuramoto model of coupled oscillators

We study synchronization in the classic structure-preserving power network model proposed by Bergen and Hill. We find that, locally near the synchronization manifold, the phase and frequency dynamics of the power network model are topologically conjugate to the phase dynamics of a non-uniform Kuramoto model together with decoupled and stable frequency dynamics. This topological conjugacy implies the equivalence of local synchronization in power networks and in non-uniform Kuramoto oscillators. Hence, we can harness the results available for Kuramoto oscillators to analyze synchronization in power networks. We establish necessary and sufficient conditions for phase synchronization, sufficient conditions for frequency synchronization, and necessary and sufficient conditions for frequency synchronization with a uniform topology. These conditions also extend the results known for the classic first-order Kuramoto model and second-order consensus protocols. Our conditions all share a common physical interpretation: the non-uniformity between real power injections has be compensated by sufficiently strong coupling.
Gammaglobulin for intravenous use induces an Fc γ receptor-specific decrement in phagocytosis by blood monocytes

Abstract Intravenous gammaglobulin (IVIG) increases the circulating platelet count in patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in association with mononuclear phagocyte system blockade and decreased blood monocyte phagocytosis. To investigate whether IVIG treatment induces an Fc receptor-specific defect or a generalized phagocytic dysfunction which might impair host defenses, we studied the influence of IVIG on Fc receptor-dependent and Fc receptor-independent internalization by monocytes. In purified monocytes incubated in suspension with IVIG (10 mg IgG/ml) for 48 hr, our data demonstrate that Fc receptor-mediated phagocytosis of IgG-sensitized erythrocytes (EA) is significantly decreased. By contrast, there was no significant change in the phagocytosis of neuraminidase-treated erythrocytes which are internalized via the B-glucan receptor. A similar decrease in EA ingestion was observed in adherent monocytes incubated with IVIG. By contrast, the capacity of IVIG-treated adherent monocytes to internalize tannic acid-treated erythrocytes, an Fc receptor-independent probe, was the same as that of control cells. These findings demonstrate that IVIG does not induce a generalized phagocytic blockade, but rather a selective deficit in Fc γ receptor-mediated internalization. Thus, Fc receptor-independent mechanisms may provide adequate mononuclear phagocyte system function for host defense in patients receiving IVIG.
Effect of Traction Load on the Biomechanical Behavior of Cervical, Thoracic, and Lumbar Spinal Segments: A Finite Element Analysis

Degeneration in the spinal structures can be a major source of pain that increases with aging in a roughly linear progression. Pain has been further correlated with the regions of high stress and strain concentrations. Due to difference in the regional anatomy and physiology of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar levels, their biomechanical response to physiological loadings is different. The fluid egresses outside in the radial direction from nucleus pulposus (NP) to annulus fibrosus (AF) under compression, which generates a hydrostatic pressure against an external applied load. The increased NP pressure, in many clinical cases, results into various abnormal disc pathologies such as protrusions and herniations. Chiropractic care in the management of these spinal dysfunctions uses manual manipulation therapies such as distraction techniques to relieve the disc from high pressure and radial bulging. Despite manual distraction therapy is a three-dimensional force application; major proportion of the load is exerted in the axial upward direction. Although few biomechanical studies have compared the segmental biomechanics under axial traction loads, to the best of our knowledge, there is no study that distinguishes between the behavior of cervical, thoracic, and lumbar segments to these loads. The objective of the present study, therefore, was to investigate that how the biomechanical stresses, that were developed under upper body weight (BW), changes in the various spinal segments (cervical, thoracic, and lumbar) and in the different spinal structures (top vertebra, superior endplate, and disc) when the traction forces were applied as the therapeutic modalities in the chiropractic interventions.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Perception of three-dimensional structure from optic flow without locally smooth velocity.

A common assumption in several analyses of optic flow is that the velocity field must be locally smooth in order to recover relative depth and the structure of surfaces in the environment. This study investigated the appropriateness of this constraint to human perception. In the first experiment, subjects were asked to identify the number of planes present in a display simulating one, two, three, four, or five overlapping, transparent planes. Subjects were able to detect the presence of up to three planes accurately for both horizontal and depth translations. In the second experiment, subjects' judgments of the depth separation of two transparent, overlapping planes increased with the simulated separation. In Experiment 3, subjects were able to determine accurately the sign of depth for two overlapping, transparent surfaces. These results suggest that a smoothness constraint is not required for the analysis of optic flow by human observers. Alternative approaches to the analysis of optic flow are discussed. Language: en
Orderly compression of the retinotectal projection following partial tectal ablation in the newborn hamster.

MANY hypotheses have been proposed to account for the development of the exquisitely specific systems of neuronal connections in the brain. Axons might read chemical labels on their target cells, attaching only to cells with a matching label1; axon and target cell populations might arrange a match without cell-to-cell specificity, using such mechanisms as differential advantage in competition for terminal space2,3; or some feature of the development and maturation of an axon and target system might produce ordered patterns of connectivity. The principal model system used to test these hypotheses has been the retinotectal projection of animals with nervous systems which are capable of regeneration, although it is not known whether this system in fact behaves like a developing nervous system. After removal of half the tectum in goldfish or frog, for example, an entire retina will compress its representation uniformly onto the remaining half tectum4,5. We have repeated this experiment in the developing mammalian brain, and have found that following a partial tectal ablation in a neonatal hamster, the projection from the retina to the superior colliculus will terminate in an orderly way in a smaller than normal tectal volume, as in goldfish and frog1,4. However, we have found preferential representation of nasal visual field which has not been reported in studies of non-mammalian animals in which the optic tract axons can regenerate. This may suggest some fundamental differences in developing and regenerating systems; in any case, it poses new problems for theories of neuronal specificity in developmental neurobiology.
Nutrient Intake among Pregnant Women

Abstract Providing all the critical nutrients during pregnancy is essential for the mother's and baby's health. Nutrition plays an important role in the outcome of pregnancy. Low birthweight (LBW), which is a common cause of infant morbidity and mortality in the United States, may be reduced if all the essential nutrients are available in sufficient amounts in the diets of pregnant women. There are many maternal risk factors which contribute to LBW and many are preventable. In addition to poor nutrition, poor maternal health and substance abuse during pregnancy can contribute to delivering babies with lower than normal weight, less than 5 1/2 pounds or 2500 grams. The purpose of this study is therefore, to identify some of these risk factors such as poor nutrient intake of the mothers, inadequate weight gain, and insufficient prenatal care during pregnancy. Demographic and nutrient intake data were obtained from 215 pregnant women, average age of 24±5.5 years, enrolled in a hospital-based prenatal clinic. Thirty two percent (32%) of participants were smoking cigarettes, 17% were drinking alcohol, and 11% used drugs during pregnancy. Nutrient intake records were obtained from food frequency questionnaires and analyzed with the Nutrient Analysis System II (NAS II) computer program. While other nutrients seemed sufficient in the diets of these women, two very essential nutrients, iron and zinc, were below the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for pregnancy. Average iron and zinc dietary intake were low, 56.5%±22 of the RDA and 62% ± 36 respectively. Correlation between birth weight and calcium intake was r=0.34 and for other nutrients it was lower. Average weight gain for mothers was normal for gestational age and average birth weight was 3.26±0.78 kilograms. Other research studies report a positive correlation between iron and zinc intake and infant birth weight. Although our study did not show a strong relationship between these nutrients and birth weight, this study, however, supports previous findings that essential nutrients such as iron and zinc are often low in the diets of pregnant women.
A Semiautomated Reflectance Colorimetric Method for the Determination of Lipase Activity in Milk

Abstract Measurement of heat-stable lipase activity in dairy products relies on methods that are slow or that cannot be used in turbid solutions, which limits their industrial value. A need exists for a rapid, simple, informative assay to detect lipase activity in dairy products. In this study, we observed that hydrolysis of p -nitrophenyl esters, monitored by reflectance colorimetry, was linearly correlated to spectrophotometry (R 2 =0.93) and release of titratable FFA (R 2 =0.92 to 0.97), indicating that chromogenic substrates were useful in determining lipase activity. However, at the concentrations reported in milk, FFA inhibited p -nitrophenyl caprylate hydrolysis, which led to an underestimation of lipase activity in milk that had previously undergone lipolysis. Milk fat also significantly reduced hydrolysis of the chromogenic substrates tested but could be accounted for by a correction equation. To demonstrate the use of the assay, lipase activity in UHT skim milk inoculated with Pseudomonas fluorescens AFT36 was followed using reflectance colorimetry and tributyrin agar. Lipase activity increased as cell numbers increased during 106h of incubation. Extracellular lipase activity was detected after 10h of incubation using reflectance colorimetry, but 28h were required using tributyrin agar. Reflectance colorimetry and chromogenic substrates allowed a rapid, sensitive, and meaningful detection of esterase and lipase activity in milk.
Magic Squares with Magic Inverses

Characteristic polynomials are used to determine when magic squares have magic inverses. A resulting method constructs arbitrary examples of such squares.
Randomized controlled trial of benzocaine versus placebo spray for pain relief at hysterosalpingogram

Many women experience pain during hysterosalpingogram (HSG). This prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study assessed whether the use of benzocaine spray during HSG is associated with reduced pain as compared with placebo. Thirty women presenting for HSG were enrolled and randomized to either benzocaine or saline spray. Treatment groups were similar in age, race, parity, pre-procedure oral analgesic use and history of dysmenorrhoea and/or chronic pelvic pain. Median change in pain score from baseline to procedure was 50.6mm (-7.4 to 98.8mm) in the benzocaine group and 70.4mm (19.8 to 100mm) in the placebo group. There was no difference between groups after adjusting for history of dysmenorrhoea. There was no difference in resolution of pain in benzocaine versus placebo groups at 5 min post procedure--median pain score difference -11.1 (-90.1 to 18.5) versus -37.0 (-100 to 1.2)--or at 30 min post procedure. Satisfaction scores did not differ by treatment and did not correlate with pain score during the procedure (rho=0.005). The use of benzocaine spray does not significantly improve pain relief during HSG nor does it hasten resolution of pain post HSG. Of interest, patient satisfaction was not correlated with pain. Many women experience pain during hysterosalpingogram (HSG), which is a test used to evaluate the uterine cavity and fallopian tube. We conducted a prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study to assess whether the use of benzocaine spray during HSG is associated with reduced pain as compared with placebo. Thirty women presenting for HSG were enrolled and randomized to either benzocaine or saline spray. Treatment groups were similar in age, race, previous pregnancies, pre-procedure oral analgesic use and history of dysmenorrhoea (painful periods) and/or chronic pelvic pain. There was no difference in pain scores or resolution of pain between the two groups. Satisfaction scores did not differ by treatment group and did not correlate with the pain score during the procedure. We conclude that the use of benzocaine spray does not significantly improve pain relief during HSG nor does it hasten resolution of pain post HSG. Of interest, patient satisfaction was not correlated with pain.
Groundwater treatment by reverse osmosis

Abstract An experimental study was undertaking over 12 months in a two-stage reverse osmosis module in the beverage industry. The groundwater was treated by reverse osmosis to eliminate the water solutes. The obtained results showed that the reverse osmosis process is well adapted for this treatment; the retention is more than 95% for the totality of solutes (the total conductivity decreased from 1070 μs/cm to 33 μs/cm). However, we observed fouling phenomena expressed in a decrease in the permeate flow. In addition, the mass balance carried out showed that the fouling principal factor is limestone scale on the membrane surface. The fouling evolution with time was modelled and presented by the R f / R m ratio variation.
High performance in screening for colorectal cancer: a Practice Partner Research Network (PPRNet) case study.

Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is recommended for average-risk adults age 50 and older, yet half of eligible US adults are not current. This case study of highest performing practices within the Colorectal Screening in Primary Care study (C-TRIP) explains practice strategies used and provides a model for improving CRC screening in primary care. Methods: A case study design was used to analyze practice performance data and qualitative data obtained from site visits, network meetings, and correspondence. The Practice Partner Research Network (PPRNet) Translating Research into Practice (TRIP) Quality Improvement (QI) model provided an analytic framework to evaluate the 5 highest-performing practices in the C-TRIP intervention. Practice strategies were grouped within the concepts: prioritize performance (PP), redesign delivery system (RDS), electronic medical record tools (EMR), and activate the patient (AP). Results: Thirteen specific practice strategies were exemplified within these four concepts (PP, RDS, EMR, AP). Most or all of these strategies were used by practices that achieved the highest proportion (up to 78%) of adults screened for CRC. Conclusions: Primary care practices achieving a high proportion of CRC screening use systematic processes in the organization of their care. This case study provides a framework to organize systems that increase early detection and prevention of colorectal cancer.
A Kind of Rapid Beer Bottle Mouth Defect Recognition Method Based on Vision

In order to improve the beer bottle mouth defect testing speed on production line, in this paper a new fast detection method based on machine vision was presented. The method made full use of the circle center symmetry of the annular region on bottle mouth, in which only pixels position in 1/8 bottle mouth area were needed to obtain the whole pixels location on the circular area. By this way much a lot time were saved. The implementation steps were described in detail. Experiments and analysis shows: the method could recognize the defect on beer bottle mouth accurately and quickly.
Runx1 C-terminal Domains During Hematopoietic Development and Leukemogenesis: A Dissertation

Runx1 is a master regulator of hematopoiesis, required for the initiation of definitive hematopoiesis in the embryo and essential for appropriate differentiation of many hematopoietic lineages in the adult. The roles of Runx1 in normal hematopoiesis are juxtaposed with the high frequency of Runx1 mutations and translocations in leukemia. Leukemia associated Runx1 mutations that retain DNA-binding ability have truncations or frame shifts that lose C-terminal domains. These domains are important for subnuclear localization of Runx1 and protein interactions with co-factors. The majority of leukemia associated Runx1 translocations also replace the C-terminus of Runx1 with chimeric fusion proteins. The common loss of Runx1 C-terminal domains in hematopoietic diseases suggests a possible common mechanism. We developed a panel of mutations to test the functions of these domains in vitro, and then developed mouse models to examine the consequences of losing Runx1 C-terminal domains on hematopoietic development and leukemogenesis in vivo. We previously observed that overexpression of a subnuclear targeting defective mutant of Runx1 in a myeloid progenitor cell line blocks differentiation. Gene expression analysis before differentiation was initiated revealed that the mutant Runx1 was already deregulating genes important for maturation. Furthermore, promoters of the suppressed
Relapse and Morbidity in Patients Undergoing Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Alone or With Axillary Dissection for Breast Cancer

Hypothesis Axillary relapse in node-negative patients staged with sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy alone is no more frequent than in patients treated with standard axillary dissection. Morbidity is less for patients who had SLN biopsy. Design, Setting, and Patients Between October 14, 1997, and August 31, 2001, 1253 consecutive women with primary invasive breast cancer were prospectively entered into an SLN biopsy database. Completion axillary dissection was performed in 164 patients after SLN biopsy as part of a training protocol. Interventions Patients were contacted by questionnaire or telephone to determine breast cancer relapse; presence of arm lymphedema, arm pain, axillary infection, or seroma formation; and tumor recurrence or death. Main Outcome Measures χ 2 or Fisher exact tests and Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used to analyze categorical and continuous variables. Logistic regression was used to analyze morbidity. Results Of 1253 women, 894 (71%) were node negative by SLN biopsy alone (n = 730 [82%]) or SLN biopsy and completion axillary dissection (n = 164 [18%]). Questionnaires were completed by 776 patients (87%). Mean ± SD follow-up was 2.4 ± 0.9 years. Patients with axillary dissections reported a significantly higher occurrence of arm lymphedema (34%), arm pain (38%), seroma formation (24%), and infection (9%) vs SLN biopsy–only patients (6%, 14%, 7%, and 3%, respectively). One axillary relapse (0.1%) occurred during follow-up of 685 women who underwent SLN biopsy only. Conclusions With intermediate-term follow-up, there was 1 axillary recurrence in 685 SLN node-negative women, supporting use of SLN biopsy as an accurate method for staging breast cancer. Biopsy of the SLN was associated with significantly less morbidity than completion axillary dissection.
Disulfide bonds: key to wheat protein functionality.

Disulfide bonds in wheat proteins are major factors that determine the properties of the proteins and their functionality in wheat flour. The gliadin proteins contain mostly intramolecular disulfide bonds. in contrast, the high-molecular-weight glutenins are formed by disulfide linkages of several diverse polypeptide chains which have been separated and characterized. The linkage of these proteins in a fairly linear array contributes to the unique viscoelastic properties of glutenin. The glutenin has been separated into two fractions differing in molecular weight. the amount of highest molecular weight component is correlated with the rheological behavior of the flours from different wheat varieties. Various oxidizing and reducing agents are widely used to alter the functional behavior of wheat proteins by the action on sulfhydryl and disulfide groups.
Effects of Site, Vendor, and Consumer Characteristics on Web Site Trust and Disclosure:

This study examines the role that communication plays in fostering trust and disclosure in electronic commerce exchanges. In particular, this research explores how characteristics of online vendors and consumers interact with Web site communications to affect consumer behavior online. The study relies on two relatively recent models of electronic exchange, the Internet consumer trust model and the electronic exchange model, to examine the effectiveness of certain trust and assurance mechanisms (i.e., privacy policies and seals), as well as e-tailer reputation and individuals' concern for privacy and data security, on trust and disclosure of personal information to commercial Web sites. Results suggest that the vendor characteristic of reputation is important in influencing e-tailer trust and that the content of privacy assurances do not affect trust or disclosure. The findings have important implications for both theoretical models of electronic exchange and for firms engaged in electronic commerce.
Speaker Identification Within Whispered Speech Audio Streams

Whisper is an alternative speech production mode used by subjects in natural conversation to protect the privacy. Due to the profound differences between whisper and neutral speech in both excitation and vocal tract function, the performance of speaker identification systems trained with neutral speech degrades significantly. In this paper, a seamless neutral/whisper mismatched closed-set speaker recognition system is developed. First, performance characteristics of a neutral trained closed-set speaker ID system based on an Mel-frequency cepstral coefficient-Gaussian mixture model (MFCC-GMM) framework is considered. It is observed that for whisper speaker recognition, performance degradation is concentrated for only a subset of speakers. Next, it is shown that the performance loss for speaker identification in neutral/whisper mismatched conditions is focused on phonemes other than low-energy unvoiced consonants. In order to increase system performance for unvoiced consonants, an alternative feature extraction algorithm based on linear and exponential frequency scales is applied. The acoustic properties of misrecognized and correctly recognized whisper are analyzed in order to develop more effective processing schemes. A two-dimensional feature space is proposed in order to predict on which whispered utterances the system will perform poorly, with evaluations conducted to measure the quality of whispered speech. Finally, a system for seamless neutral/whisper speaker identification is proposed, resulting in an absolute improvement of 8.85%-10.30% for speaker recognition, with the best closed set speaker ID performance of 88.35% obtained for a total of 961 read whisper test utterances, and 83.84% using a total of 495 spontaneous whisper test utterances.
On-column protein refolding for crystallization.

One major bottleneck in protein production in Escherichia coli for structural genomics projects is the formation of insoluble protein aggregates (inclusion bodies). The efficient refolding of proteins from inclusion bodies is becoming an important tool that can provide soluble native proteins for structural and functional studies. Here we report an on-column refolding method established at the Berkeley Structural Genomics Center (BSGC). Our method is a combination of an ‘artificial chaperone-assisted refolding’ method previously proposed and affinity chromatography to take advantage of a chromatographic step: less time-consuming, no filtration or concentration, with the additional benefit of protein purification. It can be easily automated and formatted for high-throughput process.
Movement as dance

W e were designed to move. Our physical selves hunger for movement and our psyches are deprived if the experience of moving as an integrated being is never realized. As infants, nature rewards our non-purposeful movement by promising pleasure. If this were not so, the developmental process could not take place. But we leave behind the practice of moving just because it feels good for more task-oriented motives. Once we leave childhood we seldom move just for the rewards inherent in the doing. Our storehouse of movement in terms of physical range and variety shrinks, while inversely we are collecting life's experiences. We really need a number of media, among them movement, with which to express our responses.
Triplet-State EPR Study of the Effect of Deuteration on the Phase Transition in Anthracene-TCNB Crystals

Abstract A triplet-state EPR investigation of the effect of anthracene deuteration on the phase transition in anthracene-TCNB crystals has shown that: (1) The transition temperature is lowered by 28 K, (2) the two phases coexist over a 10 K temperature range, and (3) two distinct sets (excitons and X-traps) of symmetry-related triplet states are populated in the low temperature phase.
Bowyer: a planning tool for bridging the gap between declarative and procedural domains

Traditionally, there have been two large obstacles faced in attempting to apply AI techniques to games and other virtual environments. The first obstacle is the gap between the largely declarative representations used by many AI techniques and the largely procedural approaches used in virtual environments. The second obstacle is the gap between the skill sets and knowledge bases of the two domain experts with AI researchers often lacking experience using virtual environment APIs and development environments and virtual environments developers often lacking significant AI knowledge. In this paper we present Bowyer, a tool designed to address these two obstacles to the integration of AI planning algorithms into virtual environments. Bowyer bridges the gap between the declarative representations in a planning domain and the procedural framework of a virtual environment via the use of code generation techniques. Bowyer's functionality also allows planning researchers to integrate their planning research into virtual environments without the need to have extensive knowledge of virtual environment development.
Determination of network state in switching power converters

In this paper an algorithm for piecewise-linear network state-determination is presented. The algorithm is capable of solving networks that contain piecewise-linear elements with discontinuous characteristics, frequently encountered in power electronics. No prior knowledge about the network operation is required. The algorithm has been implemented in a time-domain simulator for power electronic networks. Application examples with relatively complex power converters are presented. >
Photochemical behavior of nanoscale TiO2 and ZnO sunscreen ingredients

Abstract Most commercial sunscreens that use inorganic pigments (TiO2 and ZnO) employ materials with nanoscale dimensions so that the products are both transparent and smooth upon application. However, certain types of TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles are well known for their ability to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon UV illumination. Consumers would not be protected from the adverse effects of sun exposures if photoactive nanomaterials were employed in sunscreens. To evaluate whether this is the case, eight different commercial sunscreens, as well as nanoscale pigments derived from these products, were exposed to ultraviolet light and evaluated for ROS production. Redundant and complementary assays for detecting reactive oxygen species included dichlorofluorescein fluorescence, luminol chemiluminescence, and the decolorization of dyes (Congo red and Rose Bengal). Additionally, spin trap (POBN and DMPO) electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy provided quantitative measures of ROS generation upon UV illumination. Nanoscale TiO2 from neat sunscreens was relatively inactive upon illumination; inert oxide coatings such as alumina and silica apparently render the titania surfaces non-reactive. In contrast, ZnO derived from sunscreens produced substantial amounts of ROS upon UVA illumination. The photocatalytic activity of nanoscale ZnO suggests that more effective sunscreens would rely on strategies, such as surface coatings, designed to limit its ROS generation under ultraviolet illumination. Finally, the simple chemical assays presented here are ideal screening tools for ensuring sunscreen pigments were inert under ultraviolet illumination.
Prospects for progress in diagnostic imaging

New fast-imaging MRI systems designed specifically for cardiac magnetic resonance enable new applications of noninvasive vascular imaging. The use of functional MRI and diffusion tensor imaging to map brain function and structure offers a new dimension to an understanding of the human condition. Clinical applications of functional MRI will influence many specialties including surgery, education, and rehabilitation. Functional imaging has the potential to visualize the regional concentration of specific proteins. This imaging at the level of molecules may be possible by use of a contrast material whose signal is changed by local enzymatic activity. The three-dimensional digital data collected in modern imaging techniques allow for virtual endoscopy in the respiratory, alimentary, and cardiovascular systems. Virtual endoscopy may replace many of the more invasive diagnostic methods in the near future. The measurement of clinical decision-making through observer performance studies better informs both the physician and the patient on how to improve upon the quality of clinical practice. These prospects for progress reinforce diagnostic imaging as a cornerstone in medical informatics. The history of creating images used in medicine reveals the invention of diagnostic tools which may provide new information but premature use can result in improper application of a poorly understood technology. Research into the use of new technology may be as important as the technology itself in improving the human condition.
The T-T pyrimidine (6–4) pyrimidinone UV photoproduct is much less mutagenic in yeast than in Escherichia coli

We have examined the mutagenic properties of the T-T pyrimidine (6-4) pyrimidinone UV photoproduct in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, transforming the yeast cells either with single-stranded vectors that carried this adduct at a unique site or with gapped duplex vectors in which the adduct was located within a 28 nt single-stranded region. In an earlier study with SOS-induced Escherichia coli, we found that this photoproduct is highly mutagenic, specifically generating 3' T-->C substitutions in >85% of replicated molecules, and ascribed this specificity to the formation of a stable guanine-pyrimidinone mispair via hydrogen bonds at N-3 and O-2. In contrast, this adduct is very much less mutagenic in yeast, with 60-70% of molecules being replicated accurately and only 12-20% of them exhibiting 3' T-->C substitutions. The enhanced accuracy may reflect the ability of a yeast DNA polymerase, but not E.coli DNA polymerase III, to trap the adduct in a configuration favorable for the formation of an adenine-pyrimidinone base pair.
Accuracy of parents in measuring body temperature with a tympanic thermometer

It is now common for parents to measure tympanic temperatures in children. The objective of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of these measurements. Parents and then nurses measured the temperature of 60 children with a tympanic thermometer designed for home use (home thermometer). The reference standard was a temperature measured by a nurse with a model of tympanic thermometer commonly used in hospitals (hospital thermometer). A difference of ≥ 0.5 °C was considered clinically significant. A fever was defined as a temperature ≥ 38.5 °C. The mean absolute difference between the readings done by the parent and the nurse with the home thermometer was 0.44 ± 0.61 °C, and 33% of the readings differed by ≥ 0.5 °C. The mean absolute difference between the readings done by the parent with the home thermometer and the nurse with the hospital thermometer was 0.51 ± 0.63 °C, and 72 % of the readings differed by ≥ 0.5 °C. Using the home thermometer, parents detected fever with a sensitivity of 76% (95% CI 50–93%), a specificity of 95% (95% CI 84–99%), a positive predictive value of 87% (95% CI 60–98%), and a negative predictive value of 91% (95% CI 79–98 %). In comparing the readings the nurse obtained from the two different tympanic thermometers, the mean absolute difference was 0.24 ± 0.22 °C. Nurses detected fever with a sensitivity of 94% (95 % CI 71–100 %), a specificity of 88% (95% CI 75–96 %), a positive predictive value of 76% (95% CI 53–92%), and a negative predictive value of 97% (95%CI 87–100 %) using the home thermometer. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the three sets of readings was 0.80, and the consistency of readings was not affected by the body temperature. The readings done by parents with a tympanic thermometer designed for home use differed a clinically significant amount from the reference standard (readings done by nurses with a model of tympanic thermometer commonly used in hospitals) the majority of the time, and parents failed to detect fever about one-quarter of the time. Tympanic readings reported by parents should be interpreted with great caution.
Structure/Function Studies of Lea Proteins

Over 10 years ago several families of proteins that accumulate to high levels during the maturation phase of cotton embryogenesis were identified by 2D gel electrophoresis (Dure et al. 1981). These proteins could be induced to accumulate earlier in embryogenesis when immature embryos were dissected and incubated in dilute solutions of ABA (without ABA, the embryos germinate precociously). Subsequently, cDNA representatives of many of these protein families were obtained by subtractive hybridization and identified by hybrid arrested translation (Galau et al. 1986). To reflect the developmental period of high accumulation, these protein families were named Lea, mnemonic for late embryogenesis abundant; likewise lea genes and mRNAs. By 1988 a representative gene from each of six different lea families had been sequenced and their amino acid sequence deduced (Baker et al. 1988). In the last several years a large number of gene sequences have been reported that are homologous to the sequenced lea gene families. Many were uncovered in studies designed to find genes whose expression is up-regulated in response to water stress, salt stress and cold stress. In most all cases, the high expression of these genes was found to be up-regulated by exogenous ABA as well. Furthermore, the stress-induced expression of these genes was found initially in non-seed tissues.
Electroconvulsive Seizure Behavior in Drosophila: Analysis of the Physiological Repertoire Underlying a Stereotyped Action Pattern in Bang-Sensitive Mutants

Drosophila bang-sensitive mutants display a remarkable stereotyped behavioral sequence during mechanical disturbances. This seizure repertoire consists of initial and delayed bouts of spasm interposed with paralysis and followed by recovery of activity and a period of refractoriness to further stimulation. Electroconvulsive stimuli across the brain induced a similar seizure behavior in tethered flies, in which corresponding electrophysiological events could be readily recorded in indirect flight muscles [dorsal longitudinal muscles (DLMs)] of the giant fiber (GF) pathway. The DLM physiological repertoire consisted of initial and delayed discharges (IDs and DDs), a response failure and recovery, followed by a refractory period. Interestingly, wild-type flies also displayed the same electroconvulsive repertoire, albeit inducible only at higher stimulus intensities and with briefer expression. The DLM repertoire presumably originated from activities of distinct neural circuits subserving normal function and reflected the general sequence of excitation and depression of the nervous system as a whole, as shown by simultaneous recordings along the different body axes. The well characterized GF pathway facilitated localization of circuits responsible for response failure and ID and DD motor patterns by surgical manipulations, recording-stimulating site analysis, and genetic mosaic studies. A flight pattern generator is most likely the major contributor to shaping the DD pattern, with modifications by active integration of individual motor neurons and associated interneurons. The robust electroconvulsive repertoire of DLMs provides a convenient window for further genetic analysis of the interacting neural mechanisms underlying a stereotyped action pattern in Drosophila, which shows striking parallels with aspects of seizure in mammalian species.