cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Crystal Structure of Mitochondrial Fission Complex Reveals Scaffolding Function for Mitochondrial Division 1 (Mdv1) Coiled Coil

The mitochondrial fission machinery is best understood in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, where Fis1, Mdv1, and Dnm1 are essential components. Fis1 is a mitochondrial outer membrane protein that recruits the dynamin-related GTPase Dnm1 during the fission process. This recruitment occurs via Mdv1, which binds both Fis1 and Dnm1 and therefore functions as a molecular adaptor linking the two molecules. Mdv1 has a modular structure, consisting of an N-terminal extension that binds Fis1, a central coiled coil for dimerization, and a C-terminal WD40 repeat region that binds Dnm1. We have solved the crystal structure of a dimeric Mdv1-Fis1 complex that contains both the N-terminal extension and coiled-coil regions of Mdv1. Consistent with previous studies, Mdv1 binds Fis1 through a U-shaped helix-loop-helix motif, and dimerization of the Mdv1-Fis1 complex is mediated by the antiparallel coiled coil of Mdv1. However, the complex is surprisingly compact and rigid due to two additional contacts mediated by the surface of the Mdv1 coiled coil. The coiled coil packs against both Fis1 and the second helix of the Mdv1 helix-loop-helix motif. Mutational analyses showed that these contacts are important for mitochondrial fission activity. These results indicate that, in addition to dimerization, the unusually long Mdv1 coiled coil serves a scaffolding function to stabilize the Mdv1-Fis1 complex.
Water chemistry analysis of an industrial selective flocculation dispersion hematite ore concentrator plant

Abstract Hematite ore selective flocculation-dispersion process water is a complex system of ions and reagents working together to produce a concentrated iron oxide product. The purpose of this study was to determine the process water concentrations of the important ionic species in a selective flocculation–dispersion hematite ore concentrating plant while process conditions were stable. This information was used to provide a detailed water chemistry analysis and to further understand how water quality affects the process. An analysis of the water chemistry of an operating selective flocculation-dispersion iron ore concentration plant has never before been published. The pH of the process water was the most important factor in the selective flocculation and dispersion process because, according to prior studies, it has a direct relationship with the surface chemistry of the particles ( Carlson, 2010 ). The pH also had a direct relationship with the solubilities of both calcium and magnesium in the process. Water hardness was significantly increased with the addition of calcite/dolomite flux which may cause issues in pelletization and in the reuse water. Soluble iron was removed in the flotation circuit suggesting that it may have been oxidized during flotation or it may have been absorbed by the collector.
Factors related to public health data sharing between local and state health departments.

The public health system is at risk for being left behind technologically. The health care sector is progressing toward a foundation of interoperable information technology under the Meaningful Use incentive program. As a result of electronic health record (EHR) adoption, the use of information and data sharing capabilities will dramatically increase for numerous health care providers. The potential benefit to public health is a justification for the incentive program, and providers will have to report selected data to public health agencies to demonstrate their meaningful use (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 2011a,2011b). While data and information capacity are increasing in the health care system, no parallel federal funding mechanism exists for ensuring the same capacities in the public health system (Lenert and Sundwall 2012). Furthermore, little research sheds light on the extent to which the public health community is even ready or capable of being connected to other organizations’ information technology and systems (IT/IS). This study provides a look at that situation by examining what factors contribute to public health organizations’ data exchange capabilities. Understanding how organizations within the public health system share data with each other can guide efforts to improve data exchange within, across, and beyond the public health system. Using secondary datasets, the breadth and depth of the IT/IS issues emerge that must be addressed to connect the health care system with the public health community.
Shared thinking: Community and institutional variations

This article focuses on the interpersonal processes of coordinating shared thinking in group activities. We examine variations in several sociocultural settings in how children and adults build on each other's ideas in shared endeavors. First we contrast two models of instruction. One involves participants’ building on ideas in shared endeavors, based on the theoretical perspective that learning entails transformation of participation in sociocultural activities. The other mode] of instruction, in which teachers transmit information and test for its receipt, is based on the theoretical perspective that learning occurs through transmission of information from an expert. We discuss this contrast using observations made in several different communities and institutions. These include observations of toddlers and caregivers in a Mayan and a middle‐class European‐American community in terms of their provision of lessons and alert participation in a group, and observations in elementary school classrooms in Jap...
Possible relationship between glial cells, dopamine and the effects of antipsychotic drugs.

THE hypothesis that a functional excess of dopamine underlies many of the abnormalities seen in schizophrenia is receiving much attention. The supporting evidence is principally pharmacological. There is a correlation between antipsychotic drug action and the ability of a neuroleptic drug to block dopaminergic transmission1–3. The exact site of antipsychotic drug activity is not known and evidence for the presynaptic inhibition of dopamine release4, as well as the blockade of postsynaptic receptors5,6 has been presented to explain neuroleptic drug action. Studies of binding properties of the dopamine receptor, however, provide a coherent explanation of neuroleptic drug action. Butyrophenones, phenothiazines, thioxanines and diphenyl-butylpiperadines inhibit 3H-haloperidol binding to a central nervous system (CNS) membrane fraction in exactly the order of their clinical potency7–10: the inhibition occurs at drug concentrations similar to those expected in the CNS of patients taking these drugs. These results with 3H-haloperidol, a dopamine antagonist, are used to argue that neuroleptics bind to postsynaptic dopamine receptors, and are effective by decreasing the activity of pathways using dopamine as their neurotransmitter. On the other hand, dopamine-sensitive adenylate cyclase is associated with the postsynaptic receptors5,11, yet the inhibition of this enzyme by neuroleptic butyrophenones does not correlate with in vivo or clinical potency. The difference between butyrophenone inhibition of 3H-haloperidol binding and inhibition of adenylate cyclase has been attributed to “variable degrees of coupling of dopamine receptor sites with the adenylate cyclase”9. Alternatively, there could be several dopamine sensitive adenylate cyclases with differing binding affinities and localisations : this is suggested by the presence of this enzyme in several tissue culture lines of glia12. Lesion studies show that the enzyme is not localised presynaptically in the caudate nucleus13 or in the substantia nigra14. The only defined dopaminergic receptors in the substantia nigra are localised on dopaminergic neurones15, and the elimination of these cells as the site of the enzyme was established by unilateral injections of 6-hydroxydopamine which removed these cells14. It therefore seems necessary to define more exactly the site of the dopamine binding receptor and the dopamine-stimulated adenylate cyclase. We report here that a large proportion of CNS dopamine haloperidol binding sites seem to be present on glial membranes and may be associated with an adenylate cyclase localised on these membranes.
Experimental results for correlation-based wavefront sensing

Correlation wave-front sensing can improve Adaptive Optics (AO) system performance in two keys areas. For point-source-based AO systems, Correlation is more accurate, more robust to changing conditions and provides lower noise than a centroiding algorithm. Experimental results from the Lick AO system and the SSHCL laser AO system confirm this. For remote imaging, Correlation enables the use of extended objects for wave-front sensing. Results from short horizontal-path experiments will show algorithm properties and requirements.
Scapular Dysfunction in Throwers With Pathologic Internal Impingement

Study Design: Case control group study. Objectives: To compare scapular position and orientation between baseball players with and without pathologic internal impingement. Background: Scapular dysfunction has been implicated as a contributor to throwing-related pathologic internal impingement of the shoulder due to its role in increasing the contact between the greater tuberosity and posterior-superior glenoid, thereby impinging the posterior rotator cuff tendon(s) and labrum. However, to date, no definitive data demonstrate this scapular dysfunction in throwing athletes. The purpose of this study was to assess, in a controlled laboratory environment, whether scapular position and orientation would be different in throwing athletes diagnosed with pathologic internal impingement than in a control group of throwing athletes. Methods and Measures: Eleven throwing athletes diagnosed with pathologic internal impingement, using both clinical examination and a magnetic resonance arthrogram, were demographically matched with a control group of 11 throwers with no history of upper extremity injury. An electromagnetic tracking device was used to measure scapular internal/external rotation, anterior/ posterior tilt, upward/downward rotation, sternoclavicular protraction/retraction, and elevation/ depression during humeral elevation within the scapular plane. Comparisons were made between groups with analysis of variance models (P.05). Results: The individuals in the pathologic internal impingement group demonstrated statistically significant increased sternoclavicular elevation when elevating their humerus from 30° to 120° ( P=. 002) and from 60° to 120° ( P=. 003), compared to the control group. Furthermore, these patients also had increased posterior scapular tilt position ( P= .016). No statistically significant differences were present in any other scapular variables measured. Conclusions: Based on the results of this study, throwing athletes diagnosed with pathologic internal impingement present with statistically significant increases in sternoclavicular elevation and scapular posterior tilt position during humeral elevation in the scapular plane. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2006;36(7):485-494. doi:10.2519/jospt.2006.2146
COMPOSITION OF MAGNESIAN CALCITES OF ALGAE AND PELECYPODS BY ELECTRON MICROPROBE ANALYSIS1

SUMMARY Electron microprobe analyses of skeletal carbonate structures in coralline algae and pelecypods show that the magnesian content of the calcite depends on skeletal growth rates. Growth rate is a function of certain variables, including water temperature, light, and physiological cycles. The Mg-content of calcareous sediment from specific organisms is not, therefore, mainly dependent on water temperature, as is generally believed, but also on the other factors affecting growth.
Effects of specific prostaglandins on development of chick embryo skin and down feather organ, in vitro.

Abstract Two prostaglandins, PGE 1 and PGE 1 -278, derivatives of fatty acids, when applied in culture to back skin of the chick embryo, stimulate epidermal proliferation and keratinization. Development of the down feather organ is completely blocked. No histochemical differences were found between treated and control skins which could be attributed to treatment of the tissues by the prostaglandins. The effects are equivocal in cultures using embryonic extract or Waymouth's 752 chemically defined medium. Chemical specificity is indicated by the fact that additional compounds including three other prostaglandins, norepinephrine, and linoleic acid produce no effects on the cultured skins.
Use of antibiotic-loaded polymethylmethacrylate beads for the treatment of extracavitary prosthetic vascular graft infections

Purpose This study was conducted to assess the efficacy of antibiotic-loaded polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) beads in the management of lower extremity extracavitary prosthetic arterial graft infection. Methods This was a retrospective review of 34 patients treated for vascular surgical site (VSS) infections involving 36 prosthetic lower extremity arterial bypasses using antibiotic-loaded PMMA beads and culture-specific parenteral antibiotics for 4 to 6 weeks. Sites of graft infection were explored, debrided, and cultured. As determined from the results of Gram's stains of VSS purulence, PMMA powder was polymerized with an antibiotic (vancomycin, daptomycin, or tobramycin/gentamicin, or a combination), molded into a chain of beads, and implanted adjacent to the infected graft after debridement and pulsed-spray antibacterial lavage. All wounds were closed primarily with planned exploration to verify sterilization before a graft preservation or in situ replacement procedure. Treatment outcomes, including wound sterilization, were analyzed based on tissue culture isolates, procedures for persistent infection, and freedom from graft infection. Results Cultures isolated 42 pathogens, (32 gram-positive, 9 gram-negative, 1 Candida albicans) with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) cultured from 16 (44%) of 36 surgical site infections. As determined from the initial operative Gram's stain or a prior culture result, vancomycin PMMA beads were implanted in 29 of 36 VSS infections at the first procedure; daptomycin (n = 4) or tobramycin (n = 3) beads were implanted in the rest. Repeat VSS exploration and culture results led to an average of 2.5 antibiotic bead replacements before definitive treatment. A sterile (no growth on tissue culture) VSS was achieved in 87% of cases before a graft preservation (n = 16) or in-situ replacement of an infected graft (n = 20) procedure. No patient deaths occurred. Early and late limb salvage was 100%. Infection recurred in 4 (11%) VSSs during a mean 23-month follow-up period, one within 3 months owing to unrecognized bowel injury associated with in situ replacement of an aortofemoral graft limb. Conclusion Antibiotic-loaded PMMA beads may be a useful adjunct in the contemporary surgical management of VSS infection involving a prosthetic graft. Wound sterilization was achieved in most VSSs before graft preservation or an in-situ replacement procedure, including infections caused by MRSA, a pathogen isolated in half of the extracavitary prosthetic graft infections. This preliminary trial shows the potential benefit of this new technique, but further study is required to prove efficacy.
Evaluation of the Dade MicroScan MICroSTREP Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Panel with Selected Streptococcus pneumoniae Challenge Strains and Recent Clinical Isolates

The MicroScan MICroSTREP panel is a recently marketed frozen broth microdilution panel for susceptibility testing of various streptococci, including Streptococcus pneumoniae. The panel contains 10 antimicrobial agents in cation-adjusted Mueller-Hinton broth supplemented with 3% lysed horse blood, similar in concept to the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) reference broth microdilution method for testing streptococci. A group of 210 isolates of S. pneumoniae were selected to include isolates with previously documented resistance to agents incorporated in the MICroSTREP panel, as well as recent invasive clinical isolates. All isolates were tested simultaneously with the MICroSTREP panel and an NCCLS reference panel whose drug concentrations were prepared to coincide with those of the MICroSTREP panel. Of the 210 isolates, 5 failed to grow in the MICroSTREP panel; 3 of those also did not grow in the reference panel. Essential agreement of MICs determined by the two methods (test MIC ± one dilution of the reference MIC) was 99.6% overall and ranged from 98.0% with chloramphenicol to 100% with penicillin, ceftriaxone, erythromycin, tetracycline, and vancomycin. There were no very major or major interpretive category errors resulting from the MICroSTREP panel tests. Minor interpretive category errors ranged from 12.2% with cefotaxime and 9.8% with ceftriaxone (due mainly to clustering of MICs for the selected strains near the breakpoints) to 0% with chloramphenicol and vancomycin. These results indicate that the MicroScan MICroSTREP frozen panels provide susceptibility results with pneumococci that are essentially equivalent to results derived by the NCCLS reference broth microdilution procedure.
Overcoming Barriers to Student Participation in Online Discussions.

This paper is an analysis of the issues encountered in the process of building a community of practice amongst students through engaging in online dialogue using WebCT. The analysis is guided by an educational change framework, proposed by Goodell, Parker, and Kahle (2005), which includes Technical, Political, Cultural, Moral, and Personal dimensions. First, the analysis highlights the reasons for using WebCT. Second, the issues faced in using WebCT effectively are discussed. Finally, suggestions are offered for instructors using WebCT for the first time. The two authors of this paper taught a yearlong seminar for a cohort group of 28 master’s students writing theses as the culminating activity of a grant-funded program called Urban Fellows (UFs). We decided to use Web Course Tools (WebCT), a university supported Internet-based software management system for supplementing course instruction, to facilitate our communication with the Urban Fellows, to promote a community of inquiry among the students, and to manage the massive amount of recordkeeping that this project required. Unfortunately, our goals were not realized. Neither the program coordinators nor the Urban Fellows used WebCT’s discussion capabilities as we had hoped, and the potential benefits were lost. This paper analyzes the barriers we faced in trying to reach our goals. The paper is divided into three sections. In the first section, our rationale and intended uses for WebCT are explained. In the second section, the barriers we faced while trying to use the technology are described. The reasons for these barriers are then analyzed, and recommendations are offered (especially geared toward new users of WebCT) for effective use of online communication tools or other Web-enhancement course software.
Ghost Imaging without Discord

Ragy and Adesso argue that quantum discord is involved in the formation of a pseudothermal ghost image. We show that quantum discord plays no role in spatial light modulator ghost imaging, i.e., ghost-image formation based on structured illumination realized with laser light that has undergone spatial light modulation by the output from a pseudorandom number generator. Our analysis thus casts doubt on the degree to which quantum discord is necessary for ghost imaging.
Learning Filters for Optimum Pattern Recognition

An optimum adaptive system is obtained for the identification of pattern samples which are the sum of a fixed unknown signal, determined by the pattern of the sample, plus Gaussian noise. The system learns the unknown signals from a set of pattern samples, called learning samples, which have been identified with absolute certainty. The adaptive system is optimum in the sense that it computes the a posteriori probability of each pattern, given the sample to be recognized and the learning samples. The rate at which the probability of misrecognition of the learning system approaches the probability of misrecognition of the a posteriori probability computing system with a priori knowledge of the fixed signals is derived, for binary recognition, as a function of the number of learning samples.
Interrelationships and taxonomy of the digenetic trematodes.

Summary The purpose and objective of classification is to portray genetic relations by taxonomic symbols. Adoption by trematodes of a parasitic mode of life has induced changes in nutrition, physiology, morphology, life cycles and development. These adaptive modifications have resulted in both convergent and divergent evolution. Criteria for determining genetic relations must be assessed with caution and no single measure can be accepted as reliable or adequate. Although certain features appear to be correlated, they may have developed independently and the evaluation and interpretation of diagnostic characters is very difficult. Types of adhesive organs and the extent of their development may be associated with the site of infection, but life histories and the type of development afford more significant information concerning genetic relations. Consideration of morphological and developmental data lead to the conviction that in the Digenea, the higher taxonomic units have little phylo-genetic or systematic significance. It is proposed therefore, to suppress the orders Gasterostomata and Proso-stomata, and in the latter the suborders, Amphistomata, Distomata, Monostomata, Strigeata, Bucephalata, Schisto-somata and Clinostomata. Although superfamily groups may be recognized, their limits and interrelations are not yet clearly defined and their erection should await more complete information. Former systems for classification of adults were based on morphological features, some of which have proved unreliable, and life-history data are yet too meagre for final evaluation and application. Classifications of larval stages, based on types of asexual generations or on larval structures such as form of tails, presence of stylets, etc., have proved more unsound than classifications of adults. Only an analysis, evaluation and correlation of all data can produce a truly natural system. Such a system must be based on and portray the evolutionary history of the trematodes. Phylogenetic considerations are reviewed and applied to taxonomic problems.
Some Advanced Air-Bearing Design Issues for Proximity Recording

In magnetic hard disk drives the minimum spacing between the air-bearing slider and disk has been reduced to under 50 nm, and some drives now employ so-called proximity sliders that are designed to operate at some level of interference between the slider and the peak asperities on the disk. This ultra-low flying condition brings into play some new interface phenomena and accentuates some of the well known ones as well. In this paper, we consider some air-bearing design issues related to proximity recording. First, we examine the effects of shear flow in the bearing, which is usually neglected, and we show that for high-pitch proximity slider designs the effect is not negligible. Next, we note that such low spacing also tends to accelerate particle accumulation at the trailing edges of the slider. In an effort to address this problem, a model is developed for calculating forces on particles in the air bearing. Including this in the CML air bearing design code we show that designs can be created that eject most of the particles from the sides rather than trapping them at the trailing edge. Finally, we investigate the performance of proximity sliders with regard to their sensitivity to altitude changes. We include altitude sensitivity as an objective in the design optimization scheme and demonstrate that it can yield air-bearing design with performance much less sensitive to changes in altitude.
Effects of applicant sex, applicant physical attractiveness, type of rater and type of job on interview decisions*

Applicant sex, applicant physical attractiveness, type of rater (120 students and 105 professional employment interviewers) and the type of job were manipulated experimentally in a 2 times 2 × 2 times 2 design. Physical attractiveness of job candidates had the broadest influence on employment decisions. There was no main effect for applicant sex, but professional interviewers were biased in favour of female applicants while student raters were not. Also, as expected, professional interviewers rated job applicants less leniently than students did.
Communication of Intent in Military Command and Control Systems

Military command and control (C2), air traffic control, and nuclear power plant control rooms are examples of distributed supervisory control systems. Distributed supervisory control systems are hierarchical and cooperative. They involve remote supervisors who work through intelligent local actors to control some process. A remote supervisor typically provides plans and procedures to multiple local actors. However, these plans and procedures are often inadequate to cope with the unanticipated variability of local situations (Woods & Roth, 1988). As a result, local actors must adapt the plans and procedures to the situation based on their understanding of the remote supervisor’s intent. The research reported here investigated how remote supervisors (senior commanders) who are separated by both time and space from local actors (subordinate commanders) impart their presence by communicating intent to permit coordination and adaptation of underspecified plans and procedures.
A revised view of cardiac sodium channel “blockade” in the long-QT syndrome

Mutations in SCN5A, encoding the cardiac sodium (Na) channel, are linked to a form of the congenital long-QT syndrome (LQT3) that provokes lethal ventricular arrhythmias. These autosomal dominant mutations disrupt Na channel function, inhibiting channel inactivation, thereby causing a sustained ionic current that delays cardiac repolarization. Sodium channel-blocking antiarrhythmics, such as lidocaine, potently inhibit this pathologic Na current (I(Na)) and are being evaluated in patients with LQT3. The mechanism underlying this effect is unknown, although high-affinity "block" of the open Na channel pore has been proposed. Here we report that a recently identified LQT3 mutation (R1623Q) imparts unusual lidocaine sensitivity to the Na channel that is attributable to its altered functional behavior. Studies of lidocaine on individual R1623Q single-channel openings indicate that the open-time distribution is not changed, indicating the drug does not block the open pore as proposed previously. Rather, the mutant channels have a propensity to inactivate without ever opening ("closed-state inactivation"), and lidocaine augments this gating behavior. An allosteric gating model incorporating closed-state inactivation recapitulates the effects of lidocaine on pathologic I(Na). These findings explain the unusual drug sensitivity of R1623Q and provide a general and unanticipated mechanism for understanding how Na channel-blocking agents may suppress the pathologic, sustained Na current induced by LQT3 mutations.
Reduced order models for an induction motor group during bus transfer

A method of modifying the standard reduced-order model of the induction machine to provide improved accuracy during bus transfer of a group of machines with a static load is presented. Two separate modifications are added, one to correct voltage response during the disconnect period and one to improve the mechanical response after reconnect. Accuracy is investigated by a comparison of motor group response during bus transfer using the corrected reduced model, the standard reduced model, and the full-order machine model. It is shown that the corrected model provides improved replication of the full-model voltage during disconnect and current and speed after reconnect. Improved accuracy is obtained through the use of two algebraic correction terms and a state variable change. >
Rattlesnake Venom Enzymes that Interact with Components of the Hemostatic System

AbstractVenom from snakes of the genus Crotalus (rattlesnakes) contain several enzymes that interact with platelets or proteins of the blood coagulation system. Although recognized experimentally by their effect on components of the hemostatic system, it should be noted that these venom enzymes are proteinases and their specificities may not be uniquely directed to the clotting proteins or platelets. There are primarily three different activities in rattlesnake venoms that account for interactions of the venoms with blood-borne components of the hemostatic system; thrombin-like, platelet aggregating, and fibrin(ogen)olytic. Although these activities are present in many rattlesnake venoms, they are not always present simultaneously in venom from every species. Thrombin-like enzymes are serine esterases that have been described in a variety of rattlesnake venoms and have been purified from several of them. These enzymes produce a benign state of defibrinogenation following intravenous infusion. They have li...
Graphite as a plasma-facing material in fusion experiments

The four major processes involved in hydrogen retention in graphite are reviewed. These processes are saturation of the near-surface region, diffusion on surface-connected porosity, intragranular diffusion, and erosion of carbon with concomitant formation of codeposited hydrogen-carbon films. It is suggested that in the retention of tritium in a fusion experiment the fourth process will dominate; therefore, from that point of view, it is the most important. To address the question of plasma fuel purity, more data are needed on ion-induced release of hydrogen isotopes by hydrogen isotopes and by heavier ions (e.g. carbon and oxygen) as a function of temperature. >
Assessment of risk area during coronary occlusion and infarct size after reperfusion with myocardial contrast echocardiography using left and right atrial injections of contrast.

BACKGROUND Myocardial opacification during echocardiography has been demonstrated after left (LA) and right (RA) atrial injections of contrast, and microvascular damage with reduced blood flow and impaired flow reserve has been documented in necrotic myocardial tissue. Therefore, we hypothesized that because of its ability to depict capillary perfusion, myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) can be used to define risk area during coronary occlusion and infarct size after reperfusion with LA and RA injections of contrast in the presence of pharmacologically induced coronary hyperemia. METHODS AND RESULTS Eighteen open-chest anesthetized dogs with 3 to 6 hours of left anterior descending artery occlusion and 15 minutes of reflow were studied in the presence of either dipyridamole (0.56 mg/kg over a period of 4 minutes) or dobutamine (15 micrograms.kg-1.min-1). Technetium autoradiography was performed for risk area assessment; infarct size was measured with triphenyl tetrazolium chloride; and in 11 dogs, myocardial blood flow was measured with radiolabeled microspheres. A close linear relation was noted between the MCE defect size and autoradiographic risk area during coronary occlusion both during LA (y = 0.95x-0.25, r = .97, P < .001) and RA (y = 0.90x+0.98, r = .86, P < .001) injections of contrast. During reperfusion, the contrast defect size on MCE was always less transmural than during occlusion and correlated closely with infarct size during both LA (y = 1.07x-2.37, r = .98, P < .001) and RA (y = 1.02x-0.61, r = .95, P < .001) injections of contrast. In the 11 dogs in whom radiolabeled microsphere-derived blood flow was measured during reperfusion, an inverse relation was noted between infarct size and transmural blood flow (y = -1.12x+121, r = -.95, P = .001), implying that MCE defects after reperfusion indicate necrotic regions with reduced blood flow or impaired microvascular flow reserve. A close linear relation (y = 0.79x-0.001, r = .98, P < .001) was also noted between endocardial/epicardial ratio of background-subtracted peak video intensity on MCE and endocardial/epicardial blood flow ratio in the eight dogs with infarction who underwent this measurement after reperfusion. CONCLUSIONS MCE performed with LA and RA injections of contrast in the presence of pharmacologically induced coronary hyperemia can be used to determine, in vivo, the risk area during coronary occlusion and infarct size after reperfusion. These results could have important implications in this era of myocardial reperfusion.
Self-correcting sampling-based dynamic multi-unit auctions

We exploit methods of sample-based stochastic optimization for the purpose of strategyproof dynamic, multi-unit auctions. There are no analytic characterizations of optimal policies for this domain and thus a heuristic approach, such as that proposed here, seems necessary in practice. Following the suggestion of Parkes and Duong [17], we perform sensitivity analysis on the allocation decisions of an online algorithm for stochastic optimization, and correct the decisions to enable a strategyproof auction. In applying this approach to the allocation of non-expiring goods, the technical problem that we must address is related to achieving strategyproofness for reports of departure. This cannot be achieved through self-correction without canceling many allocation decisions, and must instead be achieved by first modifying the underlying algorithm. We introduce the NowWait method for this purpose, prove its successful interfacing with sensitivity analysis and demonstrate good empirical performance. Our method is quite general, requiring a technical property of uncertainty independence, and that values are not too positively correlated with agent patience. We also show how to incorporate "virtual valuations" in order to increase the seller's revenue.
Monetary-based consequences for drug abstinence: methods of implementation and some considerations about the allocation of finances in substance abusers.

Conceptualizing drug abuse within the framework of behavioral theories of choice highlights the relevance of environmental variables in shifting behavior away from drug-related purchases. Choosing to use drugs results in immediate and certain consequences (e.g., drug high and relief from withdrawal), whereas choosing abstinence typically results in delayed, and often uncertain, consequences (e.g., improved health, interpersonal relationships, money). Methods: This is a selective review of the literature on Contingency management (CM). Results: We highlight a variety of methods to deliver CM in practical, effective, and sustainable ways. We consider a number of parameters that are critical to the success of monetary-based CM, and the role of the context in influencing CM’s effects. To illustrate the broad range of applications of CM, we also review different methods for arranging contingencies to promote abstinence and other relevant behavior. Finally, we discuss some considerations about how drug-dependen...
The evaluation and treatment of aggression maintained by attention and automatic reinforcement.

In the current investigation, we used direct and indirect methods to assess and treat several topographies of aggression that were hypothesized to have separate operant functions in a young boy with severe mental retardation and pervasive developmental disorder. First, a functional analysis of aggression, using the methods described by Iwata, Dorsey, Slifer, Bauman, and Richman (1982/1994), was conducted and produced inconclusive results. Next, indirect methods were used to develop a second functional analysis, which showed that chin grinding (firmly pressing and grinding his chin against the skin and bones of others) persisted independent of social contingencies and that the other topographies of aggression (e.g., hitting, kicking) were maintained by social positive reinforcement (attention). A treatment designed to decrease aggression maintained by attention— functional communication training with extinction—reduced all forms of aggression except chin grinding. This latter topography of aggression, which we hypothesized was maintained by automatic reinforcement, was reduced when the response‐reinforcer relation was interrupted through response blocking and the child was provided with an alternative form of chin stimulation. DESCRIPTORS: aggression, autism, automatic reinforcement, developmental disabilities, functional analysis
Using Population Mixtures to Optimize the Utility of Genomic Databases: Linkage Disequilibrium and Association Study Design in India

Summary When performing association studies in populations that have not been the focus of large-scale investigations of haplotype variation, it is often helpful to rely on genomic databases in other populations for study design and analysis - such as in the selection of tag SNPs and in the imputation of missing genotypes. One way of improving the use of these databases is to rely on a mixture of database samples that is similar to the population of interest, rather than using the single most similar database sample. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the mixture approach in the application of African, European, and East Asian HapMap samples for tag SNP selection in populations from India, a genetically intermediate region underrepresented in genomic studies of haplotype variation.
Transitioning from traditional to novel anticoagulants: the impact of oral direct thrombin inhibitors on anticoagulation management.

Limitations of traditional anticoagulants have led to the need for structured services to provide anticoagulation monitoring. Anticoagulation management services have historically filled this role. Novel antithrombotic agents currently in development have the potential to improve on the limitations of vitamin K antagonists and injectable forms of heparin and to change the field of anticoagulation management. Of the emerging agents, oral direct thrombin inhibitors present the most promise and have a more practical clinical profile. The introduction of the oral direct thrombin inhibitors may present both an opportunity and a threat to anticoagulation management services and anticoagulation service providers. Traditional anticoagulation monitoring services will have to retool for the future if they are to remain relevant in the new era of novel antithrombotic agents.
Health and Health Care of Women Veterans and Women in the Military: Research Informing Evidence-Based Practice and Policy

VA Greater Los Angeles HSR&D Center of Excellence for the Study of Healthcare Provider Behavior, Sepulveda, California VA Women’s Health Research Network, Los Angeles, California and Palo Alto, California Department of Health Services, UCLA School of Public Health, Los Angeles, California Center for Health Care Evaluation, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, California Division of General Medical Disciplines, Stanford University, Stanford, California
Integration of the Plantar Grasp Reflex as an Indicator of Ambulation Potential in Developmentally Disabled Infants

The integration or lack of integration of the plantar grasp reflex, as tested in supported standing, was investigated in 26 developmentally disabled infants and was related to the attainment of independent ambulation without assistive devices. All infants who displayed integration of the plantar grasp reflex later developed independent ambulation. Thirteen infants did not display integration of the reflex during three to five years of follow-up. Of those 13 infants, only 1 achieved independent ambulation. This preliminary clinical investigation provides evidence of the prognostic value of the presence or absence of the plantar grasp reflex as an indicator of ambulation potential in developmentally disabled infants.
Experience of the Body

Both eating disorders and non-suicidal self-injury involve some type of harm, either indirectly or directly, inflicted on the body. Individuals who perceive and experience their body in a negative manner may be more able to cause harm to the body. Therefore, the body represents an important variable to consider when understanding both eating disorders and self-injury. This chapter explores how an individual’s experience of his or her body may increase risk for engaging in self-injury and eating disorder behaviors. The concept of body regard is reviewed along with theoretical and empirical data describing how a negative relationship with the body can potentially facilitate engagement in NSSI and disordered eating. The importance of including body experiences in treatment is presented along with suggestions for how to integrate and address bodily experiences within standard treatments for NSSI and eating disorders.
Sintered Fiber Metal Composites as a Basis for Attachment of Implants to Bone

A fiber titanium composite has been developed and its potential application as a method of skeletal fixation for internal prosthetic devices has been studied.Titanium fibers, 0.19 millimeter in diameter, were cut in short lengths, compressed in dies to predetermined densities, and sintered under vac
Imaging Dynamic Events Inside Living Cells: Intracellular Degradation of LDL

The intracellular degradation of LDL was probed with single particle tracking fluorescence microscopy. LDL particles were labeled such that enzymatic degradation leads to an increase in fluorescence allowing us to relate endosomal dynamics to degradation.
Putting Habib Abdurrahim in His Place: Genealogy, Scale, and Islamization in Seunagan, Indonesia

In this paper I argue that the ways in which a genealogical idiom brings together multiple scales of space and time is as important to its social, political, or religious efficacy as the particular people, places, and events it incorporates. To illustrate this point, I turn to the unusual patrilineal genealogy of Habib Abdurrahim, a nineteenth-century descendant of the Prophet Muhammad buried in the Indonesian region of Seunagan. Since the late 1950s, Habib Abdurrahim's descendants have cultivated a version of his patriline emphasizing five prominent figures. This constellation of figures, together with the relationships Muslims in Seunagan foster with each of the five, produce configurations of spatial-temporal scale through which local Muslims inscribe themselves as participants in several Islamic pasts: the establishment of Seunagan's customary practice, the Islamization of the Indonesian nation, and Islam's cosmic history. Narrative, social, and ritual practices surrounding Habib Abdurahim's patriline link Muslims in Seunagan to the multiple scales that inhere in the genealogy, encouraging them to see themselves as actors within entwined and unfolding histories of Islamization.
Song in a Social and Sexual Context: Vocalizations Signal Identity and Rank in Both Sexes of a Cooperative Breeder

In most songbirds, both sexes produce calls, or short vocalizations used to coordinate behaviors and maintain social cohesion. In contrast, songs are longer, more elaborate vocalizations typically only produced by males in behavioral contexts shaped by sexual selection operating through female choice. However, both males and females sing in many cooperatively breeding species, including the superb starling (Lamprotornis superbus). In this species, both sexes produce songs and calls composed of sequences of temporally discrete elements called motifs. Calls signal social group and individual identity, but the function of songs is currently unknown. Because superb starlings often sing in groups, song could be used not only in a sexual context, but also to signal identity and rank within the separate dominance hierarchies observed in males and females. To determine whether songs are used in mate attraction (sexually selected) and/or to influence social rank (socially selected), we compared song diversity with three potential indicators of fitness and dominance: social status, the number of seasons spent breeding, and age. We found that age is correlated with song diversity in both males and females, suggesting that (1) these signals serve similar purposes in both sexes, and (2) song diversity is likely the result of selection by both mutual mate choice and social competition. To test whether songs carry a signal of individuality, we applied spectrogram dynamic time warping to measure pairwise similarity among song motifs, and then calculated motif similarity within and between individuals. We found that motif similarity is higher within individuals than between individuals, suggesting that songs signal individual identity, which may help to establish social rank. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that superb starling vocal behavior in each sex is shaped by both social and sexual selection. Additionally, because call motifs are also used in songs, our data suggest that at least some vocal building blocks have evolved to convey multiple signaler traits and to facilitate complex social and sexual interactions in different contexts.
How to survive the glacial apocalypse: Hominin mobility strategies in late Pleistocene Central Asia

Abstract Previous research concerning the biogeography of hominin populations in Central Asia indicates persistence across interglacial/glacial sequences. Hominin groups are present on the landscape during the coldest episodes of the Last Glacial Period. Moreover, the Inner Asian Mountain Corridor (IAMC) likely served as a geographic conduit for human groups that found refuge in the foothill regions of the Altai Mountains as well as those of the southwestern horn of the Tien Shan; this conduit can be construed as the stage upon which hominin admixture occurred. The present study broadens the geographic focus of previous work to include the steppe and steppe/desert zones immediately adjacent to the biologically productive foothills of the IAMC. Using an ecological threshold model, four abiotic variables that best predict hominin site locations are analyzed to examine differences in fundamental niche structure when the IAMC foothills are compared to the adjacent steppic zones. Our null hypothesis is that the foothills and adjacent steppe present similar abiotic profiles. Our results, however, indicate significant differences between these regions, suggesting the foothills would have presented hominins with a more attractive landscape in both glacial and interglacial time periods than the steppe. Counterintuitively, these differences are actually more extreme during interglacial time periods. This preliminary model of hominin-environment interactions serves as a useful example for the ways by which mid-scale hominin dispersal trajectories are mapped and interpreted.