cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Injectable poly-L: -lactic acid: a novel sculpting agent for the treatment of dermal fat atrophy after severe acne

Acne vulgaris affects up to 80% of people 11 to 30 years of age, and scarring can occur for up to 95% of these patients. Scarring may be pitted or hypertrophic in nature, although in most cases it is atrophic. Atrophic acne scarring follows dermal collagen and fat loss after moderate to severe acne infection. Injectable poly-L-acid (PLLA) is a biocompatible, biodegradable, synthetic polymer device that is hypothesized to enhance dermal volume via the endogenous production of fibroblasts and, subsequently, collagen. The gradual improvements in cutaneous volume observed after treatment with injectable PLLA have been noted to last up to 2 years. The case studies presented describe the use of injectable PLLA to correct dermal fat loss in macular atrophic acne scarring of the cheeks. Two female patients underwent three treatment sessions with injectable PLLA over a 12-week period. At each treatment session, the reconstituted product was injected into the deep dermis under the depressed portion of the scar. Both patients were extremely pleased with their results at, respectively, 1- and 4-year follow-up evaluations. Patients experienced minimal swelling and redness after injection and no product-related adverse events such as papule and/or nodule formation. The author believes these data suggest that injectable PLLA is a good treatment option for the correction of macular atropic scarring with thin dermis (off-label use), particularly compared with other injectable fillers currently used for this indication that have shorter durations of effect.
A multicriteria decision making model for reverse logistics using analytical hierarchy process

Abstract Product recovery activities such as recycling, refurbishing and direct reuse are becoming integral to manufacturing supply chains. This study presents a multicriteria decision making model for reverse logistics using analytical hierarchy process (AHP). The AHP model evaluates a hierarchy of criteria and subcriteria, including costs and business relations, for critical decisions regarding network design. Using sensitivity analysis with AHP, the work provides insights into the preference ordering among eight alternative network configurations. For instance, the choice of test sites is largely dependent on the potential for cost savings on testing procedures and transportation of scrap, and this decision is not sensitive to the importance of business relations. By contrast, the choice of collection sites is largely determined by the relative importance of business relations considerations vs. cost considerations. As well, the processing location decision favors a third-party reprocessor if there is little need to protect proprietary product knowledge and cost savings is very important. The model is demonstrated using three case studies of real-world applications.
Individual human tumors in short-term micro-organ cultures: chemosensitivity testing by fluorescent cytoprinting.

Using innovative approaches, we addressed several problems often associated with in vitro chemosensitivity testing of individual human tumors: 1) obtaining a high rate of evaluability; 2) excluding participation of nonmalignant stromal and vascular components usually present in tumor specimens; 3) preserving cell-to-cell interactions present in the original tumor; 4) assessing drug-induced cytotoxicity without sacrificing the tumor culture. To circumvent these problems, tumor specimens were processed as follows: i) tissue (fresh or cryopreserved) was mechanically or enzymatically dissociated under mild conditions into cellular clusters (termed micro-organs); ii) large micro-organs were separated by a brief decantation, resuspended, and then exposed to fluorescein acetate to visualize (under naked eye) viable micro-organs; iii) fluorescent (i.e., viable) micro-organs were collected using a Pasteur pipette, and then planted on a solid support made of cellulose fibers impregnated with collagen. Since tumor micro-organs have been previously shown to consist solely of malignant cells, the procedure described here not only preserves a critical portion of the tumor architecture but eliminates at the onset necrotic tissue and nonmalignant cellular components that could interfere with the chemosensitivity testing. Drug-induced cytotoxicity was measured by "fluorescent cytoprinting", a novel, nondestructive procedure for assessing micro-organ viability in situ. The key feature of fluorescent cytoprinting is that cytotoxic effects are not measured against control cultures but against a baseline provided by a cytoprint of the same culture before drug addition. Using three experimental designs, we tested the potential of the method for clinical applications. The results using 469 human malignant tumors showed that the micro-organ culture assay can distinguish individual tumor chemosensitivity profiles with an overall success rate of 96%. For three commonly used chemotherapeutic drugs, the observed frequency of responding tumors was found to be comparable to previously reported clinical results using single agents.
Proinsulin and C-peptide at onset and during 12 months cyclosporin treatment of type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus.

An increased proinsulin to C-peptide molar ratio at the onset of Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus has been suggested. We studied fasting proinsulin levels and proinsulin/C-peptide ratios in the newly diagnosed diabetic subjects participating in the Canadian/European placebo controlled cyclosporin study at entry, during the one year treatment period and six months of follow-up. Available entry data from 176 out of the 188 allocated patients were compared to 60 age and weight matched control subjects. Fasting proinsulin was significantly elevated in male patients compared to male control subjects (p<0.01), whereas the levels only tended to be elevated in female patients. The proinsulin/C-peptide ratio was three to fourfold elevated in the diabetic groups of both sexes, (p<0.001). Further, proinsulin and C-peptide were studied in 83 cyclosporin and 86 placebo-treated subjects during the trial and follow-up. An additional increase of proinsulin/C-peptide ratio was observed during the first three months of placebo treatment. It remained constantly high for nine months and then declined to entry level. This pattern was not seen in the cyclosporintreated group, where the ratio was unchanged during the 12 months trial and follow-up. The effect of cyclosporin on the induction of non-insulin requiring remission was unrelated to fasting and glucagon stimulated C-peptide levels at entry, whereas 64% of the cyclosporin-treated against 28% of the placebo-treated subjects (p<0.01) went into remission if the proinsulin/C-peptide ratio at entry was above 0.024. If the ratio was below 0.024 at entry, 42% and 33% went into non-insulin requiring remission, respectively (NS). We conclude that fasting proinsulin to C-peptide molar ratio is elevated at the onset of Type 1 diabetes mellitus. A further plateaushape elevation lasting nine months was seen during the remission period. Cyclosporin seems to inhibit or delay this development. The proinsulin/C-peptide ratio at diagnosis may show to be of value in the prediction of remission during cyclosporin treatment.
The neuronal intermediate filament, α-internexin is transiently expressed in amacrine cells in the developing mouse retina

We have investigated the expression of intermediate filament proteins in the developing mouse retina by immunohistochemistry. Antibodies against α -internexin, the three neurofilament subunits (NF-L, NF-M, NF-H), vimentin, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were used to determine the relative expression of these proteins at different post-natal stages of mouse retinal development. α -Internexin is widely distributed in the processes of amacrine cells, horizontal cells and retinal ganglion cells before post-natal day 5 (P5). At this age, NF-L and NF-M are detected primarily in the processes of horizontal cells and retinal ganglion cells, but are rarely found in amacrine cell processes. After P5, α -internexin is found to colocalize with other neuronal intermediate filaments in the cell processes of horizontal and ganglion cells, but its expression is barely detectable in amacrine cells processes. NF-H is not encountered in either the horizontal cell processes or the ganglion nerve fibers until P5. Vimentin is present in all glial cells (astrocytes and Muller cells) and some horizontal cell processes during development, while GFAP is found only in astrocyte processes of the mature retina. The transient presence of α -internexin in amacrine cells only in early development suggests that the protein may play a role in the plasticity of neuronal connections in the retina.
Plaque assay for murine norovirus.

Murine norovirus (MNV) is the only member of the Norovirus genus that efficiently grows in tissue culture 1, 2. Cell lysis and cytopathic effect (CPE) are observed during MNV-1 infection of murine dendritic cells or macrophages 1. This property of MNV-1 can be used to quantify the number of infectious particles in a given sample by performing a plaque assay 1. The plaque assay relies on the ability of MNV-1 to lyse cells and to form holes in a confluent cell monolayer, which are called plaques 3. Multiple techniques can be used to detect viral infections in tissue culture, harvested tissue, clinical, and environmental samples, but not all measure the number of infectious particles (e.g. qRT-PCR). One way to quantify infectious viral particles is to perform a plaque assay 3, which will be described in detail below. A variation on the MNV plaque assay is the fluorescent focus assay, where MNV antigen is immunostained in cell monolayers 4. This assay can be faster, since viral antigen expression precedes plaque formation. It is also useful for titrating viruses unable to form plaques. However, the fluorescent focus assay requires additional resources beyond those of the plaque assay, such as antibodies and a microscope to count focus-forming units. Infectious MNV can also be quantified by determining the 50% Tissue Culture Infective Dose (TCID50) 3. This assay measures the amount of virus required to produce CPE in 50% of inoculated tissue culture cells by endpoint titration 5. However, its limit of detection is higher compared to a plaque assay 4. In this article, we describe a plaque assay protocol that can be used to effectively determine the number of infectious MNV particles present in biological or environmental samples 1, 4, 6. This method is based on the preparation of 10-fold serial dilutions of MNV-containing samples, which are used to inoculate a monolayer of permissive cells (RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells). Virus is allowed to attach to the cell monolayer for a given period of time and then aspirated before covering cells with a mixture of agarose and cell culture media. The agar enables the spread of viral progeny to neighboring cells while limiting spread to distantly located cells. Consequently, infected cells are lysed and form holes in the monolayer known as plaques. Upon sufficient spread of virus, plaques become visible following staining of cells with dyes, like neutral red, methylene blue, or crystal violet. At low dilutions, each plaque originates from one infectious viral particle and its progeny, which spread to neighboring cells. Thus, counting the number of plaques allows one to calculate plaque-forming units (PFU) present in the undiluted sample 3.
Subtyping attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder using temperament dimensions: toward biologically based nosologic criteria.

Importance Psychiatric nosology is limited by behavioral and biological heterogeneity within existing disorder categories. The imprecise nature of current nosologic distinctions limits both mechanistic understanding and clinical prediction. We demonstrate an approach consistent with the National Institute of Mental Health Research Domain Criteria initiative to identify superior, neurobiologically valid subgroups with better predictive capacity than existing psychiatric categories for childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Objective To refine subtyping of childhood ADHD by using biologically based behavioral dimensions (ie, temperament), novel classification algorithms, and multiple external validators. Design, Setting, and Participants A total of 437 clinically well-characterized, community-recruited children, with and without ADHD, participated in an ongoing longitudinal study. Baseline data were used to classify children into subgroups based on temperament dimensions and examine external validators including physiological and magnetic resonance imaging measures. One-year longitudinal follow-up data are reported for a subgroup of the ADHD sample to address stability and clinical prediction. Main Outcomes and Measures Parent/guardian ratings of children on a measure of temperament were used as input features in novel community detection analyses to identify subgroups within the sample. Groups were validated using 3 widely accepted external validators: peripheral physiological characteristics (cardiac measures of respiratory sinus arrhythmia and pre-ejection period), central nervous system functioning (via resting-state functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging), and clinical outcomes (at 1-year longitudinal follow-up). Results The community detection algorithm suggested 3 novel types of ADHD, labeled as mild (normative emotion regulation), surgent (extreme levels of positive approach-motivation), and irritable (extreme levels of negative emotionality, anger, and poor soothability). Types were independent of existing clinical demarcations including DSM-5 presentations or symptom severity. These types showed stability over time and were distinguished by unique patterns of cardiac physiological response, resting-state functional brain connectivity, and clinical outcomes 1 year later. Conclusions and Relevance Results suggest that a biologically informed temperament-based typology, developed with a discovery-based community detection algorithm, provides a superior description of heterogeneity in the ADHD population than does any current clinical nosologic criteria. This demonstration sets the stage for more aggressive attempts at a tractable, biologically based nosology.
The Politics of United States Foreign policy under Barack Obama

La tarea a la que me dedico en buena parte de este ensayo es la de poner la presidencia de Barack Obama en un contexto historico de largo plazo. Su eleccion a la presidencia de los Estados Unidos sucede en un momento critico para la historia politica de los Estados Unidos: marca a la vez el fin y el inicio de una era politica. Sostendre que, en estas circunstancias, es mas importante aquello contra lo que se opone Obama que aquello que defiende. Tambien es necesario tomar en cuenta los constrenimientos politicos que determinara lo que podra o no podra hacer. En esta materia, asi como, supuestamente, dijo Yogi Becerra, un gran jugador de baseball estadounidense, “es muy dificil hacer predicciones, especialmente acerca del futuro”.
Acute Lupus Pneumonitis With Normal Chest Radiograph

Patients with acute lupus pneumonitis (ALP) usually have hypoxemia, patchy infiltrates evidenced on a chest x-ray film, and an incomplete response to corticosteroids with high mortality. In contrast, lupus patients with a syndrome of acute reversible hypoxemia (SARH) have hypoxemia with normal chest x-ray films and a rapid response to corticosteroids. We present a case of biopsy-proven ALP with normal initial chest x-ray films, and a normal CT scan. We hypothesize that a continuum of vascular and parenchymal abnormalities may exist in the lungs of lupus patients. This case also illustrates the insensitivity of routine chest radiographs in demonstrating mild or early pneumonitis.
Advances in the profiling of DNA modifications: cytosine methylation and beyond

Chemical modifications of DNA have been recognized as key epigenetic mechanisms for maintenance of the cellular state and memory. Such DNA modifications include canonical 5-methylcytosine (5mC), 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), 5-formylcytosine (5fC) and 5-carboxycytosine (5caC). Recent advances in detection and quantification of DNA modifications have enabled epigenetic variation to be connected to phenotypic consequences on an unprecedented scale. These methods may use chemical or enzymatic DNA treatment, may be targeted or non-targeted and may utilize array-based hybridization or sequencing. Key considerations in the choice of assay are cost, minimum sample input requirements, accuracy and throughput. This Review discusses the principles behind recently developed techniques, compares their respective strengths and limitations and provides general guidelines for selecting appropriate methods for specific experimental contexts.
Bypass of Superior Vena Cava with Spiral Vein Graft

The superior vena cava was successfully bypassed in a patient with superior vena cava syndrome due to granulomatous mediastinitis. A spiral vein graft constructed from autogenous vein was utilized. Complete relief of symptoms and graft patency documented by venography six months after the operation confirm the usefulness of this procedure in patients with superior vena cava obstruction.
Beyond DOS: A BASIC Menu for Hard Disks

If you are one of the many people who have purchased an IBM PC or compatible with a hard disk (or added a hard disk to your M300 Workstation), you may find yourself with a bit of a problem. The advantages of hard disks have been well documented (see “Hard Disks for the M300 Workstation,” OCLC Micro, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 15–17). Besides room for large data files, they provide a place to install software program files, eliminating the need for extensive use of diskettes. Unfortunately, once you have this large group of files (which you should have divided into directories), you are faced with the problem of controlling the hard disk. You could spend $100 or more for a commercial hard disk manager, but a combination of DOS batch files and a BASIC menu program can solve the problem less expensively.
Differential field-widened spatial heterodyne spectrometer for investigations at high spectral resolution of the diffuse far-ultraviolet 1548-A emission line from the interstellar medium

In this paper we describe the design of the Spatial Heterodyne Spectrometer that we are developing for velocity-resolved observations of the diffuse interstellar C IV emission, and we describe a new implementation of the Spatial Heterodyne Spectroscopy (SHS) concept that reduces contamination due to grating scattering and unwanted orders in wide field applications. Laboratory tests of this concept at visible and ultraviolet wavelengths demonstrate that this SHS technique is suitable for the study of faint, diffuse emission lines at any wavelength, particularly in the ultraviolet, where the full advantages of interference spectroscopy have not been realized. Specifically, the development of SHS will provide the opportunity to map both the distribution and radial velocities of the hot (105 K) component of the interstellar medium. An SHS spectrometer capable of obtaining the first velocity-resolved (20 km s-1) line profiles of the C IV (lambda) 1548 emission line in the Cygnus loop and in the hot component of the interstellar medium at high Galactic latitude is currently being developed for suborbital observations. Our long term goal is the development of SHS for a radial-velocity-resolved sky survey of the 104+5) K `coronal gas' component of the interstellar medium using a small satellite with an approximately one year operational lifetime.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Policing culture: the champeta movement under the new Colombian Constitution

This essay explores the dynamics of cultural policies and the policing of culture as evident in the scene of champeta music in Cartagena, Colombia in light of the Constitution of 1991. By tracing the path and examining the text of constitutional reform in Colombia in the 1990s, this article scrutinizes the redefinition of culture that the new Colombian Constitution produced, and its meaning for Afrodescendants of the Northern Coast in the realm of cultural identity and politics. Marked as a musical expression that embodies lower class and mulatto values, champeta defies prevalent preoccupations with the notion of a ‘legitimate’ and proper use of the Spanish language, for the songs utilize the regional linguistic variant and expressions that have been criticized for ‘blackening’ standard Spanish. Disapproval by the local authorities and political leadership translates into efforts to legally regulate and control champetudos’ gatherings and the distribution of their music via special decrees and outright pe...
Forgetfulness and Misology in Boethius's Consolation of Philosophy

In book one of the Consolation of Philosophy, Boethius is portrayed as a man who suffers because he forgot philosophy. Scholars have underestimated the significance of this portrayal and considered it a literary device the goal of which is simply to introduce the discussion that follows. In this paper, I show that this view is mistaken since it overlooks that this portrayal of Boethius is the key for the understanding of the whole text. The philosophical therapy that constitutes the core of the ‘Consolation’ can in fact be properly evaluated only if we recognize the condition it is designed to cure. Through the portrayal of Boethius's forgetfulness, the ‘Consolation’ illustrates that it is the very nature of philosophical knowledge that makes it susceptible to being forgotten. Philosophical knowledge can (i) turn into misology, when it appears unable to solve certain problems, and (ii) be overrun by strong emotions. The therapy offered in the ‘Consolation’ is designed to make Boethius aware of the ‘fragil...
Comparative human and deer (Odocoileus virginianus) taphonomy at the Richards site, Ohio

The Richards site is attributed to the Philo phase of the Fort Ancient tradition of the Ohio Valley area. Human skeletal material from the site shows evidence of peri- and post-mortem taphonomic changes, including cut marks, burning and fracturing. Previous analyses have discussed explanations for these changes, including secondary burial, ritual destruction and cannibalism. Researchers have theorised that, allowing for differences in anatomy among species, humans and animals butchered for the same purpose (consumption) will show similar patterns of taphonomic changes associated with butchery. The human remains at the Richards Site were disposed in general midden pits containing mixed cultural debris and faunal remains. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) constitutes approximately 60% of all the faunal bone, indicating that it was a major food resource. To test a cannibalism explanation, a comparative analysis of human-induced taphonomy in human and deer skeletal remains was performed, using chi-square and odds ratio tests. If humans were being used as a food resource, the pattern of butchery seen would mirror that of the deer. The analysis described here compares the patterns of treatment and disposal of human and deer skeletal elements at the Richards site, to test whether both species were used as food resources. Similar types of evidence for human-induced taphonomic changes, including cutting, chopping, burning and breakage, can be seen in both species. However, results indicate that, in general, human remains show much more evidence of perimortem treatment than do deer remains. In fact, the common odds ratio for perimortem treatment in all bones is 3.25, indicating that a human bone is 3.25 times as likely as a deer bone to be affected by burning, cutting or chopping. This probably indicates that perimortem treatment of humans was greater than that necessary simply for butchering for consumption. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Behavioral validation of avolition in schizophrenia.

Abstract Background Since Kraepelin, avolition, a core symptom of schizophrenia, has been defined as a decrease in spontaneous, self-initiated and purposeful behaviors observed in daily life activities. However, the concurrent validity of commonly-used avolition measures has not been studied, and direct observation may offer a more objective way to measure avolition. Method A direct observation measure of spontaneous and self-initiated behaviors that can be observed in an inpatient setting was defined with the use of time sampling method. This direct observation measure was used with fifty inpatients with schizophrenia. Additionally, patients were asked to rate their current interest in and their level of engagement in 10 active behaviors during the preceding 7 days. Clinicians rated the patients' engagement in the same activities for the preceding 7 days as well. Results The direct observation measure showed very good psychometric properties. Three clinical negative symptom scales showed moderate to high correlation with the direct measure. Concerning the retrospective ratings, patients' self-assessments were poorly correlated with clinicians' ratings, but showed high correlation with their subjective interests. Conclusions Clinical rating scales of negative symptoms show moderate to good concurrent validity as measures of avolition in schizophrenia. However, patients' self-reports do not appear to provide valid indices of avolition. Our results favor clinical negative symptoms scales that use observers' reports only, over patients' self-reports. The direct observation of patients' behavior offers a precise and objective measure of avolition that may be useful in drug challenges and clinical trials.
The metabolism of radiothyroxine in exophthalmic goiter.

INTRODUCTION THE preparation of thyroxine labeled with radioiodine by Joliot and co-workers in 1944 (1) has led to numerous studies of the behavior of this substance in animals (2–10), but in the human it has been investigated only recently. Albert and co-workers (11, 12) studied the distribution and fate of d-l-radiothyroxine in myxedematous patients after oral and intravenous administration. Myant and Pochin (13) made similar observations in normal, or euthyroid subjects, and mentioned briefly some results in a patient with exophthalmic goiter. The purpose of this paper is to report the results of tracer studies with radioactive thyroxine in 6 patients with thyrotoxicosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Six patients with clinically active exophthalmic goiter volunteered as subjects of this study. None of the patients had received antithyroid drugs for one month, or iodine for eleven days, prior to the study. Pertinent data for each patient are give in Table 1.
Molecular geometry fluctuations and field-dependent mobility in conjugated polymers

Many conjugated polymers exhibit an electric field-dependent mobility of approximately the Poole-Frenkel form. We propose a model to describe transport in dense films of these materials in which thermal fluctuations in the molecular geometry modify the energy levels of localized electronic charged states in the material. Based on quantum chemistry calculations we argue that the primary restoring force for these fluctuations in molecular geometry is steric in origin, which leads to spatially correlated fluctuations in the on-site energy of the charged electronic states. The phenylene ring torsion, in PPV-like conjugated polymers, is an example of this kind of spatially correlated thermal fluctuation. Using a Master equation approach to calculate the mobility, we show that the model can quantitatively explain the experimentally observed field-dependent mobility in conjugated polymers. We examine typical paths taken by carriers and find that at low fields, the paths are three-dimensional, whereas at high fields the paths become essentially one-dimensional along the applied field. Thus, one-dimensional transport models can be valid at high fields but not at low fields. Effects of deep traps, the site energy correlation length, temperature, and asymmetric and small polaron rates are studied.
Electoral Voting and Population Distribution in the United States

(2010). Electoral Voting and Population Distribution in the United States. CHANCE: Vol. 23, FRAUD in the 2009 Presedential Election in Iran?, pp. 41-47.
Long-term suppression of Pythium abappressorium induced by Brassica juncea seed meal amendment is biologically mediated

Abstract Evidence indicates that seed meal (SM) of Brassica juncea is an effective biofumigant against Pythium spp., an important biological component contributing to apple replant disease. However, the ability of this seed meal to provide disease control even after termination of allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) emission suggested that unidentified mechanisms are also involved in suppression of certain pathogens in B. juncea SM-amended soil. When soils were infested with Pythium abappressorium 2–12 weeks after SM was applied, disease suppression was consistently observed in SM-treated soil. Bagging of soil for the initial 48 h after SM application, to simulate tarping of soil in the field, enhanced disease control. Application of SM either as coarse or fine particles produced similar effects on disease suppression. B. juncea SM amendment also suppressed the proliferation of P. abappressorium observed in Brassica napus SM-treated soils at a time point well after AITC emission from soils was no longer detected. Pasteurization of SM-amended soil eliminated soil suppressiveness toward this pathogen, demonstrating the important contribution of the soil microbiota to the disease control attained in AITC evacuated soil. Terminal-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism profiles obtained for 18S rDNA from fungal communities associated with SM-amended and non-amended soil demonstrated distinct variation in terms of composition. Visible changes in fungal community composition in SM-treated soils were also observed, and analyses indicated the preferential proliferation of Trichoderma spp. in SM-treated soils. These findings suggest that modification of the resident fungal community in SM-amended soil may contribute to the observed long-term suppressiveness of B. juncea SM-amended soils toward apple root infection by P. abappressorium .
Conditional sentences and mood in Spanish

Abstract This paper examines the use of mood in conditional subordinate clauses in Spanish. Specifically, it addresses the differential behavior with respect to mood selection of conditional clauses introduced by the particle si “if” (which may appear in the indicative mood), as opposed to conditional clauses introduced by other conditional conjunctions, such as con tal de que “provided that” (which always appear in the subjunctive mood). The paper identifies other grammatical phenomena with respect to which conditional clauses introduced by si behave differently from other conditional constructions. These phenomena allow us to state a generalization regarding clauses introduced by the particle si that in turn enables us to explain their different behavior with respect to mood selection in Spanish. Under the analysis provided, si “if” is not a subordinating conjunction that grammatically establishes a particular meaning relation between two clauses, as is the case for expressions such as con tal de que “provided that” or siempre y cuando “as long as”. Rather, si “if” is a particle that instructs the hearer to set up a hypothetical domain where two propositions hold. The meaning relation that a hearer establishes between the two propositions is the result of pragmatic inferences.
A streetcar named desire and tennessee Williams' object‐relational conflicts

Art, as a symbolic expression, often reflects intrapsychic conflicts within the artist, and many of Tennessee Williams' plays contain themes of desperate loneliness, human disconnectedness, and victimization between the powerful and the weak. Williams' genius as a playwright did not save him from painful depression that contained the above themes. He described his internal conflict as a psychic split between identifications with his aggressive, alcoholic father and his sensitive, artistic Dakin (that is, maternal) roots. Of his plays A Streetcar Named Desire is one of the most compelling. This paper examines the Blanche/Stanley victim/victimizer paradigm as the dramatization of a core conflict within Williams. Using historical data from his biographies, the author attempts to explicate the hypothesis that in Williams a “Stanley” representation was in violent conflict with a “Blanche” representation. The author proposes that this conflict significantly shaped Williams' psychic organization and became a central and oft-repeated theme in his art and his life. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Behavioral Therapy for Treatment of Stereotypic Movements in Nonautistic Children

Although typically described in autistic, mentally retarded, and sensory-deprived individuals, motor stereotypies also occur in normal children. In this preliminary report, the behavior modification techniques of habit reversal and differential reinforcement of other behavior were evaluated as a therapeutic modality for the suppression of stereotypic movements in nonautistic subjects. Twelve children, ages 6 to 14 years, with physiologic stereotypies were treated using a standardized treatment protocol. Clinical outcomes were based on differences between assessments obtained at baseline and on telephone follow-up. Evaluation scales included measures of the frequency, intensity, interference, and number of stereotypies (Stereotypy Severity Scale motor portion and Stereotypy Linear Analog Scale) and assessment of global function (Child Global Assessment Scale and Stereotypy Severity Scale global portion). The results were correlated with the child's level of motivation and the number of treatment sessions. After a mean follow-up of 12.1 months, motor stereotypies showed significant improvement on the Stereotypy Linear Analog Scale and Stereotypy Severity Scale total score, P = .009 and P = .046, respectively. Both scales showed a relationship between the number of treatment sessions attended and a reduction in movements. The Child Global Assessment Scale also improved with therapy, but there was no correlation with the number of treatment sessions. Highly motivated patients had greater improvement on the Stereotypy Linear Analog Scale and Stereotypy Severity Scale scales compared with less motivated patients, but motivation had no impact on the Child Global Assessment Scale. The combined use of habit reversal and differential reinforcement of other behavior is beneficial in reducing motor stereotypies in nonautistic children.
Genome Sequence of the Deltaproteobacterial Strain NaphS2 and Analysis of Differential Gene Expression during Anaerobic Growth on Naphthalene

Anaerobic polycyclic hydrocarbon (PAH) degradation coupled to sulfate reduction may be an important mechanism for in situ remediation of contaminated sediments. Steps involved in the anaerobic degradation of 2-methylnaphthalene have been described in the sulfate reducing strains NaphS3, NaphS6 and N47. Evidence from N47 suggests that naphthalene degradation involves 2-methylnaphthalene as an intermediate, whereas evidence in NaphS2, NaphS3 and NaphS6 suggests a mechanism for naphthalene degradation that does not involve 2-methylnaphthalene. To further characterize pathways involved in naphthalene degradation in NaphS2, the draft genome was sequenced, and gene and protein expression examined.
Comparison Between Collocation Methods and Spectral Element Approach for the Stability of Periodic Delay Systems

This paper compares two methods that are commonly used to study the stability of delay systems. The first is a collocation technique while the second is a spectral element approach which uses the weighted residual method. Two distributions of the collocation points are compared: the first uses the extrema of Chebyshev polynomials of the first kind whereas the second uses the Legendre-Gauss-Lobatto points. The spectral element approach uses the Legendre-Gauss-Lobatto points and higher-order trial functions to discretize the delay equations while Gauss quadrature rules are used to evaluate the resulting weighted residual integrals. Two case studies are used to compare the different methods. The first case study is a 3rd order autonomous DDE while the second is a DDE describing the midspan deflections of an unbalanced rotating shaft with feedback gain (nonautonomous DDE). Convergence plots that compare the different rates of convergence of the described methods are also provided.
WiP abstract: A Treatment Coordination Protocol for Cyber-Physical-Human Medical Systems

Summary form only given. Improving effectiveness and safety of healthcare infrastructure is an important issue for cyber-physical-human medical systems. However, statistics indicates that preventable medical error rate is highest in ICU as compared to other hospital units. Many preventable medical errors are result from unintended deviation from the best practice guidelines, because medical staff are under tremendous pressure and overloaded by great amount of unorganized information. In order to reduce preventable medical errors, we develop a coordination protocol to validate treatments based on the pathophysiological models 1 .
Black Separatists Attitudes and Objectives in a Riot-torn Ghetto

Amid numerous conflicts and disagreements, much of the history of race relations in America has been characterized by at least a partial consensus on the desirability of integration. For many years, black Americans, along with some liberal allies, were considered to be the major advocates of integration; and whites, located primarily in the South, were regarded as its principal opponents (Erskine, 1962; Hyman and Sheatsley, 1964; Sheatsley, 1966). Overwhelming noniwhite support for racial integration thus provided a useful bench mark for research on intergroup relations (Myrdahl, 1944; Allport, 1954; Williams, 1964; Killian and Grigg, 1964). In recent years, however, many Americans have become concerned about the growth of a seemingly new-and, to many, threatening-movement promoting the principles of black separatism. At a time when racial equality was rapidly becoming a legal-if not a social-reality, increasing numbers of black citizens have publicly repudiated the traditional goal
The Biomarkers Consortium: On the Critical Path of Drug Discovery

Recent advances in science have provided a variety of genetic, genomic, and protein-based methods to treat human diseases. These advances, and equally great strides in in vivo imaging and methods of tissue collection, have created an unprecedented opportunity to discover and develop biological markers of human disease. A biomarker is defined as a molecular, biological, or physical characteristic that indicates a specific physiologic state (see Table 1 for definitions). It is used in clinical practice to identify risk for disease, diagnose disease and its severity, guide intervention strategies, and monitor patient responses to therapy. When used in a clinical research setting, biomarkers may predict whether a drug or other intervention is safe and effective in a shorter time and at lower cost than clinical outcomes studies. For these and other reasons, including the ability to stratify patient groups based on objective criteria, biomarkers help promote regulatory approval of new therapeutic entities by pharmaceutical, biological, and device development teams.
Mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase. Crystallographic properties of the pig heart enzyme.

Abstract Crystals of the mitochondrial form of malate dehydrogenase from pig heart have been prepared using polyethylene glycol and ammonium sulfate. The monoclinic crystalline form obtained from polyethylene glycol is suitable for X-ray analysis and contains two molecules of the dimeric malate dehydrogenase, molecular weight 74,000, in the asymmetric unit. A new crystalline form of a related enzyme, β-hydroxyacyl coenzyme A dehydrogenase has been prepared and characterized. Heavy-atom compounds causing isomorphous changes in the X-ray intensities of the mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase have been identified.
Conformational Control of Flexible Molecules: Design and Synthesis of Novel Chiral 1,5-Diaza-cis-decalins

Control of the conformational equilibria of 1,5-diaza-cis-decalins, a new class of chiral diamine ligands, has been investigated. Chiral 2,6- and 3,7-substituted derivatives of 1,5-diaza-cis-decalins were designed to stabilize the conformational form needed to chelate a lithium. These derivatives were synthesized in optically pure form starting from 1,5-diaza-cis-decalin. Due to the rigid and conformationally well-defined nature of these compounds, the potential of these compounds as chiral diamine ligands was investigated. Asymmetric lithiation-substitution reactions of N-Boc-pyrrolidine and N,N-diisopropyl-o-ethylbenzamide were performed using these ligands and up to 60% ee was obtained. For the latter substrate, results spanning a range from 32% ee (R) to 60% ee (S) were obtained (Delta ee = 92%) with 1,5-diaza-cis-decalin ligands differing only in the location of two methyl substituents. Unlike many other diamines that have been employed in asymmetric lithiation-substitution reactions, the limited conformational flexibility of the 1,5-diaza-cis-decalins is analogous to (-)-sparteine such that these results may permit the construction of structure-activity relationships.
SN2 reactions in the gas phase. Structure of the transition state

The alkylhalide-halide association ions, [RX2]− that are observed in the negative chemical ionization mass spectra of alkyl halides appear to be directly related to the corresponding SN2 transition states in solution. ‘Frontside’ association of halide ions with bridgehead alkyl halides does not occur in our system. The Change in heats and entropies of association for the chloromethane series is consistent with delocalization in the [RX]2− ions.
What every surgical oncologist should know about digital mammography.

This article reviews the available information on digital mammography for surgeons who care for patients with breast cancer. The limitations of the current film-based technology and why digital mammography promises to improve breast cancer detection and breast lesion diagnosis are described. The basics of digital imaging technology are reviewed, including a description of image contrast and spatial resolution and its variance from currently available clinical digital mammography systems. The results of clinical trials completed to date are reported. An upcoming large screening trial for digital mammography, sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, is described. Future technological developments, including improvements in softcopy display, image processing, computer-aided detection and diagnosis (CADD), tomosynthesis, and digital subtraction mammography (DSM), are briefly discussed.
Influenza viral infection in the elderly

Seasonal influenza with influenza types A (subtypes H1N1 and H3N2) and B cause substantial morbidity and mortality in elderly individuals, with rates increasing as the degree of frailty increases. Annual vaccination with the seasonal influenza vaccine (containing three antigens: A/H1N1, A/H3N2 and B) is effective in reducing the rates of complications of influenza in the elderly. The major debate at present is the magnitude of vaccine efficacy. However, vaccination rates worldwide are much lower than the targets set by the US CDC and the World Health Assembly. In addition, a limited number of antiviral drugs are available to treat and prevent influenza. Recent changes in viral susceptibility have almost rendered the adamantanes (e.g., amantadine and rimantadine) obsolete and have seriously compromised the clinical utility of oseltamivir, one of the two available neuraminidase inhibitors. With the emergence of the current oseltamivir-resistant type A/H1N1 virus and pandemic type A/H1N1 virus, and the spect...
Immunohistochemical demonstration of human papilloma virus antigen in human colon neoplasms.

The presence of human papilloma virus (HPV) has recently been demonstrated in colon tumors, but the incidence of HPV infection in normal colon mucosa or in benign or malignant neoplasms of the mucosa is unknown. We studied both neoplastic and normal human colon tissue for the presence of HPV antigen using immunohistochemical techniques. Ninety colon specimens were studied. Three consecutive series of normal colon mucosa (N = 30), single benign tubulovillous adenomas (N = 30), and invasive carcinomas (N = 30) were selected and confirmed histologically. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples of each tissue were prepared using immunohistochemical techniques and resultant slides were read blindly and graded simply as positive or negative for HPV antigen. The presence of HPV antigen varied dramatically between groups, with 97% of the invasive carcinomas, 60% of the benign tubulovillous adenomas, and 23% of the normal mucosa positive for HPV antigen. Groups were statistically significant using χ2 analysis (P < 0.001). We conclude that an association exists between the human colon neoplasia and the presence of HPV antigen. This may suggest an etiologic role of the virus in colon cancer.
High-density lipoprotein cholesteryl ester and protein catabolism in hypercholesterolemic rats induced by copper deficiency.

Abstract High-density lipoprotein (HDL) catabolism induced by copper deficiency was examined in vivo in hypercholesterolemic Sprague-Dawley rats. Doubly labeled HDL was used to trace the catabolic pathways of both cholesteryl ester and protein moieties of HDL particles. The catabolic rate of removal from the plasma, as well as uptake by various tissues, was determined for each HDL component. Copper-deficient rats exhibited a 30% increase in HDL cholesterol concentration, confirming hypercholesterolemia. In addition, plasma volume was enlarged 38% in deficient animals, resulting in a significantly increased intravascular pool of all HDL components of at least 60%. These data emphasize the importance of determining plasma volume and total pool size of pertinent plasma components in this hypercholesterolemic model. The absolute catabolic rate (ACR) of HDL protein removal from the plasma was 360 ± 22 and 278 ± 12 μg/h in copper-deficient and control rats, respectively. The ACR of HDL cholesteryl ester was 647 ± 37 μg/h in deficient animals and 321 ± 13 μg/h in controls, suggesting that the mechanisms of selective clearance of HDL cholesteryl ester (compared with protein) were increased threefold by copper deficiency. Virtually all of the increased removal of HDL cholesteryl ester in deficient rats occurred in the liver. Since previous studies indicate that increased hepatic cholesterol excretion may not occur in copper deficiency, the present results suggest that cholesterol delivered to the liver as HDL cholesteryl ester is possibly reassembled into new HDL particles at an increased rate in copper-deficient rats.