cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
California Nursing Facility Quality and Union Environments

Objectives: Many studies have examined quality effects of nursing facility (NF) staffing, but few have examined effects of unionization. Concerned with possible effects of unionization on quality, we analyzed unionization and local market climate of unionization, predicting both complaints (reflecting either quality problems or better monitoring and advocacy) and the substantiation of serious complaints (indicating major quality problems). Method: Data were analyzed on California freestanding NFs in 1999 (N= 1,155). OLS regression was employed to predict both quality complaints and serious violations, the latter both controlling and not controlling for numbers of complaints. Results: Unionized NFs showed more complaints than did nonunionized NFs. Nonunionized NFs had more serious violations, particularly when the proportion of other county facilities unionized was higher. Discussion: These findings suggest that unionization enhances problem reporting while, especially in stronger union environments, reduc...
Procedural skills of the general internist. A survey of 2500 physicians.

Study objective To determine which of 40 clinical procedures general internists do in their practice, how often these procedures are done, and what training is needed to develop and maintain competence in each. Design Mailed survey. Participants A random sample of 2500 American College of Physicians (ACP) members identified as general internists; 1806 (72%) responded. Of these, we excluded 398 who were board eligible or board certified in a subspecialty and 143 with unknown status. The resulting sample of 1179 was augmented in selected analyses by an additional sample of 199 rural internists. Results General internists did, on average, 16 of the 40 procedures. Practice characteristics markedly affected the number and variety of procedures done. A larger number of different procedures was independently associated with smaller cities, smaller hospitals, younger age, increased hours in patient care, and certain regions of the country. Practice characteristics varied considerably by practice type and location. Many procedures were done infrequently. There was reasonable agreement on the experience needed to attain and maintain competency in each procedure. The majority of respondents favored hospital credentialing for 22 of the 40 procedures. Conclusions General internists do a wide variety of procedures, the number and frequency of which are affected by the characteristics and location of their practice. Despite opinion to the contrary, more recently trained general internists do a wider variety of procedures than older colleagues. These results provide data to help define standards for training and credentialing and suggest that we should reexamine general internists' training in procedural skills.
Impact of the Little Fire Ant, Wasmannia auropunctata, on Native Forest Ants in Gabon1

The Neotropical little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata, is notorious for its negative impacts on the native biota of tropical islands, such as the Galapagos and New Caledonia, where it has been introduced. Here, I evaluate the impact of exotic W. auropunctata populations on continental Africa. I surveyed ants at nine sites in Lop´ National Park in Gabon, Central Africa, and found a highly significant correlation between ant diversity and length of infestation by W. auropunctata. I found many more native ant species present in areas not infested with W. auropunctata (39.0 ± 4.6) compared with areas infested by W. auropunctata for approximately 5‐10 yr (7.0 ± 6.2 and 1.7 ± 1.2, respectively). In infested areas, W. auropunctata made up the bulk of specimens collected in every plot. This study demonstrates that the threat posed by W. auropunctata to biodiversity is as serious in continental ecosystems as it is in the more fragile island ecosystems of previous studies. Introductions
Anatomy and physiology of the swimming leg musculature in the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus

1) The anatomy and neurophysiology of muscles moving the fifth leg of Callinectes sapidus are described. Innervation of the muscles was studied using intracellular stimulating and recording techniques. 2) The movement of the leg is controlled by four sets of muscles composed of two, three, or four bundles each. The bundles which make up each muscle shared innervation with other muscle bundles within a functional muscle group. Muscle fibers characteristically displayed both “fast” and “slow” responses to stimulation. 3) Possible functional evolution of the neural changes which occurred with the morphological adaptations for swimming in C. sapidus is discussed.
MULTIPLE VIRUS INFECTION OF SINGLE HOST CELLS

Evidence is presented to show that two or more viruses can simultaneously manifest their characteristic activities within individual epithelial cells of the normal rabbit's cornea. This evidence, together with that previously presented (1, 5, 6), makes plain that multiple virus infection of a single host cell can take place in corneal cells, in the cells of chick embryos, and in those of rabbit tumors, both benign (Shope's papilloma) and malignant. Certain implications of the findings are discussed.
Correlations between second harmonic signal, microstructure, and mechanics of contracting collagen gels

Second harmonic generation (SHG) from collagen provides an optical signal that can yield detailed information about collagen microstructure when imaged with laser scanning microscopy, from both collagen-based engineered tissue and connective tissues from animals. Therefore SHG images may provide information that correlates with bulk tissue mechanical properties, or at least a component of those properties resulting from collagen. In order to probe these correlations, we used multiphoton microscopy to gather SHG signal intensity and depth decay information from fibroblast-seeded contracting collagen hydrogels. These gels were polymerized at pH 6 to engineer a tissue with large diameter collagen fibers and large pores between fibers, and pH 9 to produce smaller diameter collagen fibers with smaller pores. Both gels initially contained 4 mg/ml collagen; after 16 days of floating culture, the pH 6-polymerized gels had contracted to 4.4 ± 0.6% of their original volume, and the pH 9-polymerized gels to 10.7 ± 2.7%. During this time period, the bulk compressive moduli (CM) of the gels increased ~9.2-fold and ~1.4-fold for the pH 6 and pH 9 polymerization conditions, respectively. Correspondingly, the SHG signal at the tissue surface increased ~25-fold and ~19-fold for the pH 6 and pH 9 gels, respectively; whereas the effective SHG attenuation coefficient increased ~4.5 and ~5.8-fold, respectively. Meaningful linear correlations only existed between the CM and surface SHG signal and the CM and SHG attenuation coefficient for pH 6-polymerized gels, indicating a possible influence of fibroblast activity on the CM of the pH-9 polymerized gels.
Repetitive infusion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone distinguishes hypothalamic from pituitary hypogonadism.

Abstract Patients who have severe hypogonadotropic hypogonadism caused by presumed hypothalamic disease often have a subnormal LH response to a bolus dose of gonadotropinreleasing hormone (GnRH). To determine if this subnormal response is the result of lack of exposure of the pituitary gonadotroph cells to GnRH, five such men were given daily infusions of 500 fig GnRH for 7 days. A standard 250-μg bolus test dose of GnRH was administered before and again immediately after the week of GnRH infusions. Five men who had severe hypogonadotropic hypogonadism as a result of presumed pituitary disease also received daily GnRH infusions for 1 week. The mean incremental LH responses (±se) to GnRH of the men with presumed hypothalamic disease were 5.0 ±1.9 mlU/ml before and 56.9 mlU/ml after the week of infusions. The mean incremental LH responses of the men with presumed pituitary disease were 2.4 ± 0.7 mlU/ml before and 3.7 ± 2.9 mlU/ml after the week of infusions. These data suggest that the normal gonadotroph re...
Extracellular ATP Mediates The Intercellular Ca2+ Wave Induced By Mechanical Stimulation In Human Salivary Gland Cells

Intracellular Ca2+ signaling has a central role in regulation of salivary gland cell function. Coordination of Ca2+ signaling between cells contributes to synchronized and effective secretion of saliva. However, mechanisms that underlie this signaling remain elusive. Here, intercellular Ca2+ waves (ICW) and their propagation in human salivary gland (HSG) cells were investigated using fura-2 fluorescence imaging. While not well understood, mechanical stimulation of a single cell in a cluster with a micropipette induces ICW. The Ca2+ signal is propagated from the stimulated cell to the 7-9th tier of cells or ∼120 μm. The following findings indicate that ICW propagation in HSG cells uses an extracellular and ATP-dependent pathway. The purinergic receptor antagonist suramin significantly decreased ICW propagation. Extracellular ATP or UTP abolished ICW suggestive of receptor desensitization. Gap junction intercellular communication is not involved in ICW in HSG cells because the gap junction inhibitor oleamide did not inhibit ICW. Furthermore, HSG cells showed poor dye coupling upon microinjection of Lucifer Yellow. The Ca2+ transients observed within each cell are dependent on Ca2+ release from the ER as thapsigargin abolished the ICW. The phospholipase C inhibitor U73122 also blocks ICW indicating that these transients are IP3-dependent. Furthermore, store operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) modulates the amplitude of Ca2+ signal since removal of extracellular Ca2+ or a SOCE inhibitor SK&F 96365 decreased the amplitude of Ca2+ signal. Inhibition of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake with FCCP/oligomycin or ruthenium red showed similar effects on the amplitude. These results indicate that propagation of this ICW utilizes extracellular ATP, likely through the P2U(P2Y2) receptor in HSG cells. The major Ca2+ mobilization mechanisms are IP3-dependent ER Ca2+ release and SOCE. Finally, mitochondrial energy metabolism and Ca2+ uptake modulated this ICW propagation.
Improvement in adaptive noise canceling using a nonlinear filter based on the pontryagin minimum principle

This paper introduces a new nonlinear filter that is used for adaptive noise canceling. The derivation and convergence properties of the filter are presented. The performance, as measured by the root mean square error between the signal and its estimate, is compared with that of the commonly used least mean square (LMS) algorithm. It is shown, through simulation, that the proposed nonlinear noise canceler has, on the average, better performance than the LMS canceler. The proposed adaptive noise canceler is based on the Pontryagin minimum principle and the method of invariant imbedding. The computational time for the proposed method is about 10% of that of the LMS, in the studied cases, which is a substantial improvement.
Laboratory study of cabin acoustic treatments installed in an aircraft fuselage

The insertion loss of side-wall add-on acoustic treatments was measured using a light aircraft fuselage. The treatments included: no treatment (i.e., baseline fuselage), a production-type double-wall interior, and various amounts of high-density fiberglass added to the baseline fuselage. The source used to simulate propeller noise was a pneumatic-driver with attached exponential horn, supplied with a broadband signal. Data were acquired at the approximate head location for each of the six possible passenger positions. Insertion loss results for the different configurations were analyzed in space-averaged narrowband levels, one-third-octave band levels, and overall levels, and at specific frequencies representing propeller tone spectra. The propeller tone data include not only the space-averaged insertion loss but also the variation of insertion loss of these particular frequencies across the six microphone positions.
A Selected Bibliography on Optical Spatial Filtering

A bibliography has been compiled concerning optical spatial filtering. The citations are listed chronologically and followed by an author index.
Molecular Engineering of the Polarity and Interactions of Molecular Electronic Switches

We have investigated and learned to control switching of oligo(phenylene ethynylene)s embedded in amide-containing alkanethiol self-assembled monolayers on Au{111}. We demonstrate bias-dependent switching of the oligo(phenylene ethynylene)s as a function of the interaction between the dipole moment of the oligo(phenylene ethynylene)s and the electric field applied between the scanning tunneling microscope tip and the substrate. We are able to invert the polarity of the switches by altering their design-inverting their dipole moments. For appropriately designed switches and matrix molecules, the conductance states are stabilized by intermolecular hydrogen bonding. These results further support the hypothesis that conductance switching in these molecules is due to hybridization changes at the molecule-substrate bonds due to tilting of the switch molecules.
JOURNAL CLUB: Voice Recognition Dictation: Analysis of Report Volume and Use of the Send-to-Editor Function

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to evaluate use of the send-to-editor function of a radiology voice recognition dictation system and compare study volumes of radiologists who self-edit with those of radiologists who send reports to the editor. Use of voice recognition shortcuts was also evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Voice recognition dictation systems were installed in a six-hospital system, including an 800-bed tertiary care center and five community hospitals, in 2002. This became the only means of radiologist dictation in July 2005. Report volumes, use of the send-to-editor function, and use of shortcuts were tracked from October 2005 through October 2008. A subspecialty private radiology group, ranging from 37 radiologists in July 2005 to 50 radiologists in October 2008, interpreted the imaging studies. Radiologists had no financial incentives to self-edit. RESULTS. The percentage of radiologists using the send-to-editor function remained relatively constant at 46%, resulting in 21% of to...
Genotype-to-phenotype analysis: Search for clinical characteristics of a missense change in the GABAA-β1 receptor gene

Genotype-to-phenotype analysis reverses the classical approach to genetic disease in which an unknown genotype is sought for a known phenotype. This paper provides an example of genotype-to-phenotype analysis for the possible psychiatric effects of a missense mutation (H396Q) at a highly conserved residue of the {Beta}1 subunit gene of the gamma aminobutyric acid type A receptor. DNA samples from 1,507 Caucasians of Western European descent were screened, and 10 heterozygotes for H396Q were identified. These individuals were matched to homozygous normal individuals by age, gender, and length of available medical records. The complete medical records of these 20 individuals were reviewed blindly by two psychiatrists (D.C.S., L.L.H.) to assess psychiatric symptomatology, with an emphasis on anxiety and related disorders. However, no association was found between this missense change at a conserved amino acid and a dominant neuropsychiatric disease phenotype. Thus, this missense change may be neutral or only mildly deleterious, may only cause recessive disease in rare individuals, or may interact epistatically with some other gene(s). 17 refs.
On the Optimum Squint Angles of Amplitude Monopulse Radar and Beacon Tracking Systems

The different quantitative criteria (and numerical results) for analytically determining the optimum squint angle of an amplitude monopulse system in the track mode are compared and reconciled, and the results are generalized to include mutual coupling.
On arrays with some combinatorial structure

Abstract In this paper we consider combinatorial entities called balanced arrays (B-arrays) which are generalizations of orthogonal arrays (O-arrays) and balanced incomplete block designs (BIBDs). We derive some necessary conditions for the existence of such arrays by using some well-known classical inequalities and the number of coincidences a certain column of the B-array has with other columns. We make some observations on the importance of these conditions to B-arrays, and discuss the applications of these arrays to design of experiments.
Catheter-induced Vasospasm in the Treatment of Acute Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding

PURPOSE To demonstrate results in managing lower gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding with the use of superselective catheterization and intentional induction of vasospasm of the bleeding vessel without the use of embolic agents or vasospasm-inducing medications. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective review of 15 episodes of lower GI bleeding treated in the past 6 years by intentional catheter-induced vasospasm (CIV) to achieve thrombosis of a bleeding source was conducted. Nine patients had angiographically proven inferior mesenteric artery bleeding and six had angiographically proven superior mesenteric artery bleeding. RESULTS Bleeding was stopped initially in all patients after effective treatment of the feeding artery. Only one patient experienced a repeat episode of bleeding 2 days later, which required hemicolectomy. Two other patients who underwent adequate embolization underwent surgery at the discretion of the surgeon involved. The remainder were clinically observed and discharged after return of stable vital signs and hematocrit levels. None of the patients treated had clinically evident intestinal ischemia or infarction. There was one significant repeat incidence of bleeding 2 months after CIV that may have represented recurrent bleeding from the original site. CONCLUSIONS CIV may be a safe and effective first-line method of embolizing known lower GI bleeding. Whether CIV is used as primary therapy or as the result of spasm incurred during superselective catheterization, the patient may be regarded as successfully treated and followed accordingly, thereby possibly avoiding acute surgical therapy.
Purinergic regulation of angiogenesis by human breast carcinoma-secreted nucleoside diphosphate kinase.

MDA-MB-435S human breast cancer cells (435S) secrete nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK) that supports metastases and is inhibited by epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and ellagic acid (EA). We hypothesise that 435S cell-secreted NDPK-B supports tumour formation by modulating ATP levels locally to activate endothelial cell (EC) P2Y receptor-mediated angiogenesis. Epigallocatechin gallate (IC50=8–10 μM) and EA (IC50=2–3 μM) suppressed 435S cell growth, but had less effect on human CD31+ EC growth. Epigallocatechin gallate (IC50=11 μM) and EA (IC50=1 μM) also prevented CD31+ EC tubulogenesis on Matrigel™. 435S cell-conditioned media induced tubulogenesis in a cell number, time, and nucleotide-dependent manner. Ellagic acid (1 μM), but not equimolar EGCG, reduced cell number-dependent angiogenesis. P2Y1 receptor activation by NDPK-generated nucleotide (100 μM ATP) or by 10 μM 2-methyl-thio-ATP (2MS-ATP) promoted tubulogenesis on collagen and was blocked by the P2Y1 antagonist MRS2179 (10 μM). Physiological amounts of purified as well as 435S cell-secreted NDPK also promoted angiogenesis that was attenuated by NDPK depletion or 10 μM MRS2179, indicating a P2Y1 receptor-mediated pathway. These results support the notion that secreted NDPK mediates angiogenesis via P2Y receptor signalling and suggests that novel inhibitors of NDPK may be useful as therapeutics.
Adaptive Hysteresis Compensation for SMA Actuators with Stress-Induced Variations in Hysteresisa

The strain-temperature hysteresis for shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators has been shown to undergo large changes according to the applied load. This paper provides an adaptive hysteresis model capable of accounting for a time-varying hysteresis, specifically SMA hysteresis under a varying applied stress. Previous research has established excellent performance, in both numerical and laboratory experiments, of the adaptive hysteresis model for actuators with fixed hysteresis. In this paper, the performance of the adaptive model when there are significant changes in the hysteresis characteristics is examined in a laboratory tracking experiment.
Core Family Process Measures in the NLSY97: Variation by Gender, Race, Income, and Family Structure

This article uses data from the NLSY97 to provide a descriptive portrait of core family process measures—family routines, parent–youth relationship, parental monitoring, control and autonomy in parenting adolescents, parenting style, and the parents' marital relationship. This research contributes to our understanding of how family processes vary by gender, race, household income, and family structure. The comparisons were performed using analysis of variance. We found that adolescents with single mothers reported fewer family routines; adolescents reported better relationships with their mothers than their fathers; and adolescents reported less control over limit setting than their parents reported but reported more limit breaking than their parents. Finally, most adolescents reported their parents had an authoritative parenting style. Other findings with respect to gender, race, and income, as well as some interaction effects, were also indicated by the analysis.
Association of Muscle Strength and Bone Mineral Density in Adult Survivors of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Abstract Joyce ED, Nolan VG, Ness KK, Ferry RJ Jr, Robison LL, Pui C-H, Hudson MM, Kaste SC. Association of muscle strength and bone mineral density in adult survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Objectives To investigate the association between bone mineral density (BMD) and muscle strength in survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a population at increased risk for both decreased BMD and muscle strength from cancer and its treatment. Design Cohort data from the St Jude Lifetime Cohort (SJLIFE) study. Setting Department of Cancer Control at St Jude Children's Research Hospital. Participants Subjects were adults enrolled in St Jude Lifetime Cohort study and treated for childhood ALL between 1962 and 1999. As part of a comprehensive evaluation, participants had dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans and muscle strength testing. The participants consisted of 261 women and 232 men who were 20.4 to 49.8 years old (median, 35.7y), and 12.7 to 46.5 years from diagnosis of childhood ALL (median, 27.2y). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures BMD was determined by DEXA scan. Muscle strength of upper and lower extremities was assessed with physical performance testing. Results After adjusting for covariates, we found significant ( P R 2 range, 0.33–0.40) and strong, significant associations in upper extremities (left-side R 2 =0.558; right-side R 2 =0.560). Conclusions Muscle strength was associated with BMD in the extremities of long-term survivors of childhood ALL, a finding suggesting that muscle strengthening interventions may improve bone health in them.
Sexual behavior and serum concentrations of reproductive hormones in impotent stallions

Abstract In an attempt to ascertain the cause of abnormal sexual behavior, serum concentrations of hormones were examined in normal (n=7) and impotent (n=7) stallions. Normal stallions achieved an erection (63 ± 19 sec) when exposed to a teaser mare, and mounted (17 ± 6 sec) and ejaculated (38 ± 5 sec) upon subsequent exposure to an estrous mare. In general, impotent stallions did not achieve an erection, mount or ejaculate. Serum concentrations of testosterone in normal and impotent stallions were similar; however, concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH) were lower (P
Managed Care, Cost Control, and the Common Good

The Clinton administration's revised rules regulating but not prohibiting the common practice in managed care of linking physician compensation with cost cutting and control of services demonstrates the complexity of ethical issues in managed care. As originally proposed, the federal guidelines on payment for Medicare and Medicaid services would have precluded any interrelationship between payment to physicians and delivery of services. Such a restriction would have gutted the primary mechanism in managed care plans to curb the unacceptably high cost of healthcare delivery: making physicians directly responsible for cost control by placing them at direct financial risk. At first blush such a linkage seems to involve an obvious and irreconcilable conflict of interest. How can a physician be responsible for the well-being of a patient while at the same time aware that a proportion of his or her income is linked to the provision of cost-conscious care?
Minor Depression: A Review of the Literature:

Objective:The clinical experience of the authors has suggested there is a significant group of elderly and individuals with medical illness and depressive symptoms who do not meet DSM-IV criteria f...
Analysis of the expression of biomarkers in urinary bladder cancer using a tissue microarray

Dysregulation of Akt, PTEN, Drg-1, Cx-26, and L-plastin expression appear to be important in the progression of various cancers. Their expression in bladder cancer has not been well characterized. To assess the expression of these genes and their relationship to the outcome of bladder cancer, we used a bladder cancer tissue microarray (TMA) of 251 transitional cell carcinomas. We quantitated immunohistochemical staining of each protein using both automated and manual methods and correlated the expression levels with the clinicopathologic characteristics of the tumor and patient survival. Overall, the results from both automated and manual analyses were similar. We found a significant correlation between the expression of PTEN, Cx-26 and L-plastin with known clinically important pathologic features of bladder cancer (tumor grade, stage, and growth pattern). Aberrant localization patterns of Cx-26 and Drg-1 were observed in bladder tumors. There was also a significant correlation in expression among pAkt, PTEN, and L-plastin. Although the expression of these genes correlated with factors known to be associated with patient outcome, none of them was an independent predictor of progression-free or overall survival.
Clinicopathologic findings in mesial temporal sclerosis treated with gamma knife radiotherapy.

Mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) is the most common cause of medically intractable temporal lobe epilepsy. Histologic findings include hippocampal atrophy with neuronal loss in the dentate, CA1, and CA3/CA4 regions with gliosis. The conventional treatment of patients with intractable epilepsy secondary to MTS has been surgical excision. Gamma knife radiotherapy (GKR) has recently been suggested as a less invasive alternative to surgery. To date, the histologic changes that occur in this setting after GKR have not been well described. The clinicopathologic features of 4 patients with MTS who received GKR and underwent subsequent surgical resection or autopsy were retrospectively reviewed. The study group is composed of 4 patients (3 women, 1 men) with ages 55, 48, 22, and 20 years, respectively, at the time of GKR. There were 2 patients who had a history of infantile febrile seizures, and 2 who had a central nervous infection during infancy. All 4 patients had a long-standing (13-36 years) history of temporal lobe seizures resistant to medical management. Imaging studies, electroencephalogram, and surgical specimens all confirmed the diagnosis of MTS. The oldest of the 4 patients died 1 month after receiving GKR, presumably because of post–gamma knife persistent seizure complications. The postmortem neuropathology on this patient was unremarkable for any radiation effect changes but showed evidence of MTS. The remaining 3 patients underwent surgical resection for persistent seizures at 18, 22, and 20 months, respectively, post–gamma knife. These 3 surgical specimens showed variable degrees of radiation effect changes in the temporal lobe, hippocampus, and amygdala, including chronic (lymphocytes and macrophages) perivascular inflammation (3/3), vascular sclerosis (3/3), foci of edema with necrosis (3/3; extensive in 2 patients), reactive astrocytosis (3/3), microglial proliferation (1/3), and microcalcifications (1/3). Patients with MTS who underwent GKR can develop typical radiation changes over time. Treatment of individuals with MTS via GKR may not always be adequate in controlling seizures. Radiation therapy effect may contribute to persistent seizures after GKR in some patients with MTS.
Conservatism in Complex Probabilistic Inference

Subjects were presented with data, described as the simulated output of a computerized radar system, consisting of dots that could fall in any one of twelve sectors. They were told that the process generating the data might be in any one of four mutually exclusive states. Displays showed for each state how likely it was that each dot would fall in each sector; an auxiliary display showed the prior probabilities of each of the four states. Subjects were required to estimate posterior probabilities of each state after each datum; comparison of these estimates with the correct values calculated from Bayes' theorem provided the dependent variables.
INDUCTION OF NUCLEAR ENVELOPES AROUND METAPHASE CHROMOSOMES AFTER FUSION WITH INTERPHASE CELLS

The process of cellular fusion induced by Sendai virus in Chinese hamster cells (Don line) afforded us the opportunity to study nuclear envelope formation around metaphase sets in the presence of interphase nuclei, when chromosome pulverization failed to occur in such multinucleate cells. Morphologically, the enveloped metaphase chromosomes resembled a normal telophase nucleus, though minor differences prompted us to call it telophase-like. Electron microscopic observations demonstrated that the membranes enveloping the chromosomes appeared to be identical with a normal nuclear envelope. The longer the cells were incubated with Colcemid before fusion, the higher was the number of cells with telophase-like nuclei and the lower the percentage of cells with pulverizations. Furthermore, the number of pulverizations bore a somewhat direct relationship to the ratio of metaphase to interphase nuclei in multinucleate cells, and the number of telophase-like nuclei was inversely proportional to this ratio. A hypothesis is advanced in which a balance between the activities of a chromosome pulverization factor and a nuclear envelope formation factor, the former in metaphase cells and the latter in interphase cells, is decisive as to the nature of morphologic events observed in virus-induced fused cells.
PD-L1hi retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells elicited by inflammatory cytokines induce regulatory activity in uveitogenic T cells

We previously reported that after exposure to inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-17 and IFN-, RPE cells express increased amounts of suppressor of cytokine signaling, leading to general suppression of the inflammatory response. Here, we demonstrate that RPE cells expressed increased levels of PD-L1 in response to IL17, IFN-, or Poly I:C. These PD-L1 hi RPE cells inhibited the pathogenic activities of IRBP-specific T cells, which
Leveraging Unused Cache Block Words to Reduce Power in CMP Interconnect

Power is of paramount importance in modern computer system design. In particular, the cache interconnect in future CMP designs is projected to consume up to half of the system power for cache fills and spills. Despite the power consumed by spills and fills, a significant percentage of each cache line is unused prior to eviction from the cache. If unused cache block words can be identified, this information can be used to improve CMP interconnect power and energy consumption. We propose a new method of CMP interconnect packet composition, leveraging unused data to reduce power. These methods are well suited to interconnection networks with high-bandwidth wires, and do not require expensive multi-ported memory systems. Assuming perfect prediction, our technique achieves an average of 37% savings in total dynamic link power consumption. With our current best prediction mechanism, our techniques reduce dynamic power consumption by 23% on average.
Impacts of Silver Nanoparticle Ingestion on Pigmentation and Developmental Progression in Drosophila

In recent years, the advent of nanomaterial use has increased exposure rates and raised health concerns. However, the toxicology profiles of many nanomaterials are far from complete for various reasons. In this study, Drosophila melanogaster, commonly called fruit flies, were exposed to one of the most widely used nanomaterials, silver nanopowder (Ag NP), to assess its toxicity and determine if D. melanogaster would be a good model organism for nanotoxicology studies. Comparison of developmental progression amongst groups of flies ingesting different Ag NP concentrations (0.05%/~90 ppm-5.0%/~9000 ppm), revealed that hatch rates were unaffected, but that larval progression was impeded at any dosage of Ag NP. At 0.3% Ag NP an approximate LD50 was observed. Additionally, a distinctive phenotype was observed among emergent adults (F1 generation) that arose from larvae exposed to Ag NP which included reduced body pigmentation accompanied by shortened life span and abnormal climbing behavior. The phenotype prompted speculation that Ag NPs may affect the dopamine and/or the stress response pathway(s).
Farmers' role in sustainable agriculture research

Involvement of farmers in sustainable agricultural research can have important benefits, since farmers originated many sustainable agriculture innovations and can contribute a valuable perspective different from that of researchers. However, this does not mean, as is sometimes said, that all kinds of sustainable agricultural research necessarily should give farmers a major role—perhaps the dominant role—in choosing topics and overseeing the work. This belief overlooks the fact that farmers are just one of many groups that publicly supported research is supposed to serve and that their interests do not by themselves embody the full range of goals that sustainable agriculture tries to achieve. Moreover, although farmers can bring valuable insights to research, these alone will not be enough to insure that a sustainable agriculture research program has an appropriate mix of applied versus basic, short-term versus long-term, and component-level versus system-level studies.
Examination of three systems of surface color by scaled color differences

In contrast to the CIE (Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage) colorimetric systems in which colors are specified on the basis of spectrum of light, a system for surface color is displayed by the standard chips. According to the principle by which the standard chips are selected and arranged, we have many different systems. Three representative systems are examined, Munsell, OSA-UCS (Optical Society of America-Uniform Color Scale), and NCA (Natural Color System) of Sweden. Each is a systematization of human cognition of colors, and how we see the difference between two chips j and k plays a different role in each spatial representation. On the basis of observers' assessments, the perceptual difference is scaled as djk, a numerical value. The structure of each system is quantitatively examined by checking the behavior of djk. This article is a review of the author's studies in this line.
Interactive Perception of Rigid and Non-Rigid Objects

This paper explores the concept of interactive perception, in which sensing guides manipulation, in the context of extracting and classifying unknown objects within a cluttered environment. In the proposed approach, a pile of objects lies on a flat background, and the goal of the robot is to isolate, interact with, and classify each object so that its properties can be obtained. The algorithm considers each object to be classified using color, shape, and flexibility. The approach works with a variety of objects relevant to service robot applications, including both rigid objects such as bottles, cans, and pliers as well as non-rigid objects such as soft toy animals, socks, and shoes. Experiments on a number of different piles of objects demonstrate the ability of efficiently isolating and classifying each item through interaction.
Evolving heuristically difficult instances of combinatorial problems

When evaluating a heuristic for a combinatorial problem, randomly generated instances of the problem may not provide a thorough exploration of the heuristic's performance, and it may not be obvious what kinds of instances challenge or confound the heuristic. An evolutionary algorithm can search a space of problem instances for cases that are heuristically difficult. Evaluation in such an EA requires an exact algorithm for the problem, which limits the sizes of the instances that can be explored, but the EA's (small) results can reveal misleading patterns or structures that can be replicated in larger instances. As an example, a genetic algorithm searches for instances of the quadratic knapsack problem that are difficult for a straightforward greedy heuristic. The GA identifies such instances, which in turn reveal patterns that mislead the heuristic.
Treatment of recurrent posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder of the central nervous system with high-dose methotrexate.

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a frequent complication of intestinal transplantation and is associated with a poor prognosis. There is currently no consensus on optimal therapy. Recurrent PTLD involving the central nervous system (CNS) represents a particularly difficult therapeutic challenge. We report the successful treatment of CNS PTLD in a pediatric patient after liver/small bowel transplantation. Initial immunosuppression (IS) was with thymoglobulin, solucortef, tacrolimus, and mycophenolate mofetil. EBV viremia developed 8 weeks posttransplantation, and despite treatment with cytogam and valganciclovir the patient developed a polymorphic, CD20
Dual-Signaling Fluorescent Chemosensors Based on Conformational Restriction and Induced Charge Transfer

Twist and shout! By restricting conformation, 2,6-biarylpyridines can be induced to "speak" to us through increased fluorescence emission. In combination with induced charge transfer, this allows these simple fluorophores to reveal otherwise silent binding events to alkali metal and alkaline earth cations through brightening and color change (see picture; from left to right: no metal, Li+ , Mg2+ , and Ca2+ ).
CLARIFYING AN AMBIGUOUS FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS WITH MATCHED AND MISMATCHED EXTINCTION PROCEDURES

Results of functional analysis were ambiguous in suggesting that self-injurious behavior (SIB) was maintained by escape, sensory reinforcement, or both. To help clarify these results, we compared escape extinction, sensory extinction, and the combined treatments. Sensory extinction proved to be a necessary and sufficient treatment, whereas escape extinction failed to decrease SIB. These analyses helped to clarify the function of SIB and to identify an effective and efficient treatment.
Intravenous fibrinolysis eligibility: a survey of stroke clinicians' practice patterns and review of the literature.

Background The indications and contraindications for intravenous (IV) recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) use in ischemic stroke can be confusing to the practicing neurologist. Here we seek to describe practice patterns regarding decision-making among US stroke clinicians. Methods Stroke clinicians (attending and fellow) from the 8 National Institutes of Health SPOTRIAS (Specialized Programs of Translational Research in Acute Stroke) centers were asked to complete a survey ahead of the 2012 SPOTRIAS Investigators' meeting. Results A total of 51 surveys were collected (71% response rate). Most of the responders were attending physicians (68%). Only 18% of clinicians reported strictly adhering to current American Heart Association guidelines for treatment within 3 hours from symptom onset; this increased to 51% for the European Cooperative Acute Stroke Study (ECASS) III criteria in the 3 to 4.5 hours time frame. All clinicians treat eligible patients in the 3 to 4.5 hours time frame. The great majority will recommend rtPA in the following scenarios: (1) elderly individuals irrespective of age (97%); (2) severe stroke irrespective of National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) (95%); or (3) suspected stroke with seizures at symptom onset (91%). None recommended rtPA in the setting of an international normalized ratio >1.7. Most clinicians defined mild strokes as an exclusion based on the perceived disability of the deficit (80%) rather than on a specific NIHSS threshold. Conclusions Most surveyed stroke clinicians seem to find that the current IV rtPA eligibility criteria for the 3-hour time frame too restrictive. All would recommend rtPA to eligible patients in the 3 to 4.5 hours time frame despite the absence of an U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved indication.
Immigration, Crime, and Victimization: Rhetoric and Reality

Contrary to popular perceptions that immigration increases crime, the research literature demonstrates that immigration generally serves a protective function, reducing crime. This review takes as its starting point the contradiction between the rhetoric and the reality of immigration and crime in the United States. We begin by exploring the conditions under which immigration reduces crime and those under which it has less or no effect, with particular attention to traditional and new destination sites. We then demonstrate how the moral panic about immigration has contributed to unprecedented levels of new legislation and intensified enforcement practices. These new laws and policies, we suggest, are making immigrants and their communities less safe. We consider some of the ways in which immigrants have become more vulnerable and how that vulnerability is patterned and nuanced. We close by examining recent research in other parts of the world, finding some similarities but also differences in the relation...
Increasing the effectiveness of messages promoting responsible undergraduate drinking: tailoring to personality and matching to context.

This study addressed the serious problem of college student binge drinking by identifying factors that improve the effectiveness of messages encouraging responsible drinking presented through a website simulation. We tested schema matching (i.e., whether the message matches the person's self-schema type or not) and two types of context matching (i.e., whether the message matches the topic or values of the message context) to determine their relative influence on the effectiveness of the message. We expected that messages matched to any of these factors would be more effective than messages not matched. Schema matching reduced intentions to drink while staying in/home, but topic matching reduced intentions to drink when going out, suggesting that different factors are important for messages targeting drinking behavior in different locations. Significant interactions between topic matching and value matching on message evaluation variables indicated that the message should not match the message context too ...
The Salivary Lactoperoxidase System in Caries-resistant and -susceptible Adults

In a comparative study of caries-resistant and -susceptible adults, no significant differences were found in the concentrations of lactoperoxidase, thiocyanate, and pre-formed hypothiocyanite in parotid and submandibular saliva, or in hypothiocyanite formed in expectorated saliva over a 60-minute period. The concentrations per se of these components are not critical determinants of caries resistance or susceptibility. Thiocyanate concentration was higher in both unstimulated parotid and submandibular saliva than in the respective stimulated secretions. At comparable flow rates, parotid values were higher than submandibular.
miR-124 and Androgen Receptor Signaling Inhibitors Repress Prostate Cancer Growth by Downregulating Androgen Receptor Splice Variants, EZH2, and Src

miR-124 targets the androgen receptor transcript, acting as a tumor suppressor to broadly limit the growth of prostate cancer (CaP). In this study, we unraveled the mechanisms through which miR-124 acts in this setting. miR-124 inhibited proliferation of CaP cells in vitro and sensitizes them to inhibitors of androgen receptor signaling (ARSIs). Notably, miR-124 could restore the apoptotic response of cells resistant to enzalutamide, a drug approved for the treatment of castration-resistant CaP. We employed xenograft models to examine the effects of miR-124 in vivo when complexed with polyethylenimine (PEI)-derived nanoparticles. Intravenous delivery of miR-124 was sufficient to inhibit tumor growth and to increase tumor cell apoptosis in combination with enzalutamide. Mechanistic investigations revealed that miR-124 directly downregulated AR splice variants AR-V4 and V7 along with EZH2 and Src, oncogenic targets that have been reported to contribute to CaP progression and treatment resistance. Taken together, our results offer a preclinical rationale to evaluate miR-124 for cancer treatment.
The Role of Hepcidin in Iron Homeostasis

• Hepcidin is the principal iron-regulatory hormone that controls the absorption of dietary iron and its distribution between stores and extracellular fluid.
Expected number of citations and the crown indicator

Abstract The mean normalized citation score or crown indicator is a much studied bibliometric indicator that normalizes citation counts across fields. We examine the theoretical basis of the normalization method and, in particular, the determination of the expected number of citations. We observe a theoretical bias that raises the expected number of citations for low citation fields and lowers the expected number of citations for high citation fields when interdisciplinary publications are included.
Stress-Related Phenomena in Capped Aluminum-Based Metallizations

The effect of a TiW capping layer on the mechanical behavior of AlSi(l%)Ou(y2%) thin films was evaluated. The aluminum films studied were deposited at temperatures ranging from 150 to 450°C, on various barrier layers (Ti, TiW, and TiN). Measurement of the stacks stress during anneal up to 450°C revealed that for films deposited at 150°C, the capping layer improved yield strength regardless of the type of barrier layer used. The uncapped stacks exhibited the traditional behavior of hillock formation during heating, and hillock /grain collapse during cooling. The capped stacks, however, showed considerably reduced, or suppressed hillock formation during heating, and active tensile stress relief mechanisms during cooling included cracking, voiding, and grain boundary grooving. These observations correlated well with XRD data characterizing the extent of tensile stress buildup in the aluminum films. For films deposited at 300°C, grain deformation during cooling after deposition presumably caused hardening which prevented cracking as well as changes in texture during anneal. This was observed regardless of the presence of a capping layer. Although the stacks studied were unpassivated, this data suggests that capping. layers may enhance stress migration issues in integrated systems.
The Intersection of Race and Community Poverty and Its Effects on Adolescents’ Academic Achievement

Although most studies have established the importance of individual-level influences on adolescent outcomes, studies are often limited in that they do not address the effects of broader community-level factors. To address this limitation, we examined the association between community-level poverty and adolescents’ academic achievement, and the role of race in this association. Results from multilevel modeling suggested that (a) regardless of community type (i.e., low vs. high poverty), Black adolescents reported lower academic achievement than White adolescents, (b) community poverty was negatively associated with adolescents’ academic achievement among both White and Black adolescents, and (c) the racial disparity in academic achievement was greater in communities with low poverty. Findings indicated the complex effect of community context and race on adolescents’ academic outcome. Implications of such findings were discussed.