cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The influence of neurocognitive impairment on HIV treatment outcomes among drug-involved people living with HIV/AIDS

Abstract Findings to date indicate that it is feasible to deliver a brief behavioral risk reduction/medication adherence group intervention to HIV-infected injection drug users in a community-based setting. HIV infection and substance abuse can result in neurocognitive impairment and this is directly relevant to intervention development, because a significant number of people living with HIV/AIDS have a positive history of substance abuse and being able to successfully participate in behavioral interventions often requires a relatively high level of cognitive performance. The aim of the current study was to evaluate if changes in information, motivation, and behavior skills with respect to medication adherence, sex- and drug-risk behavior outcomes from baseline to post-intervention are predicted by cognitive impairment following the brief four-session Holistic Health for HIV intervention for HIV-infected Drug Users (3H+). Significant associations were found between change in motivation and certain neuroco...
Initial Safety and Feasibility Clinical Trial of the Myosplint Device

BACKGROUND The Myocor Myosplint device is a passive implantable device for the treatment of heart failure by changing the geometry of the left ventricle (LV). AIM The purpose of this evaluation was to describe the first human experience with the Myosplint device to demonstrate safety and feasibility. METHODS Of the first consecutive 21 patients, 9 patients received a Myosplint device alone while 12 patients underwent a mitral valve repair as well. Safety and efficacy data were gathered at enrollment and during follow-up. RESULTS No serious device-related adverse events or device failures were observed. Three patients died during the follow-up period, and 2 patients underwent heart transplantation. There was a significant improvement in the New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class from 3.0 +/- 0.3 at baseline to 2.1 +/- 0.7 at 6 months (p = 0.001). Both LV end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes had decreased at follow-up. The LV ejection fraction significantly increased in the Myosplint alone group (from 17.1 +/- 4.0% at baseline to 21.8 +/- 4.1% at 3 months and 23.1 +/- 7.2% at 6 months) but not in the Myosplint and mitral valve repair group. The mitral regurgitation (MR) grade had a significant (p = 0.002) linear relationship with the NYHA functional class. CONCLUSIONS The initial clinical experience of the Myosplint device demonstrated both safety and feasibility, validating the LV shape change concept in humans. A remodeling solution must, however, include MR resolution, to illustrate the need for a device that can simultaneously reduce or eliminate functional MR off-pump.
Vertex response: Influence of lesions in the auditory system†‡

The principal value of specialized audiologic techniques lies in early diagnosis of retrocochlear lesions, which in turn minimizes technical difficulties in the surgical removal of acoustic neuromas; however, despite a wide battery of audiometric tests, the otolaryngologist too often has difficulty in distinguishing between cochlear and retrocochlear lesions. Johnson1 observed deviations in one or more respects from the classic audiometric findings in almost half of the cases of acoustic neuroma that he studied. Other audiologists2 have encountered similar problems.
Phase II enzyme induction reduces body burden of heptachlor in rats

Contrary to expectations hexadecane had no significant effect on the body clearance of heptachlor in rats. However, phase II enzyme induction altered the kinetics of heptachlor dramatically, reducing its half-life by about 3-fold. The reduction of half-life was reflected in correspondingly lowered adipose tissue and blood levels.
Spatially resolved cerebral blood flow imaging using laser speckle

Cerebral blood flow measurements are crucial for studying neuronal activity and cerebrovascular responses. Most optical techniques for monitoring real time blood flow rely on laser Doppler measurements which are limited to a localized region in space (point measurements). We have used the time-varying speckle pattern produced by coherent light scattered from moving particles to provide real-time, two-dimensional maps of capillary blood flow dynamics. The speckle images of relative blood flow during cortical spreading depression showed a 2-3 mm area of increased blood flow propagation with a velocity of 2.5 mm/min. The speckle technique therefore, provides a relatively simple method of obtaining spatially resolved cerebral blood flow changes in the exposed cortex with high temporal resolution (milliseconds).
Hydrogen Atom Adducts to the Amide Bond. Generation and Energetics of Amide Radicals in the Gas Phase

The 1-hydroxy-1-(N-methyl)aminoethyl radical (1) represents a simple model system for hydrogen atom adducts to the amide bond in gas-phase peptide and protein ions relevant to electron capture dissociation (ECD). Radical 1 was generated in the rarefied gas phase by femtosecond electron transfer to the stable cation prepared by selective O-protonation of N-methylacetamide. The main dissociations of 1 were loss of the hydroxyl hydrogen atom and the N-methyl group in a 1.7:1 ratio, as deduced from product analysis and deuterium labeling. The dissociations that occur on the 4.1 microsecond time scale are driven by large Franck−Condon effects on collisional electron transfer that deposit 93−103 kJ mol-1 in the nascent radicals. Detailed analysis of the potential energy surface for dissociations of 1 revealed several conformers and isomeric transition states for dissociations of the O−H and N−CH3 bonds. The experimental branching ratio is in quantitative agreement with RRKM calculations within the accuracy of t...
Biogeographic area relationships of lowland Neotropical rainforest based on raw distributions of vertebrate groups

Hypotheses of the historic biogeography of Neotropical anurans inhabiting lowland forests were generated using Parsimony Analysis of Endemicity. In order to establish comparisons with the biogeographical patterns of other vertebrates, previous cladistic analyses reported in the literature (for lizards and primates) were extended and reanalysed to match the geographical scope of the anuran analysis. Cladistic analysis of the distribution of 335 anuran species at 14 localities showed two regions that form a basal dichotomy: (1) Central America + Choco and (2) Amazon Basin + Brazilian Atlantic Forest. This result is interpreted as the first vicariance event that separated lowland Neotropical rainforests into Cis-Andean (east from the Andes) and Trans-Andean (west from the Andes) areas. Within the Cis-Andean localities, the earliest separation occurred between the Amazon Basin and the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Within the Amazon Basin, three distinctive clusters are defined: (1) Belem, (2) Guianan Region, and (3) Upper Amazon Basin. Data sets on the distribution of anurans, lizards, and mammals have strong cladistic signal. Strong congruence exists among the area cladograms of anurans, lizards, and primates. All of them have, or at least did not conflict with: (1) a basal separation between Cis- and Trans-Andean regions, (2) a Central American clade, (3) the Choco Region is sister to the Central American clade, (4) an Amazon Basin clade, (5) an Upper Amazon Basin clade, and (6) a Guianan clade. The area cladograms are dichotomous and therefore do not support biogeographic theories that hypothesize simultaneous isolations of biotas in the Neotropics.
RETHINKING THE POLITICS OF DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT

In the political science literature, downtown redevelopment has long been seen as the project of a region's economic elites. But in recent years, large corporations, banks, and department stores have in many cases abandoned central business districts, and downtowns are now more likely to be developed as centers of entertainment and culture, or as residential districts. This article posits that changing downtown land uses are accompanied by changes in the downtown influence structure, with nonprofit sector and real estate industry leaders now dominating downtown business organizations. Those interested in both the physical and political changes reshaping the downtowns of large American cities can find themselves engaged in two parallel conversations. In the first, found among urbanists from many fields as well as in the popular press, we learn that much of the new (e.g., post-1980) development in American city centers has been focused on activities we might characterize as "consumption"—professional sports, cultural institutions, themed shopping districts, and housing are now taking over areas once dominated by banks, corporate headquarters, and department stores. Downtowns, we learn, are now developed and marketed as mixed districts in which retail, housing, and entertainment may even come to overshadow traditional central business district (CBD) functions. The second is a conversation mostly among political scientists and political sociologists, who have been interested in the various stakeholders (elected officials and bureaucrats; corporate leaders and peak business associations; neighborhood organizations) who have sought to shape downtown. In this narrative, business elites with a financial and symbolic stake in the economic health of the central business district began mobilizing in many cities during the 1940s and 1950s to protect their investments, which were in many cases thought to be "sunk" and immobile— Richard King Mellon, the Pittsburgh financier who mobilized resources behind the redevelopment of downtown Pittsburgh in the 1940s, explained his commitment to his city as an outgrowth of his business interests: "We have a lot of property here. We can't very well move out the banks" (Fitzpatrick, 2000). Business leaders worked with entrepreneurial mayors and development officials, leveraging federal urban renewal funds to shore up downtowns. Although in some cities these downtown-focused coalitions were eventually challenged by neighborhood-based groups seeking a more equitable share of public investment dollars, the basic political science
International investment risk analysis: extensions for multinational corporation capital budgeting models

Abstract Multinational corporation managers often rely upon net present value modelsusing differing foreign discount rates that contain implicit ϱ jk ( t ) relative risk premiums equal to the difference between Country j and Country k discount rates at Time t . Recent surveys shows that these risk premiums are usually subjective and rarely justified in an analytical context. The major purpose of this paper is to propose a means whereby ϱ jk ( t ) relative risk premiums may be derived from investor judgements regarding r jk ( t ) perceived multiple country foreign investment risk differentials. The r jk ( t ) responses are based upon the amount of a Country j return that would be required in Year t for the respondent to be indifferent per dollar of return from Country k having different types and levels of investment risk. This paper proposes means whereby the r jk ( t ) risk differential equivalencies may be elicited as dynamic time functions and aggregated as geometric means for multiple respondents. Inconsistent r jk ( t ) responses may be adjusted for consistency either by eigenvector scalings or least-squares scalings. This paper illustrates an optimal least-squares scaling procedure. The analysis proposed in this paper facilities multiple-criterion analysis via Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) analysis. An AHP formulation is illustrated in the paper.
Managed care organizations' performance in delivery of adolescent immunizations, HEDIS, 1999-2002.

Abstract Purpose The Health Plan Employer Data Information Set (HEDIS®) provides comparative information across health plans to measure the quality of care and preventive services for health plan beneficiaries. We examined recent trends in adolescent immunizations recommended by the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) measured through HEDIS and reported to the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). Methods The study was based on a longitudinal regression analysis of commercial managed care organizations' HEDIS measures from 1999–2002. HEDIS performance measures and plan characteristics include a sample of approximately 100–400 enrollees per plan each year. The outcome measures were the proportions of enrollees aged 13 years sampled in the plan who received measles–mumps–rubella vaccine (MMR), hepatitis B vaccine, and varicella vaccine. Results The immunization rates for all three antigens increased significantly from 1999 to 2002 (MMR: 57–68%; hepatitis B: 28–51%; and varicella: 21–38%). Factors in the final multivariable models that were found to be significantly associated with increased proportions immunized with MMR vaccine, hepatitis B vaccine, and varicella vaccine include year of report, presence of school entry laws, years in business up to 25 years, and operating in the northeastern U.S. region; the only factor associated with decreasing immunization rates for all antigens was the number of providers per 100 commercial enrollees. Conclusions Consistent with previous reports, adolescent immunization rates are improving yet remain suboptimal. Strategies to increase immunization rates, as well as to improve documentation of immunization status, among commercial health insurance plans need to be developed and implemented.
Reactions to objective self-awareness

Abstract In order to determine reactions to objective self-awareness, 96 female undergraduates received either positive or negative feedback on a “creativity” task prior to being given an opportunity to write a response to a visual cue. Half of the subjects were made objectively self-aware, via a mirror, during the visual cue task; half were not. In addition, half of the subjects were led to believe that the visual cue task was highly related to creativity, while half learned that the task was low in relevance. A “longer the response, the better” standard of correctness was established for all subjects. As predicted, the results indicated that when made objectively self-aware, subjects who received negative feedback wrote more in response to the visual cue than did those who received positive feedback, a difference which was not obtained for the subjectively self-aware subjects. The task relevance manipulation also produced a significant main effect. A similar pattern of results was obtained on a measure of the time spent on the task. The implications of the results for objective self-awareness theory are considered.
SU-FF-T-188: Correlation Between in Vivo Electron Diodes Response and Nominal Surface Dose for Broad Electron Beams

Purpose: To establish correlation between in vivo diodes response and nominal surface dose Ds for broad electron beams, thus simplifying the calibration process for electron diodes. Method and Materials: The nominal surface dose Ds defined by TG25 was extracted from electron PDD data that were measured by cylindrical ion chamber (RK chamber, Scanditronix-Wellhofer) on a Varian 2100C Linac at 100 cm SSD. Cone factors were measured using ion chamber (Capintec PR-06) at dmax. A QED p-type electron diode with Model 1131 dosimeter (Sun Nuclear Corp.) was calibrated to the dose at dmax for 9 MeV electron beam at 100 cm SSD using 10×10 cone. Diode readings using this calibration factor were then obtained with 10×10 cone and 15×15 cone for 6, 9, 12, 16 and 20 MeV electron beams delivering 200 MUs. The same diode was then re-calibrated to the dose at dmax for 12 MeV electron beam. The above measurements were repeated with 10×10 cone and 25×25 cone to reconfirm our hypothesis. Results: The diode readings were first divided by cone factors, and then the corrected readings were plotted against nominal skin dose. For diodes calibrated by 9 MeV electrons, the correlation coefficient R-squared value were 0.9954 and 0.9796 for 10×10 cone and 15×15 cone respectively. For diodes calibrated by 12 MeV electrons, the R-squared value were 0.9967 and 0.9980 for 10×10 cone and 25×25 cone respectively. Conclusion: The correlation between in vivo p-type diode response and nominal surface dose Ds for broad electron beams has been empirically established and confirmed. The diode response corrected by cone factor demonstrated a clear correlation with nominal surface dose Ds. This correlation can significantly simplify the electron diode calibration process. It can also be potentially used to monitor relative skin dose along with dmax dose at the same time.
Role of hydrogen sulfide in a Permian‐Triassic boundary ozone collapse

[1] Using a three-dimensional chemistry-climate model of the troposphere and stratosphere, we find that hydrogen sulfide alone is unlikely to directly affect stratospheric ozone, even for hydrogen sulfide emission rates as large as 5000 Tg(S) per year. However, we also find that large quantities of hydrogen sulfide create a significant decrease in tropospheric hydroxyl radical, leading to a commensurate increase in atmospheric methane. Therefore a large methane flux (possibly from methane clathrate destabilization, Siberian traps or hydrothermal vent complexes) combined with a large hydrogen sulfide oceanic flux is much more likely to lead to an ozone collapse than methane or hydrogen sulfide alone with implications to the Permian-Triassic boundary extinction 250 million years ago.
Metal chelate affinity chromatography for the purification of the F420-reducing (Ni,Fe) hydrogenase of Methanospirillum hungatei

Abstract Metal chelate affinity chromatography rapidly separated a soluble F 420 -reducing hydrogenase from its membrane-bound form and from methyl-CoM reductase. The usefulness of the method depended on the metal chelated to the affinity matrix. Ni 2+ and Zn 2+ chelates were equally effective, a Cu 2+ chelate inactivated the enzyme and Co 2+ or Fe 2+ chelates failed to bind the enzyme. A 3-day purification scheme was developed which resulted in >40% recovery of the soluble F 420 -reducing hydrogenase activity, purified to >90% electrophoretic homogeneity.
SIMPLIFICATION, TRANSFER, AND RELEXIFICATION AS ASPECTS OF PIDGINIZATION AND EARLY SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION1

Schumann (1978) argues that the simplification (i.e., general absence of inflectional morphology and grammatical transformations) found in the early stages of second language acquisition (SLA) reflects pidginization. Gilbert and Mack (1979) argue that the early stages of SLA are characterized by native language (NL) transfer and relexification but not by pidginization. Since there is no consensus among pidginists as to what constitutes pidginization (Washabaugh and Eckman 1980), it is impossible for researchers in SLA to rely on them for a definition of the process. Therefore SLA researchers must take an active role in the development of an accurate definition. In this paper I suggest that pidginization be seen as SLA under conditions of restricted input (Bickerton 1977) or restricted intake. Learners attempting to use a second language under such conditions will perform within the constraints of the general principle, Keep L2 output simple, and its corollary, Maintain your NL to whatever extent possible. From this perspective, the simplification reported by Schumann and the NL transfer and relexification reported by Gilbert and Mack are all proper characteristics of pidginization. The general principle accounts for simplification and the corollary accounts for NL transfer and relexification. In support of this view, evidence is presented from both longitudinal and cross-sectional studies of SLA by Spanish and Japanese learners of English.
Evaluation of design options for the trace cache fetch mechanism

In this paper, we examine some critical design features of a trace cache fetch engine for a 16-wide issue processor and evaluate their effects on performance. We evaluate path associativity, partial matching, and inactive issue, all of which are straightforward extensions to the trace cache. We examine features such as the fill unit and branch predictor design. In our final analysis, we show that the trace cache mechanism attains a 28 percent performance improvement over an aggressive single block fetch mechanism and a 15 percent improvement over a sequential multiblock mechanism.
Estrogenic Effect of Genistein and Coumestrol Diacetate

Two nonsteroid compounds, coumestrol diacetate and genistein, were shown to stimulate the incorporation of labeled precursors into protein, phospholipid and ribonucleic acid and to increase acid soluble uridine triphosphate in the uterus of the ovariectomized rat. A comparison of their activity is made with that of estradiol and the possibility that the nonsteroid compounds may function in the same manner as the steroid estrogen is discussed.
Radiotherapy for adenoid cystic carcinomas of the head and neck: clinical outcomes and patterns of failure

Our goal was to evaluate the use of postoperative or definitive radiotherapy for primary adenoid cystic carcinoma in the head and neck and to determine prognostic variables. From April 1973 to June 2009, 44 patients were treated with radiotherapy at Stanford University, 3 definitively and 41 postoperatively. Median follow-up was 59 months (range, 10–246) for all patients and 56 months for living patients. The median radiation dose was 60 Gy (range, 50–76) with 35 % of patients being treated with IMRT. Five patients (11 %), 1 patient (2 %), and 19 patients (43 %) developed local, regional, and distant failures, respectively. The 5-year and 10-year progression-free and overall survival rates were 57/47 % and 71/59 %, respectively. No patients with negative surgical margins have had a local recurrence. On univariate analysis, residual microscopic and macroscopic disease correlated with progression-free survival (p = 0.048 and p = 0.032, respectively). Residual microscopic disease (p = 0.019), skull base invasion (p = 0.032), and T-classification (p = 0.022) correlated with overall survival. Nine patients experienced acute grade ≥3 toxicity. Eight patients (18 %) developed late grade ≥2 toxicity, including three patients treated with chemoradiotherapy that included a stereotactic boost for gross residual disease, all of whom developed temporal lobe necrosis. Local control for adenoid cystic carcinoma treated with either postoperative or definitive radiotherapy is excellent. Distant metastasis is the predominant pattern of failure, and treatment failure overall is strongly associated with residual disease status. Stereotactic boosts should be used with caution in patients treated with definitive chemoradiation.
Prevention of post-ERCP pancreatitis: a little antacid might go a long way

A major procedural complication in gastroenterology is post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) acute pancreatitis. This occurs in 4–10% of patients undergoing ERCP. While the severity of post-ERCP pancreatitis is generally mild, up to 10% of cases may be severe and complicated by necrosis, multi-organ failure and even death.1 Prevention of this complication has proven only partially successful with patient selection and procedural measures contributing significantly to decreases in this complication. Although many pharmacological interventions have been used, few have demonstrated consistent or substantial benefits.1 A possible exception may be non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents.2 In this issue of the journal, Noble and co-workers3 ( see page 1566 ) surprisingly identify the pH of the contrast media used to opacify the pancreatic duct as a potential factor in post-ERCP pancreatitis. Certain manipulations increase the risk of developing post-ERCP pancreatitis. These include sphincter of Oddi dysfunction, repeated attempts at cannulation, repeated contrast injection, and papillotomy. Each of these interventions can result in increased pressure within the pancreatic duct. Thus, the empirical use of temporary pancreatic duct stents to reduce intraductal pressure and prevent post-ERCP pancreatitis began about 15 years ago. The literature has consistently supported their use, particularly in reducing severe pancreatitis.4 The contributory role of contrast agents in post-ERCP pancreatitis has been explored. Osmolality was thought to be a causative factor, but the use of low osmolality contrast agents has not resulted in a lower incidence of post-ERCP pancreatitis.5 In this issue, Noble and co-workers explore a previously unexamined property of contrast media, its pH. Noble describes a potentially important response to the contrast media …
Application of acibenzolar-S-methyl and standard fungicides for control of Phytophthora blight on squash

Abstract A plant systemic acquired resistance inducer, acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM), was evaluated to determine the efficacy for suppression of Phytophthora blight of squash caused by Phytophthora capsici under field conditions. ASM was applied as foliar sprays before and after transplanting at rates of 17.5, 8.8, and 4.4 g a.i. ha−1. Application of ASM did not significantly reduce final Phytophthora blight incidences in 2 out of 3 field experiments; however, area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) values were reduced significantly by ASM in all experiments conducted. Disease suppression by the three application rates of ASM was not significantly different. To determine the effect of application of ASM in conjunction with standard chemical fungicides, ASM was applied with mefenoxam (Ridomil Gold), copper hydroxide, and mandipropamid (Revus). AUDPC values and final disease incidences were consistently lower in field plots treated by the combination of ASM and standard fungicides than applications of these chemicals alone. Application of ASM resulted in significantly higher squash yield than the non-treated control in 2 of 3 experiments and plots treated with the combined use of ASM and standard fungicides produced the highest yields. These results suggest that ASM may induce plant resistance under field conditions, providing suppression of Phytophthora blight of squash, and that there may be some benefit to the integration of ASM and standard chemical fungicides.
On the capture of the Moon

This paper studies the possibility of lunar capture depending on variations of the solar mass under certain well specified conditions and assumptions regarding the behaviour of the three-body dynamical system formed by the Sun, Earth and Moon. It is found that a large amount of decrease in the solar mass (approximately 37%) would be required to allow capture if the model of the planar restricted problem of three bodies is assumed, if the masses of the Earth and Moon did not change and if the angular momentum of the Sun-Earth system did not change. Such large mass-changes of the Sun can not be associated with radiation mass losses only with catastrophic events, such as stellar close approaches.
Seroepidemiologic survey of captive Old-World primates for antibodies to human and simian retroviruses, and isolation of a lentivirus from sooty mangabeys (Cercocebus atys).

Sera from 526 Old-World monkeys and apes, representing 50 species and 20 genera and living in US zoos and vivaria, were screened for antibodies to HTLV-I, HTLV-III/LAV, and simian-AIDS retrovirus, type I (SRV-I). Sera were screened initially by ELISA, and ELISA-positive sera, as well as ELISA-negative sera from cage contacts, were further tested by Western blotting. A large number of false-positive and a small number of false-negative ELISA sera were identified. Although most true positive reactions were directed to a single retrovirus, a number of individuals from 4 species were positive for more than one retrovirus. Specific seroreactivity to HTLV-1 was found in 39/526 (7%) animals of 15 species. True positive reactions to SRV-1 were found in 21/516 (4%) animals, including talapoins and 2 species of macaques. Specific serologic reactions to HTLV-III/LAV were detected in 23/526 (4%) monkeys. Many of the HTLV-III/LAV seropositive animals were from one mixed-species zoo exhibit, containing sooty mangabeys, mandrills, Kolb's guenons, and talapoins. A type D virus was isolated from the blood of 3/10 SRV-1 antibody-positive Tonkeana macaques, but from none of 11 seropositive talapoins. A lentivirus was isolated from the blood of 4/7 HTLV-III/LAV seropositive sooty mangabeys, but not from seropositive talapoins in the same exhibit or from 2 seropositive colobus from another zoo. The sooty mangabey lentivirus produced generalized lymphadenopathy, leukopenia, and decreased levels of T4 lymphocytes in 2 experimentally infected rhesus macaques.
Taproot nitrogen accumulation and use in overwintering alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

Summary Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) taproots accumulate organic reserves that are important for winter survival and subsequent growth in spring. Our objective was to determine if specific nitrogen (N) pools accumulate in taproot tissues prior to winter that may subsequently be used during initiation of herbage growth in spring. Taproots were obtained at approximately monthly intervals during fall and winter, and biweekly in early spring. Taproots were separated at the cambium into bark and wood tissues. Bark tissues consistently contained higher N concentrations than did wood tissues. N concentrations of both tissues gradually increased between early and late fall and declined in early spring when growth was initiated. Both soluble amino-N and buffer-soluble proteins increased during autumn and declined extensively during early spring in both tissues. A nonwinterhardy alfalfa line accumulated less soluble protein in taproot tissue when compared to a hardy genotype. Specific proteins with molecular masses of 32, 19, and 15 kDa were identified as major components of the buffer-soluble protein pool. These proteins rapidly disappeared from taproot tissues in spring as buffer-soluble protein concentrations declined. Protease activity in bark tissues declined gradually during late autumn and winter before increasmg over two-fold in early spring. Protease activity in wood tissues was approximately one-half that of bark tissues and also increased in spring when growth resumed. Our results indicate that high concentrations of soluble amino compounds and specific proteins accumulate in taproots during autumn and early winter. These N pools decline markedly in spring coincident with the onset of herbage growth.
Speed and accuracy in decision making: input correlations and performance

In models of perceptual decision making, evidence for and against different task alternatives is encoded in the firing rates of sensory neurons, and a downstream computation or circuit integrates this evidence over time and makes a decision. What are the consequences of correlations among the sensory neurons for performance in the decision task? We answer this question for three models of decision-making: exact spike integration, the sequential probability ratio test, and a physiologically based model of decision making consisting of 2000 model neurons [1]. Others [2,3] have have previously reported that without correlations, spike integration implements optimal inference via the SPRT [4] by accumulating the log of the likelihood ratio for two alternatives until a threshold is reached. We extend these results to incorporate correlations among the sensory neurons. We compare the performance of each decision making model by computing the accuracy that they produce at a given mean reaction time. Because each decision model receives identically formatted inputs, our approach is to directly compare each model by examining mean reaction time and accuracy together, across the frontier of average performances attainable by a change in decision making threshold. Our results are as follows. First, we find that weak correlations diminish performance for the spike-integrating model, relative to the performance of an accumulator implementing the SPRT (see Figure 1(A), difference between black, and blue/red curves). Second, using two different models with identical pairwise correlations (SIP and MIP processes [5]), but correlations differing at higher orders , we find that higher-order interactions significantly impact the performance of the spike integrator (see Figure 1(A), difference between, and blue and red solid curves). Finally, we compared the performance curves obtained by the 2000 neuron spiking model, receiving independent, and SIP/MIP correlated inputs. Although this model performs the worst, it is surprisingly insensitive to weak input correlations and compares well with experimental data [6] (Figure 1(B)). Figure 1
Operators that are points of spectral continuity

In this paper a characterization is obtained of those bounded operators on a Hilbert space at which the spectrum is continuous, where the spectrum is considered as a function whose domain is the set of all operators with the norm topology and whose range is the set of compact subsets of the plane with the Hausdorff metric. Similar characterizations of the points of continuity of the Weyl spectrum, the spectral radius, and the essential spectral radius are also obtained.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Computer Tutorials Versus Traditional Lecturing in Accounting Topics

Colleges and universities are continually making efforts to incorporate computers and technology into the varied aspects of their teaching environments. However, it is difficult to distinguish the effectiveness of these machine tutors from their human counterparts. There has been much debate about technology-based instructional strategies in learning environments. This article addresses one issue of that debate—the effectiveness of teaching undergraduate engineering students using computer-mediated tutorials versus traditional lecturing. Specifically, this research compared student test scores using computer-mediated accounting tutorials alone with those of students who received traditional lectures and computer-mediated tutorials on the same topic. Statistical analyses were performed to determine which was a better instructional method. Based on previous research by the authors and other published research, it was hypothesized that both methods would be satisfactory instructional tools and yield similar educational results. The results indicate that there was no statistically significant difference between the two methods. This was consistent with previous studies. This study concludes that computer-mediated tutorials could be substituted for traditional lectures without impacting what a student learns—at least for teaching accounting fundamentals.
Spectroscopy of Biological Compounds with Inelastic Electron Tunneling

Metal-insulator-metal electron tunnel junctions can be doped with a solution of an organic compound by placing a drop of the solution on the insulator and spinning of the excess. Electrical measurement of the second derivative of voltage with respect to current, as a function of applied voltage, then gives a spectrum of vibrational modes equivalent to an infrared or Raman spectrum, but with the use of only micrograms of sample.
The Community Service-Minded Geographer: Geography and the Boy Scouts of America Merit Badge Program.

Abstract Many opportunities exist for geographers to serve their communities as Boy Scout merit badge counselors. There is no geography merit badge per se, but many merit badges are closely related to topics in both physical and human geography.
Blowin' in the wind: Research priorities for climate effects of volcanic eruptions

Volcanic eruptions inject gases and ash into the atmosphere, with climatic impacts on time scales up to decades. At the AGU Chapman Conference on Volcanism and the Earth's Atmosphere, held in Greece last summer, 108 scientists gathered to assess our understanding of volcanic emissions and the atmosphere's response to them, and to outline topics for future interdisciplinary collaboration that will lead to better understanding and prediction of the effects of large explosive eruptions.
Reasoning abilities in Psy.D. and Ph.D. clinical graduate students: a preliminary study.

Clinical students in regionally representative Psy.D. and Ph.D. programs responded to a questionnaire that assessed everyday reasoning and psychological knowledge. Ph.D.s scored higher on the Methodology Reasoning test and the Conditional Probability test, while there were no differences on the Verbal or Statistical Reasoning tests or the Psychology questions. Calibration curves indicated that Psy.D.s tended to be somewhat more overconfident in their responses than Ph.D.s. Similarities and differences between the performance of the Psy.D.s and Ph.D.s are discussed, as well as the limitations and implications of the study.
DEGRADATION OF GLUCAGON-I131 BY RAT TISSUES IN VITRO1

IN A PREVIOUS communication (1) evidence has been presented that glucagon-I131 is rapidly degraded in rats and that this is a major metabolic fate of the material after intravenous administration. It was, therefore, of interest to investigate further the nature of this degradation.
Schedule-induced consumption of ethanol: calories or chemotherapy?

Abstract Thirty-two Charles River and 16 Sprague-Dawley male rats were studied in independent and replicated designs in which: (a) schedule-induced (FI-60 sec) consumption of water, acetone and ethanol, conditioned by bar pressing for food pellets, was followed by extinction of the bar pressing response; (b) there was a 12 day interval before extinction session; and (c) licking for a fluid (not bar pressing) was the contingent response for food and also was not reinforced during extinction. While ethanol continued to be consumed in substantial volume during extinction, acetone and water were not. The failure to continue the equi-intoxicating, but essentially non-caloric, acetone consumption supports the hypothesis that the caloric value of ethanol, and not its pharmacodynamic action, is a prime factor in its ingestion. Further study of the basis for the rats' ethanol drinking appears necessary if non-human models of addiction to alcohol are to be pursued.
Assault of Police

The assault of law enforcement officers is an important but understudied topic. To better understand this form of violence, this study drew on the National Incident–Based Reporting System—the nation’s largest data set tracking assaults against police alongside detailed information on situations surrounding attacks. Risk factors were examined within a fixed-effects logistic regression framework via a case-control method in which all incidents involving assault against police (n = 20,140) were compared with a random sample of arrest encounters that did not involve this form of aggression (n = 20,118). The data showed that a number of victim, offender, and situational characteristics predicted violence against officers, and the models were able to explain a substantial portion of the variance. Implications for research are discussed.
Evaluation of EGFR mutation status in cytology specimens: an institutional experience.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status has been shown to predict response to anti-EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In patients with advanced-stage NSCLC, evaluation of mutational status is increasingly requested on biopsy or fine-needle aspiration specimens, which often have limited material. There are limited data on the suitability of cytology cell blocks (CB) for EGFR mutation testing. In this study, we report our institutional experience with cytology cell block material for EGFR mutation testing. We retrospectively reviewed EGFR mutation analyses performed on 234 surgical (SP) and cytology (CB) from October 2007 to May 2010. One hundred ninety-two SP specimens and 42 CB specimens were evaluated for EGFR mutation. CB specimens were evaluated for overall specimen size based on aggregate cellularity in comparison to small biopsy specimens, and percent tumor. Of the 192 SP and 42 CB specimens, 31 (16.1%) and 11 (26.2%) were positive for EGFR mutation, respectively; there does not appear to be an association between mutation detection rate and the source of the specimen (P = 0.124). Limited DNA was obtained from 70.0% (29/42), including 81.8% (9/11) of those which were mutation positive. Additionally, 45.4% (5/11) of mutation positive specimens had extremely low DNA yields. Although 16.6% (7/42) of CB specimens had 10% tumor. These data indicate that CB specimens provide an alternative source for molecular evaluation of NSCLC, and that tumor percentage may be more important than specimen size and/or DNA yield in determining the suitability of these specimens for testing. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2013;41:316–323. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Regional specificity of membrane instability in Alzheimer's disease brain

We report an inherent tendency towards the destabilisation of cellular membranes in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain. This tendency is a natural consequence of abnormal membrane lipid composition, which has previously been documented in AD. Membrane destabilisation may contribute to AD pathogenesis in its own right and may also facilitate amyloid beta-protein deposition, which is potentially neurotoxic. The instability was found to co-localise selectively with areas of neurodegeneration in AD brain, thereby possibly accounting for the focal pathology observed in this disorder.
Reduction of the Frequency-Temperature Shift of Piezoelectric Resonators by Mechanical Stress

A method is described which allows a reduction of the frequency-temperature shift of piezoelectric crystals by the use of bimetal elements applying temperature-dependent pressure to selected spots on the circumference of the resonator disk. A decrease in the frequency change from ±15 to ±1 parts per million can be achieved for the AT cut of quartz over a wide temperature range by using one pair of bimetallic elements for the upper and one pair for the lower temperature range. This is accomplished without any increase in the resonance resistance of the crystal. Equations and curves are developed which enable one to obtain the optimum parameters of the bimetallic elements for a given frequency-temperature curve of the crystal. An experimental device, and results achieved with it under various conditions are described in detail. It is expected that in many cases this technique will make power- and space-consuming crystal ovens unnecessary.
Effects of temperature on the response of chemoreceptor fibers to chemical agents

The effects of stimulating (NaCN, ACh, eserine and haloperidol) and depressant (zero [Ca2+]o, mecamylamine and dopamine) agents of carotid body chemoreceptors were tested at different temperatures. Temperature was varied between 29 and 39 degrees C and Arrhenius plots of the sensory discharge frequency against the reciprocal of absolute temperature were constructed before and during application of the chemicals. NaCN, ACh and zero [Ca2+]o did not change the apparent activation energy (mu) whereas eserine, haloperidol and probably mecamylamine depressed mu. Dopamine probably increased mu. Thus, there were no uniform effects of temperature on the action of different chemosensory stimulants or depressants, suggesting that these agents act on different steps of a chain reaction.
The stability of flames inside a refractory tube

Abstract Ethane, propane, and hexane, premixed with air, have been found in this and our own prior work to have essentially the same limits of stable combustion inside a refractory tube without a flameholder. In a tube with a diameter of 9.52 mm or greater this range of stability falls wholly within the turbulent regime of flow of the unburned gas, and the combustion is very steady and clean. In contrast, in the same 9.52-mm tube, the range of stability for methane falls wholly within the laminar regime of flow, and the combustion is oscillatory. Carbon monoxide does not burn stably in this tube. In a 4.76-mm tube the range of stability of propane and air flames falls wholly within the laminar regime but the combustion is reasonably steady. Others have observed combustion with intense periodic oscillations for mixtures of methane and air, and town gas air in the turbulent regime of larger tubes. This variety of behavior is interpreted in terms of the unique operational characteristics of a refractory tube burner, and the detailed, free-radical rates of pyrolysis and oxidation of these fuels.
On the extraction of DC sequence from MPEG compressed video

Reduced images formed from the collection of DC coefficients in intra-coded DCT compressed video retain a "global" feature which is useful for processing purposes. This paper examines the direct reconstruction of such DC images from motion-compensated P-frames and B-frames of MPEG compressed video. Exact expressions are derived and approximations are given for the computational speedup. The analysis and experimental results show that the approximations yield images that are very close to the true ones.
Review of the impact on the activation of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 of ultraviolet light

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome is a devastating disease with a high mortality rate and the failure of adequate therapy and vaccine stands in sharp contrast to the ultimate progress made in the biomedical sciences. We review the damaging effects of ultraviolet rays on the activation of the human immunodeficiency virus type-1, and theorize that human immunodeficiency virus type-1 positive individuals should minimize their exposures to prolonged and unnecessary ultraviolet radiations such as sunbaths, phototherapy or cosmetic treatments based on a risk-benefit analysis as more epidemiological studies are investigated.
Hereditary Periodic Fever Syndromes

The hereditary periodic fevers are a group of Mendelian disorders characterized by seemingly unprovoked fever and localized inflammation. Recent data indicate that these illnesses represent inborn errors in the regulation of innate immunity. Pyrin, the protein mutated in familial Mediterranean fever, defines an N-terminal domain found in a large family of proteins involved in inflammation and apoptosis. Through this domain pyrin may play a role in the regulation of interleukin (IL)-1beta, nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB, and leukocyte apoptosis. Cryopyrin/NALP3, another protein in this family, is mutated in three other hereditary febrile syndromes and participates in the inflammasome, a newly recognized macromolecular complex crucial to IL-1beta activation. Somewhat unexpectedly, mutations in the 55 kDa receptor for tumor necrosis factor also give rise to a dominantly inherited periodic fever syndrome, rather than immunodeficiency, a finding that has stimulated important investigations into both pathogenesis and treatment. Finally, the discovery of the genetic basis of the hyperimmunoglobulinemia D with periodic fever syndrome suggests an as yet incompletely understood connection between the mevalonate pathway and the regulation of cytokine production. These insights extend our understanding of the regulation of innate immunity in man, while providing the conceptual basis for the rational design of targeted therapies, both for the hereditary periodic fevers themselves and other inflammatory disorders as well.
Severe cholestatic hepatitis from troglitazone in a patient with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and diabetes mellitus

Troglitazone is currently approved for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Hepatic abnormalities have been reported in up to 1.9% of patients receiving the drug. Severe hepatotoxicity, including the need for liver transplantation, has also been reported in patients treated with troglitazone. Troglitazone has been reported to be beneficial in a small group of patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). We present a patient with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and diabetes mellitus who developed severe cholestasis after treatment with troglitazone. The exact mechanism of troglitazone toxicity is unknown, and whether preexisting liver abnormalities increase the incidence of toxicity is speculative. Further data are needed before more widespread use of troglitazone can be recommended for patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.