cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation by glucose and calcium of the carboxylmethylation of the catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase 2A in insulin-secreting INS-1 cells

Previously, we reported that the catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2Ac) undergoes carboxylmethylation (CML) at its COOH-terminal leucine, and that inhibitors of such a posttranslational modification markedly attenuate nutrient-induced insulin secretion from isolated beta-cells. More recent studies have suggested direct inhibitory effects of glucose metabolites on PP2A activity in isolated beta-cells, implying that inhibition of PP2A leads to stimulation of insulin secretion. Because the CML of PP2Ac has been shown to facilitate the holoenzyme assembly and subsequent functional activation of PP2A, we investigated putative regulation by glucose of the CML of PP2Ac in insulin-secreting (INS)-1 cells. Our data indicated a marked inhibition by specific intermediates of glucose metabolism (e.g., citrate and phosphoenolpyruvate) of the CML of PP2Ac in INS-1 cell lysates. Such inhibitory effects were also demonstrable in intact cells by glucose. Mannoheptulose, an inhibitor of glucose metabolism, completely prevented inhibitory effects of glucose on the CML of PP2Ac. Moreover, glucose-mediated inhibition of the CML of PP2Ac was resistant to diazoxide, suggesting that glucose metabolism and the generation of glucose metabolites might control inhibition of the CML of PP2Ac. A membrane-depolarizing concentration of KCl also induced inhibition of the CML of PP2Ac in intact INS cells. On the basis of these data, we propose that glucose metabolism and increase in intracellular calcium facilitate inhibition of the CML of PP2Ac, resulting in functional inactivation of PP2A. This, in turn, might retain the key signaling proteins of the insulin exocytotic cascade in their phosphorylated state, leading to stimulated insulin secretion.
Optics for long-range camera modules with QWIP 640x480 detectors

In airborne applications there is a need for compact long range camera modules to be fitted into gyro-stabilized gimbals. The QWIP 640x480 detector operating in LWIR gives, with its high spatial and thermal resolution, a good performance. For the optics, long range means narrow field of view and long focal length. The challenge is to combine the narrow field of view with two wider fields of view for surveillance and still make it compact. The solution is to fold the optics. This normally gives optics with mounting difficulties, but by keeping the position requirement of each lens element low, the assembly is simplified. Design efforts combined with improved production techniques creates a solution based on diamond turned mirrors, lenses and diffractive elements. Narcissus effects are dealt with by means of customized AR coatings.
Funding Long-term Care in the United States: The Role of Private Insurance

This article complements an earlier publication (Chen, 1994) in which I discussed financing long-term care as a significant public policy issue in the United States because of a confluence of factors, which juxtaposed the growing number of older people against the slower-growing public and private resources. The major demographic and economic factors summarized then included the continued graying of America; the relative shrinkage of informal (non-paid) caregivers; declines in the growth rate of productivity; and federal budget deficits. Since then, although productivity has reversed course and budget surpluses have replaced deficits of late, public resources are not becoming more available because of other policy priorities. Meanwhile, as the large cohort of baby-boomers will be entering older ages beginning in about ten years, the trend toward fewer available informal caregivers is showing no sign of abating. Therefore, financing long-term care is becoming more of a challenge, not less. Although I am discussing the condition in the United States, funding long-term care is an issue that pervades most societies. I believe some of the solutions I am suggesting for the U.S. may have applicability in other countries as well. The way we fund long-term care in the U.S. now may be likened to sitting on a stool with only two legs because the bulk of costs is paid out of personal savings (out-of-pocket payment) and public welfare (Medicaid and other public sources), with social insurance and private insurance playing a minor role. This method of funding is unlikely to be sustainable because it tends to impoverish many people and severely strain Medicaid budgets nationwide. It is my view that a better funding method could be found by (a) more widespread use of the insurance principle for both private- and public-sector programs, and (b) linking several sources of funds in each sector that already exist so as to increase the efficiency with which these resources may be used. I therefore propose a ‘‘three-legged stool’’ funding model, consisting of social insurance, private insurance, and personal savings. When these three sources fail to provide for some individuals, public welfare will serve as a safety net. These are the same sources of funds presently in use, but they will be deployed vastly differently in the proposed model. Given the dim prospect for new public and private resources for meeting long-term care costs, I suggest use of a trade-off principle. Applying the trade-off principle in the public sector, we could create a social insurance program to provide basic long-term care coverage Yung-Ping Chen, PhD, holds the Frank J. Manning Eminent Scholar’s Chair, Gerontology Institute, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA. He expresses appreciation for the research support of Home Care Research Initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, but he alone bears responsibility for the views contained herein.
The effects of daily cyclophosphamide administration on the development and extent of primary experimental interstitial nephritis in rats

The effects of daily cyclophosphamide administration on the development and extent of primary experimental interstitial nephritis in rats. We examined the effects of daily cyclophosphamide administration on the development and extent of tubulointerstitial nephritis produced in rats injected with tubular basement membranes in adjuvant. 15 mg/kg/day of cyclophophamide completely blocked the development of interstitial lesions, while 2 mg/kg/day enhanced the degree of interstitial injury. When cyclophosphamide in the higher dose was started early in disease, 12 days after immunization, protection from progression was also observed as well as significant reductive improvement. If cyclophosphamide was administered late in disease, 21 days after immunization, no further progression was demonstrable, but substantial injury remained. In the latter two experiments, the beneficial effects of cyclophosphamide could not be explained by a reduction in anti-tubular basement membrane antibodies bound to the kidney. In groups of immunized rats that were tested, however, cyclophosphamide was able to non-specifically impair the delayed-type hypersensitivity response to tubular antigen and PPD. We conclude, therefore, that cyclophosphamide, in high but not low dosage, if given before damage is extensive and prolonged, may successfully inhibit the cellular immune response producing primary interstitial nephritis.
Capsule Commentary on Paradise et al., Outcomes of Anticoagulation Therapy in Patients with Mental Health Conditions

In this study,1 Paradise et al. compared the outcomes of warfarin therapy between patients with and without mental health conditions (MHCs).2,3 They found that patients with specific MHCs (bipolar disorder, depression, non-schizophrenic psychotic disorders) experienced slightly worse anticoagulation control and patients with any MHC had a slightly increased hazard for major hemorrhage (HR 1.19, p < 0.001). They concluded that this magnitude of difference is unlikely to be clinically significant, and thus, appropriately selected patients with MHCs may safely receive therapy with warfarin. This study is a significant contribution to the existing paucity of literature on anticoagulation control in patients with MHCs, in an attempt to change the notion that MHCs are a contraindication to warfarin therapy. But the results of this study should be placed in context and applied carefully in clinical practice. The study only included patients who had been on warfarin therapy for at least 6 months; thus, they were highly selected patients who had demonstrated compliance. Thus the results of this study cannot be used to bolster our confidence in safely initiating warfarin therapy in patients with MHCs. The study excluded patients with valvular heart disease and mechanical valves. Females, black population and patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorders were under-represented. Of patients in whom average global assessment of functioning scores were available, less than 1 % of patients had scores corresponding to severe impairment with hallucinations or suicidal symptoms, and thus nonsignificant data on ‘major hemorrhage’ as outcome in these patients have limited validity. Overall, patients with MHCs did have worse anticoagulation control (percent time in therapeutic range of 57.1 % vs 63.2 %, p < 0.001) and had slightly increased hazard of ‘major hemorrhage’. Thus, future studies on anticoagulation therapy in patients with MHCs should focus on identifying the patient groups with worse outcomes and those groups in whom it is relatively safe to initiate anticoagulation therapy. Impact of social support on these outcomes should be studied as well. It would be of clinical interest to compare the use of and outcomes with newer anti-coagulants such as dabigatran and rivaroxaban with warfarin therapy in patients with MHCs.
Effects of thinning on drought vulnerability and climate response in north temperate forest ecosystems

Reducing tree densities through silvicultural thinning has been widely advocated as a strategy for enhancing resistance and resilience to drought, yet few empirical evaluations of this approach exist. We examined detailed dendrochronological data from a long-term (>50 years) replicated thinning experiment to determine if density reductions conferred greater resistance and/or resilience to droughts, assessed by the magnitude of stand-level growth reductions. Our results suggest that thinning generally enhanced drought resistance and resilience; however, this relationship showed a pronounced reversal over time in stands maintained at lower tree densities. Specifically, lower-density stands exhibited greater resistance and resilience at younger ages (49 years), yet exhibited lower resistance and resilience at older ages (76 years), relative to higher-density stands. We attribute this reversal to significantly greater tree sizes attained within the lower-density stands through stand development, which in turn increased tree-level water demand during the later droughts. Results from response–function analyses indicate that thinning altered growth–climate relationships, such that higher-density stands were more sensitive to growing-season precipitation relative to lower-density stands. These results confirm the potential of density management to moderate drought impacts on growth, and they highlight the importance of accounting for stand structure when predicting climate-change impacts to forests.
Tomographic image of P‐velocity structure beneath Kilauea's East Rift Zone and South Flank: Seismic evidence for a deep magma body

We present first results from the analysis of P-wave arrival time data recorded from November 11 to December 31, 1999, by a temporary 29-station network installed across Kilauea Volcano's East Rift Zone (ERZ) and South Flank (SF) on Hawaii, augmented by data from the permanent network of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Starting with the inversion result for a minimum 1D velocity model, we use arrival time data from 135 local earthquakes to invert for the 3D P-velocity structure. The resulting tomographic image shows evidence for a deep magma body beneath the ERZ just east of its southward bend, and a smaller magma body at about 5 km depth beneath the WNW-ESE trending segment of the ERZ. We also observe a drastic change in velocities south of the Hilina fault system from velocities around 5.5 km/s in the west to 6.5 km/s to the east.
Effect of pH and Temperature on the Viscosity of Texturized and Commercial Whey Protein Dispersions

Apparent viscosity (ηa) of texturized whey protein concentrate (tWPC80) produced using supercritical fluid extrusion process was compared with commercial WPC-80 as a function of pH (3.0 to 9.0) and heating temperatures (25 to 80°C). The tWPC80 exhibited shear thinning behavior and yielded 2 to 10-folds higher ηa than commercial WPC-80 at all pH and temperatures studied. The ηa of tWPC80 decreased as pH was increased from 3.0 to 9.0. The ηa of both samples was always higher at pH 3.0 than at pH 7.0 due to acid-induced aggregation in the former. The ability of the tWPC80 to perform as a food thickening agent was also compared with other commercial thickeners. The tWPC80 offers as a desirable ingredient for many food formulations currently utilizing starches and polysaccharides as texture modifying agents.
Tumor-associated primo vascular system is derived from xenograft, not host.

Abstract The primo vascular system (PVS), which is composed of very small primo-vessels (PV) and primo-nodes (PN), has recently emerged as a third component of circulatory system. Here, we report the presence of a tumor derived PVS in murine xenografts of human histiocytic lymphoma (U937) in close proximity to the tumor. Within this system, PNs are small (~ 500–600 μM diameter) membranous sac-like structures which contain numerous small cells which can be demonstrated by DAPI staining. Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining of the peri-tumoral PVS shows the presence of loose structures lined by fibroblasts but filled with dense fibers, cells, lacunae and nerve-like structures. The origin and type of cells within the PVS was characterized by immunostaining with antibodies for CD68, CD45 and lysozyme. The results of these studies reveal that the PVS of the xenograft originates from the human U937 tumor cells. qRT-PCR analysis of mRNA isolated from PVS cells reveals a striking predominance of human, rather than mouse, sequences. Of particular interest, human stem cell specific transcription factors were overexpressed, most notably KLF4, an upstream regulator of NANOG which maintains the pluripotent and undifferentiated state of stem cells. These results suggest that the cells present within the PVS are derived from the human xenograft and suggests that the primo-vessels associated with the xenografted tumor may provide a safe haven for a select population of cancer stem cells. Further understanding of the biological properties of these cells may allow the development of new anti-cancer interventions.
Electron energy levels in lithium niobate resulting from oxygen vacancies

A study of the electronic levels associated with an oxygen vacancy in lithium niobate (LiNbO3) is reported. The semicontinuum model used in the F-center problems in alkali halides is simplified to compute the energy levels of an electron trapped at an oxygen vacancy. Treating the crystal as an array of point charges the actual potentials of a point-ion-lattice of 810 ions are subsequently computed. The convergence of the lattice sums is demonstrated. The potentials resulting from polarization of the medium are also taken into account. The Schrodinger equation is solved variationally. The results are found to be in very good agreement with the existing experimental values. Es wird uber die mit einer Sauerstoffleerstelle verknupften elektronischen Niveaus in Lithiumniobat (LiNbO3) berichtet. Das fur F-Zentrenprobleme in Alkalihalogenide benutzte Semikontinuummodell wird vereinfacht und damit die Energieniveaus eines an einer Sauerstoffleerstelle getrappten Elektrons berechnet. Indem der Kristall ale eine Anordnung von Punktladungen behandelt wird, werden die wirksamen Potentiale eines Punktionengitters von 810 Ionen nacheinander berechnet. Die Konvergenz der Gittersummen wird nachgewiesen. Die Potentiale, die aus der Polarisation des Mediums herruhren, werden ebenfalls berucksichtigt. Die Schrodingergleichung wird mit einem Variationsansatz gelost. Es wird gefunden, das die Ergebnisse sehr gut mit vorhandenen experimentellen Daten ubereinstimmen.
Investigation of Fibrin Fiber Internal Structure

The major structural component of a blood clot is a meshwork of about 150 nm thick fibrin fibers. It is well understood how fibrin monomers assemble into the double-stranded, half-staggered protofibrils. However, how these protofibrils laterally assemble to form mature fibers is poorly understood. There is evidence that fibrin fibers are very porous with a protein content of only 20-30%. We performed two types of experiments to investigate the internal structure of fibrin fibers. We formed fibrin fiber from fluorescently labeled fibrinogen and determined the light intensity of a fiber, which is proportional to the number of monomers, as a function of fiber diameter. We found that the intensity, I, scaled as I∼D1.43±0.2 (wet fibers) and as I∼D1.2±0.14 (dry fibers). This implies that cross-sectional monomer density also scales as D1.4, and not as D2, as would be expected for fiber with a solid, homogeneous cross-section. We also determined the Young's modulus, E, as a function of fiber diameter, and found that E scales as E∼D−1.4. Thus, E decreases dramatically with diameter. These modulus data suggest that the number of bonds per cross-section scales as D0.6, consistent with a fiber model that has a dense core and a very loosely connected periphery.In summary, our data suggest that fibrin fibers have a very inhomogeneous cross-section with a dense core and a very loose periphery.This work was support by the Wake Forest University Translational Science Center, grant numbers: U01508, U01078.
Phaseolin mRNA is translated to yield glycosylated polypeptides in Xenopus oocytes.

The cotyledons of developing bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) seeds rapidly synthesize and accumulate the storage globulin, phaseolin1, which seems to be encoded as a small multigene family2,3. Phaseolin from the cultivar ‘Tendergreen’ has been resolved electrophoretically into three components (of differing molecular weights), designated α (51,000), β (48,000) and γ (45,500). The in vitro synthesis of phaseolin has been investigated previously using a cell-free translation system derived from wheat germ4. The in vitro products did not co-migrate with the authentic polypeptides, the differences apparently being due to the lack of glycosylation of the primary transcripts. We have now used Xenopus oocytes to translate mRNA from bean cotyledons and find that phaseolin is synthesized in a glycosylated form very similar to authentic phaseolin and is transported into the membrane fraction of the cells.
Long-term followup of surgically treated knee dislocations: stability restored, but arthritis is common.

Background Surgical treatment of knee dislocations is intended to correct the anatomic injury and restore knee stability and patient function. Several studies have shown successful results with surgical treatment of knee dislocations with up to 10 years of followup, but longer-term studies are uncommon.
Examining children's reading performance and preference for different computer-displayed text

This study investigated how common online text affects reading performance of elementary school-age children by examining the actual and perceived readability of four computer-displayed typefaces at 12- and 14-point sizes. Twenty-seven children, ages 9 to 11, were asked to read eight children's passages and identify erroneous/substituted words while reading. Comic Sans MS, Arial and Times New Roman typefaces, regardless of size, were found to be more readable (as measured by a reading efficiency score) than Courier New. No differences in reading speed were found for any of the typeface combinations. In general, the 14-point size and the examined sans serif typefaces were perceived as being the easiest to read, fastest, most attractive, and most desirable for school-related material. In addition, participants significantly preferred Comic Sans MS and 14-point Arial to 12-point Courier. Recommendations for appropriate typeface combinations for children reading on computers are discussed.
Gene therapy using dc-chol liposomes

AbstractGene therapy offers the potential to deliver genetic material inside the cells for correcting a disease phenotype. Various techniques for the transgene delivery have been developed, among which cationic liposome mediated delivery is widely acceptable. DC-Chol/DOPE cationic liposomes, synthesized in our laboratory, have several alluring features such as low toxicity, non-immunogenicity, ease of utilization and stability. These liposomes have been successfully used as a vector in clinical trials for treating melanoma and cystic fibrosis. Only a small portion of the DNA-liposome complex taken up by the cell is eventually available for gene expression in the nucleus. To overcome the problem of limited expression, we have developed a cytoplasmic expression system in which the reporter gene is placed under the control of a bacteriophage T7 promoter. To initiate the expression of the gene either purified T7 RNA polymerase or T7 autogene expression vector is transfected along with the reporter gene. Prolo...
Structure and dynamics of a CheY-binding domain of the chemotaxis kinase CheA determined by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

The Escherichia coli histidine autokinase CheA plays an important role in coupling signals received from membrane-bound receptors to changes in the swimming behavior of the cells in order to respond appropriately to environmental signals. Here we describe the structure of the 14 kDa fragment of the chemotaxis kinase CheA, residues 124-257, which binds to the downstream targets of phosphorylation, the response regulators CheY and CheB. This protein fragment contains the CheY- binding domain flanked on each side by regions that correspond to domain linkers in the intact protein. The structure of the domain was determined from 1429 restraints derived from heteronuclear multidimensional NMR experiments. Hybrid distance geometry-dynamical simulated annealing methods were used to calculate a family of structures that satisfy the experimental distance restraints and torsion angle restraints. The root mean square deviation of the 69 ordered residues in the domain is 0.52 A for the backbone heavy atoms and 0.99 A for all heavy atoms. The residues that have been implicated as important for CheY binding form a face consisting of several partially buried hydrophobic residues, framed by charged residues. The dynamic properties of this protein fragment were measured and analyzed using both isotropic and anisotropic models of molecular motion. The linker regions are very flexible and disordered, as evidenced by the very different dynamics properties as compared to the CheY-binding domain. The CheY-binding domain of CheA is structurally similar to the histidine-containing phosphocarrier, HPr, which is a protein involved in the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase (PTS) pathway. This structural similarity suggests a possible evolutionary relationship of the PTS and chemotaxis pathways.
Geometry of spin effects in proton-proton scattering.

In proton-proton elastic scattering, the rapid rise in the spin-spin correlation ${A}_{\mathrm{nn}}$ at large angles may be understood from a simple geometry of central, spin-orbit, and spin-spin interactions. A spin-orbit interaction that decreases more rapidly with the impact parameter than the spin-spin interaction guarantees a rise in ${A}_{\mathrm{nn}}$ even when both contribute negligible amounts to the forward diffraction peak. The combination of interactions also accounts for the differential cross section. Sample calculations are compared to data at 12 GeV/c.
Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions in supercritical carbon dioxide

Palladium-catalyzed carbon–carbon bond coupling reactions, the Heck and Stille reactions, proceed in supercritical carbon dioxide with a number of phosphine ligands including tris[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]phosphine, which affords high conversions and selectivities.
Latent Differential Equation Modeling of Self-Regulatory and Coregulatory Affective Processes

We examine emotion self-regulation and coregulation in romantic couples using daily self-reports of positive and negative affect. We fit these data using a damped linear oscillator model specified as a latent differential equation to investigate affect dynamics at the individual level and coupled influences for the 2 partners in each couple. Results indicate an absence of damping of relationship-specific affect within individuals in the sample. When both positive and negative affect are modeled at the individual level, the influence of positive affect is greater than that of negative affect. At the dyad level, the findings indicate coupled influences in both positive and negative affect between partners. With regard to positive affect, females are sensitive to their partners' overall displacement from average as well as their rate of change; males are sensitive only to their partners' displacement from average. For negative affect both partners are sensitive to each other's displacement from average, yet there are no coupled influences for rates of change in this dimension. We interpret the influence of the parameters on the system by examining the expected behavior of the system as a function of varying parameter values.
Diabetes mellitus: A disease of abnormal cellular calcium metabolism?

Although the pathogenesis of the diabetes mellitus syndrome remains poorly understood, both insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus predispose the individual to a similar spectrum of complications, including hypertension, macrovascular and microvascular disease, cataracts cardiomyopathy, neuropathy, and premature aging, suggesting that these complications develop along a pathway common to both diabetic conditions. Yet not all diabetic persons are affected by all of these complications or to the same degree. What causes this marked variability in the clinical manifestations of the diabetes syndrome remains an enigma. Accumulating data from animal models of diabetes and from studying patients with diabetes reveal that intracellular calcium levels are increased in most tissues. The activities of the membrane, adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) associated cation pumps, which determine intracellular calcium level (i.e., calcium-ATPase and [sodium + potassium]-ATPase), are also altered. The nature of the alteration is often tissue specific and may depend on the level of blood glucose or insulin, or both. In this review we discuss the potential contribution of these changes in intracellular calcium regulation, whether acquired or genetically determined, to the pathogenesis of the diabetes syndrome, to the abnormalities in insulin secretion and action (mainly in non-insulin-dependent diabetes), and to the complications of both diabetes syndromes. Altered intracellular calcium metabolism may represent a common, underlying abnormality linking the metabolic, cardiovascular, ocular, and neural manifestations of the diabetic disease process.
Civil society in Mexico: popular protest amid economic and political liberalization

Civil society has emerged as a contested concept in development. Some observers claim that economic restructuring has eroded the political hegemony of authoritarian regimes and created a new space for autonomous associations. In Mexico, chronic economic crisis and economic adjustment policies generated widespread popular discontent in the 1980s. The authoritarian regime tried to channel popular dissatisfaction into the institutionalized political arena through a series of electoral reforms. Thus, economic liberalization in Mexico was paralleled by a slow and gradual process of liberalization of the Mexican political system. In the context of these economic and political changes, scholars have observed an awakened civil society in Mexico. They have chronicled the emergence of independent organizations of workers, peasants, and the urban poor. They have also documented new types of civic associations such as environmental groups, election‐watch groups, human rights organizations, debtors’ groups, and women’s movements. Numerous studies of social movements beginning in the 1980s appear to suggest the rise of civil society in the era of economic and political liberalization.
Dioxin Assessment in a River Flood Plain: Soil and Sediment Contamination

Dioxins are a group of 210 chemicals with similar properties and structures that are usually found as a “mixture” in the environment. Dioxins are found at low levels in air, soil, water, and sediment as well in foods such meat, dairy, fish, and shellfish. The highest levels are usually found in sediments soil and animal fats. The most toxic chemical in the group is 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-para-dioxin, which is the “standard” to which other dioxins are compared. This paper examines the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) assessment and remediation efforts in the Tittabawassee River (Michigan, USA) flood plain. Soil and sediment samples indicate higher than “normal” (background) levels of dioxins for soil and sediment, which exceed the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Diseases Registry (ATSDR) action level of 1000 parts per trillion. Data presented indicates the difficulties associated with assessing historical dioxin levels in environments such as soil and sediments. Activities associated with these efforts such as dioxin and furan exposure studies, animal toxicology assessments, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforcement, MDEQ efforts to expedite remediation, as well as future directions for this on-going project are discussed.
A focusing X‐ray polarizer for energy‐dispersive analysis

The Properties of diffracting crystals a Bragg and of near 45° are studied for use as an X-ray polarizer. Such crystals have many advantages over the Barkla type polarizer when used in an energy-dispersive X-ray analyzer. The study shows that many matching λ-d combinations are available, but the present work was done with LiF (200). With this crystal, the second order diffraction of Cu Kβ radiation occurs at 43.67° and an improvement of peak to background ratio by a factor 45 was obtained. The study revealed that a substantial improvement of peak to minimum detection limit can be obtained with a larger deviation of the polarization angle, as long as this deviation is accompanied by a higher X-ray output.
Use of Drugs with Anticholinergic Properties Among Nursing Home Residents with Dementia: A National Analysis of Medicare Beneficiaries from 2007 to 2008

Older adults with dementia are vulnerable to the central deteriorating effects of drugs with anticholinergic properties (DAPs). These effects include falls and confusion and may exacerbate dementia-related symptoms. Many individuals with dementia also receive acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs), indicated for mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. AChEIs have opposing effects to DAPs and, consequently, concomitant use of DAPs and AChEIs may further impair cognition among patients with dementia. Our objectives were to (1) evaluate the anticholinergic burden among nursing home (NH) residents with dementia; (2) characterize trends in use of DAPs and concomitant use of DAPs and AChEIs among NH residents with dementia; and (3) identify factors associated with the use of DAPs and concomitant use of DAPs and AChEIs. We conducted a retrospective analysis of Medicare data from 2007 to 2008 linked to the Minimum Data Set. During the study period, 53,805 (77 %) NH residents with dementia used at least one DAP each month. Sixty-seven percent of residents with dementia used Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden Scale (ACBS) level 1 DAPs, 3 % used level 2 DAPs, and 31 % used level 3 DAPs. Thirteen percent of NH residents with dementia concomitantly used ACBS levels 2 or 3 DAPs and AChEIs. This study sheds new light on the prevalence of DAP use and concomitant use of DAPs and AChEIs among NH residents with dementia. Clinicians should consider alternatives with lower anticholinergic effects, particularly in patients already taking DAPs.
Does access to fast food lead to super-sized pregnant women and whopper babies?

Abstract Rise in the availability of fast-food restaurants has been blamed, at least partly, for the increasing obesity in the U.S. The existing studies of obesity have focused primarily on children, adolescents, and adults, and this paper extends the literature by raising a little-studied question and using nationally representative data to answer it. It examines the relationship between the supply of fast-food restaurants and weight gain of pregnant women and their newborns. I study prenatal weight gain because excessive weight gain has been linked to postpartum overweight/obesity and I study both tails of the birthweight distribution because the origin of obesity may be traced to the prenatal period and both tail outcomes have been associated with obesity later in life. I merge the 1998 and 2004 Natality Detail Files with the Area Resource File, and County Business Patterns, which provide data on the number of fast-food restaurants in the metropolitan area where the mother resides. The empirical model includes an extensive list of MSA characteristics and MSA fixed effects to control for factors that may be correlated with both health outcomes and restaurants’ location decision. Results reveal that the fast-food and weight gain relationship is robust to the inclusion of these controls but these controls greatly mitigate the fast food–infant health relationship. Greater access to fast-food restaurants is positively related to mothers’ probability of excessive weight gain but it does not share a statistically significant relationship with birthweight. These relationships hold in all the socioeconomic and demographic subgroups studied.
The Effects of Training on Perceptions of Sexual Harassment Allegations

This study of 176 college juniors examined the effects of respondent gender and sexual harassment training on the perceptions of what constitutes sexual harassment in the workplace. Variation in these perceptions, due to severity of the sexually oriented behavior, was also examined. Regardless of the subject's gender, individuals who 6 weeks earlier had seen a training film about sexual harassment rated severe sexually oriented work behaviors as more harassing than did individuals who had not seen the film. Additionally, males who had not seen the film rated ambiguous sexually oriented behaviors as less harassing than did males and females who had seen the film, and as less harassing than females who had not seen the film. Implications for the importance of training in addressing sexual harassment are discussed.
Military display performance parameters

The military display market is analyzed in terms of four of its segments: avionics, vetronics, dismounted soldier, and command and control. Requirements are summarized for a number of technology-driving parameters, to include luminance, night vision imaging system compatibility, gray levels, resolution, dimming range, viewing angle, video capability, altitude, temperature, shock and vibration, etc., for direct-view and virtual-view displays in cockpits and crew stations. Technical specifications are discussed for selected programs.
40.3: Flexible Display s Prepared Using Phase-Separated Composite Organic Films of Liquid Crystals

Very flexible nematic LCDS have been built with plastic substrates using phase separated composite organic method. A study of electro-optical properties of these displays shows a low voltage operation, high contrast, and a high degree of mechanical flexibility.
Studies on larval trematodes infecting freshwater snails in Pakistan. X. Non-virgulate Xiphidiocercariae

Eight new non-virgulate xiphidiocercariae from freshwater snails of Pakistan are described.Cercaria coheni sp. nov. has a spinose body and tail; two pairs of penetration glands, indistinguishable on the basis of their contents; a tegumental flap overhanging the anterior border of the acetabulum; 10–11 pairs of unidentified cells in the posterior half of the body; a V-shaped excretory bladder; and the flame cell formula 2[(1+1+1)+(1+1)]=10.C. craigi sp. nov. has a spinose body and tail; two pairs of penetration glands with similar contents; and a thick-walled, V-shaped excretory bladder.C. dalerkhani sp. nov. is very small; with a spinose body and tail; three pairs of penetration glands, the anterior two pairs with finely granular contents and the posterior pair with coarsely granular contents; and a bean-shaped excretory bladder.C. evelandi sp. nov. has a spinose body and an unspined tail; three pairs of penetration glands with similar contents; a roughly V-shaped excretory bladder; and the flame cell formula 2[(1+1+1)+(1+1)]=10.C. hemicaeca sp. nov. is characterized by a spinose body and an unspined tail; five pairs of penetration glands which are indistinguishable on the basis of their contents; numerous minute, lipid-like globules distributed throughout the body; an excretory bladder with a round base and wide apart cornua; and the flame cell formula 2[(1+1)+(1+1)]=8.C. friedi sp. nov. has a spined body and an unspined tail; five pairs of penetration glands with similar contents; oral sucker with a syncytial wall; an excretory bladder with a thick syncytial wall and a round base.C. nasiri sp. nov. has a spinose body and an unspined tail; ten pairs of penetration glands indistinguishable on the basis of their contents; an excretory bladder with a bean-shaped base and well developed cornua; and the flame cell formula 2[(2+2)+(2+2)]=16.C. manglaensis sp. nov. has a spinose body with several long, hair-like structures and an unspined tail bearing complete finfold; two pairs of penetration glands not differentiable on the basis of their contents; no gut beyond pharynx; a thick-walled excretory bladder with a round base and long cornua; and the flame cell formula 2[(1+1)+(1+1)]=8.
Physical Mechanism of SERCA2a Inhibition by Peroxynitrite

In the heart, age-based nitration of the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca-ATPase (SERCA2a), specifically at tyrosine residues Y294, Y295 and Y753 inhibits Ca2+ transport activity. However, the physical mechanism by which tyrosine nitration inhibits SERCA2a activity is not understood. Likewise, the effects of nitration on SERCA2a regulation by phospholamban (PLB) are not known. Therefore, we are combining kinetics assays with spectroscopic experiments to determine the effects of nitration on specific steps in the SERCA2a enzyme cycle, as affected by PLB. For these studies, we are using expressed SERCA2a either alone or coexpressed with PLB in High Five insect cell microsomes, and peroxynitrite (ONOO−) as the nitrating agent. As observed previously with native cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles, treatment of the expressed samples with increasing ONOO− inhibited SERCA2a activity. ONOO− inhibition of SERCA2a was more potent in the presence of PLB than in its absence, but ONOO− did not affect the [Ca2+]-dependence of SERCA2a activity either in the absence or presence of PLB. Conventional and saturation transfer EPR studies of maleimide spin-labeled SERCA2a were used to assess the effect of ONOO− on SERCA2a protein-protein interactions, as affected by PLB. ONOO− treatment had no effect on SERCA2a rotational mobility either in the absence or presence of PLB. Our data indicate that SERCA2a nitration does not affect the apparent Ca2+ affinity of the enzyme, suggesting nitration does not inhibit the enzyme by affecting Ca2+ binding and activation for ATP-dependent phosphorylation. In contrast, nitration may inhibit enzyme turnover by affecting Ca2+ release and enzyme dephosphorylation steps of the enzyme cycle. Specific kinetic and fluorescence experiments will test this proposal.
A Cross-Sectional Study of Individuals Seeking Information on Transient Ischemic Attack and Stroke Symptoms Online: A Target for Intervention?

Background Individuals with TIA/stroke symptoms often do not seek urgent medical attention. We assessed the feasibility of identifying individuals searching for information on TIA/stroke symptoms online as a target for future interventions to encourage urgent evaluation and we evaluated the performance of a self-reported risk score to identify subjects with true TIA or stroke.
Oral health conditions affect functional and social activities of terminally ill cancer patients.

Purpose Oral conditions are established complications in terminally ill cancer patients. Yet despite significant morbidity, the characteristics and impact of oral conditions in these patients are poorly documented. The study objective was to characterize oral conditions in terminally ill cancer patients to determine the presence, severity, and the functional and social impact of these oral conditions.
Nursing Care of Domestic Violence Victims in Acute and Critical Care Settings

Nursing care of domestic violence victims has focused on emergency settings, primary health-care settings, and mental health-care settings. Nurses in other acute and critical care settings also care for domestic violence victims, though the focus of nursing care may be confined to the medical reason for the person's hospital stay. However, as we come to fully appreciate the psychobiologic nature of health, illness, and healing, it becomes clear that abuse and violence in a patient's home life holds consequences for one's current and future well-being. Though hospital stays are often brief, important groundwork can be accomplished to identify and assist patients involved in abusive relationships.
Alleviating the bullwhip effect in supply chain management using the multi-agent approach: an empirical study

Supply chain management critically affects businesses' abilities to obtain and sustain competitive advantages. This paper presents a systematic approach to tackle the issue of the bullwhip effect in supply chain management. First, we proposed a multi-agent supply chain framework and compare it with the traditional sequential supply chain framework. Secondly, we hypothesise that the multi-agent supply chain framework would be more effective in alleviating the bullwhip effect than the sequential supply chain framework. Finally, we describe a case study that was conducted to test the proposed hypothesis. The findings suggested the multi-agent supply chain framework outperformed the sequential supply chain in alleviating the bullwhip effect. Supply chain management critically affects businesses' abilities to obtain and sustain competitive advantages. This paper presents a systematic approach to tackle the issue of the bullwhip effect in supply chain management. First, we proposed a multi-agent supply chain framework and compare it with the traditional sequential supply chain framework. Secondly, we hypothesise that the multi-agent supply chain framework would be more effective in alleviating the bullwhip effect than the sequential supply chain framework. Finally, we describe a case study that was conducted to test the proposed hypothesis. The findings suggested the multi-agent supply chain framework outperformed the sequential supply chain in alleviating the bullwhip effect.
Microfabricated magnetic waveguides for neutral atoms

We describe how tightly confining magnetic waveguides for atoms can be created with microfabricated or nanofabricated wires. Rubidium atoms guided in the devices we have fabricated would have a transverse mode energy spacing of K. We discuss the creation of a single-mode waveguide for atom interferometry whose depth is comparable to magneto-optical trap (MOT) temperatures. We also discuss the application of microfabricated waveguides to low-dimensional systems of quantum degenerate gases, and show that confinement can be strong enough to observe fermionization in a strongly interacting bosonic ensemble.
Multiple burst error correction

Two results on the correction of multiple bursts of errors are presented. In Section II, a theorem is given which increases the feasibility of correcting such errors in codes over GF(2) by constructing cyclic codes of a given weight. In Section III, a method is given for constructing quasi-cylic codes over GF(pk) which will correct multiple bursts of errors.
Contrasting patterns and connections of rock and biotic diversity in the marine and non-marine fossil records of North America

Abstract Macrostratigraphy uses packages of continuous sedimentation that are bound by hiatuses of non-deposition, erosion, or alternations between environments/lithologies to characterize spatiotemporal patterns of sedimentation. Previous work has linked the macrostratigraphy of marine shelf environments to many different macroevolutionary patterns in the marine animal fossil record. Here we use an improved macrostratigraphic database for North America, combined with fossil occurrence data in the Paleobiology Database, to show that macroevolutionary and macrostratigraphic patterns are correlated more strongly in marine environments than in non-marine environments. We also test the hypothesis that the temporal distribution of lithological diversity (measured as evenness, similar to ecological evenness based on the number of lithostratigraphic units with a given lithologic type within each time interval) has a relationship to genus-level taxonomic diversity in both the marine and non-marine realms. Uneven sampling of lithologies and their corresponding depositional environments can bias our perception of taxonomic diversity by causing taxa from poorly sampled environments to be underrepresented in the fossil record. Our results show a negative correlation between lithologic evenness and marine vertebrate generic richness — less even sampling of lithologies corresponds to a higher observed taxonomic richness, and no correlation with lithologic evenness and non-marine diversity measures. This suggests a difference in the relationship between biologic and sedimentary processes at work in the marine and non-marine realms, and possibly differences in the magnitude of the bias imposed by the rock record on the underlying biologic patterns.