cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Determinants and Consequences of Information Seeking Among Cancer Patients

This research was designed to examine information seeking behavior among cancer patients. We present a model which identifies the determinants and consequences of information seeking and, in turn, examines the effects of prior variables on four outcome variables: whether patients discussed with their physicians information that they received from other sources, whether the information they obtained helped them make decisions about treatment or care, whether the patient sought a second opinion about his/her diagnosis or treatment, and changes in self-reported stress levels from diagnosis to the time of interview. The model is estimated separately for three groups: patients who sought information from multiple sources including the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service, patients who sought information from multiple sources but did not call the Cancer Information Service, and patients who did not seek information other than from their physician(s). We discuss variables that have similar impacts on outcome variables in all three groups as well as variables that operate differently within the groups. The results indicate that the desire for information and the desire for involvement in medical care decisions are independent factors. Some patients have a strong desire for both information and involvement in making health care decisions. These patients actively seek involvement in their treatment plans. Other patients, however, want to be informed about their disease and treatment but prefer to delegate most decision-making to their physicians. Still other patients choose to delegate information gathering and decision making exclusively to their physicians. We discuss the implications of these results for both patients and providers.
The impact of the Atlantic cold tongue on West African monsoon onset in regional model simulations for 1998–2002

The Atlantic cold tongue (ACT) develops during spring and early summer near the Equator in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Guinea. The hypothesis that the ACT accelerates the timing of West African monsoon (WAM) onset is tested by comparing two regional climate model (RM3) simulation ensembles. Observed sea surface temperatures (SST) that include the ACT are used to force a control ensemble. An idealized, warm SST perturbation is designed to represent lower boundary forcing without the ACT for the experiment ensemble. Summer simulations forced by observed SST and reanalysis boundary conditions for each of five consecutive years are compared to five parallel runs forced by SST with the warm perturbation. The article summarizes the sequence of events leading to the onset of the WAM in the Sahel region. The representation of WAM onset in RM3 simulations is examined and compared to Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) and reanalysis data. The study evaluates the sensitivity of WAM onset indicators to the presence of the ACT by analysing the differences between the two simulation ensembles. Results show that the timing of major rainfall events and therefore theWAM onset in the Sahel are not sensitive to the presence of the ACT. However, the warm SST perturbation does increase downstream rainfall rates over West Africa as a consequence of enhanced specific humidity and enhanced northward moisture flux in the lower troposphere.
Future considerations in transplantation.

Debra Wujci k T HE USE OF peripheral blood progenitor/stem cells for hematopoietic reconstitution after high-dose therapy is rapidly increasing. This is due in part to the increased awareness of blood cell transplantation (BCT) as a treatment option and the availability of free-standing community apheresis centers. 1 At the same time, health care reform efforts are exerting financial constraints to decrease or limit use. In addition, a number of issues related to the purity of the stem cells products, definitions of appropriate cell numbers and viability, and the transport of cells across state lines are being raised. Members of the International Society for Hematotherapy and Graft Engineering, The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, and The Canadian Bone Marrow Transplant Group have joined efforts to form the Foundation for Accreditation of Hematopoietic Cell Therapy. This group has defined standards to ensure the quality of medical and laboratory practice, which will be applied to cells obtained from bone marrow, peripheral blood, and umbilical cord. The standards describe rigorous education and experience requirements for personnel and allow application for accreditation after 10 successful transplants. The assumption is that insurers will identify accredited programs as the "preferred provider." The impact of these standards on the formation of new and existing programs remains to be seen. With the emphasis on a defined and comprehensive program for transplant that includes all aspects of the care, one director, and core facilities with geographic or proximate facilities, it is clear that existing models that include free-standing apheresis facilities will have to be joined more formally with comprehensive programs to ensure ongoing survival. Allogeneic BCT appears to be increasing rapidly although there is little data to support efficacy
Closed-Loop Thickness Control of Resonant-Tunneling Diode MBE Growth Using Spectroscopic Ellipsometry

The room temperature electrical characteristics of AlAs/InGaAs/InAs resonant-tunneling diode (RTD) devices are sensitive to sub-monolayer thickness changes, and present a challenging case for closed-loop control. We prepared stacked RTD structures by MBE in which the strained AlAs barrier thicknesses were controlled based on an in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) system. The short-term and long-term reproducibility of RTDs grown under SE-based control was compared with similar samples grown by “dead-reckoning” (timing-based shutter openings coupled with pre-growth flux calibrations). SE-based calibration can compensate for long-term flux drift, but closed-loop thickness control did not provide a significant improvement over dead-reckoning in terms of short-term RTD reproducibility.
Microwaves—a review of recent applications and developments

Microwaves can be defined as the happy hunting ground of microwave engineers. Microwave engineers form a community even when they branch out and make contributions, for example, in optical or acoustic waveguides. Such developments are reported in microwave publications, at least until they separate out or attach themselves to other disciplines. Thus, technology transfer takes place. However, the majority of applications to be reviewed depend on radiation at frequencies in the true microwave range, that is, at frequencies generally around 1000 to 10 000 million cycles per second (1 to 10 GHz)
Data preservation in intermittently connected sensor networks with data priority

Data generated in sensor networks may have different importance and priority. Different types of data contribute differently for scientists to analyze the physical environment. In a challenging environment, wherein sensor nodes do not always have connected paths to the base station, and not all the data can be preserved inside the network due to severe energy constraints and storage constraints at sensor nodes, how to preserve data with maximum priority is a new and challenging problem. In this paper, we study how to preserve data that yield maximum total priorities, under the constraints that each sensor node has limited energy level and storage capacity. We design an efficient optimal algorithm and prove its optimality. The core of the problem is a maximum weighted flow problem, which is to maximize the total weight of flow in the network considering different flows have different weights. Maximum weighted flow is a generalization of the classic maximum flow problem, wherein each unit of flow has the same weight. To the best of our knowledge, our work is the first to study and solve the maximum weighted flow problem. We propose a more time efficient heuristic algorithm. Via simulation, we show that it performs comparably to the optimal algorithm and performs better than the classic maximum flow algorithm, which does not consider data priority. Finally we design a distributed data preservation algorithm based on push-relabel algorithm, analyze its time and message complexities, and empirically show that it outperforms the push-relabel distributed maximum flow algorithm in terms of the total preserved priorities.
Research Subject Advocate: A New Protector of Research Participants

In 2001, the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) directed the 78 General Clinical Research Centers (GCRC) to develop a Research Subject Advocate (RSA) position. The RSA would report directly to the Principal Investigator (PI) of each GCRC and assure compliance of studies conducted on the GCRC with federal regulations and policies. Seven RSAs agreed to be interviewed about their new role. Website documents, electronic correspondence, and presentations at the first annual national meeting of RSAs were scrutinized using discursive analysis to shed light on this new organizational form and its potential for increased protection of human research participants. The RSA role actualizes the ethical principles of respect for persons, justice, and beneficence that are the foundation of the protection of research participants. The results also reveal the regulatory, institutional, collegial, and personal resources and barriers that assist the RSA in the successful implementation of the RSA role. In additio...
No Luck With Knowledge? On a Dogma of Epistemology

Current epistemological orthodoxy has it that knowledge is incompatible with luck. More precisely: Knowledge is incompatible with epistemic luck (of a certain, interesting kind). This is often treated as a truism which is not even in need of argumentative support. In this paper, I argue that there is lucky knowledge. In the first part, I use an intuitive and not very developed notion of luck to show that there are cases of knowledge which are “lucky” in that sense. In the second part, I look at philosophical conceptions of luck (modal and probabilistic ones) and come to the conclusion that knowledge can be lucky in those senses, too. I also turns out that a probabilistic notion of luck can help us see in what ways a particular piece of knowledge or belief can be lucky or not lucky.
Towards a Revision of the Genus Vitex L. (Lamiaceae) in Madagascar I : a Distinctive New Species from Northeastern Madagascar

Abstract Callmander, M. W., P. B. Phillipson & G. E. Schatz (2014). Towards a revision of the genus Vitex L. (Lamiaceae) in Madagascar I : a distinctive new species from North-eastern Madagascar. Candollea 69: 141–147. In English, English and French abstracts. A review of the genus Vitex L. (Lamiaceae) in the context of the “Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Madagascar” project has led us to discover a number of probable new species and uncover other necessary taxonomic changes for the genus. One particularly distinctive new species, Vitex lowryi Callm., Phillipson & G. E. Schatz, is described and illustrated in this article, the first of a series in which we envisage presenting the results of our ongoing investigations on Malagasy Vitex. A discussion of the differences between the new species and a group of the morphologically most similar species of the genus in Madagascar is provided, together with photographs showing the key features of each. Finally, a distribution map and a preliminary conservatio...
Affiliation, Empathy, and the Origins of Theory of Mind

To understand the evolution of a Theory of Mind, we need to understand the selective factors that might have jumpstarted its initial evolution. We argue that a subconscious, reflexive appreciation of others’ intentions, emotions, and perspectives is at the roots of even the most complex forms of Theory of Mind and that these abilities may have evolved because natural selection has favored individuals that are motivated to empathize with others and attend to their social interactions. These skills are adaptive because they are essential to forming strong, enduring social bonds, which in turn enhance reproductive success. We first review evidence from both humans and other animals indicating that reflexive and reflective mental state attributions are inextricably linked and play a crucial role in promoting affiliative social bonds. We next describe results from free-ranging female baboons showing that individuals who show high rates of affiliative behavior form stronger social bonds with other females. These bonds, in turn, are linked to fitness. We then provide data from three different types of social challenges (male immigration, changes in grooming behavior after the death of a close relative, and responses during playback experiments), suggesting that females who manifest high rates of affiliative behavior may also be more motivated to anticipate challenges, react adaptively to setbacks, and respond appropriately to social interactions.
Allogeneic Neonatal Neuronal Retina Grafts Display Partial Immune Privilege in the Subcapsular Space of the Kidney

Transplantation of immature retinal tissues may offer a solution for restoring sight to individuals afflicted with degenerative retinal diseases. Promising results have recently demonstrated that neonatal retinal grafts placed in the eye can survive, differentiate into photoreceptor cells, and respond to evoked electrical stimuli. These transplants, however, were performed in immunologically immature recipients. Since it is important to know whether neonatal neuronal retina (NNR) tissue is immunogenic in immune-competent recipients, and whether this tissue displays inherent immune privilege, we have examined the fate of such grafts placed in a non-immune-privileged site of adult recipient mice. We found that typical, photoreceptor-dominated rosettes formed in differentiating NNR grafts, and that these allografts survived beyond 12 days, whereas genetically identical skin grafts were rejected earlier. Class II MHC-bearing cells of recipient origin were observed along the edge of NNR allografts as early as day 5. Donor-specific delayed hypersensitivity was not detected at 12 days, but did emerge on day 20, coincident with rejection of NNR allografts. Lymph nodes, but not spleens, of mice bearing NNR grafts at 12 days contained regulatory lymphoid cells that suppressed delayed hypersensitivity in naive recipients. We conclude that NNR grafts accommodate and even differentiate in the non-immune-privileged space beneath the kidney capsule. Survival beneath the kidney capsule of NNR allografts, but not skin allografts, at 12 days and beyond implies that NNR tissue possesses inherent immune privilege. The vulnerability of these grafts to rejection by 20 days reveals this privilege to be partial and temporary.
Muscle Regeneration in Young and Old Rats: Effects of Motor Nerve Transection With and Without Marcaine Treatment

We tested the hypothesis that after skeletal muscle regeneration in old compared with young rats damage to the motor nerve rather than damage to muscle fibers determines the magnitude of the deficits in muscle mass and maximum force (Po). The mass and Po of extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles of young (4 months) and old (24 months) male rats were compared two months following (i) Marcaine treatment plus simultaneous motor nerve transection, (ii) motor nerve transection alone, and (iii) Marcaine treatment alone (from data compiled previously). In both the nerve transection-only and Marcaine with nerve transection groups the recovery of mass and Po was significantly greater in young than in old rats. This is in contrast to our previous data showing that in the absence of nerve damage Marcaine-treated muscle in old rats regenerates as well as that in young rats. Our hypothesis was supported, and we conclude that impaired axonal regeneration, re-establishment of nerve-muscle contact, or both, is the critical component in the impaired regeneration of muscle grafts in old as compared with young rats.
Export-Oriented Populism: Commodities and Coalitions in Argentina

A new form of populism, combining broad-based benefits for urban workers with export promotion, emerged in Argentina under Nestor Kirchner (2003–2007). This article argues that changes in agricultural production created the conditions for this “export-oriented populism.” Historically, Argentina’s main exports, beef and wheat, were also the primary consumption goods of urban workers. Scholars such as Guillermo O’Donnell have argued that this linkage increased rural-urban conflict, resulting in shifting coalitions and recurring crises. Today, soybeans have replaced beef and wheat as the country’s leading export. Because soybeans are not consumed by the working class, Kirchner could both promote and tax their export, generating fiscal revenue for populist programs while not harming the effective purchasing power of urban workers or provoking a balance-of-payments crisis. Export orientation thus provided the basis for a new variant of Argentine populism. This study offers a new argument within the classic research tradition on the interaction between politics and various types of export growth. It likewise provides an additional basis for arguing that populism, as a form of politics, can arise in diverse economic circumstances. Furthermore, this article contends that, rather than uniformly promoting political stability, the effect of export booms is conditioned by the nature of economic linkages between the export sector and the domestic economy.
The Ruhrlade, Secret Cabinet of Heavy Industry in the Weimar Republic

On the evening of January 9, 1928, twelve of the most prominent men of German heavy industry, attired in tuxedos, gathered at the Villa Hugel, the Krupp family's grandiose palace outside Essen, for the first meeting of the most mystery-shrouded industrial organization of the Weimar Republic: the Ruhrlade. The man responsible for its formation was Paul Reusch, managing director since 1908 of the coal, steel, and manufacturing combine Gutehoffnungshutte, and a respected figure in German industrial circles. After the First World War and the revolution, Reusch had been instrumental in organizing the Essener Montagsgesellschaft, an informal group of Ruhr industrialists which met in Essen once a month to consider matters of common interest. At the outset, the membership of the Montagsgesellschaft was small, but its admissions policy was liberal, so that within a few years it numbered forty-five. This proved too large a body for the conduct of confidential affairs, and after the group's meetings had been interrupted by the occupation of the Ruhr in 1923, Reusch and its other leaders decided not to revive it. Reusch continued, however, to feel a need for an informal, compact organization of the leading men of German heavy industry. In the fall of 1927 he drafted a charter for such a group, using as his model the statute of a small, highly selective prewar organization of Magdeburg industrialists, the Lade, whose name, the German word for chest or similar repository, apparently signified a commitment to secrecy.
Vasodilator therapy in chronic congestive heart failure.

Benefits from vasodilator therapy in patients with chronic heart failure are partly related to the severity of functional derangements. Agents with an arteriolar-dilating effect are more likely to be effective in patients with higher left ventricular outflow resistance. Vasodilators with primary venodilating properties are more likely to be effective in the presence of an increased ventricular preload. The mechanisms by which preload and left ventricular outflow resistance increase in patients with cardiac insufficiency are not well understood and may not be similar in all patients. Vasodilators also have the capacity to ameliorate myocardial metabolic functional abnormalities by influencing myocardial energetics, but the effects of different agents on coronary hemodynamics may not be uniform. Effects on renal hemodynamics may also vary, as may neurohumoral changes after therapy. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors have been shown to exert beneficial effects on both coronary and renal hemodynamics in patients with chronic heart failure, while producing favorable neurohumoral changes. These agents provide some advantages over directacting vasodilators in that myocardial oxygen consumption is decreased, myocardial metabolic function is improved, and norepinephrine and aldosterone levels are reduced. Further controlled studies are needed to assess the efficacy of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in relation to other vasodilators for the long-term management of these patients.
Vocational Interests of Substance Abusers

Sumnwcsy.-The vocational interests of male polydrug, alcohol, and heroin abusers were compared using the Minnesota Vocational Interest Inventory. Findings indicated that the form of substance abuse is not related to occupational preference. When compared with tradesmen-in-general, substance abusers are more interested in verbal, aesthetic, people-oriented, and feminine kinds of activities. Interpretations are made in the context of John Holland's theory of personal orientations and occupational environments. Vocational interests have long been used in career planning and rehabilitation (Parsons, 1909). Congruence of interests and abilities with occupations has been related to job satisfaction and ability. At least one major theorist (Holland, 1973) has conceptualized vocational preferences as an expression of personality. The extent to which generalizations about interests are applicable to particular groups may have a number of implications which are relevant to the rehabilitation process. The purpose of this study was to compare the vocational interests of male polydrug, alcohol, and heroin abusers and men employed in specific occupations. Subjects were 178 male participants in a Veterans Administration Drug Abuse Program with the norm groups used in the validation of the Minnesota Vocational Interest Inventory (Clark & Campbell, 1965) serving as comparisons. The inventory was selected because its scales are of non-professional occupations generally and include mostly occupations which are entry level and learned chrough on-the-job training or formal apprenticeships. An earlier study of 65 male chemically dependent patients did not identify significant occupational interests (Taylor, Bidus, & Collins, 1977). It is hypothesized that the instrument used in that study, the Strong Vocational Interest Blank (Campbell, 1971), was less appropriate for this population of substance abusers because of its higher academic and professional orientation. Despite the lack of identification with men in specific occupations or in professions requiring considerable education and/or training, the interest patterns suggested a preference for verbal-persuasive, social service, and artistic activities. This was interpreted as aspiring to manipulate others in an interpersonal context. 'Request reprlnts from H. A. Collins, Psychology Service, 116B/JC, Veterans Administration Med~cal Center. St. Louis, MO 63125.
Learning innate face preferences

Newborn humans preferentially orient to facelike patterns at birth, but months of experience with faces are required for full face processing abilities to develop. Several models have been proposed for how the interaction of genetic and evironmental influences can explain these data. These models generally assume that the brain areas responsible for newborn orienting responses are not capable of learning and are physically separate from those that later learn from real faces. However, it has been difficult to reconcile these models with recent discoveries of face learning in newborns and young infants. We propose a general mechanism by which genetically specified and environment-driven preferences can coexist in the same visual areas. In particular, newborn face orienting may be the result of prenatal exposure of a learning system to internally generated input patterns, such as those found in PGO waves during REM sleep. Simulating this process with the HLISSOM biological model of the visual system, we demonstrate that the combination of learning and internal patterns is an efficient way to specify and develop circuitry for face perception. This prenatal learning can account for the newborn preferences for schematic and photographic images of faces, providing a computational explanation for how genetic influences interact with experience to construct a complex adaptive system.
Linking social media and medical record data: a study of adults presenting to an academic, urban emergency department

Background Social media may offer insight into the relationship between an individual's health and their everyday life, as well as attitudes towards health and the perceived quality of healthcare services. Objective To determine the acceptability to patients and potential utility to researchers of a database linking patients’ social media content with their electronic medical record (EMR) data. Methods Adult Facebook/Twitter users who presented to an emergency department were queried about their willingness to share their social media data and EMR data with health researchers for the purpose of building a databank for research purposes. Shared posts were searched for select terms about health and healthcare. Results Of the 5256 patients approached, 2717 (52%) were Facebook and/or Twitter users. 1432 (53%) of those patients agreed to participate in the study. Of these participants, 1008 (71%) consented to share their social media data for the purposes of comparing it with their EMR. Social media data consisted of 1 395 720 posts/tweets to Facebook and Twitter. Participants sharing social media data were slightly younger (29.1±9.8 vs 31.9±10.4 years old; p<0.001), more likely to post at least once a day (42% vs 29%; p=0.003) and more likely to present to the emergency room via self-arrival mode and have private insurance. Of Facebook posts, 7.5% (95% CI 4.8% to 10.2%) were related to health. Individuals with a given diagnosis in their EMR were significantly more likely to use terms related to that diagnosis on Facebook than patients without that diagnosis in their EMR (p<0.0008). Conclusions Many patients are willing to share and link their social media data with EMR data. Sharing patients have several demographic and clinical differences compared with non-sharers. A database that merges social media with EMR data has the potential to provide insights about individuals’ health and health outcomes.
Current Structure Variations Detected by High-Frequency Radar and Vector-Measuring Current Meters

Abstract Ocean surface current measurements from high-frequency (HF) radar are assessed by comparing these data to near-surface current observations from 1 to 30 October 1994 at two moored subsurface current meter arrays (20 and 25 m) instrumented with vector-measuring current meters (VMCMs) and Seacat sensors during the Duck94 experiment. A dual-station ocean surface current radar (OSCR) mapped the current fields at 20-min intervals at a horizontal resolution of 1.2 km over a 25 km × 44 km domain using the HF (25.4 MHz) mode and directly overlooked these moorings. In response to wind, tidal, and buoyancy forcing over 29 days, surface current observations were acquired 95% of the time in the core of the OSCR domain, decreasing to levels of about 50% in the offshore direction. Regression analyses between surface and subsurface measurements at 4 and 6 m indicated biases of 2–6 cm s−1, slopes of O(1), and rms differences of 7–9 cm s−1. Episodic freshwater intrusions of about 30 practical salinity units (psu)...
Two women, a bottle of wine, and the bachelor: duoethnography as a means to explore experiences of femininity in a leisure setting.

Callie: Isn't the purpose of an abstract similar to that of the The Bachelor show intro…to sucker you into reading the rest of the paper?Karen: Yep, and I am not quite sure how to sell something li...
The Beginning of Health Care Reform Nears its End

The countdown to 2014 has begun. In the days to come, millions of Americans will choreograph exactly where to be at midnight on New Year’s Eve, full of resolutions and expectations for the coming year. This January 1 holds a special significance for our country, as the dropping of that massive 11,875-pound ball in New York City’s Times Square represents what many have for four years hoped to be the heralding of an epic transformation in our nation’s health care. Though unable to predict the future as in fairy tales of old, the descent of that Waterford crystal ball marks the coming of age of the Affordable Care Act, still shrouded in controversy and fighting for a foothold on which to support itself.
Lithium toxicity in pregnant swine.

SummaryTwenty-three pregnant swine were fed either 2.3 kg of a ration containing 2818 kcal metabolizable energy kg-1 once daily or fed the same ration supplemented with 3000 mg Li2CO3 kg-1 and fed ad libitum during the final 80 days of gestation. Lithium was not fed during lactation. Lithium-fed females voluntarily consumed 2.8 kg day-1. Swine that consumed lithium lost 27 kg of body weight during gestation and weighed less (P < 0.05) than control females at 110 days of gestation. All of the control females gave birth to piglets but only 58% of the lithium-fed females completed pregnancy. Females consuming lithium gave birth to fewer (P < 0.05) live piglets, more (P < 0.01) mummies and stillbirths and lighter (P < 0.01) litters. Fewer (P < 0.01) of the liveborn piglets born to lithium-treated females survived to 21 days of age. It is suggested that lithium caused these toxic effects by interfering with absorption or metabolism of dietary nutrients. This resulted in mobilization of maternal body stores and...
Listeria monocytogenes-Induced Interferon-v Primes the Host for Production of Tumor Necrosis Factor and Interferon-α/β

Mice acquired an enhanced capacity for the production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and the interferons (IFN)-alpha, and -beta shortly after intravenous injection of viable Listeria monocytogenes. By the end of the first day of a sublethal infection, mice were primed to produce 100-1000 times more endotoxin-induced serum TNF than is produced by normal mice. Acquisition of the augmented capacity for TNF production was due to L. monocytogenes-induced IFN-gamma. IFN-gamma also primed infected mice for IFN-alpha/beta production. However, in addition to IFN-gamma, other L. monocytogenes-induced mechanisms endowed the host with an enhanced potential for the production of IFN-alpha/beta. Antibody-mediated depletion of various cell types in vivo revealed that CD8+ cells and NK cells are required for the production of L. monocytogenes-induced IFN-gamma during the first day of listeriosis.
Postural hand tremor and incident hypertension in young to middle-aged adults: the Bogalusa heart study.

BACKGROUND Hand tremor and blood pressure (BP) are both increased by adrenergic stimulation and reduced by β-blockade, indicating that they may share a common underlying pathophysiology. METHODS We prospectively examined the relationship between postural hand tremor and incident hypertension in a community-based cohort of 715 (184 blacks and 531 whites) adults without hypertension and not using medications to control tremor (e.g. β-blockers). At baseline, tremor was measured with participants holding a laser pointer aimed at a sheet of Polaroid film 8 feet away with arm outstretched for 8 s in a darkened room, and characterized by the width of the circle diameter encompassing all exposures and enumeration of exposure dots in the same area. Incident hypertension was defined as new elevation of BP (SBP ≥ 140 or DBP ≥ 90 mmHg, based on an average of six readings over two visits) or antihypertensive medication use. RESULTS During a median follow-up of 6.4 years, 198 (69 blacks and 129 whites) participants developed hypertension. Tremor measurements (by quartile) were positively associated with incident hypertension after adjustment for baseline demographics, lifestyle characteristics, and BP. There was significant interaction by race (P = 0.01). Among whites, tremor was positively associated with incident hypertension [hazard ratio highest vs. lowest quartile: 2.50 (95% confidence interval: 1.40-4.48) dot method and 3.24 (1.78-5.90) circular method; both P trend <0.01]. Among blacks, tremor was not associated with hypertension. CONCLUSION In this community-based cohort, postural hand tremor was strongly associated with the risk of incident hypertension among whites and merits further study as a potential indicator of risk for hypertension.
Metabolic responses of rat respiratory muscles to voluntary exercise training

Voluntary wheel running for 4 or 8 wk was used to assess whether a volitional training stimulus would induce adaptations in the oxidative capacity [citrate synthase activity (CS)], glucose phosphorylation capacity [hexokinase activity (HK)], and glucose transporter protein level (GLUT-4) of rat respiratory muscles. Running distances averaged approximately 10-13 km/day over the final 5 wk of training. Peak oxygen consumption by the trained animals was 17% greater (P < 0.05) than by age-matched sedentary control animals after 8 wk. CS, HK, and GLUT-4 in soleus and plantaris muscles all increased because of exercise training. CS increased in the rectus abdominis (+17%), external oblique (+28%), and internal oblique (+17%) but not in the costal or crural diaphragm after 4 wk of training. However, after 8 wk, CS in the costal diaphragm was 39% greater than control but was unchanged in the crural diaphragm. Whereas HK was significantly greater than control in the costal diaphragm (+18%) and rectus abdominis (+54%) after 4 wk, 8 wk of running were required for increases in HK in the external oblique (+17%) and internal oblique (+14%). HK in the crural diaphragm was not significantly altered by the exercise training. GLUT-4 did not change significantly in any of the respiratory muscles studied. These results indicate that significant adaptations in the glucose phosphorylation capacity and oxidative capacity of both inspiratory and expiratory muscles can take place in response to voluntary exercise. However, this same stimulus is not sufficient to cause an adaptive response in GLUT-4 protein level in these respiratory muscles.
Retained common duct stones

Chemical dissolution of retained stones can be accomplished in about 70 per cent of cases by infusing cholic acid through the T-tube. Mechanical extraction with the ureteral stone basket has an equal record of success. Reoperation should be the last treatment considered in most cases.
Involvement of capsaicin-sensitive nerves in regulating the hormone and glucose metabolic response to endotoxin

This study investigated the role that sensory nerves play in mediating the hormone and glucose metabolic response to endotoxin [lipopolysaccharide (LPS)]. Adult rats were pretreated subcutaneously with capsaicin to selectively destroy primary sensory afferent nerve fibers. Ten days later, [3-3H]glucose was infused intravenously to assess whole body glucose flux before and after the intravenous injection of Escherichia coli LPS (100 micrograms/100 g body wt). Control animals responded to LPS with characteristic increases in the plasma concentration of glucose (91%) and lactate (threefold) and elevations in the rates of glucose appearance and disappearance (77%). In capsaicin-treated rats, the maximal LPS-induced increase in these parameters was attenuated by 50-60%. In addition, these animals were hypoglycemic at the conclusion of the experiment. Control animals demonstrated early and sustained elevations in circulating levels of corticosterone, glucagon, and catecholamines. In contrast, the early LPS-induced elevation in epinephrine and norepinephrine, and to a lesser extent glucagon, was completely absent or greatly impaired by capsaicin pretreatment. In a separate study, the epinephrine-induced increase in glucose flux was blunted by 75% in capsaicin-treated rats. These data indicate that sensory afferent neurons play a critical role in the early secretory response of glucagon and catecholamines, the maintenance of tissue catecholamine responsiveness, and the stimulation of glucose production after LPS.
The Fontan operation: The long-term outlook

Purpose of reviewAs perioperative survival following the Fontan procedure has improved and more patients are reaping the benefits of physiologic palliation, the costs of longstanding systemic venous hypertension and the functional limitations of a single ventricle are becoming clearer. Arrhythmias,
Regulation of mouse hepatitis virus RNA synthesis by heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1.

Mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) RNA synthesis, including replication of viral genome and transcription of subgenomic mRNAs, has been shown to be regulated by several viral RNA elements, including 5’-untranslated region (5’-UTR), cis- and trans-acting leader RNA, intergenic (IG) sequence, and 3’-UTR (Lai and Cavanagh 1997). Biochemical evidence suggests that these regulatory sequences likely interact with each other either directly or indirectly, probably through protein-RNA and protein-protein interactions involving both viral and cellular proteins (Zhang and Lai 1995). Several cellular proteins have been found to bind these regulatory sequences by UV-crosslinking experiments (Furuya and Lai 1993, Huang and Lai 1999); three of these proteins have been identified to be heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein Al (hnRNP A1) (Li et al 1997), polypyrimidine-tractbinding protein (PTB) (Huang and Lai 1999, Li et al 1999), and poly(A)-binding protein (PABP) (Spagnolo and Hogue 2000).
Communitywide laboratory-based influenza surveillance focused on older persons, 1989-1992.

We collected surveillance data as part of the Medicare Influenza Vaccine Demonstration to describe communitywide epidemiology of influenza, focusing on the elderly. Laboratory-based surveillance was established in medical practices, hospitals, and nursing homes in a two-county demonstration in upstate New York. Time course and intensity of epidemic influenza were compared between counties, between influenza A and B epidemics, and among several levels of surveillance involving elderly persons as well as children during the years 1989–1992. The counties experienced parallel epidemics during each of the three demonstration years. Influenza A/H3N2, predominant in 1989–1990 and 1991–1992, was equally intense among young and old, accounted for ll%–28% of acute cardiopulmonary hospitalizations of older persons, and caused focal outbreaks in 30%–40% of nursing homes in the respective epidemics. Influenza B, predominant in 1990–1991, showed modest impact among the elderly as compared with children. Influenza A/H1N1 occurred among children each year but was virtually absent among the elderly. Systematic surveillance during the “influenza season” consistently confirms widespread infection among older patients, both in the community and in institutions. However, much febrile respiratory illness in this age group during periods of epidemic influenza is culture-negative for influenza virus and thus may be caused by other respiratory pathogens.
Introducing Stochastic Simulation of Chemical Reactions Using the Gillespie Algorithm and MATLAB: Revisited and Augmented.

The stochastic simulation of chemical reactions, specifically, a simple reversible chemical reaction obeying the first-order, i.e., linear, rate law, has been presented by Martinez-Urreaga and his collaborators in this journal. The current contribution is intended to complement and augment their work in two aspects. First, the simple reversible chemical reaction is explicitly modeled as a stochastic process—specifically, as a birth-death process. The resultant model yields the master, i.e., governing, equation of the process whose solution renders it possible to analytically obtain the process’ expected means and variances. Second, the master equation is stochastically simulated through the Monte Carlo method by resorting to the time-driven approach in addition to the event-driven approach adopted by Martinez-Urreaga and his collaborators on the basis of the Gillespie algorithm. The process’ means and variances have been numerically computed by implementing these approaches, the results from which are compared with the analytical solutions of the stochastic model for validation. In addition, they are compared with the solution of the deterministic model as presented by Martinez-Urreaga and his collaborators. The two approaches for stochastic simulation by the Monte Carlo method are further illustrated with the photoelectrochemical disinfection of bacteria also obeying the first-order rate law. The results are validated by comparing them with the available experimental data.
New Australasian Zalmoxidae (Opiliones: Laniatores) and a new case of male polymorphism in Opiliones

Six new species of litter-inhabiting harvestmen, four from New Caledonia and two from Australia, in the genus Zalmoxis Sorensen, 1886 (Opiliones: Laniatores: Zalmoxidae) are described and illustrated using light microscropy and SEM. Amolecular phylogeny including these and related species indicates that the New Caledonian Zalmoxis are monophyletic,though the morphology of one species is consistent with the apomorphies of Metazalmoxis Roewer, 1912. Accordingly, Zalmoxis Sorensen, 1886 is considered the senior synonym of Metazalmoxis Roewer, 1912 new synonymy. Zalmoxis therefore remains the sole zalmoxid genus outside of the Neotropics. The new species add significantly to the known mor-phological diversity of Zalmoxidae, specifically in the case of one species from Queensland, Australia, with polymorphic males—the first such record for the superfamily Zalmoxoidea.
Effect of Body Position on Energy Expenditure of Preterm Infants as Determined by Simultaneous Direct and Indirect Calorimetry.

Background Indirect calorimetry is the standard method for estimating energy expenditure in clinical research. Few studies have evaluated indirect calorimetry in infants by comparing it with simultaneous direct calorimetry. Our purpose was (1) to compare the energy expenditure of preterm infants determined by these two methods, direct calorimetry and indirect calorimetry; and (2) to examine the effect of body position, supine or prone, on energy expenditure. Study Design We measured energy expenditure by simultaneous direct (heat loss by gradient-layer calorimeter corrected for heat storage) and indirect calorimetry (whole-body oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production) in 15 growing preterm infants during two consecutive interfeeding intervals, once in the supine position and once in the prone position. Results The mean energy expenditure for all measurements in both positions did not differ significantly by the method used: 2.82 (standard deviation [SD] 0.42) kcal/kg/h by direct calorimetry and 2.78 (SD 0.48) kcal/kg/h by indirect calorimetry. The energy expenditure was significantly lower, by 10%, in the prone than in the supine position, whether examined by direct calorimetry (2.67 vs. 2.97 kcal/kg/h, p Conclusion Direct calorimetry and indirect calorimetry gave similar estimates of energy expenditure. Energy expenditure was 10% lower in the prone position than in the supine position.
Towards a Unified Description of Bulk Excitations and the Two Fluid Theory of Superfluids in Terms of a Single Classical Equation of Motion

A successful theory of Helium 4 would have to unify the two fluid behavior and the phonon-roton spectrum with the quantization of circulation. A complete microscopic theory would also be able to relate the material constants that appear in these equations to the potential of interaction which exists between He atoms. When such a theory is achieved it will for instance be able to describe the critical behavior near the lambda temperature as well as the propagation and attenuation of second sound. Towards the goal of achieving this theory we would like to outline our picture of how such a theory might be constructed.
Similarities and fundamental differences of informal social networks in China and Korea

This research reports about similarities and distinctive differences of informal social networks in China (Guanxi) and Korea (Yongo). Within an analytical framework derived from social capital and institutional theory, structural forms and characteristics of both network forms are compared. Although we observe some similarities, surprisingly both networks show several fundamental differences. Both are large, society spanning constructs, developed and maintained by reciprocal action that creates trust and trustworthiness and serves as a major factor of network cohesion. Both networks are confined to the outside, whereas insiders can connect other insiders with each other (i.e. internal bridging of structural holes). However, in comparison, Guanxi networks are in principle accessible to outsiders and draw on a diverse base of ties; Yongo networks are predefined, partly by birth, and are hence homogeneous and highly exclusive. Guanxi networks can benefit by spillover effects through bridging between differen...
Atrial fibrillation incrementally increases dementia risk across all CHADS2 and CHA2DS2VASc strata in patients receiving long-term warfarin

Background Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) are at higher risk for developing dementia. Warfarin is a common therapy for the prevention of thromboembolism in AF, valve replacement, and thrombosis patients. The extent to which AF itself increases dementia risk remains unknown. Methods A total 6030 patients with no history of dementia and chronically anticoagulated with warfarin were studied. Warfarin management was provided through a Clinical Pharmacy Anticoagulation Service. Patients were stratified by warfarin indication of AF (n=3015) and non-AF (n=3015) and matched by propensity score (±0.01). Patients were stratified by the congestive heart failure, hypertension, age >75 years, diabetes, stroke (CHADS 2 ) score calculated at the time of warfarin initiation and followed for incident dementia. Results The average age of the AF cohort was 69.3±11.2 years, and 52.7% were male; average age of non-AF cohort was 69.3±10.9 years, and 51.5% were male. Increasing CHADS 2 score was associated with increased dementia incidence, P trend=.004. When stratified by warfarin indication, AF patients had an increased risk of dementia incidence. After multivariable adjustment, AF patients continued to display a significantly increased risk of dementia when compared with non-AF patients across all CHADS 2 scores strata. Conclusions In patients receiving long-term warfarin therapy, dementia risk increased with increasing CHADS 2 scores. However, the presence of AF was associated with higher rates of dementia across all CHADS 2 score strata. These data suggest that AF contributes to the risk of dementia and that this risk is not solely attributable to anticoagulant use. Dementia may be an end manifestation of a systemic disease state, and AF likely contributes to its progression.
Plasmon-Mediated Absorption and Photocurrent Spectra in Sensitized Solar Cells

Plasmon resonances in metal nanoparticles (MNPs) can be used to enhance the efficiency of photoinduced electron transfer from a sensitizer (a molecule or a quantum dot (QD)) to a semiconductor electrode. Here we use a model Hamiltonian approach to study the optical response and the steady state electron injection rate (SSIR) of a hybrid system, consisting of a sensitizer that is coupled to a metal nanoparticle via dipole coupling and to a semiconductor electrode via electronic coupling. Counterintuitively, the total absorption cross section for the coupled system and the SSIR are correlated only for small coupling; in the relevant domain of large enhancement we observe anticorrelation. A maximum SSIR as a function of the dipole coupling strength is predicted analytically, and shown to result from the competition between the plasmonic field enhancement and the Purcell effect. In the case of pulsed excitation, the appearance of a Fano resonance and its reversal is illustrated as the dipole coupling strength...