cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
STRAIN-RATE AMPLIFICATION

The strain amplification is one of the recognized causes of the reinforcement of rubber by carbon black. We evaluated strain amplification in nonequilibrium, i.e., stress-strain measurements. Carbon-black-filled rubber compounds were used. In these examples, not only strain but also strain rate is amplified, since it is a dynamic situation. Because the behavior of the gum matrix is strain-rate dependent, strain-rate amplification is also an important aspect of the rubber compound behavior. We presented case studies of strain-rate amplification with several compounds involving variation of gum rubbers and carbon blacks.
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia and plexus visibility: a replication with medicated and unmedicated patients.

The subpapillary plexus is a dermal venular network, most easily observed in rive at the nailfold. Normally it is seen in children and disappears during adolescence--but remains visible in many adult schizophrenics. The relation between plexus visibility and schizophrenia has been evaluated in over twenty investigations since 1948 (reviewed by lacono 1985; Peele et al 1991). While the strength of this relation varied across samples, all published studies found a significant association between schizophrenia and plexus visibility. Between 18% and 72% of schizophrenics are reported to have highly visible plexus--tbe greatest prevalence usually occurring among patients with severe, chronic, and/or familial schizophrenia. In contrast, about 6% of the general population show the trait, and it is unassociated with affeetive, anxiety. or antisocial personality disorders. While plexus visibility appears related to transparency to thinness of the surrounding dermis, its biochemical basis has not been determined. It has moderately high heritability, and appears unaffected by factors such as hand use, diet, and psychotropic medications (Clementz et al 1992: Maricq 1969; Maricq and Jones 1976). in a previous investigation (Peele et al 1991, referred to here as Study i). the plexus trait was associated specifically with negative symptoms of schizophrenia (behavioral and cognitive deficits), but not with positive symptoms (psychosis) or affective disturbance (depression, mania). Although most of the study's subjects were on neuroleptics, medication data were unavailable; thus. it could not be ruled out whether the plexus/negative symptom specificity was an artifact of treatment. Furthermore, the sample consisted mainly of patients with severe, chronic schizophrenia, among whom it is difficult to differentiate primary deficits from the secondary sequelae of a life-disrupting illness (Carpenter et al 1985; Crow 1985). For these reasons, it appeared
REVIEW OF MATCHED FIELD PROCESSING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL INVERSE PROBLEMS

Matched Field Processing (MFP) is a signal processing technique that has enjoyed much recent success in the Underwater Acoustics community, mainly as a consequence of the high accuracy currently achievable in predictions of non-isotropic, non-planar ocean acoustic fields. MFP is applied to acoustic fields measured on arrays of hydrophones and has been used primarily to solve the inverse source problem, i.e., to determine the unknown range, depth, and bearing of acoustic sources in a known ocean environment. However, the MFP approach has also been applied to the environmental inverse problem, i.e., to determine the characteristics of an unknown ocean environment. This paper will review the work done in this latter area.
The reactivity of ion-implanted SiC

Abstract Implantation of chromium into single-crystal or polycrystalline α-SiC produces a surface amorphous layer for displacement damage greater than about 0.2 displacements per atom at room temperature. The enhanced chemical reactivity of such specimens was studied by two methods: chemical etching rate and oxidation rate. The chemical etching rates in a saturated solution of 50%K 3 Fe(CN) 6 plus 50% KOH were measured. The etching rate for the amorphous layer was 2.4−3.7 times that of the polycrystalline samples and 3.0–4.1 times that of the single-crystal samples. Polycrystalline specimens were exposed to flowing oxygen for 1 h at 1300 °C. Rutherford backscattering and the nuclear reaction 16 O(d,p) 17 O ∗ were used to determine the amount of oxygen on the surface. The amount of oxygen (and the thickness of oxide) over the amorphous region was 1.67 times that over the crystalline region. The relative thicknesses of the oxide on the amorphous and crystalline regions were confirmed by measuring the sputtering time required to remove the oxygen signal in an Auger spectrometer.
Racial differences in gene-specific DNA methylation levels are present at birth

BACKGROUND DNA methylation patterns differ among children and adults and play an unambiguous role in several disease processes, particularly cancers. The origin of these differences are inadequately understood, and this is a question of specific relevance to childhood and adult cancer.
Tissue Doppler-Derived Measurement of Isovolumic Myocardial Contraction in the Pediatric Population

Multiple echocardiographic techniques have been utilized to quantify systolic function. The shortening and ejection fraction remain the most commonly used and accepted methods. However, these measures are affected by altered loading conditions, and are not applicable when ventricular geometry differs from the prolate ellipsoid typical of a left ventricle. Mitral valve annular acceleration during isovolumic contraction (IVA) has been proposed as a load independent index of left ventricular contractility. However, published values for IVA demonstrating normal function vary. In addition, the value of IVA which may discern impaired systolic function has not been established. The purpose of this study is to determine a threshold IVA value for abnormal left ventricular function in the pediatric population. Structurally/functionally normal control (n = 90) and dilated cardiomyopathy (study = 64) patients were compared for differences in left ventricular: wall stress (WS), velocity of circumferential fiber shortening (VCFc), ejection fraction (EF), ejection force, and pulsed wave-derived medial and lateral wall IVA. No difference in body surface area (p = 0.61) or gender (p = 0.53) was noted. Left ventricular ejection fraction, ejection force, VCFc, and IVA were significantly lower and WS was significantly higher in the study group (p 50%. The lateral IVA was 1.81 ± 1.03 m/s2 for an EF 50%. ROC analysis demonstrated a medial IVA of 1.97 m/s2 as the cut-off for predicting an EF <50% with a 77% sensitivity of and specificity of 66% (AUC = 0.75, CI = 0.67–0.83, p < 0.01). ROC analysis demonstrated a lateral IVA of 2.31 m/s2 as the cut-off for predicting an EF <50% with a 73% sensitivity of and specificity of 63% (AUC = 0.72, CI = 0.63–0.82, p < 0.01). IVA lateral of 1.93 m/s2 or less was associated with heart transplant and death. ICC analysis demonstrated some interobserver variability in IVA measurement (0.57–0.65). The normal IVA of the medial and lateral mitral valve annulus measure over 1.97 m/s2 and 2.31 m/s2, respectively; values less than this cut-off are associated with EF <50%. Despite some problems with reproducibility IVA remains a promising method of screening for diminished ventricular contractility in the setting of abnormal geometry.
The temporal and spatial distribution of underwater quantum irradiation in a southern California kelp forest

Abstract The weekly integrals of underwater photon flux density were measured for a two and a half year period in a southern California kelp forest. Photon flux densities were lowest from January to April and peaked in summer. On average, about 2% of the surface irradiation reached the bottom (depth of 13·2 m in an area without a kelp canopy). Photon flux densities under a canopy of giant kelp were reduced by 70% compared to a nearby site cleared of kelp. A significant portion of temporal variability in underwater photon flux density was explained by vertical sediment flux. Surface irradiation did not contribute significantly to the variance in weekly values of underwater irradiation.
Stability of haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) measurements from frozen whole blood samples stored for over a decade

Objective Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), a measure of long-term glycaemic control, is at the centre of the clinical management of diabetes mellitus. However, the reproducibility of HbA1c measurements from whole blood samples which have been in long-term storage is unknown. We undertook this study to assess the reproducibility of HbA1c measurements from whole blood samples that had been in storage at -70 degrees C for over a decade. Research design and methods Three hundred and thirty-six samples of frozen whole blood from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, stored at -70 degrees C for 11-14 years assayed for HbA1c using a dedicated ion-exchange HPLC assay (Tosoh A1c 2.2 Plus HPLC) were compared with measurements on these same samples conducted prior to storage (in 1990-92) using a Diamat (Bio-Rad) HPLC instrument. Results HbA1c measurements from long-term stored samples were strongly correlated with values obtained prior to long-term storage (r=0.97). The difference between HbA1c from long- and short-term stored samples had a mean of 0.35% HbA1c (sd=0.35) and a CV of 5.8%, which was approximately three times that of duplicate assays (CV 1.3 to 2.5%). Conclusions These data demonstrate that highly correlated but more variable and slightly higher HbA1c results were obtained from frozen whole blood samples that have been in storage for more than a decade. This highly reproducible assay performance would lead to comparable ranking of individuals and unbiased estimates of relative risks and odds ratios in epidemiological studies (case-control and cohort designs), but results should be realigned when the absolute value is of interest. These results have important implications for epidemiological studies and clinical trials which have stored whole blood specimens.
First pKa Values of Some Acid-Base Indicators

An attempt was made to estimate the first pKa values of bromocresol green, bromocresol purple, bromophenol blue, cresol red, and phenol red using a method similar to that of Reilley and Sawyer. Values of −0.75 (−2.13 on the Hammett acidity scale) for bromocresol purple, +1.05 for cresol red, and +1.03 for phenol red were estimated. pKa values of cresol red and phenol red were not estimated on the Hammett acidity scale, since this scale is good only for acidic solutions stronger than 0.1 M. Trials to estimate the first pKa values of bromocresol green and bromophenol blue were not successful due to the upper limitation on the strength of commercially available hydrochloric acid. Values of −0.85 (approximately −2.7 on the Hammett acidity scale) or less for bromocresol green and −0.95 (−3.2 on the Hammett acidity scale) or less for bromophenol blue have been predicted.
Suicide in women with gynecologic cancer

Abstract Objective(s) To characterize the suicide rates among patients with gynecologic cancer in the Unites States and to identify factors associated with high suicide rates. Method(s) Subjects with a diagnosis of gynecologic cancer were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program for the period 1988–2007. Comparison with women in the general US population was based on WHO data 2005, matched for age in 10-year categories. Cox regression models were used to perform multivariate modeling for factors associated with suicide. Result(s) Among 252,235 patients followed for 1,207,278 person-years, the suicide rate was 8.3 per 100,000 person-years, with a standardized mortality ratio (SMR) of 1.4 (95% CI 1.2–1.7, p Conclusion(s) Patients with gynecologic cancer have an increased suicide risk when compared to the general population. Suicide rates vary by cancer site and time since diagnosis. Effective screening and appropriate treatment of psychosocial stress among women with gynecologic cancer are warranted.
The Beginning of the Maynooth Movement in Southern Nigeria and the Rise of the St. Patrick's Missionary Society, 1920-1930

The Catholic mission in Southern Nigeria under the management of the Congregation of Holy Ghost Fathers was established in 1885 by French and Alsatian Spiritans. In 1905 the mission came under the charge of the Irish Province of the Congregation with Father Shanahan (later Bishop) as the chief of mission. As a result of the fact that the Province was entrusted with responsibility for the supply of missionary personnel for the Spiritans' missions in the vast English-speaking areas of the then British Empire, and also because of the Irish Spiritans' preoccupation with schools and colleges in Ireland and Trinidad, the Province was unable to meet its personnel responsibilities to the missions. The dire need for priests made Shanahan, the ecclesiastical head of the Spiritan mission in Nigeria, who had been charged sub gravi by Rome with the obligation for staffing his mission, to invite Maynooth trained secular priests to serve on a temporary basis in Southern Nigeria. The coming of the secular volunteers to Nigeria created a series of problems leading to their being constituted into an independent secular missionary society, and subsequently to the allocation to them of a part of the vicariate as their own mission field.
Laser fusion experiments at 4 TW

DT-filled glass microspheres have been imploded at power levels exceeding 4 TW using the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory 1.06-\ensuremath{\mu}m Argus laser. Thermonuclear neutron yields in excess of 1.5 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{9}$ have been observed implying a DT burn efficiency of 1.6 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}$. Neutron and $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ time-of-flight measurements indicate DT burn temperatures of 4-8 keV, implying that a DT gain of approximately ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ and a $n\ensuremath{\tau}$ of ${10}^{12}$ were obtained.
The enigmatic ends of rhetoric: Churchill's Fulton address as great art and failed persuasion

Winston Churchill's Westminster College, or “Iron Curtain,” speech is usually considered to have been an artistic success and persuasive failure. This paper examines the meaning and validity of this judgment through a close reading of the text that seeks to account for the relationships of all three of the speech's primary metaphors and its central argument in terms of both “illocutionary act” and “perlocutionary effect.”
Amiodarone for refractory atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a difficult arrhythmia to manage with antiarrhythmic agents. Amiodarone is highly effective in restoring and maintaining normal sinus rhythm in patients with AF. However, the mechanism and predictors of efficacy for amiodarone in treating AF have not been adequately addressed. Various measures of success or failure of amiodarone therapy were examined in 68 patients who had paroxysmal or chronic, established AF refractory to conventional antiarrhythmic agents. The patients were 25 to 75 years old (mean 59) and mean follow-up was 21 months (range 3 to 56). Maintenance amiodarone dosages were 200 to 400 mg/day. Overall, amiodarone therapy was effective long term in 54 of the 68 patients (79%). Left atrial diameter, age, gender and origin of AF were not helpful in predicting success or failure of amiodarone therapy. The presence of chronic AF for longer than 1 year was an adverse factor in maintaining normal sinus rhythm (p = 0.007), although the success rate even in this group was relatively high (57%). Thirty-five percent of the patients had adverse effects, which precluded long-term therapy with amiodarone in 10%.
Multiscale Modeling of Adsorbed Molecules on Freestanding Microfabricated Structures

This paper outlines a multiscale model to quantitatively describe the chemomechanical coupling between adsorbed molecules and thin elastic films. The goal is to provide clear, quantitative connections between molecular interactions, adsorption distribution, and surface stress, which can be integrated with conventional thin film mechanics to quantify device performance in terms of molecular inputs. The decoupling of molecular and continuum frameworks enables a straightforward analysis of arbitrary structures and deformation modes, e.g., buckling and plate/membrane behavior. Moreover, it enables one to simultaneously identify both chemical properties (e.g., binding energy and grafting density) and mechanical properties (e.g., modulus and film geometry) that result in chemically responsive devices. We present the governing equations for scenarios where interactions between adsorbed molecules can be described in terms of pair interactions. These are used to quantify the mechanical driving forces that can be generated from adsorption of double-stranded DNA and C60 (fullerenes). The utility of the framework is illustrated by quantifying the performance of adsorption-driven cantilevers and clamped structures that experience buckling. We demonstrate that the use of surface-grafted polyelectrolytes (such as DNA) and ultracompliant elastomer structures is particularly attractive since deformation can be tuned over a very wide range by varying grafting density and chemical environment. The predictions illustrate that it is possible to construct (1) adsorption-based tools to quantify molecular properties such as polymer chain flexibility and (2) chemically activated structures to control flow in microfluidic devices.
Emergency management of agitation in pregnancy.

Abstract Objective This study aimed to better understand how agitated pregnant women are pharmacologically managed in a psychiatric emergency service (PES). Method A retrospective chart review was conducted on 80 women admitted to a PES with HCG-positive urine, from January 1, 2004, to June 30, 2005. Of these, 31 patients required medication for agitation. We describe the demographics (age, ethnicity, housing status, insurance status), chief complaint, medical status, drug use and medical management in the PES, as well as pregnancy awareness, prenatal care and trimester. Patient data were analyzed using simple frequency calculations and cross tabulations with SPSS. Results Thirty-one (39%) patients received 34 doses of psychotropic medication. Haloperidol, alone or in combination with a benzodiazepine, was the most frequently administered psychotropic medication, while risperidone was the second most commonly administered medication. Two patients required brief restraint for assaultive behavior that was unresponsive to any other intervention. Conclusion There are algorithms that provide guidance to clinicians regarding the pharmacological management of aggression. However, there are no efficacy or safety studies that recommend strategies for the management of the agitated pregnant patient.
Traumatic bone cyst.

A total of 161 cases of traumatic bone cyst, 94 from a review of the literature and 67 previously unreported ones, were analyzed for clinical and histologic features. No gender predilection was noted, and the history of prior trauma was equivalent to that described in the general population. The possibility of an association with florid osseous dysplasia is strengthened by the finding of a higher incidence of traumatic bone cyst in black females among the patients over the age of 30.
Isovaleric Acidemia with Promyelocytic Myeloproliferative Syndrome

Isovaleric acidemia, an autosomal recessive disorder, is due to isovaleryl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency and is one of the branched-chain aminoacidopathies. Isovaleric acidemia may present in the neonatal period with an acute episode of severe metabolic acidosis, ketosis, and vomiting and may lead to coma and death in the first 2 months of life. This report concerns an infant who presented at 10 days of age because of lethargy, poor feeding, hypothermia, cholestasis, and thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, and profound pancytopenia. Death occurred at 19 days of age. Autopsy showed mild fatty change in the liver and extramedullary hematopoiesis, generalized Escherichia coli sepsis, and myelodysplasia of the bone marrow with arrest of the myeloid series at the promyelocytic stage. The appearance resembled promyelocytic leukemia, but the diagnostic 15:17 translocation was not present. The maturation arrest in granulopoiesis in isovaleric acidemia appears to be most likely due to a direct metabolic effect on granulocyte precursor cells.
Promoting responsible conduct: striving for change rather than consensus. Commentary on "Ambiguity, trust, and the responsible conduct of research" (F. Grinnell)

I believe that the ASBMB and the SFN, as well as many scientific, engineering, and other professional societies have taken the right first step. They have taken some responsibility for providing guidelines to their members and others working in related areas. This is how it should be. If professional guidelines are to be meaningful, they must be defined in large part by the practitioners.
Interface evolution and penetration behavior during two-component transfer molding. Part II: Simulation and experiment

Simulation and experimental study of the pressure-controlled sequential sandwich transfer molding of two SBR rubber compounds under isothermal condition have been carried out to obtain a two-layered sandwich structure. One SBR compound, which is intended for the skin material, is first laid up in the cavity. Then, another SBR compound, intended for the core material, is transferred to penetrate into the skin material and to push the lay-up to fully fill the cavity, resulting in an encapsulated skin/core sandwich structure. Two cases involving different material combinations with different viscosity ratios have been studied. The rheological interaction of the skin/core components and its effect on the penetration behavior and interface shape have been investigated. The influence of processing conditions, such as the volume fraction transferred and pressure, is discussed. The penetration and encapsulation behavior, and the interface development are found to be significantly affected by the rheological properties of the compounds and the volume fraction transferred. However, at a constant volume fraction transferred, the pressure imposed during transfer molding is found to have a little effect on the interface development. These experimental findings are in good agreement with the present predictions based on the model and simulation proposed in Part I of this study. Polym. Eng. Sci. 44:697–713, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.
Evolution of organic aerosol mass spectra upon heating: implications for OA phase and partitioning behavior

Abstract. Vacuum Ultraviolet (VUV) photoionization mass spectrometry has been used to measure the evolution of chemical composition for two distinct organic aerosol types as they are passed through a thermodenuder at different temperatures. The two organic aerosol types considered are primary lubricating oil (LO) aerosol and secondary aerosol from the α-pinene + O 3 reaction (αP). The evolution of the VUV mass spectra for the two aerosol types with temperature are observed to differ dramatically. For LO particles, the spectra exhibit distinct changes with temperature in which the lower m/z peaks, corresponding to compounds with higher vapor pressures, disappear more rapidly than the high m/z peaks. In contrast, the αP aerosol spectrum is essentially unchanged by temperature even though the particles experience significant mass loss due to evaporation. The variations in the LO spectra are found to be quantitatively in agreement with expectations from absorptive partitioning theory whereas the αP spectra suggest that the evaporation of αP derived aerosol appears to not be governed by partitioning theory. We postulate that this difference arises from diffusivity within the αP particles being sufficiently slow that they do not exhibit the expected liquid-like behavior and perhaps exist in a glassy state. To reconcile these observations with decades of aerosol growth measurements, which indicate that OA formation is described by equilibrium partitioning, we present a conceptual model wherein the secondary OA is formed and then rapidly converted from an absorbing form to a non-absorbing form. The results suggest that, although OA growth may be describable by equilibrium partitioning theory, the properties of organic aerosol once formed may differ significantly from the properties determined in the equilibrium framework.
Detection of Cell-Free Epstein-Barr Virus DNA in Serum during Acute Infectious Mononucleosis

Infectious Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is shed from the oropharynx of infected hosts intermittently throughout life, but in the peripheral circulation the viral genome characteristically maintains itself in a noninfectious, cell-associated form. Sera from 125 persons with heterophil-positive acute infectious mononucleosis or EBV-associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma or who were healthy virus carriers were examined for evidence of cell-free viral DNA. EBV DNA suggesting viremia was detected in 11 (27%) of 41 infectious mononucleosis patients by polymerase chain reaction analysis but infrequently in healthy seropositive carriers and patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In serial samples examined from 2 patients, serum EBV DNA was detected over a 3-day interval. Viral DNA was found in concert with one serologic marker of acute infection, EBV-specific polymeric IgA, that could affect patterns of viral spread and clinical symptomatology.
Abstract BL-2: Brinker Award Lecture: Older Women and Breast Cancer: Challenges and Opportunities

In the United States and other developed nations breast cancer incidence and mortality rates rise dramatically with increasing age. This fact, coupled with the aging of the U.S population is leading to a tsunami of older women with breast cancer. Most oncologists lack training in geriatrics and the frequent comorbidities in older patients along with a new diagnosis of breast cancer makes treatment selection challenging. Little data from clinical trials are available to guide physicians in treatment selection and a paucity of geriatricians makes it difficult to develop comprehensive treatment plans for many older patients. Newer tools that are validated, fast, and user-friendly are now available to help busy clinicians do meaningful geriatric assessments which are necessary for evaluating the medical, functional, cognitive, psychological, and social status of older patients. Such tools can be used to accurately estimate survival in older patients and more recently to predict chemotherapy related toxicity. For older patients, maintenance of independent living and cognitive function are their major goals and such preferences must be taken into consideration when planning treatment. Older women, like younger women, are interested in body image and when possible should be offered breast preservation with lumpectomy and radiation. In some older women treated with lumpectomy and adjuvant endocrine therapy for small tumors that are hormone-receptor positive and lower grade, breast radiation may be omitted with only a small increase in the risk of in-breast recurrence. The majority of older patients with early stage breast cancer have hormone receptor positive, HER-2 negative breast cancers and are excellent candidates for endocrine therapy. The major issue in these patients is defining the potential added value of chemotherapy. Elders with HER-2 positive tumors may be good candidates for chemotherapy and trastuzumab, while for many with “triple-negative” lesions, chemotherapy is the option of choice. Older patients with metastatic breast cancer whose tumors have progressed after endocrine therapy can be considered for palliative chemotherapy and many single agent regimens are well tolerated in this setting. In these patients, making sure they are offered “structured” palliative care as part of their treatment program is integral to maximizing quality of life and possibly even prolonging survival. Lastly, eligible elders should be offered clinical trials participation. Although getting elders on trials remains a challenge, it9s essential we work diligently on recruitment so as to obtain meaningful data on outcomes and toxicities of newer treatment regimens. Opportunities for trials of all types abound, not only for testing new treatments, but for defining interventions that minimize toxicity and loss of function. All of us in oncology will need to learn how to care for older cancer patients to provide them with optimal treatment. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr BL-2.
Pitfalls in the Application of Residual Coronary Pressure Gradient (RCPG) as an Indicator of Success or Failure of Transluminal Coronary Balloon Angioplasty

While the measurement of residual trans-stenotic coronary pressure gradi ent (CPRG) in the course of balloon angioplasty is a procedure of practical value in both estimating the severity of the stenosis and the degree of improve ment achieved, its application, however, has also several and serious sources of error; therefore, its value is limited and it should never be accepted as an out-of- context single indicator to either the degree of the stricture or of the anatomic improvement induced by angioplasty.
Hookworm infection: molecular mechanisms of disease and targets for control

Bloodfeeding hookworms, which infect nearly one billion people, represent a major global health problem. Recent advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of hookworm anemia and growth delay have opened exciting new avenues for disease control. Much of this work has focused on the identification of major hookworm virulence factors, including proteins secreted by the larval and adult stages of the parasite. These novel molecules represent potential targets for drug and vaccine strategies designed to prevent hookworm disease worldwide.
Dynamic spectra of pulsed laser diodes and propagation in single-mode fibers

Dynamic statistical properties of pulsed semiconductor lasers are determined using numerical simulation of the rate equations including noise. This includes the average intensity, field correlation at pairs of time instants during the pulse lifetime, and the associated time-varying spectrum. Variation of the coherence time as the pulse rises and drops are determined and frequency chirping is examined. Propagation of such pulses through a single-mode dispersive fiber is investigated, and results are compared to earlier simpler models.
Solid phase synthesis of carbocyclic l-2'-deoxynucleosides.

Carbocyclic l-2'deoxynucleosides 17 were synthesized on solid phase in four steps from the appropriately protected intermedate 11. The Mitsunobu reaction was used as a condensation method between the carbocyclic moiety and heterocyclic bases. The regioselectivity of the carbocyclic nucleosides was compared between the solid and solution phase syntheses.
Detailed description of early response of metabolic syndrome after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

Abstract Background Previous outcome research in bariatric surgery has been unable to document quantitative changes in co-morbidities associated with obesity owing to a lack of a standardized instrument to grade the severity. We report a detailed description of the early resolution of the metabolic syndrome using our novel scheme for assessing co-morbidities. This study was performed at a tertiary care university hospital. Methods Co-morbidity data were prospectively collected for 827 patients who underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass during a 4-year period using the Assessment of Obesity-Related Co-morbidities (AORC) scale. This scale assigns a score of 0–5 for the major medical conditions associated with obesity. The co-morbid conditions of obesity and biochemical markers of the metabolic syndrome were examined preoperatively and at the follow-up visits. Results Of the 827 patients who underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, 72 (8.7%) met the AORC criteria for the metabolic syndrome (AORC score >2 for diabetes mellitus [DM], hypertension [HTN], and dyslipidemia [DYS]). Overall, 75% of patients with DM, 69.4% of patients with HTN, and 76.4% of patients with DYS showed improvement in these co-morbidities (decrease from the preoperative AORC score) within 2 months after surgery. Within this period, DM, HTN, and DYS resolved in 65.3%, 51.4%, and 73.6% of patients, respectively. Concurrent decreases in hemoglobin A1c, serum lipids, and blood pressure were observed ( P P Conclusion We have demonstrated a new and novel approach to categorize and more accurately define the magnitude of improvement in co-morbidities after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. This improvement preceded the weight loss effects on the metabolic syndrome.
Ovarian cancer stem cells express ROR1, which can be targeted for anti-cancer-stem-cell therapy.

Although initially responsive to chemotherapy, many patients with ovarian cancer subsequently develop relapsed and potentially fatal metastatic disease, which is thought to develop from cancer stem cells (CSCs) that are relatively resistant to conventional therapy. Here, we show that CSCs express a type I receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor (ROR1), which is expressed during embryogenesis and by many different cancers, but not normal postpartum tissues. Ovarian cancers with high levels of ROR1 had stem cell-like gene-expression signatures. Furthermore, patients with ovarian cancers with high levels of ROR1 had higher rates of relapse and a shorter median survival than patients with ovarian cancers that expressed low-to-negligible amounts of ROR1. We found that ROR1-positive (ROR1+) cells isolated from primary tumor-derived xenografts (PDXs) also expressed aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) and had a greater capacity to form spheroids and to engraft immune-deficient mice than did ROR1-negative (ROR1Neg) ovarian cancer cells isolated from the same tumor population. Treatment with UC-961, an anti-ROR1 mAb, or shRNA silencing of ROR1 inhibited expression of the polycomb ring-finger oncogene, Bmi-1, and other genes associated with the epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Moreover, shRNA silencing of ROR1, depletion of ROR1+ cells, or treatment with UC-961 impaired the capacity of ovarian cancer cells to form spheroids or tumor xenografts. More importantly, treatment with anti-ROR1 affected the capacity of the xenograft to reseed a virgin mouse, indicating that targeting ROR1 may affect CSC self-renewal. Collectively, these studies indicate that ovarian CSCs express ROR1, which contributes to their capacity to form tumors, making ROR1 a potential target for the therapy of patients with ovarian cancer.
Brain potentials in a memory-scanning task. II. Effects of aging on potentials to the probes

Brain potentials accompanying the classification of probe items as being members of a previously presented list were recorded from subjects ranging in age from 18 to 86 years old. A group of older subjects (average age = 66 years) was compared to a younger group (average age = 29 years). The items tested were verbal (digits) and non-verbal (musical notes). Digits were presented in the auditory and visual modalities, and notes were presented acoustically. Reaction times (RTs) and performance accuracy were computed. Potentials are described in terms of scalp distribution, latency and amplitude as a function of the type of stimulus (verbal/non-verbal, auditory/visual) and age group (younger/older). Evoked potentials to target notes in an auditory target-detection ('odd-ball') task were also recorded for comparison with the memory tasks. Potentials evoked by probes consisted of a sequence of sensory components in the first 250 msec followed by a cognitive component that was positive in polarity and sustained in duration (approximately 700 msec labeled P3), consisting of an earlier frontal component, P3a (mean latency: younger = 385 msec, older = 406 msec), and a large (15 microV) and later parietal constituent, P3b (mean latency: younger = 574 msec, older = 630 msec). The frontal derivation of the younger subjects showed a sustained negative bias of the wave forms in the latency range of 200-500 msec (P2 to P3) compared to the older subjects. Reaction times were longer in older subjects than in younger subjects for all stimulus types and set sizes. For the potentials evoked by the probes the younger group had consistently larger late parietal components (P3b) than the older group, whereas the late frontal potentials (P3a) were larger for the older than younger subjects. Except for visual stimuli, the latencies of the parietal sustained potentials were not influenced by subject age in contrast to the uniform changes in RT for all stimulus types. Significant amplitude and latency effects on the parietal sustained potentials accompanied the different stimulus types and memorized-set sizes which were similar for the two age groups. These results suggest that the effects of aging on short-term memory are primarily on response selection, as evidenced by RT slowing with aging, and not on memory-scanning processes as evidenced by the similarity of the latency measures of the accompanying brain potentials between the two age groups.
Inhalation toxicity of methyl difluoromalonyl fluoride in rats

Methyl 2,2-difluoromalonyl fluoride (MMF) is highly toxic by inhalation producing mortality in rats exposed for 4 hours to 0.55 mg/L. Repeated inhalation exposures of rats to 0.009 mg/L produced irritation but no other signs of a toxic response. Mortality was encountered following repeated exposures to 0.066 mg/L.
AN EFFICIENT ALGORITHM FOR ANALYSIS OF NONLINEAR HEAT TRANSFER WITH PHASE CHANGES

A new, simple and effective finite element procedure is presented for the practical solution of heat transfer conditions with phase changes. In this method, a fixed finite element mesh is employed, and a relatively coarse finite element mesh and large time step can be used in the incremental solution. The results of various numerical studies using the algorithm are presented that demonstrate the effectiveness of the procedure.
Lipoxins in Chronic Inflammation

The discovery of endogenous molecules involved in counterregulation of inflammatory responses that may lead to tissue injury provides an opportunity to explore new therapeutic approaches based on manipulation of new pathways. Natural counterregulatory pathways may reduce the possibility of unwanted toxic side-effects. Lipoxins are trihydroxytetraene-containing eicosanoids that are generated within the vascular lumen during platelet-leukocyte interactions and at mucosal surfaces via leukocyte-epithelial cell interactions. During cell-cell interactions, transcellular biosynthetic pathways are the major lipoxin biosynthetic routes, and thus, in humans, lipoxins are formed in vivo during multicellular responses, such as inflammation and asthma. This branch of the eicosanoid cascade generates specific tetraene-containing products that serve as "stop signals" for neutrophils that regulate key steps in leukocyte trafficking and prevent neutrophil-mediated tissue injury. These novel anti-inflammatory lipid mediat...
Toxin-Induced Cardiovascular Failure

Adverse cardiovascular events comprise a large portion of the morbidity and mortality in drug overdose emergencies. Adverse cardiovascular events encountered by emergency physicians treating poisoned patients include myocardial injury, hemodynamic compromise with shock, tachydysrhythmias, and cardiac arrest. Early signs of toxin-induced cardiovascular failure include bradycardia, tachycardia, and specific ECG findings. Treatment of toxicologic tachycardia relies on rapid supportive care along with proper use of benzodiazepines for sedation. Treatment of toxicologic bradycardia consists of the use of isotonic fluids, atropine, calcium salts, and glucagon. High-dose insulin euglycemia should be used early in the course of suspected severe poisoning and intravenous lipid emulsion given to patients who suffer cardiac arrest.
A Pilot Trial of a Stress Management Intervention for Primary Caregivers of Children Newly Diagnosed With Cancer: Preliminary Evidence That Perceived Social Support Moderates the Psychosocial Benefit of Intervention

Objectives (1) To examine the acceptability and feasibility of a stress management intervention for caregivers of children recently diagnosed with cancer. (2) To explore whether caregivers with lower baseline perceived social support derive greater benefit from the intervention than those with higher perceived support. Methods 45 primary caregivers were randomly assigned to intervention or standard care. Of these, 37 completed measures of social support, depression, anxiety, and perceived stress at both pre-intervention (T1; mean = 24 days post-diagnosis) and post-intervention time points (T2; mean = 165 days post-diagnosis). Results Enrollment, retention, and satisfaction data support feasibility and acceptability of the intervention. There was no overall significant impact of participation in the intervention on levels of distress at T2. However, T1 social support moderated intervention response, with caregivers who perceived lower T1 support showing greater psychological benefit from the intervention. Conclusions Primary caregivers with lower levels of perceived social support may benefit from preemptive stress management intervention.
Risk of Misleading Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia Rates with Use of Standard Clinical and Microbiological Criteria

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) rates are advocated as a measure of hospitals' quality of care for critically ill patients. The standard definition used to measure VAP rates, however, is constructed of nonspecific clinical signs common to many common complications of critical care. We created a model in which we estimated the probability of patients with 6 different complications of critical care fulfilling diagnostic criteria for VAP. We then calculated how the apparent prevalence of VAP varies depending on the prevalence of these other conditions in an intensive care unit. Despite keeping the true, underlying prevalence of VAP fixed at 10%, the apparent rate of VAP varied between 6.0% and 31.6%, depending on the prevalence of other conditions. The addition of microbiological criteria to standard clinical criteria decreased the range of apparent VAP to 3.5%-15.5%. These wide margins of variability suggest that VAP rates are an unreliable measure of quality of care.
Comparative efficacy of differing modes of administering alizarin red S in dogs.

Abstract Although it has been widely accepted that the use of alizarin red S in vital staining techniques is an accurate method of measuring bone growth, we have found the staining to be less than sharp or intense via all routes of administration. Furthermore, the literature does not reflect the serious toxic and untoward effects which frequently accompany the administration of the stain. It would appear that further studies are in order if we are to comprehend the mechanism and control the side effects of alizarin red S as a vital stain.
The Formation of Key Marketing Variable Expectations and Their Impact on Firm Performance: Some Experimental Evidence

The expectation formation process has been extensively studied by economists, particularly for macroeconomic variables. However, no prior research has examined how expectations are formed and used in the context of marketing forecasting. In this paper, we use data from a simulated competitive environment 1 to examine the expectation formation process for important marketing variables such as market size, number of competing products, and average industry price, and 2 determine how inter-firm variation in the formation process affects performance. Using the Rational Expectations Hypothesis as a framework, we find that decision-makers' forecasts tend to be efficient, i.e., utilize all relevant available information, but are biased. Other key findings suggest that degree of firm rationality in the forecasting process as well as the level of forecasting accuracy are positively related to performance.
The Impact of Coping Strategies, Personal Relationships, and Emotional Distress on Health-Related Outcomes of Parents Living with Hiv or Aids

This study examines the impact of emotional distress and social relationships on health-related outcomes of parents living with HIV or AIDS, as mediated by active and passive coping styles (N = 295; 81% female). Social relationships are exemplified by conflict with children and social support. Health-related outcomes include AIDS illness distress, health-care satisfaction, and substance abuse. In a predictive latent variable model using cross-sectional data, social support was significantly associated with higher levels of active coping. Conflict with adolescent children and emotional distress were associated with passive coping styles. More active coping and less passive coping predicted greater health care satisfaction; active coping predicted less substance abuse. Emotional distress directly predicted distress over HIV or AIDS physical symptoms, and this relation was not mediated by coping style. Mothers reported more distress over symptoms and more health care satisfaction than fathers. Results indica...
The Stadium Game: Cities Versus Teams

The intangible benefits of sports teams are a source of social value that cannot be captured completely by teams through ticket sales and other revenues. A model is developed in which teams attempt to capture social value through stadium subsidies. The number of teams in the league, determined endogenously, increases when subsidies to teams are permitted. The size of the subsidy paid by a city depends on the threat point of teams based on the social value of a team to the largest city without one. Larger cities pay smaller subsidies and may not pay anything. Cartelized leagues substantially increase subsidies by reducing the number of teams, but subsidies are not eliminated in the case of free entry.
Semantic segmentation and summarization of music: methods based on tonality and recurrent structure

This paper describes a study on automatic music segmentation and summarization from audio signals. The paper inquires scientifically into the nature of human perception of music and offers a practical solution to difficult problems of machine intelligence for automated multimedia content analysis and information retrieval. Specifically, three problems are addressed: segmentation based on tonality analysis, segmentation based on recurrent structural analysis, and summarization. Experimental results are evaluated quantitatively, demonstrating the promise of the proposed methods