cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Epigenetic targeting of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) with ascorbic acid (AA) via upregulation of Ten-Eleven Translocation (TET) methylcytosine dioxygenase activity.

479Background: We and others have previously shown that the ccRCC epigenome is characterized by widespread DNA hypermethylation (CCR 2014, Nature 2014). Various important tumor suppressor genes (TSGs), such as SMAD7 (inhibitor of oncogenic TGF-β signaling), are under-expressed due to aberrantly methylated promoters or enhancers. We hypothesized that the hypermethylation in ccRCC could be due to low activity of the TET enzymes, which convert methylcytosine (5-mc) to hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmc). Loss of function of TET enzymes can occur with an inactivating mutation (TET-2 is mutated in about 6% of ccRCC (Science Signaling 2013) or hypoactivity of normal TET enzymes, through inhibition by metabolic intermediates. AA is an essential co-factor for TET enzymes (JACS 2015). We hypothesized that high dose AA treatment of ccRCC could potentially increase the functional activity of TET enzymes leading to demethylation of the RCC genome, and enhance expression of TSGs. Methods: In vitro TET activity was performed...
The Disability Seriousness Scale: Rating the Effects of Blindness:

The test instrument developed for this study seeks to measure the extent to which the subject perceives his own or a named disability as debilitating in nine life areas or skills. It was administer...
Parallel Conservation Issues on Opposite Sides of the Earth: Montana Prairie Dogs and Tibetan Pikas

Conservation issues often occur in patterns that are replicated spatially as well as temporally. While differing in detail as well as in cultural and regulatory background, issues surrounding conservation and management of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) in central Montana resonate strongly on the far side of the world in the case of plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) on the Tibetan Plateau, People’s Republic of China. Prairie dogs are well known for their role as ecosystem engineers, facilitating the existence of many other species, yet have faced persecution for decades and even now are only grudgingly provided acceptance by policy and regulation. Unlike in North America, most species of pikas in Asia are steppe dwellers whose presence and burrowing activity provides niches for a wealth of other species. Species for which plateau pikas provide needed habitat features vary from insects to passerine birds; species that depend on them as food sources vary from the small, e.g., (Mustela altaica), to the large (Ursus arctos). Both prairie-dogs and pikas have an obligate predator, i.e., black-footed ferrets here, Tibetan foxes (Vulpes ferrilata) there. Beginning in the 1950s, Chinese policy called for eradication or reductions of plateau pikas, labeling them pests in language similar to that more commonly seen in the context of urban rats. Poisoning campaigns have waxed and waned, but government policy remains antagonistic to pikas even within nature reserves. Both prairie dogs and plateau pikas are keystone species, but neither yet benefits from public policy that prioritizes ecological integrity over short-term expediency.
The Role of Hormones in Cerebral Protein Metabolism

Hormones can be regarded as chemical mediators which, under the control of the central nervous system (CNS), elicit responses in specific tissues necessary for the homeostasis of the organism as a whole. The last few years have witnessed an intensive search for the molecular mechanisms underlying the physiological action of hormones. Because of the complexity of the multicellular organism, the hormonal responses occurring at specific cellular sites are far removed, both spatially and temporally, from the site of hormone synthesis and release. Attempts to define the primary biochemical locus of hormonal action are therefore fraught with difficulties. Karlson(1) and Zalokar(2) formulated the concept that certain hormones involved in the functional differentiation of tissues are capable of modifying gene expression. This theory, which is inherent in the “operon” model of Jacob and Monod,(3) has had a propelling influence on recent investigations into the mode of action of hormones in regulating protein biosynthesis; such studies are providing valuable insights into the genetic regulatory mechanisms of protein synthesis.
Psychological well-being in elderly adults with extraordinary episodic memory

Objectives The Northwestern University SuperAging Program studies a rare cohort of individuals over age 80 with episodic memory ability at least as good as middle-age adults to determine what factors contribute to their elite memory performance. As psychological well-being is positively correlated with cognitive performance in older adults, the present study examined whether aspects of psychological well-being distinguish cognitive SuperAgers from their cognitively average-for-age, same-age peers. Method Thirty-one SuperAgers and 19 cognitively average-for-age peers completed the Ryff 42-item Psychological Well-Being questionnaire, comprised of 6 subscales: Autonomy, Positive Relations with Others, Environmental Mastery, Personal Growth, Purpose in Life, and Self-Acceptance. Results The groups did not differ on demographic factors, including estimated premorbid intelligence. Consistent with inclusion criteria, SuperAgers had better episodic memory scores. Compared to cognitively average-for-age peers, SuperAgers endorsed greater levels of Positive Relations with Others. The groups did not differ on other PWB-42 subscales. Discussion While SuperAgers and their cognitively average-for-age peers reported similarly high levels of psychological well-being across multiple dimensions, SuperAgers endorsed greater levels of positive social relationships. This psychological feature could conceivably have a biological relationship to the greater thickness of the anterior cingulate gyrus and higher density of von Economo neurons previously reported in SuperAgers.
Salivary biomarkers and cardiovascular disease: a systematic review.

Background The purpose of this systematic review is to summarize the literature examining associations between salivary biomarkers and cardiovascular disease (CVD) status. Contents An advanced search was conducted using MeSH terms related to salivary biomarkers and CVD, and entered into the PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar search databases. Four hundred and thirty-three records were narrowed to 22 accepted articles. Included titles were assessed for quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale, and ranked into categories of low, moderate, or high. Summary A total of 40 salivary biomarkers were analyzed among accepted articles. The most studied markers were salivary creatine kinase isoform MB, C-reactive protein (CRP), matrix metalloproteinase-9, troponin I, myeloperoxidase, myoglobin, and brain natriuretic peptide. Salivary CRP provided the most consistent trends. Statistically significant increases of salivary CRP were present with CVD in every study that analyzed it. The remaining six markers demonstrated varying patterns. Outlook Existing studies provide insufficient data to draw definitive conclusions. Current research shows that there is an association between some salivary biomarkers and CVD, but the details of existing studies are conflicting. Despite inconclusive results, the diagnostic potential of saliva shows promise as a non-invasive means of cardiovascular risk assessment.
Intracellular Trafficking and Endosomal Release of Oligonucleotides: What We Know and What We Don't

Understanding the cellular uptake and intracellular trafficking of oligonucleotides provides an important basic underpinning for the developing field of oligonucleotide-based therapeutics. Whether delivered as "free" oligonucleotides, as ligand-oligonucleotide conjugates, or in association with various nanocarriers, all forms of oligonucleotide enter cells by endocytosis and are initially ensconced within membrane-limited vesicles. Accordingly, the locus and extent of release to the cytosol and nucleus are key determinants of the pharmacological actions of oligonucleotides. A number of recent studies have explored the intracellular trafficking of various forms of oligonucleotides and their release from endomembrane compartments. These studies reveal a surprising convergence on an early-intermediate compartment in the trafficking pathway as the key locus of release for oligonucleotides administered in "free" form as well as those delivered with lipid complexes. Thus, oligonucleotide release from multivesicular bodies or from late endosomes seems to be the crucial endogenous process for attaining pharmacological effects. This intrinsic process of oligonucleotide release may be amplified by delivery agents such as lipid complexes or small molecule enhancers.
Vergence and Strabismus in Neurodegenerative Disorders.

Maintaining precise eye alignment is necessary to generate a cohesive visual image. This involves the coordination of complex neural networks, which can become impaired by various neurodegenerative diseases. When the vergence system is affected, this can result in strabismus and disorienting diplopia. While previous studies have detailed the effect of neurodegenerative disorders on other eye movements such as saccades, relatively little is known about strabismus. Here we focus on the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and treatment of strabismus and disorders of vergence in Parkinson’s disease, spinocerebellar ataxia, Huntington disease, and multiple system atrophy. We find that vergence abnormalities may be more common in these disorders than previously thought. In Parkinson’s disease, the evidence suggests that strabismus is related to convergence insufficiency; however it is responsive to dopamine replacement therapy and can therefore fluctuate with medication “on” and “off” periods throughout the day. Diplopia is also established as a side effect of deep brain stimulation and is thought to be related to stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus and extra-ocular motor nucleus among other structures. In regards to the spinocerebellar ataxias, ocular motor symptoms are common in many subtypes, but diplopia is most common in type 3 spinocerebellar ataxia also known as Machado-Joseph disease. Ophthalmoplegia and vergence insufficiency have both been implicated in strabismus in these patients, but cannot fully explain the properties of the strabismus, suggesting the involvement of other structures as well. Strabismus has not been reported as a common finding in Huntington disease or atypical parkinsonian syndromes and more studies are needed to determine how these disorders affect binocular alignment.
Fact-Oriented Modeling: Past, Present and Future

Fact-oriented modeling is a conceptual approach that enables one to model and query business domains in terms of the underlying facts of interest, where all facts and rules may be verbalized in language readily understandable by non-technical users of those business domains. Unlike Entity-Relationship modeling and object-oriented modeling, fact-oriented modeling treats all facts as relationships (unary, binary, ternary etc.). Grouping of facts into attribute-based structures (e.g. ER entities, UML objects, database relations, XML elements) is considered a lower level, implementation issue that is irrelevant to capturing the essential business semantics. This chapter provides a brief history of the fact-oriented modeling approach, illustrates its main concepts and benefits via a case study, reviews the current state of the art in terms of methodology and tooling perspectives, and identifies several topics for future research.
F-cells in the adult: normal values and levels in individuals with hereditary and acquired elevations of Hb F

Specific antibodies to human fetal hemoglobin were prepared and, after conjugation with a fluorescent dye, were used to determine the distribution of Hb F-containing cells in blood smears from normal adults and individuals with hereditary and acquired conditions associated with abnormal levels of Hb F. The mean proportion of F-cells in normal persons was 2.7% +/- 1.4%, with a range of 0.5%-7.0%. Proportions of F-cells were increased in persons with several acquired and inherited disorders that are associated with an increased percentage of Hb F in hemolysates. A strong linear correlation between the amount of Hb F and proportion of F-cells was observed. This technique may prove useful in studies of a variety of disorders associated with Hb F elevations and also in investigations of the mechanisms controlling the transition from fetal to adult hemoglobin during the course of human development.
Fast Axoplasmic Transport of Proteins and Polypeptides in Mammalian Nerve Fibers

Using isotopic labeling techniques, it has been verified that in nerve there is a transport system constantly moving materials from the soma out into the axons and likely also into the post-synaptic cell. (1–3) The modern view of neuron is that it is a cell with a high level of protein synthesis,(4)and the preponderance of evidence discussed in the above reviews indicates that most of the synthesis takes place in the soma, where a high level of RNA is present in the ribosomes of the Nissl bodies. Some studies, however, indicate that synthesis is possible in other parts of the cell (see below and Austin and Morgan(5)).
Eigenvalue Problems for Semilinear Equations

We present some useful methods of solving eigenvalue problems for semilinear equations. Each of the methods is described fully, and applications are given to boundary value problems for partial differential equations.
Computational predictions of electronic properties of graphene with defects, adsorbed transition metal-oxides and water using density functional theory

Abstract The interfacial interactions between transition metal oxides (vanadium oxide VO2, vanadium pentoxide V2O5, cobalt oxide CoO and Co3O4, manganese oxide MnO2) and water adsorbates on graphene supports as solvated interfaces and influence of defects in graphene are studied using periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculations in view of their significance for applied electrochemistry. DFT complemented and synergized our experimental work. The optimized metal oxide adatom-graphene geometries identified the preferred adatom sites, whereas metal oxide-graphene strengths are correlated with the adatom distance from the graphene plane, the Metal-C overlap populations, and the adsorption energies. The presence of finite electronic density of states (DOS) near Fermi level and charge transfers between the adatom top layer and graphene supports reflect primarily covalent bonding nature. The presence of small orbital overlap integral of bonds between the s and p (and d) orbitals of the nearest carbon (graphene), carbon oxide (graphene oxide) and metal oxide atoms reveal localized orbital re-hybridization resulting in changes in DOS yielding high electrochemical activity. Moreover, for increased adatom coverage the extent of charge transfer reverses resulting in limited electroactivity. In fact, DFT calculations are corroborated with experimental findings, where graphene-based supports decorated with optimal mass loaded nanostructured Co3O4 and MnO2 (as well as V2O5) were capable of delivering maximum specific energy storage capacity (Cs) > 550 F·g−1 (Gupta et al. J. Mater. Res. 32, 301 (2017)) in contrast to higher or lower loading. The presence of defects in graphene materials results in new electronic states to endow unique functionalities that is not otherwise possible in the bulk and with adsorbed water molecules besides optimum C/O ratio in graphene oxide nanosheets that show redshift thus a decreasing bandgap and finite charge transfer from graphene to water molecules. The case examples studied in this work represent a first glimpse of what may become routine and integral step in materials design and discovery for alternative energy and sustainable environmental technologies.
Memory and Communication Aids for People with Dementia

Use the ingenious communication and memory aids featured in this practical guide to significantly improve the ability of people with dementia and related memory impairments to stay connected, engaged, and functioning at their optimal level of independence. Presenting a wide array of evidence-based examples, Memory and Communication Aids for People with Dementia contains all the information needed to develop personalised supports for any individual and every circumstance. From low-tech options such as memory wallets, memo boards, planners, and reminder cards to commercial products available through new electronic technologies, these simple but powerful tools help to provide conversation prompts, answers to common questions, and reminders for daily living. Confusion, anxiety, frustration, and challenging behaviours melt away when individuals are able to communicate their needs and preferences to caregivers remember important names, places, and appointments complete tasks unassisted engage in meaningful conversations and social interactions recall past events and achievements preserve their dignity and identity Full-colour illustrations and simple instructions for creating various memory and communication tools are included. Abundant examples of useful content and formats are supplemented by more than 30 downloadable guides and templates to use or customise. Speech-language pathologists, occupational and physical therapists, activity directors, direct care staff, and family members interacting with adults with memory impairments will welcome this practical and life-enhancing resource.
GSK3 regulates hair cell fate in the developing mammalian cochlea

The development of asymmetric patterns along biologically relevant axes is a hallmark of many vertebrate organs or structures. One example is the sensory epithelium of the mammalian auditory system. Two distinct types of mechanosensory hair cells (inner and outer) and at least six types of associated supporting cells are precisely and asymmetrically arrayed along the radial (medial-lateral) axis of the cochlear spiral. Immunolabeling of developing cochleae indicates differential expression of Glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) along the same axis. To determine whether GSK3β plays a role in specification of cell fates along the medial-lateral axis, GSK3 activity was blocked pharmacologically in cochlear explants. Results indicate significant changes in both the number of hair cells and in the specification of hair cell phenotypes. The overall number of inner hair cells increased as a result of both a shift in the medial boundary between sensory and non-sensory regions of the cochlea and a change in the specification of inner and outer hair cell phenotypes. Previous studies have inhibited GSK3 as a method to examine effects of canonical Wnt signaling. However, quantification of changes in Wnt pathway target genes in GSK3-inhibited cochleae, and treatment with more specific Wnt agonists, indicated that the Wnt pathway is not activated. Instead, expression of Bmp4 in a population of GSK3β-expressing cells was shown to be down-regulated. Finally, addition of BMP4 to GSK3-inhibited cochleae achieved a partial rescue of the hair cell phenotype. These results demonstrate a role for GSK3β in the specification of cellular identities along the medial-lateral axis of the cochlea and provide evidence for a positive role for GSK3β in the expression of Bmp4.
Ultrasonic POD Model Validation and Development for Focused Probes

The growing need to quantify the ability to inspect a component at the design stage requires accurate and computationally efficient analytical models of the inspection process. In ultrasonics, a computer model has been developed which can simulate signals obtained from both crack-like and volumetric defects [1,2], and can estimate their probability of detection (POD) [3,4]. This model can be used to predict and optimize the inspection reliability with respect to the inspection system, the component design, and the critical defects.
Constraints on hydrogen levels in the Archean atmosphere based on detrital magnetite

Abstract The partial pressure of atmospheric hydrogen ( p H 2 ) on the early Earth is important because it has been proposed that high p H 2 warmed the planet or allowed prebiotic chemistry in the early atmosphere. However, such hypotheses lack observational constraints on p H 2 . Here, we use the existence of detrital magnetites in ( ∼ 3.0 Ga ) Archean riverbeds to constrain p H 2 . Under the condition of high p H 2 , magnetite should disappear via reductive dissolution. We investigated the timescale for a magnetite particle in a river to dissolve, which depends on p H 2 and p CO 2 . Using published estimates of Archean p CO 2 and assuming the presence of Fe(III)-reducing microbes, the survival timescale is ∼ 1 kyr when p H 2 is ∼ 10 - 2 bar , and decreases as p H 2 increases. Considering that the residence time of a particle in a short river ( 1000 km ) is ∼ 1 kyr , the existence of detrital magnetite particles in Archean riverbeds likely indicates that p H 2 was below ∼ 10 - 2 bar . Such a level would preclude H2 as a greenhouse gas or a strongly reducing Archean atmosphere. It is also consistent with limits imposed on H2 by consumption by methanogens because conversion to CH4 is thermodynamically favored.
Finding middle ground: the relationship between cultural schemas and working mothers’ work-family strategies

All-consuming expectations and a limited policy framework require working parents in the United States to develop creative and resourceful approaches when managing work and family responsibilities....
Oxidation of electroless Ni–P coated AISI 430 alloy and effect of pre-reduction

The oxidation behavior of electroless Ni–P coated AISI 430 alloy was investigated at 800 °C in moisture-saturated (~ 3% H2O) air. Effect of pre-reduction in dry hydrogen (Ar-3%H2) at 800 °C on the oxidation behavior of the Ni–P coated AISI 430 was also studied. Microstructure, chemical composition, and compound/oxide phase formation across the oxide layer were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction techniques. Iron oxide Fe2NiO4 spinel along with other oxide and spinel phases are found in the multilayered oxide scale for both the Ni–P coated and pre-reduced Ni–P coated AISI 430 alloy. Ni–P coating crystallization and oxidation initiates the oxidation for the electroless sample. Ni3P and FeNi3 intermetallic compounds formed during reduction initiates the oxidation of the pre-reduced sample.
Acoustofluidic Scanning Nanoscope with High Resolution and Large Field of View.

Optical imaging with nanoscale resolution and a large field of view is highly desirable in many research areas. Unfortunately, it is challenging to achieve these two features simultaneously while u...
Perceived Voice Disorders in Older Adults and Impact on Social Interactions

Purpose Many aging individuals, even those who are healthy, report voice changes that can impact their ability to communicate as they once did. While this is commonly reported, most do not seek eva...
Measuring VC Measures

VC funds screen the targets based on certain decision rules. These decision rules could be implicit or explicit. The explicit rules are target industry, investment size, entrepreneurial team experience, competition etc. The implicit or tacit rules are embedded in the knowledge and experience of VC partners. The study uses the basic micro-economic framework to analyze the VC deals and reproduces some of the tacit decision rules.
Implications for Using Mobile Ecological Momentary Assessment to Collect Climate Data from Vulnerable Urban Populations

This work documents the use of Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to gather data on household behaviors related to outdoor temperatures. In order for urban decision-makers to take effective acti...
Developing a second-generation clinical candidate AAV vector for gene therapy of familial hypercholesterolemia.

Gene therapy for hypercholesterolemia offers the potential to sustainably ameliorate disease for life with a single dose. In this study, we demonstrate the combinatorial effects of codon and vector optimization, which significantly improve the efficacy of an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector in the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR)-deficient mouse model (Ldlr−/−, Apobec1−/− double knockout [DKO]). This study investigated vector efficacy following the combination of intervening sequence 2 (IVS2) of the human beta-globin gene and codon optimization with the previously developed gain-of-function, human LDLR triple-mutant variant (hLDLR-L318D/K809R/C818A) in the treatment of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH). Vector doses as low as 3 × 1011 genome copies (GC)/kg achieved a robust reduction of serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) by 98% in male LDLR-deficient mice. Less efficient LDL-C reduction was observed in female mice, which was attributable to lower gene transfer efficiency in liver. We also observed persistent and stable transgene expression for 120 days, with LDL-C levels being undetectable in male DKO mice treated with the second-generation vector. In conclusion, codon and vector optimization enhanced transgene expression and reduced serum LDL-C levels effectively at a lower dose in LDLR-deficient mice. The second-generation clinical candidate vector we have developed has the potential to achieve therapeutic effects in HoFH patients.
Online employer reviews: A glimpse into the employer-brand benefits of working in the Las Vegas hotel/casino industry

Employer review websites are rising in popularity as credible sources for researching potential employers. Employer reviews can not only influence job seekers but also offer a glimpse into an organ...
Libs on the Red Planet: Exploration of Another World Using Chemcam and Supercam *

NASA’s Mars rovers Curiosity (landed 2012) and Perseverance (landed 2021) both use laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) to determine the elemental composition of rocks and soils within ~7 m of the rover. SuperCam on the Perseverance rover combines LIBS with remote Raman and visible+infrared reflectance spectroscopies to characterize a previously habitable environment in Jezero crater, which was once a lake; it contains a delta formation at the mouth of an ancient river. SuperCam’s LIBS uses a microphone to record the sound intensities of the plasma, providing information on the targets’ physical properties (hardness, weathering coatings). In addition to exploring the crater’s geochemistry, SuperCam will characterize compositions around locations of samples being collected and cached for return to Earth in a decade. SuperCam’s predecessor, ChemCam, has fired nearly 1 million laser pulses on > 20,000 observation points across Curiosity’s ~25 km traverse up Mt. Sharp in Gale crater to study compositional variations of lakebed sediments that were deposited > 3 billion years ago, and to probe chemistry of groundwater from materials precipitated in fractures in the rocks. The team regularly archives 1 abundances of 8 major elements and several trace elements. Overall, the ChemCam team has calibrated and published 2 compositions for 25 elements. I will describe the instruments, their calibration, and our exploration and discoveries.
Manufacturing bacteriological contamination outbreaks in industrialized meat production systems: The case of E. coli O157:H7

This article outlines aconceptual framework for examining recentoutbreaks of E. coli O157:H7 infectionassociated with the consumption of beef in theUnited States. We argue that beef produced inthis country is generally safer frombacteriological contamination than in the past.Paradoxically, increasing intensification andconcentration in the meat subsector since theearly 1980s has (a) altered agro-food ecology,including characteristics of foodborne bacteriaand human physiology; (b) created conditionsfavorable for the rapid amplification of lowconcentrations of pathogens; and (c) reducedthe beef industry's flexibility to introducechanges necessary to preclude and/or controlthe rapid spread of pathogens in meat and meatproducts. As a result, beef industry currentlyis capable of producing large quantities ofbacteriologically safe meat whilesimultaneously becoming more vulnerable to foodcontaminations that can be fatal in some cases.The limitations and effectiveness of a newregulatory regime, the HACCP (Hazard Analysisand Critical Control Points) system as well asother efforts to decontaminate the beef supplyare discussed.
Optical sigma-delta modulation using fiber lattice filter structures

Modern avionics equipment, such as super resolution direction-finding systems, now require resolutions on the order of 20 to 22 bits. Oversampled analog-to-digital converter architectures offer a means of exchanging resolution in time for that in amplitude and represent an attractive approach to implementing precision converters without the need for complex precision analog circuits. Using oversampling techniques based on sigma-delta (/spl Sigma//spl Delta/) modulation, a convenient tradeoff exists between sampling rate and resolution. One of the major advantages of integrated optics is the capability to efficiently couple wideband signals into the optical domain. Typically, /spl Sigma//spl Delta/ processors require simple and relatively low-precision analog components and thus are well suited to integrated optical implementations. This paper presents the design of a first-order, integrated optical /spl Sigma//spl Delta/ modulator.
Patient perspectives on informed consent for anaesthesia and surgery: American attitudes.

Background Principles of informed consent are ethically, morally, and legally grounded in physicians' responsibility to patients. This study examined patient expectations regarding the informed consent during the perioperative process, specifically risk information exchange, preferred method and timing of delivery, and the roles that patient anxiety and understanding might play. Methods Five hundred patients seen in our pre-operative clinic were surveyed by written questionnaire. Patients were asked about their level of agreement with a number of statements pertaining to informed consent and their preferences for discussion of types of risks. Anxiety concerns, impact of ability to understand complexities of care, preferences for timing, and method of presentation were assessed. Results Four hundred eleven of 500 surveys (82%) were completed. A majority of respondents (92% and 80%, respectively) believed the risk of common but less consequential complications and rare yet severe complications should be discussed. Only 21% agreed that anxiety generated by discussion of risks outweighed benefit and only 6% agreed that discussion of risks should be restricted based on patient inability to appreciate complexities of care. Discussion was preferred on the day of surgery, 1 week before, and 1 month before in 46%, 35%, and 16% of respondents, respectively, and independent of level of anxiety generated by such discussion (P = 0.87). Respondents preferred discussion with their anaesthesia provider alone (44%) or in combination with written information (52%) as compared with written information only (4%) (P < 0.01). Conclusions Greater awareness of patient preferences and expectations may result in better information exchange between anaesthesia providers and their patients.
Reappearance of anterior QRS forces after coronary bypass surgery. An electrovectorcardiographic study.

Abstract This report describes the reappearance of anterior QRS electrical forces in six patients after direct coronary arterial bypass surgery. Each patient had severe coronary artery disease including a segmental stenosis of the left anterior descending artery. Revascularization was performed by direct anastomosis of the left Internal mammary artery to the left anterior descending coronary artery and saphenous vein bypass of other stenotic coronary arteries. Preoperative electrocardiograms and vectorcardiograms showed patterns of anterior wall myocardial infarction with absent or diminutive anterior QRS forces. In each case, postoperative studies demonstrated the regeneration of anterior QRS forces within 10 days of operation. Although these patients represent a small percent of those with a preoperative pattern of infarction who undergo coronary revascularization, the findings demonstrate that electrically silent areas of myocardium may be altered and are not always synonymous with myocardial cell death. Chronic myocardial ischemia may in certain instances produce electrocardiographic and vectorcardiographic patterns of myocardial infarction that may be reversible upon reestablishment of perfusion to ischemie areas.
D Hadronic Branching Fractions and DD̄ Cross Section at ψ″ from CLEO‐c

We report on the determination of absolute hadronic branching fractions of charged and neutral D mesons using a double tag technique. The analysis is based on 55.8 pb−1 of e+e− collisions recorded at the ψ(3770) resonance with the CLEO‐c detector at CESR. Among measurements for three D0 and six D+ modes, we have obtained reference branching fractions B(D0 → K−π+) = (3.91 ± 0.08 ± 0.09) % and B(D+ → K−π+π+) = (9.5 ± 0.2 ± 0.3) %, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. It should be pointed out that final state radiation is included in these branching fractions by allowing for additional, unobserved, photons in the final state. We have also extracted the cross sections σ(e+e− → D0D0) = (3.60 ± 0.07−0.05+0.07) nb and σ(e+e− → D+D−) = (2.79 ± 0.07−0.04+0.010) nb using a determination of the integrated luminosity.
Spacelike Wilson loops and roughening

Spacelike-Wilson-loop operator averages are considered quantitatively in Hamiltonian lattice gauge theory. In 2 + 1 dimensions it is argued that no roughening transition is expected, that is, the spanning surface of an infinite-area loop is always rough, and so a good signal of the deconfining bulk transition should be obtained from strong-coupling expansions. It is shown that the surface width diverges, and that the roughening-induced $\frac{1}{R}$ potential has the expected strength. Generalizations are discussed and problems pointed out.
Response to Schneider's “The Power of Culture”

1995 Gender, Genetics and Generation: Reformulating Biology in Lesbian Kinship. Cultural Anthropology 10:41-61. Lerner, Michelle 1995 Of Children, Challenge and Choice: Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Parents Transforming the Symbols of American Kinship. B.A. thesis, Department of Anthropology, Princeton University. Lewin, Ellen, ed. 1993 Lesbian Mothers. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. 1996 "Why in the World Would You Want To Do That?" Claiming Community in Lesbian Commitment Communities. In Inventing Lesbian Cultures in America. Pp. 105-130. Boston: Beacon Press.
The Relationship of Business Major to Pedagogical Strategies.

In this study, the author queried senior undergraduate business students in 4 different majors regarding their perceptions of how helpful 25 different pedagogical strategies were in facilitating their learning. The author sought to determine whether certain pedagogical strategies proved to be more successful within specific business-major curricula than others. The business majors gave different ratings to almost half of the pedagogical strategies used in the study. These results should be useful to business faculty members in developing and selecting pedagogical strategies that facilitate student learning.
Active and passive distraction using a head-mounted display helmet: effects on cold pressor pain in children.

Objective: The current study tested the effectiveness of interactive versus passive distraction that was delivered via a virtual reality type head-mounted display helmet for children experiencing cold pressor pain. Design: Forty children, aged 5 to 13 years, underwent 1 or 2 baseline cold pressor trials followed by interactive distraction and passive distraction trials in counterbalanced order. Main Outcome Measures: Pain threshold and pain tolerance. Results: Children who experienced either passive or interactive distraction demonstrated significant improvements in both pain tolerance and pain threshold relative to their baseline scores. In contrast, children who underwent a second cold pressor trial without distraction showed no significant improvements in pain tolerance or threshold. Conclusion: Although both distraction conditions were effective, the interactive distraction condition was significantly more effective. Implications for the treatment of children's distress during painful medical procedures are discussed.
Quasistatic Droplets in Randomly Perforated Domains

We consider the Hele-Shaw problem in a randomly perforated domain with zero Neumann boundary conditions. A homogenization limit is obtained as the characteristic scale of the domain goes to zero. Specifically, we prove that the solutions as well as their free boundaries converge uniformly to those corresponding to a homogeneous and anisotropic Hele-Shaw problem set in \({\mathbb{R}^{d}}\). The main challenge when deriving the limit lies in controlling the oscillations of the free boundary. This is overcome first by extending De Giorgi–Nash–Moser type estimates to perforated domains and second by proving the almost sure non-degenerate growth of the solution near its free boundary.
Molecular Architecture and Conformational Flexibility of Human RNA Polymerase II

Transcription by RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) is a central process in eukaryotic gene regulation. While atomic details exist for the yeast RNAPII, characterization of the human complex lags behind, mostly due to the inability to obtain large quantities of purified material. Although the complexes have the same protein composition and high sequence similarity, understanding of transcription and of transcription-coupled DNA repair (TCR) in humans will require the use of human proteins in structural studies. We have used cryo-electron microscopy, image reconstruction, and variance analysis to characterize the structure and dynamics of human RNAPII (hRNAPII). Our studies show that hRNAPII in solution parallels the conformational flexibility of the yeast structures crystallized in different states but also illustrate a more extensive conformational range with potential biological significance. This hRNAPII study will serve as a structural platform to build up higher-order transcription and TCR complexes and to gain information that may be unique to the human RNAPII system.
A Mathematical Model for Photopolymerization From a Stationary Laser Light Source

A mathematical model of photopolymerization is presented for a stationary laser. Termination by radical combination and radical trapping is considered. Using simplifying assumptions, we derive analytical equations for the concentration of photoinitiator and monomer in the system. With these equations, we show that the light intensity and the initial amount of photoinitiator highly influence the polymerization process and determine the shape of the polymer that is formed. We also provide an analytic expression to determine the amount of polymer formed during dark reactions.
Random nonlinear equations and monotonic nonlinearities

Abstract The question of existence of random solutions of nonlinear random operator equations involving a monotonic nonlinearity is discussed.
Photoactivated telomerization of 1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-1,3-disilacyclobutane with hydrosilanes by Pt(acac)2 and its competition with hydrosilylation addition

Abstract Telomerization of 1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-1,3-disilacyclobutane with hydrosilanes is facilitated by UV irradiation in the presence of Pt(acac) 2 . When olefin is also present, photoactivated hydrosilylation competes with telomerization. The dependence of product distribution on the reactivity of the hydrosilanes and the olefins was studied.
Poster: Polarization Energy on a Cluster of Multicores

When a molecule experiences an electric field, its charge distribution is relaxed in response to that field. The energy associated with this relaxation is known as the polarization energy . Computing the polarization energy between a ligand (i.e., a small molecule such as a drug molecule) and a receptor (e.g., a virus molecule) is of utmost importance in drug design, protein-protein docking, virus/bacterium cell analysis, molecular dynamics simulations for determining the molecular conformation with minimal total free energy. We have implemented distributed-memory and distributed shared-memory parallel algorithms for approximating polarization energy of a molecule by extending a prior work for shared-memory (multicore) architectures. This is an octree-based hierarchical algorithm, built on GreengardRokhlin type near and far decomposition of data points (i.e., atoms and points sampled from the molecular surface) which calculates the polarization energy of a molecule using the r6 approximation of Generalized Born (GB) Radii of atoms. Both Poisson-Boltzmann (PB) GeneralizedBorn (GB) models can be used for approximating polarization energy. However, due to high computational costs PB method is rarely used for large molecules such as proteins.
Acquisition of IV amphetamine and cocaine self-administration in rats as a function of dose

The effect of dose on the acquisition of IV amphetamine and cocaine self-administration was examined. Three unit doses of amphetamine (0.03, 0.06 and 0.12 mg/kg) and three unit doses of cocaine (0.05, 0.2 and 0.8 mg/kg) were tested in separate groups of ten (amphetamine) or 13 (cocaine) rats. Autoshaping methods were used to train rats to press a lever that resulted in drug infusion under a fixed-ratio (FR) 1 schedule. A daily 6-h autoshaping component non-contingently delivered 60 infusions according to a 60-s random time schedule with ten infusions delivered during the first half of each h. Each day autoshaping sessions were followed by a 6-h self-administration session. The criterion for acquisition was a 5-day period during which a daily mean of 100, 50 or 25 infusions for the three amphetamine doses and 400, 100 or 25 infusions were earned during the 6-h self-administration period for the three cocaine doses, respectively. As dose increased, more rats per group acquired drug self-administration and the mean number of days to meet the acquisition criterion decreased. The percentage of rats acquiring amphetamine self-administration increased with dose and ranged from 80 to 100%. Only one rat at the lowest cocaine dose met the acquisition criterion, but 100 percent of the rats at the two higher doses acquired. During the last 2 days of acquisition, mean infusions decreased and mean drug intake (mg/kg) increased as dose increased. On the last day of acquisition, the time course of infusions during the 6-h self-administration component was characterized by a steady rate of infusions per hour, and number of infusions was inversely related to dose. These findings indicate that the initial available dose of a drug is an important determinant of the rate and probability that successful acquisition will occur.
Analytic model for the ballistic adsorption of polydisperse mixtures.

We study the ballistic adsorption of a polydisperse mixture of spheres onto a line. Within a mean-field approximation, the problem can be analytically solved by means of a kinetic equation for the gap distribution. In the mean-field approach, the adsorbed substrate is replaced by a set of effective particles having the same size, equal to the average diameter of the spheres in the original mixture. The analytic solution in the case of binary mixtures agrees quantitatively with direct Monte Carlo simulations of the model, and qualitatively with previous simulations of a related model in $d=2.$
Extension of the beam theory for polymer bio-transducers with low aspect ratios and viscoelastic characteristics

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based micropillars (or microcantilevers) have been used as bio-transducers for measuring cellular forces on the order of pN to µN. The measurement accuracy of these sensitive devices depends on appropriate modeling to convert the micropillar deformations into the corresponding reaction forces. The traditional approach to calculating the reaction force is based on the Euler beam theory with consideration of a linear elastic slender beam for the micropillar. However, the low aspect ratio in geometry of PDMS micropillars does not satisfy the slender beam requirement. Consequently, the Timoshenko beam theory, appropriate for a beam with a low aspect ratio, should be used. In addition, the inherently time-dependent behavior in PDMS has to be considered for accurate force conversion. In this paper, the Timoshenko beam theory, along with the consideration of viscoelastic behavior of PDMS, was used to model the mechanical response of micropillars. The viscoelastic behavior of PDMS was characterized by stress relaxation nanoindentation using a circular flat punch. A correction procedure was developed to determine the load–displacement relationship with consideration of ramp loading. The relaxation function was extracted and described by a generalized Maxwell model. The bending of rectangular micropillars was performed by a wedge indenter tip. The viscoelastic Timoshenko beam formula was used to calculate the mechanical response of the micropillar, and the results were compared with measurement data. The calculated reaction forces agreed well with the experimental data at three different loading rates. A parametric study was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of the viscoelastic Timoshenko beam model by comparing the reaction forces calculated from the elastic Euler beam, elastic Timoshenko beam and viscoelastic Euler beam models at various aspect ratios and loading rates. The extension of modeling from the elastic Euler beam theory to the viscoelastic Timoshenko beam theory has improved the accuracy for the conversion of the PDMS micropillar deformations to forces, which will benefit the polymer-based micro bio-transducer applications.