cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
171. The neurocircuitry of increased inflammation in depression: Preliminary results

Evidence suggests a cause and effect relationship between inflammatory cytokines and behavioral symptoms relevant to a number of psychiatric illnesses. Previous neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that administration of inflammatory stimuli or cytokines changes activity of basal ganglia nuclei to mediate depressive symptoms, effects that may be mediated by decreased striatal dopamine. Whether the effects of inflammation extend beyond the basal ganglia to other brain regions to contribute to specific behavioral symptoms is unknown. This study examined whether increased inflammation in depression affects functional connectivity between the basal ganglia (striatum) and other brain regions to mediate depressive and neurocognitive symptoms. Wakeful resting-state fMRI pilot data were obtained from 17 currently depressed patients with low versus high inflammation (C-reactive protein ⩽ 3 versus >3 mg/L). Seed-to-whole brain correlations were computed and compared between groups using four predefined striatal seeds. Depressed patients with high inflammation exhibited attenuated functional connectivity between three striatal seeds and thirteen cortical or subcortical brain regions. Of these thirteen significant relationships, inflammation-related compromised connectivity between ventral striatum and both anterior cingulate cortex and amygdala correlated with symptoms of anhedonia and anxiety, whereas decreased connectivity between dorsal striatum and prefrontal cortex was associated with decreased psychomotor performance. Understanding inflammation-associated alterations in neurocircuitry that mediate specific depressive behaviors is important for identifying strategies to diagnose and treat behavioral symptoms in patients with increased inflammation.
Apoptosis and anti-tumour activities of manganese(III)-salen and -salphen complexes.

We analyzed the apoptosis and anti-tumour activities of several MnIII-salen and -salphen complexes (1–14) towards three different cultured human cancer and non-cancer cells. We demonstrated that most of the MnIII-salen and -salphen complexes affect cell viability and induce apoptosis in MCF7 cells. Biochemically active MnIII-salen and -salphen complexes induced nuclear fragmentation and release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria to cytosol indicating involvement of mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. The nature and position of the substituents and the bridging group on the salen ligands play crucial roles in determining the apoptotic activities of MnIII-salen and -salphen complexes. The IC50 values for the active MnIII-salen complexes ranged between 12 and 55 μM. For MnIII-salen complexes with ethylenediamine bridges, methoxy substituted complexes were more active than the corresponding hydroxy derivatives. However, this correlation does not hold when the bridging group was changed from ethylenediamine to o-phenylenediamine. Importantly, several MnIII-salen and -salphen complexes showed about 2–3 fold selectivity toward cancer cells such as MCF7 (breast cancer), and CCL228 (colon cancer) over a normal non-malignant cell MCF10 (breast epithelial cells) indicating their potential application towards novel anti-tumour therapy.
Adherence to environmental law: the strategic complementarities of compliance decisions

Abstract In this paper we address why firms comply with environmental regulations when enforcement is weak by suggesting that firms choose their level of environmental compliance strategically. Our theoretical model shows that compliance decisions among firms are strategic complements—increased compliance by one firm will positively influence the compliance rate of its rival. In our empirical analysis we find that the compliance rates of other regulated entities have a positive and significant effect on a regulated source's compliance behavior in three of our four heavily regulated industries. If compliance decisions are strategic complements, this may partially explain high compliance rates in the presence of limited regulatory pressure.
Wideband beamforming using circular arrays

A wideband uniform circular array (UCA) in azimuth is proposed. The UCA consists of omnidirectional antenna elements, each one of them connected to a single multiplying weight. The array is operating within a desired frequency bandwidth. Using an easy to implement LMS algorithm, we demonstrate that filtering of the incoming wave in both frequency and space domains is achieved. The method provides fully spatial signal processing with a combination of beamforming and null steering in the desired frequency range.
Performance of a 10 Gbps QoS-based buffer in a FSO/RF IP network

A 10 Gbps aperture agnostic data buffer has been developed to mitigate packet loss over highly scintillated FSO links operating in a hybrid FSO/RF network. The buffer incorporates a custom IP packet inspection and scheduling processor. Packet buffering and transmission scheduling is determined from link availability and a QoS parameter in the IP header based upon RFC 2474 (Differentiated Services). Buffer metric parameters are monitored and could be provided to the network management system. Integration of the novel buffer into the FSO link along with improved network routers allows operation under strong scintillation conditions at fade margins as low as 8 dB. We present the salient performance characteristics of a buffered FSO modem with VOA-emulated atmospheric fading statistics. Application test cases, including a TCP/IP MPEG-4 video stream, have been emulated both to determine the effects of packet loss, latency and intra-packet jitter introduced by buffering and to optimize traffic flow settings.
Consequences of treatment withdrawal in type 1 autoimmune hepatitis.

Background and Aims: Drug-related side effects are considered the major consequences of relapse and re-treatment in patients with autoimmune hepatitis. Our goals were to determine whether relapse is associated with disease progression and whether treatment end points can be refined. Methods: The outcomes of 132 patients with definite type 1 autoimmune hepatitis who had been treated comparably until remission were assessed retrospectively after drug withdrawal. Results: Patients who had relapsed repeatedly after initial treatment withdrawal developed cirrhosis more commonly than patients who sustained remission (18/48 vs 1/22, P=0.004), and those who relapsed once (18/48 vs 2/21, P=0.02). Hepatic death or the need for liver transplantation was also more frequent in the patients who had multiple relapses than those who sustained remission (13/64 vs 0/30, P=0.008) and those who relapsed once (13/64 vs 1/38, P=0.02). Patients who sustained their remission had a higher frequency of normal laboratory indices at drug withdrawal than patients who relapsed (88% vs 46%, P=0.003). Adverse outcomes after relapse did not distinguish patients until after 5 years of observation. Conclusions: Multiple relapses are associated with a poorer prognosis than sustained remission or single relapse episodes. Initial treatment to resolution of laboratory abnormalities may afford the greatest opportunity to prevent relapse.
The Presence of Avian Tubercle Bacilli in Apparently Pure Cultures of Diphtheroids.

When examining bovine and porcine lymph nodes for acid-fast bacteria, we have isolated several species of diphtheroids, which although apparently pure culturally, yet microscopically showed both acid-fast and non-acid-fast rods and when inoculated into experimental animals, produced avian tuberculosis occasionally but not consistently. The cause of this inconsistency has been investigated because of its significance in the isolation of tubercle bacilli and in the possibility of the existence of a diphtheroid phase for acid-fast bacteria.
Synthesis and characterization of novel octa-arm star-block thermoplastic elastomers consisting of poly (p-chlorostyrene-b-isobutylene) arms radiating from a calix[8]arene core

The synthesis and characterization of novel octa-arm star-blocks consisting of poly(p-chlorostyrene-b-isobutylene) (PpClSt-b-PIB) arms radiating from a calix[8]arene (C8) core are described. The synthesis was accomplished by living isobutylene (IB) polymerization induced by a novel octafunctional calix[8]arene derived initiator 1, followed by addition and living polymerization of p-chlorostyrene (pClSt). This sequential block copolymerization method allowed for precise molecular weight control of both polymeric blocks and thus gave rise to star-block thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) with an outstanding combination of mechanical and thermal properties, i.e., high tensile strengths (22 – 27 MPa) and elongations (∼500 %). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicated microphase separation into glassy PpClSt (Tg= 129°C) and rubbery PIB (Tg=−66°C) domains, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicated that the PpClSt domains are dispersed in the PIB matrix.
Surface vibrations of a highly ordered low-density alkanethiol monolayer measured using inelastic helium atom scattering

Abstract The low-energy surface vibrational structure of the (11.5×√3) striped phase of 1-decanethiol (C 10 H 21 SH) chemisorbed on a reconstructed Au(1 1 1) surface has been studied using a high momentum- and energy-resolution helium atom scattering apparatus. Energy-transfer spectra for this system exhibit a dispersionless inelastic feature at 8 meV. We assign this to the frustrated translation of the entire molecule vibrating with polarization perpendicular to the surface. These results are in contrast to the absence of inelastic peaks in the time-of-flight spectra of ordered shorter chain alkanethiols chemisorbed on copper surfaces. Differences in the phonon spectra between these systems are attributed to the longer chain length, the chain orientation, and the weaker S–Au interaction. These results further the understanding of the forces that govern nanoscale self-organization.
Fabrication of precision fiber-optic time delays with in situ monitoring for subpicosecond accuracy

We have developed a technique to produce precise fiber-optic time delays with subpicosecond accuracy and <0.1-dB loss by heating and stretching optical fiber in a fusion splicer. A fiber Mach–Zehnder interferometer allows in situ measurement of these precise delays using a simple alignment process and requiring only a weak optical signal. To demonstrate this capability, we assembled a six-stage feed-forward delay line that can be used to generate 64 optical pulses with 9.5 ± 0.8-ps pulse spacings and 4.8-dB total insertion loss.
Metabolites of pyrenomycetes XI. Structure of Aurocitrin, a new antibacterial pigment from Hypocrea citrina.☆

Abstract Isolation and structure elucidation of aurocitrin, a new antibiotic metabolite from two varieties of the hypocrealean fungus, H. citrina , is reported.
Genetic susceptibility to male infertility: news from genome-wide association studies

A thorough understanding of the genetic basis of male infertility has eluded researchers in spite of significant efforts to identify novel genetic causes of the disease, particularly over the past decade. Approximately half of male factor infertility cases have no known cause; however, it is likely that the majority of idiopathic male factor infertility cases have some unidentified genetic basis. Well-established genetic causes of male infertility are limited to Y chromosome microdeletions and Klinefelter's syndrome, together accounting for 10-20% of cases of severe spermatogenic failure. In addition to these, several genetic polymorphisms have been demonstrated to be significantly associated with male infertility. The discovery of new genetic associations with male infertility has been hampered by two primary factors. First, most studies are underpowered because of insufficient sample size and ethnic and phenotypic heterogeneity. Second, most studies evaluate a single gene, an approach that is very inefficient in the context of male infertility, considering that many hundreds of genes are involved in the process of testicular development and spermatogenesis. Significant recent advances in microarray and next-generation sequencing technologies have enabled the application of whole-genome approaches to the study of male infertility. We recently performed a pilot genome-wide association study (GWAS) for severe spermatogenic failure, and several additional male infertility GWAS have since been published. More recently, genomic microarray tools have been applied to the association of copy number variants with male infertility. These studies are beginning to shed additional light on the genetic architecture of male infertility, and whole-genome studies have proven effective in identifying novel genetic causes of the disease. This review will discuss some of the recent findings of these whole-genome studies as well as future directions for this research that will likely be the most productive moving forward.
Adapting in M.B.A.‐Land

I describe an attempt to develop and teach a course, “American Business and Foreign Cultures,” in a practically oriented M.B.A. program. After an initial period of troubles with students and administrators, I hit upon a scheme of using the course itself as a foreign experience that could be analyzed in terms of principles discussed in class. This venture in experiential learning had some success. Ways of improving it are discussed. ANTHROPOLOGY AND BUSINESS, STRANGERHOOD, FOREIGN CULTURES
Investigation of a cluster of pituitary adenomas in workers in the aluminum industry.

OBJECTIVE: Four cases of pituitary adenoma among employees at a primary aluminum production factory were identified over a five year period by a community physician. The objective of this investigation was to determine whether there has been a comparable high incidence in other aluminum factories, and if particular jobs, departments, or activities in the industry are associated with higher rates of the disease. METHOD: Pituitary adenoma in employees at all United States factories of the company for the years 1989-94 was assessed by a search of a health data information bank and an insurance data base covering present and past employees of the corporation. The incidence in the aluminum workers was estimated and compared with the workers in the index plant. A nested case control study was conducted to compare employment histories of identified cases with those of age and sex matched controls selected from the health information data base. RESULTS: 25 cases, including the index cases, were identified which had been diagnosed during the period 1989-94. The resulting rate of 10.4/100,000 person-years was much lower than that at the index plant. Case-control analysis showed no coherent pattern of location, department, or job significantly associated with risk. In particular, jobs and departments associated with exposures common to aluminum smelting-such as coal tar pitch volatiles and fluorides-were shown to be uncommon among cases compared with age and sex matched controls. CONCLUSION: Overall, despite the unprecedented cluster at a single plant, no strong evidence was found that the rate of pituitary adenoma is increased in aluminum workers generally. We found no association with any work activity or location in the industry to suggest a work related or exposure related cause for the disease.
4611 Does placement of a small diameter, long length, unflanged pancreatic duct stent reduce the incidence of post-ercp pancreatitis?

Background: Temporary pancreatic duct (PD) stent placement reduces pancreatitis rates following needle-knife pre-cut biliary sphincterotomy (ES) or pancreatobiliary ES in pts with sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD). Such stents have typically been 4-5F diameter and 2cm long.We hypothesized that a small diameter stent would cause less ductal irritation, but longer lengths might prevent premature dislodgment. Small diameter (3F), long length (8-10cm) unflanged PD stents have a high spontaneous dislodgment rate (83%), and they appear to be infrequently associated with PD injury. It has been suggested that the 3F luminal diameter may obstruct prematurely, resulting in increased pancreatitis rates. This study addresses this concern. Methods: From 1/94-10/99, 1087 pts had a 3/4-single pigtail unflanged PD stent (Wilson-Cook, Winston- Salem, NC) placed at ERCP for a variety of conditions. Stent diameter ranged from 3-7F. All 3F stents were 8-10cm long, while the other stents were 2-10cm, with a variable length remaining in the duodenal lumen. Results: See Table. Summary: 1.Pancreatitis rates remain relatively high (13.8%) in these high-risk patients. 2. Placement of a small diameter (3F), unflanged PD stent is no less effective than larger diameter stents in prevention of pancreatitis. Moderate to severe pancreatitis rates are lower than historical controls. Conclusion: Prospective randomized trials comparing 3F and larger diameter stents (of varying lengths) would be of interest. Further study addressing PD and parenchymal injury with these stents is ongoing.
Using Compliant Mechanisms to Improve Manufacturability in MEMS

Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) consist of micro mechanisms integrated with electrical components. MEMS are often fabricated using a layered manufacturing approach with polysilicon. Because of certain challenges and constraints inherent in the manufacturing methods for MEMS, compliant mechanism technology is beneficial in designing these micro devices. This paper examines the interaction of compliant mechanisms (CMs) and MEMS in three areas: (1) the characteristics of CMs that make them attractive to use in MEMS, (2) the challenges presented to the use of CMs due to the manufacturing processes inherent in MEMS, and (3) performance-related design challenges with CMs and MEMS. These are critical areas of design when considering manufacturability in MEMS.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Hot-stage transmission electron microscopy study of phase transformations in hexacelsian (BaAl2Si2O8)

Phase transformations in synthetic hexacelsian were investigated by hot-stage transmission electron microscopy. A second phase transformation from an orthorhombic to hexagonal structure was identified in the synthetic hexacelsian at approximately 700 °C. The hexacelsian was found to exhibit a sequence of phase transformations on heating of hexagonal (P63/mcm)–orthorhombic (Immm)–hexagonal (P6/mmm). Antiphase domain boundaries, which were observed in P63/mcm and Immm phases, were absent in the P6/mmm phase. Crystal symmetries of the three phases were determined by convergent beam electron diffraction, and space group symmetries were derived by comparison of experimental selected area electron diffraction patterns with computer-simulated patterns.
When can a woman have repeat progestogen-only injectables--depot medroxyprogesterone acetate or norethisterone enantate?

Abstract Background Currently, there is a generally accepted 2-week grace period for women returning early/late for reinjection of either depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) or norethisterone enantate (NET-EN). This systematic review evaluates the evidence regarding return to fertility and ovulation after injection of a progestogen-only contraceptive. Study Design We searched the PubMed database to identify all relevant evidence published in peer-reviewed journals from database inception through November 2008 regarding timing of fertility and return to ovulation after the last injection of DMPA or NET-EN. Results We identified 20 articles, 10 on DMPA use, eight on NET-EN use and two examining both types of injectables. Six studies examining time to pregnancy after discontinuing DMPA or NET-EN reported that pregnancy rates during the currently recommended 2-week grace period were zero or very low. Studies of return to ovulation indicated a wide variation in time to ovulation post-injection with the majority ranging from 15–49 weeks from the last injection (for DMPA) and 4.9–24.3 weeks from the last injection (for NET-EN). Limitations of this body of evidence include small sample sizes, lack of data on the main outcome of interest (time to pregnancy) and inconsistency in measurement of ovulation, a surrogate measurement for pregnancy risk. Conclusion Studies evaluating time to pregnancy after last injection of DMPA or NET-EN reported extremely low pregnancy rates during the 2-week interval following the reinjection date; extremely low pregnancy rates for DMPA were also reported for 4 weeks following the reinjection date. Studies of return to ovulation after last injection of DMPA generally found that the earliest ovulation did not occur until several months after the last injection while studies of NET-EN reported ovulations around (or even before) the time for reinjection.
Estimation of source apportionment and potential source locations of PM2.5 at a west coastal IMPROVE site

Abstract Particle composition data for PM2.5 samples collected at Kalmiopsis Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) site in southwestern Oregon from March 2000 to May 2004 were analyzed to provide source identification and apportionment. A total of 493 samples were collected and 32 species were analyzed by particle induced X-ray emission, proton elastic scattering analysis, photon-induced X-ray fluorescence, ion chromatography, and thermal optical reflectance methods. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) was used to estimate the source profiles and their mass contributions. The PMF modeling identified nine sources. In the Kalmiopsis site, the average mass was apportioned to wood/field burning (38.4%), secondary sulfate (26.9%), airborne soil including Asian dust (8.6 %), secondary nitrate (7.6%), fresh sea salt (5.8%), OP-rich sulfate (4.9%), aged sea salt (4.5 %), gasoline vehicle (1.9%), and diesel emission (1.4%). The potential source contribution function (PSCF) was then used to help identify likely locations of the regional sources of pollution. The PSCF map for wood/field burning indicates there is a major potential source area in the Siskiyou County and eastern Oregon. The potential source locations for secondary sulfate are found in western Washington, northwestern Oregon, and the near shore Pacific Ocean where there are extensive shipping lanes. It was not possible to extract a profile directly attributable to ship emissions, but indications of their influence are seen in the secondary sulfate and aged sea salt compositions.
Peritoneal Dialysis Clearance of Endogenous Lactate

Four patients with severe lactic acidosis were treated with peritoneal dialysis using a bicarbonate-buffered dialysate. Peritoneal dialysis clearance of lactate averaged 9.1 ml minute, and the total lactate removed during dialysis ranged between 88 and 352 mEq. Removal of excess lactate by dialysis contributes to the control of acidosis and prevention of alkalosis once the metabolic defect is reversed.
The Boiling Point of Stratospheric Aerosols

A photoelectric particle counter was used for the measurement of aerosol boiling points. The operational principle involves raising the temperature of the aerosol by vigorously heating a portion of the intake tube. At or above the boiling point, the particles disintegrate rather quickly, and a noticeable effect on the size distribution and concentration is observed. Stratospheric aerosols appear to have the same volatility as a solution of 75% sulfuric acid. Chemical analysis of the aerosols indicates that there are other substances present, but that the sulfate radical is apparently the major constituent.
Data path placement with regularity

As more data processing functions are integrated into systems-on-chip, data path is becoming a critical part of the whole VLSI design. However, traditional physical design methodology can not satisfy the data path performance requirement because it has no knowledge of the data path bit-sliced structure. In this paper, an Abstract Physical Model (APM) is proposed to extract bit-slice regularity information from Data Flow Graph (DFG) and it is used for interconnect and congestion planning. A two step heuristic algorithm is introduced to optimize the linear placement of APM to satisfy both the wire length and routing track budget.
Near infrared active heptacyanine dyes with unique cancer-imaging and cytotoxic properties

Three near-infrared fluorescent heptacarbocyanine dyes have been synthesized using a facile one-pot synthetic approach. The reaction methodology afforded a mixture of three symmetric and unsymmetric heptacyanines containing various N-indolenine substituents, a dicarbocyclic acid (DA), a monoester (ME), and a diester (DE). These compounds were isolated, purified, characterized and biologically investigated for tumor cell cytotoxicity and uptake selectivity. Using cell viability and in vitro proliferation assays, we found that the esterified dyes (monoester, ME and diester, DE) were selectively cytotoxic to cancer cells and spared normal fibroblast cells. Additionally, confocal fluorescence imaging confirmed selective uptake of these dyes in cancer cells, thus suggesting tumor cell targeting.
Flavor oscillation modes in dense neutrino media

We study two-flavor neutrino oscillations in homogeneous neutrino gases in which neutrinos and antineutrinos are in nearly pure weak interaction states initially. We find that the monopole and dipole oscillation modes can trigger flavor instabilities in the opposite neutrino mass hierarchies in a nearly isotropic neutrino gas. For a class of simple neutrino systems we are able to identify the normal modes of neutrino oscillations in the linear regime. Our results provide new insights into the recently discovered multiazimuthal angle instability of neutrino oscillations in supernovae.
Interpersonal spacing behavior between surrounding nearest neighbors reflects both familiarity and environmental density

Abstract Patterns of proxemic behavior were studied in casual groups within public environments. Observations were made in the corridors of large shopping malls and on sidewalks in small towns. In walking and sitting groups, social distances between surrounding neighbors and the sizes of casual groups were measured from photographs or maps. A similar group spatial pattern was found during both walking and sitting: individuals aggregated significantly with their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd nearest companions, while avoiding proximity to or maintaining random distances toward 1st, 2nd, or 3rd nearest strangers. Companions in these groups always maintained closer social distances toward each other than toward strangers. Distances between walking companions were inversely correlated with density, but distances to strangers were independent of density. The resulting subgroups were larger in size than some groups previously observed in comparable environments. The results are contrasted with naturally-occurring proxemic behavior observed in the groups of nonhuman primates and other social animals, and are discussed in the context of ecological pressures favoring social spacing responses.
Immunochemical identification of the allergens in egg white

The allergenic activities of egg white components were tested by radioimmunoelectrophoresis (RIEP) and RAST with highly purified proteins. Sera from 33 patients who reacted to egg ingestion were used for both methods. Ovalbumin and ovomucoid were shown to be strong allergens by both techniques. Patients varied in relative reactivity to these two allergens. Conalbumin was found to be an important allergen by RAST, but its activity was underestimated by RIEP. Lysozyme was only a weak allergen. Two sera reacted by RIEP with other neutral egg white components. Both ovalbumin and ovomucoid were found in hard- and soft-boiled egg white in immunologically recognizable form, and small amounts of conalbumin were also detectable in cooked egg. There was no significant association of pattern of reactivity with age, sex, or presence of eczema. The sera of patients who experienced gastrointestinal symptoms from ingestion of egg white were less reactive with ovomucoid than sera from patients with other symptoms.
Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, Trachemys scripta.

It is reasonable to presume that locomotion should have a mechanical effect on breathing in turtles. The turtle shell is rigid, and when the limbs protract and retract, air in the lungs should be displaced. This expectation was met in a previous study of the green sea turtle, Chelonia mydas; breathing completely ceased during terrestrial locomotion (Jackson and Prange, 1979. J Comp Physiol 134:315-319). In contrast, another study found no direct effect of locomotion on ventilation in the terrestrial box turtle, Terrapene carolina (Landberg et al., 2003. J Exp Biol 206:3391-3404). In this study we measured lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi- aquatic turtle, the red-eared slider, Trachemys scripta. Sliders breathed almost continuously during locomotion and during brief pauses between locomotor bouts. Tidal volume was relatively small (1 mL) during locomotion and approximately doubled during pauses. Minute ventilation was, however, not significantly smaller during locomotion because breath frequency was higher than that during the pauses. We found no consistent evidence for phase coupling between breathing and locomotion indicating that sliders do not use locomotor movements to drive breathing. We also found no evidence for a buccal-pump mechanism. Sliders, like box turtles, appear to use abdominal musculature to breathe during locomotion. Thus, locomotion affects lung ventilation differently in the three turtle species studied to date: the terrestrial Te. carolina shows no measurable effect of locomotion on ventilation; the semi-aquatic Tr. scripta breathes with smaller tidal volumes during locomotion; and the highly aquatic C. mydas stops breathing completely during terrestrial locomotion. J. Exp. Zool. 311A:551-562, 2009. r 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
GILA User's Manual

GILA is a finite element code that has been developed specifically to attack the class of transient, incompressible, viscous, fluid dynamics problems that are predominant in the world that surrounds us. The purpose for this document is to provide sufficient information for an experienced analyst to use GILA in an effective way. The GILA User's Manual presents a technical outline of the governing equations for time-dependent incompressible flow, and the explicit and semi-implicit projection methods used in GILA to solve the equations. This manual also presents a brief overview of some of GILA's capabilities along with the keyword input syntax and sample problems.
Behavioral Rehabilitation of the "Treatment-Refractory" Schizophrenia Patient: Conceptual Foundations, Interventions, and Outcome Data

This article describes an intensive, inpatient behavioral rehabilitation program for patients with schizophrenia who have been considered “treatment-refractory” at state hospitals. The program is a public–private partnership involving state and private hospitals and community residence providers. The essential elements of this program are described, along with the conceptual and philosophical bases of its treatment and examples of staff behaviors critical to treatment success. Outcome data are then discussed to emphasize the point that when evidence-based psychological treatment is implemented with this population, outcomes can be positive in most cases, and therefore, the number of treatment-refractory patients is actually far less than is estimated on the basis of response to medication alone. Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder that affects approximately 1% of the population worldwide, with a current global incidence calculated at over 20 million people (Jablensky, 2000). The consequences of schizophrenia, in terms of both public health costs and effects on lives are enormous. For example, it has been estimated that as many as 10% of all disabled persons in the United States have schizophrenia (Rupp & Keith, 1993), and the disorder accounts for 75% of all mental health expenditures and approximately 40% of all Medicaid reimbursements (Martin & Miller, 1998). Among people with the disorder, only between 10%–30% are employed at any one time (Attkisson et al., 1992), and few of these people are able to maintain consistent employment (Policy Study Associates, 1989). Studies have consistently found that quality of life among people with schizophrenia is significantly poorer than among the rest of the population (Lehman, Ward, & Linn, 1982). Schizophrenia typically is diagnosed in late adolescence or early adulthood, and traditionally, approximately 50 –70% of cases are characterized by a chronic, relapsing course with high morbidity and permanent disability. In addition, rates of mortality and somatic morbidity are higher in schizophrenia than in the general population (Lieberman & Coburn, 1986), and the rate of attempted suicide equals that of major depression (Simpson & Tsuang, 1996). The economic costs of treating schizophrenia have been estimated to be $62.7 billion (e.g., including direct treatment costs and lost business productivity due to patient and family caretaker work absence; Wu et al.,
Catalytic activation of a solid oxide in electronic contact with gold nanoparticles.

Although inert in its bulk form, nanostructured gold supported on oxides has been found to be catalytically active. In many cases, the oxide promotes the activity of Au. It is now shown that in turn, nanoscale Au particles can chemically activate the solid oxide. Specifically, it was discovered that 4 nm Au nanoparticles deposited on zinc oxide catalyze the transformation of the oxide into the sulfide in the presence of an organosulfur species. Contact of the oxide with Au nanoparticles lowers the activation barrier for the solid-state reaction by approximately 20 kJ mol(-1), allowing the reaction to be achieved closer to ambient temperatures. Electron transfer from oxygen vacancies to Au nanoparticles is proposed to generate acidic sites on the surface of the zinc oxide, resulting in the enhanced reactivity of the oxide. Knowledge of such electronic interactions between the noble metal and oxide can be exploited for engineering reactive heterostructures for low-temperature pollutant sorption and hydrocarbon processing.
Gene expression profiling reveals novel targets of estramustine phosphate in prostate cancer cells

Estramustine phosphate (EMP) is a compound widely used for the treatment of hormone-refractory prostate cancer. In order to better understand the precise molecular mechanism(s) by which EMP exerts its effects on hormone-resistant PC3 prostate cancer cells, we have utilized microarray to interrogate 22,215 known genes to determine the gene expression profiles altered by EMP treatment. The purpose of this investigation was to identify gene expression profile first and then in future studies determine the specific role of these genes in EMP-induced apoptosis in prostate cancer cells. We found a total of 726 genes which showed >2 fold change after EMP treatment. Clustering analysis showed 12 different types of expression alteration. These genes were also subjected to cluster analysis according to their biological functions. We found that EMP regulated the expression of genes, which are critically involved in the regulation of cell growth, cell cycle, apoptosis, iron homeostasis, cytoskeleton and cell signaling transduction. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis was used to confirm the results of microarray, and the results of real-time quantitative RT-PCR were consistent with the microarray data. From these results, we conclude that EMP caused changes in the expression of a large number of genes that are related to the control of cell survival and physiological behaviors. The gene expression profiles may provide comprehensive molecular mechanism(s) by which EMP exerts its pleiotropic effects on prostate cancer cells. EMP-induced regulation of these genes may be further exploited for devising therapeutic strategies for prostate cancer.
Put on a Happy Face—It's a Lot Better Than Coumadin

Although medical factors predisposing to atrial fibrillation (AF) are well described, whether and how psychosocial factors influence the development of AF remains a nearly unexamined area. In this respect, AF lags far behind other cardiovascular conditions, such as coronary artery disease and
THE NEST, EGGS, AND NESTLINGS OF THE CASTELNAU'S ANTSHRIKE (THAMNOPHILUS CRYPTOLEUCUS), WITH NOTES ON ITS ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION

Abstract I present the first description of the nest, eggs, and nestlings of the Castelnau's Antshrike (Thamnophilus cryptoleucus). During June and July of 2003, I observed three nests of T. cryptoleucus in riverine habitats along the Rio Amazonas, downstream from Iquitos, Departamento Loreto, Peru. The nests were deep, thin-walled cups suspended from the surrounding vegetation 1–3 m above the ground. The clutch size was two, and the eggs were cream-colored with reddish-brown markings. I found two nests on islands in the Rio Amazonas and one nest on the mainland, providing evidence that T. cryptoleucus is not exclusively restricted to river islands. Two nests were in river-edge forest dominated by Cecropia, and one was in second-growth scrub next to a banana plantation, suggesting some tolerance of anthropogenic disturbance. All three nests were active during the period when the annual floodwaters were receding. Nest placement, structure of the nest, clutch size, and appearance of the eggs were all simila...
Yeast alpha 2 repressor positions nucleosomes in TRP1/ARS1 chromatin.

Abstract The yeast alpha 2 repressor suppresses expression of a-mating-type-specific genes in haploid alpha and diploid a/alpha cell types. We inserted the alpha 2-binding site into the multicopy TRP1/ARS1 yeast plasmid and examined the effects of alpha 2 on the chromatin structure of the derivative plasmids in alpha cells, and a/alpha cells. Whereas no effect on nucleosome position was observed in a cells, nucleosomes were precisely and stably positioned over sequences flanking the alpha 2 operator in alpha and a/alpha cells. In addition, when the alpha 2 operator was located upstream of the TRP1 gene, an extended array of positioned nucleosomes was formed in alpha cells and a/alpha cells, with formation of a nucleosome not present in a cells, and TRP1 mRNA production was substantially reduced. These data indicate that alpha 2 causes a positioning of nucleosomes over sequences proximal to its operator in TRP1/ARS1 chromatin and suggest that changes in chromatin structure may be related to alpha 2 repression of cell-type-specific genes.
Evaluation of integrated antennas for wireless connection between an integrated circuit and an off-chip antenna

Integrated antennas for wireless connection between an integrated circuit and an off-chip antenna have been evaluated. At 23.5 GHz, the power transmission gain between an integrated 2-mm zigzag dipole antenna and an off-chip antenna increases by 5 dB and 10 dB when the substrate is changed from a 5-/spl Omega/-cm to a 20-/spl Omega/-cm silicon wafer, and from a 20-/spl Omega/-cm silicon wafer to a sapphire substrate, respectively. The antenna pair gain can be 20-30 dB higher than that for a pair of on-chip antennas, which leads to /spl sim/25 dB better sensitivity for a clock receiver working with an external antenna. This work also suggests that the integrated antenna length can be reduced below 1 mm.
The phylogenetic position of the Critically Endangered Saint Croix ground lizard Ameiva polops : revisiting molecular systematics of West Indian Ameiva

The phylogenetic position of the critically endangered Saint Croix ground lizard Ameiva polops is presently unknown and several hypotheses have been proposed. We investigated the phylogenetic position of this species using molecular phylogenetic methods. We obtained sequences of DNA fragments of the mitochondrial ribosomal genes 12S rDNA and 16S rDNA for this species. We aligned these sequences with published sequences of other Ameiva species, which include most of the Ameiva species from the West Indies, three Ameiva species from Central America and South America, and one from the teiid lizard Tupinambis teguixin, which was used as outgroup. We conducted Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses. The phylogenetic reconstructions among the different methods were very similar, supporting the monophyly of West Indian Ameiva and showing within this lineage, a basal polytomy of four clades that are separated geographically. Ameiva polops grouped in a cluster that included the other two Ameiva species found in the Puerto Rican Bank: A. wetmorei and A. exsul. A sister relationship between A. polops and A. wetmorei is suggested by our analyses. We compare our results with a previous study on molecular systematics of West Indian Ameiva.
Corynebacterium jeikeium Native Valve Endocarditis Following Femoral Access for Coronary Angiography

We present a unique case of rapidly fatal native aortic-valve endocarditis due to Corynebacterium jeikeium, with inoculation as a complication of repeated femoral vascular access for coronary angiography.
Reduced order distributed boundary control of thermal transients in microsystems

We study the problem of regulation of thermal transients in a microsystem using empirical eigenfunctions. Proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) is applied to an ensemble of data to obtain the dominant structures, called empirical eigenfunctions, that characterize the dynamics of the process. These eigenfunctions are the most efficient basis for capturing the dynamics of an infinite dimensional process with a finite number of modes. In contrast to published approaches, we propose a new receding horizon boundary control scheme using the empirical eigenfunctions in a constrained optimization procedure to track a desired spatiotemporal profile. Finite element method (FEM) simulations of heat transfer are provided and used in order to implement and test the performance of the controller.
Our Modern Stone Age

Unlike most books dealing with industrial minerals and rocks, Our Modern Stone Age is a pleasure to read. Within a matter of several hours, one can get an excellent introduction to nonmetallic mineral resources and industries exclusive o f the mineral fuels. The book is very well written and well illustrated with photographs and drawings; although pitched for the intelligent layman, it is in no way dull reading for even a well-versed economic geologist. Nearly every geologist, mining engineer, mineral economist, planner, and politician will find points of interest in this book.
IT Governance and Process Maturity: A Multinational Field Study

ABSTRACT: This study investigates the relationship between key information technology (IT) governance characteristics and IT process maturity, as a measure of IT capability, in a multinational field study of 51 organizations. The study employs the IT processes defined within the COBIT framework as a model of the major processes that comprise IT capability. COBIT framework includes a of set maturity models based on the Capability Maturity Model (CMM) from the Software Engineering Institute (SEI). Data are collected on all aspects of IT governance at each organization as well as the level of process maturity for each process in COBIT. Maturity modeling in COBIT includes six attributes of process maturity. The state of alignment between the IT and non-IT functions at each organization and the level of national development are strongly associated with process maturity. These findings apply whether considering the overall level of process maturity or the level by domain or attribute.
The effect of hydroxyquinoline-based gel on pessary-associated bacterial vaginosis: a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

Objective Pessaries are important options for women with pelvic floor disorders, but many pessary users experience bacterial vaginosis (BV). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of TrimoSan gel (Milex Pessaries, Cooper Surgical, Trumbull, CT) on BV prevalence among pessary users. Study Design Women presenting for a pessary fitting completed questionnaires on vaginal symptoms and hormone therapy use and underwent a BV BLUE test and slide collection for BV analysis by Nugent's criteria. Following pessary fitting, women were randomized to either standard pessary care with the use of TrimoSan placed vaginally twice weekly or to standard pessary care without TrimoSan gel. Women returned 2 weeks and 3 months later for a repeat slide collection for Gram stain, BV BLUE testing, and completion of questionnaires on vaginal symptoms and desire to continue the pessary. Results There were 184 women randomized after successful fitting (92 to the TrimoSan group), and 147 (79%) presented for 3-month follow up. Mean age was 56 ± 16 years; patients were mostly white (57%) or Hispanic (23%), and 36% were using hormone therapy. The groups did not differ in the prevalence of BV by Nugent's criteria at 2 weeks (20% TrimoSan vs 26% no gel, P = .46) or 3 months (24% TrimoSan vs 23% no gel, P = .82), nor did they differ in BV by BV BLUE testing at 2 weeks (0% TrimoSan vs 4% no gel, P = .12) or 3 months (3% TrimoSan vs 0% no gel, P = .15). The prevalence of at least one vaginal symptom did not differ between groups at 2 weeks (44% TrimoSan vs 45% no gel, P = .98) or 3 months (42% TrimoSan vs 32% no gel, P = .30). The TrimoSan group was equally likely to want to continue their pessary use compared with the standard care group at 2 weeks (90% vs 86%, P = .64) and 3 months (63% vs 60%, P = .76). Conclusion TrimoSan gel in the first 3 months of pessary use does not decrease the prevalence of BV or vaginal symptoms and does not alter the likelihood of a woman desiring to continue pessary use.
The Promise of Integrative Biology: Resurrection of the Naturalist

Integrative biology has been practiced for a very long time; it is in our roots. Before agriculture, our ancestors depended on a fully integrated knowledge of their world to successfully hunt and gather. The development of agriculture was a natural consequence of such knowledge. Democritus and Aristotle championed observation and synthesis to provide an integrated world view that subsequently was subverted and mystified for nearly 2000 years. The giants who lead us through and out of the European renaissance—da Vinci, Gesner, Harvey, Ray, Malpighi, Leeuwenhoek, Hooke, Buffon, Linnaeus, Trembly, Lamarck, Cuvier, von Baer, and of course, Wallace and Darwin and their supporters, Huxley and Haeckel—all were integrative biologists, or in the terminology of the time, naturalists. By the end of the 19 th century, integrative biology, and indeed science and rational thinking, carried great promise for the 20 th century.
Request behavior variations

A large number of user requests execute (often concurrently) within a server system. A single request may exhibit fluctuating hardware characteristics (such as instruction completion rate and on-chip resource usage) over the course of its execution, due to inherent variations in application execution semantics as well as dynamic resource competition on resource-sharing processors like multicores. Understanding such behavior variations can assist fine-grained request modeling and adaptive resource management. This paper presents operating system management to track request behavior variations online. In addition to metric sample collection during periodic interrupts, we exploit the frequent system calls in server applications to perform low-cost in-kernel sampling. We utilize identified behavior variations to support or enhance request modeling in request classification, anomaly analysis, and online request signature construction. A foundation of our request modeling is the ability to quantify the difference between two requests' time series behaviors. We evaluate several differencing measures and enhance the classic dynamic time warping technique with additional penalties for asynchronous warp steps. Finally, motivated by fluctuating request resource usage and the resulting contention, we implement contention-easing CPU scheduling on multicore platforms and demonstrate its effectiveness in improving the worst-case request performance. Experiments in this paper are based on five server applications -- Apache web server, TPCC, TPCH, RUBiS online auction benchmark, and a user-content-driven online teaching application called WeBWorK.