cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Olfactory acuity is associated with mood and function in a pilot study of stable bipolar disorder patients.

Objectives: Olfactory dysfunction is described in several neuropsychiatric disorders but there is little research on olfactory processing in bipolar disorder. Methods: We assessed odor detection threshold (sensitivity) and smell identification test scores, along with symptoms, cognition, and social function in 20 DSM-IV bipolar disorder patients and 44 control subjects. Results: The patient and control groups had similar demographic measures, intelligence, and mean olfaction scores, but significantly differed in social domains, including adjustment, function, and anxiety. Odor detection sensitivity showed significantly opposite correlations for the depressive and manic mood domains in bipolar disorder (r to z = 2.83, p = 0.005). Depressive symptoms were related to increased sensitivity (the ability to detect odors at a lower concentration) and mania symptoms were related to decreased sensitivity for odor detection. Increased sensitivity for odor detection also predicted significantly better employment (r = -0.642, p = 0.024), whereas less sensitivity was associated with social avoidance (r = 0.702, p = 0.024) and social fear (r = 0.610, p = 0.046). Conclusions: Diminished odor detection sensitivity predicted mania and social avoidance, whereas more sensitive odor detection predicted more depressive symptoms but better employment functioning in bipolar disorder patients. Odor acuity may be an illness state marker of mood syndromes in bipolar disorder. Alternatively, differences in odor acuity may identify heterogeneous subgroups within the bipolar spectrum. Longitudinal assessments in a large, sex-stratified sample are needed to understand the implications of odor sensitivity in patients with bipolar disorder. Language: en
Development of a marker of estrogenic exposure in human serum.

The deleterious, disruptive effects of estrogen mimics on the endocrine system were discovered after the compounds were released into the environment. Their chemical structure does not obviously resemble that of steroid hormones; hence, their estrogenic effects were totally unexpected. In addition to occupational exposures, environmental estrogens may have played a role in decreasing the quantity and quality of human semen during the last 50 years and in increasing the incidences of testicular cancer and cryptorchidism in men and breast cancer in women and men in industrialized countries. Testing the environmental estrogen hypothesis will require developing appropriate biomarkers of exposure and measuring these biomarkers at developmental points where exposure is critical. We report the ongoing development of a method to extract and separate xenoestrogens from ovarian estrogens with human serum as a source, followed by determination of xenoestrogen concentration by a bioassay. We also critically assess bioassays currently available to measure the cumulative effect of xenoestrogens, e.g., (a) the E-SCREEN assay, which measures the proliferative effect of estrogens on their target cells, and (b) the induction by estrogens of specific gene products, such as progesterone receptor and pS2.
A Study About the Academic Integrity of Second-Year Aviation Students in U.S. Higher Education

AbstractThis study measures the influence of an ethics course on the academic integrity of second-year college students enrolled in an aviation program in the United States and their beliefs about following Federal Aviation Regulations standards. Academic integrity is defined by three variables: beliefs about not cheating, beliefs about exhibiting moral behavior, and beliefs about following a code of conduct. Normalized gains, bivariate correlations, and independent samples t-test procedures indicated significant differences in academic integrity between aviation students who took an ethics course and students who did not take an ethics course. The gain in reported moral behavior was found not to be significant. The results of the study imply that offering ethics courses to aviation students promotes their academic integrity. Future studies about other factors that influence the academic integrity of aviation students in college are recommended.
Star Formation in the NICMOS HDF

This contribution discusses the rate of star formation in the galaxies observed in the NICMOS Hubble Deep Field. A combination of the earlier fluxes from the WFPC II HDF measurements and the NICMOS near infrared measurement produces a superb data base for the application of photometric redshift techniques. By capitalizing on the extended wavelength coverage of this data we also determine the most likely extinction values for each galaxy. With these measurements we then calculate the star formation rate for each galaxy and determine the distribution of this rate with redshift. Our basic conclusion is that the star formation rate in the NICMOS HDF has been relatively constant for redshifts between 1 and 6.
Bringing Data to Life into an Introductory Statistics Course with Gapminder

Summary Gapminder is a free and easy to use software for visualising real-world data in multiple dimensions. The simple format of the Cartesian coordinate system is used in a dynamic and interactive way to convey a great deal of information. This tool can be readily used to arouse students' natural curiosity regarding world events and to increase the motivation to understand statistics.
Glycopeptides of Murine Leukemia Viruses I. Comparison of Two Ecotropic Viruses

Abstract The glycopeptides obtained by pronase digestion of two ecotropic strains of murine leukemia virus (MuLV) were compared by gel filtration. Four different glycopeptide size classes, designated G1, G2, G3, and G4, with molecular weights of approximately 5,100, 2,900, 2,200, and 1,500, respectively, were shown to be associated with Rauscher MuLV virions grown in JLS-V9 cells. Various sugar precursors, including glucosamine, galactose, fucose, and mannose were incorporated into G1 and G2, suggesting that these are complex (type I) glycopeptides. The two smaller glycopeptide size classes, G3 and G4, were shown to be mannoserich (type II) glycopeptides. G4 was more sensitive to digestion with endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase H than G3, suggesting that the core of G3 may contain fewer mannose residues. Glycopeptides of the same size class as G1 and G2 were associated with both Rauscher MuLV and AKR-MuLV grown in III6A (mouse embryo) cells. Previous studies have shown that gp52, a proteolytic cleavage product of gp70, possessed primarily G1 glycopeptides and that gp52 was more highly sulfated than gp70. We observed that G1 is approximately twofold more highly sulfated than G2, explaining the observed difference in sulfation of gp52. The unusually large size of G1 suggested that infection with MuLV may alter the host cell glycosylation pattern. To test this possibility, glycopeptides from Sindbis virions grown in uninfected and Rauscher MuLV-infected JLS-V9 cells were compared, and no differences were observed. G1 was not detected in Sindbis virions, indicating that acquisition of G1 depends on properties of the virus-coded polypeptide backbone of the gp70 molecule.
Attachment Factors Among Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli from Patients with Acute Diarrhea from Diverse Geographic Areas

To cause diarrhea, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) must initially colonize the small bowel. Different surface structures have been implicated in this initial attachment. Recognized attachment factors include colonization factor antigens I and II (CFA/I and CFA/II) and type I pili. Several methods of detection for each of these factors have been reported. In this study, we screened for the presence of these attachment factors among enterotoxigenic E. coli isolated from 40 patients with acute diarrhea and 40 asymptomatic control individuals and examined their ability to attach to ATCC 407 human intestinal cells in vitro. Of 40 patients with diarrhea, 16 (40%) had enterotoxigenic E. coli isolates which exhibited an attachment trait. Fourteen (35%) of these isolates demonstrated the ability to attach to ATCC 407 cells, whereas only four isolates from asymptomatic controls attached (P < 0.02). A total of 20% of the patient isolates and 7.5% of the control isolates possessed CFA/I. Only one patient isolate demonstrated CFA/II. Evidence for type I pili was found on 10% of the patient isolates and 12.5% of the control isolates. Attachment to ATCC 407 cells allowed the detection of 87.5% (14 of 16) of enterotoxigenic E. coli isolates with any type of attachment trait. Of the 14 cases demonstrating attachment ability to ATCC 407 cells, 7 did not attach in the presence of mannose. Three of these showed evidence for both CFA/I and type I pili, one showed only CFA/I, and one showed only type I pili. Two of those mannose-sensitive attaching isolates showed no other demonstrable trait. Seven patient isolates showed mannose-resistant attachment. Of these, two were classified as possessing CFA/I, and one was classified as possessing CFA/II. The four remaining isolates could not be classified into any recognized attachment factor category, suggesting that other attachment factors remain to be identified.
Everyday law on the streets: city governance in an age of diversity (Mariana Valverde)

Everyday Law on the Streets brings to the reader a distinctly micro-level analysis of the urban environment and explores in detail the myriad levels of laws and regulations governing the urban publ...
DETECTION OF DNA-ADDUCTS IN NORMAL AND TUMOROUS HUMAN PROSTATE BIOPSIES BY P-32 POSTLABELING

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men and the second leading cause of male cancer deaths in the United States. Several risk factors have been identified for prostate cancer, including increased serum testosterone levels, dietary fat intake, and ethnicity. In attempts to detect DNA damage in prostate tissue, we examined in a pilot study 18 pairs (36 samples) of normal and tumorous tissue biopsies from patients ages 50-76 years. DNA was isolated from frozen tissue by solvent extractions with DNA yield ranging from 392-1925 mu g/g tissue (mean 849 +/- 339 mu g/g). Analysis of the DNA by the nuclease P1-mediated P-32-postlabeling assay revealed the presence of multiple adducts in all DNA samples, irrespective of whether the tissue was normal or tumorous. Adduct levels generally ranged from 1-34 (mean 8 +/- 8) per 10(9) nucleotides for normal tissue and 3-37 (mean 11 +/- 9) per 10(9) nucleotides for tumorous tissue. Our data suggest (i) accumulation of DNA adducts in both normal and tumorous tissues; (ii) chromatographic similarity of certain adducts; and (iii) on an average, somewhat higher adduct levels in tumorous than normal tissue. Due to the small sample size examined, it remains to be determined if these DNA adducts were related to any of the risk factors.
Nori cultivation in North America: Growth of the Industry

The cultivation of the red alga Porphyra in North America to produce the edible product ‘nori’ is now in its tenth year of development. Cultivation technology has been transferred and modified from Japan and Korea. Early efforts by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources indicated that cultivation is biologically feasible and could be economically viable. Commercial production has begun in Washington, U.S.A. and in British Columbia, Canada. Early products are of high quality. Constraints to more rapid development are institutional — obtaining necessary permits for use of water areas and financing is difficult.
A study of a KVM-based cluster for grid computing

We present a performance study of a virtualized cluster based on the virtualization system KVM. We show benchmark results from the High Performance Computing Challenge (HPCC) application suite including the High Performance Linpack (HPL) benchmark. We also present the mechanism by which this cluster is connected to the Open Science Grid (OSG). Our results show that jobs with low amounts of network communication will only suffer moderate overhead (a10%) due to virtualization, while MPI applications will suffer from a considerable overhead in the 60% range. The KVM cluster under investigation does prove to be suitable for current High Throughput Computing (HTC) grid usage on OSG where the Condor middleware is used.
Conditional global regularity of Schrödinger maps: Subthreshold dispersed energy

We consider the Schrodinger map initial value problem∂tφ=φ×Δφ,φ(x,0)=φ0(x),with φ0:ℝ2→§2↪ℝ3 a smooth HQ∞ map from the Euclidean space ℝ2 to the sphere §2 with subthreshold (<4π) energy. Assuming an a priori L4 boundedness condition on the solution φ, we prove that the Schrodinger map system admits a unique global smooth solution φ∈C(ℝ→HQ∞) provided that the initial data φ0 is sufficiently energy-dispersed, i.e., sufficiently small in the critical Besov space Ḃ2,∞1. Also shown are global-in-time bounds on certain Sobolev norms of φ. Toward these ends we establish improved local smoothing and bilinear Strichartz estimates, adapting the Planchon–Vega approach to such estimates to the nonlinear setting of Schrodinger maps.
Growth mechanism of Ni0.3Mn0.7CO3 precursor for high capacity Li-ion battery cathodes

Transition metal carbonate (Ni0.3Mn0.7CO3) was co-precipitated as the precursor for Li- and Mn-enriched composite materials used as advanced cathodes for lithium-ion batteries. The optimal pH range for synthesis of Ni0.3Mn0.7CO3 in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) at the pilot scale was predicted by taking into account the chemical equilibriums between the products and reactants. The nucleation and growth of precursor particles were investigated during the CSTR process by monitoring particle size distributions, particle morphologies, chemical compositions, and structures with time. It was found that in the early stage of co-precipitation both the particle size distribution and the chemical composition were not homogeneous; a lead time of about 5 hours under our experiment conditions was necessary to achieve the uniformity in particle shape and chemical composition. The latter was not altered during extended times of co-precipitation; however, a continuous growth of particles resulted in relatively large particles (D50 > 30 μm). The electrochemical performance of the final lithiated cathode materials is reported.
Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: Clinically differentiating the thrombotic microangiopathies

The increased understanding of the pathophysiology of both atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) in recent years has led to significant therapeutic advances for both conditions. These advances have placed an increased emphasis on a more rapid differentiation of both disorders which remain clinical diagnoses. In particular, recent data demonstrating the effectiveness of complement inhibition in patients with aHUS have increased the need for a more rapid and accurate differentiation of aHUS and TTP. Previously utilized criteria have used the presence or absence of neurologic or renal injury and the pretreatment ADAMTS13 activity to differentiate aHUS from TTP. The use of presenting clinical symptoms and findings alone to differentiate these conditions is problematic given their overlapping clinical presentations. Similarly, the use of the pretreatment ADAMTS13 activity alone to differentiate aHUS from TTP is also problematic, and could lead to the inappropriate witholding of plasma exchange (PEX) therapy. However, when used collectively, the pretreatment clinical findings (symptoms and laboratory data) and ADAMTS13 activity in the context of the patient's response to PEX therapy can allow for a more effective differentiation of these two disorders in a timely fashion that will allow for the prompt initiation of the most appropriate therapy.
A Survey of Motion Planning Algorithms from the Perspective of Autonomous UAV Guidance

A fundamental aspect of autonomous vehicle guidance is planning trajectories. Historically, two fields have contributed to trajectory or motion planning methods: robotics and dynamics and control. The former typically have a stronger focus on computational issues and real-time robot control, while the latter emphasize the dynamic behavior and more specific aspects of trajectory performance. Guidance for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), including fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, involves significant differences from most traditionally defined mobile and manipulator robots. Qualities characteristic to UAVs include non-trivial dynamics, three-dimensional environments, disturbed operating conditions, and high levels of uncertainty in state knowledge. Otherwise, UAV guidance shares qualities with typical robotic motion planning problems, including partial knowledge of the environment and tasks that can range from basic goal interception, which can be precisely specified, to more general tasks like surveillance and reconnaissance, which are harder to specify. These basic planning problems involve continual interaction with the environment. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of existing motion planning algorithms while adding perspectives and practical examples from UAV guidance approaches.
Resonant Response of Mistuned Bladed Disks Including Aerodynamic Damping Effects

A mathematical model is developed to investigate the effects of aerodynamic damping on the maximum amplification factor of mistuned bladed disks. LINSUB, an inviscid linearized unsteady aerodynamic damping code, provides aerodynamic damping influence coefficients that are incorporated into a partial-mistuning model that takes advantage of mode localization. This mistuning analysis is then used to demonstrate the effects of aerodynamic damping on the maximum amplification factor of mistuned bladed disks. The relative importance of aerodynamic effects is determined by a comparison of aerodynamic damping and structural damping factors. It is shown that neglecting unsteady aerodynamics may result in the predicted optimal mistuning pattern not being optimum in the actual operating environment wherein unsteady aerodynamic effects are present.
Attention Training in Individuals with Generalized Social Phobia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The authors conducted a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial to examine the efficacy of an attention training procedure in reducing symptoms of social anxiety in 44 individuals diagnosed with generalized social phobia (GSP). Attention training comprised a probe detection task in which pictures of faces with either a threatening or neutral emotional expression cued different locations on the computer screen. In the attention modification program (AMP), participants responded to a probe that always followed neutral faces when paired with a threatening face, thereby directing attention away from threat. In the attention control condition (ACC), the probe appeared with equal frequency in the position of the threatening and neutral faces. Results revealed that the AMP facilitated attention disengagement from threat from pre- to postassessment and reduced clinician- and self-reported symptoms of social anxiety relative to the ACC. The percentage of participants no longer meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (4th ed.) criteria for GSP at postassessment was 50% in the AMP and 14% in the ACC. Symptom reduction in the AMP group was maintained during 4-month follow-up assessment. These results suggest that computerized attention training procedures may be beneficial for treating social phobia.
The effects of temperature on the cytochrome P-450 system of thermally acclimated bluegill.

Abstract 1. The effects of temperature acclimation at 10, 20 and 30°C on the concentration and activity of the mixed function oxidase system in bluegill are as follows. 2. Liver weight/body weight varied inversely with temperature. 3. Significant ( P 4. Benzo( a )pyrene hydroxylase activity tested in vitro at incubation temperatures of 10, 20 and 30°C showed significant differences in K m , but no differences in V max . 5. SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed some quantitative differences in cytochrome P-450 isozymes between groups.
The endocrinology of melancholic and atypical depression: relation to neurocircuitry and somatic consequences.

The cardinal clinical manifestations of major depression with melancholic features include sustained anxiety and dread for the future as well as evidence of physiological hyperarousal (e.g., sustained hyperactivity of the two principal effectors of the stress response, the corticotropin-releasing-hormone, or CRH, system, and the locus ceruleus-norepinephrine, or LC-NE, system). Sustained stress system activation in melancholic depression is thought to confer both behavioral arousal as well as the hypercortisolism, sympathetic nervous system activation, and inhibition of programs for growth and reproduction that consistently occur in this disorder. Data also suggest that activation of the CRH and LC systems in melancholia are involved in the long-term medical consequences of depression such as premature coronary artery disease and osteoporosis, the two-three-fold preponderance of females in the incidence of major depression, and the mechanism of action of antidepressant drugs. In addition, recent data reveal important bidirectional interactions between stress-system hormonal factors in depression and neural substrates implicated in many discrete behavioral alterations in depression (e.g., the medial prefrontal cortex, important in shifting affect based on internal and external cues, the mesolimbic dopaminergic reward system, and the amygdala fear system). We have also advanced data indicating that the hypersomnia, hyperphagia, lethargy, fatigue, and relative apathy of the syndrome of atypical depression are associated with concomitant hypofunctioning of the CRH and LC-NE systems. These data indicate the need for an entirely different therapeutic strategy than that used in melancholia for the treatment of atypical depression, and they suggest that this subtype of major depression will be associated with its own unique repertoire of long-term medical consequences.
Impact of a CT colonography screening program on endoscopic colonoscopy in clinical practice.

Impact of a CT Colonography Screening Program on Endoscopic Colonoscopy in Clinical Practice
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy vs athlete's heart.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the commonest cause of sudden cardiac death in the young, especially the young athletes, accounting for one third [1]. The fact that young athletes, especially elite athletes, often have enlarged hearts has been known before HCM was described. Tung [2] in China noticed in 1930 a markedly enlarged heart in an otherwise healthy ricksha puller, employed in one of the departments of his hospital, during a routine physical examination. This finding led to the study of 46 healthy ricksha pullers nearly half of whom showed definite cardiac enlargement, which he reported in 1934 [3]. White in his textbook, entitled “Heart Disease” that was published in 1952 [4], described similar findings, which he called the ‘athletic heart’. “It is of considerable interest to note that the hearts of very active animals are much larger than are those of relatively inactive animals of the same size; for example, the heart of the hare is three times as heavy, relative to body weight, as that of the rabbit, while the heart of the racing greyhound is, in proportion to size, the largest mammalian heart of all (Herrmann, 1926). Finally, when animals, such as dogs or rats, are made to exercise strenuously for long periods of time, it is found that eventually their hearts are considerably larger and heavier than those of control animals of the same age and size, and even from the same litter. This is especially true when the strenuous exercise is imposed during the period of rapid growth. There is no indication that such hypertrophy, when it does occur, is harmful. Recent studies indicate that athletes do not suffer early disability or death because of their exercise in youth; in fact the reverse seems to be the case, at least as regards oarsmen (Cooper et al., 1937; Hartley and Llewellyn, 1939). An interesting volume was published by
Context and Cognition in Posthypnotic Amnesia

Abstract Coe's (1978) contextualist analysis of posthypnotic amnesia appears to be predicated on the mistaken assumption that the amnesic S actually remembers the critical material. This position leads Coe to place inappropriate emphasis on the social context in which amnesia takes place and to focus on the social-psychological processes that might lead Ss to say that they do not remember something, be believed by others, and even believe themselves. An alternative view is outlined which affirms the surface similarities between posthypnotic amnesia and other failures of memory. From this vantage point, the investigator seeks to understand the cognitive processes that produce subjectively compelling disruptions of memory retrieval, whether found in association with hypnosis or in other circumstances.
Spinal Bracing in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

Before the introduction of the poliomyelitis vaccination, paralysis due to poliovirus infection was a leading cause of spinal deformity in children and young adults. The severe, stiff spinal deformities associated with poliovirus infection were complicated by pulmonary dysfunction; spinal bracing, which was often ineffective in correcting the deformity or preventing the progression of scoliosis, also exacerbated restrictive pulmonary disease, pulmonary hypertension, and cor pulmonale. Today, coronal spinal deformity in children and young adults is nearly always adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a flexible, three-dimensional, spinal curvature affecting primarily girls, beginning in adolescence, and very rarely leading to clinically significant cardiopulmonary disease. When . . .
Not bad for a little migrant working kid

Contemporary wisdom on young masculinities suggests discursive flexibility through which maleness is constituted and contested in the diverse tensions that make up the practices of everyday life. This essay follows the story of Quixote, a child migrant laborer, and the evolving truth of his journey into diaspora and how that influences his ideas of manhood. It comprises a voyage that involves a continuous re-situation of boundaries and the complex ways that young people are hugely responsible for the ways meaning-making circulates across space and through time.
Autoradiographic evidence for a thymidine precursor pool in the root of Allium cepa.

Une certaine quantite de phosphates3H-TdR se forme dans les cellules du meristeme et les parties allongees de la racine d'Allium cepa durant une exposition ininterrompue de 24 h. Au cours des periodes d'observation subsequantes, le contenu de cette reserve est utilise comme source de precurseurs pour la synthese du DNA.
The Oxford Companion to Consciousness

The Oxford Companion to Consciousness Tim Bayne, Axel Cleeremans, & Patrick Wilken (Eds.) New York: Oxford University Press, 2009 688 pages, ISBN: 0198569513 (hbk); $135.00 This impressive tome is ...
Critical assessment of the performance of the semiempirical divide and conquer method for single point calculations and geometry optimizations of large chemical systems

We present a detailed analysis of the performance of the semiempirical divide and conquer method as compared with standard semiempirical MO calculations. The influence of different subsetting schemes involving dual buffer regions on the magnitude of the errors in energies and computational cost of the calculations are discussed. In addition, the results of geometry optimizations on several protein systems (453 to 4088 atoms) driven by a quasi-Newton algorithm are also presented. These results indicate that the divide and conquer approach gives reliable energies and gradients and suggest that protein geometry optimization using semiempirical methods can be routinely feasible using current computational resources.
Mandibular Fractures Treated With Small Plates and Screws Reduce Treatment Cost

Purpose The efficacy of treating mandibular fractures with open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) using small titanium plates and monocortical screws is well established. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the use of semirigid (small) titanium plates results in lower treatment charges. Patients and Methods Consecutive patients with mandibular fractures were randomly allocated to ORIF with small or large titanium plates. The primary predictor variable for this secondary subset analysis was plate size. The primary outcome variable was total treatment charges. Other outcomes included length of stay (LOS), operating room charges, hardware charges, LOS charge, and charges related to the treatment of complications. Results A total of 127 consecutive patients were enrolled in the study. Fifty-two patients completed the required 6-week follow-up and had data available for analysis. Adjusted total treatment charges suggested a significant difference, with a mean total treatment charge of $15,308 in the semirigid group and a mean total treatment charge of $16,557 in the rigid group ( P = .04). Total treatment charges were 8% higher in the rigid group compared with the semirigid group. Conclusions The findings of this study suggest that the overall charges associated with treating mandibular fractures with ORIF are significantly lower when semirigid plates are used.
Non-Linear Structural Dynamics Characterization using a Scanning Laser Vibrometer

This paper presents the use of a scanning laser vibrometer and a signal decomposition method to characterize non-linear dynamics of highly flexible structures. A Polytec PI PSV-200 scanning laser vibrometer is used to measure transverse velocities of points on a structure subjected to a harmonic excitation. Velocity profiles at different times are constructed using the measured velocities, and then each velocity profile is decomposed using the first four linear mode shapes and a least-squares curve-fitting method. From the variations of the obtained modal \ielocities with time we search for possible non-linear phenomena. A cantilevered titanium alloy beam subjected to harmonic base-excitations around the second. third, and fourth natural frequencies are examined in detail. Influences of the fixture mass. gravity. mass centers of mode shapes. and non-linearities are evaluated. Geometrically exact equations governing the planar, harmonic large-amplitude vibrations of beams are solved for operational deflection shapes using the multiple shooting method. Experimental results show the existence of 1:3 and 1:2:3 external and internal resonances. energy transfer from high-frequency modes to the first mode. and amplitude- and phase- modulation among several modes. Moreover, the existence of non-linear normal modes is found to be questionable.
Results from the Virginia Multidisciplinary Team Knowledge and Functioning Survey: The importance of differentiating by groups affiliated with a child advocacy center

Abstract Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) are a child-centered, multidisciplinary response to child abuse. Two important components of a CAC model include the multidisciplinary team (MDT) and case review. The purpose of this study was to assess MDT members' perceptions of the MDT and case review and to test whether there were differences by profession, status, or CAC designation. MDT members (N = 217) affiliated with a CAC in Virginia completed an online survey containing 35 items. CAC staff was more likely to identify problems associated with case review than other professional groups. Investigators perceived case review meetings as lasting too long, whereas service providers did not. Supervisors and frontline workers disagreed on the core function of a CAC, as did CAC staff and investigators/service providers. Accredited and associate CACs identified problems associated with case review, while developing CACs identified staffing issues as problematic. Research identifying the elements of “effective” MDTs and case review is needed to provide guidance to CAC directors who are most frequently in the role of managing, nurturing, and arranging training for the MDT and coordinating case review meetings. In addition, greater training for MDT members in the importance of case review and collective team identification is warranted.
The structure of DAPI bound to DNA.

Abstract The structure of the DNA fluorochrome 4′-6-diamidine-2-phenyl indole (DAPI) bound to the synthetic B-DNA oligonucleotide C-G-C-G-A-A-T-T-C-G-C-G has been solved by single crystal x-ray diffraction methods, at a resolution of 2.4 A. The structure is nearly isomorphous with that of the native DNA molecule alone. With one DAPI and 25 waters per DNA double helix, the residual error is 21.5% for the 2428 reflections above the 2-sigma level. DAPI inserts itself edgewise into the narrow minor groove, displacing the ordered spine of hydration. DAPI and a single water molecule together span the four AT base pairs at the center of the duplex. The indole nitrogen forms a bifurcated hydrogen bond with the thymine 02 atoms of the two central base pairs, as with netropsin and Hoechst 33258. The preference of all three of these drugs for AT regions of B-DNA is a consequence of three factors: (1) The intrinsically narrower minor groove in AT regions than in GC regions of B-DNA, leading to a snug fit of the flat ...
Ignorance in the Face of Death: Patients' Knowledge of Options at the End of Life

PURPOSE: That patients correctly understand their legal options regarding end-of-life care is critical, especially given recent legislation promoting use of advance directives (Patient Self Determination Act) and legalizing assisted suicide (Oregon Death with Dignity Act). We know little, however, about outpatients' understanding of these matters. We therefore sought to estimate the percentage of outpatients informed about refusal and withdrawal of life saving treatments, physician-assisted suicide, active euthanasia, and double effect. In addition, we tested whether personal experience of illness or the care of dying loved ones was associated with knowledge about end-of-life care. METHODS: Using a pre-tested knowledge questionnaire, we cross-sectionally surveyed patients from 1 internal medicine, university-based clinic and 3 community-based, university-affiliated, mixed internal medicine and family practice clinics in Oregon. English-speaking, adult outpatients were invited to participate in the study as they checked in consecutively for primary care. After calculating the percentage of correct responses regarding the four topic areas, we identified demographic factors associated with being knowledgeable (defined as scoring above the median for the survey population) using Chi-square test of proportions. We then tested the adjusted association between personal experiences and knowledge using logistic regression modeling. RESULTS: Of the 1,000 outpatients invited to participate, 728 consented and completed the questionnaire. 65% of respondents answered correctly for refusal of treatment, 46% for withdrawal of treatment, 23% for assisted suicide, 32% for active euthanasia, and 69% for double effect. 62% of respondents did not distinguish between assisted suicide and euthanasia. With adjustment for other covariates, knowledge was significantly associated with being white (OR 3.11, 95% CI 1.39–6.97), having at least a college degree (OR 2.12, 95% CI 1.15–3.94), and having been a proxy for healthcare decisions (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.13–2.52). Personal experience with illness (OR 1.02, 95% CI 0.65–1.60), death or illness of a loved one (OR 1.56, CI 95% 0.93–2.61), and authoring an advance directive (OR 1.31, 95% CI 0.88–1.94) were not associated with better knowledge. CONCLUSION: A significant proportion of outpatients at university-affiliated clinics in Oregon appear to misunderstand options in end-of-life care. Greater public knowledge about end-of-life care, especially for patients facing terminal illness and considering assisted suicide, is needed.
The relationship between uterine leiomyomata and pelvic floor symptoms.

To compare pelvic floor symptoms in women with a leiomyomatous uterus ≤12 weeks and those >12 weeks in size and to evaluate the resolution of these symptoms after surgical intervention. The PFDI-20, PFIQ-7 and 3-day voiding diaries were administered prospectively to all subjects. Demographics and questionnaire responses were compared using a t test, Chi-squared test or Mann–Whitney U test as indicated. One hundred and forty-five women completed the questionnaires and were included for analysis. There were 58 women with uterine size ≤12 weeks (group I) and 87 women with size >12 weeks (group II). Participants in group I reported more straining to defecate (p = 0.042), while group II reported increased feeling of incomplete bladder emptying (p = 0.007) and difficulty emptying their bladder (p = 0.008). Review of ultrasound images revealed no difference in pelvic floor symptoms when stratified by leiomyoma location. At 1-year follow-up, 69 women (48 %) responded, and 40 (58 %) had undergone surgical intervention. Surgery was shown to improve symptoms for all questions reviewed at 1-year follow-up. A leiomyomatous uterus >12 weeks is associated with the symptom of incomplete bladder emptying, but does not appear to have an effect on other pelvic floor symptoms compared with women with a smaller leiomyomatous uterus. Surgical intervention for leiomyomata improves pelvic floor symptoms.
Pegylated interferon alpha targets Wnt signaling by inducing nuclear export of β-catenin

Background & Aims Pegylated-Interferon-α2a (peg-IFN), a first line therapy for Hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients, also impacts the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The activation of the Wnt pathway due to β-catenin gene mutations contributes to the development of a significant subset of HCC. Herein, we explored the effect of peg-IFN on Wnt/β-catenin signaling in vitro and in vivo . Methods Multiple human hepatoma cell lines were treated with Peg-IFN to assess its effect on the Wnt pathway and the mechanisms involved. Transgenic (TG) mice expressing stable β-catenin mutant in the liver were exposed to diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and treated with peg-IFN. Results In vitro , peg-IFN decreased the transcriptional activity of β-catenin/Tcf and did so independently of JAK/Stat signaling. Peg-IFN treatment led to increased mRNA and protein expression of RanBP3, a known β-catenin nuclear export factor, in all hepatoma cells. Co-precipitation studies showed an increased association between RanBP3 and β-catenin after peg-IFN treatment. The siRNA-mediated RanBP3 knockdown abrogated Peg-IFN-induced decrease in TOPFlash reporter activity. In vivo, Peg-IFN treatment led to increased nuclear RanBP3, decreased nuclear β-catenin and cyclin D1, and decreased cytoplasmic glutamine synthetase. Increased association of RanBP3 and β-catenin was also observed in vivo in response to Peg-IFN that led to decreased hepatocyte proliferation. Conclusions Peg-IFN inhibits β-catenin signaling through the up-regulation of RanBP3, which may be a contributory mechanism for the delayed HCC and improved survival in treated HCV patients. This observation might have chemo-preventive or chemo-therapeutic implications in tumor with aberrant Wnt pathway activation.
On a new method for sparse matrix updating in unconstrained minimization

Abstract A new method is proposed for generating a sequence of sparse approximation to the second-derivative matrix. The method uses the Powell-Symmetric-Broyden (PSB) formula in an implicit fashion to generate such a sequence of matrices. It is closely related to a method recently suggested by Toint. The main result of the new method is that we do not have to solve an associated linear system of equations at each step. Preliminary numerical test are very encouraging.
Experimental and theoretical study of the vapor-cell Zeeman optical trap

We present an experimental study of the number and density of trapped atoms in a vapor-cell Zeeman optical trap. We have investigated how the number (and therefore the capture rate) and density change with the trapping laser's beam diameter, intensity, and detuning and with the magnetic-field gradient of the trap. We have developed a quasi-one-dimensional numerical model that accurately predicts the number of trapped atoms for all conditions. We also have investigated chirping the laser frequency and trapping with broadband light, neither of which increase the number of trapped atoms.
Compliant Substrates With an Embedded Twist Boundary

In this article, we propose a new model to explain how heteroepitaxial layers grown on a twist-bonded thin layer may have a significantly reduced number of threading dislocations even if the strain in the epitaxial layers is relaxed. We first point out the deficiency in the existing compliant substrate theory by showing that all the synthesized “compliant substrates” fail to behave as “ideal” free-standing templates assumed by the current theory. Our new model is constructed on the base of stress field interactions between the heteroepitaxial layer and the embedded twist boundary. In the new model, the reduction in threading dislocation density originates from the extension of the dislocation half loops due to the effect of misfit dislocation pinning by the twist boundary. When the average size of the dislocation half loops increases substantially from micrometers to millimeters or even to the size of the wafer, the density of threading dislocations drops significantly. This model does not require any “macroscopic” motion between the bonded thin layer and the handle wafer as the current theory does, which makes it more agreeable with the experimental results.
Recent developments in HIV-related kidney disease

Although kidney disease has been a recognized complication of HIV infection since the beginning of the HIV epidemic, its epidemiology, underlying causes and treatment have evolved in developed countries where HAART has been widely available. HIV-associated nephropathy and HIV immune complex-mediated kidney disease were the prominent renal diagnoses in the earlier period of the HIV epidemic. While HIV immune complex-mediated kidney disease remains a common finding among HIV-infected individuals with kidney disease, the incidence of HIV-associated nephropathy has been diminishing in developed countries. The role of the metabolic effects of long-term HAART exposure and nephrotoxicity of certain antiretroviral medications on the development and progression of chronic kidney disease is now of increasing concern. The long-term clinical implications of acute kidney injury among HIV-infected persons are increasingly recognized. Kidney disease in HIV-infected persons continues to be a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality in this patient population; therefore, early recognition and treatment of kidney disease are imperative in lessening the impact of kidney disease on the health of HIV-infected individuals. This review focuses on recent developments and ongoing challenges in the understanding, diagnosis and management of HIV-related kidney disease.
Sulfur isotopic trends and pathways of iron sulfide formation in upper Holocene sediments of the anoxic Black Sea

Abstract Down-core trends for extents of iron sulfidation in upper Holocene microlaminated deposits of the Black Sea abyssal plain imply that most of the pyrite in these sediments is formed in the sulfidic water column and/or very close to the sediment-water interface. Sulfur isotopic data for pyrite within microlaminated muds from two localities in the deep basin show striking uniformity between sites and down core, with a mean δ34SCDT value of −37.2 ± 0.9‰ (1σ, n = 18). These isotopic trends support the hypothesis of early pyrite formation. Isotopic compositions of pyrite sulfur in the microlaminated bottom sediments are similar to those reported for particulate reduced sulfur collected in middepth sediment traps and toδ34S values for water-column dissolved sulfide within a narrow zone immediately below the O2/H2S interface. These three sulfur reservoirs are distinctly different from the isotopic composition of ambient dissolved sulfide of the deep water column (>175 m), with δ34S values for the deep dissolved sulfide reservoir being consistently lower by ∼2 to 4‰. These isotopic relationships suggest that iron sulfidation is occurring dominantly within a narrow, shallow region at the top of the sulfidic water mass. Isotopic data from a fine-grained turbidite collected in the deep basin and from rapidly accumulating, iron monosulfide-rich muds on the anoxic upper slope are enriched in34S relative to the microlaminated deposits. The enrichments on the basin margin reflect a large component of iron sulfide formed during rapid burial. A broad suite of geochemical data, including sulfur isotopic results, are consistent with an upper-slope sediment source for the ubiquitous muddy turbidites of the deep basin. The collective effects of reworking, transport, and redeposition result in a complete conversion of AVS to pyrite with little additional iron sulfidation. This conclusion is supported by a detailed isotopic mass balance. The present isotopic study also highlights fundamental differences in the reactivities of the iron reservoirs distributed throughout the anoxic basin. Sediments of the upper slope and the genetically-linked turbidites of the deep basin show similar extents of iron sulfidation that are significantly lower than those of the microlaminated deposits of the deep-basin floor, suggesting dramatically shorter timescales of iron reactivity for the microlaminated sediments of the deep basin. Importantly, isotopic patterns from the modern Black Sea should assist greatly in the recognition and interpretation of ancient anoxia in the stratigraphic record.
Managing idiopathic Parkinson’s disease in patients with schizophrenic disorders

There is very little data on the treatment of idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) in patients with schizophrenia. Since schizophrenia is treated primarily with dopamine receptor blocking medications, it is unknown if the beneficial effects of anti-PD medications might be blocked or if the drugs may trigger worsened psychosis. A chart review was performed which identified nine patients with schizophrenia and presumed Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease (IPD). None of the patients suffered worsened psychosis from l-Dopa or a dopamine agonist if taking antipsychotics, and motor response did not appear blunted.
Development of a biologically active secretin analogue incorporating a radioiodinatable photolabile p-(4-hydroxybenzoyl)phenylalanine in position 10.

Abstract Photoaffinity labeling is a powerful approach for direct elucidation of residue–residue approximations as a ligand is bound to its receptor, providing important constraints for molecular modeling. Probes utilized for this need to incorporate photolabile sites of covalent attachment and an indicator, such as a radiolabel. Radioiodine provides a particularly useful high specific radioactivity label, but due to its size, can only be accommodated in limited positions within a peptide ligand. In this work, we attempted to develop a probe for the secretin receptor that would directly provide spatial approximation data for position 10 of secretin, its site of radiolabeling. This was achieved by incorporation into a secretin analogue of the radioiodinatable and photolabile benzophenone moiety, p -(4-hydroxybenzoyl)phenylalanine (OH-Bpa). An unintended additional modification of secretin in synthesizing this probe was the elimination of Gly 4 . This probe was shown to bind to the secretin receptor specifically and saturably ( K i =25.3±6.0 nM). It represented a full agonist, stimulating intracellular cAMP in a concentration-dependent manner (EC 50 =4.2±0.7 nM). It was also able to affinity label the secretin receptor in a specific and efficient manner. This probe should provide the opportunity to identify the region of the secretin receptor in spatial approximation with position 10, within the pharmacophore of secretin, leading to refinement of molecular conformational models of this agonist-bound receptor.