cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Successful Falls Prevention Programming for Older Adults in Texas: Rural–Urban Variations

This study assessed health-related changes of participants attending A Matter of Balance/Volunteer Lay Leader (AMOB/VLL) model falls-prevention program for older adults based on their residential location. Data were examined from 1,482 older Texans enrolled in AMOB/VLL over a 2-year period and assessed at baseline and postintervention. Results indicate participants significantly increased falls efficacy by an average of 14.4% (p < .01), reduced activity interference due to their health by an average of 6.5% (p < .01), and decreased the number of days limited from usual activity by an average of 28.2% (p < .05). Regression models show that rural participants, despite entering and exiting the program with lower health status, report greater rates of positive change for falls efficacy and health interference compared with their urban counterparts. Findings contribute to the understanding of geographic variation with falls-prevention program outcomes.
The effects of the addition of certain amino acids to enamel decalcifying buffers

In comparing the property of different acids of dissolving powdered enamel, it was found that an aspartic acid-sodium hydroxide pH 4.0 buffer was from 40 to 60 per cent less effective than several other similarly tested acids.1 Normally, it might be expected that at the same con­ stant pH,, buffer solutions of acids of ap­ proximately the same anion concentra­ tion, not capable of reacting with enamel to form insoluble precipitates, would show only small differences in their dis­ solving capacity. The result, therefore, obtained at constant pH, suggested that the effect of active acidity, that is, hydro­ gen ion concentration, may be greatly modified by its associated anion, in this case aspartate ion. Many acids, including the amino acids, have been found in or can gain access to the mouth.2-9 It is likely, therefore, that since acid decalcifi­ cation is considered part of the caries process, not one but a mixture of acids is involved. These mixtures probably exist as buffer systems containing hydrogen ion supplied by a variety of acids, including aspartic acid. In view of the apparently reduced ef­ fectiveness of hydrogen ion (acidity) in dissolving enamel in the presence of as­ partate ion as compared to other anions at pH 4.0, it was thought worthwhile to investigate the effect of the presence of aspartate ion on the decalcifying action of other acids. In addition to aspartic acid, it was decided to test several other amino acids. In order to study the effect of the pres­ ence of different amino acids on the de­ calcifying property of other acids which may be present in the mouth, four such acids— acetic, lactic, citric and pyruvic— were selected because they represent a cross section ranging from the very weak (acetic) to the relatively strong organic acids (pyruvic). These acids were first tested as simple buffers, at pH 4.0, for their property of dissolving enamel; they were then retested at the same pH after the addition of one of the following amino
Application of an image feature network-based object recognition algorithm to aircraft detection and classification

A network created from the distance-values representing the spacing between points identified by an image feature detection algorithm can be utilized for object classification. This paper presents work on the application of this algorithm to the problem of aircraft presence detection and classification. It considers algorithm performance across a variety of scenarios, including instances where the sky has different characteristics, detection and characterization from different levels of image resolution and detection and characterization where multiple craft are present in a single frame. An extension to the base algorithm, which determines the orientation of a detected aircraft is also presented.
The dark side of innovation: Exploring obsolescence and supply chain evolution for sustainment-dominated systems

Abstract The problem of technological obsolescence in vendor supplied parts in the new product development process has increased in importance in recent years. This is compounded by both the rapid pace of technological advance and increasingly disintegrated supply chains. This issue has become particularly problematic for products with both a high degree of technology and long life cycles. This exploratory study relates empirical obsolescence findings to theoretically predicted models of innovation diffusion for different product-market conditions. Implications are analyzed for supply chain evolution and obsolescence management.
DIAGNOSTIC PROBABILITIES IN PATIENTS WITH CONSPICUOUS ASCITES.

Many diseases are known to result in the formation of free intra-abdominal fluid. 1 Few data are available, however, concerning the diagnostic probabilities when a patient's outstanding physical finding is ascites. Therefore, we analyzed the clinical and autopsy records of 100 patients in whom ascites was the most conspicuous abnormality at the time of the final admission to the hospital. The results of the study form the basis of this report. Methods The study was carried out at The Jefferson Davis Hospital which serves the indigent sick of Harris County, Texas. The records of autopsies performed between 1950 and 1960 were reviewed. During that time, approximately 400 patients were found to have free fluid in the abdomen at necropsy. Of these patients, there were 100 in whom the physician's record made it clear that ascites was the predominant physical finding at the time of the final admission. The clinical and
Insulin inhibition of transcription stimulated by the forkhead protein Foxo1 is not solely due to nuclear exclusion.

The FOXO family of forkhead transcription factors stimulates the transcription of target genes involved in many fundamental cell processes, including cell survival, cell cycle progression, DNA repair, and insulin sensitivity. The activity of FOXO proteins is principally regulated by activation of protein kinase B (PKB)/Akt by insulin and other cytokines. PKB/Akt phosphorylates three consensus sites in FOXO proteins, leading to their export from the nucleus and the inhibition of FOXO-stimulated transcription. It has been widely accepted that the decreased transcription results from reduced abundance of FOXO proteins in the nucleus. In the present study we mutated Leu 375 to alanine in the nuclear export signal of Foxo1 (mouse FOXO1), so that it would remain in the nucleus of H4IIE rat hepatoma cells after insulin treatment, and determined whether insulin could still inhibit transcription stimulated by the Foxo1 mutant. Despite the retention of the Foxo1 mutant in the nucleus, insulin inhibited L375A-Foxo1-stimulated transcription to the same extent as transcription stimulated by wild-type Foxo1. Similar results were obtained using reporter plasmids containing the rat IGF-binding protein-1 promoter or a minimal promoter with three copies of the insulin response element to which FOXO proteins bind. We conclude that insulin can inhibit Foxo1-stimulated transcription even when nuclear export of Foxo1 is prevented, indicating that insulin inhibition can occur by direct mechanisms that do not depend on altering the subcellular distribution of the transcription factor. (Endocrinology 144: 5615–5622, 2003)
Nanopharmaceuticals (part 2): products in the pipeline

In part I of this review we assessed nanoscience-related definitions as applied to pharmaceuticals and we discussed all 43 currently approved drug formulations, which are widely publicized as nanopharmaceuticals or nanomedicines. In continuation, here we review the currently ongoing clinical trials within the broad field of nanomedicine. Confining the definition of nanopharmaceuticals to therapeutic formulations, in which the unique physicochemical properties expressed in the nanosize range, when man-made, play the pivotal therapeutic role, we found an apparently low number of trials, which reflects neither the massive investments made in the field of nanomedicine nor the general hype associated with the term "nano." Moreover, after an extensive search for information through clinical trials, we found only two clinical trials with materials that show unique nano-based properties, ie, properties that are displayed neither on the atomic nor on the bulk material level.
The Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS): linking data to the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

The World Health Organization (WHO), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Canadian Public Health Association developed the Global Tobacco Surveillance System (GTSS) to assist WHO member states in establishing continuous tobacco control surveillance and monitoring. The GTSS provides a flexible system that includes common data items but allows countries to include important unique information at their discretion. It also uses a common survey methodology, similar field procedures for data collection, and similar data management and processing techniques. The GTSS includes collection of data through three surveys: the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) for youth, and the Global School Personnel Survey and the Global Health Professional Student Survey for adults. Countries can use data from the GYTS to monitor and evaluate National Tobacco Control Action Plans and articles from the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). The WHO FCTC was adopted by the 56th World Health Assembly in May 2003 and became international law on February 27, 2005. It is the world's first public health treaty on tobacco control and encourages countries that ratify to develop and implement tobacco control policies, such as bans on direct and indirect tobacco advertising, tobacco tax and price increases, promoting of smoke-free public places and workplaces, and placement of health messages on tobacco packaging. The WHO FCTC, National Tobacco Control Action Plans, and the GYTS share the same goal: the development, implementation, and evaluation of effective tobacco control programs in all WHO member states. What the WHO FCTC and National Tobacco Control Action Plans ask countries to monitor, the GYTS can help to measure. The GYTS provides indicators for measuring achievement of several WHO FCTC articles (surveillance and monitoring, prevalence, exposure to secondhand smoke, school-based tobacco control, cessation, media and advertising, and minor's access and availability). The synergy between the WHO FCTC, National Tobacco Control Action Plans, and GYTS offers countries a unique opportunity to develop, implement, and evaluate their comprehensive tobacco control programs. The reports included in this publication from Peru, Thailand, and Turkey are presented as examples of 'linking' GYTS data to the national tobacco control program efforts in each country.
Enzymatic activity of the mycoparasite Pythium nunn during interaction with host and non-host fungi

Abstract Fine structure observations of hyphal interactions between a recently described mycoparasite, Pythium nunn, and plant pathogenic fungal species suggested that enzymatic dissolution of cell walls of host fungi was involved. The fluorescence, localized about cell wall lysis at points of interaction when stained with Calcofluor White M2R New, also suggested enzymatic activity since this stain usually binds to oligomers in regions of incomplete cell wall polymers. Again, mycoparasitic activity of P. nunn releases 14CO2 from labelled cell walls of a plant pathogenic species of Pythium and Rhizoctonia solani. Culture filtrates of P. nunn had high cellulose and β-1,3-glucanase activity when the fungus was grown on cell walls of Pythium spp. Chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase were produced by P. nunn in cultures containing cell walls of R. solani and Sclerotium rolfsii but low activity was associated with cell walls of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum. These hydrolytic enzymes were produced in dual cultures of P. nunn with several Pythium spp., Phytophthora spp., Mucor sp., Rhizopus sp., R. solani and S. rolfsii but were not detected with 10 non-host deuteromycete fungi. This difference may be due to the outer cell wall layer of mucilaginous material associated with these non-host fungi since trypsin- and or KOH-treated hyphae of non-host F. oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum released N -acetyl- d -glucosamine in the presence of crude enzymatic preparations from P. nunn. This suggests that the potential host range of P. nunn is limited by components on the outer layer of fungal cell walls. Pythium nunn also produced factors inhibiting growth and/or propagule germination of a plant pathogenic Pythium sp. in vitro and in soil.
Modeling Total Solar Irradiance with San Fernando Observatory Ground-Based Photometry: Comparison with ACRIM, PMOD, and RMIB Composites

We model total solar irradiance (TSI) using photometric irradiance indices from the San Fernando Observatory (SFO), and compare our model with measurements compiled from different space-based radiometers. Space-based measurements of TSI have been obtained recently from ACRIM-3 on board the ACRIMSAT. These data have been combined with other data sets to create an ACRIM-based composite. From VIRGO on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft two different TSI composites have been developed. The VIRGO irradiance data have been combined by the Davos group to create a composite often referred to as PMOD (Physikalisch-Meteorologisches Observatorium Davos). Also using data from VIRGO, the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium (RMIB) has created a separate composite TSI referred to here as the RMIB composite. We also report on comparisons with TSI data from the Total Irradiance Monitor (TIM) experiment on board the Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE) spacecraft. The SFO model correlates well with all four experiments during the seven-year SORCE interval. For this interval, the squared correlation coefficient R 2 was 0.949 for SORCE, 0.887 for ACRIM, 0.922 for PMOD, and 0.924 for RMIB. Long-term differences between the PMOD, ACRIM, and RMIB composites become apparent when we examine a 21.5-year interval. We demonstrate that ground-based photometry, by accurately removing TSI variations caused by solar activity, is useful for understanding the differences that exist between TSI measurements from different spacecraft experiments.
Ultrastructural study on the sequence of human cytomegalovirus infection in human diploid cells.

The sequence of human CMV infection in WI 38 cells at high input multiplicity was studied by electron microscopy.
AIRLINE DEREGULATION AND PUBLIC POLICY

An assessment of the effects of airline deregulation on travelers and carriers indicates that deregulation has provided travelers and carriers with $14.9 billion of annual benefits (1988 dollars). Airport congestion, airline safety, airline bankruptcy, and mergers are also analyzed and found in most cases to have reduced benefits. But, these costs should not be attributed to deregulation per se, but to failures by the government to pursue appropriate policies in these areas. Pursuit of policies that promote airline competition and efficient use of airport capacity would significantly increase the benefits from deregulation and would provide valuable guidance for other industries undergoing the transition to deregulation.
The Multidimensionality of Adolescents' Beliefs about and Attitudes toward Gay and Lesbian Peers in School.

This study investigated tenth- and twelfth-grade adolescents' ( N = 264) beliefs about homosexuality, their attitudes about gay and lesbian peers in school, and their evaluations of the treatment of gay, lesbian, and gender non-conforming peers. The results revealed differences in adolescents' beliefs about homosexuality and their attitudes toward gay and lesbian peers in school. Further, age-related and context differences in adolescents' attitudes were obtained. The results also revealed age-related difference in adolescents' evaluations of the treatment of gay, lesbian, and gender non-conforming peers. Finally, the results provide some evidence that gender non-conformity and sexuality independently and interdependently impact adolescents' evaluations of the treatment of others. The implications of these results for educators and others interested in creating schools that are safe for all students are discussed.
Evidence that the medial amygdala projects to the anterior/ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei to inhibit maternal behavior in rats.

The maternal behaviors shown by a rat that has given birth are not shown by a virgin female rat when she is first presented with young. This absence of maternal behavior in virgins has been attributed to the activity of a neural circuit that inhibits maternal behavior in nulliparae. The medial amygdala and regions of the medial hypothalamus such as the anterior and ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei have previously been shown to inhibit maternal behavior, in that lesions to these regions promote maternal responding. Furthermore, we have recently shown that these and other regions, such as the principal bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, the ventral lateral septum, and the dorsal premammillary nucleus, show higher pup-induced Fos-immunoreactivity in non-maternal rats exposed to pups than during the performance of maternal behavior, indicating that they too could be involved in preventing maternal responsiveness. The current study tested whether the medial amygdala projects to the anterior/ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei in a neural circuit that inhibits maternal behavior, as well as to see what other brain regions could participate in this circuit. Bilateral excitotoxic lesions of the medial amygdala, or of the anterior/ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei, promoted maternal behavior. Unilateral medial amygdala lesions caused a reduction of pup-induced Fos-immunoreactivity in the anterior/ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei in non-maternal rats ipsilateral to the lesion, as well as in the principal bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, ventral lateral septum, and dorsal premammillary nucleus. Finally, unilateral medial amygdala lesions paired with contralateral anterior/ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei lesions promoted maternal behavior, although ipsilateral lesion placements were also effective.Together, these results indicate that the medial amygdala projects to the anterior/ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei in a neural circuit that inhibits maternal behavior, and that the principal bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, ventral lateral septum, and dorsal premammillary nucleus could also be involved in this circuit.
Benign proliferative myositis of the sternohyoid muscle: Review and case report

We report a case of a 51-year-old woman who presented with a rapidly enlarging, painful, midline neck mass that developed over a three day period. A CT scan of the neck showed a solid circumscribed mass in the sternohyoid muscle. The initial differential diagnosis included inflammation of thyroglossal duct remnant, an abnormal lymph node, and thyroid carcinoma. The patient underwent operative excision with final pathology revealing proliferative myositis. Proliferative myositis is an uncommon benign proliferation of skeletal muscle and has only been reported a limited number of times in the head and neck region.
Term Premia and Inflation Uncertainty: Empirical Evidence from an International Panel Dataset

This paper provides cross-country empirical evidence on bond risk premia. I construct a panel of zero-coupon nominal government bond yields spanning ten industrialized countries and nearly two decades. I hence compute forward rates and then use two different methods to decompose these forward rates into expected future short-term interest rates and term premiums. The first method uses an affine term structure model with macroeconomic variables as unspanned risk factors; the second method uses surveys. I find that term premium estimates declined across countries over the sample period, especially in countries that appear to have reduced inflation uncertainty by making substantial changes in the monetary policy frameworks of their central banks. During the recent financial crisis, term premiums have remained flat and even declined further in some countries, perhaps reflecting the effects of quantitative easing actions by many central banks.
Community-Based Participatory Research Conceptual Model Community Partner Consultation and Face Validity

A national community-based participatory research (CBPR) team developed a conceptual model of CBPR partnerships to understand the contribution of partnership processes to improved community capacity and health outcomes. With the model primarily developed through academic literature and expert consensus building, we sought community input to assess face validity and acceptability. Our research team conducted semi-structured focus groups with six partnerships nationwide. Participants validated and expanded on existing model constructs and identified new constructs based on "real-world" praxis, resulting in a revised model. Four cross-cutting constructs were identified: trust development, capacity, mutual learning, and power dynamics. By empirically testing the model, we found community face validity and capacity to adapt the model to diverse contexts. We recommend partnerships use and adapt the CBPR model and its constructs, for collective reflection and evaluation, to enhance their partnering practices and achieve their health and research goals.
Cocaine-Insensitive Dopamine Transporters with Intact Substrate Transport Produced by Self-Administration

Background Psychomotor stimulant drugs such as cocaine and amphetamine activate brain dopamine (DA) neurotransmission and support self-administration in humans and laboratory animals. Cocaine amplifies DA signaling by blocking the DA transporter (DAT), and this has been described as the most important mechanism underlying cocaine's reinforcing effects. Amphetamine has the added mechanism of reverse transport of intracellular DA through the DAT. Methods We used cocaine and amphetamine self-administration under a fixed-ratio 1 schedule followed by microdialysis in freely moving rats to measure extracellular DA levels and fast scan cyclic voltammetry in brain slices to measure subsecond DA release and uptake parameters. Results Following a high dose (1.5 mg/kg intravenous) cocaine self-administration paradigm (40 injections/day × 5 days), the DAT was markedly less sensitive to cocaine, as measured by microdialysis and voltammetry in the nucleus accumbens core. In contrast, the DAT substrate amphetamine retained the same efficacy at the DAT in cocaine self-administering animals, and amphetamine did not mimic cocaine's effect on the DAT when self-administered. A single session of cocaine self-administration caused a significant decrease in the ability of cocaine to inhibit the DAT, a finding that may provide a neurochemical basis for rapid tolerance. The effects of cocaine returned to normal within a few weeks following cessation of self-administration. Conclusions Here, we, for the first time, demonstrate an in vivo, pharmacologically induced alteration in the sensitivity of the DAT to cocaine that is specific to cocaine, spares DAT and substrate/releaser interactions, and is independent of maximal rate of DA uptake (V max ).
Amplified energy transfer in conjugated polymer nanoparticle tags and sensors

Nanoparticles primarily consisting of π-conjugated polymers have emerged as extraordinarily bright fluorescent tags with potential applications in biological imaging and sensing. As fluorescent tags, conjugated polymer nanoparticles possess a number of advantageous properties, such as small particle size, extraordinary fluorescence brightness, excellent photostability, and high emission rate. Exciton diffusion occurring in the nanoparticles results in amplified energy transfer, doubling the energy transfer efficiency in some cases. Amplified energy transfer has been exploited to obtain highly red-shifted emission, oxygen-sensing nanoparticles, and fluorescence photoswitching. Additional observed phenomena are attributable to amplified energy transfer in conjugated polymers, including superquenching by metal nanoparticles, and fluorescence modulation by hole polarons. This feature article presents an overview of recent investigations of optical properties and energy transfer phenomena of this relatively novel type of fluorescent nanoparticle with a viewpoint towards demanding fluorescence-based imaging and sensing applications.
Laryngeal Conservation Surgery.

T he management of laryngeal carcinoma by conservation surgery is one of the most challenging aspects of head and neck surgical oncology, because both surgical expertise and a thorough understanding of the disease process are required for a successful outcome. Improper patient selection or an error in surgical judgment can result in lifethreatening complications or tumor recurrence in a patient with potentially curable disease. In the United States, laryngeal cancer (including pyriform fossa) afflicts 12,300 patients per year, representing 1.2% of all cancers and 50% of head and neck malignancies.’ Less than half of these patients develop early-stage lesions (Tl or T2), which are amenable to conservation surgery. Therefore, only 4,000 to 5,000 patients a year are candidates for conservation treatment. Many patients with earlystage lesions can be successfully treated with radiotherapy, leaving only a limited number of patients who require surgical therapy. However, this low number of candidates for surgical therapy results in fewer opportunities for training surgeons in these techniques and for maintaining the skills of established head and neck surgeons. Although the most important treatment goal is to cure the patient, quality-of-life issues are more than ever assuming an even greater role in the treatment decision-making process. Critical factors in evaluating treatment outcome are voice quality, deglutition, and complications of treatment such as aspiration, dysphagia, and radiation necrosis. Many times the decision to operate or irradiate depends on the treating physician’s personal philosophy. The purpose of this article is not to extol the virtue of any one modality over the other, but rather to help the treating physician identify the patient who may best be treated with conservation surgery with or without postoperative radiotherapy.
Polynitro Aromatic Compounds in Analytical Chemistry II: Reaction of Menadione with 2,4-Dinitrophenylhydrazine

The intense blue color formed in the official assay of menadione injection by treatment of the sample with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine and ammonia is shown by data from visible light spectra and mass spectra and by comparison of the pKa value with that of the corresponding reaction product of acetone to be due to proton abstraction from a monohydrazone.
THE ROLE OF 111INDIUM-CAPROMAB PENDETIDE IMAGING FOR ASSESSING BIOCHEMICAL FAILURE AFTER RADICAL PROSTATECTOMY

ABSTRACTPurpose:: Conventional imaging modalities, such as computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, lack sensitivity and specificity for detecting recurrent prostate cancer after radical surgery. We evaluated the role of the 111indium-capromab pendetide scan, otherwise known as the ProstaScint (Cytogen Corp., Princeton, New Jersey) scan, in this setting.Materials and Methods:: A retrospective review was performed of 42 patients undergoing ProstaScint imaging for biochemical progression after radical prostatectomy. Of these patients 16 (38.1%) subsequently completed a course of salvage radiation therapy.Results:: Median prostate specific antigen (PSA) immediately prior to ProstaScint imaging was 1.2 ng/ml (range 0.2 to 4.8). Abnormal accumulation on the ProstaScint scan was detected in 36 patients (85.7%). Of the 16 patients undergoing salvage radiation therapy 15 had uptake isolated to the prostatic fossa on ProstaScint imaging. Ten of these 15 patients (66.7%) achieved undetectable PSA aft...
Feasibility of Shoreside Monitoring of the Great Lakes

Abstract Over a 2-year period, chemical, physical, and biological parameters were statistically compared between a shore-based sampling site (a water treatment plant) and nearshore and offshore sites sampled by boat. The seasonal comparison suggested that water samples taken from the Shore-side Site were not representative of the nearshore water column during turbidity events in excess of 10 NTU. Significant differences between the Shoreside and the Nearshore Sites were minimized by removing sampling dates from the analysis in which meteorological events caused turbidity and upwelling events in the nearshore region. Below 10 NTU, water chemistry, allphytoplankton groups, and abundance of the Cladocera, Calanoida, and the Rotifera were not significantly different between the Shoreside and Nearshore Sites over four seasons. Similarly, when sampling was restricted to days of 10 NTU or less, the Shoreside Site was not significantly different from the Offshore Site for water chemistry, the production parameters, Alpha and Pmax, and phytoplankton abundance and biomass with the exception of turbidity during limnological winter and diatom abundance and biomass during the winter and spring. During a meteorologic event, wind induced turbidity plumes and upwellings were demonstrated to be the cause of significant variability in limnological variables monitored from the Shoreside Site. These results suggest that greater utilization of water intakes as monitoring sites in the Great Lakes is warranted. However, prior to initiation of any long-term monitoring program using water intakes, feasibility studies that calibrate and verify what the intake pipe is sampling over four seasons are necessary.
What Blocked Heterosexual Women and Lesbians in Leaving Their Abusive Relationships

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that the process of permanently separating from an abusive partner is in many ways similar for heterosexual women and lesbians. However, research suggests th...
Status of computerized cognitive testing in aging: A systematic review

Abstract Background Early detection of cognitive decline in the elderly has become of heightened importance in parallel with the recent advances in therapeutics. Computerized assessment might be uniquely suited to early detection of changes in cognition in the elderly. We present here a systematic review of the status of computer-based cognitive testing, focusing on detection of cognitive decline in the aging population. Methods All studies purporting to assess or detect age-related changes in cognition or early dementia/mild cognitive impairment by means of computerized testing were included. Each test battery was rated on availability of normative data, level of evidence for test validity and reliability, comprehensiveness, and usability. All published studies relevant to a particular computerized test were read by a minimum of two reviewers, who completed rating forms containing the abovementioned criteria. Results Of the 18 test batteries identified from the initial search, 11 were appropriate to cognitive testing in the elderly and were subjected to systematic review. Of those 11, five were either developed specifically for application with the elderly or have been used extensively with that population. Even within the computerized testing genre, great variability existed in manner of administration, ranging from fully examiner-administered to fully self-administered. All tests had at least minimal reliability and validity data, commonly reported in peer-reviewed articles. However, level of rigor of validity testing varied widely. Conclusion All test batteries exhibited some of the strengths of computerized cognitive testing: standardization of administration and stimulus presentation, accurate measures of response latencies, automated comparison in real time with an individual's prior performance as well as with age-related norms, and efficiencies of staffing and cost. Some, such as the Mild Cognitive Impairment Screen, adapted complicated scoring algorithms to enhance the information gathered from already existing tests. Others, such as CogState, used unique interfaces and subtests. We found that although basic indices of psychometric properties were typically addressed, sufficient variability exists that currently available computerized test batteries must be judged on a case-by-case basis.
Nineteenth-Century Perceptions of John Austin: Utilitarianism and the Reviews of The Province of Jurisprudence Determined

In 1954 H. L. A. Hart wrote that Austin's work has ‘never, since his death … been ignored’. If it never has been completely ignored, interest in it has periodically waxed and waned. The interest definitely waxed in the 1980s. More books were published about Austin in this period than in any other decade since his death in 1859. Although this literature contains discussions of some of the nineteenth-century responses to his work, they are not the focus of it. Certain of the responses remain completely in the dark, while there is more light to shed on at least some of the others. In short, our knowledge of nineteenth-century interpretations of Austin's legal philosophy is very incomplete.
Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of Skin with Simultaneous Cytokeratin Expression

An unusual tumor of the skin was removed from the thigh of a 52-year-old white male. By light microscopy, the tumor was composed of intermediate and small cells in sheets and clusters. Ultrastructural study of the tumor cells showed numerous dense core granules and dendritic cell processes as well as intermediate filaments and cell junctions frequently within the same cells. Most of the tumor cells were stained intensely by antibodies to neurone-specific enolase (NSE), a marker of cells of the central and peripheral nervous system. The neuropeptides met-enkephalin and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) were also found in tumor cells. Immunohistochemistry furthermore demonstrated cytokeratin. Both the ultrastructural appearance and keratin content of this tumor set it apart from conventional Merkel cell (or trabecular) carcinoma of the skin in a manner analogous to bipartite (i.e., epidermoid and small cell) carcinoma of lung. The production of neuropeptides simultaneously with the production of keratin e...
Mechanism of ganciclovir uptake by rabbit retina and human retinal pigmented epithelium cell line ARPE-19.

Purpose. The objective of this study was to elucidate the mechanism of ganciclovir uptake by the rabbit retina and the human retinal pigmented epithelium cell line ARPE-19. Materials and methods. [3H]Adenine, [3H]adenosine, [3H]thymidine, and [3H]ganciclovir were used to elucidate the mechanism of ganciclovir uptake by the ARPE-19 cell line and the isolated rabbit retinal tissue. Uptake studies using ARPE-19 cell line and isolated rabbit retina were carried out at 37°C and 25°C, respectively, for 5 min. Results. Uptake of [3H]adenine by ARPE-19 cells decreased by 95% in the presence of unlabeled adenine. Other nucleobases such as guanine, thymine, and uracil and the nucleosides adenosine, guanosine, thymidine, uridine, and inosine also reduced uptake of [3H]adenine by the ARPE-19 cells. Although [3H]adenosine and [3H]thymidine uptake was inhibited by nucleosides, nucleobases did not demonstrate any inhibitory effect, indicating that nucleosides can only bind to the nucleobase transporter but are not trans...
Distribution and correlates of arterial compliance measures in asymptomatic young adults: the Bogalusa Heart Study.

Background Impaired arterial compliance is an independent predictor of early vascular damage and related adverse cardiovascular (CV) outcome. Information is scant on the distributions and correlates of measures of arterial pulsatile function in a community-based, biracial cohort of young adults. Methods In 800 African American and white subjects aged 18 to 44 years, pulsatile arterial function was assessed in terms of large artery (capacitive) compliance, small artery (oscillatory) compliance, systemic vascular resistance, and vascular impedance by noninvasive radial artery pressure pulse contour analysis. Results African Americans versus whites and women versus men had lower large and small artery compliances and higher systemic vascular resistance and vascular impedance ( P Conclusions The observed deleterious impact of traditional CV risk factors on the arterial wall dynamics in asymptomatic young adults has important implications for preventive cardiology. Noninvasive pulsatile arterial function assessment may be helpful for evaluation of early vascular damage in a high-risk young population group.
Healthcare Costs and Workloss Burden of Patients with Chemotherapy-Associated Peripheral Neuropathy in Breast, Ovarian, Head and Neck, and Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer

Objective. Chemotherapy-associated peripheral neuropathy (CAPN) is a painful side-effect of chemotherapy. This study assesses healthcare and workloss costs of CAPN patients with breast, ovarian, head/neck, or non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from a third-party payor/employer perspective. Research Design and Methods. Patients with qualifying tumors, and claims for chemotherapy and services indicative of peripheral neuropathy (PN) within 9-months of chemotherapy (cases) were identified in a administrative claims database. Cases were matched 1 : 1 to controls with no PN-related claims based on demographics, diabetes history and propensity for having a diagnosis of PN during the study period (based on resource use and comorbidities in a 3-month baseline period). Average all-cause healthcare costs, resource use and workloss burden were determined. Results. Average healthcare costs were $17,344 higher for CAPN cases than their non-CAPN controls, with outpatient costs being the highest component (with cases having excess costs of $8,092). On average, each CAPN case had 12 more outpatient visits than controls, and spent more days in the hospital. Workloss burden was higher for cases but not statistically different from controls. Conclusion. This study establishes that breast, ovarian, head/neck, or NSCLC patients with CAPN have significant excess healthcare costs and resource use.
Online testing from Google Docs™ to enhance teaching of core topics in critical care: a pilot study.

Background: Recent evidence suggests that retrieval practice, or learning by testing, may lead to more effective knowledge retention than standard educational techniques.Aim: The purpose of this pilot project was to document successful teaching of evidence-based guidelines in critical care by augmenting interactive problem-based teaching sessions with online pre- and post-testing.Methods: We used a free, internet-based document collaboration system (Google Docs™) to develop and share pre-tests and pre-session teaching files with the fellows. At the teaching sessions the pre-tests were reviewed interactively, and additional case-based questions were presented. One week after the sessions, the fellows were sent a post-test and a post-session survey. Results of the pre- and post-tests as well as the post-session surveys were tabulated by the document collaboration system.Results: The mean score was 54.6% (SD = 21.4%) on the pre-tests and 87.0% (SD = 15.8%) on the post-tests (p < 0.01). On a scale of 1–10, th...
Rapid generation of incremental truncation libraries for protein engineering using α-phosphothioate nucleotides

Incremental truncation for the creation of hybrid enzymes (ITCHY) is a novel tool for the generation of combinatorial libraries of hybrid proteins independent of DNA sequence homology. We herein report a fundamentally different methodology for creating incremental truncation libraries using nucleotide triphosphate analogs. Central to the method is the polymerase catalyzed, low frequency, random incorporation of alpha-phosphothioate dNTPs into the region of DNA targeted for truncation. The resulting phosphothioate internucleotide linkages are resistant to 3'-->5' exonuclease hydrolysis, rendering the target DNA resistant to degradation in a subsequent exonuclease III treatment. From an experimental perspective the protocol reported here to create incremental truncation libraries is simpler and less time consuming than previous approaches by combining the two gene fragments in a single vector and eliminating additional purification steps. As proof of principle, an incremental truncation library of fusions between the N-terminal fragment of Escherichia coli glycinamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase (PurN) and the C-terminal fragment of human glycinamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase (hGART) was prepared and successfully tested for functional hybrids in an auxotrophic E.coli host strain. Multiple active hybrid enzymes were identified, including ones fused in regions of low sequence homology.
Early exploration of the multi-dimensional VLSI design space

The design space for VLSI circuits and systems is multidimensional since area, delay, power, design time, throughput, etc. are factors affecting the designer's choice of an optimum implementation. Presently, most designers lack the resources or tools to consider simultaneously more than two of these dimensions (e.g. area and delay). In this paper, a new approach is presented which facilitates the simultaneous consideration of multiple dimensions to increase the likelihood of finding a globally optimum solution. Furthermore, the new approach enables the designer to explore a larger number of candidate solutions and to prune the design space before pursuing more detailed implementations. A formal definition of the new approach is given along with several examples that depict its strength in assisting VLSI designers. >
Building resilience to violent extremism in Muslim diaspora communities in the United States

Can violent extremism be countered through community-level interventions in Muslim diaspora communities in the US? Statements from US policymakers say it can be done through a focus on enhancing resilience. Resilience, as defined by community, family, and trauma psychologists, refers to multisystemic adaptive capacities leading to improved outcomes after a disturbance. Applying existing knowledge on resilience to countering violent extremism in Muslim diaspora communities leads to a focus on enhancing protective resources through a public health prevention strategy, using multilevel, multidimensional, and contextual approaches. The development and evaluation of new policies and interventions is necessary to build community resilience to violent extremism in Muslim diaspora communities in the US.
Leisure Styles: A Conceptual Framework for Modern Leisure

The principal theoretical problems with which a science of leisure must deal are seen as the following: agreement on definition, the dimensions of leisure and their salience, the subjectivity of leisure, the separation of “free time” and leisure, and the relation between work and leisure. A conceptual framework is suggested for analyzing modern leisure which builds Upon the strengths of these problems. A social psychological model of leisure is presented; its principal dimensions are (1) the psychological involvement of the individual in specific activities or lifestyles, and (2) the structuring of time and activities. The juxtaposition of these two dimensions onto specific life events produces four distinct modes of leisure: Pure Leisure, Anomic Leisure, Institutional Leisure and Alienated Leisure. The theoretical ramifications and some suggestions for empirical application of these modes are discussed.
Long-term outcomes of venous thrombosis in children.

Purpose of reviewVenous thromboembolism has become an increasingly recognized clinical entity in children over the past decade. Recently, important efforts have been made to track post thrombotic outcomes. The present review discusses the knowledge gained from seminal studies in the field over the p
Novel Strain Energy Based Coupled Elastoplastic Damage and Healing Models for Geomaterials Part II: Computational Aspects

In Part I of this sequel (Ju, J.W., Yuan, K.Y. and Kuo, A.W. (2010). Novel Strain Energy Based Coupled Elastoplastic Damage and Healing Models for Geomaterials – Part I: Formulations, International Journal of Damage Mechanics, DOI: 10.1177/1056789511407359), we have developed innovative strain energy based coupled elastoplastic hybrid isotropic and anisotropic damage-healing formulations for geomaterials under complex 2D earth-moving processes. Emanating from a micromechanics-based brittle (tensile) damage characterization (P+) and a ductile (mixed tension–compression) damage-healing characterization (Pmix+), the proposed hybrid isotropic and anisotropic damage-healing models for soils are implemented. Entirely new computational algorithms are systematically developed based on the two-step operator splitting methodology. The elastic damage-healing predictor and the plastic corrector are consistently implemented within the existing Nonlinear Meshfree Analysis Program at University of California, Los Angele...
Perturbation of Gene Expression of the Chromatin Remodeling Pathway in Premature Newborns at Risk for Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

Background: One-third to one-half of all infants born before the 28th week of gestation develop bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Inflammatory regulators appear to be involved in the pathogenesis of BPD, possibly beginning in fetal life. To evaluate the feasibility of using expression profiling in umbilical cord tissue to discover molecular signatures for developmental staging and for determining risk of BPD, we conducted a cross-sectional study of infants born at less than 28 weeks of gestation (n = 54). Sections of umbilical cord were obtained at birth from 20 infants who later developed BPD and from 34 of their peers who did not develop BPD. Results: Umbilical cord expression profiles at birth exhibited systematic differences in bioenergetic pathways with respect to gestational age. Infants who subsequently developed BPD had distinct signatures involving chromatin remodeling and histone acetylation pathways, which have previously been implicated in several adult onset lung diseases. These findings are consistent with prior work on inflammatory processes and bioenergetics in prematurity. Conclusion: This study of gene expression of the newborn umbilical cord implicates the chromatin remodeling pathways in those premature infants who subsequently develop BPD. Larger sample sizes will be required to generate prognostic markers from umbilical cord profiles.
Thermomechanical modeling of back-end-of-the-line 3D interconnects

Three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuits (ICs) offer considerable advantages over traditional 2D IC designs by offering increased signal speeds and lower operation power, and by combining multiple technology functions in a low-volume, stacked design. The design complexity of 3D ICs introduces an increased sensitivity of operation and reliability due to the thermomechanical interactions among their multilevel components. Therefore, physical modeling has become a critical task in the design phase of 3D ICs to manage and reduce these sensitivities, and to increase yield and reliability. In this paper, we develop and employ a high-fidelity, 3D finite element modeling framework to examine the thermomechanical response of 3D IC interconnects. We demonstrate attributes of our framework on a back-end-of-the-line via chain. First, we generate geometry using process definitions, develop a parameterized mesh, and identify material parameters from characterization experiments. Then, using advanced, massively parallel computational resources, we simulate fabrication steps to approximate the stresses and deformations experienced by the microstructure as a result of processing temperatures. Ultimately, our modeling approach provides a capability to assess the thermomechanical response of 3D IC components and provides a basis for designing structures robust to fabrication and processing variations.