cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of angiographic and hemodynamic results of coronary balloon angioplasty on late angiographic outcome

A small residual stenosis and a low residual translesional pressure gradient after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) are thought to be associated with lower rates of restenosis. However, these two posprocedure parameters have not been studied simultaneously in relation to late angiographic outcome. Restudy angiograms after successful single-vessel and single-lesion PTCA were performed in 1261 patients, who were divided into three groups according to final residual stenosis: group 1, 0% to 19%, group 2, 20% to 34%, and group 3, 35% to 49%. This study population also was divided into two groups by final residual pressure gradient: or = 18 mm Hg. Luminal patency at restudy and restenosis rates by these definitions were studied. By the definition of > or = 50% stenosis at restudy, group 1 had the lowest restenosis rate, and group 3 had the highest. By the definition of an increase of > or = 30% stenosis compared with the immediate post-PTCA result, group 1 had the highest restenosis rate, and group 3 had the lowest. Although it had the greatest loss of luminal diameter over the follow-up period, group 1 maintained the greatest luminal patency at restudy. A residual pressure gradient < or = 17 mm Hg was associated with lower restenosis rate regardless of the definition used. Despite greater loss of luminal diameter over the follow-up period, optimal postprocedure angiographic results may result in better long-term luminal patency. Transluminal pressure gradient is more predictive of late angiographic results regardless of the definition used. Further studies, with hemodynamic measurements, may reveal potential clinical implications.
Identification of Residues of SARS-CoV nsp1 That Differentially Affect Inhibition of Gene Expression and Antiviral Signaling

An epidemic of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) led to the identification of an associated coronavirus, SARS-CoV. This virus evades the host innate immune response in part through the expression of its non-structural protein (nsp) 1, which inhibits both host gene expression and virus- and interferon (IFN)-dependent signaling. Thus, nsp1 is a promising target for drugs, as inhibition of nsp1 would make SARS-CoV more susceptible to the host antiviral defenses. To gain a better understanding of nsp1 mode of action, we generated and analyzed 38 mutants of the SARS-CoV nsp1, targeting 62 solvent exposed residues out of the 180 amino acid protein. From this work, we identified six classes of mutants that abolished, attenuated or increased nsp1 inhibition of host gene expression and/or antiviral signaling. Each class of mutants clustered on SARS-CoV nsp1 surface and suggested nsp1 interacts with distinct host factors to exert its inhibitory activities. Identification of the nsp1 residues critical for its activities and the pathways involved in these activities should help in the design of drugs targeting nsp1. Significantly, several point mutants increased the inhibitory activity of nsp1, suggesting that coronaviruses could evolve a greater ability to evade the host response through mutations of such residues.
Preliminary evaluation of the hypolipidemic effects in man of a new phenolic ether (Su-13437, CIBA)

Summary A new phenolic ether (Su-13437, CIBA) which has been reported to be hypolipidemic in the rat has been given to 8 volunteer subjects for an 8-week period. A reduction in serum triglyceride and to a lesser extent cholesterol and phospholipid occurred in 7 of the 8 subjects.
Green buildings as sustainability education tools

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of green building technologies and practices and illustrate how public libraries can use them as tools to teach their communities about sustainability and foster behavior change.Design/methodology/approach – Through literature searches, case studies analysis, and individual phone and e‐mail interviews, the author identified ways that public libraries can use their buildings to demonstrate green technologies and practices and show their patrons how to apply them at home, at work, and in the community.Findings – Education is a component of LEED certification. Many LEED certified libraries publicize a list of the green technologies used in their building projects. Some sponsor programs related to the green building and include permanent displays in the library to explain how the technology works. The Fayetteville Public Library went beyond these basic techniques to not only improve the sustainability of their operations but also become a community...
Comprehensive assessment of hemorrhage risks and outcomes after stereotactic brain biopsy

Object. Stereotactic brain biopsy has played an integral role in the diagnosis and management of brain lesions. At most centers, imaging studies following biopsy are rarely performed. The authors prospectively determined the acute hemorrhage rate after stereotactic biopsy by performing immediate postbiopsy intraoperative computerized tomography (CT) scanning. They then analyzed factors that may influence the risk of hemorrhage and the diagnostic accuracy rate. Methods. Five hundred consecutive patients undergoing stereotactic brain biopsy underwent immediate postbiopsy intraoperative CT scanning. Before surgery, routine preoperative coagulation studies were performed in all patients. All medical charts, laboratory results, preoperative imaging studies, and postoperative imaging studies were reviewed. In 40 patients (8%) hemorrhage was detected using immediate postbiopsy intraoperative CT scanning. Neurological deficits developed in six patients (1.2%) and one patient (0.2%) died. Symptomatic delayed neuro...
Legionella pneumophila Type II Protein Secretion Promotes Virulence in the A/J Mouse Model of Legionnaires' Disease Pneumonia

Legionella pneumophila, the gram-negative agent of Legionnaires' disease, possesses type IV pili and a type II protein secretion (Lsp) system, both of which are dependent upon the PilD prepilin peptidase. By analyzing multiple pilD mutants and various types of Lsp mutants as well as performing trans-complementation of these mutants, we have confirmed that PilD and type II secretion genes are required for L. pneumophila infection of both amoebae and human macrophages. Based upon a complete analysis of lspDE, lspF, and lspG mutants, we found that the type II system controls the secretion of protease, RNase, lipase, phospholipase A, phospholipase C, lysophospholipase A, and tartrate-sensitive and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase activities and influences the appearance of colonies. Examination of the developing L. pneumophila genome database indicated that the organism has two other loci (lspC and lspLM) that are predicted to promote secretion and thus a set of genes that is comparable to the type II secretion genes in other gram-negative bacteria. In contrast to lsp mutants, L. pneumophila pilus mutants lacking either the PilQ secretin, the PspA pseudopilin, or pilin were not defective for colonial growth, secreted activities, or intracellular replication. L. pneumophila dot/icm mutants were also not impaired for type II-dependent exoenzymes. Upon intratracheal inoculation into A/J mice, lspDE, lspF, and pilD mutants, but not pilus mutants, exhibited a reduced ability to grow in the lung, as measured by competition assays. The lspF mutant was also defective in an in vivo kinetic assay. Examination of infected mouse sera revealed that type II secreted proteins are expressed in vivo. Thus, the L. pneumophila Lsp system is a virulence factor and the only type II secretion system linked to intracellular infection.
Cerebrocortical microdysgenesis in neurologically normal subjects A histopathologic study

Previous studies showed that few foci of cerebro-cortical microdysgenesis (molecular layer neuronal ectopias and focal laminar dysplasia) are present in up to 26% of variably processed normal brains; they are more common in the right inferior frontal region. Brains of male developmental dyslexics processed in serial histologic sections showed 30 to 140 foci of these types of anomalies, predominantly in left perisylvian cortex. Here, we present the results of a detailed analysis of ten normal brains also processed in serial sections. The ages ranged from 3.5 to 87 years, all male. Three brains showed abnormalities similar in type to those of the dyslexic, but in far smaller numbers and in different locations: two showed a single cingulate focus—one right, one left; the third brain snowed two right supratemporal foci. We conclude that the present form of developmental anomaly is rare in normal brains, and that the findings in the dyslexic brains may be significant.
A comparison on two techniques for collecting statistics in simulation

The purpose of the paper is to compare two techniques of collecting statistics: The method of batch means and the regenerative process method. The compairsons are in terms of accuracy and precision of sample performance measurements and exexution time.Two different queuing systems of M/M/1 and M/M/4 with traffic intensity factors of 0.1, 0.5, and 0.9 are designed for experimentation. The results indicate that the regenerative method in general shows better performance than the method of batch means.
Graft-versus-host disease biomarkers: omics and personalized medicine

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is the most effective form of tumor immunotherapy available to date and the frequency of transplants continues to increase worldwide. However, while allo-HSCT usually induces a beneficial graft-versus-leukemia effect, a major source of morbidity and mortality following allo-HSCT is graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Currently available diagnostic and staging tools frequently fail to identify those at higher risk for GVHD morbidity, treatment unresponsiveness, and death. Furthermore, there are shortcomings in the risk stratification of patients before GVHD clinical signs develop. In parallel, recent years have been characterized by an explosive evolution of omics technologies, largely due to technological advancements in chemistry, engineering, and bioinformatics. Building on these opportunities, plasma biomarkers have been identified and validated as promising diagnostic and prognostic tools for acute GVHD. This review summarizes current information on the types of GVHD biomarkers, the omics tools used to identify them, the biomarkers currently validated as acute GVHD markers, and future recommendations for incorporating biomarkers into new grading algorithms for risk-stratifying patients and creating more personalized treatment courses. Future directions will include randomized evaluations of these biomarkers in multicenter prospective studies while extending on the need for biomarkers of chronic GVHD.
Distinguishing between tunneling and injection regimes of ferromagnet/organic semiconductor/ferromagnet junctions

Magnetoresistance effects in organic semiconductor spin valves have recently been reported, and have been variously interpreted as being due to tunneling magnetoresistance or giant magnetoresistance. We introduce a criterion for distinguishing between tunneling and injection conductivity necessary for properly analyzing organic spin-valve phenomena. We measure current-voltage $(I\text{\ensuremath{-}}V)$ characteristics in $\text{Co}/{\text{AlO}}_{x}/\text{rubrene}/\text{Fe}$ junctions with a rubrene layer thickness, $d$, ranging from 5 to 50 nm. For $d\ensuremath{\le}10\text{ }\text{nm}$, the $I\text{\ensuremath{-}}V$ traces are typical of tunnel junctions. At $dg15\text{ }\text{nm}$, the tunneling current becomes negligibly small. At larger biases, however, a second type of conductivity sets in. In this regime, the $I\text{\ensuremath{-}}V$ curves are strongly nonlinear and temperature dependent. By comparing these to $I\text{\ensuremath{-}}V$ curves measured in organic light-emitting diodes, we assign the latter mode to injection into the organic layer followed by hopping transport. We observe a spin-valve effect only in the tunneling regime.
Thermal vibrations in potassium 3-benzoyl-2-thiophenecarboxylate.

The atomic thermal displacement parameters at 293 K for the anion in the title salt have been analyzed in terms of a body having two rigid segments, namely the benzoyl and the 2-thiophenecarboxylate groups. These segments are each nearly planar and have a dihedral angle of 80.1° between them. The internal torsional libration of the anion is physically correlated with its overall external translational and librational motion. Bond distances involving the heavier atoms have an s.u. σ from 0.002 to 0.003 A while librational corrections in these distances range up to 4σ. A short nonbonded intersegment C⋯O distance of 2.817 (2) A becomes 2.831 A after correction, the correction being 7σ. An intermolecular S⋯O distance of 3.1891 (14) A becomes 3.215 A after correction for independent vibration of the two molecules, the correction being 18σ.
Influence of Slab Thickness on Responses of Concrete Walls Under Fire

For the purpose of fire safety, concrete walls with different thicknesses exposed to the fire course described by ASTM E119 and the following decay stage specified in ISO 834 standard are considere...
The multifunctional Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases.

Ca2+ mediates the effect of many hormones, neurotransmitters and growth factors on contractility and motility, carbohydrate metabolism, cell cycle, gene expression and neuronal plasticity. Multifunctional Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent (CaM) kinase, CaM kinase la, CaM kinase lb and CaM kinase IV are four of the kinases that mediate Ca2+-signaling pathways. Recent studies have clarified our understanding of their structure, regulation and function.
On interest locality in content-based routing for large-scale MANETs

To disseminate content with content-based routing (CBR), the routing paths of subscription and publication cannot be determined a priori and have to be computed hop-by-hop, which brings in scalability and robustness challenges in large scale mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). In this paper, we propose a novel two-tier content-based routing protocol called CLONE (Community and Location aware cONtEnt based routing). In CLONE, we map the human community structure of social networks to MANETs. The whole network can be selforganized into communities based on the interest locality, so that most subscriptions inside a community can be served in an intra-community fashion, reducing the communication overhead and the response delay. Community construction is self-organized and completely distributed. Analytical and simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of CLONE in large-scale MANETs.
Percolative conduction in the half-metallic-ferromagnetic and ferroelectric mixture of (La, Lu, Sr)MnO3.

The immiscibility between rhombohedral ${\mathrm{La}}_{5/8}{\mathrm{Sr}}_{3/8}{\mathrm{MnO}}_{3}$ and hexagonal ${\mathrm{LuMnO}}_{3}$ leads to a $\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$-scale heterogeneous mixture of half-metallic-ferromagnetic and insulating-ferroelectric phases. Electronic conduction of the mixture exhibits nearly ideal percolation behavior in the paramagnetic state with a threshold of 0.224(5) metal volume fraction and a resistivity scaling exponent $t=2.1\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1$, consistent with the predicted universal behavior of classical percolation. However, far below ${T}_{\mathrm{C}}$, $t$ increases to $2.4\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1$, probably resulting from intergrain tunneling. Therefore, this system represents a unique example of the temperature-induced crossover from universal to nonuniversal behavior of $t$.
the questionable impact of gender on job loss reactions: implications for employment counseling

A heterogeneous sample of 301 men and 118 women who experienced job loss was surveyed on 4 affective and 14 attributional variables. Analysis revealed that approximately 90% of the reported gender differences involving job loss reactions disappeared when age, ethnic background, marital status, education, tenure, salary job classification, and financial strain were controlled. Resulting gender differences do not support traditional stereotypes of unemployed women nor do they support previous findings of gender-related job loss reactions.
Variation in plaque-forming ability among parental and clonal strains of HeLa cells

Abstract Clonal strains of HeLa cells have been isolated which vary with respect to plaque-forming ability with poliovirus over a tenfold range. This phenomenon appears to be mediated through a heritable cellular difference and is not due to a host range virus variation. The differences in susceptibility are unexplained but are not due to the quantity of virus adsorbed, even though differences in adsorption rate were detected.
Coccidioidomycosis of the prostate: a determination of incidence, report of 4 cases, and treatment recommendations

Summary Objective To describe the incidence of Coccidioides immitis infection of the prostate gland in an endemic area, to describe four new cases discovered, and to propose treatment recommendations for this diagnosis. Methods The pathology reports of all prostate tissue specimens collected at the Arizona Health Sciences Center from February 1, 1994 through January 1, 2000 and the Southern Arizona Veterans' Affairs Health Care System from January 1, 1990 through January 1, 2000 were reviewed. Results A total of 3676 pathology reports were reviewed. Forty-four cases of granulomatous prostatitis were identified (incidence=1.2%). Among these, four cases of C. immitis prostatitis were identified (incidence of granulomatous prostatitis=10%; overall incidence=0.1%). Two cases were found at radical retropubic prostatectomy and two were found on prostate needle biopsy. Five months post-radical prostatectomy one man developed symptomatic coccidioidomycosis and died of complications despite treatment with amphotericin B. Another patient who underwent a radical retropubic prostatectomy was treated with oral fluconazole for 14 months immediately after surgery and had a good response. The remaining two patients received no anti-fungal therapy and are being observed. Conclusions Coccidioidomycosis of the prostate is rare. However, when identified, the finding should not be ignored. Patients with symptomatic coccidioidomycosis require immediate anti-fungal therapy. When the diagnosis is an incidental finding and the patient does not manifest symptoms, the degree of tissue violation involved in making the diagnosis influences the need for treatment. Patients with minimal tissue violation (i.e. needle biopsy) can be observed whereas patients with more extensive tissue violation (i.e. prostatectomy) should receive anti-fungal therapy.
Chilling Effects during Maize Tassel Development and the Lack of Compensational Plasticity

Stress during tassel formation can reduce tassel size and cause insufficient pollen production in seed production. When stresses affect plant development, component compensation for grain yield is known to occur in some crops. Tassel component compensation for pollen production has not been previously reported. Chilling was imposed on two dent maize (Zea mays L.) inbreds (103 and 113 relative maturity [RM]) at the initiation of tassel formation, a critical period for maximizing pollen production. The 103 RM inbred showed limited response to chilling stress. The 113 RM inbred produced 60% fewer branches resulting in 45% fewer spikelets and 43% fewer pollen grains per tassel when chilling was applied during branch meristem initiation. For the same inbred, 42% fewer spikelets and 29% fewer pollen grains per tassel were produced when chilling was applied during spikelet meristem initiation. Chilling stress during meiosis of microsporogenesis did not decrease pollen production per anther. A decrease in the percentage of starch-filled pollen grains was found only in the lower florets on the lowest branch. The effect of decreased branch or spikelet production on total pollen production was not compensated by subsequent production of spikelets, florets, anthers, or pollen grains per anther. Susceptibility of pollen production to chilling stress during tassel formation varies among modern dent inbreds, although plasticity in the tassel for pollen yield was not observed.
Occupational Stratification Over the Life Course: A Comparison of Occupational Trajectories Across Race and Gender During the 1980s and 1990s

This study uses growth curve analysis to examine whether disparities in the occupational standing of White men relative to women and minorities grew larger or smaller with advancing age during the 1980s and 1990s. The analyses are based on The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 and the Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area Follow-Up. Results indicate that disparities in occupational standing stayed constant over the life course across all demographic groups except for African Americans, whose gap in occupational status relative to Whites and Hispanics grew significantly larger with advancing age. Implications of these findings for theories of occupational inequality are discussed.
Two Challenges for Fiduciary Capitalism

The modern institutional trustee in its incarnation as majority owner of American business has conflicts of interest of debilitating proportions. Notwithstanding the inveterate and unchanging rigour of trust law requiring the fiduciary to administer assets “for the exclusive benefit of plan participants”, today’s conglomerate – understandably enough in a world where there is no enforcement – persistently favours its own interest in pleasing present and potential customers. There has been no enforcement of breach of fiduciary obligations either by the executive or judicial branches of government. In light of the trend of some courts towards the Law & Economics policy of “efficient compliance”, there must be some doubt as to whether courts will require compliance with trust law. What has emerged is a badly crippled owner. Enforceability of the trust promise is what is required for the concept of “fiduciary ownership” to flower. Ironically, casting the majority owner of public companies in trust mode has twice cursed the beneficiaries. On the one hand, the trustees made extensive use of trust assets to protect themselves against any possibility of liability by hiring “consultants”, the sum of whose contribution to the economic welfare of participants is highly problematic. Their real value is in providing trustees defence against any claim of negligence. On the other hand, trustees, with “no skin in the game” were motivated to adopt the most minimalist policies of investment, thus ensuring mediocre results. The only fiduciaries, largely public employee pension plans, free of conflict of interest are identified with what might be styled the “anti business” end of the spectrum of ownership. Until the balance of owners participate, the promise of “fiduciary capitalism” will not be fulfilled.
Reduction in added sugar intake and improvement in insulin secretion in overweight Latina adolescents

Background: To date, no study has assessed the effects of modifying carbohydrate intake (specifically decreasing added sugar and increasing fiber) on insulin secretion, nor has any study used an overweight Latino adolescent population. The objective of this study was to examine whether changes in dietary intake, specifically reductions in added sugar and/or increases in fiber, following a 12-week, modified carbohydrate dietary intervention, were associated with changes in insulin secretion and other metabolic risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Methods: Participants were 16 overweight (≥85th percentile BMI) Latina adolescent females (12–17 years) who completed a 12-week modified carbohydrate intervention. Dietary intake was assessed by 3-day diet records, body composition by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and insulin dynamics by an extended 3-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at baseline and postintervention. Results: There was a trend for unadjusted change in reported added sugar intake (% of kcal...
Sperm mRNA Transcripts Are Indicators of Sub-Chronic Low Dose Testicular Injury in the Fischer 344 Rat

Current human reproductive risk assessment methods rely on semen and serum hormone analyses, which are not easily comparable to the histopathological endpoints and mating studies used in animal testing. Because of these limitations, there is a need to develop universal evaluations that reliably reflect male reproductive function. We hypothesized that toxicant-induced testicular injury can be detected in sperm using mRNA transcripts as indicators of insult. To test this, we exposed adult male Fischer 344 rats to low doses of model testicular toxicants and classically characterized the testicular injury while simultaneously evaluating sperm mRNA transcripts from the same animals. Overall, this study aimed to: 1) identify sperm transcripts altered after exposure to the model testicular toxicant, 2,5-hexanedione (HD) using microarrays; 2) expand on the HD-induced transcript changes in a comprehensive time course experiment using qRT-PCR arrays; and 3) test these injury indicators after exposure to another model testicular toxicant, carbendazim (CBZ). Microarray analysis of HD-treated adult Fischer 344 rats identified 128 altered sperm mRNA transcripts when compared to control using linear models of microarray analysis (q<0.05). All transcript alterations disappeared after 3 months of post-exposure recovery. In the time course experiment, time-dependent alterations were observed for 12 candidate transcripts selected from the microarray data based upon fold change and biological relevance, and 8 of these transcripts remained significantly altered after the 3-month recovery period (p<0.05). In the last experiment, 8 candidate transcripts changed after exposure to CBZ (p<0.05). The two testicular toxicants produced distinct molecular signatures with only 4 overlapping transcripts between them, each occurring in opposite directions. Overall, these results suggest that sperm mRNA transcripts are indicators of low dose toxicant-induced testicular injury in the rat.
Differential induction of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) gene family members in transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Bright Yellow 2) cell suspensions by methyl-jasmonate treatment

Two nuclear genes (NtODC-1 and NtODC-2) encoding ornithine decarboxylase (ODC, EC 4.1.1.17) were characterized from tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L., and their differential induction by methyl-jasmonate (MeJA) was analyzed. ODC transcript levels increased in BY-2 cells following treatment with MeJA, with the highest levels of transcript observed approximately 5 h post-treatment. Analysis of transgenic BY-2 cell lines expressing a β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene under the control of either the NtODC-1 or NtODC-2 gene promoter revealed that expression of the NtODC-1::GUS transgene was highly induced (8-fold) by treatment with MeJA, whereas the NtODC-2::GUS transgene showed little MeJA induced GUS expression. Removal of auxin (AUX, 2,4-D) from the cell growth media led to an increase in NtODC-1 and NtODC-2 transcript levels, whereas high levels of 2,4-D repressed overall ODC gene expression and suppressed the MeJA-induced expression of NtODC-1. Deletion analysis identified an upstream region (−924 to −1424 bp relative to the start site of transcription) of the NtODC-1 promoter that confers MeJA-responsiveness. No similar region was identified in the NtODC-2 promoter. Sequence analysis revealed that the NtODC-1 promoter fragment contains both G-box and TGACG-motif elements similar to those found in other MeJA-responsive genes. Our findings are discussed in terms of potential factors mediating different phytohormone-activated signal transduction pathways in the formation of nicotine and related compounds in tobacco.
PHOTOMECHANICAL BASIS OF LASER ABLATION OF BIOLOGICAL TISSUE

The photomechanical model of laser ablation of biological tissue asserts that ablation is initiated when the laser-induced tensile stress exceeds the ultimate tensile strength of the target. We show that, unlike the one-dimensional thermoelastic model of laser-induced stress generation that has appeared in the literature, the full three-dimensional solution predicts the development of significant tensile stresses on the surface of the target, precisely where ablation is observed to occur. An interferometric technique has been developed to measure the time-dependent thermoelastic expansion, and the results for subthreshold laser fluences are in precise agreement with the predictions of the three-dimensional model.
The Brand Manager's Assistant: A knowledge-based system approach to brand management☆

Abstract This paper describes the conceptualization and prototyping of the Brand Manager's Assistant, a knowledge-based system approach to the brand management function. A view of brand management is presented, followed by a conceptual framework for building marketing systems to support the brand management function. Then, the notion of object-oriented design is introduced, followed by a description of the implementation of the conceptual framework in an object-oriented programming environment. An example implementation is used to illustrate the concepts and the object-oriented design approach.
Enforcing academic rules in higher education: A total quality management approach

Two key principles of total quality management (TQM) are increasing customer satisfaction and driving out fear. Enforcing academic rules, however, frequently induces fears and lowers student satisfaction. This case study shows how TQM was used in an MBA program to prevent infractions rather than punish students. Prevention became possible only after TQM techniques revealed the causes of rule violation. Techniques included run charts, forecasting, cause and effect analysis, multiple regression, customer surveys, and breaking down barriers between departments. Follow-up shows no new rule infractions for several academic terms.
Correlation Functions of Odd Numbers of Spins with Finite Separations on the Onsager-Ising Lattice

A method is developed for making exact evaluations of correlation functions of odd numbers of spins on the Onsager-Ising lattice, applicable to cases in which the separations between the spins are finite. The method is based on an identity which permits the reduction of determinants of infinite-dimensional matrices to those of finite dimension. Particularly simple results are obtained when all spins are on a straight line. Numerical calculations are carried out for a few cases.
Polar cusp dynamics

The position of dayside aurora (as measured from South Pole station in 1981) is compared to the interplanetary magnetic field Bz component and to the AE index. The results support our earlier work showing a close relationship with AE and little correlation with Bz. Two recent papers have presented data that purport to contradict this interpretation, claiming a dominant Bz correlation. A reanalysis of the data sets used in those papers does not support Bz dependence, and in fact reaffirms a close dependence on AE. We conclude that the position of the dayside cusp is largely controlled by substorm processes internal to the magnetosphere rather than by direct merging and erosion processes with the interplanetary field.
Intraocular lens power calculation using the IOLMaster and various formulas in eyes with long axial length.

Purpose To evaluate the predictability of intraocular lens (IOL) power calculations using the IOLMaster (Carl Zeiss) and different IOL power calculation formulas in eyes with a long axial length (AL). Setting Department of Ophthalmology, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. Methods This study included 68 eyes with an AL longer than 25.0 mm that had phacoemulsification with IOL implantation. Preoperative AL and keratometric index measurements were obtained with the IOLMaster (Group 1) or, respectively, with applanation ultrasound and automatic keratometry (Group 2). The power of the implanted IOL was used to calculate the predicted postoperative spherical equivalence (SE) by various formulas: SRK/T, SRK II, and Holladay 1 (Groups 1 and 2) and Haigis (Group 1). The predictive accuracy of the formula was analyzed by comparing the mean difference between the actual and predicted postoperative SE; that is, the mean absolute error (MAE). Results The mean AL was significantly longer in Group 1 than in Group 2 ( P = .03). The MAEs calculated by the SRK/T, SRK II, and Holladay 1 formulas were comparable between the 2 groups ( P >.05). The lowest MAE was obtained using the IOLMaster data in the Haigis formula ( P Conclusions Although AL measured by the IOLMaster was longer than that measured by ultrasound, use of optical or ultrasound biometry data in the SRK/T, SRK II, and Holladay 1 formulas resulted in similar accuracy of IOL power prediction in eyes with higher myopia. The IOL power calculated using the Haigis formula predicted the best refractive outcome in long eyes.
Health promotion for women: reduction of smoking in primary care settings.

Unnecessary deaths of women under age 65 should be a high priority among physicians and the medical community as a whole. In the discussion of the promotion of health for women and the reduction of smoking the idea of health promotion is 1st embellished upon with smoking and the preventable diseases incurred by it being used as an example for consideration. A good base of health promotion is the development of a health education strategy. Health promotion is defined by the following activities: the advocation of healthy behaviors the continuation of the promotion of such choices or the promotion of changes in unhealthy behavior the parleying of preventive and curative health services and the acceptance of such facilities and the condoning of activities at a societal level that are supportive of preventative and health choices. As the number of young women who smoke now exceeds the number of young men smoking among women is a growing concern. Although white women capture the greatest percentage in the ethnic division of smokers black women are only a few percentage points behind. In addition smoking increases inversely according to level of education with the greatest percentage occuring among women with little education. The consequences of smoking lung cancer cardiovascular disease and additional risks relative to oral contraceptive use are both apparent and serious. Measures such a mutually agreeable "quit plan" the creation of a smoke-free office and firm reinforcement in the discussion of smoking control are only a few of the steps a physician can undertake to support the process.
Effect of topological frustration on the freezing temperature

To allow us to study the effects of topological frustration on the equilibrium thermodynamics of crystallization, the equation of state for particles interacting with an ${r}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}12}$ potential was estimated by the Monte Carlo method for 120 particles on the surface of a four-dimensional sphere (an unfrustrated case). The transition temperature is found to be nearly twice as high as for the fcc lattice in Euclidean space. This result is interpreted in terms of a recently proposed Landau-Ginsburg model.
In-vitro oxidation of bisphenol A: Is bisphenol A catechol a suitable biomarker for human exposure to bisphenol A?

The extensive use of bisphenol A (BPA) in the manufacture of consumer products results in widespread human exposure to the chemical. In the body, BPA undergoes first-pass metabolism to form BPA glucuronide, considered to be a major BPA byproduct. Concentrations of total (free plus conjugated) urinary species of BPA are used to assess human exposure to BPA. However, because BPA can be present in numerous consumer and household products, potential contamination with parent BPA during collection and handling may pose a challenge when measuring BPA in such biological samples as blood or urine. In this study we investigated the in-vitro phase I metabolism of BPA in rat and human liver microsomes by using on-line solid-phase extraction–high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry to identify phase I metabolites (e.g., BPA oxidation products) that could be used as potential alternative biomarkers of BPA exposure. We unambiguously identified 5-hydroxy BPA (BPA catechol) as an in-vitro oxidative metabolite of BPA, but human microsomes oxidized only about 10% of BPA to BPA catechol. We evaluated the usefulness of BPA catechol as a potential biomarker of human exposure to BPA by measuring total concentrations of BPA catechol and BPA in 20 urine samples. We detected BPA catechol at much lower concentrations and frequency than those of BPA. Furthermore, we found that free BPA catechol was rather unstable in urine, which highlights the importance of sampling techniques to adequate interpretation of biomonitoring data. Together, these findings suggest that BPA catechol may not be a suitable biomarker of environmental exposure to BPA, but could be used to confirm BPA exposure in special populations or in situations when urine specimens were potentially contaminated with BPA.
Naturally occurring Sarcocystis neurona-like infection in a dog with myositis

Tissue stages similar to those of Sarcocystis neurona, the causative agent of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, were identified in skeletal muscles of a dog. The dog, a 6-year-old Labrador retriever, was seropositive for Toxoplasma gondii infection and euthanized due to a history of polymyositis and progressive muscular atrophy. Histologically, 30, variably sized, microscopic, intracellular sarcocysts were observed in 60 sections of skeletal muscles taken from the neck, fore limbs and hind limbs. The cysts were only observed in inflamed skeletal muscles, but were mostly in myocytes at the periphery of areas infiltrated with leukocytes. Ultrastructurally, the cyst wall had villar protrusions consistent with sarcocysts. Immunohistochemistry with monoclonal S. neurona antibodies demonstrated positive labeling of zoites in merozoites or schizonts in the skeletal muscle interstitium, but no labeling of the sarcocysts. Initial PCR analysis with primers amplifying a genetic sequence encoding Apicomplexan 18s rRNA, and subsequent PCR analysis with differentiating primers indicated that the genetic sequences had 100% identity with sequences reported for S. neurona.
Feasibility of high-repetition, task-specific training for individuals with upper-extremity paresis

OBJECTIVE. We investigated the feasibility of delivering an individualized, progressive, high-repetition upper-extremity (UE) task-specific training protocol for people with stroke in the inpatient rehabilitation setting. METHOD. Fifteen patients with UE paresis participated in this study. Task-specific UE training was scheduled for 60 min/day, 4 days/wk, during occupational therapy for the duration of a participant's inpatient stay. During each session, participants were challenged to complete ≥300 repetitions of various tasks. RESULTS. Participants averaged 289 repetitions/session, spending 47 of 60 min in active training. Participants improved on impairment and activity level outcome measures. CONCLUSION. People with stroke in an inpatient setting can achieve hundreds of repetitions of task-specific training in 1-hr sessions. As expected, all participants improved on functional outcome measures. Future studies are needed to determine whether this high-repetition training program results in better outcomes than current UE interventions.
Nonoxidative methane coupling with the aid of solid electrolytes

Abstract The electrocatalytic nonoxidative dimerization of methane to C 2 hydrocarbons (ethane and ethylene) was studied at 700–750°C and atmospheric total pressure. The reaction was studied in the electrochemical cells: Ag|SCY|Ag and Ag|YSZ|Ag where SCY is proton-conducting ytterbium-doped strontia-ceria and YSZ is oxygen-ion conducting yttria-stabilized zirconia. Under open circuit, a steady rate state of methane consumption r 0 was observed. Upon imposing a current or constant voltage through either electrolyte cell, the rate increased to a new steady state value r . The maximum ratio r / r 0 was 8 for I =50 mA and V = 2.80 V at 750°C for the single-chamber SCY cell. Upon interruption of the current, the rate returned to r 0 . The single-chamber cell can possibly replace a conventional catalyst support.
Chloroquine Interferes with Lipopolysaccharide-Induced TNF-α Gene Expression by a Nonlysosomotropic Mechanism

Chloroquine (CQ) is a lysosomotropic weak base with over 60 years of clinical use for the treatment of malaria and rheumatologic disorders. Consistent with its anti-inflammatory properties, CQ has been shown to interfere with TNF-alpha release from mononuclear phagocytes. Because it is unclear how CQ mediates these immunomodulatory effects, we set out to elucidate its mechanism of action. CQ exhibited dose-dependent inhibition of LPS-induced TNF-alpha release from human PBMC at therapeutically attainable concentrations. Additional studies to determine the specificity of this effect showed that although CQ reduced IL-1beta and IL-6 release, secretion of RANTES was unaffected. CQ acted by reducing TNF-alpha mRNA accumulation without destabilizing its mRNA or interfering with NF-kappaB nuclear translocation or p50/p65 isoform composition of DNA-binding complexes. Intracellular cytokine staining indicated that CQ reduced TNF-alpha production pretranslationally without interfering with TNF-alpha processing or release. We utilized bafilomycin A1 pretreatment to block the pH-dependent trapping of CQ in endosomes and lysosomes. Although bafilomycin A1 alone did not interfere with TNF-alpha expression, preincubation augmented the ability of CQ to reduce TNF-alpha mRNA levels, suggesting that CQ did not act by a lysosomotropic mechanism. Using confocal microscopy, we showed that bafilomycin A1 pretreatment resulted in a dramatic redistribution of quinacrine, a fluorescent congener of CQ, from cytoplasmic vacuoles to the nucleus. These data indicate that CQ inhibits TNF-alpha gene expression without altering translocation of NF-kappaB p50/p65 heterodimers. This dose-dependent effect occurs over a pharmacologically relevant concentration range and does not require pH-dependent lysosomotropic accumulation of CQ.
Demonstration of sub-1 Hz structural symmetry in micro-glassblown wineglass resonators with integrated electrodes

We demonstrate, for the first time, sub-1 Hz frequency symmetry in micro-glassblown wineglass resonators with integrated electrode structures. A new fabrication process based on deep glass dry etching was developed to fabricate micro-wineglasses with self-aligned stem structures and integrated electrodes. The wineglass modes were identified by electrostatic excitation and mapping the velocity of motion along the perimeter using laser Doppler vibrometry. A frequency split (Δf) of 0.15 Hz and 0.2 Hz was observed for n = 2 and n=3 wineglass modes respectively. Frequency split stayed below 1 Hz for DC bias volta ges up to 100 V, confirming that the low frequency split is attributed to high structural symmetry and not to capacitive tuning. High structural symmetry (<;1 Hz) and atomically smooth surfaces (0.23 nm Sa) of the resonators may enable new classes of high performance 3-D MEMS devices, such as rateintegrating MEMS gyroscopes.
BiTAM: Bilingual Topic AdMixture Models for Word Alignment

We propose a novel bilingual topical admixture (BiTAM) formalism for word alignment in statistical machine translation. Under this formalism, the parallel sentence-pairs within a document-pair are assumed to constitute a mixture of hidden topics; each word-pair follows a topic-specific bilingual translation model. Three BiTAM models are proposed to capture topic sharing at different levels of linguistic granularity (i.e., at the sentence or word levels). These models enable word-alignment process to leverage topical contents of document-pairs. Efficient variational approximation algorithms are designed for inference and parameter estimation. With the inferred latent topics, BiTAM models facilitate coherent pairing of bilingual linguistic entities that share common topical aspects. Our preliminary experiments show that the proposed models improve word alignment accuracy, and lead to better translation quality.
Mining, Indexing, and Similarity Search in Graphs and Complex Structures

Scalable methods for mining, indexing, and similarity search in graphs and other complex structures, such as trees, lattices, and networks, have become increasingly important in data mining and database management. This is because a large set of emerging applications need to handle new kinds of objects with complex structures, such as trees (e.g., XML data), graphs (e.g., Web, chemical structures and biological graphs) and networks (e.g., social and biological networks). Such complicated data structures pose many new challenging research problems related to data mining, data management, and similarity search that do not exist in the traditional database and data mining studies.
Analysis of microarchitectural changes in a mouse temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis model.

Objective: Little is known about the natural progression of the disease process of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) osteoarthritis (OA), which affects approximately 1% of the US population. The goal of this study was to examine the early microarchitectural and molecular changes in the condylar cartilage and subchondral bone in biglycan/fibromodulin (Bgn/Fmod) double-deficient mice, which develop TMJ-OA at 6 months. Methods: TMJs from 3-month-old (n = 44) and 9-month-old (n = 52) wild-type (WT n = 46) and Bgn/Fmod (n = 50) double-deficient mice were evaluated. Micro-CT analysis of the subchondral bone (n = 24), transmission electron microscopy for condylar cartilage fibril diameters (n = 26), and real-time PCR analysis for gene expression for bone and cartilage maturation markers (n = 45) was performed. Results: A statistically significant increase in collagen fibril diameter of the condylar cartilage and a decrease in expression of Parathyroid related protein in the mandibular condylar head were observed in the 3-month Bgn/Fmod double-deficient mice compared to WT controls. The 9-month Bgn/Fmod double-deficient mouse demonstrated an increase in bone volume and total volume in subchondral bone, and an increase in the expression of Collagen Type X and Aggrecan in the mandibular condylar head compared to the WT controls. Conclusion: We found that changes in the microarchitecture of the condylar cartilage preceded changes in the subchondral bone during OA in the TMJ in Bgn/Fmod doubledeficient mice.
Bad company and neo-Fregean philosophy

A central element in neo-Fregean philosophy of mathematics is the focus on abstraction principles, and the use of abstraction principles to ground various areas of mathematics. But as is well known, not all abstraction principles are in good standing. Various proposals for singling out the acceptable abstraction principles have been presented. Here I investigate what philosophical underpinnings can be provided for these proposals; specifically, underpinnings that fit the neo-Fregean’s general outlook. Among the philosophical ideas I consider are: general views on a priori justification; the idea of abstraction as reconceptualization, the idea that truth is prior to reference in the sense associated with Frege’s context principle; and various broadly relativistic views. The conclusions are by and large negative.
Drug-Drug Interaction between Itraconazole and Efavirenz in a Patient with AIDS and Disseminated Histoplasmosis

Although there is a presumed drug-drug interaction between itraconazole and nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors, the medical literature lacks such documentation. We describe a drug-drug interaction between itraconazole and efavirenz in a patient with disseminated histoplasmosis and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The drug combination resulted in persistently elevated urinary Histoplasma antigen levels and subtherapeutic plasma itraconazole concentrations. Changing treatment from efavirenz to a protease inhibitor was accompanied by improvements in the desired urinary Histoplasma antigen level and plasma itraconazole concentration.