cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Single domain to vortex state transition in multilayered cobalt/copper nanowires

Multilayered magnetic nanowires provide ideal platforms for nanomagnetism and spin-transport studies. They exhibit complex magnetization reversal behaviors as dimensions of the magnetic components are varied, which are difficult to probe since the magnetic entities are buried inside the nanowires. We have captured magnetic and magnetoresistance "fingerprints" of Co nanodiscs in Co/Cu multilayered nanowires as they undergo a single domain to vortex state transition, using a first-order reversal curve (FORC) method. The Co/Cu multilayered nanowires have been synthesized by pulsed electrodeposition into nanoporous polycarbonate membranes. In 50 nm diameter nanowires of [Co(5nm)/Cu(8nm)] 400 , a 10% magnetoresistance effect is observed at 300 K. In 200 nm diameter nanowires, the magnetic configurations can be tuned by adjusting the Co nanodisc aspect ratio. The thinnest nanodiscs exhibit single domain behavior. The thicker ones exhibit vortex states, where the nucleation and annihilation of the vortices are manifested as butterfly-like features in the FORC distributions. The magnetoresistance effect shows different characteristics, which correspond to the different magnetic configurations of the Co nanodiscs.
Studies on polynucleotides. 147. Use of the lipophilic tert-butyldiphenylsilyl protecting group in synthesis and rapid separation of polynucleotides

Butyldiphenylchlorosilanes react with deoxy- and N-protected deoxymononucleotides to give, in each case, the 3'-O-butyldiphenylsilyl ether in high yield. A comparative study of n-, sec-, and tert-butyldiphenylchlorosilanes showed, as expected, a wide variation in the rate of formation and in the stability of the 3'-O-silyl ethers, the tert-butylphenylsilyl group being the one of choice in polynucleotide synthesis. The silyl group can be readily removed on treatment with fluoride ion in buffered pyridine at room temperature. This property markedly increases flexibility of the current methodology for polynucleotide synthesis. Secondly, because of its high lipophilicity, the silyl group allows rapid solvent extraction of synthetic intermediates, and thirdly, it greatly facilitates the isolation of the required product in synthetic reactions because of the selective and strong retention of the condensation product during reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography. Several examples of synthetic procedures, including a stepwise synthesis of an undecanucleotide, are given which demonstrate overall simplification of polynucleotide synthesis.
GAMMA GLUTAMYL TRANSPEPTIDASE OF SPROUTED ONION

SUMMARY –An enzyme capable of liberating p-nitroaniline from γ-l-glutamyl p-nitroanilide has been purified 800-fold from sprouted onions. The enzyme acts optimally at pH 9.0, is activated by amino acids and inhibited by borate and competitively by γ-glutamyl derivatives. With the p-nitroanilide as substrate it exhibits a Km of 14.3 mM whereas the Ki values with glutathione and γ-glutamyl-S-methyl-l-cysteine as inhibitors are 0.20 and 2.14 mM respectively. From chromatography of the reaction products and from kinetic considerations it is concluded that the purified enzyme is a transpeptidase (E.C.2.3.2.1) whereas crude onion extract may, in addition, possess a true γ-glutamyl hydrolase. It is suggested that such enzymes may play a role in the disappearance of peptides in post-dormant onions and may be useful evoking the full flavor potential of onion.
Implications in the burn neutrophil of serum and cellular zinc levels.

Abstract A parabolic correlation between leukocyte zinc content and phagocytic capacity apparent in clinical studies has been tested in a rat model. Dietary zinc restriction decreased average serum zinc levels from control values of 1.65 ± 0.41 to 0.70 ± 0.28 μg/ml during the first 13 weeks of restriction ( P P P
Color Doppler Ultrasound Analysis of Ocular Circulation After Topical Calcium Channel Blocker

Purpose To investigate the effect of topical administration of the calcium channel blocker verapamil on intraocular pressure and retrobulbar hemodynamics. Methods In this randomized, prospective, double-masked study, we examined the effects of single-dose topical administration of verapamil in ten normal human volunteers by using color Doppler ultrasound imaging to measure hemodynamic parameters. Limitations of this study include single-dose application of verapamil and relatively small sample size. Results No systemic effect on heart rate or blood pressure was detected after administration of topical verapamil. The intraocular pressure significantly decreased compared with baseline two hours after topical 0.125% and 0.25% verapamil (P = .015 and .040, respectively). Pourcelot's ratio, an index of vascular resistance, measured in the central retinal artery was significantly reduced after topical application of 0.125% verapamil (P = .008). The change in Pourcelot's ratio primarily resulted from an increased end diastolic velocity in the central retinal artery. No significant differences compared with baseline values were detected in the color Doppler ultrasound measurements of the posterior ciliary arteries and the central retinal vein two hours after topically administered verapamil. Conclusions Topical administration of verapamil decreases intraocular pressure and alters ocular hemodynamics, reducing the vascular resistance index in the central retinal artery.
Anisotropic spreading of liquid metal on a rough intermetallic surface

An anisotropic wicking of molten Sn-Pb solder over an intermetallic rough surface has been studied. The phenomenon features preferential spreading and forming of an elliptical spread domain. A theoretically formulated model was established to predict the ratio of the wicking distance along the long axis (rx) to that along the short axis (ry) of the final wicking pattern. The phenomenon was simultaneously experimentally observed and recorded with a hotstage microscopy technique. The anisotropic wicking is established to be caused by a non-uniform topography of surface micro structures as opposed to an isotropic wicking on an intermetallic surface with uniformly distributed surface micro features. The relative deviation between the theoretically predicted rx/ry ratio and the corresponding average experimental value is 5%. Hence, the small margin of error confirms the validity of the proposed theoretical model of anisotropic wicking.
Influence of Graft Density on Kinetics of Surface-Initiated ATRP of Polystyrene from Montmorillonite

Here we report the kinetics of the surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of styrene from the surface of functionalized montmorillonite clay as a function of graft density. Compared with analogous ATRP reactions with free initiator, we observe a seven-fold increase in the polymerization rate at the highest graft density, ∼1 chain/nm2, whereas bulk kinetics are recovered as the graft density is reduced. We hypothesize that this phenomenon is a consequence of local concentration heterogeneities that shift the ATRP equilibrium in favor of the active state and present a simple phenomenological kinetic model that accounts for our data. These findings present an important consideration relevant to the design of precisely defined molecular architectures from surfaces via surface-initiated ATRP.
NICMOS Images of the GG Tauri Circumbinary Disk

We present deep, near-infrared images of the circumbinary disk surrounding the pre-main-sequence binary star GG Tau A, obtained with NICMOS aboard the Hubble Space Telescope. The spatially resolved protoplanetary disk scatters ~1.5% of the stellar flux, with a near-side-to-far-side flux ratio of ~1.4, independent of wavelength, and colors that are comparable to the central source [Δ = 0.10 ± 0.03, Δ = -0.04 ± 0.06]; all of these properties are significantly different from the earlier ground-based observations. New Monte Carlo scattering simulations of the disk emphasize that the general properties of the disk, such as disk flux, near-side-to-far-side flux ratio, and integrated colors, can be approximately reproduced using interstellar medium-like dust grains, without the presence of either circumstellar disks or large dust grains, as had previously been suggested. A single-parameter phase function is fitted to the observed azimuthal variation in disk flux, providing a lower limit on the median grain size of a > 0.23 μm. Our analysis, in comparison to previous simulations, shows that the major limitation to the study of grain growth in T Tauri disk systems through scattered light lies in the uncertain interstellar medium dust grain properties. Without explicit determination of the scattering properties, it is not possible to differentiate between geometric, scattering, and evolutionary effects. Finally, we use the 9 yr baseline of astrometric measurements of the binary to solve the complete orbit, assuming that the binary is coplanar with the circumbinary ring. We find that the estimated 1 σ range on the disk inner edge-to-semimajor axis ratio, 3.2 < Rin/a < 6.7, is larger than that estimated by previous smoothed particle hydrodynamic simulations of binary-disk interactions.
Flux of Cosmic-Ray Particles with Z ≥ 2 over Texas

The fluxes of multiply charged cosmic-ray particles have been measured with nuclear emulsions in a high altitude balloon flight. The identification of $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-particles was based on "blob-gap" measurements; that of elements with $Zg~3$, on $\ensuremath{\delta}$-ray densities. The charge resolution obtained was satisfactory. To calculate the fluxes at the top of the atmosphere an extrapolation procedure, previously introduced in this laboratory, was employed. Two sets of parameters which account for the interactions in the residual atmosphere, differing considerably as far as their influence on the fluxes of light elements is concerned, were used. The results (in particles/${\mathrm{m}}^{2}$ sec sterad) are as follows:
Evaluation of synthetic liquid chromatography—diode array detection—mass spectrometry data for the determination of enzyme kinetics

Abstract In this paper, we investigate the accuracy and precision of the results from diode array detector (DAD) data and mass spectrometry (MS) data as obtained subsequent to chromatographic separations using computer simulations. Special attention was given to simulations of multiple injections from a developing enzymatic reaction. These simulations result in three-way LC–DAD–MS kinetic data; LC–DAD and LC–MS data were also evaluated independently in this investigation. The noise characteristics of the MS detector prevent accurate determination of the individual reaction rate constants by the analysis method. Using the data from the DAD in combination with the MS detector results in improved estimation of the rate constants. The results also indicate that the higher resolving power of the MS information compensates for the lower signal-to-noise ratio in these data, compared to DAD data.
Resistance of Young Rat Hepatic Mitochondria to Bile Acid-Induced Permeability Transition: Potential Role of α-Tocopherol

Retention of bile acids within the liver is a primary factor in the pathogenesis of cholestatic liver disorders, which are more common in human infants. The objective of this study was to evaluate developmental changes in mitochondrial factors involved in bile acid-induced hepatocyte injury. Hepatic mitochondria from adult rats (aged 9 wk) underwent a mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) and release of cytochrome c upon exposure to glycochenodeoxycholic acid. In contrast, mitochondria from young rats (age 6–36 d) were resistant to MPT induction and cytochrome c release. Neither mitochondrial levels of MPT-associated proteins (voltage-dependent anion channel, cyclophilin D, or adenine nucleotide translocase), Bcl-2 family proteins, nor antioxidant enzymes explained this resistance. Mitochondria from young rats contained 2- to 3-fold higher α-tocopherol (α-TH). In vivo α-TH enrichment of adult hepatic mitochondria increased their MPT resistance. Tetra-linoleoyl cardiolipin (TL-CL), the primary molecular species of CL, was reduced in mitochondria of the young rat; however, enrichment with CL and TL-CL only modestly increased their MPT susceptibility. In conclusion, we observed an unexpected resistance in young rats to bile acid induction of mitochondrial cell death pathways, which may be related to developmental differences in membrane composition.
REFLECTIONS ON THE B-DEDUCTION

The Transcendental Deduction in the Critique of Pure Reason is clearly among the most highly praised, often criticized and least understood items in the philosophical canon. The obscurity and complexity of the text have enabled philosophers of vastly different persuasions to find what they wish to find in it and to disregard the rest. Thus, for Kant's idealistic successors it was the main inspiration for a speculative metaphysic of the I that contained both the deepest truth of the “critical” philosophy and the key to the transcendence of its allegedly “dogmatic” elements, such as the conception of the Ding an sich . By contrast, in our day it has been thought to contain the germ of a powerful transcendental argument that, starting from some supposedly noncontroversial premise about self-consciousness or the self-ascription of experience, arrives at substantive, anti-skeptical conclusions regarding the objectivity of experience, without any of the excess baggage of transcendental idealism or transcendental psychology. Curiously enough, these radically different approaches to the text have more in common than one might at first assume. Specifically, they share the view that the crucial theme in the Deduction is the correlation between selfconsciousness or the capacity to say ‘I’ (apperception) and the consciousness or experience of an objective, spatio-temporal world. Indeed, the root idea that these somehow mutually condition one another is the nerve center of the Transcendental Deduction in virtually every interpretation from the most metaphysical to the most analytic.
Monotopic binding modes for ditopic ligands: synthesis and characterization of W6S8L6 (L = bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane, 4,4′-bipyridine) cluster compounds

Abstract We have synthesized two compounds, W6S8[bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane]6 (1) and W6S8(4,4′-bipyridine)6 (2), in which ditopic ligands associate with the W6S8 cluster in monotopic fashion. Compound 1 was synthesized through ligand exchange on W6S8(tbp)6 (tbp = 4-tert-butylpyridine) in benzene and crystallized in the R 3 – space group with a = b = 29.7159(13) A and c = 14.2188(9) A. Compound 2 was synthesized by ligand exchange on W6S8(tbp)6 in aniline and crystallized as 2∙5aniline in the P 1 – space group with a = 9.3565(6) A, b = 15.7743(10) A, c = 15.8149(11) A, α = 99.5975(18)°, β = 98.4930(17)°, and γ = 96.1659(18)°. To cite this article: C.M. Oertel et al., C. R. Chimie 8 (2005).
Prokinetic therapy for gastroenterological diseases

Normal propulsion of luminal contents through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract requires complex, coordinated neural and motor activity. Abnormalities can occur at a number of different levels, and there are numerous etiologies. Several drugs are proven to be effective in stimulating the motility of the GI tract. The most common medications used in the USA are erythromycin, metoclopramide, and neostigmine. A new prokinetic agent, tegaserod, has been recently approved, and other serotonin agonist agents are currently undergoing clinical studies. Cisapride has been withdrawn from the market because of its side-effects. Other prokinetics, such as domperidone, are not yet approved in the USA, although it is used in other countries. This review summarizes current knowledge of the mechanisms of GI motility disorders, as well as new agents that show promise as therapy.
Symmetric designs as the solution of an external problem in combinatorial set theory

We apply duality in the Johnson scheme J ( v , k ) to give a very short proof of a theorem of Frankl and Furedi. We consider a family ℱ of k -subsets of a v -set such that ℱ is a 1-design and | x ∪ y | ⩾ λ > 0 for all x , y ∈ ℱ. We prove v ⩽ ( k 2 − k + λ)/λ with equality if and only if ℱ is a symmetric 2 − ( v , k , λ) design.
COMPETITION AND CEMENT BASING POINTS: F.O.B. DESTINATION, DELIVERED FROM WHERE?*

Spatial price theory suggests that locations which become basing points do so in response to competitive forces. The paper presents a model that captures the effect of those forces. When the model is tested against a sample of cement mills, there is little support for the competitive hypothesis. There is some evidence that the large cement producers determined which locations became basing points.
Management Trends and Outcomes for Stage I to II Mantle Cell Lymphoma Using the National Cancer Data Base: Ascertaining the Ideal Treatment Paradigm.

Purpose Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a rare, albeit aggressive subset of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, resulting in varied treatment approaches. Given the paucity of data defining the optimal management for early-stage MCL, we conducted an analysis using the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) to identify practice patterns and outcomes. Methods and Materials The NCDB was queried for patients with stage I to II MCL diagnosed from 1998 to 2012 receiving chemotherapy (CT) or radiation therapy (RT), or both (CT+RT). Univariate and multivariable analyses for factors associated with treatment selection were completed using logistic regression. Propensity scores with inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) were calculated based on the conditional probability of receiving CT+RT. The log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards modeling with IPTW adjustment were conducted for the survival analyses. Results In total, 2539 patients were identified. The key characteristics were as follows: 69% were male, 71% were aged ≥60 years, 28% had extranodal involvement, and 51% had stage I disease. Of the 2539 patients, 70% underwent CT, 11% underwent RT, and 19% underwent CT+RT. The use of CT+RT decreased from 23.1% to 14.1% in 1998 to 2002 and 2010 to 2012 ( P P P =.029). Conclusions Although uncommon, patients with stage I-II MCL can have favorable outcomes. Despite a continued decline in the usage of consolidative RT, combined modality therapy improves survival in this cohort compared with monotherapy.
Pilot evaluation of a prototype critical care blood glucose monitor in normal volunteers.

Background: Availability of a highly accurate in-hospital automated blood glucose (BG) monitor could facilitate implementation of intensive insulin therapy protocols through effective titration of insulin therapy, improved BG control, and avoidance of hypoglycemia. We evaluated a functional prototype BG monitor designed to perform frequent automated blood sampling for glucose monitoring. Methods: Sixteen healthy adult volunteer subjects had intravenous catheter insertions in a forearm or hand vein and were studied for 8 hours. The prototype monitor consisted of an autosampling unit with a precise computercontrolled reversible syringe pump and a glucose analytical section. BG was referenced against a Yellow Springs Instrument (YSI) laboratory analyzer. Sampling errors for automated blood draws were assessed by calculating the percent of failed draws, and BG data were analyzed using the Bland and Altman technique. Results: Out of 498 total sample draws, unsuccessful draws were categorized as follow: 11 (2.2%) were due to autosampler technical problems, 21 (4.2%) were due to catheter-related failures, and 37 (7.4%) were BG meter errors confirmed by a glucometer-generated error code. Blood draw difficulties or failures related to the catheter site (e.g., catheter occlusion or vein collapse) occurred in 6/15 (40%) subjects. Mean BG bias versus YSI was 0.20 ± 12.6 mg/dl, and mean absolute relative difference was 10.4%. Conclusions: Automated phlebotomy can be performed in healthy subjects using this prototype BG monitor. The BG measurement technology had suboptimal accuracy based on a YSI reference. A more accurate BG point-of-care testing meter and strip technology have been incorporated into the future version of this monitor. Development of such a monitor could alleviate the burden of frequent BG testing and reduce the risk of hypoglycemia in patients on insulin therapy.
Pelvic instability after bone graft harvesting from posterior iliac crest: report of nine patients

Objective. To report the imaging findings in nine patients who developed pelvic instability after bone graft harvest from the posterior aspect of the iliac crest. Design and patients. A retrospective study was performed of the imaging studies of nine patients who developed pelvic pain after autologous bone graft was harvested from the posterior aspect of the ilium for spinal arthrodesis. Plain films, bone scans, and CT and MR examinations of the pelvis were reviewed. Pertinent aspects of the clinical history of these patients were noted, including age, gender and clinical symptoms. Results. The age of the patients ranged from 52 to 77 years (average 69 years) and all were women. The bone graft had been derived from the posterior aspect of the iliac crest about the sacroiliac joint. All patients subsequently developed subluxation of the pubic symphysis. Eight patients had additional insufficiency fractures of the iliac crest adjacent to the bone graft donor site, and five patients also revealed subluxation of the sacroiliac joint. Two had insufficiency fractures of the sacrum and one had an additional fracture of the pubic ramus. Conclusions. Pelvic instability is a potential complication of bone graft harvesting from the posterior aspect of the iliac crest. The pelvic instability is manifested by insufficiency fractures of the ilium and subluxation of the sacroiliac joints and pubic symphysis.
BUBBLE COALESCENCE IN STAGNANT LIQUIDS

Abstract The coalescence behavior of bubbles in aqueous solutions is investigated, A sharp transition on coalescence frequency is observed with increasing solute concentration. The mechanism of coalescence appears to be very different for volatile and non-volatile solutes.
Determination of constitutive response of plastically graded materials

Plastically graded materials (PGMs) are frequently used in high-performance tribological components such as case-hardened gears and bearings for jet and rocket engines due to their superior resistance to rolling contact fatigue. These components can have a surface hardness as high as 9 GPa and a decreasing hardness gradient over a depth of approximately 2 mm. This hardness gradient is achieved by a gradient in carbon content. Proper design of such components requires the knowledge of the constitutive response with depth. In this manuscript, a coordinated experimental and numerical method is presented to extract the constitutive response of commercially available case-hardened Pyrowear 675 (P675) stainless steel. Utilizing the variation in micro-Vickers hardness with depth for both virgin and plastically deformed PGMs, representative plastic strain, and well established hardness-yield strength relationships, the constitutive response of the PGM is uniquely determined. It is shown that this specific PGM has a linear variation in yield strength, but a constant strain hardening exponent. The procedure developed here can assist in surface engineering a PGM with optimized hardness profiles to maximize tribological performance.
A 3D quantitative comparison of trapezium and trapezoid relative articular and nonarticular surface areas in modern humans and great apes

The structure and functions of the modern human hand are critical components of what distinguishes Homo sapiens from the great apes (Gorilla, Pan, and Pongo). In this study, attention is focused on the trapezium and trapezoid, the two most lateral bones of the distal carpal row, in the four extant hominid genera, representing the first time they have been quantified and analyzed together as a morphological-functional complex. Our objective is to quantify the relative articular and nonarticular surface areas of these two bones and to test whether modern humans exhibit significant shape differences from the great apes, as predicted by previous qualitative analyses and the functional demands of differing manipulative and locomotor strategies. Modern humans were predicted to show larger relative first metacarpal and scaphoid surfaces on the trapezium because of the regular recruitment of the thumb during manipulative behaviors; alternatively, great apes were predicted to show larger relative second metacarpal and scaphoid surfaces on the trapezoid because of the functional demands on the hands during locomotor behaviors. Modern humans were also expected to exhibit larger relative mutual joint surfaces between the trapezoid and adjacent carpals than do the great apes because of assumed transverse loads generated by the functional demands of the modern human power grip. Using 3D bone models acquired through laser digitizing, the relative articular and nonarticular areas on each bone are quantified and compared. Multivariate analyses of these data clearly distinguish modern humans from the great apes. In total, the observed differences between modern humans and the great apes support morphological predictions based on the fact that this region of the human wrist is no longer involved in weight-bearing during locomotor behavior and is instead recruited solely for manipulative behaviors. The results provide the beginnings of a 3D comparative standard against which further extant and fossil primate wrist bones can be compared within the contexts of manipulative and locomotor behaviors.
Development of Reduced Kidney Function in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with a variety of kidney disorders. However, it is unclear whether the development of reduced kidney function is higher in patients with RA compared to the general population. Study Design Retrospective review. Setting & Participants Incident adult-onset RA cases (813) and a comparison cohort of non-RA individuals (813) in Olmsted County, MN, in 1980-2007. Predictor Baseline demographic and clinical variables. Outcomes Reduced kidney function: (1) estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) Measurements The cumulative incidence of reduced kidney function was estimated adjusting for the competing risk of death. Results Of 813 patients with RA and 813 non-RA individuals, mean age was 56±16 (SD) years, 68% were women, and 9% had reduced kidney function at baseline. The 20-year cumulative incidence of reduced kidney function was higher in patients with RA compared with non-RA participants for eGFR Limitations Reduced kidney function was defined by estimating equations for kidney function. We are limited to deriving associations from our findings. Conclusions Patients with RA were more likely to develop reduced kidney function over time. CVD and associated factors appear to play a role. The presence of RA in individuals with reduced kidney function may lead to an increase in morbidity from CVD development, for which awareness may provide a means for optimizing care.
Melding engineering into a liberal arts tradition: a unique nine-semester BS/BA electrical engineering program

In 1986, the University of San Diego (USD) began an initiative to enhance the science portion of its liberal arts tradition. A new nine-semester program in Electrical Engineering was created as one of the flagship components of that initiative. Founding and building an engineering program, not only within a liberal arts university but also within a College of Arts and Sciences, presented a challenging set of objectives and constraints to the founding Electrical Engineering faculty. In particular, satisfying the extensive general education component at USD while fulfilling the needs of a quality engineering program presented an interesting set of tradeoffs. The resultant program is the only EAC/ABET accredited nine-semester course of study automatically leading to a dual Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degree in Electrical Engineering. The dual nature of the degree proclaims the breadth of academic experiences required of every student. This paper chronicles the first ten years of Electrical Engineering at USD: the growth from its first classes in 1987 to national recognition.
Defining and Characterizing the Progression of Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease in which the risks of myocardial infarction, stroke, microvascular events, and mortality are all strongly associated with hyperglycemia (1). The disease course is primarily characterized by a decline in β-cell function and worsening of insulin resistance. The process is manifested clinically by deteriorations in multiple parameters, including A1C, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and postprandial glucose levels. In this review, we will evaluate our current understanding of the role played by deteriorating β-cell function and other abnormalities linked with the progression of type 2 diabetes. An improved understanding of these abnormalities may provide the scientific groundwork for novel therapies that may help achieve and maintain good glycemic control. ### Progression from pre-diabetes to overt diabetes Because glucose is a continuous variable, the use of thresholds to make a diagnosis is somewhat arbitrary. The term “pre-diabetes” has become well established and implies a risk of progression to overt diabetes. However, although such progression is well studied in prevention trials, little is known about the rate of progression and the characteristics of such progression in the population at large. Table 1 summarizes some of the factors associated with such progression. Nichols et al. (2) studied the progression of pre-diabetes to overt disease and observed that 8.1% of subjects whose initial abnormal fasting glucose was 100–109 mg/dl and 24.3% of subjects whose initial abnormal fasting glucose was 110–125 mg/dl developed diabetes over an average of 29.0 months (1.34 and 5.56% per year, respectively). A steeper rate of increasing fasting glucose; higher BMI, blood pressure, and triglycerides; and lower HDL cholesterol predicted diabetes development. View this table: Table 1 Factors associated with progression of pre-diabetes to diabetes The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (3) concluded that although phenotypic differences in rates of progression are partly a function of diagnostic thresholds, fasting and postchallenge hyperglycemia may represent phenotypes with distinct natural …
CADASIL disease, an inherited slowly progressive vascular dementia: case report with radiologic and electron microscopic findings.

Journal of Stroke and C Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) disease, a genetically determined arteriopathy, is a rare cause of vascular dementia. We present a case report of a 50-year-old man with migraines associated with left-sided weakness since age 34 years, a stroke at age 43 years, followed by progressive dementia. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed diffuse leukoencephalopathy with involvement of bilateral anterior temporal lobes. Skin biopsy was performed because of clinical suggestion of CADASIL and positive family history. Electron microscopy revealed granular osmophilic material deposits in dermal arterioles, diagnostic for CADASIL disease. A brief discussion of reasons for false-negative skin biopsy findings, differential diagnosis, and treatment of patients with CADASIL disease is presented.
IBM SCPM: Lifecycle support for process-centric supply chain transformation

Supply chain transformation is an embranchment of enterprise transformation to optimize supply chain performance while reducing cost to deal with the drastic global competition. End-to-end supply chain transformation includes complex changes and improvements for numerous aspects in multiply levels. IBM supply chain process modeler (SCPM) provides an integrated platform to support the whole life cycle of supply chain transformation with comprehensive methodology. Business process is the foundation and linkage of the whole supply chain transformation life cycle. SCPM supports decision making from strategy level, tactical level to operation level, and then deploys the re-engineered business processes into execution system to realize the transformation decisions. It has already been applied to several supply chain transformation projects and demonstrated to produce profound while smooth transformation.
Alternative reproductive tactics in female horseshoe crabs

Consistent differences among females in mating with one (monandrous) or multiple males (polyandrous) may be a product of male behavior or may reveal the existence of female alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs). The distinction is an important one for understanding the evolution of sexually selected behavior. We evaluated whether ARTs exist in female horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus), a species in which male alternative reproductive tactics are well known. In this species, attached pairs migrate to shore and spawn on high tides; the male fertilizes the female’s eggs externally with free-swimming sperm as the eggs are being laid. Unattached males are attracted to pairs by visual and chemical cues and become satellites of some females while ignoring others. We used multiple lines of evidence, including mark/resighting; measurements of size, physical condition, and eggs laid; and field manipulations of female response to satellite males. We show that even at high nesting densities with intense male–male competition, some females mated only with their one attached male, and females were consistently monandrous or polyandrous across multiple nestings. Monandrous females did not attract satellites but when males were experimentally manipulated to join monandrous pairs, some females stopped nesting and left rather than nest with a satellite male. These females tended to be smaller than polyandrous females. Our results suggest condition-dependent differences between monandrous and polyandrous females that result in different context-dependent mating decisions by monandrous and polyandrous females to
Delivering real reality to the World Wide Web via telerobotics

Robots provide us with a means to move around in, visualize, and interact with a remote physical world. We have exploited these physical properties coupled with the growing diversity of users on the World Wide Web (WWW) to create a WWW based telerobotic remote environment browser. This browser, called Mechanical Gaze, allows multiple remote WWW users to control a robot arm with an attached camera to explore a real remote environment. The environment varies but is typically composed of collections of physical museum exhibits which WWW users can view at various positions, orientations, and levels of resolution.
HKI-272 in Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer

Somatic mutations in the kinase domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene are found in approximately 10% of lung adenocarcinomas sequenced in the United States and in approximately 30% sequenced in Asia. These mutations are associated with sensitivity to the EGFR inhibitors gefitinib and erlotinib. Many patients who initially respond to erlotinib or gefitinib subsequently relapse. Studies have identified EGFR T790M mutations in tumors from patients who initially responded and then relapsed. The T790M mutation, when combined in vitro with treatment-sensitizing EGFR mutations, permits the continued growth of tumor cells in the presence of erlotinib and gefitinib. HKI-272 is an irreversible EGFR/HER/ErbB inhibitor that has been shown to inhibit the growth of T790M mutant cells in vitro in human lung cancer cell lines and in murine cells transfected with sensitizing EGFR mutations. A phase I HKI-272 monotherapy trial in patients with solid tumors is close to completion. Preliminary analyses of the trial, presented at the 2006 annual meeting of American Society of Clinical Oncology, showed that HKI-272 can achieve stable disease control for over 6 months in some patients with non-small cell lung cancer that has progressed after treatment with gefitinib or erlotinib. A phase II trial of HKI-272 in non-small cell lung cancer patients has been initiated. HKI-272 might offer benefits to non-small cell lung cancer patients who have relapsed after an initial response to erlotinib.
MyMediHealth - Designing a next generation system for child-centered medication management

Background: The last mile of the medication use system requires tools to help patients comply with medication administration rules and monitor for side effects. Personal health records (PHR) and emerging user-adopted communication tools promise to change the landscape of medication management; however, no research has been done to demonstrate how these tools might be constructed to support children with special healthcare needs. The overarching goal of the MyMediHealth project was to investigate ways in which PHRs and supported applications can improve the safety and quality of medication delivery in this population. Design approach: This project employed user-centered design to identify requirements for a child-centered medication management system. We collected information through site visits, facilitated group discussions, and iterative design sessions with adult caregivers. Once design requirements were articulated and validated, we constructed an initial prototype medication scheduler, which was evaluated by 202 parents using scripted activities completed using an online interactive prototype. The results of this analysis informed the development of a working prototype. Status: We have completed a working prototype of a scheduling system, a text-message-based alert and reminder system, and a medication administration record based on web-entered patient data. Implications: Pilot testing of the working prototype by stakeholders yielded strong endorsement and helpful feedback for future modifications, which are now underway as a part of an expanded project to test this system in a real-world environment.
The effects of stress on reading: A comparison of first-language versus intermediate second-language reading comprehension.

This study investigated how resource-demanding reading tasks and stressful conditions affect 1st-language (L1) and intermediate 2nd-language (L2) reading comprehension. Using the attentional control theory framework (Eysenck, Derakshan, Santos, & Calvo, 2007), we investigated the roles of central executive working memory (WM) resources, reading task difficulty, trait reading anxiety, and social evaluative stress on L1 and L2 readers’ comprehension. Eighty-six L2 Spanish readers and 70 L1 English readers were tested for comprehension using noninference (fact), bridging inference, and pragmatic inference questions under either no-stress or social-evaluative stress conditions. Stress reduced processing efficiency (producing longer reaction times) for L2 readers who were high in reading anxiety and increased processing efficiency for L1 readers who were high in WM capacity. Stress did not affect reading effectiveness (accuracy). Thus, stress only impaired reading efficiency when task difficulty was high due to high inferential complexity or reading in an L2 and when anxious thoughts competed for limited central executive WM resources. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
THE MINIMUM CONCENTRATION OF OXYGEN FOR LUMINESCENCE BY LUMINOUS BACTERIA.

A method is described for measuring the concentration of oxygen to allow just perceptible luminescence of luminous bacteria. The value turns out to be extraordinarily low, about 0.005 mm. Hg pressure O2 or 1 part by weight oxygen dissolved in 3,700,000,000 cc. sea water.
Ethical Leadership in Schools Servicing African American Children and Youth

This article examines the role of leadership in establishing a school climate where ethical deliberation—a discussion of what is "right" and "fair"—undergirds educational decision-making. It raises a number of questions to which progressive educational leaders must respond in planning to meet the needs of all students, but especially those of African descent-those students with promise and potential whose future is jeopardized by current educational policy and practice which often ignore issues related to power and privilege. A major focus is educational leaders who have position authority to facilitate planning for more inclusive educational settings for students who are culturally and linguistically diverse (i.e., superintendents, building-level administrators, directors of special education, division-level administrators). However, shared leadership and empowerment of teachers and specialists are reviewed as an essential element for effective collaboration and achievement of educational environments wh...
Some images produced by gravitational light deflection

Some images produced as a result of gravitational light deflection by bodies other than the Sun are discussed. Two cases are examined, when the source is much more distant than the intervening body, and when it is relatively near to the intervening body. A disc source, for example, can have a disc image with a bright bulge on one edge, a distorted ring image, or even a double-component image with both components of equal brightness but one smaller than the other. The two components of a double image can have apparent relative velocities exceeding the speed of light, and this is suggested as a possible explanation of observations of the quasar 3C279.
Sexuality-Related Risks are Judged more Harshly than Comparable Health Risks

ABSTRACTObjectives: In three studies, the authors examined the extent to which STIs and sexual behavior were perceived negatively compared to objectively riskier behaviors. Methods: In Study 1, participants estimated the risk of death as a result of contracting HIV from one instance of unprotected sex (with a noninjection drug user) relative to the risk of death as a result of an automobile accident (a 300 mile drive). In Study 2a, participants read one of two vignettes, in which a target either unknowingly transmitted an STI (chlamydia) or a nonsexual disease (H1N1) to another person through a sexual encounter. In Study 2b, participants read one of 12 vignettes; the type of disease (chlamydia or H1N1), severity of the disease outcome (mild, moderate, or severe), and sex of transmitter (female or male) were manipulated. In Study 3, state-level public health and driving websites were coded for risk-reduction recommendations. Results: In Studies 1 and 2, participants rated the target who transmitted chlamyd...
ANTERIOR SEGMENT GEOMETRY AND IMAGE FORMATION ON THE RETINA: EVALUATION OF LIMITS IN THE EMMETROPIC HUMAN EYE

Image formation by the human visual system depends specifically on the curvatures and refractive indices of the cornea and crystalline lens, as well as on the spacings between refractive surfaces within the system. For the adult emmetropic human eye, many of these spacings and curvatures appear to be confined to rather narrow ranges of magnitude (Koretz et al.,1989; Cook et al., 1994). These ranges are either age-independent (e.g., globe length) or linearly dependent on age (e.g., anterior chamber depth). In addition, the dependence of many of these spacings on accommodative amplitude (e.g., change in lens thickness per diopter of accommodation) is both linear and age-independent (Koretz et al., 1997). Taken together, these relationships with age and accommodative amplitude indicate a dynamic balance that leads to focus on the retina over the majority of an emmetropes lifetime (Koretz et al., 1995; Bron et al., 1999).
An Allometric Analysis of Ontogenetic Changes (Variation) in the Cranial Morphology of Larvae of Agabus disintegratus (Crotch) (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae)

Abstract Distortion coordinates (Cartesian Transformations) are used to compare the cranial morphology of first, second, and third instars of Agabus disintegratus (Crotch) and third instars of A. disintegratus and Matus bicarinatus (Say). These analyses revealed significant ontogenetic changes in the cranial architecture of A. disintegratus and differences between crania of third instars of A. disintegratus and M. bicarinatus. Differences between A. disintegratus and M. bicarinatus are interpreted as evidence that larvae of the two species exploit prey regimes with different characteristics. It is hypothesized that the ability of prey to resist capture may be an important characteristic responsible for the ontogenetic changes in cranial morphology observed in A. disintegratus. Anisometric increases in the adductor musculature responsible for closing the mandibles would explain the posterior expansion of the cranium of A. disintegratus during ontogeny. These changes are interpreted as evidence that A. disi...
The Use of Intravenous Acetaminophen for Acute Pain in the Emergency Department.

Abstract Acetaminophen is a mainstay for pain management worldwide. The intravenous (IV) formulation has been widely used in Europe for more than 20 years in adults and children. In the United States, IV acetaminophen (APAP) obtained full approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2010. There is emerging literature to suggest the use of IV APAP for pain reduction in the Emergency Department (ED). This evidence-based review examines the evidence pertaining to the use of IV APAP for acute pain control in the ED. The MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCT) that described or evaluated the use of IV APAP for acute pain in the ED were included. Duplicate articles, unpublished reports, abstracts, review articles, and non-English literature were excluded. The primary outcome of interest in this review was the difference in pain score between IV APAP and active comparator or placebo from baseline to a cutoff time specified in the original trials. Secondary outcome measures were the incidence of adverse events and reduction in the amount of adjuvant analgesics consumed by patients who received IV APAP. Methodological quality of the trials was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria. Fourteen randomized controlled trials (RCT) with various methodological flaws which enrolled a total of 1472 patients met the inclusion criteria. The level of evidence for the individual trials ranged from very low to moderate. In three of the fourteen trials, a significant reduction in pain scores was observed in patients who received IV APAP. The first trial found a significant reduction in mean pain scores when IV APAP was compared to IV morphine at 30 minutes after drug administration (4.7±2.3 vs. 2.9±2.2). In the second trial, patients who received IV APAP reported of lower pain scores (31.7mm+18, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.2-25.2) compared to those who received IV morphine (48.3mm+14.1, 95%CI: 8.2-25.2), 15 minutes after drug administration. A third trial found a significant reduction (p=0.005) in the mean pain scores when IV APAP was compared to intramuscular piroxicam at 90 minutes after drug administration. In the remaining 8 trials, pain scores were not statistically different when IV APAP was compared to other pain medications. The incidence of side effects associated with IV APAP was very low. Fourteen randomized controlled trials with various methodological flaws provided limited evidence to support the use of IV APAP as the primary analgesic for acute pain control in patients who presents to the ED. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Alternative to Black-Scholes for Valuing ESOs

Professors Themis Pantos, Stewart Karlinsky, and Joe Mori, all of San Jose State University, present an alternative to the Black-Scholes model for valuing stock options.