cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pars Plana Vitrectomy Techniques for Relief of Epiretinal Traction by Membrane Segmentation

We used a technique for surgical management of fibrovascular membranes to relieve epiretinal tangential traction when present in proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Sharp dissection with intraocular scissors was used to segment fibrovascular and cortical vitreous membranes together with cauterization of large vessels with intraocular bipolar diathermy. The objective of membrane segmentation was to relieve all epiretinal traction, thereby reducing retinal surface distortion and allowing the retina to flatten and reattach. Complete relief of traction prevented further late contraction of membranes and subsequent distortion and redetachment.
Amyloid-β(1-42) protofibrils formed in modified artificial cerebrospinal fluid bind and activate microglia

Soluble aggregated forms of amyloid-β protein (Aβ) have garnered significant attention recently for their role in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Protofibrils are a subset of these soluble species and are considered intermediates in the aggregation pathway to mature Aβ fibrils. Biological studies have demonstrated that protofibrils exhibit both toxic and inflammatory activities. It is important in these in vitro studies to prepare protofibrils using solution conditions that are appropriate for cellular studies as well as conducive to biophysical characterization of protofibrils. Here we describe the preparation and characterization of Aβ(1–42) protofibrils in modified artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) and demonstrate their prominent binding and activation of microglial cells. A simple phosphate/bicarbonate buffer system was prepared that maintained the ionic strength and cell compatibility of F-12 medium but did not contain numerous supplements that interfere with spectroscopic analyses of Aβ protofibrils. Reconstitution of Aβ(1–42) in aCSF and isolation with size exclusion chromatography (SEC) revealed curvilinear β-sheet protofibrils <100 nm in length and hydrodynamic radii of 21 nm. Protofibril concentration determination by BCA assay, which was not possible in F-12 medium, was more accurately measured in aCSF. Protofibrils formed and isolated in aCSF, but not monomers, markedly stimulated TNFα production in BV-2 and primary microglia and bound in significant amounts to microglial membranes. This report demonstrates the suitability of a modified aCSF system for preparing SEC-isolated Aβ(1–42) protofibrils and underscores the unique ability of protofibrils to functionally interact with microglia.
Structural characterization of terrestrial microbial Mn oxides from Pinal Creek, AZ

The microbial catalysis of Mn(II) oxidation is believed to be a dominant source of abundant sorption- and redox-active Mn oxides in marine, freshwater, and subsurface aquatic environments. In spite of their importance, environmental oxides of known biogenic origin have generally not been characterized in detail from a structural perspective. Hyporheic zone Mn oxide grain coatings at Pinal Creek, Arizona, a metals-contaminated stream, have been identified as being dominantly microbial in origin and are well studied from bulk chemistry and contaminant hydrology perspectives. This site thus presents an excellent opportunity to study the structures of terrestrial microbial Mn oxides in detail. XRD and EXAFS measurements performed in this study indicate that the hydrated Pinal Creek Mn oxide grain coatings are layer-type Mn oxides with dominantly hexagonal or pseudo-hexagonal layer symmetry. XRD and TEM measurements suggest the oxides to be nanoparticulate plates with average dimensions on the order of 11 nm thick x 35 nm diameter, but with individual particles exhibiting thickness as small as a single layer and sheets as wide as 500 nm. The hydrated oxides exhibit a 10-A basal-plane spacing and turbostratic disorder. EXAFS analyses suggest the oxides contain layer Mn(IV) site vacancy defects, and layer Mn(III) is inferred to be present, as deduced from Jahn-Teller distortion of the local structure. The physical geometry and structural details of the coatings suggest formation within microbial biofilms. The biogenic Mn oxides are stable with respect to transformation into thermodynamically more stable phases over a time scale of at least 5 months. The nanoparticulate layered structural motif, also observed in pure culture laboratory studies, appears to be characteristic of biogenic Mn oxides and may explain the common occurrence of this mineral habit in soils and sediments.
Medication use, self-reported drug allergies, and estimated medication cost in patients with epileptic versus nonepileptic seizures

Abstract The decision to take medication may say as much about a patient's self-perception as it does about his or her diagnosis. Patient-reported drug allergies often cannot be verified by physicians, and may be a self-perception not always grounded in medical reality. We retrospectively studied medication use and self-reported drug allergies in 346 sequential epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU) inpatients from 1994–96. Because financial concerns play an increasing role in patient care, we also estimated minimum antiepileptic drug (AED) costs. A clear diagnosis was reached in 226/346 (65%) cases. Seventy-four cases were nonepileptic seizures (NES) (33%) and 152 were epileptic seizures (ES) (67%). The NES patients were significantly more likely to be women (76%) than were ES patients (60%) ( p p > 0.05). The ES patients took more AEDs than NES patients [1.9 and 1.3, respectively ( p p p
Detection of time-varying light signals as measured by the pupillary response.

The apparent brightness with which a light stimulus is perceived is determined not only by the average luminance of the stimulus, but also by its temporal properties. For instance, if the luminance is modulated periodically below the flicker-fusion frequency, the observed brightness appears, in general, to be higher than the observed brightness of an equal-average constant luminance. The pupillary response of the human eye, which seems to be well correlated with the observed brightness, has been analyzed quantitatively as a function of the modulation index and frequency for sinusoidal modulation. Under certain quite general assumptions, it is possible to predict the presence of a peripheral linear low-pass filter in the visual system. It is shown how the characteristics of this linear filter can be determined from the experimental data. The break frequency turns out to be around 9 cps and the high-frequency cutoff has a slope of 18 dB/octave.
Conservation and management of ungulates in North America

The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation had its genesis, in part, with the conservation of native ungulates. Thus, it is important to understand what these species are and how they have been and are, currently, managed. Ungulates are hooved quadrupeds that include those that are odd-toed (e.g. tapirs [Tapirus bairdii]) and even-toed (e.g. deer). Contemporary management of the ungulates evolved through three stages: exploitation, concern for survival and conservation through wise use. The success of conservation of ungulates has been attributed to the merger of biology, an understanding of habitat and the role of human dimensions. This triad of wildlife management has been effective. Most ungulate populations in North America have been restored; viable populations exist. Challenges to the conservation of large mammals remain, however, including increased human population growth, climate change and sources of funding.
Edge waves near a seawall

Abstract The edge-wave dispersion relation is found for the case where the beach and water are bounded by a vertical wall. The length of the edge waves which are resonant with incoming swell is shown to be very sensitive, at times, to the water depth at the wall. This sensitivity could have important implications for the stability of beach features thought to be associated with such waves.
Chlamydia trachomatis Co-opts the FGF2 Signaling Pathway to Enhance Infection

The molecular details of Chlamydia trachomatis binding, entry, and spread are incompletely understood, but heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) play a role in the initial binding steps. As cell surface HSPGs facilitate the interactions of many growth factors with their receptors, we investigated the role of HSPG-dependent growth factors in C. trachomatis infection. Here, we report a novel finding that Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 (FGF2) is necessary and sufficient to enhance C. trachomatis binding to host cells in an HSPG-dependent manner. FGF2 binds directly to elementary bodies (EBs) where it may function as a bridging molecule to facilitate interactions of EBs with the FGF receptor (FGFR) on the cell surface. Upon EB binding, FGFR is activated locally and contributes to bacterial uptake into non-phagocytic cells. We further show that C. trachomatis infection stimulates fgf2 transcription and enhances production and release of FGF2 through a pathway that requires bacterial protein synthesis and activation of the Erk1/2 signaling pathway but that is independent of FGFR activation. Intracellular replication of the bacteria results in host proteosome-mediated degradation of the high molecular weight (HMW) isoforms of FGF2 and increased amounts of the low molecular weight (LMW) isoforms, which are released upon host cell death. Finally, we demonstrate the in vivo relevance of these findings by showing that conditioned medium from C. trachomatis infected cells is enriched for LMW FGF2, accounting for its ability to enhance C. trachomatis infectivity in additional rounds of infection. Together, these results demonstrate that C. trachomatis utilizes multiple mechanisms to co-opt the host cell FGF2 pathway to enhance bacterial infection and spread.
Motion of packings of frictional grains.

Friction plays a key role in controlling the rheology of dense granular flows. Counting the number of constraints vs the number of variables indicates that critical coordination numbers ${Z}_{c}=3$ (in $D=2$) and ${Z}_{c}=4$ (in $D=3$) are special, in that states in which all contacts roll without frictional sliding are naively possible at and below these average coordination numbers. We construct an explicit example of such a state in $D=2$ based on a honeycomb lattice. This state has surprisingly large values for the typical angular velocities of the particles. Solving for the forces in such a state, we conclude that organized shear can exist in this state only on scales $\ensuremath{\ell}ld/I$, where $d$ is the grain diameter and $I=d\stackrel{\ifmmode \dot{}\else \.{}\fi{}}{\ensuremath{\gamma}}/\sqrt{P/{\ensuremath{\rho}}_{g}}$ is the dimensionless ``inertia number.'' Above this scale the coherent shear is destabilized by the disappearance of normal forces between a significant fraction of the grains. Moving to disordered lattices, we observe that rolling regions in such lattices are characterized by an antiferromagnetic short-range ordering of the particle rotations; the frustration of this ordering links the shearing states of the grain packing to low-energy spin-glass states on the same lattice. Random lattice states are also expected to exhibit large values for the typical angular velocities and to also have regions of coherent shear limited to be smaller than $\ensuremath{\ell}$.
RE: Hashemi et al. "Increasing pre-activation of the quadriceps muscle protects the anterior cruciate ligament during the landing phase of a jump: an in vitro simulation" [The Knee 17(3) (2010) 235-241].

With all due respect we believe the conclusions of the above paper are erroneous for the reasons given below. Pre-landing phase interpretation: The authors corroborate findings already in the literature that ACL strain increased with increasing quadriceps ‘pre-activation’ force (QPF). However, in order to increase QPF while initially maintaining the knee flexion angle at 20°, the authors had to prevent the anterior and downward translation of the ankle joint. This constraint is unphysiological and means that their experimental design cannot represent the pre-landing phase of a jumpwhen the foot is, by definition, in the air and no such constraints act. This part of the experiment therefore neither simulates “the contribution of the hamstring in flexing the knee joint without resisting anterior tibial translation” nor a pre-landing scenario in the absence of hamstring forces. Landing phase interpretation: The authors report a significant negative correlation (r=−0.235 and p=0.032) betweenACL “landing” strain and increasing QPF (Figure 3). First, this correlation coefficient is poor, explaining only 6% of the variance in their results. Second, the authors tested nine knee specimens, yet performed as many as 30 contrasts in their statistical analyses (10 each in Tables 1, 2 and 3). The chance of a Type I error (false positive result) is therefore high.Using the Bonferroni correction, for example, the critical levelwould bepb0.0017, not pb0.05, and their pooled result in Table 2 would no longer be significant. This negative correlationwould appear to beweak evidence upon which to base the conclusion as well as the title of the paper. Figure 4 shows a lack of effect of QPF on ACL ‘total strain’. But this plot does not show the effect of thedynamic increase in quadriceps force due to the impulsive loadof the landing. Toprovide convincingevidence that quadriceps force is protective of ACL strain, a plot of ‘total strain’ versus peak quadriceps force (i.e., the sum of QPF plus the dynamic increase in quadriceps forcedue to the impulsive load)wouldhave to showzero or a significant negative slope. In the absence of such data, we do not believe the above paper provides evidence that quadriceps force is protective of the anterior cruciate ligament in the landing phase of a jump.
Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics education for senior medical students

In many medical schools instruction of students in clinical pharmacology remains informal and may be inadequate. To determine the short-term efficacy of a mandatory senior medical year course in clinical pharmacology, we compared examination scores of senior students in the College of Medicine, University of Iowa, either prior to or following the Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Lecture Series. A significantly higher (P less than .001) mean score was demonstrated by students taking the examination following the course (75 +/- 4% correct) versus those taking the examination prior to the course (55 +/- 4% correct). To determine student acceptance, postcourse questionnaires were completed. Students surveyed immediately postcourse and alumni surveyed up to four years after graduation highly recommended the course and favored retaining it as a mandatory part of the fourth-year curriculum. This study confirms the efficacy and acceptance of senior medical courses in therapeutics and suggests an effective role for clinical pharmacologists in their design and execution.
Thermal effects of CO2 laser on the pulpal chamber and enamel of human primary teeth: An in vitro investigation

Background and Objective: Thermal effects of direct exposure of the pulp chamber to CO2 laser irradiation were evaluated and potentially safe parameters for its clinical application were determined. Study Design/Meterials and Methods: Using conventional methods, the pulp chambers of freshly extracted primary cuspids were exposed and then subjected to CO2 laser irradiation at the following parameters: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15, and 20 Watts power settings; 0.76 mm diameter spot size; total energy densities between 4–1,058 J/cm2; exposure time between.01–60 s. Exposures in the continuous wave mode were performed in some specimens. In others, single firings of a.01 s pulse duration and a 1 s pulse interval were conducted. Temperature measurements were conducted using a thermocouple and thermal camera. Results: Significant statistical differences in maximum temperature rise on enamel were observed in groups that received total energy densities ≥ 8 J/cm2 (P ≤ 0.01); within the pulp chambers these were observed in groups that used ≥ 44 J/cm2 (P ≤ 0.01). Conclusion: Parameters appropriate for pulpotomy were observed at energy densities up to 176 J/cm2 in the continuous wave mode and 264 J/cm2 using single pulses, wherein temperature rises below 5.5°C were recorded on tooth surface. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
In vitro nephrotoxicity induced by chloronitrobenzenes in renal cortical slices from Fischer 344 rats.

Abstract Chloronitrobenzenes are important chemical intermediates in the manufacture of industrial, agricultural and pharmaceutical agents. Toxicity induced by the various chloronitrobenzene isomers in vivo includes hematotoxicity, immunotoxicity, hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. The purpose of the study was to determine the direct nephrotoxic effects of nitrobenzene and ten chlorinated nitrobenzene derivatives using renal cortical slices as the in vitro model. Renal cortical slices were prepared from kidneys of untreated, male Fischer 344 rats and incubated with nitrobenzene (1.0–5.0 mM), a chloronitrobenzene (0.5–5.0 mM) or vehicle for 2 h. At the end of the 2 h incubation, tissue gluconeogenesis capacity (pyruvate-stimulated gluconeogenesis) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release were determined as measures of cellular function and cytotoxicity. Based on decreased pyruvate-stimulated gluconeogenesis and increased LDH release, the order of decreasing nephrotoxic potential was trichloronitrobenzenes>dichloronitrobenzenes>monochloronitrobenzenes>nitrobenzene. Among the mono- and dichloronitrobenzenes, 1-chloro-3-nitrobenzene and 3,4-dichloronitrobenzene were the most potent nephrotoxicants, while the two trichloronitrobenzenes tested exhibited similar nephrotoxic potentials. These results demonstrate that chloronitrobenzenes are directly nephrotoxic in vitro and that increasing the number of chloro groups increases the nephrotoxic potential of the resulting chloronitrobenzene derivative.
Investigating the safety and efficacy of naltrexone for anti-psychotic induced weight gain in severe mental illness: study protocol of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial

Obesity is a growing health problem leading to high rates of mortality and morbidity in patients with severe mental illness (SMI). The increased rate of obesity is largely attributed to antipsychotic use. The effect of antipsychotic medications on H1 and 5HT2 receptors has been associated with weight gain, but there is also a substantial amount of evidence showing that D2 receptor blockade may be responsible for weight gain by interacting with the dopamine-opioid system. Unfortunately, current available medications for weight loss have limited efficacy in this population. Naltrexone, an opioid receptor antagonist, may be a promising agent to reduce antipsychotic induced weight gain by decreasing food cravings. We aim to investigate the safety and efficacy of two doses of naltrexone (25 mg & 50 mg) versus placebo for weight and health risk reduction in overweight and obese individuals (BMI ≥ 28) with SMI, who gained weight while being treated with antipsychotics.
A microfluorometric assay of the lysosomal arylsulfatases in leukocytes.

Abstract Techniques for measuring the lysosomal arylsulfatases A and B, the hydrolases deficient in metachromatic leukodystrophy and Maroteaux-Lamy disease, respectively, are, for the most part, in the developmental stages. Existing methods for assay of leukocyte enzyme, for example, utilize large (10 ml) volumes of blood [1–6], a requirement which discourages their application in tests of infants and young children. Some, furthermore, do not distinguish between the activities of arylsulfatase A and B [6] and thus are of limited value in providing data for the diagnosis of the respective storage disease. All employ a time-consuming process for the purification of leukocytes. The assays for leukocyte enzyme, described below, are rapid, pertain to the individual lysosomal arylsulfatases, employ methylumbelliferyl substrate and require only small volumes of blood.
Teaching computer game design and construction

Abstract Computer gaming is a key component of the rapidly growing entertainment industry. While building computer games has typically been a commercial endeavor, we believe that designing and constructing a computer game is also a useful activity for educating students about geometric modeling and computer graphics. In particular, students are exposed to the practical issues surrounding topics such as geometric modeling, rendering, collision detection, character animation and graphical design. Moreover, building an advanced game provides students exposure to the real-world side of software engineering that they are typically shielded from in the standard computer class. In this paper, we describe our experiences with teaching a computer science class that focuses on designing and building the best game possible in the course of a semester. The paper breaks down a typical game into various components that are suited for individual student projects and discusses the use of modern graphical design tools such as Maya in building art for the game. We conclude with a rough timeline for developing a game during the course of a semester and review some of the lessons learned during the three years we have taught the class.
Sa1477 Translumenal Access for Endoscopic Pancreatic Necrosectomy: the Safe Entrance for Necrosectomy Sans Electrocautery (SENSE) Technique

Then each slide was processed to be stained at the department of cytopathology and reviewed by cytopathologists to assess the specimen adequacy. Results: Seventy-eight specimens were collected from 33 patients. Aspirated lesions were as follows: 46 pancreas (59.0%), 14 intra-abdominal lymph nodes (17.9%), other intra-abdominal organ (17.9%) and mediastinal lymph node (5.1%). Of these, malignancies were 69.2%, borderline malignancies 3.8% and benign lesions 26.9%. The positive predictive value (PPV) of non-bloody white core for prediction of specimen adequacy was 95.2% and the PPV of bloody core with white spots was 100.0%. Among adequate sample slides, non-bloody white core was observed in 60.6% and bloody core with white spots were observed only in 28.8%. Combined criteria of non-bloody white core and bloody core with white spots, presence of white core/spots showed sufficient value of sensitivity (89.4%), specificity (83.3%) and PPV (96.7%) for predicting sample adequacy. Conclusions: sVisual assessment of specimen adequacy seems to be very useful during EUS-FNA. Presence of white core/spots showed very high PPV. By using morphologic criteria with high PPV, it may be possible to reduce the number of needle pass and procedural time in general fields of practice. In future, studies for decreasing interobserver variability should be followed.
Demonstration of Penicillamine as a Product in Benzylpenicillenic Acid Degradation in Neutral Media Using Differential Pulse Polarography

During the study of the temporal changes of benzylpenicillenic acid in aqueous buffers using differential pulse polarography, penicillamine was found to be a degradation product at neutral pH. Since this result was not previously reported, the effects of pH and buffer concentration on penicillamine formation were investigated. The amount of penicillamine produced was greatest under conditions producing maximum benzylpenicillenic acid stability. Penicillamine was not obtained from benzylpenicilloic acid, the reported degradation product of benzylpenicillenic acid at neutral pH. Penicillamine also was detected in penicillin G solutions of neutral pH. Therefore, it is suggested that penicillamine found in penicillin G solutions arises from benzylpenicillenic acid degradation which, in turn, is produced from penicillin G isomerization. A pathway is proposed to show that penicillamine originates from the UV-absorbing isomer of benzylpenicillenic acid.
National Parks in a Changing World

(1989). National Parks in a Changing World. Society & Natural Resources: Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 241-243.
METAL CERAMIC INTERFACE TOUGHNESS I : PLASTICITY ON MULTIPLE LENGTH SCALES

The fracture toughness of Ni-sapphire interfaces was measured as a function of interfacial embrittlement. Embrittlement was controlled by segregating sulfur to the interface, by limiting the presence of moist air in the test environment, and by altering the distribution of interfacial particulates. Fracture energies scaled with the degree of embrittlement and ranged from 8.5 to 34.2 J/m2. Scanning probe microscopy revealed four distinct plasticity features, the heights of which ranged from 1 μm to 0.5 nm. Plasticity generation processes are determined based on the variation of feature height and position with fracture energy, allowing features associated with the interface decohesion process to be identified.
The Acceleration-Oscillogram Method of Motor-Torque Measurement

The need for an improved method of measuring starting torque of large induction starting synchronous motors as compared to the power input and dynamometer methods, has led to the use of the acceleration oscillogram. A low ripple, permanent magnet type d-c generator is driven by the motor, and traces a time-speed oscillogram, from which acceleration, and the torque producing it, may be calculated. Comparative torque tests, at full and reduced voltage, made by this and the other motor showed the definite advantage of the acceleration tests in combined convenience and accuracy. Interesting facts about synchronous motor starting torques, not accurately shown by previous tests, have been brought to light. The acceleration or deceleration oscillogram is also applied to the measurement of torques or losses of very small high-speed motors by using other methods of rotation indication, involving no loading of the motor.
Prices and Regional Variation in Welfare

One would expect regional differences in prices to influence conclusions concerning levels and distributions of well-being. Although there is anecdotal evidence of significant price dispersion across regions, there is no governmental source of data that measures differences in price levels. In this paper I integrate estimates of regional prices with expenditure data from the Consumer Expenditure Surveys to assess the influence of price differences on living standards in the United States. While prices have little effect on inequality, estimates of poverty and the standard of living change substantially with the inclusion of regional price variation.
Sign of the induced gravitational constant

We study the restrictions that analyticity and positivity impose on psi(q/sup 2/), the two-point function constructed with the trace of the energy-momentum tensor of an asymptotically free gauge theory with dynamical symmetry breaking. The Adler-Zee formula for the induced gravitational constant is (16..pi..G/sub ind/)/sup -1/ = (1/12)psi'(0). We place particular emphasis on the question of the sign of G/sub ind/. This sign is related to the distribution and type of zeros of psi(q/sup 2/). We prove that for the case of asymptotic freedom psi has at most two zeros. We investigate all possible cases and show that the G/sub ind/ is potentially positive in three but each has a different sign of psi(0), one psi(0)>0, one psi(0) ..infinity. This last sign gives us a check on whether the renormalization procedure is consistent with positivity.
The Social Context of Lesbian Mothers' Anxiety During Early Parenthood

SYNOPSIS Objective . To prospectively explore change in mental health (and, specifically, anxiety) across the transition to parenthood for lesbian mothers. Design . Multilevel modeling was used to analyze data from 34 lesbian couples (68 women) at three time points (prenatal, 3 months postbirth, and 3.5 years after birth) to explore the influence of prenatal characteristics on the level of and change in women's anxiety during early parenthood. Results . Anxiety increased for all new mothers, but predictors of average anxiety and change in anxiety differed somewhat for biological and nonbiological lesbian mothers. For biological mothers, working more hours and doing more housework prenatally were associated with higher average anxiety postnatally. Among nonbiological mothers, lower perceived infant distress and higher perceived instrumental support were associated with less increase in anxiety over time. Conclusion . Early parenthood can be challenging for both biological and nonbiological lesbian mothers,...
Strengths of single lines in the 12C16O2, ν3 band at 4.3 μm

Abstract Individual line strengths have been measured in the 4.3-μm ν 3 absorption band of 12 C 16 O 2 from R 46 to R 90 using a vacuum grating spectrometer. Approximately 1100 measurements were made at pressures from 0.16 to 100.0 Torr, path lengths from 3.25 to 2331 cm, and temperatures from 246 to 338 K. The standard deviations of the measurements varied from 5 to 10%. The mean value of the vibrational dipole matrix element squared obtained is { R if } 2 = 0.1103 ± 0.0085 D 2 .
CONTINUOUS BREAKING OF CHIRAL SYMMETRY.

Continuity arguments for transitions between various subgroups of the chiral-symmetry group are presented. Some interesting sum rules are obtained in this way.
Voltage-dependence of synaptic time course reduces excitation at a diphasic synapse.

Abstract At a diphasic excitatory-inhibitory synapse ofAplysia, the time constant of decay of the early excitatory synaptic conductance is decreased by depolarization. As a consequence of this reduced excitation, the amplitude of the inhibitory phase is increased and its rise time shortened, and inhibitory change transfer is greater than excitatory charge transfer at potentials more depolarized than −53 mV. Functional consequences of voltage-dependent time course can thus be identified at a central synapses.
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF FAMILY INTERVENTIONS IN THE TREATMENT OF PHYSICAL ILLNESS

Although a large body of research demonstrates that the family has a powerful influence on physical health, the evidence for the effectiveness of family interventions in physical illness is less conclusive. Family therapy and other family interventions appear to be most effective in chronic childhood illnesses such as asthma and diabetes. Family interventions have also been shown to be effective in the management of some cardiovascular and neurologic disorders and for the treatment of obesity. Family therapy appears to be more effective than individual therapy for some groups of patients with anorexia nervosa. This research supports the increasingly important role of medical family therapy in the new health care system. Recommendations for future research are discussed.
Convergent Validity of the Communication Based Emotional Support Scale

This study examined the validity of Weber and Patterson's (1996) Communication Based Emotional Support Scale (CBESS). In addition to the CBESS, participants completed two of the four following scales: the Perceived Social Support – Friend Scale (PSS-Fr; Procidano & Heller, 1983), the friend subscale of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS; Zimet, Dahlem, Zimet, & Farley, 1988), the Social Support Behaviors Scale (SSB; Vaus, Riedel, & Stewart, 1987), and the friend subscale of the Scales of Perceived Social Support (Macdonald, 1998). Each of the four support scales were positively correlated with the CBESS, establishing the convergent validity of the instrument.
A simple integral method for system identification

Abstract A method is described for evaluating the parameters in a differential equation from an experimental solution in the case where the parameters appear as multipliers. By formal integrations a set of linear equations is obtained with coefficients that can be calculated by numerical integrations. The method gives satisfactory results for precise data but loses accuracy when the data are affected by small random errors.
Multi-bilateral Multi-issue E-negotiation in E-commerce with a Tit-for-Tat Computer Agent

We discuss multi-bilateral multi-issue electronic negotiation (e-negotiation) in the context of an e-commerce marketplace system in which multiple players – buyers and sellers – conduct bilateral (pair-wise) multi-attribute negotiations followed optionally by an auction. Negotiators both make and request specific concessions. The concept of a tit-for-tat concession strategy is developed and implemented by a computer agent. The work is related to the Evolutionary Systems Design (ESD) framework for formal modeling/design of Purposeful Complex Adaptive Systems (PCAS).
A Continuum Theory of Crack Shielding in Ceramics

Abstract : A phenomenological constitutive model is proposed which aims at describing the overall effect of microfracture in ceramics. Based on this model, the asymptotic stress, strain and displacement fields at the tip of a stationary macroscopic crack are determined in closed form. The near-tip stress-intensity factor is computed and observed to be significantly smaller than the applied stress-intensity factor even for moderate amounts of damage. (Author)
The effects of HIV on P300 are moderated by familial risk for substance dependence: Implications for a theory of brain reserve

Background The goal of the study was to test the validity of additive versus synergistic versus underadditive versions of brain reserve theory within the context of HIV/AIDS. In addition, it tested the convergent validity of 2 operational definitions of premorbid reserve: verbal IQ (VIQ) and a family history (FH) of substance abuse or dependence.
Dietary antioxidant depletion: enhancement of tumor apoptosis and inhibition of brain tumor growth in transgenic mice

Apoptosis, or regulated cell suicide, eliminates unwanted and damaged cells, including precancerous and cancerous cells. Since reactive oxygen species (ROS) act as essential apoptotic mediators, we reasoned that increasing the ROS level might enhance apoptosis and thereby slow down tumor growth. Here, using a defined transgenic brain tumor model with known tumor apoptosis rates, we test the impact of antioxidant-depleted diet, capable of increasing ROS levels, or antioxidant-enriched diets on tumor growth. Dramatically increased apoptosis occurs within tumors, but not in normal tissues of antioxidant-depleted mice. The presence of detectable increased oxidant stress within tumors indicates that the likely mechanism of enhanced tumor apoptosis is via ROS and DNA oxidative impairment. Importantly, due to the ROS-enhanced apoptosis, tumor growth is inhibited in mice fed an antioxidant-depleted diet. In clear contrast, an antioxidant-rich diet had no impact on tumor growth.
NsdC and NsdD Affect Aspergillus flavus Morphogenesis and Aflatoxin Production

ABSTRACT The transcription factors NsdC and NsdD are required for sexual development in Aspergillus nidulans. We now show these proteins also play a role in asexual development in the agriculturally important aflatoxin (AF)-producing fungus Aspergillus flavus. We found that both NsdC and NsdD are required for production of asexual sclerotia, normal aflatoxin biosynthesis, and conidiophore development. Conidiophores in nsdC and nsdD deletion mutants had shortened stipes and altered conidial heads compared to those of wild-type A. flavus. Our results suggest that NsdC and NsdD regulate transcription of genes required for early processes in conidiophore development preceding conidium formation. As the cultures aged, the ΔnsdC and ΔnsdD mutants produced a dark pigment that was not observed in the wild type. Gene expression data showed that although AflR is expressed at normal levels, a number of aflatoxin biosynthesis genes are expressed at reduced levels in both nsd mutants. Expression of aflD, aflM, and aflP was greatly reduced in nsdC mutants, and neither aflatoxin nor the proteins for these genes could be detected. Our results support previous studies showing that there is a strong association between conidiophore and sclerotium development and aflatoxin production in A. flavus.
Diabetes Research: A Perspective From the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

This is the third in a series of articles, invited by the editors of Diabetes, that describes the research programs and aims of organizations committed to funding and fostering diabetes-related research. The first piece, contributed by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, appeared in the January 2012 issue of Diabetes. The second piece that describes the American Diabetes Association’s research program appeared in the June 2012 issues of Diabetes and Diabetes Care.
Advanced pancreatic cancer: is there a role for combination therapy?

Once thought to be a relatively untreatable disease, pancreatic cancer has recently become a focus of intense clinical research. The systemic administration of gemcitabine (Gemzar®) is currently considered the standard first-line treatment for patients with advanced disease. While treatment with gemcitabine has been shown to result in both clinical benefit and prolongation of survival, objective tumor responses are relatively uncommon and median survival times remain short. Several recent efforts have therefore focused on evaluating chemotherapy regimens in which gemcitabine is combined with other cytotoxic drugs. While randomized trials have now confirmed that such combinations are associated with higher response rates, they have not yet clearly demonstrated that combination therapy results in a survival advantage. Increasingly, attention has turned to a number of novel chemotherapeutic and biologic agents that appear promising and are likely to play an important future role in the treatment of patients ...
Temporal coherence and time-frequency distributions in spectroscopic optical coherence tomography

Traditional analysis of spectroscopic optical coherence tomography (SOCT) signals is limited by an uncertainty relationship between time (depth) and frequency (wavelength). The use of a bilinear time-frequency distribution for analysis, such as those that compose Cohen's class of functions, may provide a way to avoid this limitation. Here we present the relationship between traditional SOCT analysis and the relevant Cohen class functions: the Wigner and Choi-Williams distributions. While cross terms that arise in these bilinear time-frequency distributions have been viewed as an artifact, here we identify these terms with temporal coherence, which contains significant information about the signal through phase relationships. The utility of time-frequency distributions is illustrated through analysis of calculated signals.
Robust stability of a certain class of distributed parameter systems

Kharitonov's theorem and the edge theorem are obtained for a special class of distributed parameter systems. Kharitonov's theorem is first extended to a certain class of distributed parameter systems, and then a further extension is made for the case when the perturbations in the coefficients of the characteristic polynomial of the same class of distributed parameter system are linearly dependent. >
A Practical Analysis of the Electrical Conductivity of Blood

Recent developments in indicator-dilution measurement of pulmonary edema have generated new interest in the use of electrical-conductivity sensing for measurement of indicator concentrations in blood. This approach has always suffered from the lack of an appropriate and validated model of the dependence of electrical conductivity on blood composition and indicator concentration. Such a model is developed here, based in part on a review of earlier work on variation with hematocrit and on recognition of the profound effect on conductivity of even transient alterations of blood temperature by the indicator itself. Shifts of water into and out of erythrocytes, in response to osmotic pressures, are properly included. The model predicts approximately linear changes in blood conductivity'over a large range of indicator concentrations (e. g., independent nonlinearity of 2.6 percent for 3 percent saline over a 0-30 percent concentration in blood). Changes in resistivity can be nonlinear, particularly with hypertonic indicators (e. g., independent nonlinearity of 7.9 percent for 3 percent saline over a 0-15 percent concentration in blood). Overlooking the thermal and osmotic effects can lead to significant errors in signal interpretation; consequent errors in flow rate determinations can be greater than 10 percent. Model predictions are verified in vitro with various indicators and canine blood using a miniature tetrapolar conductivity cell of our own design. The multicomponent nature of most conductivity indicators and the associated implications are discussed.
An epigenetic vaccine model active in the prevention and treatment of melanoma

Numerous immune genes are epigenetically silenced in tumor cells and agents such as histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi), which reverse these effects, could potentially be used to develop therapeutic vaccines. The conversion of cancer cells to antigen presenting cells (APCs) by HDACi treatment could potentially provide an additional pathway, together with cross-presentation of tumor antigens by host APCs, to establish tumor immunity. HDACi-treated B16 melanoma cells were used in a murine vaccine model, lymphocyte subset depletion, ELISpot and Cytotoxicity assays were employed to evaluate immunity. Antigen presentation assays, vaccination with isolated apoptotic preparations and tumorigenesis in MHC-deficient mice and radiation chimeras were performed to elucidate the mechanisms of vaccine-induced immunity. HDACi treatment enhanced the expression of MHC class II, CD40 and B7-1/2 on B16 cells and vaccination with HDACi-treated melanoma cells elicited tumor specific immunity in both prevention and treatment models. Cytotoxic and IFN-γ-producing cells were identified in splenocytes and CD4+, CD8+ T cells and NK cells were all involved in the induction of immunity. Apoptotic cells derived from HDACi treatments, but not H2O2, significantly enhanced the effectiveness of the vaccine. HDACi-treated B16 cells become APCs in vitro and studies in chimeras defective in cross presentation demonstrate direct presentation in vivo and short-term but not memory responses and long-term immunity. The efficacy of this vaccine derives mainly from cross-presentation which is enhanced by HDACi-induced apoptosis. Additionally, epigenetic activation of immune genes may contribute to direct antigen presentation by tumor cells. Epigenetically altered cancer cells should be further explored as a vaccine strategy.
Partial avoidance contingencies.

Abstract Rats were trained in a discrete-trial paradigm with no intertrial interval. The first response changed an auditory stimulus for the remainder of the trial. Shocks were delivered only at the end of the trial cycle. Avoidance contingencies were defined by the conditional probability of shock, given no response (P0), and the conditional probability of shock given a response (P1). The maximal avoidance contingency was P0=1.0, P1=0, and noncontingent conditions were those for which P0=P1. In Experiment I, after training on the maximal contingency, three groups of subjects experienced either P0=P1=0, P0=P1=0.5, or P0=P1=1.0. Eight of 10 subjects stopped responding under the noncontingent conditions. Experiment II studied partial contingencies by varying P0 and P1. For one group, P0 was reduced holding P1=0. Responding decreased to zero as P0 approached zero. A second group was studied under P1>0, holding P0=1.0. For three of the six rats in this group, responding decreased to zero with increasing P1. The other three maintained responding as P1 was increased up to the noncontingent, P1=P0=1.0 value. The P0 group was also studied with P0=P1>0, and half of these subjects responded. The results demonstrated two modes of response to weakening or eliminating the avoidance contingency. Some subjects were sensitive to contingency only, and insensitive to changes in shock density. Approximately one half of the subjects were sensitive to both contingency and shock density. This shared control was observed only when P1> 0.
Housing Tenure Choice in Transitional Urban China: A Multilevel Analysis:

Summary. Using a 1996 national survey of housing in China and a multilevel modelling technique, we examine housing tenure choice in transitional urban China where households have been granted limited freedom of choice in the housing market since the housing reforms of 1988. We e nd that both market mechanisms and institutional forces affect households’ tenure choice in urban China. While some socioeconomic factors such as age, household size, household income and housing price have similar effects on tenure choice as in the West, others such as the number of workers and marital status have rather different effects. In addition, factors characterising institutional relationships among the state, work units and households, such as hukou, job rank and work unit rank, still play important roles in tenure choice.
Jumping genes and AFLP maps: transforming lepidopteran color pattern genetics.

Summary The color patterns on the wings of lepidopterans are among the most striking patterns in nature and have inspired diverse biological hypotheses such as the ecological role of aposomatic coloration, the evolution of mimicry, the role of human activities in industrial melanism, and the developmental basis of phenotypic plasticity. Yet, the developmental mechanisms underlying color pattern development are not well understood for three reasons. First, few mutations that alter color patterns have been characterized at the molecular level, so there is little mechanistic understanding of how mutant phenotypes are produced. Second, although gene expression patterns resembling adult color patterns are suggestive, there are few data available showing that gene products have a functional role in color pattern formation. Finally, because with few exceptions (notably Bombyx), genetic maps for most species of Lepidoptera are rudimentary or nonexistent, it is very difficult to characterize spontaneous mutants or to determine whether mutations with similar phenotypes are because of lesions in the same gene or different genes. Discussed here are two strategies for overcoming these difficulties: germ-line transformation of lepidopteran species using transposon vectors and amplified frequency length polymorphism-based genetic mapping using variation between divergent strains within a species or between closely related and interfertile species. These advances, taken together, will create new opportunities for the characterization of existing genetic variants, the creation of new sequence-tagged mutants, and the testing of proposed functional genetic relationships between gene products, and will greatly facilitate our understanding of the evolution and development of lepidopteran color patterns.
Targeting the stromal fibroblasts: a novel approach to melanoma therapy

Classically, cancer is thought of as a genetic disease, where the step-wise acquisition of mutations initiates and drives progression. More recent thinking posits that, although cancers are initiated through genetic mutation, progression is often the result of dynamic interactions between the tumor cells and their surrounding environment.