cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Addition of an active surveillance component to influenza-like illness surveillance in Pennsylvania, 2003–2004

Purpose The Pennsylvania Department of Health (PADOH) has participated in the CDC Influenza Surveillance Provider Network (ISPN) since 1997. In 2003, we added an active surveillance component in an effort to improve the consistency with which providers submit weekly reports of influenza-like illness (ILI) seen in their practices. Because active surveillance entailed nontrivial costs for PADOH, some measurement of its benefits was necessary to facilitate policy decisions regarding use of active ILI surveillance in future influenza seasons. Methods Each Tuesday from November 3, 2003, through March 2, 2004 (CDC weeks 200345 through 200409), a list of ISPN providers who did not submit an ILI report for the previous week was generated from the CDC ISPN website. Immunization nurses in the local health districts phoned these providers and offered assistance with ILI data entry. Primary measure: the difference in the percentage of ISPN providers submitting reports in 50% or more of CDC-defined influenza surveillance weeks in the 2002–2003 influenza surveillance season (no active surveillance) and the 2003–2004 season (with active surveillance). Subsidiary measure: change in reporting consistency for individual providers who participated in ISPN during both seasons, as measured by the mean and median change in % of surveillance weeks for which providers submitted reports. Results Forty-two sentinel providers participated in the entire 2003–2004 surveillance season and 66 in 2002–2003. Active surveillance resulted in an absolute increase of 46% (from 23% to 69%) in proportion of ISPN providers reporting in 50% or more of surveillance weeks. Among the 37 providers who participated during both seasons, reporting consistency improved a mean of 31% (95% CI = 20%, 43%), median 30%. Conclusion Active surveillance was a valuable addition to Pennsylvania's ISPN. Consideration of the improvement achieved versus cost incurred will be incorporated into decision making regarding future use of this active surveillance technique by PADOH.
Infrared studies of human and other tissues by the attenuated total reflection technique

Abstract Infrared spectra of human and animal tissues have been recorded by the methods of attenuated total reflection (both single- and multiple-reflection equipment). Little preparation of the samples is necessary. Single-reflection spectra have shown the application of the method for examining tissues, both normal and diseased. The changes in tissue chemistry produced by the diseased state are evident. Multiple reflection has afforded more intense bands and increased the resolution of the spectra. The tissues examined were human fat, spleen, and aorta, and rat heart, chicken heart, and veal heart (endocardium and atrium). The useful infrared ATR range for tissues has been extended beyond 2000 cm−1 to approximately 3000 cm−1.
Ionic contrast agent-mediated endothelial injury causes increased platelet deposition to vascular surfaces

Contrast agent-mediated endothelial injury may be clinically relevant to the development of acute thrombosis after coronary interventions. We sought to investigate the extent to which contrast agents increase platelet deposition by measuring deposition of indium-111 radiolabeled platelets in an isolated perfused rabbit carotid artery model. Carotid artery segments were perfused at physiologic temperature, pressure, and shear. Vessels were subjected to angioplasty or no angioplasty before exposure to either buffer, diatrizoate (high osmolal/ionic), ioxaglate (low osmolal/ionic), or ioversol (low osmolal/nonionic). Subsequent deposition of indium-111 radiolabeled platelets was quantified. In vessels without balloon angioplasty, platelet deposition (platelets/cm2) was 110,000 +/- 95,000 for buffer perfused vessels, 280,000 +/- 210,000 for vessels perfused with diatrizoate, 290,000 +/- 160,000 for vessels perfused with ioxaglate, and 130,000 +/- 98,000 for vessels perfused with ioversol. After balloon angioplasty, platelet deposition was 1,300,000 +/- 590,000 for buffer controls, 1,800,000 +/- 320,000 for diatrizoate-perfused vessels, 1,500,000 +/- 450,000 for ioxaglate-perfused vessels, and 1,000,000 +/- 180,000 for ioversol-perfused vessels. In vessels without balloon angioplasty, diatrizoate and ioxaglate increased platelet deposition 2.5-fold and 2.6-fold, respectively, relative to buffer-perfused vessels (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01), whereas no increase was seen with ioversol. After balloon angioplasty, diatrizoate increased platelet deposition 1.4-fold over control (p < 0.05), whereas ioxaglate and ioversol showed no statistically significant increase. We conclude that ionic contrast media may cause more endothelial injury and associated localized platelet deposition than nonionic contrast media. These findings may be relevant to coronary interventions, specifically with regard to acute closure and chronic restenosis.
Intracellular K+ and cyclic diphosphoglycerate pools and transients in Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum

Summary Cultivation of M. thermoautotrophicum under K + - and phosphate-limiting conditions in chemostat cultures provided evidence that this organism can grow rapidly without the need to maintain high internal concentrations of K + and cyclic diphosphoglycerate (cyclic DPG). The internal K + concentration during K + limitation was about 320 mM. For comparison, the K + concentration was near 800 mM in batch-grown cells containing about 150 mM cyclic DPG. Phosphate limitation resulted in a decline in the K + and cyclic DPG pools to 200 mM and 9 mM, respectively. Pulse addition of K + to a K + -limited chemostat culture resulted in a transient increase in cellular K + and cyclic DPG before the new growth rate was reached. A large increase in extracellular K + (from 0.02 to 1 mM) resulted in a transition to a phosphate-limited culture and a concomitant decrease in cell K + and cyclic DPG. These two components declined by approximately 100 mM and 30 mM, respectively, during the transition from K + to phosphate limitation. Pulse addition of phosphate to phosphate-limited chemostat cultures resulted in a transient expansion of the K + and cyclic DPG pools before the shiftup in growth rate occurred. These adjustments of K + to cyclic DPG levels established K + as the major cation balancing the −3 charge of cyclic DPG.
Revised Push-Up Test Norms for College Students

A revised push-up test for college students was presented in 2002. The purpose of this study was to develop percentile norms for the revised push-up test when it is used with college students. Revised push-up scores collected on 177 male and 274 female college students were used to develop percentile norms. The norms for the men have a different push-up test score for each percentile point presented. The norms for the women have the same score (0 and 1) for several different percentiles presented. The size of the male and female samples in this study is adequate to obtain representative norms. The percentile norms presented can be used with college-aged men and women.
Temperature dependence of solar cell performance—an analysis

Abstract This paper investigates, theoretically, the temperature dependence of the performance of solar cells in the temperature range 273–523 K. The solar cell performance is determined by its parameters, viz., short circuit current density (Jsc), open circuit voltage (Voc), fill factor (FF) and efficiency (η). Solar cells based on semiconductor materials such as Ge, Si, GaAs, InP, CdTe and CdS are considered here. Reverse saturation current density (Jo) is an important diode parameter which controls the change in performance parameters with temperature. In this work, reverse saturation current density (Jo=C.T3.exp (−qEg/kT)) is determined for three cases. Cases (I) and (II) correspond to C=17.90 and 50 mA cm−2 K3 respectively, whereas, case (III) corresponds to C.T3=A=1.5×108 mA cm−2. The maximum achievable Voc, Jsc, FF and η of solar cells are calculated for AM1.5G and AM0 spectra and are compared with theoretical and experimental results in the literature. Highest Voc, FF and η are achieved for case (III). The performance of cells for case (III) gives the best agreement between the calculated and available theoretical and experimental data for solar cells based on the materials, Si, Ge, GaAs whereas, for InP, CdTe and CdS, case (I) seems to be more appropriate at 298 K. Moreover, as temperature changes, cases (I) and (II) are more suitable to describe the performance of solar cells. The rate of change of performance parameters with temperature, viz., dJsc/dT, dVoc/dT, dFF/dT and dη/dT are calculated and compared with the available data in the literature. In addition to theoretical results, the experimentally determined performance parameters of silicon solar cells and their rate of change with temperature are also presented.
1,3-diphenylisoindoles

Abstract 1,3-Diphenylisoindole and 1,3-diphenyl-2-methylisoindole have been prepared by Leuckart reactions of o -di-benzoylbenzene and ammonia or methylamine. 1,3-Diphenylisoindole gives stable Diels-Alder addition products with acetylene dicarboxylic ester and benzyne, but the adduct with maleic anhydride readily reverts to the starting materials. 1,3-Diphenylisoindole can also be prepared by base treatment, in dimethyl sulfoxide, of N- p -toluenesulfonyl-1,3-diphenylisoindoline.
ON THE NUMBER OF LEVELS IN THE SELF-SIMILAR HIERARCHICAL COSMOLOGY

A possible correlation between: (1) the degree of self-similarity shared by analogue systems populating different levels of the cosmological model, and (2) the total number of levels comprising the global hierarchy, is discussed in terms of Cantor's theory of transfinite sets.
Review of atomistic simulations of surface diffusion and growth on semiconductors

Abstract Recent experimental work on surface diffusion and growth phenomena on semiconductors has inspired a number of atomistic simulations. These are based either on empirical approaches such as classical interatomic potentials, or on first-principles quantum mechanical calculations. After a brief overview of relevant experimental work, we review the basic features of the theoretical approaches and discuss their advantages and shortcomings in the context of surface diffusion and growth simulations for semiconductors. Some representative systems, for which calculations employing different computational approaches have been reported in the literature, are discussed in detail.
Improved Convergence for CCD Gain Calibration Using Simultaneous-Overrelaxation Techniques

Simple modifications to the analysis used in the Kuhn, Lin, & Loranz flat-field CCD calibration method yield significant improvements in both speed and accuracy. In this method, multiple exposures are taken of a time-independent signal at different spatial positions. The flat field is then expressed in the form of a Jacobi relaxation solution to Poisson's equation. By applying the technique of simultaneous overrelaxation, we have improved the convergence rate to require approximately the square root of the number of iterations () needed by the Jacobi method. For large arrays, where r is correspondingly large, this improvement is significant. Furthermore, we have improved the accuracy by extending the method to account for fractional pixel shifts.
Optimal recovery of multivariate contractions

Abstract Optimal interpolation and approximation algorithms from function values of contractions in higher dimensional spaces are described.
Continental margin brine seeps: Their geological consequences

Local dissolution observed at the base of the Florida Escarpment appears to result from acid generated by sea-floor oxidation of dissolved sulfide species carried in brines that seep from the base of the escarpment. The extent of seep corrosion depends upon the amount of sulfide that has exited the platform and the efficiency with which the acid attacks the limestones of the escarpment. Calculations suggest that brine seepage influences the shape of these escarpments by undercutting and steepening the carbonate continental margin edges. Other processes competing for the dissolved sulfides are bacterial chemosynthesis and sulfide mineralization, which produces organic-carbon- and sulfide-mineral-rich deposits along the unconformity that separates the buried escarpment from onlapping abyssal sediments.
DIVISION SYNCHRONY IN PRIMARY CULTURES OF AN ENDOZOIC DINOFLAGELLATE1

SUMMARY Division cysts of zooxanthellae harbored by Anthopleura elegantissima were isolated from random host-associated populations by their preferential attachment to plastic surfaces. By selecting cysts at similar stages in the cell cycle, synchronous division, excystation, and daughter cell reencystment were obtained in a medium enriched with amino acids. The interval of DNA synthesis in a single growth cycle was determined by pulse-labeling with radioactive thymidine. Analysis of the sequence of morphologic changes within such cycles suggested that the initial selection procedure isolates G2 cells. The transit time from first generation G2 division cysts to subsequent reentry into G2 was about 70 hr.
An experimental investigation of assertive training in a group setting

Abstract Assertive training has had much attention as a procedure for shaping assertive behavior and reducing fear of social confrontations in nonassertive clients, but there have been few controlled studies to assess its efficacy. In the present study, three groups of college women received assertive training, three groups discussed fears and related problems, and several other women received no treatment. Those receiving assertive training reported significantly greater gains in assertive behavior than control subjects, evinced a trend to exhibit more assertive behavior than did women in other groups, reported significantly greater general fear reduction than control subjects, and tended to report greater reduction of fear of social criticism and fear of social competence than did women in other groups.
Rejoinder for “Predictive comparison of joint longitudinal-survival modeling: a case study illustrating competing approaches”

We were pleased that our paper elicited stimulating responses by Professors Craiu (RC) and Taylor (JT) that both complement our work and provide us the opportunity to further elaborate upon it. We confess that our original intention was to simply develop novel methodology for the joint modeling problem and to compare semi-parametric models using a predictive criterion. The choice of data was more for convenience, since it had been recently employed in published reports, than by design. Because of the obvious difficulties associated with these data, many of which are highlighted by JT and RC, the final form of the paper evolved into much more than it would have been under our original intentions. In what follows, we address three connected themes that were described by the discussants: scientific purpose of the analysis, model selection and model fit, and alternative avenues to data analysis and inference. We emphasize how pleased we are to respond to such thoughtful comments.
Use of genetically engineered mice in drug discovery and development: wielding Occam's razor to prune the product portfolio.

Genetically engineered mice (GEMs) that either overexpress (transgenic) or lack (gene-targeted, or “knock-out”) genes are used increasingly in industry to investigate molecular mechanisms of disease, to evaluate innovative therapeutic targets, and to screen agents for efficacy and/or toxicity. High throughput GEM construction in drug discovery and development (DDD) serves two main purposes: to test whether a given gene participates in a disease condition, or to determine the function(s) of a protein that is encoded by an expressed sequence tag (EST, an mRNA fragment for a previously uncharacterized protein). In some instances, pheno-types induced by such novel GEMs also may yield clues regarding potential target organs and toxic effects of potential therapeutic molecules. The battery of tests used in phenotypic analysis of GEMs varies between companies, but the goal is to define one or more easily measured endpoints that can be used to monitor the disease course—especially during in vivo treatment with no...
Educating, Rather than Coaching, for the Job Interview.

In order for students to successfully secure employment, placement counselors need to regard the total job campaign as an educational process. It begins by accepting students as they are, helping them to identify and clarify their career strengths, weaknesses, and goals, and identifying and contacting prospective employers. It is, theoretically, a never ending process in which the actual employment interview is a small, but important facet.
Protein structure-based drug design: applications, limitations and future developments

Protein structure-based drug design has been contributing to the drug discovery process since the early 1990s. Structural knowledge on the exact interactions of drugs with their target proteins has been applied mainly to predict potency changes of chemically modified lead compounds. With the 3D-structural information available today, additional aspects of the drug discovery process become predictable. Target-based virtual screening is being applied to identify new unexpected lead structures. Selectivity of compounds between homologous or orthologous proteins can be predicted, offering new possibilities to design selective compounds or predict the suitability of animal models for pharmacodynamic studies. Also the number of x-ray structures of proteins relevant for ADMET properties of drug molecules has remarkably increased during the last few years. This development offers the possibility to modulate or rationally design out unwanted ADMET properties. This covers aspects such as plasma protein binding, cytochrome P450 inhibition, metabolism and induction. In this review style talk, a number of recent examples will be presented that demonstrate the utility of protein structure information during the drug discovery process, from lead identification to lead optimization and from pharmacodynamics to pharmacokinetic studies.
Compactification in the lightlike limit

We study field theories in the limit that a compactified dimension becomes lightlike. In almost all cases the amplitudes at each order of perturbation theory diverge in the limit, due to strong interactions among the longitudinal zero modes. The lightlike limit generally exists nonperturbatively, but is more complicated than might have been assumed. Some implications for the matrix theory conjecture are discussed.
Binary Titania-Silica Glasses Containing 10 to 20 Wt% TiO2

A series of glasses in the TiO2-SiO2 system was prepared by the flame hydrolysis boule process. Clear glasses containing as much as 16.5 wt% TiO2 were obtained. More TiO2 caused opacity due to phase separation and anatase/rutile crystallization during glass boule formation. Glasses in the 12 to ∼17 wt% TiO2 range were metastable and showed structural rearrangements on heat treatment at temperatures as low as 750CEC (∼200° below the annealing point). These changes were accompanied by large changes in thermal expansion. Thermal treatment can be designed to produce almost any desired expansion between α-200+700=−5 × 10-7/°C and +10 × 10-7/°C. Zero expansion between 0 and 550°C was obtained. Evidence that these changes are due to phase separation and anatase formation is presented. Viscosity data in the glass transition range, refractive index, and density are also presented.
Penicillin-induced changes in function of the isolated perfused rat liver: alterations in thyroxine metabolism and sulfobromophthalein excretion.

Penicillin was found to displace thyroxine (T4) from binding sites on the plasma proteins in the isolated, perfused rat liver system. The blood levels of penicillin at the beginning of the perfusion were much higher than those attained in routine clinical use. This effect was manifested by changes in erythrocyte uptake of T4 and in the rate of disappearance of T4-13lI added to the perfusate. Penicillin induced an increase in the volume of bile produced by the perfused rat liver but markedly reduced thebiliary excretion of radioactive metabolites of T4, chiefly T4 glucuronide with smaller amounts of glucuronides of T3 and T3- Only small amounts of these glucuronides were found in blood and liver at the end of the perfusion, while large amounts of unchanged T4 and the usual amounts of radioactive iodide were present. Thus, it appeared that penicillin inhibited the conjugation of T4 and its metabolites. Penicillin also markedly reduced the biliary excretion of sulfobromophthalein (BSP). (Endocrinology 80:247...
The effect of dilute vasopressin solution on the force needed for cervical dilatation: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective To assess the force needed to mechanically dilate the cervix of a nonpregnant woman after intracervically injecting dilute (0.05 U/mL) vasopressin solution. Methods In a randomized, double-blind study, equal amounts of either a dilute vasopressin solution or placebo (normal saline) were injected into the intracervical stroma at 4- and 8-o'clock positions, just beneath the mucosal surface, in 52 women immediately before cervical dilatation in preparation for operative hysteroscopy. When vasopressin solution was used, 20 mL of a dilute solution (4 U of 0.05 U/mL of vasopressin in 80 mL of normal saline) was injected. An electronic strain gauge and load cell were used to measure the peak linear force needed to dilate the cervix from 3 mm to 11 mm, using half-size metal dilators. Results The mean (± standard error of the mean) total peak linear force needed to dilate the cervix from 3 to 11 mm in the treated (vasopressin) and control (placebo) groups was 20.29 ± 1.22 lb (range 5.54–40.82) and 37.05 ± 2.55 lb (range 6.11–52.2), respectively, a statistically significant difference. The mean total peak linear force needed to dilate the cervix in the treated group and in the control group in 0.5-mm increments from 3 to 11 mm was 1.14 ± 0.07 lb (range 0.81–1.69) and 2.08 ± 0.07 lb (range 1.64–2.43), respectively, also a statistically significant difference. With increasing parity, significantly less force was needed to dilate the cervix from 3 to 11 mm in the treated group than in the control group ( P Conclusions Administration of dilute vasopressin solution (0.05 U/mL) to the cervical stroma significantly reduces the force needed to dilate the cervix.
Overview of experiments and detectors at RHIC

The term ‘‘mini-bang’’ has been used to describe the interactions explored at RHIC, as each collision unfolds a sequence of events that calls to mind the formation of matter in the evolution of the cosmos. The sequence of events is thought to be as follows: After a formation time of about 1 fm/ c, the colliding system becomes thermalized in a plasma of quarks and gluons at extremely high temperature and density. This quark gluon plasma then expands and cools, and when it reaches the critical temperature of the phase transition, hadrons begin to form. After that it becomes a gas of interacting hadrons, possibly in thermal equilibrium. As expansion continues, a freeze-out density is reached at which the hadrons no longer interact with each other. The detected particles are those that emerge from this freeze-out volume. Thus, experiments at RHIC are in many ways analogous to certain astronomical observations. The object of interest is an extended source emitting copious radiation whose spectra may reflect thermal, and possible chemical equilibrium of the radiating source. As with stellar observations, different types of radiation may carry signals characteristic of distinct stages as the system evolves in space and time. In the case of nuclear collisions at RHIC, most of the many thousands of particles emitted are hadrons produced at the surface of the interacting volume. They provide information about the size, the thermal properties, and the relative abundance of particle species at freeze-out. Information from the hot interior of the expanding volume can only be carried to the outside by radiation that is not coupled to the strong interaction. Such signals can be carried by photons, which may be real (gamma rays) or virtual (electron–positron or muon– antimuon pairs). These direct, electromagnetic signals are much less abundant than the hadrons, comprising about 0.01% of all the particles emerging from the collision, and require very specialized instrumentation to resolve them from the hadronic background. The RHIC detectors are specially designed for this environment. They are capable of measuring very high densities of relatively soft (low-momentum) particles with precise determination of the kinematic properties and quantum numbers of each particle within selected solid angles. Because of the near-thermal nature of the interactions, RHIC detectors are not designed to reconstruct the entire event over all angles (i.e., to be ‘‘hermetic’’), as is generally the case at other high-energy colliders. In 1993–1994, after a 3-year period of R&D [1], conceptual designs were approved for two large detectors of quite different and complementary designs. STAR, a solenoidal detector based on particle tracking in a large time-projection chamber, focuses on large solid angle detection of hadrons, while PHENIX is designed to exploit a number of tracking and particle identification technologies for detection of leptons and photons, as well as hadrons, over a more limited range of solid angles. Two smaller, more specialized detectors, PHOBOS and BRAHMS, were subsequently
Quasi-Fixed Points and Periodic Orbits in the Zebiak—Cane ENSO Model with Applications in Kalman Filtering. Part I: Monthly Quasi-Fixed Points

Abstract In an effort to apply the interactive Kalman filter to higher-dimensional systems, the concept of a quasi-fixed point is introduced. This is defined to be a system state where the tendency, in a suitable reduced space, is at a minimum. It allows one to use conventional search algorithms for the detection of quasi-fixed points. In Part I quasi-fixed points of the ENSO model of Zebiak and Cane are found when run in a permanent monthly mode, the reduced space being defined via a multiple EOP projection. The stability characteristics of the quasi-fixed points are analyzed, and it is shown that they are significantly different from the (in)stabilities of the average monthly models. With these quasi-fixed points, assimilation experiments are carried out with the interactive Kalman filter for the Zebiak–Cane model in the reduced space. It is demonstrated that the results are superior to both a seasonal Kalman filter and the extended Kalman filter.
Agency transformation and state public utility commissions

Abstract The demise of public utility commissions has been periodically predicted (sometimes hoped for). In their long history they have been attacked by critics as ineffective, inefficient, expensive, or unnecessary. Further, the demonstrated survivability of the commission concept has often been uncharitably attributed to powerful political constituencies, self-preservation maneuverings by commissioners themselves, and inertia. The implications of this article point another way. Commission regulation of public utilities has survived mainly because of continued need for social oversight of these critical industry sectors and the capacity of PUCs strategically to adapt to fundamental changes in their surroundings. Two transformational upheavals are treated here – a challenge of flexibility and responsiveness by the dramatic run-up in costs and prices in the 1970s and challenge to relevance by the policy shift to greater reliance on market competition in the 1990s – and regulation's successful accommodation to them. Viewed this way commission regulation is more in a position of “second wind” than “last breath.”
Wireless ATM: current standards and issues

Wireless ATM is a framework that extends a wired backbone network with the flexibility of wireless access and mobility support. The technology has been actively studied over the last couple of years by R&D groups as well as standards organizations worldwide. Standardization efforts of WATM have been lead by the ATM Forum and the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). The first draft of WATM specification has been released by the ATM Forum. We present an update on the status of WATM standards. Then we address the main technical issues in the specification of a wireless ATM network, namely data link control, medium access control, wireless control, and mobility management.
The asymptotic decider: resolving the ambiguity in marching cubes

A method for computing isovalue or contour surfaces of a trivariate function is discussed. The input data are values of the trivariate function, F/sub ijk/, at the cuberille grid points (x/sub i/, y/sub j/, z/sub k/), and the output of a collection of triangles representing the surface consisting of all points where F(x,y,z) is a constant value. The method is a modification that is intended to correct a problem with a previous method. >
Empirical Investigation of Visual-Inspection Versus Trend-Line Analysis of Single-Subject Data

We examined the inferential decisions made using either visual analysis alone or in combination with a trend line to evaluate data from single-subject research designs. Thirty-nine subjects were randomly assigned to either a Visual Group (n = 20) that used a visual-inspection approach to analyzing graphed data or a Quantitative Group (n = 19) that used a trend-line approach. After instruction in interpretation, we asked the subjects to analyze graphs containing data from five hypothetical AB single-subject designs. Results revealed a statistically significant difference in the decision made between the two groups for four of the five graphs. The group using the trend line to analyze graphed data exhibited more confidence in the decisions they made and also demonstrated greater within-group consistency as compared with the group using visual inspection. The implications of various methods of data analysis in establishing the scientific legitimacy of single-subject research methods are discussed, and the argument is made that quantitative procedures can assist in the analysis and interpretation of single-subject data.
Schizophrenia patients lack normal positive correlation between age and brain response during verbal learning.

Objective: To investigate the differences in the relationship of age to brain function among individuals with schizophrenia and a healthy comparison group. The authors hypothesized that the correlation with age would be more strongly negative among schizophrenia patients, particularly in the frontal cortex. Design: Cross-sectional measures of functional MRI (fMRI) brain response were correlated with age in both groups. Setting: Participants came to university research facilities for testing. Participants: The authors analyzed data from 30 patients with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder ranging in age from 25 to 68 years and 14 healthy comparison participants ranging in age from 21 to 70 years. Measurements: Brain response during word pair learning was measured with fMRI in each voxel of the brain. This measure was correlated with age within each group and the correlations were compared across groups in regions of interest determined a priori and based on a whole-brain analysis. In exploratory analyses, the authors examined the interaction of task performance with age and study group. Results: The correlations between age and brain response were more positive in the healthy group than in the schizophrenia group in several regions, including right lateral prefrontal cortex and clusters in midline precuneus and right superior temporal gyrus. Interactions with task performance suggest that age effects on brain function relate differently to cognitive output in patients and comparison participants. Conclusions: There is no strong evidence that functional brain response during learning changes significantly with age among schizophrenia patients, in contrast to findings of positive associations with age among healthy individuals.
Analysis of barriers to adoption of buprenorphine maintenance therapy by family physicians

Introduction: Opioid abuse has reached epidemic levels. Evidence-based treatments such as buprenorphine maintenance therapy (BMT) remain underutilized. Offering BMT in primary care settings has the potential to reduce overall costs of care, decrease medical morbidity associated with opioid dependence, and improve treatment outcomes. However, access to BMT, especially in rural areas, remains limited. This article will present a review of barriers to adoption of BMT among family physicians in a primarily rural area in the USA. Methods: An anonymous survey of family physicians practicing in Vermont or New Hampshire, two largely rural states, was conducted. The survey included both quantitative and qualitative questions, focused on BMT adoption and physician opinions of opioids. Specific factors assessed included physician factors, physicians’ understanding of patient factors, and logistical issues. Results: One-hundred and eight family physicians completed the survey. Approximately 10% were buprenorphine prescribers. More than 80% of family physicians felt they regularly saw patients addicted to opiates. The majority (70%) felt that they, as family physicians, bore responsibility for treating opiate addiction. Potential logistical barriers to buprenorphine adoption included inadequately trained staff (88%), insufficient time (80%), inadequate office space (49%), and cumbersome regulations (37%). Common themes addressed in open-ended questions included lack of knowledge, time, or interest; mistrust of people with addiction or buprenorphine; and difficult patient population. Conclusions: This study aims to quantify perceived barriers to treatment and provide insight expanding the community of family physicians offering BMT. The results suggest family physicians are excellent candidates to provide BMT, as most report regularly seeing opioid-addicted patients and believe that treating opioid addiction is their responsibility. Significant barriers remain, including inadequate staff training, lack of access to addiction experts, and perceived efficacy of BMT. Addressing these barriers may lower resistance to buprenorphine adoption and increase access to BMT in rural areas.
The ontogeny of interferon production by human leukocytes

The quantitative interferon production by human leukocytes from 39 donors ranging in age from 16 weeks of fetal life to adulthood has been studied. Consistent differences in the quantitative production of interferon with advancing age were not found. The data suggest that impairment of interferon production is not an adequate explanation for the apparent increased susceptibility of the immature host to some viral infections. However, the findings do not exclude the possibility that diminished interferon production may be an important factor in the pathogenesis of fetal viral infections occurring in the first trimester of gestation.
Almost all-digital sinewave-product generation for frequency synthesis applications

We propose a frequency mixer built from almost exclusively digital components. The circuit produces a sinusoidal signal at frequency ω 1 ±ω 2 when its input frequencies are Nω 1 and Nω 2 , both provided in the form of digital clocks. As it uses almost exclusively digital circuitry, it can easily be integrated with digital CMOS and possesses many advantages inherent in digital circuits. Predictions of the system's performance have been supported with spectral measurements of a discrete implementation.
Spontaneous tumor lysis syndrome and secondary thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura in early stage colorectal cancer

KEY WORDS: tumor lysis syndrome, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, colorectal cancer, acute renal failure.
A dimensionless reaction coordinate for quantifying the lateness of transition states

The Hammond-Leffler postulate asserts that transition states of exothermic reactions are reactant-like (early), whereas transition states of endothermic reactions are product-like (late). Related postulates have been proposed to describe the sensitivity of activation barriers for reactions occurring on catalytic surfaces to the catalyst structure. To evaluate the validity of these postulates for different chemical reactions, a general method for classifying transition states as either early or late is needed. One can envision a dimensionless reaction coordinate that changes continuously and monotonically from 0 to 1 along a minimum energy reaction pathway. The value of the dimensionless reaction coordinate for the transition state (WTS) classifies transition states as (a) early when WTS 0.5, and (c) equidistant between reactants and products when WTS = 0.5. In this article, we derive such a dimensionless reaction coordinate and illustrate its usefulness for several different chemical reactions. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2010
Event detail and confidence in gambling: The role of counterfactual thought reactions

Differences in people’s reactions to the same events described with full vs. sketchy information are examined. It is hypothesized that differences in counterfactual thought reactions to varying levels of event detail shape confidence in, and willingness to gamble on similar, future events. In three experiments, participants were presented with different types and levels of event detail about their performances on a trivia test, on several games of blackjack, or on gambling on a professional horse race. Upward counterfactual thoughts were observed more frequently in response to losing events containing high levels of detail and specificity. Importantly, counterfactual thought frequency also mediated the relationships between event detail and the level of confidence in and willingness to gamble on similar, future events. Evidence also indicates that this relationship is based on the hindsight bias that results from counterfactual thinking. Results are discussed in terms of cognitive processes and decision making research.
‘Knowledge’ or Knowledgeable Banks? International Financial Institutions' Generation of Knowledge in Times of Crisis

The food-price crisis is testing the capacity of so-called ‘knowledge institutions’ to generate relevant knowledge with which to serve their clients better. This article analyses the voluminous knowledge generated by such banks and other international institutions in the context of the food-price crisis: in particular, its technical features; the depth and merits of the subsequent policy discussion; and the connection between the knowledge generated and specific policy advocacy. It also provides an explanation for the inability of these institutions to anticipate the dire consequences of the crisis, other than the widely accepted ‘perfect storm’ storyline.
Error scope on a computational grid: theory and practice

Error propagation is a central problem in grid computing. We re-learned this while adding a Java feature to the Condor computational grid. Our initial experience with the system was negative, due to the large number of new ways in which the system could fail. To reason about this problem, we developed a theory of error propagation. Central to our theory is the concept of an error's scope, defined as the portion of a system that it invalidates. With this theory in hand, we recognized that the expanded system did not properly consider the scope of errors it discovered. We modified the system according to our theory, and succeeded in making it a more robust platform for distributed computing.
An integrated framework for spatio-temporal-textual search and mining

This paper presents an integrated framework for Spatio-Temporal-Textual (STT) information retrieval and knowledge discovery system. The proposed ensemble framework contains an efficient STT search engine with multiple indexing, ranking and scoring schemes, an effective STT pattern miner with Spatio-Temporal (ST) analytics, and novel STT topic modeling. Specifically, we design an effective prediction prototype with a third-order linear regression model, and present an innovative STT topic modeling relevance ranker to score documents based on inherent STT features under topical space. We demonstrate the framework with a crime dataset from the Washington, DC area from 2006 to 2010 and a global terrorism dataset from 2004 to 2010.
Relation between door-to-balloon times and mortality after primary percutaneous coronary intervention over time: a retrospective study

Summary Background Recent reductions in average door-to-balloon (D2B) times have not been associated with decreases in mortality at the population level. We investigated this seemingly paradoxical finding by assessing components of this association at the individual and population levels simultaneously. We postulated that the changing population of patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) contributed to secular trends toward an increasing mortality risk, despite consistently decreased mortality in individual patients with shorter D2B times. Methods This was a retrospective study of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients who underwent pPCI between Jan 1, 2005, and Dec 31, 2011, in the National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) CathPCI Registry. We looked for catheterisation laboratory visits associated with STEMI. We excluded patients not undergoing pPCI, transfer patients for pPCI, patients with D2B times less than 15 min or more than 3 h, and patients at hospitals that did not consistently report data across the study period. We assessed in-hospital mortality in the entire cohort and 6-month mortality in elderly patients aged 65 years or older matched to data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. We built multilevel models to assess the relation between D2B time and in-hospital and 6-month mortality, including both individual and population-level components of this association after adjusting for patient and procedural factors. Findings 423 hospitals reported data on 150 116 procedures with a 55% increase in the number of patients undergoing pPCI at these facilities over time, as well as many changes in patient and procedural factors. Annual D2B times decreased significantly from a median of 86 min (IQR 65–109) in 2005 to 63 min (IQR 47–80) in 2011 (p Interpretation Shorter patient-specific D2B times were consistently associated with lower mortality over time, whereas secular trends suggest increased mortality risk in the growing and changing pPCI population. The absence of association of annual D2B time and changes in mortality at the population level should not be interpreted as an indication of its individual-level relation in patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI. Funding National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
Phase II study of neoadjuvant therapy with docetaxel, cisplatin, panitumumab, and radiation therapy followed by surgery in patients with locally advanced adenocarcinoma of the distal esophagus (ACOSOG Z4051)

ABSTRACT Background Preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) improves outcomes in patients with locally advanced but resectable adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. ACOSOG Z4051 evaluated CRT with docetaxel, cisplatin, and panitumumab (DCP) in this patient group with a primary end point of a pathologic complete response (pCR) ≥35%. Patients and methods From 15 January 2009 to 22 July 2011, 70 patients with locally advanced but resectable distal esophageal adenocarcinoma were enrolled. Patients received docetaxel (40 mg/m2), cisplatin (40 mg/m2), and panitumumab (6 mg/kg) on weeks 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 with RT (5040 cGy, 180 cGy/day × 28 days) beginning week 5. Resection was planned after completing CRT. PCR was defined as no viable residual tumor cells. Secondary objectives included near-pCR (≤10% viable cancer cells), toxicity, and overall and disease-free survival. Adverse events were graded using the CTCAE Version 3.0. Results Five of 70 patients were ineligible. Of 65 eligible patients (59 M; median age 61), 11 did not undergo surgery, leaving 54 assessable. PCR rate was 33.3% and near-pCR was 20.4%. Secenty-three percent of patients completed DCP (n = 70) and 92% completed RT. 48.5% had toxicity ≥grade 4. Lymphopenia (43%) was most common. Operative mortality was 3.7%. Adult respiratory distress syndrome was encountered in two patients (3.7%). At median follow-up of 26.3 months, median overall survival was 19.4 months and 3-year overall survival was 38.6% (95% confidence interval 24.5% to 60.8%). Conclusions Neoadjuvant CRT with DCP is active (pCR + near-pCR = 53.7%) but toxicity is significant. Further evaluation of this regimen in an unselected population is not recommended. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT00757172.
Effects of hormone replacement therapy on sexual psychophysiology and behavior in postmenopause.

Investigators continue to define the exact relationship between sexual function and changes in hormonal status during menopause. The availability of different preparations that could replace estrogens and androgens has led to many studies of the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for sexual dysfunction. Dyspareunia due to vaginal dryness appears to be most responsive to estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) via restoration of vaginal cells, pH, and blood flow. Progestins, to a certain extent, can oppose these changes and lead to a recurrence of dryness and dyspareunia. ERT has also been reported to enhance sexual desire in a significant percent of women. Although treatment with ERT has been shown to be efficacious for many women, there are others whose sexual difficulties remain unresponsive. There also appears to be a significant subgroup of women whose sexual difficulties respond initially to ERT but who subsequently revert to their initial problems, especially when the problem has been loss of libid...
Increase in Tear Film Lipid Layer Thickness Following Treatment of Meibomian Gland Dysfunction

Meibomian gland lipid secretions contribute to the formation of a stable tear film. Meibomian gland dysfunction may result in dry eye symptoms, keratoconjunctivitis (Keith, 1967; McCulley and Sciallis, 1977) and contact lens intolerance (Henriquez and Korb, 1981), presumably due to an inadequate tear film lipid layer secondary to the meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) itself. The presence of dysfunctional meibomian glands can often be indicated by serrated and inflamed eyelid margins, although in some instances, signs of inflammation may be lacking. In contrast to normal meibomian glands whose orifices open easily and secrete transparent sebum upon gentle expression, the dysfunctional meibomian gland requires forceful digital pressure to elicit expression of sebum, which is generally cloudy in appearance. Frequently, sebum may not be released from dysfunctional meibomian glands even with forceful digital pressure. The present prospective study evaluated whether a program of manual expression of the meibomian glands of patients with a diagnosis of MGD could increase tear film lipid layer thickness by relieving meibomian gland obstruction.
Financial Portfolio Selection using Multi-factor Capital Asset Pricing Model and Importing Options Data

Diversification and portfolio selection is an integral part of finance teaching. In this study, multi-factor Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) is estimated for components of Dow Jones Composite Index using data from Yahoo! Finance. Along with CAPM's Beta, other statistics are calculated that are common decision criteria for portfolio selection such as historic standard deviation (total risk), total return, average daily return, Sharpe and Treynor measures. Two new commands are introduced, components and portfolio, that automate the entire process. A third new command, fetchyahoooptions, is provided to download and parse equity options data from Yahoo! Finance web pages and, optionally, to calculate the implied volatilities for the downloaded options.