cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE EFFECT OF GAMMA RADIATION ON THE STRUCTURE OF PECTIN. AN ELECTROPHORETIC STUDY

Citrus pectin irradiated in the dry state with gammaradiation doses up to 2056 krad was studied by moving boundary electrophoresis in acetate buffer. The results showed that no extra components are produced upon irradiation and that there is no change in the mean mobility of the pectin boundary or in the mobility distribution about the mode. The heterogeneity constant, calculated from the rate of increase of standard deviation of the mobility curve, showed little change at doses up to 205 krad, but at 528 and 2056 krad there was a large increase. The specific viscosity decreased with radiation dosage. These results indicate that the effect of radiation is to produce random hydrolytic fissure of the glycosydic linkages along the length of the pectin molecule. The increase in heterogeneity constant is explained on the basis of the fragments having slightly wider distribution in charge to mass ratio according to the location of the fissure in relation to the free carboxyl groups. The hydrolytic fissure results in a lower weight-average molecular weight of which specific viscosity is a function. This process also results in a wider distribution of the charge to mass ratio, proportional to the heterogeneity constant. That the two measurementsmore » are related is shown by the fact that their product is approximately constant. The constancy of the mobility of the pectin boundary and the lack of any gross change in the electrophoretic properties precludes the occurrence of changes such as deesterification which would alter the charge on the pectin molecule. (auth)« less
Once a development project : Lessons from applied anthropology

Development has been widely discussed and analyzed world-wide. Nonetheless, development is ambiguous in both its meaning and its practice. The term can be used descriptively or normatively to portray a current condition or to contemplate a beneficial alternative; it can refer either to the ends or to the means of social change. It is also an ambivalent practice: at times it implies westernization, at others its antithesis (Goulet, Denis, Development: Creator and Destroyer of Values, in World Development, Vol. 20 (3): 467-475. 1992). What it actually means in practice can only be determined ethnographically, through anthropological field methods.
Altered thyroid hormone levels in bacterial sepsis: the role of nutritional adequacy

Depressed triiodothyronine and elevated reverse triiodothyronine levels are commonly seen in patients with acute and chronic illness and in patients receiving markedly hypocaloric diets. To investigate the role of nutritional adequacy in causing the altered thyroid hormone levels found in severe illness, we studied patients with bacterial sepsis who were receiving a variety of nutritional regimens. Thirteen patients received only 5% dextrose in water (600-1000 kcal/day), 7 of whom were in shock. Seven patients received total parenteral nutrition (2500-3500 kcal/day). Analysis of thyroid hormone levels in these groups and in controls shows that a large component of the alteration in thyroid hormone levels found in patients with severe illness is due to the caloric deprivation associated with such severe illness.
Liquefaction of lignocellulosic and plastic wastes with coal using carbon monoxide and aqueous alkali

Abstract An investigation has been made of the coprocessing of paper and other lignocellulosic wastes, and also of waste plastics, with coal via the COsteam route—treatment with CO, water and alkali at elevated pressures. The liquefaction of lignocellulosic and polymeric wastes was studied separately and then with the addition of coal. High conversion of lignocellulosic wastes could be achieved at 400°C. Polypropylene and polystyrene are completely converted to liquids and gases at 400°C; however, the conversion of high density polyethylene requires a temperature of 445°C. Coprocessing of Wyodak coal and lignocellulosics at 400°C did not change the yields or product quality compared with the liquefaction of Wyodak coal or lignocellulosics alone. However, the coprocessing of Wyodak coal and polypropylene at 400°C resulted in a decrease in coal conversion accompanied by an increase in the asphaltene fraction from coal. It is possible that the combination of free radicals from the polymer with coal fragments is responsible for this result. However, coliquefaction of Wyodak coal with less than 30% high density polyethylene at 445°C resulted in good coal conversion (85–90%) and did not increase the asphaltene yield from coal.
MEMS scanner based handheld fluorescence hyperspectral imaging system

Abstract We demonstrate a micromirror based hand-held hyperspectral fluorescence imaging microsystem for skin cancer detection, where multiple narrow-band spectral images can be captured simultaneously across the area under examination. In addition to the advantages of combined functional imaging and spectroscopy, the system demonstrates the fast scanning over large field-of-view (FOV) provided by a CMOS compatible 2-axis microelectromechanical system (MEMS) scanning mirror in the probe. Spectral information from 15 wavelengths was acquired simultaneously using a multichannel photomultiplier tube (PMT), rendering a spectral resolution of 20 nm. FOV up to 0.8 cm × 0.5 cm with 50 μm lateral resolution was acquired, with a hyperspectral imaging rendering rate of 2 s per frame.
Automatic summarization of risk factors preceding disease progression an insight-driven healthcare service case study on using medical records of diabetic patients

In this study we consider the problem of how to derive insight from medical records to define and improve healthcare services. As noted in many guidelines, risk factors are important to determining the care plan of chronic disease patients, e.g., pre-diabetic or diabetic patients who have started on hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) control medications. Whereas the traditional management of chronic disease relies on a predetermined set of risk factors, without regard to patient-specific status, literature and recently released guidelines have suggested a less-prescriptive approach that allows flexibility in disease management plans to account for patient-centric information shown in medical records. However, methods of systematically summarizing medical records into risk factors have not been evaluated to support such a patient-centric focus in healthcare services. In this study, we evaluated automatic methods that can identify risk factors important for classifying Diabetic patients at risk of worsen disease progression. In particular, we used the prescription of cardiovascular disease (CVD) medication as the indicator of CVD co-morbidity development in Diabetic patients. We evaluated the summaries obtained with different sources of health information on the risk stratification task and examined the quality of the generated summaries using various proposed intrinsic metrics. In addition, we evaluated to what extent we can reduce the whole medical records into a small set of risk factors. The evaluation illustrates the potential of risk factor summarization and hints on how it can be used to enable practitioners in care planning and to support complex follow-up services at both the point of care and the extended care settings.
A Lemma on Almost Regular Graphs and an Alternative Proof for Bounds on γ t (P k □ P m )

Gravier et al. established bounds on the size of a minimal totally dominant subset for graphs Pk□Pm. This paper offers an alternative calculation, based on the following lemma: Let so k≥3 and r≥2. Let H be an r-regular finite graph, and put G=Pk□H. 1) If a perfect totally dominant subset exists for G, then it is minimal; 2) If r＞2 and a perfect totally dominant subset exists for G, then every minimal totally dominant subset of G must be perfect. Perfect dominant subsets exist for Pk□ Cn when k and n satisfy specific modular conditions. Bounds for rt(Pk□Pm) , for all k,m follow easily from this lemma. Note: The analogue to this result, in which we replace “totally dominant” by simply “dominant”, is also true.
Treatments of intrinsic viscosity and glass transition temperature data of poly(2,6-dimethylphenylmethacrylate)

Abstract A useful relationship, ln( T g )=ln( T g,∞ )− m [ η ] − ν , between intrinsic viscosity and glass transition temperature for a series of homologous polymers was obtained by combining the Mark–Houwink–Kuhn–Sakurada (MHKS) relation for intrinsic viscosity and molecular mass, and the Fox–Flory equation for glass transition temperature and number-average molecular mass. This relationship was applied to poly(2,6-dimethylphenylmethacrylate) (PDMPh) in a variety of solvents (ideal to good) such as toluene, tetrahydrofuran/water, tetrahydrofuran, and chlorobenzene systems. The parameter α estimated by this procedure in toluene, tetrahydrofuran/water, tetrahydrofuran, and chlorobenzene systems are 0.50 6 , 0.51 1 , 0.56 7 , and 0.67 3 , respectively which are in agreement with those of Mark–Houwink–Kuhn–Sakurada values by less than 5% differences. The T g,∞ quantity estimated from this equation also is within the standard deviation of that obtained from the Fox–Flory method. The m quantity is increasing as the thermodynamic quality of the solvent improves, therefore, m may be considered as an indicator of coil conformations in a given solvent.
Perceived numerosity: a comparison of magnitude production, magnitude estimation, and discrimination judgments.

In previous studies, modalities with a higher Weber fraction have tended to have a lower power-function exponent. Within a modality, however, the Weber fraction and power-function exponent for individual subjects were unrelated, and the present study largely confirms this finding for the numerosity dimension. More important than discriminability in the judgment of numerosity were cognitive factors. A single feedback trial considerably reduced intersubject variability on the magnitude-estimation exponent, although it failed to eliminate individual differences completely (precue and postcue exponents correlated signigicantly, r=+.50). Intrasubject variability, by contrast, seemingly did not involve the underlying exponent. As in previous studies, numerosity generally was underestimated and the power-function exponent was 1.08 for magnitude production and .80 for precue magnitude estimation. Contrary to previous results, however, males and females did not differ in exponent, perhaps because the present procedure allowed self-selection of individuals more interested in numerosity tasks.
Severe hepatotoxicity associated with bromfenac sodium

Subacute hepatitis and liver failure occurred in a 40-yr-old woman following a 1-month course of treatment with the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug bromfenac. Serologies for hepatitis A, B, and C were negative, as were antinuclear antibodies and ceruloplasmin. A transjugular liver biopsy demonstrated submassive hepatic necrosis. The clinical course was complicated by encephalopathy, fluid retention, and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, prompting consideration for liver transplantation. With supportive measures, jaundice and fluid retention resolved over a 3-month period. We conclude that prolonged use of bromfenac was the etiological agent in this case, and that this drug can cause severe hepatotoxicity resulting in liver failure.
The role of friendship in the lives of male and female adolescents: does diabetes make a difference?

Abstract Purpose We examined differences in the nature of friendship between adolescents with diabetes and healthy adolescents. We also examined whether friend support and negative relations with friends were related to health for both groups. Method We interviewed 127 adolescents with diabetes and 129 healthy adolescents on two occasions, separated by one year. We measured aspects of friendship and psychological health among both groups as well as self-care behavior and metabolic control among adolescents with diabetes. We used logistic regression analysis to predict the presence of friends, repeated measures analysis of covariance to predict changes in friendship over time, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis to examine the relations of friendship to psychological health, self-care behavior, and metabolic control. Results Both groups of adolescents were equally likely to have a best friend and boyfriend/girlfriend, but healthy adolescents were more likely to have an other-gender friend. Adolescents with diabetes and healthy adolescents reported similar levels of friend support, but support increased over the year for healthy girls only. Boys with diabetes had the lowest levels of friend support. Negative relations with friends were inversely related to psychological health and predicted a decline in psychological health over time. Negative relations also predicted poor metabolic control and a deterioration of metabolic control over time. Conclusion There are similarities and differences in the nature of friendship for adolescents with diabetes compared with healthy adolescents. Friendship serves a protective function for psychological health for both groups and has implications for physical health among those with diabetes.
Right-handed neutral heavy leptons in e+e− annihilation?

Abstract The experimental implications of neutral heavy leptons N in e+e− annihilation are examined. We calculate the production rate of both right-handed and left-handed N's at SPEAR and PEP/PETRA energies and show that observation of the process e + e − → ν N , N → e (or μ)π allows the determination of both the mass and handedness of N.
The Use of Microprocessor Technology for the Conditional Sampling of Intermittent Ocean Processes

Abstract Geophysical signals are often intermittent, having statistics which vary with time. Optimal sampling of these signals requires a so-called “conditional sampling” scheme, a technique which changes the sampling program to match the time scales of the processes of interest. To optimize the limited tape storage capacity of remote oceanographic instruments, a conditional sampling scheme has been implemented using the computational power of microprocessor-controlled instruments, and several deployments have been made with various configurations of the conditional sampling algorithm. This algorithm monitors short-term changes in the energy of an incoming signal within a designated high-frequency band (by digital filtering techniques) and compares the resulting intensity with the longer term statistics of the signal. If the energy exceeds an intensity defined as critical according to some criteria, then an “event” is declared and the data are recorded at a higher than normal rate for the duration of the ...
Utility of High-Altitude Infrared Spectral Data in Mineral Exploration: Application to Northern Patagonia Mountains, Arizona

Synoptic views of hydrothermal alteration assemblages are of considerable utility in regional-scale minerals exploration. Recent advances in data acquisition and analysis technologies have greatly enhanced the usefulness of remotely sensed imaging spectroscopy for reliable alteration mineral assemblage mapping. Using NASA’s Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) sensor, this study mapped large areas of advanced argillic and phyllic-argillic alteration assemblages in the southeastern Santa Rita and northern Patagonia mountains, Arizona. Two concealed porphyry copper deposits have been identified during past exploration, the Red Mountain and Sunnyside deposits, and related published hydrothermal alteration zoning studies allow the comparison of the results obtained from AVIRIS data to the more traditional field mapping approaches. The AVIRIS mapping compares favorably with field-based studies. An analysis of iron-bearing oxide minerals above a concealed supergene chalcocite deposit at Red Mountain also indicates that remotely sensed data can be of value in the interpretation of leached caps above porphyry copper deposits. In conjunction with other types of geophysical data, AVIRIS mineral maps can be used to discriminate different exploration targets within a region.
Effects of growth hormone withdrawal in obese premenopausal women

Objective We previously reported improved body composition and cardiovascular risk markers plus a small decrease in glucose tolerance with GH administration vs placebo for 6 months to abdominally obese premenopausal women. The objective of this study was to determine whether the effects of GH treatment on cardiovascular risk markers, body composition and glucose tolerance in obese women persist 6 months after GH withdrawal. Design and patients Fifty abdominally obese premenopausal women completed a trial of rhGH vs placebo for 6 months; thirty-nine women completed a subsequent 6-month withdrawal observation period. Measurements IGF-I, body composition by CT, 1H-MRS and DXA, serum cardiovascular risk markers, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Results IGF-I standard deviation scores (SDS) within the GH group were −1·7 ± 0·1 (pretreatment),−0·1 ± 0·3 (after 6 months of GH) and −1·7 ± 0·1 (6 months post-GH withdrawal). Six months after GH withdrawal, total abdominal and subcutaneous adipose tissue, total fat, trunk fat, trunk/extremity fat, hsCRP, apoB, LDL, and tPA were higher than at the 6-month (GH discontinuation) timepoint (P ≤ 0·05). All body composition and cardiovascular risk markers that had improved with GH returned to baseline levels by 6 months after GH discontinuation, as did fasting and 2-h OGTT glucose levels. Conclusion The effects of GH administration to abdominally obese premenopausal women have a short time-course. The beneficial effects on body composition and cardiovascular risk markers, and the side effect of altered glucose tolerance returned to pretreatment levels after GH withdrawal. There was no suppression of endogenous IGF-I levels, which returned to baseline after GH withdrawal.
Sports and the Making of National Identities: A Moral View

(1997). Sports and the Making of National Identities: A Moral View. Journal of the Philosophy of Sport: Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 1-20.
Magnetothermal Oscillations in Beryllium

We were stimulated by the work of Kunzler et al. 1 on bismuth to attempt to observe magnetothermal oscillations in a metal. Beryllium was chosen for this study because of its high Debye temperature (1150°K) and correspondingly low-lattice specific heat. The effect is associated with the oscillations in a magnetic field of the free energy of the conduction electrons; but since one measures changes in the lattice temperature due to an exchange of energy between the lattice and the electron system, the effect will be enhanced by a low lattice specific heat. Recently, we reported our first observations of magnetothermal oscillations in beryllium.2 The amplitude of the oscillations was about 3 times that observed in a bismuth crystal under similar experimental conditions, even though the frequency was 8 times greater. Since then we have improved our experimental techniques and have observed frequencies from 105 G to 1.5 × 107 G. The measurements were made at 0.9°K in fields up to 21.5 kG. The maximum amplitude of the low-frequency oscillations was about 10-2°K and of the highest frequency about 3 × 10-5°K. The specimen was an 0.7-g single crystal of beryllium which was generously loaned to us by the Franklin Institute. ‡ Although we have not finished our study of the Fermi surface of beryllium, we would like to report here a brief description of the method and the principal results.
Guest Editors' introduction to special section: Supply chain trading agent research

Predictability of prices and availability are becoming less predictable in emerging supply chain environments, as product lifecycles shorten and organizations pursue increased agility. This leads to new competitive and strategic interactions among actors across the supply chain. It also threatens to overwhelm human decision capabilities with a combinatorial explosion of possibilities. Recent advances in technical infrastructure have enabled new types of interorganizational interactions, but have not addressed the need for fundamentally new kinds of decision support systems that can help tame the complexity of this emerging environment. The papers in this special issue describe progress in semi-autonomous trading agents that are being developed to meet this need.
Energy Efficiency Design Strategies for Greenhouse in Colorado

A basic principle of well designed greenhouse design emphasizes the utilization of solar energy as much as possible to grow the plants indoors during extreme outdoor climate conditions. Greenhouses can use significant amount of energy due to several factors including poor envelope design, inappropriate maintenance practices, and heavy reliance on fuel-based heating systems. In order to reduce energy consumption in the agricultural industry of Colorado, it is important to design energy efficient greenhouses under Colorado climatic conditions.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Well-defined enantiopure 1,1'-binaphthyl-based oligomers: synthesis, structure, photophysical properties, and chiral sensing.

A series of well-defined enantiopure 1,1‘-binaphthyl-based oligomers linked through their 6,6‘-positions, ranging from quaternaphthol to decanaphthol, have been synthesized by Suzuki and Stille coupling reactions. These novel oligonaphthyls have been characterized by 1H and 13C{1H} NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry. A combination of X-ray structural and CD studies suggests that these oligonaphthyls adopt zigzag but not helical conformations. As the chain length increases, the compounds show enhanced fluorescence. The fluorescence intensity of oligonaphthols is almost 2 orders of magnitude higher than that of 1,1‘-bi-2-naphthol and can be effectively and enantioselectively quenched with trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane with an enantioselectivity factor of 1.24. The present work thus demonstrates the potential of constructing chiral sensory materials based on well-defined enantiopure oligonaphthols.
ULTRASTRUCTURAL LOCALIZATION OF LUCIFER YELLOW AND ENDOCYTOSIS IN PLANT CELLS

The fluorescent dye Lucifer Yellow CH (LYCH) was localized at the ultrastructural level with a precipitation method using barium chloride. Applying this technique, endocytosis of LYCH was examined in the nutrient absorptive trichomes of a carnivorous bromeliad. After a two hour incubation, the electron dense reaction product was localized in the membrane compartments of the endocytotic system. These structures included coated regions of the plasma membrane, coated and smooth vesicles, dictyosomes, partially coated reticulum, and smooth endoplasmic reticulum. This procedure demonstrates for the first time at the ultrastructural level endocytosis in whole plant cells, using a non-toxic compound.
Fifty Ways To Inhibit Motility via Cyclic Di-GMP: the Emerging Pseudomonas aeruginosa Swarming Story

There are numerous ways by which cyclic dimeric GMP (c-di-GMP) inhibits motility. Kuchma et al. (S. L. Kuchma, N. J. Delalez, L. M. Filkins, E. A. Snavely, J. P. Armitage, and G. A. O'Toole, J. Bacteriol. 197:420-430, 2015, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/JB.02130-14) offer a new, previously unseen way of swarming motility inhibition in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14. This bacterium possesses a single flagellum with one rotor and two sets of stators, only one of which can provide torque for swarming. The researchers discovered that elevated levels of c-di-GMP inhibit swarming by skewing stator selection in favor of the nonfunctional, "bad" stators.
Cocaine cross-sensitization to dopamine uptake inhibitors: Unique effects of GBR12909

Repeated administration of cocaine will cross-sensitize the locomotor response to a variety of psychomotor stimulants. The ability of cocaine to cross-sensitize the locomotor effects of other psychomotor stimulants provides information relevant to the pharmacological mechanisms underlying the sensitization process. The purpose of the current experiment was to investigate the ability of cocaine to cross-sensitize the locomotor effects of several dopamine uptake blockers with unique pharmacological profiles. Cocaine (40 mg/kg, IP) or saline was administered prior to a locomotor session on day one. On day 2, a full dose-effect curve was established for the locomotor effects of cocaine, RTI-55, mazindol, and GBR12909. Previous exposure to cocaine significantly affected locomotor activity and stereotopy-like behavior produced by cocaine, mazindol, RTI-55, and GBR12909. However, GBR12909 was unique in that the maximal stimulant effect and slope of the dose-effect curve was significantly depressed and the stereotopy-like behavior was unchanged. Thus, despite the similarity of these compounds in their ability to inhibit dopamine uptake, cocaine-induced sensitization did not generalize to GBR12909. This study further demonstrates the unique pharmacology of GBR12909 and supports the further study of this compound as a potential treatment medication for cocaine abuse.
A methodology for exploring biomarker – phenotype associations: application to flow cytometry data and systemic sclerosis clinical manifestations

This work seeks to develop a methodology for identifying reliable biomarkers of disease activity, progression and outcome through the identification of significant associations between high-throughput flow cytometry (FC) data and interstitial lung disease (ILD) - a systemic sclerosis (SSc, or scleroderma) clinical phenotype which is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in SSc. A specific aim of the work involves developing a clinically useful screening tool that could yield accurate assessments of disease state such as the risk or presence of SSc-ILD, the activity of lung involvement and the likelihood to respond to therapeutic intervention. Ultimately this instrument could facilitate a refined stratification of SSc patients into clinically relevant subsets at the time of diagnosis and subsequently during the course of the disease and thus help in preventing bad outcomes from disease progression or unnecessary treatment side effects. The methods utilized in the work involve: (1) clinical and peripheral blood flow cytometry data (Immune Response In Scleroderma, IRIS) from consented patients followed at the Johns Hopkins Scleroderma Center. (2) machine learning (Conditional Random Forests - CRF) coupled with Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) to identify subsets of FC variables that are highly effective in classifying ILD patients; and (3) stochastic simulation to design, train and validate ILD risk screening tools. Our hybrid analysis approach (CRF-GSEA) proved successful in predicting SSc patient ILD status with a high degree of success (>82 % correct classification in validation; 79 patients in the training data set, 40 patients in the validation data set). IRIS flow cytometry data provides useful information in assessing the ILD status of SSc patients. Our new approach combining Conditional Random Forests and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis was successful in identifying a subset of flow cytometry variables to create a screening tool that proved effective in correctly identifying ILD patients in the training and validation data sets. From a somewhat broader perspective, the identification of subsets of flow cytometry variables that exhibit coordinated movement (i.e., multi-variable up or down regulation) may lead to insights into possible effector pathways and thereby improve the state of knowledge of systemic sclerosis pathogenesis.
Weight loss strategies used by African American women: possible implications for tailored messages

How to cite this article James D. C. S. (2012) Weight loss strategies used by African American women: possible implications for tailored messages. J Hum Nutr Diet. 26, 71–77 Abstract Background: African American women have the highest rates of obesity in the USA. They are less likely to participate in weight loss programmes and are less successful in their weight loss attempts. The present study aimed to identify weight loss strategies used by African American women and to determine whether those strategies varied by weight status. The study also examined the emotional issues that lead to compulsive overeating and identified the types of information that African American women need to help manage their weight. Methods: A self-administered survey was completed by 413 adult African American women in 2009. Participants were weighed and measured by a member of the research team. Results: Based on body mass index classification, 43% of women were obese, 25% were overweight, 30% were normal weight and 2% were underweight. Sixty percent had tried to lose weight in the past 12 months. Weight loss practices included: cutting back on fried foods (53%), cutting back on sweets (51%) and increasing physical activity, skipping meals (22%), fasting (17%), and using diet pills (7%). Obese women were significantly more likely to fast and use diet pills than overweight women (P < 0.001). Obese women also were significantly more likely to say they wanted information on how to choose a weight loss programme (P < 0.001), manage stress (P < 0.001) and increase self-esteem (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that weight loss messages and programmes may need to be specifically developed for obese women compared to overweight and normal weight women who just need to ‘lose a few pounds’.
Are the outcomes of immediate and early single tooth implants comparable to conventionally placed implants

Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Central) and references of relevant studies were searched. Longitudinal studies [randomised controlled trials (RCT), clinical trials, cohort-studies and case series] were considered for evaluation. Retrospective studies were excluded. Only case series that investigated at least five patients were considered for inclusion. Outcome measures considered were implant survival, radiographical assessment of marginal peri-implant bone levels, dental-professional-assessed aesthetics, peri-implant biological structures (level of marginal gingiva, papilla index, probing depth, presence of plaque, bleeding on probing), patient satisfaction, and biological and technical complications. Articles were screened independently by two examiners and the following parameters recorded: number of patients, implants placed, dropouts, followup time, type of intervention and details of outcomes. To assess the agreement between the two reviewers on the quality of studies, Cohen's kappa statistic was calculated. A meta-analysis was performed using a statistical software package [Comprehensive Meta-analysis Version 2.2, Biostat, Englewood NJ]. To calculate the overall effects for the included studies, weighted rates together with random effects models were used. Stratification procedures were applied for followup time and type of intervention. No formal heterogeneity testing was conducted. Nineteen studies were included, of which five were RCT, two were clinical trials and 12 were case series. A meta-analysis showed an overall survival rate of 95.5% 95% confidence interval, 93.0–97.1) after 1 year. A stratified meta-analysis revealed no differences in survival between immediate, early and conventional implant strategies. Little marginal peri-implant bone resorption was found together with low incidence of biological and technical complications. No significant differences in outcome measures were reported in clinical trials comparing immediate, early or conventional implant strategies. The selected studies provide promising short-term results for immediate, early and conventional single-implants in the aesthetic zone. Important parameters, such as aesthetic outcome, peri-implant structures and patient satisfaction, however, still need further evaluation. The outcome measures could not be fully evaluated when comparing immediate, early and conventional implants because of the lack of RCT.
Testing the semi-explicit assembly solvation model in the SAMPL3 community blind test

We report here a test of the Semi-Explicit Assembly (SEA) model in the solvation free energy category of the SAMPL3 blind prediction event (summer 2011). We tested how dependent the SEA results are on the chosen force field by performing calculations with both the General Amber and OPLS force fields. We compared our SEA results with full molecular dynamics simulations in explicit solvent. Of the 20 submissions, our SEA/OPLS results gave the second smallest RMS errors in free energies compared to experiments. SEA gives results that are very similar to those of its underlying force field and explicit solvent model. Hence, while the SEA water modeling approach is much faster than explicit solvent simulations, its predictions appear to be just as accurate.
An assumed partition algorithm for determining processor inter-communication

The recent advent of parallel machines with tens of thousands of processors is presenting new challenges for obtaining scalability. A particular challenge for large-scale scientific software is determining the inter-processor communications required by the computation when a global description of the data is unavailable or too costly to store. We present a type of rendezvous algorithm that determines communication partners in a scalable manner by assuming the global distribution of the data. We analyze the algorithm theoretically and demonstrate its scaling properties on up to 32,768 processors of BlueGene/L in the context of determining communication patterns for a matrix-vector multiply in the hypre software library. Our algorithm is very general and is applicable to a variety of situations in parallel computing.
Applying a data miner to heterogeneous schema integration

An application of data mining techniques to heterogeneous database schema integration is introduced. We use attribute-oriented induction to mine for characteristic and classification rules about individual attributes from heterogeneous databases. Each mining request is conditioned on a subset of attributes identified as "common" between the multiple databases. We develop a method to compare the rules for two or more attributes (from different databases) and use the similarity between the rules as a basis to suggest similarity between attributes. As a result, we use relationships between and among entire sets of attributes from multiple databases to drive the schema integration process. Our initial efforts and prototypes applying data mining to assist schema integration prove promising and, we feel, identify a fruitful application area for data mining research.
Evaluation of rate-based adaptivity in asynchronous data stream joins

Continuous query systems are an intuitive way for users to access streaming data in large-scale scientific applications containing many hundreds of streams. A challenge in these systems is to join streams in such a way that memory is conserved. Storing events that could not possibly participate in a join any longer wastes memory and limits scalability of the query processing system. This paper reports an experiment we conducted to validate an algorithm we developed for adaptive rate, adjustable join windows. We posit that a rate-based strategy can result in memory savings, can be sufficiently responsive to rapid changes in stream rates, and can execute with suitably low overhead. Based on the results, we conclude that the algorithm adds between 0.007% and 2.6% overhead, with significant gains in memory utilization possible depending on the particular workload.
H/He Ratios for WN Stars in the LMC and the Galaxy

The chemical abundances of hydrogen, helium, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen in the winds of W-R stars bears directly on the problem of their evolutionary stage. The commonly held view that W-R stars are highly evolved objects has been based upon the apparent deficiencies of H in their envelopes and the enhanced strengths of CNO lines in the two sequences WN and WC (e.g. Gamow 1943). The picture that emerges is one in which many W-R stars are in the helium burning phase with the WC types more evolved than the WN stars. For this reason it is important to estimate the H content of as many WR stars as possible.
An experimental investigation on a nanoporous carbon functionalized liquid damper

The behaviour of a p-xylene-based lyophobic nanoporous carbon system under high hydrostatic pressures is investigated. As the pressure is increased to a critical value, the nanopore surfaces between graphene layers are exposed to the liquid phase, leading to a considerable increase in solid–liquid interfacial energy. During unloading, defiltration does not occur until the pressure is much lower. Thus, the system is energy absorbing. Owing to the large solid–liquid contact area, the energy absorption efficiency is much higher than that of conventional dampers.
Good-enough brain model: challenges, algorithms and discoveries in multi-subject experiments

Given a simple noun such as {\em apple}, and a question such as "is it edible?", what processes take place in the human brain? More specifically, given the stimulus, what are the interactions between (groups of) neurons (also known as functional connectivity) and how can we automatically infer those interactions, given measurements of the brain activity? Furthermore, how does this connectivity differ across different human subjects?In this work we present a simple, novel good-enough brain model, or GeBM in short, and a novel algorithm Sparse-SysId, which are able to effectively model the dynamics of the neuron interactions and infer the functional connectivity. Moreover, GeBM is able to simulate basic psychological phenomena such as habituation and priming (whose definition we provide in the main text).We evaluate GeBM by using both synthetic and real brain data. Using the real data, GeBM produces brain activity patterns that are strikingly similar to the real ones, and the inferred functional connectivity is able to provide neuroscientific insights towards a better understanding of the way that neurons interact with each other, as well as detect regularities and outliers in multi-subject brain activity measurements.
Administrative Secrecy: A Congressional Dilemma

Attacks upon administrative secrecy are a commonplace of congressional politics. By resolution, investigation, and the threat of even more punitive sanctions, Congress has repeatedly asserted its belief that executive officials should not be allowed to withhold documents and testimony at their own discretion. The most graphic recent evidence of this legislative concern has been provided by a House Special Subcommittee on Government Information. Over the past three years, this group, headed by Representative Moss of California, has made far-ranging efforts to expose and dramatize the evils of executive secrecy.The long-standing congressional resentment against administrative efforts to conceal information has very visible roots in considerations of institutional self-interest, since the performance of legislative functions in central areas of policy-making and administrative oversight demands frequent access to facts that only executive officials can supply. In the field of defense policy, especially, congressional dependence upon executive information is acute, and bitter controversy has been sparked by executive refusals to release data bearing on such matters as the missile program, foreign-aid expenditures, and differences within the high command over the best way to spend the defense dollar.
Curative treatment of gastric cancer: towards a multidisciplinary approach?

Despite marked decreases in incidence over the last century, particularly in developed countries, gastric cancer is still the second-most common tumor worldwide. Surgery remains the gold standard for the cure of locoregional disease. However, in most countries, the diagnosis is made at an advanced stage, and the 5-year survival for surgically resectable disease stays far below 50%. The efficacy of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy in addition to surgery has been actively studied over the last 30 years. Unfortunately, with few exceptions, most studies of adjuvant therapy in gastric cancer have given deceiving results. The purpose of this review is to address the reasons for our failure to objectivate an improvement in the cure of gastric cancer with adjuvant treatment in most trials, and to consider potential solutions. The low efficacy of chemotherapy regimens available up to now may have hampered our progress. In addition, many previous studies suffered limitations of design or methodology (e.g. low accrual, inadequate disease stage selection, inadequate surgical treatment) that may have obscured a treatment effect. Furthermore, the reduced treatment tolerance of post-gastrectomy patients, perhaps due to their poor nutritional status, results in decreased or delayed adjuvant systemic therapy, with potential adverse consequences in its efficacy. Among potential solutions, the arrival of new drugs, taxanes and topoisomerase I inhibitors in particular, which have shown encouraging results in metastatic disease, may increase the impact of chemotherapy in a multidisciplinary treatment approach. Pre-treatment with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy prior to surgery may also be advantageous, averting the problems associated with post-surgical treatment. Such an approach has been shown to be feasible in phase II studies, and is relatively well tolerated by patients. Several carefully designed randomized phase III trials are underway to answer this question.
CIF Applications. XI. A La Mode: a ligand and monomer object data environment. I. Automated construction of mmCIF monomer and ligand models

The macromolecular Crystallographic Information File (mmCIF) dictionary [Fitzgerald et al. (1997). The Macromolecular Crystallographic Information File Dictionary, http://ndbserver.rutgers.edu/mmcif] provides a comprehensive description of chemical components used as models in the crystallographic refinement of macromolecular structures. A new ligand and monomer object data environment named A La Mode is described for building chemical-component models in the mmCIF representation from surveys of high-resolution small-molecule crystal structures. Examples of the application of this system are presented for an intercalating drug component and for a nucleotide unit constructed from independent base, sugar and phosphate components.
Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder A Case of Prolonged Tooth Brushing

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in children and adolescents is a prevalent condition with a number of adverse correlates and implications. The cognitive-behavioral treatment of an 11-year-old girl with prolonged tooth brushing is described in this case study. The frequency of the compulsive behavior was measured over the course of the treatment and standard assessment devices were used to determine the nature and severity of the OCD symptoms. Results of the intervention were suggestive of substantial improvements in OCD symptoms and a reduction in the associated impairments. The implications of these data were reviewed and recommendations for clinicians who intend on treating OCD in children and adolescents were provided.
Identifying Discrimination at Work: The Use of Field Experiments

Antidiscrimination law offers protection to workers who have been treated unfairly on the basis of their race, gender, religion, or national origin. In order for these protections to be invoked, however, potential plaintiffs must be aware of and able to document discriminatory treatment. Given the subtlety of contemporary forms of discrimination, it is often difficult to identify discrimination when it has taken place. The methodology of field experiments offers one approach to measuring and detecting hiring discrimination, providing direct observation of discrimination in real-world settings. In this article, we discuss the findings of two recent field experiments measuring racial discrimination in low wage labor markets. This research provides several relevant findings for researchers and those interested in civil rights enforcement: (1) it produces estimates of the rate of discrimination at the point of hire; (2) it yields evidence about the interactions associated with discrimination (many of which reveal the subtlety with which contemporary discrimination is practiced); and (3) it provides a vehicle for both research on and enforcement of antidiscrimination law.
The impact of pain on the patient with cancer

Pain is one of the most feared consequences of cancer. Until recently, however, little has been known about its prevalence, severity, and impact on the patient with cancer. The presence of pain, despite efforts to treat it, represents a continued source of frustration for patients, their families, and the health care team. Although often one of the early indicators of the presence of disease, pain is not a significant problem for the majority of patients in the early stages of disease, with 5% to 10% of patients with solid tumors reporting pain at a level that interferes with mood and activity. But when metastatic disease is present, about one in three patients reports significant pain, and our data and those of others indicate that the majority of patients with end-stage disease will report pain of a severity that interferes with several aspects of the patient's quality of life. Site of tumor is also significantly related to the progression of pain. The relationship between pain intensity and depression and anxiety is examined in detail, and the treatment implications of this relationship discussed. Whereas a modest relationship between pain intensity and depression has been found across several studies, the possibility that depression is a causative factor in the pain experienced by the cancer patient may have been overemphasized. Data on the relief of pain in cancer are reported from the perspective of patients as well as the physicians and nurses who treat them. The majority of physicians and nurses specializing in cancer treatment whom we have surveyed believe that cancer patients in general are undermedicated for pain. Patient survey data indicate that only 50% of cancer patients with pain report 70% or greater pain relief with analgesic medication. Although a number of nonsystemic treatments may be useful for cancer pain management (such as nerve blocks, neurosurgery, and behavioral treatments), they are not widely available and there are few controlled studies of their effectiveness. Teaching patients to report the level of their pain on simple pain intensity scales has proven useful in monitoring the effectiveness of pain management, as well as in helping establish pain control goals for the individual patient.
PAN1/NALP2/PYPAF2, an Inducible Inflammatory Mediator That Regulates NF-κB and Caspase-1 Activation in Macrophages

Genes encoding proteins with PYRIN/PAAD/DAPIN domains, a nucleotide binding fold (NACHT), and leucine rich repeats have recently been recognized as important mediators in autoimmune inflammatory disorders. Here we characterize the expression and function of a member of the PYRIN and NACHT domain (PAN) family, PAN1 (also known as NALP2 and PYPAF2). PAN1 protein expression is regulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferons (IFNbeta and IFNgamma) in THP-1 macrophage cells. In gene transfection studies PAN1 manifests an inhibitory influence on NF-kappaB activation induced by various pro-inflammatory stimuli, including tumor necrosis factor TNFalpha and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta). Gene transfer-mediated elevations in PAN1 protein also suppressed activation of IkappaB kinases induced by inflammatory cytokines. Conversely, reducing endogenous levels of PAN1 using small interfering RNA enhanced LPS-induced production of ICAM-1 (intercellular adhesion molecule 1), an NF-kappaB-dependent gene. We also show here that PAN1 binds via its PYRIN domain to ASC, an adapter protein involved in caspase-1 activation. This binding is disrupted by mutation of the alpha1 helix of ASC. In gene transfer experiments PAN1 enhances caspase-1 activation and IL-1beta secretion in collaboration with ASC. Conversely, reducing endogenous levels of PAN1 using small interfering RNA significantly reduced LPS-induced secretion of IL-1beta in monocytes. We propose that PAN1 functions as a modulator of the activation of NF-kappaB and pro-caspase-1 in macrophages.