cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Starting insulin therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes: effectiveness, complications, and resource utilization.

Context. —Although experimental studies show that insulin therapy can be safe and efficacious in improving glycemic control in type 2 diabetes under optimal conditions (ie, using patient volunteers with close monitoring under strict study protocols), little is known about its effectiveness, complication rates, and associated resource utilization in actual clinical practice. Design. —Cohort study. Setting. —Large staff-model health maintenance organization. Participants. —A total of 8668 patients with type 2 diabetes cared for by generalist physicians from 1990 through 1993. Outcome Measures. —Resource use (hospitalizations, outpatient visits, laboratory testing, and home glucose monitoring) and glycemic control were evaluated using combined clinical, survey, and administrative information systems data. Detailed clinical case-mix data, including a newly validated case-mix method, the Total Illness Burden Index, were collected on a subsample of 1738 patients. Results. —Among patients starting insulin therapy, hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c) decreased by 0.9 percentage point (95% confidence interval, 0.7-1.0) at 1 year compared with those receiving stable medication regimens; however, 2 years after starting insulin therapy, 60% still had HbA1clevels of 8% or greater. There was no evidence that some primary care physicians achieved better results than other primary care physicians when starting insulin therapy in their patients. Patients with the poorest baseline glycemic control achieved substantially greater HbA1creductions; those with a baseline HbA1clevel of 13% had a 3-fold greater decline in HbA1cthan those whose baseline HbA1clevel was 9%. For a subset of all patients for whom detailed clinical case-mix data were obtained, those taking insulin had higher resource use than those taking sulfonylureas, independent of illness severity. After adjusting for age, sex, race, socioeconomic status, disease duration, and severity of diabetes and comorbidities, insulin users had slightly more laboratory tests performed, 2.4 more outpatient visits per year, and almost 300 more fingersticks for home glucose testing per year compared with sulfonylurea users (allP Conclusions. —For patients with type 2 diabetes who were cared for by generalist physicians, starting insulin therapy was generally safe and effective in achieving moderate glycemic control in patients who initially had poor glycemic control. However, insulin therapy was associated with increases in resource use and was rarely effective in achieving tight glycemic control, even for those with moderate control.
Diagnosis of pancreatic cancer—EUS/FNA to the rescue?

Abstract This is a report on the diagnostic yield and accuracy of endoscopic ultrasonography-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (EUS FNA) of pancreatic masses in patients who have had negative cytology on prior CT-guided biopsy or ERCP sampling. One hundred two patients with suspected pancreatic cancer with prior negative cytology (by CT or ERCP) were prospectively identified and underwent EUS FNA. A median of 3.4 passes were performed with a 22- or 23-gauge needle. Histological diagnoses from the FNA sample were reported as positive, inconclusive, or negative. A composite gold standard of surgical pathology, a positive FNA, or clinical follow-up (median = 24 months) was employed to determine the final diagnosis. FNA was technically possible in all 102 patients. The prevalence of pancreatic cancer in the tested population was 59.8% (n = 61). The performance characteristics of EUS FNA were determined: sensitivity, 93.4%, and specificity, 82.9%. The posterior probabilities of pancreatic cancer were 93.5% after a positive EUS FNA and 6.9% after a negative FNA. Complications occurred in three of the 103 patients: gastric bleeding that resolved spontaneously in two patients and self-limited pancreatitis in one. The authors conclude that EUS FNA may play a valuable role in the evaluation of a pancreatic mass if the clinical suspicion of cancer is strong despite a negative result on other biopsy methods.
After the class: informal training support through the Penn State technology training community

One of the biggest challenges Penn State's Information Technology Services training unit faces is providing ongoing training support to participants after they attend a training session. Experience shows that extended learning happens after the class through informal discussions and on-the-job application of the skills learned in class. In exploring better ways to facilitate these informal discussions, as well as to assist in meeting the ongoing training needs of users at all Penn State locations, we have developed an online collaborative learning community. This resource allows users to participate in online conversations; view tips and tricks, and locate other informational resources in order to learn more about the many technology topics that affect their job roles at the University. This paper will focus on the process used to design and develop this online learning community, the challenges faced, the lessons learned, the positive impact on training support, and the future goals for this project.
Gap junctional communication during limb cartilage differentiation

The onset of cartilage differentiation in the developing limb bud is characterized by a transient cellular condensation process in which prechondrogenic mesenchymal cells become closely apposed to one another prior to initiating cartilage matrix deposition. During this condensation process intimate cell-cell interactions occur which are necessary to trigger chondrogenic differentiation. In the present study, we demonstrate that extensive cell-cell communication via gap junctions as assayed by the intercellular transfer of lucifer yellow dye occurs during condensation and the onset of overt chondrogenesis in high density micromass cultures prepared from the homogeneous population of chondrogenic precursor cells comprising the distal subridge region of stage 25 embryonic chick wing buds. Furthermore, in heterogeneous micromass cultures prepared from the mesodermal cells of whole stage 23/24 limb buds, extensive gap junctional communication is limited to differentiating cartilage cells, while the nonchondrogenic cells of the cultures that are differentiating into the connective tissue lineage exhibit little or no intercellular communication via gap junctions. These results provide a strong incentive for considering and further investigating the possible involvement of cell-cell communication via gap junctions in the regulation of limb cartilage differentiation.
Pre- and postsynaptic contributions to age-related alterations in corticostriatal synaptic plasticity

Aging creates deficits in motor performance related to changes in striatal processing of cortical information. This study describes age-related changes in corticostriatal snaptic plasticity and associated mechanisms, which may contribute to declines in motor behavior. Intracellular recordings revealed an age-related decrease in the expression of paired-pulse, posttetanic, and long-term potentiation (LTP). The age-related difference in LTP was associated with reduced sensitivity to block of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the aged population. These age-related changes could not be explained by increased L-type Ca2+channel activity, since block of L-type Ca2+ channels with nifedipine increased rather than decreased the age-related difference in long-term plasticity. Age-related increases in reactive oxygen species (ROS) modulation were also ruled out, since application of H2O2 produced changes in synaptic function that were opposite to trends seen in aging, and addition of the antioxidant Trolox-C had a larger effect on long-term plasticity in young rats than in older rats. A robust age-related difference in long-term synaptic plasticity was found by studying synaptic plasticity following the blocking of D2 receptors with l-sulpiride, which may involve age-difference in NMDA receptor function. l-sulpiride consistently enabled a slow development of LTP at young (but not aged) corticostriatal synapses. However, No age differences were found in the sensitivity to the addition of the D2 receptor agonist quinpirole. These findings provide evidence for age-induced changes in the release properties of cortical terminals and in the functioning of postsynaptic striatal NMDA receptors, which may contribute to age-related deficits in striatum control of movement. Synapse 60:223–238, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Oxygen Isotope Effect and Structural Phase Transitions in La2CuO4-Based Superconductors.

The oxygen isotope effect on the superconducting transition temperature (α o ) varies as a function of x in La 2-x Sr x CuO 4 and La 2-x Ba x CuO 4 , with the maximum α o values (α o ≥ 0.5) found for x near 0.12. This unusual x dependence implies that the isotope effect is influenced by proximity to the Abma → P4 2 /ncm structural phase transition in these systems. Synchrotron x-ray difaction measurements reveal little change in lattice parameters or orthorhombicity due to isotope exchange in strontium-doped materials where α o > 0.5, eliminating static structural distortion as a cause of the large isotope effects. The anomalous behavior of α o in both strontium- and barium-doped materials, in combination with the previously discovered Abma → P4 2 /ncm structural phase-transition in La 1.88 B 0.12 CuO 4 , suggests that an electronic contribution to the lattice instability is present and maximizes at ∼1/8 hole per copper atom. These observations indicate a dose connection between hole doping of the Cu-O sheets, tilting instabilities of the CuO 6 octahedra, and superconductivity in La 2 CuO 4 -based superconductors.
Hotspot Tracks and the Early Rifting of the Atlantic

Abstract Many hotspot tracks appear to become the locus of later rifting, as though the heat of the hotspot weakens the lithosphere and tens of millions of years later the continents are split along these weakened lines. Examples are the west coast of Greenland-east coast of Labrador (Madeira hotspot), the south coast of Mexico-north coast of Honduras (Guyana hotspot), and the south coast of West Africa-north coast of Brazil (St. Helena hotspot). A modern day analog of a possible future rift is the Snake River Plain, where the North American continent is being “pre-weakened” by the Yellowstone hotspot track. This conclusion is based on reconstructions of the motions of the continents over hotspots for the past 200 million years. The relative motions of the plates are determined from magnetic anomaly isochrons in the oceans and the motion of one plate is chosen ad hoc to best fit the motions of the plates over the hotspots. However, once the motion of this one plate is chosen, the motions of all the other plates are prescribed by the relative motion constraints. In addition to the correlation between the predicted tracks and sites of later continental breakup, exposed continental shields correlate with the tracks. Their exposure may be the result of hotspot induced uplift which has led to erosion of their former platform sediment cover.
An application-level approach for seamless mobility support across heterogeneous networks

The growth in variety of wireless networks along with the popularization of the terminals with multi-radio interfaces offers the opportunity and power to make better user experience with the coexistence of diverse but complementary access technologies. The appropriate mobility management scheme enabling the service continuity is crucial in such environment. Great efforts available in the literature and the industrial standards have been taken to solve this issue. Most of them however encounter the challenges in the deployment and implementation given the legacy networks. This paper proposes an application-level approach for mobility support across the heterogeneous networks in the context of Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP). Our solution introduces no framework-level modification on the existing systems except for the requirement that the IP communication be enabled. The experimental results show that our proposal provides the smooth inter-network handover as well as the higher throughput than the original HTTP.
Nitrous oxide produces a biphasic effect on opiate-induced muscle rigidity in the rat

Muscle rigidity is a side effect of potent opiate agonists like alfentanil. Older clinical studies suggested that nitrous oxide (N2O) augments opiate rigidity, but this has never been rigorously examined in an animal model. Sixty-two Wistar rats were placed in a Plexiglas box through which fresh gas flowed at 41/min. Muscle rigidity was assessed using gastrocnemius electromyographic (EMG) activity. Rats were exposed to either 60% N2O in O2 or 100% O2, EMG was measured for 10 min, alfentanil (0, 50, 175, or 350 μg/kg) was administered intravenously, and data were collected for 45 min. Alfentanil produced a dose-dependent increase in EMG activity in both O2 and N2O groups (p < 0.001). At 1 min postalfentanil, N2O caused significantly more rigidity than 100% O2(p < 0.001). However, beginning at 5 min, N2O attenuated both the magnitude and the duration of rigidity. Study of a separate group of animals breathing 30% O2 demonstrated that N2O's attenuating effect on alfentanil rigidity was not due to reduced inspired oxygen concentration. These results are described by a theoretical model of the pharmacodynamic interactions of alfentanil and nitrous oxide.
Yb3+ doped ribbon fiber for high-average power lasers and amplifiers

Diffraction-limited high power lasers in the region of 10s of kW to greater than 100 kW are needed for defense, manufacturing and future science applications. A balance of thermal lensing and Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS) for narrowband amplifiers and Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS) for broadband amplifiers is likely to limit the average power of circular core fiber amplifiers to 2 kW (narrowband) or 36 kW (broadband). A ribbon fiber, which has a rectangular core, operating in a high order mode can overcome these obstacles by increasing mode area without becoming thermal lens limited and without the on-axis intensity peak associated with circular high order modes. High order ribbon fiber modes can also be converted to a fundamental Gaussian mode with high efficiency for applications in which this is necessary. We present an Yb-doped, air clad, optical fiber having an elongated, ribbon-like core having an effective mode area of area of 600 μm² and an aspect ratio of 13:1. As an amplifier, the fiber produced 50% slope efficiency and a seed-limited power of 10.5 W, a gain of 24 dB. As an oscillator, the fiber produced multimode power above 40 W with 71% slope efficiency and single mode power above 5 W with 44% slope efficiency. The multimode M2 beam quality factor of the fiber was 1.6 in the narrow dimension and 15 in the wide dimension.
Novel optically pumped narrowband emitting polymeric materials

A polymeric high gain scattering medium based on IR-26 laser dye mixed with sub-micron alumina scatterers is described. Optical pumping at 1.06 micrometer with a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser results in isotropic, narrowband emission peaking at 1.18 micrometer. Alternative high gain, narrowband visible stimulated emitters utilizing a high density of microprism retroreflectors for optical feedback are also described. Optical pumping at 532 nm with the Q-switched output of a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser results in narrow linewidth, Stokes-shifted laser emission near 600 nm.
Direct analysis of root zone data in a microculture system

The feasibility of using a whole plant microculture system coupled with image analysis to observe and quantify elusive root growth phenomena was demonstrated. Subtle differences in root initiation and growth rate for maple microcuttings inserted into three distinct rooting media were recurrently registered over the span of the rooting phase in terms of root length, number, and weighted density (equivalent to fresh weight) without disturbing the rooting environment. This method provided a non-intrusive time-course assay for take-all disease symptom expression on wheat lines (degree and rate of root lesion development), which paralleled the relative resistance rated in field plots. Although agar-solidified media had a relatively high light transmission (nearly 84% through 6.6 cm medium depth), roots could only be clearly perceived through a thickness of about 2 cm, and were often completely obscured when embedded to a depth greater than 5 cm. However, there was no detectable loss of definition for roots observed through Gelrite-solidified media (non-diffuse light transmission of 97%) up to a depth of 6.6 cm.
Media Work and the Recession

“At least 163,400 advertising jobs have been lost since the beginning of the recession,” wrote Jim Edwards on BNET's US ad agency layoff counter online on January 18, 2010. 1 Erica Smith's Paper Cu...
The effects of skill diversity on commenting and revisions

The use of peer assessment to evaluate students’ writing is one recommended method that makes writing assignments possible in large content classes (i.e., more than 75 students). However, many instructors and students worry about whether students of all ability levels are capable of helping their peers. We examine how ability pairing (e.g., high-ability student with high-ability student versus high-ability student with low-ability student) changes key characteristics of feedback to determine which pairings are likely to benefit students most. A web-based reciprocal peer-review system was used to facilitate the peer review of students’ writing of two papers. Over 1,100 comments given to writers from their peers were coded for several relevant categories: type of feedback, type of criticism, focus of problem, focus of solution, and implementation. Overall, creating peer-review groups such that students receive feedback from someone of a dissimilar ability appeared to be most beneficial. High-ability writers received similar kinds of feedback from high-ability versus low-ability peers. By contrast, the low-ability writers received more comments that identified problems focusing on substance issues from high-ability reviewers. In addition, the low-ability writers implemented a higher percentage of the comments from the high-ability reviewers.
Interfacial segregation in Ag-Au, Au-Pd, and Cu-Ni alloys: II. [001] Σ5 twist grain boundaries

Atomistic simulations of segregation to [001] Σ5 twist boundaries in Cu−Ni, Au−Pd, and Ag−Au alloy systems have been performed for a wide range of temperatures and compositions within the solid solution region of these alloy phase diagrams. In addition to the grain boundary segregation profiles, grain boundary free energies, enthalpies, and entropies were determined. These simulations were performed within the framework of the free energy simulation method, in which an approximate free energy functional is minimized with respect to atomic coordinates and atomic site occupation. For all alloy bulk compositions (0.05 ≤ C ≤ 0.95) and temperatures (400 ≤ T (K) ≤ 1,100) examined, Cu and Au segregates to the boundary in the Cu−Ni and Au−Pd alloy systems, respectively; although in the Ag−Au alloys, the majority element segregates to the boundary. The width of the segregation profile is limited to approximately three to four (002) atomic planes. The classical theories for the segregation, and the effects of the relaxation with respect to either the atomic positions or the atomic concentrations, are discussed. The boundary thermodynamic properties depend sensitively on the magnitude of the boundary segregation, and some of them are shown to vary linearly with the magnitude of the grain boundary segregation.
The death penalty for juveniles: Bridging the gap between an evolving standard of decency and legislative policy

In Stanford v. Kentucky (1989), the U.S. Supreme Court held that the practice of executing juveniles who were age 16 or 17 at the time of their crime(s) did not violate the “evolving standards of decency” (ESD) of American society. This ESD determination was based on legislative authorization of this punishment. Although this interpretation of what constitutes an ESD has been controlling in death penalty cases since Gregg v. Georgia (1976), the high court's original conception of an ESD stressed the importance of other factors in its determination (e.g., historical review and empirical knowledge about executions). Because the ESD is a Court-created measure, legislatures are under no constitutional obligation to acknowledge the scope of concerns embodied in the historical genesis of this concept. Nevertheless, in this paper we oppose a juvenile death penalty and argue that legislatures should consider the importance of historical and research utilization components of the ESD concept when debating the vali...
Data aggregation and routing in Wireless Sensor Networks: Optimal and heuristic algorithms

A fundamental challenge in the design of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) is to maximize their lifetimes especially when they have a limited and non-replenishable energy supply. To extend the network lifetime, power management and energy-efficient communication techniques at all layers become necessary. In this paper, we present solutions for the data gathering and routing problem with in-network aggregation in WSNs. Our objective is to maximize the network lifetime by utilizing data aggregation and in-network processing techniques. We particularly focus on the joint problem of optimal data routing with data aggregation en route such that the above mentioned objective is achieved. We present Grid-based Routing and Aggregator Selection Scheme (GRASS), a scheme for WSNs that can achieve low energy dissipation and low latency without sacrificing quality. GRASS embodies optimal (exact) as well as heuristic approaches to find the minimum number of aggregation points while routing data to the Base-Station (BS) such that the network lifetime is maximized. Our results show that, when compared to other schemes, GRASS improves system lifetime with acceptable levels of latency in data aggregation and without sacrificing data quality.
Gender and Ethnicity: Perspectives on Dual Status.

The role of gender and ethnicity as status variables, i.e., as cues to social standing, personal experiences, and cultural expectations, is discussed and the relevant literature is reviewed. The point is made that gender research typically fails to include race/ethnic concerns, and that studies of ethnic groups often ignore gender issues. Consideration is given to the relative scarcity of research which deals with both gender and race/ethnic issues. The impact of each variable, gender and race, is examined separately, and in combination. Issues of racism and sexism are specifically addressed, and the need for research which utilizes an interaction approach is presented. An overview of the articles presented in this special issue is provided. They are discussed in terms of their ability to confirm the importance of the gender/ethnic interaction.
Deciding when to explore and when to persist: a comparison of honeybees and bumblebees in their response to downshifts in reward

As the distribution of food resources shifts over time, central place foragers are likely to be repeatedly faced with the question of when to abandon a forage site that is declining in value and to subsequently search elsewhere. Although there has been a great deal of investigation into how individual foragers allocate time between exploration and exploitation, few studies have sought to explore this issue within a larger functional context. We take a comparative approach to this problem by examining decision making in individual honeybees and bumblebees as they responded to a downshift in food reward. Our results show not only that honeybees and bumblebees have significantly divergent strategies with regards to abandoning a food source that is declining in value but also in terms of the subsequent tendency to seek an alternative food source. We interpret these results in terms of both biological and social distinctions between these species and highlight how group-level characteristics are likely to shape the evolutionarily derived foraging strategies of individual animals.
Number, size, and regional distribution of motor neurons in the dorsolateral and retrodorsolateral nuclei as a function of sex and neonatal stimulation

Motor neurons were measured in the retrodorsolateral nucleus (RDLN) and the dorsolateral nucleus (DLN) of adult male and female rats that were reared with normal or reduced levels of maternal anogenital stimulation. In contrast with findings for the spinal nucleus of the bulbocavernosus, which is located in the same spinal segments, reduced stimulation had no effect on neuron number in either nucleus. However, several regional and sex differences were observed. Rostrally located neurons were larger in both the RDLN and the DLN; these location effects were greater in females. There was no sex difference in RDLN neuron size, but DLN neurons were larger in females, particularly in the rostral region. Females had significantly more cells in the RDLN, a nucleus previously considered nondimorphic, whereas males had more DLN neurons. Both regional and sex differences may reflect local differences in trophic factors from targets or afferents. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Using CALL effectively: What do we need to know about students?

Abstract With an increasing variety of language courseware available, its effectiveness must be considered in the light of the type of student using a particular set of materials. Thisarticle outlines five student characteristics that may be important for examining computer materials: age, expectations, ability, cognitive style, and effect. These student characteristics are described and their relevance for valid assessment of courseware effectiveness is exemplified. Suggestions are provided for teachers' and researchers' observation of student CALL use.
High-speed chromosome sorting

Structural and genetic characterization of chromosomes is necessary to understand both normal and pathologic physiology in any species. Flow cytometry and cell sorting technologies provide a means for precise measurement of chromosomal makeup as well as for the isolation of specific chromosomes for further study. Advancements in molecular biology protocols and pressures from large-scale sequencing endeavors placed increased demand on the developers of these instruments for enhanced throughput and quality of results. The ensuing improvements in sorting performance led to the development of a new generation of cytometers known as high-speed cell sorters. These machines provide superior results in less time and are cheaper and simpler to operate than their predecessors. Robust chromosome sorting can now be performed in the laboratories of individual investigators for a variety of gene- and sequence-specific studies. Resolution of the flow karyotype with increased refinement, and the development of new applications for this technology will assure that cell sorting continues to play an important role in cytogenetics, our understanding of molecular processes such as evolution and disease etiology, and ultimately serve as a launching point for predictive medicine.
Voice Lessons: Tempered Radicalism and the Use of Voice and Silence*

 This article explores the ontology of voice and silence in the context of tempered radicalism. The career experiences of gay and lesbian Protestant ministers illuminate key issues for understanding voice and silence in organizations. First, social actors’ discursive context provides genres and plots for the construction of self-hood that shape their use of voice and silence. Second, voice and silence are ambiguous, intertwined phenomena. When you are saying one thing, you are not saying another. Third, self-authorization ‐ a form of institutional change agency ‐ legitimates action that falls outside institutional norms for authorized resistance, while framing these actions as enactments of institutional values and beliefs.
Intracellular pH regulation during prolonged hypoxia in rats.

Abstract Conscious rats maintained for three weeks at PB 370–380 Torr were studied in a chamber where PI O2 was maintained at 68–70 Torr at ambient barometric pressure (740–750 Torr). Controls were pair-fed rats maintained at ambient barometric pressure and studied at ambient PI O2 (normoxia). In approximately half of the hypoxic and normoxic animals, hypercapnia was induced by increasing PI O2 for 4 h. Steady-state intracellular pH (pHi) of left and right ventricle, and of tibialis anterior, quadriceps and diaphragm was determined from the distribution of 5,5-dimethyl-2,4-oxazolidinedione (DMO). Apparent non-bicarbonate buffer value (βapp) was calculated as the ratio of the change in HCO3− concentration to the change in pH elicited by the increase in PCO2. βapp of plasma, tibialis anterior, quadriceps and diaphragm was approximately 2, 3, 6 and 12 times higher, respectively, in hypoxic than in normoxic rats. Neither left nor right ventricular βapp was significantly changed by prolonged hypoxia. In the hypoxic animals, bilateral nephrectomy abolished the increase in βapp of plasma, tibialis anterior and quadriceps, and moderated the increase in βapp of diaphragm. No significant effect of nephrectomy was observed in βapp of either left or right ventricle. The results indicate that in the skeletal muscles studied under conditions of an acid load in the form of increased PCO2, intracellular pH is better regulated in hypoxic than in normoxic rats. The effects of nephrectomy suggest that this is due, at least in part, to a more effective renal compensation in hypoxic than in normoxic rats. Prolonged hypoxia, on the other hand, does not affect the cell pH regulation of right or left ventricle.
Comparative Gamma Radiation and Temperature Effects on SiO2 and MgO Insulated Nuclear Instrument Cable

The relative merits of SiO2 and MgO as insulation for nuclear instrument cables are investigated. The insulation resistance of SiO2 cable was between one and two decades higher than that of MgO cable under the combined effects of temperature and gamma radiation (5.3 × 105 R/hr). The insulation resistivity of the SiO2 cables tested exceeded 1011 ?·ft. at 400°C in the gamma fluence. MgO cables maintained superior pulse voltage breakdown thresholds (> 800 Vdc at 500°C, 105 R/hr) to SiO2 cables in testing. Spontaneous current signals, generated during thermal cycling, were characterized. Although these currents were a decade higher in SiO2 cable, their magnitude did not exceed 2 × 10-10 amps.
MELATONIN PROTECTION FROM CHRONIC, LOW-LEVEL IONIZING RADIATION

In the current survey, we summarize the published literature which supports the use of melatonin, an endogenously produced molecule, as a protective agent against chronic, low-level ionizing radiation. Under in vitro conditions, melatonin uniformly was found to protect cellular DNA and plasmid super coiled DNA from ionizing radiation damage due to Cs(137) or X-radiation exposure. Likewise, in an in vivo/in vitro study in which humans were given melatonin orally and then their blood lymphocytes were collected and exposed to Cs(137) ionizing radiation, nuclear DNA from the cells of those individuals who consumed melatonin (and had elevated blood levels) was less damaged than that from control individuals. In in vivo studies as well, melatonin given to animals prevented DNA and lipid damage (including limiting membrane rigidity) and reduced the percentage of animals that died when they had been exposed to Cs(137) or Co(60) radiation. Melatonin's ability to protect macromolecules from the damage inflicted by ionizing radiation likely stems from its high efficacy as a direct free radical scavenger and possibly also due to its ability to stimulate antioxidative enzymes. Melatonin is readily absorbed when taken orally or via any other route. Melatonin's ease of self administration and its virtual absence of toxicity or side effects, even when consumed over very long periods of time, are essential when large populations are exposed to lingering radioactive contamination such as occurs as a result of an inadvertent nuclear accident, an intentional nuclear explosion or the detonation of a radiological dispersion device, i.e., a "dirty" bomb.
Functional movement test scores improve following a standardized off‐season intervention program in professional football players

The purpose of this study was to determine if an off-season intervention program was effective in improving Functional Movement Screen(™) (FMS) scores in professional American football players. Pre- and post-intervention FMS scores were obtained on 62 subjects who completed a 7-week off-season intervention program. A repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the training program on FMS scores. A chi-square was performed to determine if there were a greater number of players who met the injury threshold and if asymmetries were reduced following intervention. Logistic regression was used to predict what factors were associated with failure (post-test score of 14 following the intervention. At post-test, 41 players were free of asymmetry as compared with 31 at the pre-test. The strongest predictor of program failure was a low squat score at pre-test. This study demonstrated that fundamental movement characteristics do change with a standardized intervention. Further research is required to determine if injury risk is reduced when a player's score improves beyond the established cut-off of 14 and/or asymmetry is resolved.
Boys' Perceptions of the Male Role: Understanding Gender Role Conflict in Adolescent Males

Adolescent males are at risk for a number of academic, social, and emotional problems. Existing research provides evidence that a number of these problems are related to conflicts experienced by adolescent males through the gender socialization process, called gender role conflict. Whereas there is ample empirical literature on gender role conflict in adult males, few researchers have inves-tigated this hypothesized conflict in adolescent males. This study, involving small interview groups of adolescent males, was designed to examine the validity of the gender role construct for adolescent males.
Aortic leaflet perforation during radiofrequency ablation.

SEIFERT, M.J., ET AL.: Aortic Leaflet Perforation During Radiofrequency Ablation, A 15-year-oId gi'ri underweni success/uJ radiofrequency ablation of an accessory pathway. Following ablation, a new lll/Vl diastolic murmur was noted. Echocardiography revealed a perforaled aortic leaflet, with a small amount o/adherent vaJvuJar tissue and trivial aortic insufficiency by color Doppler. The patient remains asymptomatic. We are not aware o/any similar complication from electrophysioJogical study, catheter ablation, coronary angiography, or percutaneous transluminaJ coronary angioplasty. We speculate that the current state o/catheter technology contributed significantly to this complication. This case iliustrales the need for using care in crossing the vaJve, continued advances in catheter technology to reduce the incidence of complications, and careful physical examination prior to and following attempts at ablation. (PACE, VoJ. 14, November, Part I 1991)
Assessing the reliability of a nanocomponent using nanocrack growth

In nanoscience and nanotechnology, much attention has been given to the dual problem of designing nanocomponents with novel physical properties and how such nanocomponents can be fabricated. Receiving less attention has been the question of the nanocomponent's reliability; how does a nanocomponent fail and how long does a nanocomponent survive under typical operating conditions? High reliability is necessary to guarantee the advancement and utilization of nanocomponents due to the fact that they account for a high proportion of costs of newly designed nanosystems as well as multiscale systems. A nanocomponent is a component that is made of atoms, and its reliability is determined by these atoms.
Antibody-Mediated Immune Control of a Retrovirus Does Not Require the Microbiota

Commensal microbes are often required to control viral infection by facilitating host immune defenses. However, we found that this does not hold true for retroviral infection. We report that retrovirus-resistant mice control the pathogen with virus-neutralizing antibodies independently of commensal microbiota. This is in contrast to orthomyxoviruses and arenaviruses, where resistance is ablated in animals depleted of microbiota. Clearly, when it comes to antiviral immunity, the role of the microbiota cannot be generalized.
Intravenous Thrombolysis in Patients Older Than Age 80 Years

To the Editor: Congratulations to Dr Meretoja et al1 on their recent article about off-label use of intravenous thrombolysis from 1995 to 2008 at the Helsinki University Central Hospital. They raise concerns about use in patients older than age …
Prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections by intravesical administration of heparin: a pilot study.

Objective:To assess the effect of bladder instillations using heparin on the rate of urinary tract infections in women resistant to standard therapy.Patients and methods:The medical records of all ...
Cavity-Backed Miniature Wideband UHF Circular Polarized Antenna With Textured Dielectrics

Use of high permittivity dielectrics with antennas is known to reduce their operating frequency but also introduces side effects such as reduced gain and bandwidth. This paper presents a miniaturization scheme for a 15 cm (6 inch) square circularly polarized (CP), cavity-backed antenna using textured dielectric loading and a folded metallic strip feed. The proposed design has an operational frequency f, around 500 MHz implying a linear size of 0.25lambda0. The challenge in designing such a small size antenna is to increase bandwidth (10-15%) while retaining a gain of 2-4 dBi. By carefully positioning high permittivity textured dielectrics within the aperture in conjunction with shape design, we show that bandwidth and gain are retained as compared to comparable size antennas in the literature. As part of our design, we present parametric studies through computer simulations and a prototype antenna is fabricated and measured for verification
Obesity, gender, and colon cancer

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer in premenopausal but not postmenopausal women Many studies have shown that a high body mass index (BMI) is related to an increased risk of colon cancer in men but this relationship has not been as consistent in studies of women. However, an association between BMI and colon cancer risk is observed in cohorts of relatively young women, and among younger women in case control studies that stratified results by age.1 In addition, a recent cohort study found a positive association between BMI and colorectal cancer among women less than 55 years of age but not among older women.2 These studies did not examine the association between BMI and colon cancer risk by menopausal status but the clearer association with younger women suggested that an association between BMI and colon cancer risk may be stronger for, or perhaps even limited to, premenopausal women.2 A study by Terry and colleagues3 in the current issue of Gut tested the hypothesis that menopausal status modifies the relationship between BMI and colon cancer risk [see 191] . The investigators …
Dispersion-diminishing transformations

Let D(σ) consist of matrices congruent to and dominated by a given matrix σ , and let T(σ) be the corresponding congruent transformations. These classes are characterized and their properties studied when σ is positive definite. Dispersion orderings are considered, including dispersion-diminishing linear transformations, concentration properties of which are shown. Arbitrary linear transformations are decomposed into contractions, isometries and dilations on subspaces relative to Mahalanobis norms. Applications are noted in statistical process control and linear inference
Lack of Protective Osmolytes Limits Final Cell Density and Volumetric Productivity of Ethanologenic Escherichia coli KO11 during Xylose Fermentation

Limited cell growth and the resulting low volumetric productivity of ethanologenic Escherichia coli KO11 in mineral salts medium containing xylose have been attributed to inadequate partitioning of carbon skeletons into the synthesis of glutamate and other products derived from the citrate arm of the anaerobic tricarboxylic acid pathway. The results of nuclear magnetic resonance investigations of intracellular osmolytes under different growth conditions coupled with those of studies using genetically modified strains have confirmed and extended this hypothesis. During anaerobic growth in mineral salts medium containing 9% xylose (600 mM) and 1% corn steep liquor, proline was the only abundant osmolyte (71.9 nmol ml−1 optical density at 550 nm [OD550] unit−1), and growth was limited. Under aerobic conditions in the same medium, twice the cell mass was produced, and cells contained a mixture of osmolytes: glutamate (17.0 nmol ml−1 OD550 unit−1), trehalose (9.9 nmol ml−1 OD550 unit−1), and betaine (19.8 nmol ml−1 OD550 unit−1). Two independent genetic modifications of E. coli KO11 (functional expression of Bacillus subtilis citZ encoding NADH-insensitive citrate synthase; deletion of ackA encoding acetate kinase) and the addition of a metabolite, such as glutamate (11 mM) or acetate (24 mM), as a supplement each increased the intracellular glutamate pool during fermentation, doubled cell growth, and increased volumetric productivity. This apparent requirement for a larger glutamate pool for increased growth and volumetric productivity was completely eliminated by the addition of a protective osmolyte (2 mM betaine or 0.25 mM dimethylsulfoniopropionate), consistent with adaptation to osmotic stress rather than relief of a specific biosynthetic requirement.
Evaluation of diagnostic tests without gold standards

This paper reviews statistical methods developed to estimate the sensitivity and specificity of screening or diagnostic tests when the fallible tests are not evaluated against a gold standard. It gives a brief summary of the earlier historical developments and focuses on the more recent methods. It covers Bayesian approaches and longitudinal studies with repeated testing. In particular, it reviews the procedures that do not require the assumption of independence between tests conditional on the true disease status.
Maternal autoantibodies from preeclamptic patients activate angiotensin receptors on human mesangial cells and induce interleukin-6 and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 secretion

Background Preeclampsia affects 3–5% of all pregnancies. It is a major cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Recent studies demonstrate that autoantibodies against the angiotensin II type 1 (AT 1 ) receptor are present in the serum of preeclamptic patients. In this study, we investigated the role of AT 1 receptor-agonistic autoantibody (AT1-AA) regarding interleukin-6 (IL-6) and plasminogen activator inhibitor–1 (Pai-1) secretion in human mesangial cells. Methods The study included ten patients: five severely preeclamptic and five normotensive pregnant women. Immunoglobulin-G (IgG) was purified from each individual. The presence of AT1-AA was determined based on its ability to stimulate an increase in the contraction rate of rat neonatal cardiomyocytes. Primary human mesangial cells were chosen to study IgG-induced secretion of IL-6 and Pai-1. Losartan and epitope peptides were used to determine whether AT1-AA interaction with AT 1 receptor was associated with stimulation of IL-6 and Pai-1 secretion and was mediated through AT 1 receptor activation. Results The IgG from preeclamptic patients stimulated an increased contraction rate in rat neonatal cardiomyocytes. The IgG from preeclamptic patients induced the AT 1 receptor-specific secretion of IL-6 and Pai-1 from human mesangial cells at a significantly higher level than that achieved with IgG from normotensive patients. Competition with an epitope peptide suggested that the AT 1 receptor was stimulated by AT1-AA. Conclusions Our findings suggest that a maternal autoantibody with the ability to activate AT 1 receptors may account for the development of renal damage seen in preeclamptic patients.
An incomplete scan design approach to test generation for sequential machines

An incomplete scan design approach to sequential test generation is presented. This approach represents a significant departure from previous methods. First, using an efficient sequential testing algorithm, test sequences are generated for a large number of possible faults in the given sequential circuit. A minimal subset of memory elements is then found, which if made observable and controllable will result in easy detection of the sequentially redundant and irredundant but difficult-to-defect faults. The deterministic test generation algorithm is again used to generate tests for these faults in the modified circuit (the circuit with the identified memory elements made scannable). Detection of all irredundant faults can be guaranteed as in the complete scan design case, but at significantly less area and performance cost. >
Neuromuscular Blockade Resistance During Therapeutic Hypothermia

Objective:To report a case of neuromuscular blockade resistance to multiple agents during therapeutic hypothermia and discuss possible mechanisms of this resistance.Case Summary:A 64-year-old man with stage IV non–small-cell lung cancer and respiratory distress developed cardiac arrest in the emergency department. The man was quickly resuscitated and treated with therapeutic hypothermia. A chest tube was Inserted for pleural drainage of a large right-sided effusion that collapsed the right lung; this was unsuccessful in reinflating the lung. A bronchopleural fistula developed and independent lung ventilation was initiated due to persistent hypoxemia. Neuromuscular blockade was initiated after sedation and analgesia did not control shivering and was continued due to patient-ventilator dyssynchrony and persistent hypoxemia. Despite large doses of 3 different neuromuscular blocking agents and negligible response to train-of-four tests, clinical neuromuscular blockade, represented by ventilator synchrony, was...
Design of AC resonant inductors using area product method

There are no well-established criteria for selecting the core for the design of resonant inductors. This paper presents new expressions of the area product for resonant inductors. By using proposed expressions, the area-product value can be calculated from loaded-quality factor of a resonant circuit, output power, and operating frequency assuming the window utilization factor and the maximum flax density. The area-product value expressed in terms of the loaded-quality factor is a good criterion for selecting the core. The design examples are given for single-wire winding and multiple-strand winding with a gapped core taking into account skin, proximity, and fringing effects.