cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The perceived control of well-educated women: 1972–1984

Abstract From 1972 to 1984 women's social status changed as ore worked outside the home and family ties loosened. How did their own attitudes change? Did they feel greater power? Did they feel greater mastery? Polls of 567 women in 1972 and 548 women in 1984 respond to these questions. The study found that perceived mastery, but not power, was higher for many types of women in 1984 than in 1972. Also, in 1972 there were differences in perceived control among college graduates. Those with high control were in high-status occupations, were older, were married, and had children. In 1984 only undergraduates with these characteristics were high in control. These results match data from the NORC General Social Surveys
Abstract 1285: Genetic variations predicting cisplatin cytotoxicity associated with the overall survival in lung cancer patients receiving platinum-based chemotherapy

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Background: Candidate gene and candidate pathway-based pharmacogenomic studies have been used to investigate the inherited variability of prognosis of lung cancer treated with platinum-based chemoptherapy. In order to make it possible to conduct an ‘unbiased’ query across the entire genome, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in 283 lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) was carried out to help identify candidate SNPs associated with variation in cisplatin cytotoxicity. Furthermore, we set out to test the hypothesis that genetic variation resulting in differences in cisplatin cytotoxicity might influence the overall survival of patients with lung cancer treated with platinum-based antineoplastic agents. Material and Methods: We applied ethnically diverse Coriell “Human Variation Panel” LCLs for GWAS. Then, we picked 168 top significant SNPs selected from GWAS in 283 LCLs and genotyped these SNPs in 1183 lung cancer patients (222 SCLC and 961 NSCLC) who received platinum-based chemotherapy. Genotyping was performed using the Illumina Golden Gate platform. The association of SNPs with lung cancer overall survival was analyzed by Cox regression model after adjusting for disease stage. Functional validation of candidate genes was performed by siRNA screening in NSCLC cell lines CRL5872, H1299 and SCLC cell line CRL5823. Results: A total of 157 SNPs were successfully genotyped for 1183 lung cancer patient samples. The Cox regression analysis indicated that 9 and 10 different SNPs were associated with overall survival for NSCLC and SCLC patients, respectively (p value <0.05). Fifteen genes including 7 genes located in the region of 200kb up or downstream of 4 SNPs (rs11169748, rs2440915, rs5952066 and rs7620841) and 8 genes for which the expression was correlated with three SNPs (rs11169748, rs2440915 and rs5952066) were selected for siRNA screening. Knockdown of DAPK3 and METTL6, for which the expression levels were correlated with the SNPs rs11169748 and rs2440915, significantly decreased cisplatin sensitivity in lung cancer cell lines CRL5872, H1299 and CRL5823. Conclusions: This series of clinical and complementary laboratory-based functional studies identified several candidate genes and SNPs that might help predict treatment outcomes of platinum-based therapy in lung cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1285. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1285
Liquid transport on a nylon surface moving between liquids through an air‐filled chamber

The flow rate of liquid carried on a nylon strand moving from a liquid filled space, through an air filled space, to another liquid filled space was determined from measurements of electrical conductance of the separated liquids. The measurements are consistent with the transmission of a liquid layer on the nylon surface of constant thickness, independent of surface velocity. The layer thickness is low enough that an adsorptive strand can carry adsorbate from a solution at a practical rate. The effective concentration of solution taken from an adsorption chamber by a saturated adsorbent strand is estimated to be at least 5.8 (λ/S) times the chamber concentration, where λ is the chamber length and S the line speed. Le debit de liquide se deplacant sur une fibre de nylon depuis un espace rempli de liquide vers un espace rempli d'un autre liquide, a travers un espace rempli d'air, a ete determine d'apres les mesures de conductance electriques des liq-uides separes. Les mesures concordent avec la transmission d'une couche liquide a la surface du nylon d'epaisseur con-stante, independemment de la vitesse de surface. L'epaisseur de la couche est assez mince pour qu'une fibre adsorbante puisse transporter de l'adsorbat depuis une solution a un taux acceptable. On estime que la concentration effective de solution extraite d'une chambre d'adsorption par une fibre adsorbante saturee est d'au moins 5.8 (λ/S) fois la concentration de la chambre, ou λ est la longueur de la chambre et S la vitesse continue.
Abstract 510: Intermittent hypoxia confers resistance to radiation in human neuroblastoma cells

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Neuroblastoma, the most common extracranial solid tumor of children, arises from the sympathetic nervous system, is characterized by extensive genetic, morphologic, and clinical heterogeneity and presents as benign to highly aggressive forms in various stages. Hypoxia has been linked to tumor progression and increased malignancy. Like the most common malignant solid tumors, neuroblastomas contain zones of chronic or acute hypoxia reflecting poor oxygenation. Transient hypoxia and subsequent reoxygenation are common phenomena in solid tumors that greatly influence the outcome of therapies. Radiotherapy is commonly applied in higher stage neuroblastoma patients with MYCN oncogene amplification and metastases. The present study focuses how intermittent hypoxia modulates the effects of radiation treatment in human neuroblastoma cells. Intermittent hypoxia-conditioned cells were derived from human neuroblastoma cells that were exposed to 10 cycles of hypoxia and reoxygenation. Intermittent hypoxia stabilized the expression of HIF-l α in neuroblastoma cells. Cell survival to radiation treatment was assessed by the colony formation assay. The hypoxia-conditioned neuroblastoma cells exhibit increased survival to irradiation treatment compared with parental cells suggesting alterations in apoptotic pathways. The expression of selected genes associated with DNA damage as well as genes of BCL-2 family and caspase family were studied in parental and hypoxia-conditioned neuroblastoma cells in response to radiation treatment. Radiation caused an increase in the levels of proapoptotic proteins Bax, Bad, Bid and cleaved products of caspase-3 and −9 in parental tumor cells. Similar observations were not obtained in hypoxia-conditioned neuroblastoma cells upon radiation treatment demonstrating their increased radioresistance characteristics. We also assessed how hypoxia modulates radiation-induced in vitro angiogenesis. Human microvascular endothelial cells were exposed to conditioned medium from irradiated parental and irradiated hypoxia-conditioned tumor cells and capillary-like structure formation was studied. Further, tumor cell conditioned medium was also evaluated in chorioallantoic membrane assay for its angiogenic capabilities. These results suggest that intermittent hypoxia-conditioned neuroblastoma cells demonstrate increased survival, resistance to induction of apoptosis and angiogenic capabilities to radiation treatment. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 510.
Instrumental responses in rats after hypothermic cardiopulmonary by-pass.

SummaryFourteen lightly anesthetized (Nembutal) rats were cooled to a body temperature of 16°C and then connected to a pump oxygenator built especially for rats. Then the rats were cooled further t...
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of the growth kinetics of Ge on Si(001)

Abstract The growth kinetics of Ge on Si(001) is determined from the X-ray photoelectron measurements of the Si 2p core level intensity and the Ge 2p 3 2 core level intensity as a function of the Ge overlayer thickness. The growth kinetics of the Ge overlayer follow a Stranski-Krastanov growth mode. The critical thickness is ≈2.2 ML (where ML means monolayers). The change in the growth kinetics, from a layer-by-layer mode to an island nucleation-and-growth mode is spontaneous. The distribution and the partial relaxation of the misfit strain of this pseudomorphic system are measured by the change in the full width at half-maximum of the Si 2p and Ge 2 p 3 2 core levels. The strain is found to be confined to the Ge overlayer. Partial relaxation of the misfit strain precedes the transition from the layer-by-layer mode to the island nucleation-and-growth mode. Scanning electron micrographs confirm that the critical thickness occurs in the interval 1.8 ML of Ge to 2.8 Ml of Ge. A second transition occurs at ≈6.9 ML of Ge and corresponds to the nucleation and growth of large three-dimensional islands.
Repeat abdominal computed tomography scans after pediatric blunt abdominal trauma: missed injuries, extra costs, and unnecessary radiation exposure

Abstract Purpose We hypothesized that pediatric blunt trauma patients, initially evaluated at nontrauma centers with abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans, often undergo repeat scans after transfer. This study was designed to quantify this phenomenon, assess consequences, and elucidate possible causes. Methods This article is an institutional review board-approved, retrospective chart review of pediatric blunt abdominal trauma patients transferred to a level I trauma center from 2002 to 2007 and evaluated with abdominal CT at the trauma center or at a referring facility. Results A total of 388 patients met the study criteria, with 6 patients being excluded because of inability to verify outside records resulting in study group of 382 patients. Of those 382 patients, 199 (52%) underwent abdominal CT before transfer. Thirty-six (18%) of those 199 patients underwent repeat CT scanning at our level I trauma center. Of these 36 patients, 19 (53%) were transferred without their outside CT scans, with 10 (53%) of these 19 having significant abdominal injuries. Of the remaining 17, 6 (17%) had repeat scans to assess changes in vital signs, or patient condition, or because of inadequate outside imaging. The remaining 11 (30%) were repeated despite an acceptable outside CT and no change in patient condition. Only 2 of 11 resulted in changed management. Additional radiation delivered from these repeat scans totaled 180 mSv, and additional patient charges totaled more than $110,000. There was an apparent trend toward increased repeat scanning (from 6.7% in 2002 to 16.7% in 2007). Conclusions Abdominal CT scans, for evaluation of pediatric blunt trauma, are frequently repeated after transfer from outside hospitals. In many cases, repeat scans provide useful diagnostic information. However, more than 80% of repeat scanning is potentially preventable with better education of transport personnel (paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and nurses) and emergency department physicians.
Modeling the cosmic-ray-induced soft-error rate in integrated circuits: an overview

This paper is an overview of the concepts and methodologies used to predict soft-error rates (SER) due to cosmic and high-energy particle radiation in integrated circuit chips. The paper emphasizes the need for the SER simulation using the actual chip circuit model which includes device, process, and technology parameters as opposed to using either the discrete device simulation or generic circuit simulation that is commonly employed in SER modeling. Concepts such as funneling, event-by-event simulation, nuclear history files, critical charge, and charge sharing are examined. Also discussed are the relative importance of elastic and inelastic nuclear collisions, rare event statistics, and device vs. circuit simulations. The semi-empirical methodologies used in the aerospace community to arrive at SERs [also referred to as single-event upset (SEU) rates] in integrated circuit chips are reviewed. This paper is one of four in this special issue relating to SER modeling. Together, they provide a comprehensive account of this modeling effort, which has resulted in a unique modeling tool called the Soft-Error Monte Carlo Model, or SEMM.
Incomplete Wetting of Nanoscale Thin-Film Structures

With each new generation of integrated circuits and other nanostructured devices produced at ever-decreasing length scales, the extension of liquid-phase processes for the manufacturing of these devices is uncertain. The current work investigates the ability of liquids to wet nanoscale features. A model for wetting time is derived that may be used to identify those geometries for which wetting is critical. Conditions under which wetting time is significant may result in low yield and poor uniformity and may require alternate-phase processing. Furthermore, the dependence of wetting time on the properties of the fluid are quantified so that fluids may be designed to have optimal properties and thus optimal performance. The resulting model can be used as a tool to predict future processing requirements, and when necessary, to design novel processes implementing alternative phase fluids (e.g., vapor, subcritical, and supercritical fluids).
Modeling instructor preferences for CPR and AED competence estimation.

Abstract Introduction: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) skills competency can be tested using a checklist of component skills, individually graded “pass” or “fail.” Scores are typically calculated as the percentage of skills passed, but may differ from an instructor's overall subjective assessment of simulated CPR or AED adequacy. Objective: To identify and evaluate composite measures (methods for scoring checklists) that reflect instructors’ subjective assessments of CPR or AED skills performance best. Methods: Associations between instructor assessment and lay-volunteer skill performance were made using 6380 CPR and 3313 AED skill retention tests collected in the Public Access Defibrillation Trial. Checklists included CPR skills (e.g., calling 911, administering compressions) and AED skills (e.g., positioning electrodes, shocking within 90 s of AED arrival). The instructor's subjective overall assessment (adequate/inadequate) of CPR performance (perfusion) or AED competence (effective shock) was compared to composite measures. We evaluated the traditional composite measure (assigning equal weights to individual skills) and several nontraditional composite measures (assigning variable weights). Skills performed out of sequence were further weighted from 0% (no credit) to 100% (full credit). Results: Composite measures providing full credit for skills performed out of sequence and down-weighting process skills (e.g., calling 911, clearing oneself from the AED) had the strongest association with the instructor's subjective assessment; the traditional CPR composite measure had the weakest association. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that instructors in public CPR and AED classes may tend to down-weight process skills and to excuse step sequencing errors when evaluating CPR and AED skills subjectively for overall proficiency. Testing methods that relate classroom performance to actual performance in the field and to clinical outcomes require further research.
Exact solution of the envelope equations for a matched quadrupole-focused beam in the zero space-charge limit

The Kapchinskij-Vladimirskij equations are widely used to study the evolution of the beam envelopes in a periodic system of quadrupole focusing cells. In this paper, we analyze the case of a matched beam. Our model is analogous to that used by Courant and Snyder [E.D. Courant and H.S. Snyder, Ann. Phys. 3, 1 (1958)]in obtaining a first-order approximate solution for a synchrotron. Here, we treat a linear machine and obtain an exact solution. The model uses a full occupancy, piecewise-constant focusing function and neglects space charge. There are solutions in an infinite number of bands as the focus strength is increased. We show that all these bands are stable. Our explicit results for the phase advance sigma and the envelope a(z) are exact for all phase advances except multiples of 180o, where the behavior is singular. We find that the peak envelope size is minimized at sigma = 90o. Actual operation in the higher bands would require very large, very accurate field strengths and would produce significantly larger envelope excursions.
Effects of Victims' Race and Organizational Affiliation on Receiving Help from Blacks and Whites

The present experiment tested the hypothesis that cross-racial discrimination in helping behavior would be most apparent when subjects had a reason other than race (that is, the victim's questionable associations) for withholding assistance. Black and white subjects received a "wrong number" telephone call in which a black or a white victim who was associated with either a reputable/traditional organization (such as the Red Cross) or a less reputable/nontraditional group (National Organization for Women) requested assistance. The data provided no evidence of cross-race discrimination, regardless of the organizational affiliation of the victim. However, victims associated with reputable/traditional organizations were more likely to receive assistance than were victims associated with less reputable/nontraditional organizations.
Spins and lifetimes of levels in 55Mn

Abstract The study of excited 55Mn levels with the 52Cr(α, pγ) reaction was extended to levels up to 3161 keV. With a Ge(Li) detector, DSA measurements in gold-backed targets were made, as well as angular correlations; both of these experiments were done in coincidence with protons detected near 180°. A multiple-detector NaI(Tl) array was also used in the same reaction geometry for better γ-ray detection efficiency. Mean lifetimes of 12 levels from 2727 to 3161 keV are reported. Spins and sometimes parities of the following levels were deduced from the angular-correlation analyses and lifetime results: 1885 keV, 7 2 −; 2199 keV, 7 2 (−); 2311 keV, ( 13 2 ); 2366keV, 5 2 −; 2727 keV, 7 2 ; 2823 keV, 9 2 . Multipole mixing ratios and M1 and E2 transition rates of the radiations from these and from the 1292 keV level are presented. The similarity of the low-lying level structure and of interlevel transitions in 55Mn to those in certain other f 7 2 3 nuclei is examined.
Science and Pseudoscience in Communication Disorders

Purpose: The purpose of this tutorial is to describe 10 criteria that may help clinicians distinguish between scientific and pseudoscientific treatment claims. The criteria are illustrated, first for considering whether to use a newly developed treatment and second for attempting to understand arguments about controversial treatments. Method: Pseudoscience refers to claims that appear to be based on the scientific method but are not. Ten criteria for distinguishing between scientific and pseudoscientific treatment claims are described. These criteria are illustrated by using them to assess a current treatment for stuttering, the SpeechEasy device. The authors read the available literature about the device and developed a consensus set of decisions about the 10 criteria. To minimize any bias, a second set of independent judges evaluated a sample of the same literature. The criteria are also illustrated by using them to assess controversies surrounding 2 treatment approaches: Fast ForWord and facilitated co...
Monitoring Validated Quality of Life Outcomes After Prostatectomy: Initial Description of Novel Online Questionnaire

Objectives To describe a novel, low-cost, online health-related quality of life (HRQOL) survey that allows for automated follow-up and convenient access for patients in geographically diverse locations. Clinicians and investigators have been encouraged to use validated HRQOL instruments when reporting outcomes after radical prostatectomy. Methods The institutional review board approved our protocol and the use of a secure web site (http://www.SurveyMonkey.com) to send patients a collection of validated postprostatectomy HRQOL instruments by electronic mail. To assess compliance with the electronic mail format, a pilot study of cross-sectional surveys was sent to patients who presented for follow-up after robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy. The response data were transmitted in secure fashion in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Results After providing written informed consent, 514 patients who presented for follow-up after robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy from March 2010 to February 2011 were sent the online survey. A total of 293 patients (57%) responded, with an average age of 60 years and a median interval from surgery of 12 months. Of the respondents, 75% completed the survey within 4 days of receiving the electronic mail, with a median completion time of 15 minutes. The total survey administration costs were limited to the web site's $200 annual fee-for-service. Conclusions An online survey can be a low-cost, efficient, and confidential modality for assessing validated HRQOL outcomes in patients who undergo treatment of localized prostate cancer. This method could be especially useful for those who cannot return for follow-up because of geographic reasons.
Ph AND ACIDIC STABILITY DURING STORAGE OF ACIDIFIED AND NONACIDIFIED CANNED TOMATOES

A study was conducted to evaluate pH stability of acidified tomato packs during storage for 1 yr at 24°C, to associate pH stability with tomato composition, and to determine the variability of pH within the canned product caused by tomato cell walls and other structural matter. Results show that pH of acidified tomatoes is as stable during heat processing and storage as that of nonacidified tomatoes.
Multiplicity dependence of transverse momentum in hadronic collisions

The process of secondary-particle emission in hadron-hadron collisions is analytically studied using a simple model of hadron structure. The model neglects the 'size' of the hadron constituents, considering a hadron as a continuous distribution of matter according to a step function of radius R. A version of the eikonal approximation is applied to derive the relative probability for interaction and emission of secondaries when the impact parameter b is smaller than 2R. On the basis of these assumptions, and using the uncertainty relation, an empirical parameterization is obtained for the dependence of the transverse momentum of charged secondaries on their multiplicity in the case of high-energy proton-proton collisions. Comparison with experimental data at 28 GeV/c yields agreement to within about 3%. The analysis shows that at a fixed beam momentum, the transverse momentum decreases with increasing multiplicity, and that for a given multiplicity, the transverse momentum exhibits a slow increase with beam momentum.
Neutral lipids of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus cells cultured in vitro

Abstract Neutral lipids were examined from spinner culture cells of two species of mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti and A. albopictus, in exponential and stationary phases of growth. The lipids were separated into constituent classes by thin-layer chromatography. The fatty acid profiles of the methyl esters of each class were determined by gas-liquid chromatography. There were changes in the fatty acid profiles and increases in the amount of polyenes in the 1,2- and 1,3-diglycerides, free fatty acids, and triglyceride fractions with aging of the mosquito cells. The sterol ester fraction was similar at the exponential phase of growth in both Aedes cells. Changes occurred in the fatty acid profiles, and there was a decrease in polyenes from the exponential to the stationary phase of growth.
Auditory receptive fields in primate superior colliculus shift with changes in eye position

The process by which sensory signals are transformed into commands for the control of movement is poorly understood. A potential site for such a transformation is the superior colliculus (SC), which receives auditory, visual and somatosensory inputs1–3 and contains neurones that discharge before saccadic eye movements4–6. Along the primary sensory pathways, signals coding the spatial location of auditory, visual and somatosensory targets are based on distinctly different coordinate systems, and it is not known whether each type of sensory input uses a separate motor pathway or if they are converted into a common coordinate system in order to share a single pre-motor circuit. Sensory neurones in the SC have spatially restricted receptive fields (RFs) and are organized into maps across the collicular surface7–9. Acute experiments have shown a rough correspondence between the spatial positions of RFs of neurones encountered along a single dorsal–ventral penetration of the colliculus, regardless of the modality of the effective stimulus10–14, suggesting that auditory, visual and somatosensory maps might be in register. However, in these conditions the head-centred auditory system and the retinotopic visual system are aligned because the eyes are in the primary orbital position15. Moreover, other data have suggested16–18 that the primate SC is organized in motor, not sensory, coordinates, although in the cat, eye position was found to have no effect on auditory receptive fields19. We therefore sought here to determine what happens to the registration of the auditory and visual maps in the alert, behaving animal. Monkeys, with heads fixed, were trained to make delayed saccadic eye movements to auditory or visual targets from one of three initial fixation points while the activity of single neurones was recorded extracellularly. We found that the auditory receptive fields shifted with changes in eye position, allowing the auditory and visual maps to remain in register.
Token economies come of age

The use of token economies in producing behavioral change has been quite extensively documented in many different settings. However, not all token programs succeed. Some of the reasons for failure are discussed and attempts at solutions given. Part of the problem lies in the too mechanical environmental interventions and the failure to observe sufficiently the individual to be shaped. A more successful treatment program required not only an overall contingent reinforcement program but also individually tailored programs for each individual. In addition, basic economic principles must be adhered to. Unsuccessful programs, however, more often fail to consider the important role of the treatment milieu. The treatment or institutional milieu is an on-going social system which is often in conflict with the objectives of the behavior modifiers. This milieu, especially the staff, must be shaped as well as the clients. More often than not this shaping takes the form of staff training. But as the training of clients involve fading and thining and the creation of more “natural” reinforcers and contingencies, so too does the training of staff if the results are to endure.
Health Physics Instruments: What Are the Current Needs?

Health Physics instruments are used to measure the risk which may be incurred by an individual exposed to a given radiation field. The response of the instrument sensors will differ markedly from actual human risk factors for a variety of reasons, and this requires the use of instrument modifications and conversion factors. The values of these conversion factors continue to be updated and will likely change in the future. To accommodate the effects of different types of radiation and new conversion and usage factors, new instruments should be able to determine the type, energy distribution, and direction of incoming radiation and then apply the proper weighting factors to determine relative human risk. Such instrumentation will need to utilize modern sensor elements and microprocessor electronics.
Effects of illumination, texture, and motion on task performance in 3D tensor-field streamtube visualizations

We present results from a user study of task performance on streamtube visualizations, such as those used in three-dimensional (3D) vector and tensor field visualizations. This study used a tensor field sampled from a full-brain diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DTI) dataset. The independent variables include illumination model (global illumination and OpenGL-style local illumination), texture (with and without), motion (with and without), and task. The three spatial analysis tasks are: (1) a depth-judgment task: determining which of two marked tubes is closer to the user's viewpoint, (2) a visual-tracing task: marking the endpoint of a tube, and (3) a contact-judgment task: analyzing tube-sphere penetration. Our results indicate that global illumination did not improve task completion time for the tasks we measured. Global illumination reduced the errors in participants' answers over local OpenGLstyle rendering for the visual-tracing task only when motion was present. Motion contributed to spatial understanding for all tasks, but at the cost of longer task completion time. A high-frequency texture pattern led to longer task completion times and higher error rates. These results can help in the design of lighting model, such as flow or diffusion-tensor field visualizations and identify situations when the lighting is more efficient and accurate.
Clinical outcomes of the Dynesys dynamic neutralization system: 1-year preliminary results

Object In this study the authors present the preliminary clinical outcomes of dynamic stabilization with the Dynesys spinal system as part of a multicenter randomized prospective Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigational device exemption (IDE) clinical trial. Methods This study included 101 patients from six IDE sites (no participants were omitted from the analysis) who underwent dynamic stabilization of the lumbar spine with the Dynesys construct. Patient participation was based on the presence of degenerative spondylolisthesis or retrolisthesis (Grade I), lateral or central spinal stenosis, and their physician's determination that the patient required decompression and instrumented fusion for one or two contiguous spinal levels between L-1 and S-1. Participants were evaluated preoperatively, postoperatively at 3 weeks, and then at 3-, 6-, and 12-month intervals. The 100-mm visual analog scale was used to score both lower-limb and back pain. Patient functioning was evaluated using the Oswestry D...
DNA Repair at Telomeres: Keeping the Ends Intact

The ends of chromosomes or telomeres are comprised of telomeric DNA and its associated proteins. In most eukaryotes, telomeric DNA is highly repetitive and rich in guanosine clusters in the strand running 5′ to 3′ toward the chromosome end, such as 5′-GGGTTA-3′ (humans), 5′-G1–3T-3′ (budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and 5′- G2–8TTACA-3′ (fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe) (Fig. 1). The amount of telomeric DNA per end varies from ∼300 bp in yeasts to up to 150 kb in some mouse strains (see Table 1 for a list of abbreviations used in this article) (Blasco et al. 1997). Figure 1. Model structures and associated proteins of budding yeast, fission yeast, and human telomeres. (A) DNA structure and associated proteins of budding yeast telomeres. Arrows and blunt arrows denote up-regulation and down-regulation of telomerase recruitment, ... Table 1. Abbreviations used In addition to duplex telomeric DNA, telomeres end in G-rich overhangs or G-tails that are usually present at both ends of the chromosome. G-tails also vary in length: Human G-tails are between 100 and 280 nucleotides throughout the cell cycle (Makarov et al. 1997; Wright et al. 1997), whereas budding yeast G-tails are only ∼12–14 nucleotides (Larrivee et al. 2004) except in late S phase when they are 50–100 nucleotides (Wellinger et al. 1993). Long G-tails can fold back and invade the duplex region to form a specialized displacement loop called a t-loop (telomere loop) (Fig. 1C) that is thought to provide a protective cap (Griffith et al. 1999). In addition to t-loops, G-strand telomeric DNA from most organisms forms G-quadruplex (G4) structures in vitro, a stable DNA secondary structure that is held together by multiple guanine–guanine base pairs (reviewed in Bochman et al. 2012). These structures can form within a single strand of DNA or from two or four strands and can be parallel or antiparallel. G4 DNA may contribute to telomere capping (see, e.g., Smith et al. 2011), and, depending on its exact structure, can inhibit or promote telomerase in vitro (Zahler et al. 1991; Zaug et al. 2005; Oganesian et al. 2006). The best evidence for G4 structures at telomeres in vivo comes from ciliates (Paeschke et al. 2005). An antibody that recognizes only antiparallel G4 structures comprised of G4T4 Oxytricha telomeric DNA binds telomeres in a cell-cycle-specific manner, and this binding depends on the telomere end-binding proteins, TEBPα/β (see section on Telomere Proteins) (Paeschke et al. 2005, 2008).
Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation for Low Power Devices With Random Connectivity

In this paper we consider the bandwidth allocation problem where multiple low power wireless devices share a common time-slotted channel for transmitting to a single server. Due to energy constraints, these devices alternate between common active and inactive periods, the former typically much smaller than the latter. At the beginning of each active period the server decides which user(s) can access the common channel. This decision is based on the knowledge of the current backlog and connectivity of each queue. In each time slot an active user may or may not be connected to the server. If a user is connected to the server, it can transmit with a certain success probability. Arrivals are arbitrary and there is a cost for holding a packet in the queue. Different queues have different packet holding costs leading to differentiated services. We consider the problem of minimizing the total discounted cost over a finite or infinite horizon and provide sufficient conditions under which a greedy policy is optimal. We consider two connectivity models: (1) there is no information about connectivity statistics, and (2) connectivity probability is independent from one time slot to the other (memoryless channel). We show that in each of these cases it is optimal to serve the user with the highest one step reward (smallest one step cost) if this gain is sufficiently larger than that from serving the other users. The sufficient condition is shown to be asymptotically tight in special cases.
Lights, sirens, and computers: how pen-based computing is changing the way emergency care is conducted and communicated

Mobile electronic data collection devices have changed the way emergency medical service (EMS) professionals care for patients and document their actions. In response to problems with paper-based documentation, many EMS agencies have increased the level of patient care they deliver while increasing revenues by using pen-based computers. Using pen-based computers in the field, EMS personnel document care, assess patient records, review treatment protocols, connect to diagnostic equipment, and link to a wide-area communication network. Using such technology, EMS is also in the process of creating uniform databases ideal for researching prehospital care practices and patient outcomes. Going paperless, thus, has enabled the EMS profession to gain recognition and autonomy on a par with other health care professions.
Ambulatory Home Oxygen: What Is the Evidence for Benefit, and Who Does It Help?

The beneficial effects of ambulatory home oxygen have been demonstrated since the 1950s, when Cotes and Gibson gave oxygen to ambulatory COPD patients from small portable high pressures cylinders in the United Kingdom. Over the ensuing 7 decades, oxygen has been prescribed to millions of COPD patients in the home setting. Additionally, it is common clinical practice to prescribe supplemental oxygen when chronic hypoxemic respiratory failure not due to COPD (eg, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, kyphoscoliosis, and cystic fibrosis) is present or in patients with hypoxemia at hospital discharge following flares of their underlying chronic respiratory disorder, without any substantial evidence. Despite the importance of long-term oxygen therapy in clinical home management, there are many gaps in our current knowledge regarding its mechanisms of action, indications for prescription, and its effects on important patient outcomes. Research conducted in the 1970s and 1980s still provides the basis for clinical decision making and insurance coverage policies regarding long-term oxygen administration. Remarkably, little current research is being conducted to extend our knowledge regarding the indications, mechanisms, and benefits of long-term oxygen therapy. This review will focus on our current knowledge of the end points for supplemental oxygen at home, such as mortality, effects on functional performance, sensation of dyspnea, cognitive function, and quality of life, and highlight areas where future research is needed.
Frequency of Long-Acting Opioid Analgesic Initiation in Opioid-Naïve Nursing Home Residents

A U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning against morbidity and death associated with the initiation of transdermal fentanyl in previously opioid-naive patients has been issued. Additional warnings against opioid-naive initiation are included in the package inserts for several other long-acting opioids (LAOs). Frail, older nursing home (NH) residents with renal and hepatic insufficiency have increased risk of adverse reactions from initiation of LAOs. Little is known about the frequency of opioid-naive LAO initiation among NH residents. To ascertain the frequency of LAO initiation among residents residing in Rhode Island NHs, an analysis of 2004-2005 Rhode Island Medicaid pharmacy claims data linked to the Minimum Data Set was conducted. Of the 591 Medicaid residents who initiated therapy with an LAO, 232 (39.3%) were opioid naive. Furthermore, naive initiation was more frequent among those with advanced age and those with cognitive impairment. In an exploratory multivariable logistic regression model, opioid-naive LAO initiation was associated with a diagnosis of Alzheimer's dementia and chewing difficulties. Opioid-naive residents were also more likely to initiate on fentanyl relative to other LAOs (60.3% vs. 46.4%) and to use higher initial dosages. Given the significance of the FDA warning, including a "black box" warning with transdermal fentanyl, this rate of naive LAO initiation warrants efforts to further study the prescribing of opioids in NH residents.
Experimental Damage Mechanics of Micro/Power Electronics Solder Joints under Electric Current Stresses

Experimental damage mechanics of flip chip solder joints under current stressing is studied using 20 test vehicle flip chip modules. Three different failure modes are observed. The dominant damage mechanism is caused by the combined effect of electromigration and thermomigration, where void nucleation and growth lead to the ultimate failure of the module. It is observed that thermomigration driving forces are stronger than electromigration; as a result thermomigration, not electromigration, determines the site of void nucleation. The void nucleation and growth modes and their preferred sites are also observed and discussed in detail. The interface between the Ni barrier layer and the solder joint is found to be the favorite site of void nucleation and growth. The effect of pre-existing voids on the failure process of a solder joint is also studied. It is observed that Black’s time to failure law for thin films is unreliable for solder joints.
New blast weapons.

Over the last decade a large number of weapon systems have appeared that use blast as their primary damage mechanism. This is a notable trend; until recently very few warheads relied on blast as their primary output. Most warheads in service use explosives to drive metal such as fragments and shaped charge jets to engage targets. New technologies are now being integrated into warheads that claim to have enhanced blast performance. Blast weapons could have been designed to fill a gap in capability; they are generally used for the attack of ‘soft’ targets including personnel, both in the open and within protective structures. With the increased number and range of these weapons, it is likely that UK forces will have to face them in future conflicts. This paper briefly describes fuel-air explosive blast weapons and reviews a range of enhanced blast weapons that have been developed recently. The paper concludes with a brief discussion on the reasons why enhanced blast technologies may be proliferating and how this could affect the Defence Medical Services.
Simplicity with advanced mathematical tools for metrology and testing

Abstract Advanced mathematical tools for metrology and testing have just one primary purpose: to convey confidence for a model of the system that has been measured. Novel tools need to go beyond the creation of confidence and include the communication of the confidence to the end users of the modelled measurements. To reach the widest possible community of users, simplicity is an important criterion in guiding the choice of, and presentation of, any novel advanced mathematical tools. For choosing paths to simplicity, different aspects are presented and discussed with an emphasis on avoiding nuisance parameters.
Molecular Docking Reveals a Novel Binding Site Model for Fentanyl at the μ-Opioid Receptor

The ligand binding modes of a series of fentanyl derivatives are examined using a combination of conformational analysis and molecular docking to the μ-opioid receptor. Condensed-phase molecular dynamics simulations are applied to evaluate potential relationships between ligand conformation and fentanyl substitution and to generate probable “bioactive” structures for the ligand series. Automated docking of the largely populated solution conformers identified a common binding site orientation that places the N-phenethyl group of fentanyl deep in a crevice between transmembrane (TM) helices II and III while the N-phenylpropanamide group projected toward a pocket formed by TM-III, -VI, and -VII domains. An analysis of the binding modes indicates the most potent fentanyl derivatives adopt an extended conformation both in solution and in the bound state, suggesting binding affinity may depend on the conformational preferences of the ligands. The results are consistent with ligand binding data derived from chim...
Elastic and Yield Behavior of Strongly Flocculated Colloids

We have investigated theorectically the elastic and yield behaviors of strongly flocculated colloids by first examining the yield forces between two particles within the framework of Derjaguin‐Landau‐Verwey‐Overbeck (DLVO) interactions. Under highly attractive conditions, i.e., in the absence of the secondary minimum in the DLVO potential, the radial (tensile) motion between particles is nonelastic because of the lack of an inflection point in the DLVO potential. However, the lateral (shear) motion is shown to be elastic up to a distance ymax, providing a mechanism for the observed elasticity in colloidal gels. If r0 and s0 are, respectively, the closest center-to-center and surface-to-surface distances between two particles, ymax ~ (1 2 0.5az 2 )(s0 r0) 1/2 where z is the zeta potential of the particles and a a defined constant. Moreover, the yield force between two particles is much smaller in the lateral direction than in the radial direction. These results suggest that yielding of a particulate network is likely to occur through the lateral movements between particles. The yield strain can be approximated as that at which all the bonds in a certain direction have a perpendicular displacement >ymax, resulting in e yield 5 y max r0 ~ (1 2 0.5az 2 )S s 0
Spatial and temporal distribution of dissolved oxygen in Crater Lake, Oregon

Small temporal and spatial variations in the distribution of dissolved oxygen in Crater Lake, Oregon, are used to estimate the mean age of the lake’s deep water, the flux of labile organic carbon to the deep lake, and the influence of hydrothermal activity on the concentration of dissolved oxygen within the lake. An increase in the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the deep water during winter 1988-1989 indicates that 30-45% of deep water was replaced with well-oxygenated surface water. This deep-water renewal corresponds to a mean deep water residence time of 2-4 yr. The deep-water oxygen consumption rate is 2 l-26 pmol m-3 d-l, which occurs primarily through the oxidation of organic matter and, to a lesser extent, the oxidation of reduced inorganic species that are introduced to the lake via subsurface hydrothermal springs. Dissolved oxygen is a sensitive tracer of the physical and chemical processes occurring in an aquatic system. Oxygen in excess of atmospheric saturation in the upper water column is caused by photosynthesis, in situ warming of the water column by penetration of solar radiation, and air bubble injection (Jenkins and Goldman 1985; Emerson et al. 199 1). The decrease (consumption) in dissolved oxygen at depth typically results from oxidation of particulate organic material raining out of the euphotic zone. If the photosynthetic component of the oxygen excess in the upper water column is properly constrained, then this component should have nearly the same value, but opposite in sign, as the amount of oxygen consumed in deep water. This balance between surface excess photosynthesis and deep-water respiration assumes that only a small portion of the photosynthetically derived carbon is buried in sediments. Because of the consumption of oxygen at depth in an aquatic system, deep water is generally undersaturated with respect to atmospheric saturation. In temperate lakes, oxygen-rich wintertime surface water mixes with deep water, resulting in a net increase in dissolved oxygen at depth at the time of mixing. This change in oxygen pro
Determining the relevance of different aspects of formant contours to intelligibility

Previous studies have shown that ''clear'' speech, where the speaker intentionally tries to enunciate, has better intelligibility than ''conversational'' speech, which is produced in regular conversation. However, conversational and clear speech vary along a number of acoustic dimensions and it is unclear what aspects of clear speech lead to better intelligibility. Previously, Kain et al. (2008) showed that a combination of short-term spectra and duration was responsible for the improved intelligibility of one speaker. This study investigates subsets of specific features of short-term spectra including temporal aspects. Similar to Kain's study, hybrid stimuli were synthesized with a combination of features from clear speech and complementary features from conversational speech to determine which acoustic features cause the improved intelligibility of clear speech. Our results indicate that, although steady-state formant values of tense vowels contributed to the intelligibility of clear speech, neither the steady-state portion nor the formant transition was sufficient to yield comparable intelligibility to that of clear speech. In contrast, when the entire formant contour of conversational speech including the phoneme duration was replaced by that of clear speech, intelligibility was comparable to that of clear speech. It indicated that the combination of formant contour and duration information was relevant to the improved intelligibility of clear speech. The study provides a better understanding of the relevance of different aspects of formant contours to the improved intelligibility of clear speech.