cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Social support and self-care of patients with heart failure

Social support can influence treatment adherence of patients with chronic illnesses, which may explain the positive effects of social support on heart failure (HF) outcomes. To investigate the effects of social support among patients with HF, we examined whether aspects of social support were associated with self-care, including medication adherence, dietary adherence, and HF symptom monitoring functions. We recruited 74 patients with HF from cardiology clinics of a Veterans Affairs Medical Center and a university-affiliated hospital, and tested the relationships between social support and the patients’ self-care. Consistent with previous research in older adults, family members, especially spouses, were often involved in the medical care of patients with chronic HF and provided a range of levels of support to patients. Self-care was generally poor, as measured across several self-care domains. Perceived social support was moderately associated with relatively better self-reported medication and dietary adherence, and other aspects of self-care such as daily weighing. These findings suggest that a relatively higher level of self-care is an important correlate of social support and may explain how social support influences HF outcomes. This study also suggests that family members should play a greater part in clinical care focused on improving self-care.
Are Post-Operative Arrhythmias in Patients With Metabolic Syndrome a Sign of Dysfunctional Mitochondria?∗

Post-operative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is the most common cause of morbidity after coronary surgery, with an incidence that increases with patient age [(1,2)][1]. The burdens of POAF include increased hospitalization stays/costs and poorer patient prognosis. Patients experiencing POAF have an
Magnetotransport properties and the Fermi surface of single crystal VB2

We report the results of magnetotransport and de Haas–van Alphen (dHvA) measurements on high quality single crystals of VB2 grown from a molten aluminum flux. In addition, we compare these results to energy band calculations. At low temperature the magnetoresistance of VB2 is very large (~1100%) and is found to be extremely sensitive to sample quality (RRR value). A large anisotropy in the magnetoresistance is observed. For the field applied along the a-axis, the magnetoresistance increases as the square of the field without saturation, consistent with the presence of open orbits. The field dependence of the magnetoresistance for the field applied along the c-axis is much weaker.
Indomethacin modulation of adriamycin-induced effects on multiple cytolytic effector functions.

The anticancer agent, Adriamycin (ADM), in addition to being a potent cytotoxic drug has been shown to be an effective immunomodulator. This study was undertaken to determine whether ADM-induced changes in the production of prostaglandins (particularly PGE2) are involved in ADM-associated modifications of selected host defenses. Spleen cells from normal or ADM-treated (5 mg/kg; day −5) C57BL/6 mice were assessed for the following activities: fresh (day 0) and cultured natural killer (NK), cytotoxic T lymphocyte, lymphokine-activated killer (LAK), Fc-dependent phagocytosis and tumoricidal macrophage. All activities were assessed with and without the addition of indomethacin, an inhibitor of the first step of the cyclo-oxygenase pathway of prostaglandin synthesis. Depending on culture conditions, the cytotoxic T lymphocyte and splenic tumoricidal macrophage activities were either unaffected or were augmented by ADM treatment of the spleen donor mice or by addition of indomethacin to the culture, and these effects were apparently independent of one another. In contrast, ADM treatment generally resulted in reduced NK and LAK activities relative to control and elevated Fc-dependent phagocytosis. The addition of indomethacin to the culture effectively reversed these effects. Furthermore, spleen cells from ADM-treated mice were found to produce twice the amount of PGE2 in culture compared to cells from untreated mice. Finally, the direct addition of PGE2 to NK cultures resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of NK activity and the dose required was comparable to the amount of PGE2 produced by cultured spleen cells from ADM-treated mice. Taken together, these results indicate that at least some of the immunomodulatory effects of ADM are an indirect result of ADM-induced changes in PGE2 production.
System for clinical photometric stereo endoscopy

Photometric stereo endoscopy is a technique that captures information about the high-spatial-frequency topography of the field of view simultaneously with a conventional color image. Here we describe a system that will enable photometric stereo endoscopy to be clinically evaluated in the large intestine of human patients. The clinical photometric stereo endoscopy system consists of a commercial gastroscope, a commercial video processor, an image capturing and processing unit, custom synchronization electronics, white light LEDs, a set of four fibers with diffusing tips, and an alignment cap. The custom pieces that come into contact with the patient are composed of biocompatible materials that can be sterilized before use. The components can then be assembled in the endoscopy suite before use. The resulting endoscope has the same outer diameter as a conventional colonoscope (14 mm), plugs into a commercial video processor, captures topography and color images at 15 Hz, and displays the conventional color image to the gastroenterologist in real-time. We show that this system can capture a color and topographical video in a tubular colon phantom, demonstrating robustness to complex geometries and motion. The reported system is suitable for in vivo evaluation of photometric stereo endoscopy in the human large intestine.
Barbiturate dependence and drug preference

Rats exposed to a daily 3-hr session of intermittent food delivery ingested physical-dependent levels of a 1 mg/ml sodium phenobarbital solution. This chronic, voluntary, high level of session phenobarbital intake had no effect on 21-hr home cage barbiturate preference. Substitution of water for phenobarbital during the session after 7.5 weeks precipitated various spontaneous withdrawal signs in some of the animals by the 24th hr of drug withdrawal but no change was found in home-cage barbiturate preference at any time. Physical dependence alone does not seem to play a crucial role in the maintenance of drug intake behavior.
Hard photon production in the nucleon-exchange transport model

Abstract Energy spectra and angular distributions of hard photons produced by proton-neutron collisions following nucleon between heavy-ion collision partners have been calculated. The model is a direct extension of our recent model for pre-equilibrium nucleon emission, where the importance of nucleon scattering in the receptor nucleus was demonstrated. The model has no adjustable parameters and provides a near-quantitative account of a large body of both inclusive and exclusive photon yields and angular distributions.
Pharmacokinetic optimization of 3-amino-6-chloropyrazinone acetamide thrombin inhibitors. Implementation of P3 pyridine N-oxides to deliver an orally bioavailable series containing P1 N-benzylamides.

In this manuscript we demonstrate that a modification principally directed toward the improvement of the aqueous solubility (i.e., introduction a P3 pyridine N-oxide) of the previous lead compound afforded a new series of potent orally bioavailable P1 N-benzylamide thrombin inhibitors. An expedited investigation of the P1 SAR with respect to oral bioavailability, plasma half-life, and human liver microsome stability revealed 5 as the best candidate for advanced evaluation.
Report of a Watermelon mosaic potyvirus Strain in Kentucky Undetected by ELISA

These results indicate that a strain of WMV is present in Kentucky which does not react to a widely used assay for detection of this economically important virus. Prior to this report, it has been ...
Supporting Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Research studies have shown the importance of early intervention services for young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their families. However, most attention has been given to the effectiveness of treatments solely for children with ASDs. Because the family centered practice has been emphasized and supported by many researchers and legislation, involving family members other than children with ASDs and their parents in the assessing, planning, and implementing interventions is seen as crucial. The purpose of this article is to review what sibling relationships look like for a typically developing sibling of a child with an ASD and what resources are available for parents and specialists to support siblings of children with ASDs.
Family support and intergenerational caregiving: report from the State of the Science in Aging with Developmental Disabilities Conference.

Abstract Background This article summarizes the proceedings of the Family Support and Intergenerational Caregiving work group that was part of the “State of the Science in Aging with Developmental Disabilities: Charting Lifespan Trajectories and Supportive Environments for Healthy Living” symposium. Objectives The aim was to provide a research and policy agenda that would result in a better social, health, and economic well being for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and family caregivers. Methods Key issues addressed were (1) demographic challenges; (2) long-term outcomes, poverty and cultural minority status; (3) interdependent roles of family members; and (4) family support policies and practices. Results The group identified the following major gaps in knowledge that need to be included in a future research agenda: data on the demography of families, including information on cultural minorities and families living in poverty; research on the interdependent roles of various family members in providing support to each other, including siblings, grandparents, and the person with disabilities; and development and assessment of models for providing supports to families and that bridge the aging and disability networks. Conclusion The outcomes of this recommended research agenda will result in progressive policies and culturally sensitive supports that will improve the health, social, and economic well-being of adults with I/DD and their families.
The general solution of the classical problem of the response of an infinite plate with an elastic foundation and damping

The closed-form analytical solution is obtained for the dynamic response of an infinite plate. The plate may be subjected to arbitrary initial conditions and loading. The problem is formulated in accordance with the classical (Lagrange) plate theory and the simultaneous effects of an elastic foundation (Winkler), damping (proportional to the transverse velocity), and a uniform in-plane loading (compressive or tensile; however, less than the buckling load) are considered. The values of the descriptive parameters are arbitrary, but it is possible to define subcritical, critical and supercritical damping in analogy to a simple, damped spring-mass system. It is shown that the steady-state solutions dealt with in several papers may be obtained by a formal passage to the limit as time tends to infinity in the transient solution. It must be emphasized that closed form solutions for the dynamic response of infinite plates previously given in the literature are degenerate cases of the general solution obtained here. In addition, its validity for arbitrary time-dependent loading is of interest, in particular, distributions and time dependent loads moving with an arbitrary velocity, may be introduced, where previously even a constant force, moving with a constant velocity, presented serious difficulties.
COMPUTING REACTION MECHANISMS AND THE KING-ALTMAN-HILL STEADY-STATE FLUXES OF REACTION PATHS FROM ELEMENTARY MECHANISTIC STEPS

This article discusses the mechanisms of a photolytic reaction, the formation of formaldehyde in the earth's prebiotic atmosphere, and the synthesis of methanol by processing the stoichiometric matrices of their sets of elementary mechanistic steps by a computer program. For methanol synthesis, we will distinguish between unidirectional and reversible elementary mechanistic steps. These problems will be discussed in conjunction with a description of the structure of a program, CatKin, written in FORTRAN, that we have developed to compute reaction mechanisms and King-Altman-Hill's steady-state fluxes of reaction paths.
Availability of Lysine in Wholewheat Bread and in Selected Breakfast Cereal

SUMMARY The protein in wholewheat unbaked bread ingredients, microwave-baked wholewheat bread, oven-baked wholewheat bread, and two breakfast cereals was evaluated by gain in body weight of rats, protein efficiency ratio, increase in carcass nitrogen, and apparent availability of lysine as determined by fecal excretion. No significant differences were noted between the bread ingredients and microwave-baked bread. Oven-baked bread gave values significantly lower, 24–45%, than those of the ingredients. The apparent availability of lysine in bread ingredients and in microwave-baked bread was 96% and 95%, respectively, whereas that for oven-baked bread was 70%. The protein in one breakfast cereal barely maintained the weight of the animals, and gave low values for protein efficiency ratio and increase in carcass nitrogen. Seventy-five percent of the lysine was available. The other cereal allowed good growth of the animals and gave values similar to those for nonfat milk. In this oat-and-wheat-germ cereal, 88% of the lysine was available. A linear relation was obtained between either gain in body weight or increase in body nitrogen and the amount of available lysine ingested.
Effect of frictional force on the steady state axisymmetric deformations of a viscoplastic target

We study steady state axistmmetric deformations of a thick viscoplastic target being penetrated by a fast-moving long rigid cylindrical rod with a hemispherical nose. The deformations of the target appear steady to an observer situated on the penetrator nose tip and moving with it. The objective of this work is to investigate the effect of the frictional force acting on the target/penetrator interface upon the deformations of the target. It is postulated that the frictional force at a point on the target/penetrator interface is proportional to the normal traction there and depends upon the speed of the target particle relative to the penetrator. It is found that the frictional force affects significantly the variation of the tangential speed and the second invariant of the strain-rate tensor on the penetrator nose surface, but minimally the distribution of the normal stress there, since the dominant component of the normal stress is the hydrostatic pressure which is affected little by the consideration of friction forces.
From Eugenics to Lysenkoism: The Evolution of Stanisław Skowron

This article describes the relationship between Polish geneticist Stanislaw Skowron9s views on eugenics during the interwar period, his experiences in Nazi concentration camps during World War II, and his response to Trofim D. Lysenko9s ban on genetic research in Soviet-allied states after 1948. Skowron was educated at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow and received funding from the Rockefeller Foundation to study in the United States, Italy, Denmark, and Great Britain from 1924 to 1926. His exposure to research being conducted outside of Poland made him an important figure in Polish genetics. During this time Skowron also began to believe that an understanding of biological principles of heredity could play an important role in improving Polish society and became a supporter of eugenics. In 1939 he was arrested along with other faculty members at the Jagiellonian and sent to Sachsenhausen and Dachau. In 1947 he published the first book updating Polish biologists on recent developments in genetics; however, after learning of the outcome of the 1948 session of the Lenin All-Union Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Moscow, Skowron emerged as one of the most vocal advocates for Michurinism. I argue that Skowron9s conversion to Lysenkoism was motivated by more than fear or opportunism, and is better understood as the product of his need to rationalize his own support for a theory he could not possibly have believed was correct.
Experimental test of the Mie theory for microlithographically produced silver spheres.

Optical absorbance spectra were taken on microlithographically produced submicron silver spheres which were formed by heat treating silver that was evaporated on submicrometer quartz posts. The spheres in each sample were of approximately uniform shape, and several different samples were studied to determine the effect of sphere radius on the optical absorbance. The results were compared to theoretical calculations using Mie's scattering theory and the bulk optical properties of silver, and good agreement was found with experiment.
Panethnicity in the United States: A theoretical framework

Abstract Panethnicity ‐ the development of bridging organizations and the generalization of solidarity among ethnic subgroups ‐ is important theoretically because it focuses attention on ethnic change, and allows one to assess the relative importance of structural and cultural factors. In this article we present a framework for the study of panethnicity, generate research questions from this framework, and then test these questions by examining panethnicity within four broad racial/ethnic groupings: Asian Americans, Native Americans, Indo Americans and Latinos in the United States. A review of these four cases demonstrates that those groups with the greatest cross‐subgroup structural similarity (Asian Americans and Indo Americans) also display the greatest panethnic development and potential, despite their considerable cultural diversity. This suggests that structural factors are more important for understanding the development of panethnicity and, by extension, for understanding ethnic change generally.
Combining intra-abdominal arterial grafting with gastrointestinal or biliary tract procedures

Summary Twenty-two patients in whom intra-abdominal vascular procedures were performed concomitantly with gastrointestinal or biliary tract operations are reported on. No graft infections occurred. There were two deaths, a mortality of 9 per cent. One death clearly was not related to the associated procedure, and the other was probably due to several factors including the length of the operative procedure and the underlying cardiovascular and respiratory disease. These results agree with those reported in the literature. It is concluded that necessary gastrointestinal or biliary tract procedures can be performed concomitantly with intra-abdominal arterial procedures without significantly increasing the risk of infection of the arterial graft.
Single-phase motor design to minimize voltage dip

A REDUCTION OF THE VOLTAGE DIPS and light flicker caused by the starting of single-phase motors can be accomplished by decreasing the power component of the starting current or by shifting the starting power factor to a more leading value. Both of these adjustments are made in a new type of capacitor-start motor which causes voltage dips only half as great as are produced by the usual capacitor-start motor. The new motor is larger and employs a new starting circuit with the capacitor in series with the main winding during the starting period.
Effect of Thyroprotein-Feeding on the Gland and Organ Weights of Two-Year-Old White Leghorn Hens

Abstract DURING the past five years a group of White Leghorn hens have been fed a ration containing sufficient thyroprotein to induce a mild degree of hyperthyroidism (10 gm. per 100 lbs. of feed). Until the present year (6th laying year) the control group and those fed thyroprotein have laid about equal numbers of eggs during the fall and winter each year. However, during the spring and summer, the thyroprotein-fed group maintained egg production at a higher level. With advancing age, the yearly egg production of the thyroprotein-fed group has declined far less than the control group. (Turner and Kempster, 1947). The question has been raised as to the effect of continuous thyroprotein-feeding upon the body composition and gland and organ weight. Data was presented on the gland and organ weights of a limited number of Rhode Island Red hens fed thyroprotein for two consecutive years in comparison with normal hens . . .
A Noniterative Algorithm for the Linear-Quadratic Profit-Maximization Model for Smoothing Multiproduct Production

In multiproduct-production and workforce-smoothing problems, the objective is to determine the levels of employment and production for each product in each period that will maximize the total profit over a planning horizon of N periods given quadratic revenue and cost functions for M products. The planned levels of production, in turn, determine the planned levels of inventory or backorders for each product in each period. A real-world problem may involve 20,000 products and 12 periods, leading to over 480,000 variables. This requires solving simultaneous equations with as many variables. We exploited the staircase structure of optimality conditions to develop an algorithm that requires solving, without iterations, simultaneous equations with only three variables. The computation time, regardless of the number of variables in the model, is of the order of one second on a Vax 11/780. This algorithm also facilitates sensitivity analysis and generation of alternate plans for production, the workforce, and sales.
Orientation-Preserving Transfer and Directional Light Scattering from Individual Light-Bending Nanoparticles

A nanocup, or semishell, is an asymmetric plasmonic “Janus” nanoparticle with electric and magnetic plasmon modes; the latter scatters light in a direction controlled by nanoparticle orientation, making it the nanoscale analog of a parabolic antenna. Here we report a method for transferring nanocups from their growth substrate to oxide-terminated substrates that precisely preserves their three-dimensional orientation, enabling their use as nanophotonic components. This enables us to selectively excite and probe the electric and magnetic plasmon modes of individual nanocups, showing how the scattered light depends on the direction of incoming light and the orientation of this nanoparticle antenna.
Intermediary-based transcoding framework

With the rapid increase in the amount of content on the World Wide Web, it is now becoming clear that information cannot always be stored in a form that anticipates all of its possible uses. One solution to this problem is to create transcoding intermediaries that convert data, on demand, from one form into another. Up to now, these transcoders have usually been stand-alone components, converting one particular data format to another particular data format. A more flexible approach is to create modular transcoding units that can be composed as needed. In this paper, we describe the benefits of an intermediary-based transcoding approach and present a formal framework for document transcoding that is meant to simplify the problem of composing transcoding operations.
Authoring a Science Gateway Cookbook

Over the last fifteen years, science gateways have proven to be fertile ground for cyberinfrastructure research, while at the same time dramatically increasing the usage and accessibility of cyberinfrastructure to scientists and educators. Gateway developers, however, still face many challenges in building and operating these complex infrastructures that address the dynamic and emerging challenges of computational infrastructure. Through the XSEDE Science Gateway Program, we propose to solicit information on the knowledge, experience, and software from widely used science gateways. We will compile the information into a “Science Gateway Cookbook” which will democratize the experiences in developing, operating, and sustaining science gateways. We hope this will be a good literature reference and also avoid some repetition in the development process.
Temporal and spatial trends in nitrogen and phosphorus inputs to the watershed of the Altamaha River, Georgia, USA

The watershed of the Altamaha River, Georgia, is one of the largest in the southeastern U.S., draining 36,718 km2 (including parts of metro Atlanta). We calculated both nitrogen (fertilizer, net food and feed import, atmospheric deposition, and biological N fixation in agricultural and forest lands) and phosphorus (fertilizer and net food and feed import) inputs to the watershed for 6 time points between 1954 and 2002. Total nitrogen inputs rose from 1,952 kg N km−2 yr−1 in 1954 to a peak of 3,593 kg N km−2 yr−1 in 1982 and then declined to 2,582 kg N km−2 yr−1 by 2002. Phosphorus inputs rose from 409 kg P km−2 yr−1 in 1954 to 532 kg P km−2 yr−1 in 1974 before declining to 412 kg P km−2 yr−1 in 2002. Fertilizer tended to be the most important input of both N and P to the watershed, although net food and feed import increased in importance over time and was the dominant source of N input by 2002. When considered on an individual basis, fertilizer input tended to be highest in the middle portions of the watershed (Little and Lower Ocmulgee and Lower Oconee sub-watersheds) whereas net food and feed imports were highest in the upper reaches (Upper Oconee and Upper Ocmulgee sub-watersheds). Although the overall trend in recent years has been towards decreases in both N and P inputs, these trends may be offset due to continuing increases in animal and human populations.
Integrating Physiologic and Anatomic Assessment of Coronary Artery Disease by Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography

Coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) has emerged as a novel noninvasive method for the evaluation of coronary artery stenosis, arterial wall, and plaque features. Recent developments in CCTA technology, CT perfusion imaging, and fractional flow reserve CT (FFRCT) have emerged which combine anatomy and physiology by identifying obstructive lesions that are ischemia-causing. These techniques are currently at an early stage, and future studies are needed to further establish their clinical utility. The aim of this review is to compare these modalities.
Evaluating the Behavioral Effectiveness of a Multi-Modal Voice Warning Sign in a Visually Cluttered Environment

This research examined the effects of a multi-modal warning sign on compliance behavior. Participants followed a set of printed instructions to perform a chemistry task that involved measuring and mixing disguised (nonhazardous) chemicals. Whether participants wore protective equipment as directed by the warning was measured. The environment around the sign was either visually cluttered or uncluttered. In some conditions, pictorials, a voice warning, and/or a flashing strobe light were added. The results showed that compliance was significantly greater when the warning was presented in an uncluttered environment compared to a cluttered environment. The results also showed that the presence of a voice warning produced a strong and reliable increase in compliance compared to conditions without a voice warning. No statistically reliable effects of pictorials or strobe were found though the results did show a trend of greater compliance when they were present. In addition, compliance was positively related to...
Operations management research: an update for the 1990s

Abstract The issue of operations management (OM) research agendas was first advanced in the literature in 1980 with updates and additions in 1981, 1987, and 1989. We believe that the time is ripe for an analysis of the OM research agenda in the decade of the 90's. In this study, we examine operations management research methodologies and output during the period 1992–1997. Amoako-Gyampah and Meredith [Amoako-Gyampah, K., Meredith, J.R., 1989. Journal of Operations Management 8, 250-262] published a study in which they examined operations management research output from 1982 through 1987. Our objectives are to examine the state of operations management research in the 1990s from the standpoint of topics and methodologies to look for trends, and to determine implications for future research. We assessed the state of research in operations management by examining the research topics addressed and the methodologies used in a subset of seven academic journals that are representative of publications in operations management research. We also surveyed pipeline research in the operations management area by analyzing the topics discussed in national conferences attended by operations management academicians and researchers. Our findings show some significant changes in the kind of research being performed in the 1990s vs. the 1980s. Greater interest in strategy and quality are now apparent in the literature. OM research in the 1990s is also more integrative in nature. We were surprised to find no apparent shift away from modeling solution methods nor any significant shift toward empirical methodologies.
NMR measurements of 4He in thin 3He4He mixture films

Evolution of 3He from a 2-d Fermi liquid to bulk-like liquid on thin 3He4He mixture films shows stepped structure in magnetization and NMR relaxation times as a function of 3He coverage d3. Spin-echo measurements in a weakly polarizing field over the temperature range 30 < T < 250 mK for 0.01 < d3 < 4 layers are compared at three 4He coverages d4 = 1.77, 2.14, 2.91 atomic layers.
A Thiadiazole-Fused N,N-Dihydroquinoxaline: Antiaromatic but Isolable

An antiaromatic−aromatic pair of peralkynylated heterocycles readily interconvert via redox reactions.
Some New Techniques in Transportation Planning

The development of urban transportation planning models has accelerated in the past decade, until they are now widely accepted aids to the urban decision process. However, the models have had limited impact upon individual decisions, because of their complexity and size. In the absence of radical new approaches to planning, a methodology is suggested to complement the existing procedures. This methodology, which is referred to as "perturbation", is illustrated by reference to the choice of a future network. Some results are presented for the budgeting of capital for a set of investments.
Absorption of Sunlight in the Atmosphere of Venus

The profiles of upward, downward and net solar flux on Venus were measured at altitudes from about 62 km to the surface in three spectral bands at a vertical resolution of a few hundred meters. These data measured the penetration and absorption of solar energy in Venus' lower atmosphere quantities that are essential in evaluating the role of the greenhouse mechanism in supporting Venus' remarkably high surface temperature. In addition, the data constrained the vertical structure and optical properties of the Venus clouds.
Aberrant promoter methylation and silencing of the POU2F3 gene in cervical cancer

POU2F3 (OCT11, Skn-1a) is a keratinocyte-specific POU transcription factor whose expression is tied to squamous epithelial stratification. It is also a candidate tumor suppressor gene in cervical cancer (CC) because it lies in a critical loss of heterozygosity region on11q23.3 in that cancer, and its expression is lost in more than 50% of CC tumors and cell lines. We now report that the loss of POU2F3 expression is tied to the hypermethylation of CpG islands in the POU2F3 promoter. Bisulfite sequencing analysis revealed that methylation of specific CpG sites (−287 to −70 bp) correlated with POU2F3 expression, which could be reactivated with a demethylating agent. Combined bisulfite restriction analysis revealed aberrant methylation of the POU2F3 promoter in 18 of 46 (39%) cervical tumors but never in normal epithelium. POU2F3 expression was downregulated and inversely correlated with promoter hypermethylation in 10 out of 11 CC cell lines. Immunohistochemical analysis on a cervical tissue microarray detected POU2F3 protein in the epithelium above the basal layer. As the disease progressed, expression also decreased, especially in invasive squamous cell cancer (70% loss). Thus, aberrant DNA methylation of the CpG island in POU2F3 promoter appears to play a key role in silencing this gene expression in human CC. The results suggested that POU2F3 might be one of the CC-related tumor suppressor genes, which are disrupted by both epigenetic and genetic mechanisms.
The familial aggregation of depressive symptoms, antisocial behavior, and alcohol abuse

This study describes results from an ongoing family study of adolescent boys and their families designed to investigate potential risk factors for substance abuse. The adolescent treatment probands have severe drug and alcohol related problems and were recruited through a residential rehabilitation program. To date, the sample includes 251 individuals: 39 male probands and their families and 34 control families matched for age and geographic location (zip code). Probands and participating family members are given a structured interview which assesses alcohol and drug problems, and various psychiatric symptoms. The purpose of the present study was to examine the coaggregation of depressive symptoms, antisocial behavior, and alcohol misuse. Multivariate pedigree analyses were performed using a model that allowed for the estimation of vertical familial transmission, residual sibling resemblance, and assortative mating. Spouse correlations were estimated at .57, .21, and .31 for antisocial behavior, depressive symptoms, and alcohol abuse, respectively. Residual sibling environment (i.e., sibling resemblance unaccounted for by parent-offspring transmission) was not found for alcohol problem symptoms, but did contribute to resemblance for antisocial behavior and depressive symptoms. The proportion of variance accounted for by vertical familial transmission was estimated at approximately 30 to 40%. More important, correlations among the transmissible family factors for these psychiatric syndromes ranged from .58 to .73, suggesting substantial overlap among the underlying familial antecedents for these disorders.
High-pressure apatite solubility in carbonate-rich liquids: Implications for mantle metasomatism

At pressures higher than ∼22 kbar, near-solidus melts of peridotite + CO_2 + H_2O are carbonatitic and may be able to separate from their source regions at liquid fractions as low as 0.01%. At such low degrees of partial melting, trace-element-rich accessory phases may remain in the residue and have a dramatic effect on abundances and ratios of incompatible elements. We have determined the solubility of apatite in carbonate-rich melts at 30 kbar and over a temperature range of 1120–1430°C. The P_2O_5 content of an apatite-saturated liquid is given by the expression In (P_2O_5 wt%) = 4.834 − 3,809/7+ ∑ d_iC_i, where T is the absolute temperature in Kelvin and the di represent the constants 0.0113 and −0.00574, which modify wt% concentrations of CaO and CO_2 in the liquid. The quenched liquids have silica contents between ∼1.5 and 10 wt% and are also characterized by low solubilities of garnet, rutile, and ilmenite. Our experiments yield a partition coefficient for P between clinopyroxene and carbonate melt of 0.0067 ± 0.0016. Based on mineral/clinopyroxene P ratios from the literature, high-pressure olivine, orthopyroxene- and garnet-carbonatitic liquid partition coefficients for P are therefore approximately 0.003, 0.001, and 0.01, respectively. For mantle P_2O_5 contents between 0.03 and 0.05 wt%, <1 wt% apatite coexists with low-degree melts, and apatite is rapidly consumed near the solidus. At concentrations < 0.02 wt%, P probably resides completely in the silicate phases. Nodule data suggest that relatively large volumes of the mantle have P contents ≤ 0.05 wt%. Because near-solidus carbonatitic liquids probably represent very low degrees of partial melting, even minor amounts of residual apatite can substantially affect LREE contents in the melt. Our experimental data also indicate that near-solidus carbonatitic melts can have P_2O_5-TiO_2 ratios much higher than those observed in primitive nephelinitic lavas or kimberlites. Data on cryptically metasomatized spinel harzburgites suggest that the metasomatizing agents also had high P-Ti ratios.
Negative ion mass spectra - chemical ionization conditions: Fluorine-containing reagent gases and Schiff base coordination compounds

Abstract The negative ion mass spectra of Schiff base complexes with copper(II), nickel(II), and cobalt(II) have been measured using chemical ionization conditions. Fluorine-containing reagent gases, CF 4 , SO 2 F 2 , and SF 6 , have been employed to initiate ion/molecule reactions with some of the complexes. Copper(II) complexes are unreactive with any of the reagent gases. Electron capture and dissociative electron capture reactions are important for copper compounds. The addition of F − 2 and F − moieties to the nickel compounds was noted when using SO 2 F 2 as the reagent gas, With cobalt compounds reactions as the complex molecular negative ion with CF 4 produced (M+69) − as the dominant secondary ion. Reactions of negative ions from SO 2 F 2 and SF 6 with the cobalt complexes proceeded via incorporation of F − 2 and F − species in the secondary ion.
Bāuls in Conversation: Cultivating Oppositional Ideology

"A real Baul song will give you real pleasure for a whole lifetime, that is, if you take it seriously and be mindful [of the message]," explained Rina, a young Baul woman living in Birbhum, West Bengal, in 2007. She had been explaining her concerns about what she called "light" songs, which are performed by Bauls in the area primarily to entertain and earn a living. She insisted that she preferred songs with messages that could help people, whether the content addresses hierarchy and discrimination or finding a guru. Even the songs she performed that sought to educate people about AIDS of leprosy connected with her larger moral agenda that all humans are to be respected. For Rina, Baul songs are supposed to do something. Living primarily in West Bengal and Bangladesh, Bauls are generally viewed as mystics and musical mendicants who defy orthodox religious traditions. For many urbanites, Baul songs evoke an idealized rural life, a carefree spirit, and images of a wandering mendicant who is a rural philosopher and a humanist. From the perspective of many Bauls, these songs are not only important because they point the direction to realizations but also because they resonate with and shape their everyday situations and concerns. Bauls view their songs, as Rina suggested above, not only as beautiful but also probably even primarily as a social act. But they use not only their songs to influence society; they also use their everyday speech.
Fast equi-partitioning of rectangular domains using stripe decomposition

Abstract This paper presents a fast algorithm that provides optimal or near-optimal solutions to the minimum perimeter problem on a rectangular grid. The minimum perimeter problem is to partition a grid of size M × N into P equal-area regions while minimizing the total perimeter of the regions. The approach taken here is to divide the grid into stripes that can be filled completely with an integer number of regions. This striping method gives rise to a knapsack integer program that can be efficiently solved by existing codes. The solution of the knapsack problem is then used to generate the grid region assignments. An implementation of the algorithm partitioned a 1000 × 1000 grid into 1000 regions to a provably optimal solution in less than one second. With sufficient memory to hold the M × N grid array, extremely large minimum perimeter problems can be solved easily.
Solar modulation of galactic cosmic rays, 4. Latitude-dependent modulation

A numerical method is outlined for solving the equation which describes the solar modulation of cosmic rays in models where interplanetary conditions can vary with heliocentric latitude. As an illustration of the use of this method, it is shown how variations in the modulation with latitude could produce the small radial gradients in the intensity that were observed from the Pioneers 10 and 11 spacecraft.
Novel rinse process for reducing pattern collapse in 0.30-k1 ArF lithography

In-house rinse, HR31 has a strong point in terms of lithographic performance, defect, bubble, and metal impurity. The collapse behavior was quantified in terms of SMCD (Standing Minimum CD) in 80nm dense L/S ArF resist patterns. It contributed to enlarging process window by improving collapse (SMCD: 84→72nm), CD uniformity (12.3→9.3nm), and lithographic margin [EL (11.7→12.8%), and DOF (0.20→0.25µm)].
An integrated approach to hospital strategic planning, quality assurance, and continuous quality improvement.

Like many other healthcare organizations today, the authors' facility, a 306-bed acute care community hospital in Michigan, strives to visualize and make a transition from traditional quality assurance to continuous quality improvement. The Juran Trilogy® provided the insight that strategic planning, measurement, and continuous improvement must exist side by side. At the authors' facility, this realization resulted in the hospital quality plan, which treats each of these components as part of the foundation for quality. The authors explain this model and the reporting and communication mechanisms that support it.
New Diet (NTP-2000) for Rats in the National Toxicology Program Toxicity and Carcinogenicity Studies

Abstract Composition of diet may influence growth, diseases, tumor rates, and responses to chemical treatment. Since 1980 the NIH-07 open formula nonpurified diet has been the selected diet for the National Toxicology Program (NTP) toxicity and carcinogenicity studies in rodents. Studies with nonpurified experimental diets with lower protein and higher fat and fiber than the NIH-07 diet indicated that the diet for Fischer-344 (F344) rats in long-term studies could be modified to decrease the severity of chronic diseases and to decrease/delay the development of spontaneous tumors. Based on the results of these studies a new open formula nonpurified diet designated as NTP-2000 was formulated to contain ∼14.5% protein, ∼8.5% fat, and ∼9.5% fiber. Corn, wheat, and wheat middlings contribute to about 60% of the ingredients; soybean meal, fish meal, and alfalfa meal are the additional sources of protein; purified cellulose, oat hulls, and alfalfa meal are the major sources of fiber; and soy oil and corn oil are the major sources of fat in the NTP-2000 diet. The Ca:P ratio and mineral and vitamin concentrations were reformulated based on AIN-93 and NRC-95 recommendations. The NIH-07 and the NTP-2000 diets were fed to groups of 6-week-old F344 rats for 13 weeks and evaluated for growth patterns, food and water consumptions, hematology and clinical chemistry parameters, and organ weights and pathological changes. Growth patterns and body weights were similar for both diets. Food consumptions were slightly higher and water consumptions were slightly lower for the groups fed NTP-2000 diet. There were no differences in hematological parameters between the groups fed the above diets. Serum levels of cholesterol, alkaline phosphatase, and 5′ nucleotidase were slightly higher in groups fed the NTP-2000 diet possibly due to higher fat content of this diet. However, the serum triglyceride levels were slightly lower in groups fed the NTP-2000 diet and it may be related to higher fiber content of the NTP-2000 diet. The liver and kidney weights of the groups fed NTP-2000 diet were significantly lower possibly due to lower protein content of this diet and lower protein consumption associated changes in Phase I and Phase II drug metabolizing enzyme systems. The adrenal weights were also lower in groups fed the new diet. The NTP-2000 diet prevented nephrocalcinosis and decreased the severity of nephropathy and cardiomyopathy, the common lesions of F344 rats in 13-week studies. These results indicate that the NTP-2000 diet is adequate for growth and maintenance of rats and appears to prevent or decrease the severity of diet-associated lesions.
Mechanisms of digitalis toxicity. Effects of ouabain on phase four of canine Purkinje fiber transmembrane potentials.

Microelectrode technics were used to study effects of ouabain (O), 2x10 –7 moles/liter, on phase 4 of Purkinje fiber (PF) transmembrane potentials (TMP). Perfusion for 25-35 min with O caused an increase in phase 4 depolarization which resulted in either increased automaticity or occurrence of low-amplitude potentials (LAP). Increased automaticity was more frequent when PF had been stretched, when [K + ] o = 2.5 mmoles/liter, and when O caused a marked decrease in resting membrane potential (RMP). LAP occurred at all [K + ] o (2.5, 4.0, and 5.0 mmoles/liter), and were the typical response of unstretched fibers in which RMP had not decreased markedly. The magnitude of the LAP increased at [K + ] o = 4.0 mmoles/liter and at faster stimulus rates. Threshold potential (TP) was decreased to a slightly greater extent than RMP. Although LAP did not result in spontaneous action potentials, superimposition of subthreshold depolarizations on LAP resulted in excitation. Whether O-induced increases in phase 4 slope result in automaticity or LAP depends on interrelationships between RMP, TP, and level of membrane potential reached during phase 4. Although hearts developing LAP due to digitalis toxicity may not demonstrate increased automaticity, the presence of phase 4 depolarization in the form of LAP may cause an impairment of conduction which is dependent on cycle length.
Transfer of Methylprednisolone into Breast Milk in a Mother with Multiple Sclerosis

High-dose intravenous methylprednisolone, a glucocorticoid with powerful anti-inflammatory activities, has become increasingly important in treating acute relapses of multiple sclerosis (MS). This is a case report of a 36-year-old lactating female who was receiving a 3-day course of high-dose methylprednisolone (1000 mg IV) to treat MS. Breast milk samples were obtained at 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 hours following a 2-hour intravenous infusion on days 1, 2, and 3. The relative infant dose was found to be 1.45%, 1.35%, and 1.15% for days 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Using the average measured concentrations (C(avg)) for days 1, 2, and 3, the estimated infant exposure was 0.207, 0.194, and 0.164 mg/kg/day, respectively, which is below the recommended dose given to neonates requiring methylprednisolone drug therapy. Infant exposure is low and mothers could continue to breastfeed if treatment with IV methylprednisolone is very brief. However, if the mother wishes to limit infant exposure further, she could wait 2 to 4 hours after IV methylprednisolone administration, thus significantly limiting the amount of drug in the breast milk.
A method for teaching human values in clinical clerkships through group discussion

Human values discussion groups were introduced in third‐year clerkships at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine to enhance the teaching of human values and to counter the dehumanizing effects of medical training. The discussion groups were found to be more effective than seminars, attending rounds, or working with house staff in helping students cope with emotionally or behaviorally difficult patients; problems working on the wards; or the process of becoming a physician (p < .001). Discussion groups were reported to be helpful in developing self‐awareness and in maintaining compassionate and caring attitudes. Students who participated in these groups were found to discuss difficult patients with their peers more than did nonparticipants (p < .005). The program consisted of weekly small discussion groups for third‐year clerks, co‐led by attending physicians and behavioral scientists. Participation was required but not graded. The study sample consisted of 64 students in the Class of 1988, with 104 memb...