cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dyadic reports of weight control practices, sedentary behaviors, and family functioning and communication between adult weight management patients and their children.

Background Parents are increasingly pursuing weight loss in medical weight management programs, yet little is known about the presenting behaviors and practices of children who have parents initiating these programs. Objective To describe congruence in weight control practices, sedentary and screen time behaviors, and family functioning and communication between parents initiating a medical weight management program and their children (ages 7-18). Methods Twenty-three dyads were enrolled and had measured height/weight and research packets completed including perceived weight status, weight control practices, sedentary and screen-time behaviors, and family functioning and communication. Paired t-tests and intraclass correlations assessed congruence; independent t-tests determined differences based on child demographics (age, sex, and weight status). Results Parents underestimated children's use of weight control practices compared to child reports. Children with overweight, males, and older in age had increased weight control practices and sedentary and screen-time behaviors. Children who perceived themselves to have overweight reported more impaired family communication than children perceived to be a healthy weight. Conclusions This study highlights the discrepancy between dyads' reports of children's behaviors, and identifies that specific child populations with overweight, older in age, and males are at-risk of experiencing less healthy behaviors and impaired family communication. Future research should monitor changes over time in parental weight management programs to determine effects based on parental weight loss.
Proposal for definition of mountain and under-mountain areas

Spatial definitions of study areas for specific projects are of crucial importance for these projects. It is necessary to come out from the aims of the project for spatial definition of mountain and under-mountain areas in South- Bohemian Region. There are many ways of solution and the definition should be strictly connected with the structured goals of this project. The methods and usage of criteria for definition of study areas will depend on aim identification. There are several possibilities of spatial definition: one- or more-criteria selection, base data sources or complex data sources, findings of one or more sciences – especially geomorphology, geography and agricultural regionalization.
Psychosocial Consequences of HIV Seropositivity

Most literature on acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) has focused on persons with clinical-criterion, or frank, AIDS. Given the lethality of an AIDS diagnosis, the recency of the disease, and the exponential increase in AIDS cases, it is understandable that clinical-criterion AIDS has dominated discussion and research. Relatively less attention has been directed toward those who are HIV-exposed but remain healthy, even though their numbers are substantially greater than the number of persons diagnosed with frank AIDS. This chapter will discuss HIV seropositivity, the reasons that people seek testing, and some of the psychological, behavioral, and social consequences of positive HIV test results. These include voluntary changes in sexual practices, adverse emotional consequences, possible neurological consequences of exposure, and the social consequences of HIV exposure. Chapter 6 will then discuss specific interventions that can assist persons who are adversely affected by the knowledge that they have been exposed to the virus.
Wideband-FM demodulation for large wideband to narrowband conversion factors via multirate frequency transformations

Existing approaches for wideband FM demodulation are based on negative feedback, frequency tracking or multirate signal processing and heterodyning. Prior work that utilizes multirate frequency transformations for wideband-FM demodulation is impractical for large wideband to narrowband conversion factors such as those needed in DRFM systems. In this paper, we present a frequency transformation approach to wideband FM demodulation, using multirate systems, that can accommodate large conversion factors.
Ecological communities by design

In synthetic ecology, a nascent offshoot of synthetic biology, scientists aim to design and construct microbial communities with desirable properties. Such mixed populations of microorganisms can simultaneously perform otherwise incompatible functions ( 1 ). Compared with individual organisms, they can also better resist losses in function as a result of environmental perturbation or invasion by other species ( 2 ). Synthetic ecology may thus be a promising approach for developing robust, stable biotechnological processes, such as the conversion of cellulosic biomass to biofuels ( 3 ). However, achieving this will require detailed knowledge of the principles that guide the structure and function of microbial communities (see the image).
2004 Research Consortium Graduate Student Award Winner

Abstract This abstract will be presented in the Special Populations I Free Communications session scheduled for Friday, April 2, 2004, from 2:30–3:45 p.m.
Superficial Granulomatous Pyoderma: A Case in an 11-Year-Old Girl and Review of the Literature

Superficial granulomatous pyoderma is a rare entity thought to be a variant of pyoderma gangrenosum and is often mistaken for classic pyoderma gangrenosum. Superficial granulomatous pyoderma has mainly been described in adults. We describe a case of Superficial granulomatous pyoderma in an 11-year-old girl and present a review of the literature. Superficial granulomatous pyoderma maintains clinical and histopathologic characteristics distinct from classic pyoderma gangrenosum and has a more favorable prognosis. It is often responsive to conservative treatment.
A custom-designed integrated circuit for the realization of residue number digital filters

Results are presented on the design, layout, and fabrication of a custom-designed integrated circuit for a residue number system digital filter module. The architecture is based on a ROM-ACCUMULATOR FIR structure in which the modular arithmetic for each modulus is realized on a separate chip. The modules are designed to support error detection and fault isolation at module boundaries. Of the five chips that were fabricated and tested, all were found to be fully operational, with three operating at a maximum data-cycle frequency of approximately 1.7 MHz.
Irregularities and Instabilities in the Auroral F Region

The Earth’s F-region ionospheric plasma displays structure perpendicular to the magnetic field on scales from hundreds of kilometers down to centimeters. The physical processes that operate over such a wide range of scale sizes are, of course, very diverse. At the largest scales (λ ≥ 10 km), production, loss, and transport of structured plasma are dominated by aeronomic processes including energy sources of magnetospheric origin. At intermediate (0.1 km < < < 10 km) and small (λ < 100 m) scales, plasma instabilities and cross-field plasma diffusion are often the dominant physical processes controlling the plasma structure. However, because nonlinear plasma processes can couple structures in one scale length regime to other spatial frequencies, the entire spectrum of irregularities must be studied as a whole.
Endogenous Activation of Serotonin-2A Receptors Is Required for Respiratory Rhythm Generation In Vitro

Endogenous amines and peptides continuously modulate the activity of neuronal networks and are required even for their normal operation. The respiratory rhythm generator, localized in the pre-Botzinger complex, is not an exception. This network is modulated by various neurotransmitters, including serotonin (5-HT). In this study, we isolated the respiratory network in brainstem slices and demonstrate that the endogenous activation of 5-HT2A is required for the generation of the respiratory rhythm in vitro . At the network level, activation of 5-HT2A receptors with 4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyamphetamine or the 5-HT uptake blocker alaproclate increased the frequency of respiratory activity. Blockade of endogenously activated 5-HT2A receptors with three different antagonists decreased the frequency, amplitude, and regularity of respiratory population activity, an effect that was blocked by protein kinase C (PKC) activators. At the cellular level, blockade of 5-HT2A receptors reduced the action potential discharge in all examined respiratory neurons, which was associated with a reduction in the fast and the persistent sodium current. Continuous application of 5-HT2A-receptor antagonists differentially affected pacemaker neurons. Pacemaker activity was eliminated in cadmium-insensitive pacemaker neurons. In cadmium-sensitive pacemaker neurons, the frequency of pacemaker activity was unaffected and the amplitude of pacemaker bursts was enhanced. It is assumed that cadmium-insensitive pacemakers rely on the persistent sodium current, whereas cadmium-sensitive pacemakers depend on the activation of calcium currents. We conclude that endogenously activated 5-HT2A receptors are required for maintaining fictive respiratory activity in the brainstem slice by modulating sodium conductances via a PKC pathway.
High throughput sequencing reveals distinct microbial populations within the mucosal and luminal niches in healthy individuals

Background: The intestinal microbiota is associated with human health and diseases. The luminal microbiota (LM) and the mucosal-associated microbiota (MAM) are 2 distinct ecosystems with different metabolic and immunological functions. Aim: To characterize the intestinal LM and MAM in humans using high throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Methods: Fresh fecal samples and distal colonic mucosal biopsies collected from 24 healthy subjects before (fecal) and during (mucosa) a flexible sigmoidoscopy of an un-prepared bowel. High throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was used to characterize bacterial communities. Sequences were processed using the QIIME pipeline. Results: LM and MAM populations were significantly different (ANOSIM: R = 0.49, P = 0.001). The LM displayed tighter clustering compared to the MAM (average weighted UniFrac distances 0.27 ± 0.05 vs. 0.43 ± 0.09, P < 0.001, respectively), and showed higher diversity (Shannon diversity index: 4.96 ± 0.37 vs 4.14 ± 0.56, respectively, P < 0...
Effects of transverse beam size in beam position monitors

The fields produced by a long beam,with a given transverse charge distribution in a homogeneous vacuum chamber are studied. Signals induced by the displaced finite-size beam on electrodes of a beam position monitor (BPM) are calculated and compared to those from a pencil beam. The non-linearities and corrections to BPM signals due to a finite transverse beam size are calculated for an arbitrary chamber cross section. Simple analytical expressions are given for a few particular transverse distributions of the beam current in a circular or rectangular chamber. Of particular interest is a general proof that in an arbitrary homogeneous chamber the beam-size corrections vanish for any axisymmetric beam current distribution.
Diffusion Kinetics in the Pd/Cu(001) Surface Alloy

We use atom-tracking scanning tunneling microscopy to study the diffusion of Pd in the Pd/Cu(001) surface alloy. By following the motion of individual Pd atoms incorporated in the surface, we show that Pd diffuses by a vacancy-exchange, mechanism. We measure an effective activation energy for the diffusion of incorporated Pd atoms of 0.88 eV, which is consistent with an ab initio calculated barrier of 0.94 eV.
Absorption characteristics of lithium bromide (LiBr) solution constrained by superhydrophobic nanofibrous structures

Abstract An experimental study on absorption characteristics of water vapor into a thin lithium bromide (LiBr) solution flow is presented. The LiBr solution flow is constrained between a superhydrophobic vapor permeable wall and a solid surface that removes the heat of absorption. As opposed to conventional falling film absorbers, in this configuration, the solution film thickness and velocity can be controlled independently to enhance the absorption rate. The effects of water vapor pressure, cooling surface temperature, solution film thickness, and solution flow velocity on the absorption rate are studied. An absorption rate of approximately 0.006 kg/m2 s was measured at a LiBr solution channel thickness and flow velocity of 100 μm and 5 mm/s, respectively. The absorption rate increased linearly with the water vapor driving potential at the test conditions of this study. It was demonstrated that decreasing the solution film thickness and increasing the solution velocity enhance the absorption rate. The high absorption rate and the inherently compact form of the proposed absorber facilitate development of compact small-scale waste heat or solar-thermal driven cooling systems.
AUTONOMIC CYCLE OF RATE OF EXUDATION OF PLANTS

SINCE HOFMEISTER reported diurnal fluctuation in root activity in 1862, several investigators have substantiated his findings and attempted to obtain conclusive evidence as to whether or not such fluctuation represented a truly autonomic cycle. Studies in this laboratory have confirmed earlier work and, it is believed, have proved beyond doubt the autonomic nature of cycles in exudation. White (1938) has recently reported that root pressure may reach very high values (greater than 6 atmospheres) and that there was a marked diurnal cycle in exudation of excised tomato roots. Unfortunately, he did not control light or temperature, so that it is not clearly demonstrated what the cycle he observed is related to. In work reported elsewhere (Grossenbacher, 1938; Skoog, Broyer and Grossenbacher, 1938) in which considerable care was taken to control conditions during various tests of exudation and root pressure, results were obtained which indicated the existence of autonomic cycles. Complete proof of the autonomic nature of such cycles, however, must be dependent on obtaining control of the cycles. Otherwise, it is always possible to argue that changes in external conditions or some uncontrolled factor may be responsible for periodicity. In order to study the nature of such cycles, plants were grown in the greenhouse and in cabinets (similar to those described by Davis and Hoagland, 1928) in which temperature, air flow, humidity, and light were under control. ENVIRONMENTS USED.-( 1) Greenhouse, "normal day"-without control; (2) cabinet A, "continuous day"-temperature 200 C.; relative humidity 70 per cent; constant air flow which, however, ranged from 0 to 100 feet/m. within various portions of the cabinet; light 100 to 300 ft. candles (12-300 watt lamps); (3) cabinet B, "inverted day"-identical with A, except that lights were off from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.; (4) room C, "continuous night"-temperature 250 C.; relative humidity 90 per cent, gentle air circulation; and constant ruby light of low intensity; (5) temperature bathscontinuous light (10 ft. candles) and temperature of 150 and 300C. Plants were grown in the greenhouse and in each of the two cabinets according to the usual solution culture technique. Each set represented 120 plants in 4 liters of half-strength Hoagland's solution (KH2PO4, 0.001 M; MgSO4, 0.002 M; KNO3, 0.005 M; Ca(NO3)2, 0.005 M). Iron and minor elements were added as needed. Seeds of Helianthus annuzs (Russian Mammoth Sunflower) were planted in dry sand, watered, and placed in the cabinets or greenhouse. Seedlings were transplanted into solution after one week. Exudation 1 Received for publication July 27, 1938. I wish to thank Prof. D. R. Hoagland and others in the Division of Plant Nutrition for their help and friendly criticism. tests were made with plants one to four weeks old in one or the other constant environments. (Cultures were continuously aerated during the test period.) The plants were cut off below the cotyledons, and short lengths of glass or rubber tubes were snugly fitted to the stumps (fig. 1). Exudates were
Observations on the effects of anxiety and anger on the content of concurrent dreams.

Abstract The effects of affects (anxiety, anger) on the content of concurrently ongoing dreams have been studied in 10 college students. Dreams were defined as mental products in which everything (including thoughts) is expressed by means of visual imagery. Anxiety or anger were generated by posthypnotic suggestions. The Ss professed total amnesia for the posthypnotic suggestions. The presence of suggested anxiety or anger concurred with changes of the galvanic skin resistance, the blood pressure, the heart rate, and the free fatty acid content of blood plasma. Analysis of the reported dream contents suggests that the dream content may be altered through endogenous affects that concur with the process of dreaming. Mild or moderate anxiety or anger without a specific content may promote retrieval of old memory traces and incorporation of these memory traces into the dream content. Intensive anxiety (or rage) may result in dreamwork designed to cope with this intensive emotion. This may interfere with the e...
The Portfolio Management of Orphanages in Bohol

The complexities brought about by the fast paced civilization posed a colossal problem which government cannot address alone. In a country like the Philippines, societal demands in terms of security, justice, wealth redistribution and the overall welfare of the citizens have grown geometrically vis a vis limited financial and resource capabilities of the government. The diversities of demand among the citizens sometimes forced our leaders to take the driver set blind folded. The methods subscribed by our leaders lead to delayed if not disproportional dispatch of services which gradually distorted social balance. This disequilibrium has been gradually corrected by the philanthropists, charitable institutions and the non-government organizations in general. In Bohol, one of the issues though not alarming as of the moment is the presence of abandoned/neglected children. These fragile souls momentarily find peaceful abode thru the Department of Social Welfare and Development until they arrive at the doors of orphanages. Considering that orphanages heavily relied on dole out, financial grants and donations, the researcher wanted to ascertain if on top of these, the said institution interfaced in their system the basics of portfolio management. The paper is based mainly on secondary data analysis. The results showed that the theories on portfolio management were not being adhered to. Keywords - Orphanage, Bohol, Department of Social Welfare and Development
Music and Deaf Culture: Images from the Media and Their Interpretation by Deaf and Hearing Students

The purpose of the study was threefold: (a) to examine how the visual media have portrayed the subject of music and the deaf, (b) to verify the validity of these portrayals with members of the deaf community, and (c) to compare and contrast deaf and hearing audiences' impressions of these portrayals. An additional purpose of the research was to examine the results in light of possible misconceptions that may be construed by music therapists and music educators based upon the media's representation of the relationship between music and deaf culture. Since music therapists and music educators are the primary persons responsible for the music instruction of students in school programs for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, it is particularly important that they receive accurate messages about the relationship of music to deaf culture. Fifty deaf (n = 25) and hearing (n = 25) undergraduate college students individually viewed motion picture and television excerpts related to music and the deaf. Subjects were instructed to take notes as needed regarding the content of each excerpt and their impressions. Students were then interviewed in their native language, English or American Sign Language, as to their interpretations and perceptions regarding these excerpts and their accuracy. Interviews of the deaf students were translated into English from American Sign Language by trained interpreters. Written transcriptions were then made of the interpreters' English translations of the interviews with deaf students and of the verbal interviews with hearing students. Interview transcripts from both groups were coded and analyzed for recurring themes and patterns using content analysis. Data analysis revealed cultural patterns for the two groups, impressions specific to individual subjects, and trends in communication style and content for the two groups. Implications for music therapists and music educators are given regarding the influence of the media, characteristics of deaf culture, and teaching music to deaf students.
Design of a 60GHz integrated antenna on silicon substrate

The design is presented of virtual current loop antenna (VCLA) for use on CMOS ICs technology that promises to integrate a complete 60GHz system on single chip that combines a good performance in both bandwidth and radiation efficiency. The design was based on intensive electromagnetic simulations using HFSS software package. Different virtual loop antennas have been designed for different frequencies on silicon substrate with resistivity ranges from 10 to 20ohm-cm and simulated. The simulation results show that the antenna can achieve a radiation efficiency of 20% and a gain of 1.43dB at 60GHz. However CMOS with high f t values require substrates with resistivity of 5-20ohm-cm. A 60GHz antenna was designed and fabricated on 5ohm-cm silicon substrate. The S-parameters were measured for antenna up to 65GHz and that the measured result agrees well with the simulated one.
Interceptive Orthodontic Treatment may be Effective in Reducing the Severity of Developing Malocclusion

Article Title and Bibliographic Information Dental effects of interceptive orthodontic treatment in a Medicaid population: interim results from a randomized clinical trial. Jolley CJ, Huang GJ, et al. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2010;137:324-33. Reviewer Stuart D. Josell, DMD, MDent Sc Purpose/Question To compare a group of mixed dentition patients receiving interceptive orthodontic care with a group of mixed dentition patients under observation for a similar period of time. Source of Funding Government- Supported by the Northwest/Alaska Center to Reduce Oral Health Disparities NIDCR grant #U54-DE 014254 and the University of Washington Orthodontic Program Type of Study/Design Randomized controlled trial Level of Evidence Level 2: Limited-quality, patient-oriented evidence Strength of Recommendation Grade Not applicable
AlGaAsSb/InGaAsSb photovoltaic transistors and high-efficiency solar cell with nano-antenna structures

We present a new design of high sensitivity, multi-spectral capability AlGaAsSb/InGaAsSb phototransistors for infrared sensing and solar energy conversion applications. These devices are grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), which exhibit high responsivity at room-temperature. The 50% cutoff wavelength of spectral photoresponse is 2.2 μm. Similar structures are also investigated for solar cell applications. The possibility of increasing the solar energy conversion is explored by incorporating nano-antenna array into the solar cell. The broad-band nano-antenna is designed using Ansoft HFSS. The results indicate high solar energy conversion can be achieved for highly efficiency, flexible, lightweight solar power generations for the applications such as aircraft, airbase and special operations.
Perioperative supplementation with ascorbic acid does not prevent atrial fibrillation in coronary artery bypass graft patients

Abstract Background Atrial fibrillation occurs after approximately 25% to 45% of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgeries. Oxidative stress and related electrophysiological remodeling has been proposed as a potential cause of this atrial fibrillation. Perioperative supplementation of the antioxidant ascorbic acid has been evaluated as a preventive agent. The current investigation was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of ascorbic acid in reducing atrial fibrillation in CABG patients. Methods A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, triple-blind, single-institution study was conducted in nonemergency CABG patients. Subjects were monitored for episodes of arrhythmia and other complications. Results Eighty-nine treatment and 96 control subjects completed the study protocol. Demographics, comorbidities, and preoperative drugs were similar between groups. Surgical characteristics and postoperative medication use also were similar. The incidence of atrial fibrillation was 30.3% in the treatment group and 30.2% in the control group ( P = .985). No difference was found in postoperative complications or mortality. Conclusions Our data indicate that supplementation of ascorbic acid in addition to routine postoperative care does not reduce atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting.
EMPHASIS ON DISTRIBUTIVE, PROCEDURAL, AND INTERACTIONAL JUSTICE: DIFFERENTIAL PERCEPTIONS OF MEN AND WOMEN

Differences in perceptions of justice may result from differential emphasis on distributive, procedural, and interactional justice. Correlations were significant between sex of participants and the likelihood of using distributive and interactional justice in the context of decisions about pay raises; men were more likely than women to consider distributive justice, whereas women were more likely than men to consider interactional justice.
Dielectric constant of rolled polyvinylidene fluoride

The contribution of dipole orientation to dielectric constant is markedly affected by rolling. The intensity of the γ peak is increased and the maximum shifted slightly to higher temperatures and frequencies. The shift is much larger with the β peak. Its intensity, however, is reduced by rolling. Long before the maximum of the β peak is reached, annealing effects irreversibly change the sample. With annealing, the values of the dielectric constant gradually approach those of the unrolled material. The observed effects can be explained by a substantial orientation of chains in the roll plane, which is perpendicular to the applied electric field. Such an orientation increases the average contribution of dipoles in crystal defects to polarisation as observed in the γ peak. Stronger interaction between partially aligned chains in the amorphous matrix hampers the rotation of chain segments in the electric field, and hence reduces the β peak and shifts it to higher temperatures.
Optimizing transmission rate in wireless channels using adaptive probes

We consider a wireless system with multiple channels where each channel is either on or off, and probing the state of any channel incurs a cost. We present a polynomial time algorithm that determines which channels to probe and also which channel to transmit so as to maximize the difference between the rate of successful transmissions and the cost incurred in probing.
Linear viscoelasticity and stress growth in blood

This note complements a previous publication where we used first order kinetics to describe biofluid behavior, especially blood, in the cases of simple shear flow, hysteresis and yield stress. Here, we extend the model and consider the viscoelastic properties of blood. Specifically, we look at small amplitude oscillatory flow and stress growth. Successful comparisons of model predictions with blood data are produced. Ce texte vient en complement d'une publication anterieure dans laquelle nous avons utilise la cinetique de premier ordre pour decrire le comportement de biofluides, en particulier le sang, dans les cas d'un ecoulement en cisaillement simple, d'une hysteresis et d'une contrainte d'ecoulement. Nous etendons ici le modele et considerons les proprietes viscoelastiques du sang. En particulier, nous considerons l'ecoulement oscillatoire de faible amplitude et la croissance de contrainte. Un tres bon accord est obtenu entre les predictions du modele et des donnees obtenues avec le sang.
Leadership déjà vu all over again

Much leadership literature neglects its historical-contextual antecedents and as a result over-emphasizes zeitgeist, or tenor of the time's social forces. This neglect impedes leadership research by encouraging academic amnesia and promoting a strong feeling of research deja vu among many researchers and practitioners. In this article, we develop a leadership historical-contextual superstructure consisting of evolutionary antecedents, paradigmatic antecedents, purpose and definitional antecedents, stakeholder antecedents, levels of analysis and temporal antecedents, and research dissemination antecedents. We use this superstructure to analyze current work in the increasingly important relational leadership research stream to illustrate how the superstructure's use can aid leadership researchers and practitioners in avoiding leadership deja vu and academic amnesia and help build a more cumulative field.
Hydrogenic Stark effect: Properties of the wave functions

A modified WKB treatment of a hydrogenic atom in a static electric field $F$ is found accurate over all energies $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$ to within 1% for $F\ensuremath{\le}5000$ kV/cm. This semianalytical technique describes the two properties of the wave function most relevant to photoionization and scattering: (1) the ratio of amplitudes at large and small distances ${A}_{{n}_{1}m}(\ensuremath{\epsilon},F)$, and (2) the asymptotic phase shift ${\ensuremath{\delta}}_{{n}_{1}m}(\ensuremath{\epsilon},F)$. The photoionization cross section from the ground state, given as a semianalytical function of $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$ and of the quantum numbers $m$ and ${n}_{1}$, describes the polarization-dependent shape resonances observed above the zero-field ionization threshold ($\ensuremath{\epsilon}=0$) and agrees with the exact calculations of Luc-Koenig and Bachelier. Complex-contour integration of WKB phase integrals reveals an equipartition of phase between the two sides of the potential barrier formed by the Coulomb and Stark fields. The total phase shift increases by $2\ensuremath{\pi}$ (not $\ensuremath{\pi}$) between successive quasistationary levels of constant ${n}_{1},m,F$. The WKB method originally applied to the Stark effect by Lanczos and generalized by Miller and Good is reviewed in an appendix.
Assessment of Symptomatic Rod Fracture After Posterior Instrumented Fusion for Adult Spinal Deformity

BACKGROUND: Improved understanding of rod fracture (RF) in adult spinal deformity could be valuable for implant design, surgical planning, and patient counseling. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate symptomatic RF after posterior instrumented fusion for adult spinal deformity. METHODS: A multicenter, retrospective review of RF in adult spinal deformity was performed. Inclusion criteria were spinal deformity, age older than 18 years, and more than 5 levels posterior instrumented fusion. Rod failures were divided into early (#12 months) and late (.12 months). RESULTS: Of 442 patients, 6.8% had symptomatic RF. RF rates were 8.6% for titanium alloy, 7.4% for stainless steel, and 2.7% for cobalt chromium. RF incidence after pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) was 15.8%. Among patients with a PSO and RF, 89% had RF at or adjacent to the PSO. Mean time to early RF (63%) was 6.4 months (range, 2-12 months). Mean time to late RF (37%) was 31.8 months (range, 14-73 months). The majority of RFs after PSO (71%) were early (mean, 10 months). Among RF cases, mean sagittal vertical axis improved from preoperative (163 mm) to postoperative (76.9 mm) measures (P , .001); however, 16 had postoperative malalignment (sagittal vertical axis .50 mm; mean, 109 mm). CONCLUSION: Symptomatic RF occurred in 6.8% of adult spinal deformity cases and in 15.8% of PSO patients. The rate of RF was lower with cobalt chromium than with titanium alloy or stainless steel. Early failure was most common after PSO and favored the PSO site, suggesting that RF may be caused by stress at the PSO site. Postoperative sagittal malalignment may increase the risk of RF.
Inhibition of calcium phosphate precipitation by human salivary acidic proline-rich proteins: structure-activity relationships.

Absence of precipitation of calcium phosphate salts onto tooth surfaces from human saliva, which is supersaturated with respect to calcium phosphate salts, has been attributed in part to the presence in the salivary secretions of a group of acidic proline-rich phosphoproteins (PRP). These macromolecules are considered to act by adsorbing onto dental enamel where they inhibit surface-induced precipitation of calcium phosphate salts. The inhibitory activity is known to be associated primarily with the amino-terminal region of the PRP. The aim of this study was to determine the features of the primary structure of this molecular segment responsible for inhibitory activity. The 30-residue, amino-terminal segment of PRP-3, which contains the two phosphoserines and 11 of the 13 carboxyl groups present in PRP-3, was obtained by tryptic digestion. This peptide, designated PRP-3(Tl), was treated with thermolysin to give the monophosphopeptides, Val-PSer-Gln-Glu-Asp-Val-Pro and Leu-Val-Ile-Ser-Asp-Gly-Gly-Asp-PSer-Glu-Gln, and with alkaline phosphatase to give the dephosphorylated analog, PRP-3(Tl)DP. The inhibitory activities of PRP-3(Tl) and the derived peptides, a synthetic peptide, phosphoseryl-phosphoserine (PSer-PSer), and O-phosphoserine (PSer), were determined using an assay based on inhibition of seeded precipitation of calcium phosphate. Inhibitory activities, expressed as concentrations of inhibitors required to give standard inhibitory activities, were PRP-3(Tl), 0.59 μM; PSer-PSer, 3.5 μM; the two monophosphopeptides, 29 and 32.5 μM; PRP-3(Tl)DP, 56 μM; PSer, 329 μM. These results show the importance of the simultaneous presence of two phosphoserines in these precipitation inhibitors, and the contributions made by the carboxylic groups, but they also clearly show that a major part of the inhibitory activity is related to the structure of the intact molecule.
Generalized derivatives and the radial growth of positive harmonic functions

Let A and C denote the unit disk (1~1 in the complex plane. The classical Riesz-Herglotz theorem provides a representation of each positive harmonic function u on A as the PoissonStieltjes integral of a monotone nondecreasing function p. The Fatou radial-limit theorem establishes a basic connection between the radial behavior of u and symmetric derivatives of p. Generalized upper and lower symmetric derivatives of p with respect to functions o(t) such as P, 0 < c( < 1, or t log( l/t), are defined analogously to the standard symmetric derivatives with w(t) replacing t in the denominator. These derivatives compare the local concentration of mass of the measure associated with p to the function o. Samuelsson [ll] correlated the generalized symmetric derivatives of p with the radial growth of u to co. In Theorem 1.1, we collect his results along with an additional fact, the proof of which is based on a method of Mu1 [S]. Essentially, Theorem 1.1 asserts that the generalized upper symmetric derivative of p with respect to w at 0 is roughly the same size as the limit superior of the quantity [ (1 r)/o( 1 r)] U(re”) as Y -+ 1, and the corresponding lower symmetric derivative (up to a constant) is no larger than the limit inferior of this quantity. Stated another way, the theorem relates the radial growth of u(reis) to the function ~(1 r)/( 1 -r), the latter a function such as (1 -T)‘-‘, O<a< 1, or -log(l -r) which approaches cc as y--t 1. For example, if the generalized upper (or lower) symmetric derivative of p with respect to w at 8 is positive, then the value of u(re’“) is intermittently (or eventually) as large as some constant multiple of o( 1 r)/( 1 r) as Y + 1. Following Samuelsson, we consider next the size of the set of radii along 394 0022-247X/89 $3.00
Self-Control, Deviant Peers, and Software Piracy:

Tests of self-control theory have examined a substantial number of criminal behaviors, but no study has examined the correlation of low self-control with software piracy. Using data collected from 302 students in this university, this study examined the correlation of low self-control with software piracy and the moderating role of associating with deviant peers in this correlation. Low self-control correlated with software piracy more strongly for those who had high associations with deviant peers than for students with low associations with deviant peers. Analysis indicated differential links for lack of moral attitude in relation to software piracy and favorable attitudes for software piracy for varying association with deviant peers.
Campylobacter jejuni induces colitis through activation of mammalian target of rapamycin signaling.

Background & Aims Campylobacter jejuni is the worldwide leading cause of bacterial-induced enteritis. The molecular and cellular events that lead to campylobacteriosis are poorly understood. We identify mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) as a signaling pathway that leads to C jejuni –induced intestinal inflammation. Methods Germ-free (control) or conventionally derived Il10 −/− mice that express enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) under the control of nuclear factor κB ( Il10 −/− ; NF-κB EGFP mice) were infected with C jejuni (10 9 colony-forming units/mouse) for 12 days; their responses were determined using histologic, semiquantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, fluorescence in situ hybridization, transmission electron microscopy, and tissue culture analyses. mTOR signaling was blocked by daily intraperitoneal injections of the pharmacologic inhibitor rapamycin (1.5 mg/kg). CD4 + T cells were depleted by intraperitoneal injections of antibodies against CD4 (0.5 mg/mouse every 3 days). Bacterial survival in splenocytes was measured using a gentamycin killing assay. Results C jejuni induced intestinal inflammation, which correlated with activation of mTOR signaling and neutrophil infiltration. The inflamed intestines of these mice had increased levels of interleukin-1β, Cxcl2, interleukin-17a, and EGFP; C jejuni localized to colons and extraintestinal tissues of infected Il10 −/− ; NF-κB EGFP mice compared with controls. Rapamycin, administered before or after introduction of C jejuni , blocked C jejuni –induced intestinal inflammation and bacterial accumulation. LC3II processing and killing of C jejuni were increased in splenocytes incubated with rapamycin compared with controls. Conclusions mTOR signaling mediates C jejuni –induced colitis in Il10 −/− mice, independently of T-cell activation. Factors involved in mTOR signaling might be therapeutic targets for campylobacteriosis.
Chronic pain and depression among geriatric psychiatry inpatients.

OBJECTIVES: We examined whether chronic pain among depressed geriatric inpatients was associated with several clinical variables-comorbid psychiatric and medical diagnoses, length of hospitalization, suicidal ideation, and sleep duration. METHODS: Medical charts of inpatients admitted to a geriatric psychiatry unit over 2 years were examined retrospectively; 148 patients with a depressive disorder were identified. Admission pain assessments were used to classify whether patients had chronic pain. Other variables of interest were collected from charts. RESULTS: 62% of patients reported chronic pain. In multivariate regression analysis, depressed older adults with chronic pain were more likely to report suicidal ideation, be diagnosed with personality disorder, have higher medical burden, and experience decreased total sleep time compared to depressed older adults without chronic pain. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic pain-common in depressed older adults-may influence clinical features of depression and should be assessed as a possible suicide risk factor. Prospective studies should examine causal relationships and determine the effects of adequate pain treatment on depression course and suicide risk in older adults. Language: en
How Prepared Are Psychiatry Residents for Treating Nicotine Dependence

Objective Nicotine dependence is the most prevalent substance abuse disorder among adult psychiatric patients and a leading cause of death and disability. The authors examined the extent to which psychiatry residents are prepared to treat nicotine dependence in clinical practice.
Validation of a Brief Yesterday Measure of Hedonic Well-Being and Daily Activities: Comparison with the Day Reconstruction Method.

There has been increasing interest in the measurement of hedonic well-being (HWB), due in part to its broad implications in areas such as health and society. The day reconstruction method (DRM) is a validated technique assessing HWB and daily activities using instructions that help respondents recover their experiences from the previous day, thus reducing recall bias. Unfortunately, large-scale surveys are typically not able to implement the time-consuming DRM procedure; instead, they rely on single-item or very brief questionnaire assessment of HWB and time usage. Despite their wide use, brief questionnaires have rarely been compared to the DRM, which could provide validation of these short assessments. In the present study we compared these two questionnaire formats in 45 adults who completed both a DRM and a “hybrid” short form (HSF) questionnaire that included a very brief procedure to reconstruct yesterday’s events. Results were that the mean HSF ratings tended to overestimate HWB in comparison to the DRM, though effects were generally small to moderate. With regard to estimates of time spent on daily activities, the HSF also differed from the DRM, though with generally small to moderate effects. Correlations between estimates indicated that the HSF explained an average of almost half the variance in the DRM ratings for both HWB (rs ranging from .52 to .97) and time use (rs ranging from .43 to .85). In general, HSF ratings displayed considerable overlap with those of the DRM though the brief instructions apparently did not eliminate recall bias in the shorter questionnaire.
152 TWO DIMENSIONAL ECHOCAEDIOGRAPHIC (2DE) ASSESSMENT OF RIGHT VENTRICULAR VOLUMES (RVV) AND EJECTION FRACTION (EF)

The ability of M-mode and 2DE to measure RVV and EF was assessed in 15 children without right ventricular outflow tract obstruction (RVOTO) (Group I). M-mode measurement of end diastolic dimension (RVEDD) was performed in the usual fashion. From the apical 4 chamber 2DE view the long axis of the right ventricle (RVLA) was measured from the apex to mid tricuspid valve, and area planed (RVA). From the anterior-posterior (AP) and lateral (lat) angio-graphic (angio) views the right ventricular body (RVB) longest length was measured, area planed, and volumes calculated using a Simoson's Rule algorithm. Data were compared by linear regression analysis (r=correlation coefficient, a=slope). RVEDD by M-mode correlated poorly with angio data. The 2DE obtained RVLA length correlated well with the maximum angio obtained length from either the AP or Lat views at both end systole (ES) and end diastole (ED). 2DE RVA also correlated with the planed area obtained from either AP or Lat angio projections. To determine the relationship between RVB volume (RVBV) and total right ventricular volume (TRW), these volumes were separately assessed in 30 other children without RVOTO (Group II). A constant relationship existed between RVBV and TRVV such that RVBV/TRW=0.75. By 2DE RVBV was determined from the apical 4 chamber view by an area-length algorithm assuming an ellipsoid model. Accurate 2DE assessment of TRW and EF in Group I patients could be achieved by the equation, Volume = 1.34 X echo calculated RVBV; (EDV r=0.92, a=0.98; ESV r=0.84, a=0.95; EF r=0.80, a=1.19). Therefore, 2DE is able to accurately measure RVV and EF in patients without RVOTO.
4th Global Information Village Plaza ‐ Personal and Professional Trust in information in the 21st century

Building on the success of the 2002-2004 Global Information Village Plazas, this symposium maintains its interactive format, allowing ASIS&T members an opportunity to express their personal views about the challenges and opportunities that the information society represents in their personal and professional lives. The discussion will focus on the issue of trust in information - specifically on how information professionals and members of a general public judge the authority of the information they receive. The discussion will pay particular attention to the way in which perceptions of trust change in different cultural contexts - for example in societies and cultures that allow their citizens greater individual freedoms in comparison to more rigid or collective societies and cultures. This topic relates specifically to the theme of this year's conference - Shaping the Digital Future for All - in that information crosses national boundaries on a daily basis. Information shared between cultures can be subject to diverse perceptions of trust, which in turn affects a person's views of the value of an increasingly global information society in their personal and professional lives. The issue of trust in information is also relevant to librarians and information professionals, who must address questions such as what their role in building trust is, and how they may accomplish this in an era of global digital information, where users may turn to multiple sources of information of varying degrees of authority or subjectivity. This year's Global Information Village Plaza adds a new information and communication tool in the form of a blog, built and maintained by the same team who maintained the blog for the 2005 ASIS&T conference. This online interactive forum will be reachable by any professional, thereby allowing ASIS&T to expand its circle of interaction and offering the information professional community around the globe who will be unable to attend the 2006 Annual Meeting an opportunity to contribute their thoughts on trust in information.
Agriculture, Technology, and Industrialization: The Rural Textile Sector in the Netherlands, 1830–1860

In 1833 in a small village in the eastern Netherlands, a school opened for training weavers in using a new technology imported from England: the flying shuttle. The school began by training boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 16; when that proved successful it opened its doors to all weavers sent by manufacturers from the greater region, which soon necessitated several branch schools. By far the majority who came were home-based workers and after their training, a matter of a few weeks for those not new to the task, they could take a new loom with them on a payment plan. Once home, they in turn trained others, while local carpenters learned to build new looms. As a result, weaving in the rural textile regions of Twente and the Achterhoek (see figures 1 and 2) was transformed rapidly so that by 1836 no more new pupils came, and the schools were closed.
NKG2D-DAP10 triggers human NK cell–mediated killing via a Syk-independent regulatory pathway

The immune recognition receptor complex NKG2D-DAP10 on natural killer cells is stimulated by specific ligands carried on virus-infected and malignant cells. Because DAP10 does not have an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM) in its cytoplasmic tail, its ability to trigger killing has been debated. Here we show that a crucial Tyr-Ile-Asn-Met amino acid motif in the cytoplasmic tail of DAP10 couples receptor stimulation to the downstream activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, Vav1, Rho family GTPases and phospholipase C. Unlike that of ITAM-containing receptors, the activation of NKG2D-DAP10 proceeds independently of Syk family protein tyrosine kinases. Yet the signals initiated by NKG2D-DAP10 are fully capable of inducing killing. Our findings identify a previously unknown mechanism by which receptor complexes that lack ITAM motifs can trigger lymphocyte activation.