cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nuclease sensitivity of repair-incorporated nucleotides in chromatin and nucleosome rearrangement in human cells damaged by methyl methanesulfonate and methylnitrosourea

We have examined both the initial nuclease sensitivity and subsequent nucleosome rearrangement of newly repaired regions of chromatin in human diploid fibroblasts treated with methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and methylnitrosourea (MNU). We initially examined the effect of these two alkylating agents on DNA replicative synthesis. The results indicate that immediately following damage by MMS or MNU, at a concentration of 2 mM, the level of replicative synthesis is 20-25% of the level in untreated cells. In the MMS-treated cells, this suppression of replicative synthesis is short lived and by 15 h after damage the level of replicative synthesis is approximately 3-fold greater than that in untreated cells. This 'latent stimulation' of replicative synthesis was not observed in the cells treated with 2 mM MNU, although the level of replicative synthesis in these cells did approach the level of untreated cells at later times. When these contributions were corrected for, it was found that the nucleotides incorporated by repair synthesis are initially (i.e., immediately following repair synthesis) both staphylococcal nuclease and DNase I sensitive, and are underrepresented in isolated nucleosome core DNA. Using methods previously described by us, we show that the relative nuclease sensitivity of these regions is quantitatively similar to that of newly repaired DNA following damage by u.v. radiation. Furthermore, the relative nuclease sensitivity of newly repaired DNA is initially high regardless of the time after damage that repair occurs (at least for 13 h after damage). This feature is also similar to u.v. induced repair synthesis. Finally, pulse-chase experiments demonstrated that following repair synthesis induced by MMS or MNU rearrangements of chromatin structure take place, and both the rate and extent of these rearrangements are similar to that observed for cells treated with u.v. radiation or bulky chemical carcinogens. Thus, our results indicate that the excision repair induced by these two small alkylating agents is associated with the same overall chromatin structural features as the excision repair of DNA damage induced by u.v. radiation and 'u.v.-mimetic' chemicals.
Bedside fluoroscopy to screen for simple extremity trauma in the ED

Portable fluoroscopy units are commonly used by orthopedic surgeons to assist in fracture reduction and immobilization. The purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of bedside fluoroscopy performed by emergency department (ED) physicians to screen for simple extremity trauma. Eligible adult patients presenting to the ED with isolated injuries to distal extremities were evaluated prospectively over a 6-month study period. ED physicians independently performed fluoroscopy at the bedside, obtained real-time images (frontal, lateral, and oblique), and documented their initial interpretations. Patients then underwent routine diagnostic radiographs of the same areas. Fluoroscopic findings (real-time and photographs) were compared with the radiologists' final report. Ninety-two patients with 108 extremity injuries were enrolled in the study. Fractures were diagnosed fluoroscopically in 26 cases, for a sensitivity of 0.70. Of the 71 standard radiographs without a fracture, the fluoroscopic diagnosis was accurate in 66, for a specificity of 0.93. The overall diagnostic accuracy was 0.85, with a 95% confidence interval of .67 to 1.00. There were 11 false-negative fluoroscopic reports, involving the radius (3), distal tibia (3), metacarpals (2), fifth metatarsal (1), phalanx (1), and cuboid (1). These results suggest that bedside fluoroscopy lacks sufficient sensitivity to screen for simple extremity fractures in the ED.
Diffusion of cancer education information through a Latino community health advisor program.

Objective To examine diffusion of breast and cervical cancer screening information through a community health advisor program targeting Latino women of low socioeconomic level and low level of acculturation in San Diego, California.
Excitation of N2 and N+2 systems by electrons—II. Excitation cross sections and N21PG low pressure afterglow

Abstract Quantitative optical measurements of the N21P, 2P, and N+2 Meinel systems excited by electrons have allowed measurement of transition probabilities, excitation cross-sections, and afterglow effects. The excitation cross-sections were determined relative to that of the N+2(0,0) first negative band. The estimated total peak electron cross-section of the B3Πg state is 1.2 × 10−16cm2, about a factor of 2 larger than other recently published estimates. The total peak cross-section of the C3Πu state is estimated to be 3.8 × 10−17 cm2. The B3Πgv> 4 levels are excited by a low-pressure afterglow, as well as by electrons. The characteristics of the afterglow suggest that the precursors must be molecules in the A 3 Σ + u state. The rate coefficients for collisional deactivation into the B 3 Π g state fall in the gas-kinetic range. The afterglow contribution is substantial for some levels; at pressures 3μm, 90 per cent of the B 3 Π g v = 12 level population rate is due to deactivation of the A 3 Σ + u state. Measurements of the N+2 Meinel system are complicated by what appears to be drift in the electric field caused by differential diffusion of electrons and ions. As a result, collision-free measurements of electron excitation cross-sections were not possible, and the cross-section estimates depend on the value of the natural lifetime of the A 2 Π u state. However, the lifetime is not well determined and we assign a lower limit estimate to the total cross-section of 1.2 × 10−16 cm2 at E = 100eV. This estimate is between factors of 2 and 5 larger than earlier published values.
Notes on the Sociology of Deviance

Reprinted by permission from Social Problems 9 (1962): 307-14. Copyright 1969 by The Society for the Study of Social Problems. Kai T. Erikson is Professor of Sociology at Yale University. The following selection sketches the theoretical orientation used in Wayward Puritans (Wiley, 1966), a historical and sociological study of deviance among the Massachusetts Bay Puritans in the 17th century, which won the 1967 Maclver Award of the American Sociological Association. In this book and other articles Erikson has contributed significantly to our knowledge of the processes by which society screens behavior and attributes deviance.
Genetic variation in the genus Bufo I. An extreme degree of transferrin and albumin polymorphism in a population of the American toad (Bufo americanus)

A population of Bufo americanus from southwestern Ohio exhibited an extreme degree of transferrin and albumin polymorphism. One hundred and eighty-five individuals were collected from this population, and their transferrin and albumin phenotypes were determined by vertical acrylamide gel electrophoresis. Thirteen transferrin alleles were present in 36 phenotypes, and 11 albumin alleles were present in 29 phenotypes. A deficiency of heterozygotes occurred at both protein loci. The possible mechanisms responsible for the polymorphism and deficiency of heterozygotes are discussed.
Retinal Breaks Observed During Pars Plana Vitrectomy

Purpose To quantitate the frequency and features of retinal breaks discovered at the time of vitrectomy and to evaluate the outcomes with prophylactic treatment. Design A consecutive, single-surgeon, retrospective, observational case series from a two-year period. Methods Medical records were reviewed for all patients who underwent primary, standard, three-port pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2001. Intraoperative findings recorded included the number, location, and categorization of retinal breaks and their method of management. Postoperative features recorded included the presence or absence of a retinal detachment (RD). Results There were 65 retinal breaks found in 48 (11.6%) of 415 eyes and included 30 (7.2%) eyes with definite breaks, nine (2.2%) with suspicious breaks, and nine (2.2%) with probably preexisting breaks. Breaks that were described as being large (n = 5) were more commonly associated with the right-hand sclerotomy (P = .041), although other categories of breaks were not. After surgery, the overall incidence of RD was 2.2% (nine of 415 eyes). The rate of RD among the 48 eyes with retinal breaks (of any category) was also 2.1% (one eye). All RDs in this series occurred more than three months after initial vitrectomy and, accordingly, were probably unrelated to retinal breaks that occurred during surgery. Conclusions Recognition of retinal breaks and intraoperative treatment with retinopexy and air–fluid exchange during vitrectomy reduces the postoperative risk of RD to that among eyes without observed intraoperative retinal breaks.
Appetite and Endocrine Regulators of Energy Balance After 2 Days of Energy Restriction: Insulin, Leptin, Ghrelin, and DHEA‐S

Using a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design, the effects of 48 h near complete energy restriction on endocrine regulators of appetite and satiety were assessed. Twelve men and one woman participated in this controlled, 2-day diet intervention study. One experimental trial was completed in a calorie deprived state (CAL-DEP; <10% of estimated energy requirements) and others in a fed condition (carbohydrate only and carbohydrate and fat; data were pooled and compared to CAL-DEP). Test meals containing prescribed energy intake and indistinguishable in sensory characteristics were provided during each trial. Glucose, insulin, leptin, ghrelin, cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S), and satiety were repeatedly assessed. Mean glucose, insulin, and leptin concentrations were lower (P < 0.0001) for CAL-DEP compared to the fully fed (FED) state. Ghrelin and DHEA-S were higher (P < 0.0001) for CAL-DEP relative to FED. Cortisol levels declined each day regardless of diet (P < 0.0001) but were 32% higher (P < 0.01) at the conclusion of the session for CAL-DEP compared to FED. Satiety was 25% lower (P < 0.0001) for CAL-DEP relative to FED and decreased (P < 0.0001) over time regardless of diet. In the FED state, insulin (r = 0.55), glucose (r = 0.76), cortisol (r = −0.59), and DHEA-S (r = −0.62) were associated (P < 0.05) with satiety, but not during CAL-DEP. These findings show that 2 days of severe energy restriction alter several endocrine regulators of appetite independent of perception of increased hunger suggesting a physiological mechanism to explain overeating following acute periods of severe energy restriction.
COLORIS: a dynamic cache partitioning system using page coloring

Shared caches in multicore processors are subject to contention from co-running threads. The resultant interference can lead to highly-variable performance for individual applications. This is particularly problematic for real-time applications, requiring predictable timing guarantees. Previous work has applied page coloring techniques to partition a shared cache, so that conflict misses are minimized amongst co-running workloads. However, prior page coloring techniques have not addressed the problem of partitioning a cache on over-committed processors where there are more executable threads than cores. Similarly, page coloring techniques have not proven efficient at adapting the cache partition sizes for threads with varying memory demands. This paper presents a memory management framework called COLORIS, which provides support for both static and dynamic cache partitioning using page coloring. COLORIS supports novel policies to reconfigure the assignment of page colors amongst application threads in over-committed systems. For quality-of-service (QoS), COLORIS monitors the cache miss rates of running applications and triggers re-partitioning of the cache to prevent miss rates exceeding applications-specific ranges. This paper presents the design and evaluation of COLORIS as applied to Linux. We show the efficiency and effectiveness of COLORIS to color memory pages for a set of SPEC CPU2006 workloads, thereby enhancing performance isolation over existing page coloring techniques.
Assessing negative thoughts in response to pain among people with HIV

A growing body of literature suggests that negative thoughts and interpretations in response to pain can significantly increase the suffering associated with the pain experience. As part of an outcome study on a cognitive-behavioral treatment for HIV-related peripheral neuropathic pain, 85 seropositive men and women were administered the inventory of negative thoughts in response to pain (INTRP), a self-report assessment that includes three subscales: negative self-statements, negative social cognitions and self-blame. Pearson product moment correlations coefficients were calculated between INTRP scores and pain and distress ratings. A series of regression analyses were performed to determine predictors of pain and distress. Results demonstrated highly significant associations between the negative self-statements and negative social cognitions and pain intensity. Highly significant associations were also found between negative self-statements, negative social cognitions, self-blame and measures of pain interference, affective symptoms and distress. Additionally, negative cognitions significantly predicted interference in daily functional activities, overall distress and affective symptoms. Future directions for developing and testing cognitive-behavioral treatments for restructuring dysfunctional cognitions are indicated. Finally, internal scale reliability of the INTRP was shown to be moderately high and this study offers construct validity of the INTRP as a useful tool for assessing thoughts in response to pain in people with HIV.
The cost-effectiveness of screening lung cancer patients for targeted drug sensitivity markers

New oncology drugs are being developed in conjunction with companion diagnostics with approval restricting their use to certain biomarker-positive subgroups. We examined the impact of different predictive biomarker screening techniques and population enrichment criteria on the cost-effectiveness of targeted drugs in lung cancer, using ALK and crizotinib to build the initial model. Health economic modeling of cost per Quality Adjusted Life Year was based on literature review and expert opinion. The modeled population represented advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), eligible for predictive biomarker screening with prescribing restricted to biomarker-positive patients. For assays costing $1400 per person, cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained for ALK screening all advanced NSCLC, excluding treatment cost, is $106 707. This falls to $4756 when only a highly enriched population is screened (increasing biomarker frequency from 1.6 to 35.9%). However, the same enrichment involves missing 56% patients who segregate within the unscreened group. Cheaper screening tests that miss some true positives can be more cost-effective if proportional reductions in cost exceed proportion of subjects missed. Generic modeling of idealised screening assays, including treatment cost, reveals a dominant effect of screening cost per person at low biomarker frequencies. Cost-effectiveness of <$100 000 per QALY gained is not achievable at biomarker frequencies <5% (with drug costs $1–5000 per month and screening costs $600–1400 per person). Cost-effectiveness of oncology drugs whose prescribing is restricted to biomarker-positive subgroups should address the cost of detecting marker-positive patients. The cost of screening dominates at low frequencies and strategies to improve cost-effectiveness based on the assay cost, drug cost and the group screened should be considered in these scenarios.
Hopf bifurcation at a degenerate stationary pitchfork

Soit E un espace de Hilbert reel. On considere l'existence de petites solutions periodiques pour une equation d'evolution sur E donnee par du/dt=G(u,λ), u∈E, λ∈R, avec G(0,λ)=0 ∀λ∈R
Pagetoid Bowen's disease on the breast.

A 75-Year-old while woman was referred to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center for evaluation of a slowly enlarging, asymptomatic plaque that had been present on the left breast for several years. She had developed hypothyroidism and hypertension. There was no personal or family history of skin cancer or broast disease. Results of mammography, performed 1 month earlier, were normal. Physical examination revealed an elderly, moderately obose white woman. Examination of the breasts did not reveal any masses, and there were no palpable axillary lymph nodes. On the left breast, tbere was a well circumscribed, orangered plaque, 3 cm in diameter, with a peripheral collarette scale. The lesion was located 2 cm from the areola, in the medio-inferior quadrant of the breast (Fig. 1). A punch biopsy of the lesion showed atypical cells in the epidermis characterized by abundant pale cytoplasm (Fig. 2). Result of PAS stain for glycogen was only weakly positive, and results of all stains for mucin were negative. A lichenoid lymphohistiocytic infiltrate was seen in the dermis. A complete excision of the lesion was performed, revealing Bowen's disease. The specimen contained areas of pagetoid cells (Fig. 2) as well as more typical areas of Bowen's disease (Fig. 3).
A historical perspective on the early treatment of night blindness and the use of dubious and unproven treatment strategies for patients with retinitis pigmentosa

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a form of inherited night blindness. Over decades, various dubious treatment strategies that lacked sufficient theoretically sound underpinnings were explored. Initially they were enthusiastically promoted and subsequently discredited. It is apparent that many were predicated on the erroneous assumption that the primary cause of RP was related to impairment of the retinal circulation. Herein, several of these strategies are reviewed and critiqued. Reasons why clinicians may have been deceived into overzealous interpretations of their treatment methods are explored. The examples disclosed should serve as a note of caution for current investigators to guard against self-deception when exploring newly developed treatment strategies.
Estimation of Cd2+ and Ni2+ activities in soils by chelation

Cadmium and Ni solubility in soils is of concern due to their biological toxicity, especially to humans. Free Cd2+ and Ni2+ activities in both contaminated and uncontaminated soils were determined using the chelation method. The measured Cd2+ and Ni2+ activities were highly pH dependent with correlation coefficients of 0.99 and 0.80 in the contaminated, and 0.98 and 0.94 in the uncontaminated soils, respectively. The measured Cd2+ and Ni2+ activities in the contaminated soils averaged 1.42 and 0.73 log units higher than those in the uncontaminated soils, and can be predicted for these soils using the equations: log(Cd2+) = (7.64 ± 0.27) − 2pH and log(Ni2+) = (7.82 ± 0.85) − 2pH. The Cd2+ and Ni2+ activities in the uncontaminated soils can be divided into two groups based on soil pH. The Cd and Ni solubilities in soils of pH > 6.90 were close to soil-Cd and soil-Ni, which are reference values for the solubility of Cd and Ni in most agricultural soils, and can be predicted using the equations: log(Cd2+) = (6.22 ± 0.18) − 2pH, and log(Ni2+) = (7.09 ± 0.38) − 2pH. Solubility in soils of pH < 6.9 were undersaturated with respect to soil-Cd and soil-Ni. Adsorption-desorption may be important in regulating Cd2+ and Ni2+ activities in the uncontaminated soils of low pH, whereas precipitation-dissolution process may operate in soils of high pH and/or high Cd or Ni levels. The results indicate that these contaminated soils contained elevated free Cd and Ni concentrations and remedial actions are needed to reduce their levels.
Sexual Objectification in Music Videos: A Content Analysis Comparing Gender and Genre

Although sexual objectification is commonplace in media culture, music videos provide the most potent examples of it. In the current study, we developed a coding system to measure sexual objectification and its correlates in music videos. Our analysis compared sexual objectification across artists' gender and musical genres (R&B/hip-hop, pop, and country). Compared to male artists, female artists were more sexually objectified, held to stricter appearance standards, and more likely to demonstrate sexually alluring behavior. In addition, sexual objectification was more prominent in R&B/hip-hop and pop videos than in country videos. The results are discussed in light of objectification theory and sexual agency.
Late collapse of a thoracic endoprosthesis.

Thoracic stent graft collapse is a rare complication of thoracic endovascular aortic repair that is mostly asymptomatic and occurs ≤3 months of the procedure. We describe the case of a 36-year-old man who presented with symptomatic endograft collapse 38 months after an initial thoracic endovascular aortic repair that was performed for traumatic aortic transection. He had sudden and complete loss of bilateral lower extremity motor and sensory functions (spinal cord ischemia) and anal sphincter tone. The patient was successfully treated with redo thoracic endovascular aortic repair, followed by open conversion and device explantation.
Iterative Learning Heuristic Dynamic Programming (ILHDP) design of a Steam Power Plant Controller

This paper presents a new dynamic programming method called the Iterative Learning Heuristic Dynamic Programming (ILHDP). The ILHDP is an Iterative Learning Control (ILC) based Neural Dynamic Programming (NDP) algorithm. The NDP aspect of the ILHDP algorithm is borrowed from traditional Adaptive Critic Design (ACD) algorithms. Typical NDP algorithms in the ACD class of algorithms train a Model Network beforehand and use a Critic Network, as the gradient approximator, trained back-and-forth with the Action Network in each iteration to converge the Action Network towards the optimal control policy. The proposed ILHDP algorithm updates the Model Network continually based on newly obtained data sampled during each Action Network optimization step on the same experiment. This process of Model Network updation ensures better gradient approximation presented by the Model Network itself. The presented ILHDP is used for the design of a Steam Power Plant controller with respect to the Active-Power-to-Frequency droop characteristics. Test results indicated that the ILHDP designed controller was capable of stabilizing the output power of the Steam Power Plant to track the load with a maximum tracking error of 0.011 for abrupt load changes as fast as 15s. The Steam Power Plant was also subjected to large transient spikes for which the designed controller proved to recover the system back to stability.
Prevention of endophthalmitis by collagen shields presoaked in fourth-generation fluoroquinolones versus by topical prophylaxis.

Purpose To compare the prophylaxis of collagen shields presoaked in antibiotics versus antibiotic drops after bacterial anterior chamber challenge. Setting John A. Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Methods Forty rabbits received bilateral 0.03 mL intracameral injections of Staphylococcus epidermidis (5 × 10 8 colony-forming units). Four groups of 10 rabbits had their eyes randomized to receive (1) 3 mg/mL gatifloxacin (Zymar) drops or shield in Zymar, (2) Zymar drops or shield in 10 mg/mL gatifloxacin (Tequin), (3) 5 mg/mL moxifloxacin (Vigamox) drops or shield in Vigamox, or (4) balanced salt solution (BSS) drops or shield in BSS. Each eye received Zymar, Vigamox, or BSS 4 times 1 hour before injection. The antibiotic–BSS was administered every 2 hours (5 doses total). One day later, signs of endophthalmitis were scored under the slitlamp. Results Groups 1 and 2 had significantly lower endophthalmitis incidences (total score ≥8) than the BSS controls. Shield scores were not significantly different from those of the counterpart drops. The comparison between drops was not significant ( P = .0513); the difference between shields ( P = .0232) and the post-comparison Zymar versus BSS shields ( P = .0021) were significant. Conclusions Topical therapy with gatifloxacin before and after intraocular bacteria challenge led to lower incidences of endophthalmitis in rabbits. Prophylaxis with presoaked collagen shields was not statistically different than that with topical drops.
Alienation and Stress among Doctors: Dilemmas and Possible Solutions

Studies of alienation, stress, burnout, and dissatisfaction among doctors are plagued by unclear and varied definition of these terms. Many are small, local, and short, which limit insights. How much they harm patients is usually not studied but may be slight. A focus on patient evaluations, though resented, has led to defining quality standards that did not exist when autonomy reigned. But using consumer-oriented competition can have pernicious effects. Pharmaceutical influences are undermining trust and professionalism. But non-profit models of shared, collaborative initiatives increase morale and clinical quality as well.
A continuous spectral aerosol-droplet microphysics model

Abstract. A two-dimensional (2-D) continuous spectral aerosol-droplet microphysics model is presented and implemented into the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model for large-eddy simulations (LES) of warm clouds. Activation and regeneration of aerosols are treated explicitly in the calculation of condensation/evaporation. The model includes a 2-D spectrum that encompasses wet aerosol particles (i.e., haze droplets), cloud droplets, and drizzle droplets in a continuous and consistent manner and allows for the explicit tracking of aerosol size within cloud droplets due to collision-coalescence. The system of differential equations describing condensation/evaporation (i.e., mass conservation and energy conservation) is solved simultaneously within each grid cell. The model is demonstrated by simulating a marine stratocumulus deck for two different aerosol loadings (100 and 500 cm−3), and comparison with the more traditional microphysics modeling approaches (both 1-D bin and bulk schemes) is evaluated. The simulations suggest that in a 1-D bin microphysics scheme, without regeneration, too few particles are produced and hence the mode of the droplet size spectrum occurs at a larger size relative to the 2-D bin model results. Moreover, with regeneration, the 1-D scheme produces too many small droplets and thus shifts the mode toward smaller sizes. These large shifts in the droplet size distribution can potentially have significant effects on the efficiency of the collision-coalescence process, fall speeds, and ultimately precipitation.
Comments on "Isotope effects in MNOS transistors"

In reading the above mentioned letter, the author presents material which is suppose to verify that silicon to hydrogen or silicon to deuterium bonds are responsible for charge trapping in MNOS nonviolate memory devices. In his discussions of the experimental results, he has failed to address other work in the literature which attribute different properties to the silicon hydrogen bond in silicon nitride. These comments will discuss other works in the literature dealing with hydrogen in silicon nitride and its influence on the charge-trapping mechanism.
U.S. National Science Foundation seeks comments on restructure of geoscience education programs

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Geosciences (GEO) is an important source of funding for geoscience education and research in the United States. The directorate's programs have focused on broadening participation, geoscience education research, adoption of best practices in teaching, and other issues. Recently, the directorate issued a “Dear Colleague” letter about restructuring its geoscience education programs. Three programs are being changed: GEO-Teach (a program that aimed to improve the quality of geoscience instruction, primarily at middle and high school levels) is being retired, GeoEd (a program that seeks to increase public understanding of Earth system science) is undergoing review and restructuring, and Opportunities for Enhancing Diversity in the Geosciences (OEDG, a program aimed at enhancing minority representation) is also undergoing review and restructuring. Comments concerning the OEDG program, in particular, are being requested by NSF.
Suppression of TGA Mutations in the Bacillus subtilis spoIIR Gene by prfB Mutations

An unexpectedly high proportion of TGA nonsense mutations was obtained in a collection of chemically induced mutations in the spoIIR locus of Bacillus subtilis. Of 11 different mutations obtained, TGA mutations were found in four codons, whereas only three codons yielded missense mutations. Six suppressors of the TGA mutations were isolated, and five of the suppressing mutations were mapped to the prfB gene encoding protein release factor 2. These are the first mutations shown to map to the B. subtilis prfB locus. The sequence of the prfB gene was completed, and two revisions of the published sequence were made. The five prfB mutations also resulted in suppression of the catA86-TGA mutation to between 19 and 54% of the expression of catA86+, compared to the readthrough level of 6% in the prfB+ strain. N-terminal sequencing of suppressed catA86-TGA-specified protein demonstrated that the amino acid inserted at UGA because of the prfB1 mutations was tryptophan.
PERSISTENCE OF STREPTOCOCCAL GROUP A ANTIBODY IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATIC VALVULAR DISEASE

Antibody levels to streptococcal Group A and A-variant carbohydrates were determined using a radioactive immune precipitation technique on patients with rheumatic fever, with and without valvular disease, on patients with post-streptococcal acute glomerulonephritis, and on age-matched controls. During the acute phase of the above illness, the means of the antibody levels to both carbohydrate antigens were equally elevated and were significantly higher than the normal controls. When Group A antibody levels were determined on sera obtained at intervals of 5–12 months and 1–5 yr after the acute illness) it was found that the antibody levels declined within the normal range at the 5–12 month interval in patients with glomerulonephritis as well as in patients with rheumatic fever in whom no valvular involvement had complicated the disease, i.e., patients with pure Sydenham's chorea. However, in patients with rheumatic valvulitis, who had been on penicillin prophylaxis after the last acute episode, the A antibody level showed little decline from the level obtained during the acute illness. The elevated antibody level in patients with rheumatic valvulitis, including patients with Sydenham's chorea with valvulitis, persisted for periods of at least 1 yr and up to 20 yr after the last acute attack. The pattern of the decline of the antibody levels to the A-variant carbohydrate as well as of the antibody titers to the other streptococcal antigens tested, ASO and anti-DNase B, was similar in all patients studied regardless of the presence of valvular disease. These findings suggest that prolonged persistence of the Group A antibody is a phenomenon peculiar to patients with rheumatic valvular disease. Whether this persistence is involved in the pathogenesis or is an outcome of the valvular disease remains to be determined.
A mobile user location update and paging mechanism under delay constraints

A mobile user location management mechanism is introduced that incorporates a distance based location update scheme and a paging mechanism that satisfies predefined delay requirements. An analytical model is developed which captures the mobility and call arrival pattern of a terminal. Given the respective costs for location update and terminal paging, the average total location update and terminal paging cost is determined. An iterative algorithm is then used to determine the optimal location update threshold distance that results in the minimum cost. Analytical results are also obtained to demonstrate the relative cost incurred by the proposed mechanism under various delay requirements.
Effect of erlotinib on epidermal growth factor receptor and downstream signaling in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.

Background The purpose of this study was to determine if there are differences in biomarker modulation and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) degradation between the tumor and the normal mucosa after treatment with an EGFR inhibitor, erlotinib, in head and neck cancer. Methods Patients with primary oral cavity squamous cell cancers received a course of erlotinib, 150 mg every day for 7 days before surgical resection. Tumor and normal mucosa biopsies were obtained both pre-erlotinib and post-erlotinib. Changes in known markers of EGFR activity (phospho, AKT, STAT3) were measured by immunoblotting, whereas changes in tissue distribution were analyzed by immunohistochemical analysis. Results Twelve patients were enrolled; 7 had evaluable paired tumors and normal mucosa biopsies pretreatment and posttreatment. Expression of EGFR was higher in tumors compared to the normal mucosa (p = .005). Erlotinib administration was associated with marked inhibition of phosphorylated epidermal growth factor receptor (pEGFR) and reduction in total EGFR protein (p = .004, p = .007) in tumors, whereas there was heterogeneity in EGFR inhibition in the normal mucosa (p = .10 [pEGFR], and p = .07 [EGFR]). Reduced levels of pSrc and pSTAT3 and enhanced p27 levels were noted in tumors after erlotinib. Cell culture studies confirmed that EGFR is degraded in tumor cells after prolonged treatment with erlotinib. Conclusion Our results show that EGFR inhibition by erlotinib led to a marked reduction in EGFR protein levels in patients. Differential effects of erlotinib on tumors compared to the normal mucosa suggest there may be individual patient heterogeneity. These preliminary data suggest EGFR degradation should be further analyzed as a potential biomarker in selecting patients likely to benefit from EGFR inhibitors. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2013
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “Ecstasy”) Induces Fenfluramine-Like Proliferative Actions on Human Cardiac Valvular Interstitial Cells in Vitro

Recent findings have implicated the 5-hydroxytryptamine 2B (5-HT2B) serotonin receptor in mediating the heart valve fibroplasia [valvular heart disease (VHD)] and primary pulmonary hypertension observed in patients taking the now-banned appetite suppressant fenfluramine (Pondimin, Redux). Via large-scale, random screening of a portion of the receptorome, we have discovered that the amphetamine derivative 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "Ecstasy") and its N-demethylated metabolite 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) each preferentially bind to and activate human recombinant 5-HT2B receptors. We also demonstrate that MDMA and MDA, like fenfluramine and its N-deethylated metabolite norfenfluramine, elicit prolonged mitogenic responses in human valvular interstitial cells via activation of 5-HT2B receptors. We also report that pergolide and dihydroergotamine, two drugs recently demonstrated to induce VHD in humans, potently activate 5-HT2B receptors, thus validating this assay system for its ability to predict medications that might induce VHD. Our discovery that MDMA and a major metabolite, MDA, induce prolonged mitogenic responses in vitro similar to those induced by fenfluramine and norfenfluramine in vivo (i.e., valvular interstitial cell fibroplasia) predict that long-term MDMA use could lead to the development of fenfluramine-like VHD. Because of the widespread abuse of MDMA, these findings have major public health implications. These findings also underscore the necessity of screening current and future drugs at h5-HT2B receptors for agonist actions before their use in humans.
Active screening in high-risk units is an effective and cost-avoidant method to reduce the rate of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection in the hospital.

Objective. To evaluate the impact of active screening for methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) on MRSA infection rates and cost avoidance in units where the risk of MRSA transmission is high. Methods. During a 15‐month period, all patients admitted to our adult medical and surgical intensive care units (ICUs) were screened for MRSA nasal carriage on admission and weekly thereafter. The overall rates of all MRSA infections and of nosocomial MRSA infection in the 2 adult ICUs and the general wards were compared with rates during the 15‐month period prior to the start of routine screening. The percentage of patients colonized or infected with MRSA on admission and the cost avoidance of the surveillance program were also assessed. Results. The overall rate of MRSA infections for all 3 areas combined decreased from 6.1 infections per 1,000 census‐days in the preintervention period to 4.1 infections per 1,000 census‐days in the postintervention period ( \documentclass{aastex} \usepackage{amsbsy} \...
Acyl-CoA synthetase 1 deficiency alters cardiolipin species and impairs mitochondrial function

Long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase 1 (ACSL1) contributes more than 90% of total cardiac ACSL activity, but its role in phospholipid synthesis has not been determined. Mice with an inducible knockout of ACSL1 (Acsl1T−/−) have impaired cardiac fatty acid oxidation and rely on glucose for ATP production. Because ACSL1 exhibited a strong substrate preference for linoleate, we investigated the composition of heart phospholipids. Acsl1T−/− hearts contained 83% less tetralinoleoyl-cardiolipin (CL), the major form present in control hearts. A stable knockdown of ACSL1 in H9c2 rat cardiomyocytes resulted in low incorporation of linoleate into CL and in diminished incorporation of palmitate and oleate into other phospholipids. Overexpression of ACSL1 in H9c2 and HEK-293 cells increased incorporation of linoleate into CL and other phospholipids. To determine whether increasing the content of linoleate in CL would improve mitochondrial respiratory function in Acsl1T−/− hearts, control and Acsl1T−/− mice were fed a high-linoleate diet; this diet normalized the amount of tetralinoleoyl-CL but did not improve respiratory function. Thus, ACSL1 is required for the normal composition of several phospholipid species in heart. Although ACSL1 determines the acyl-chain composition of heart CL, a high tetralinoleoyl-CL content may not be required for normal function.
Sequential Search with Multiattribute Options

We describe a search problem in which a decision maker (DM) must select among sequentially encountered options. Each option is described by multiple attributes, and the value of an option is given by a separable function of its attribute values. However, the attribute values are not known with certainty, and can only be ascertained in a predefined order, at some fixed cost. During the search the DM can choose to select an option, purchase information about an attribute value, reject (permanently) the current option and continue the search, or terminate the search and accept a status quo outcome. We introduce a threshold policy for this search process, and prove the optimality of this policy for separable value functions. We then furnish a dynamic programming procedure for prescribing an optimal policy for this problem. Finally, we derive analytic solutions to some special cases of the problem, and present a case study that demonstrates a possible use of the proposed approach.
Mood symptoms contribute to working memory decrement in active-duty soldiers being treated for posttraumatic stress disorder

A significant proportion of military veterans of operations in Afghanistan and Iraq have been diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Growing evidence suggests that neuropsychological deficits are a symptom of PTSD. The current study investigated neurocognitive functioning among soldiers diagnosed with PTSD. Specifically, active-duty soldiers with and without a diagnosis of PTSD were assessed for performance on tests of attention and working memory. In addition, factors such as combat experience, depression, anxiety, PTSD symptom severity, and alcohol consumption were explored as possible mediators of group differences in neurocognitive functioning. Twenty-three active-duty soldiers diagnosed with PTSD were matched with 23 healthy Soldier controls; all were administered the Attention Network Task (ANT), Backward Digit Span (BDS) task, Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, PTSD Checklist—Military Version, Combat Exposure Scale, and Modified Drinking Behavior Questionnaire. Soldiers diagnosed with PTSD performed significantly worse on the working memory task (BDS) than healthy controls, and reported greater levels of PTSD symptoms, combat exposure, depression, and anxiety. However, after controlling for depression and anxiety symptoms, the relationship between PTSD and working memory was no longer present. The results indicate that PTSD is accompanied by deficits in working memory, which appear to be partially attributed to anxiety and depression symptoms.
Minimizing communication of a recirculating bitonic sorting network

This paper presents the construction of a new recirculating bitonic sorting network which reduces the O(Nlog/sup 2/N) cost complexity of the original bitonic sorting network to O(NlogN) while preserving the well known time complexity of O(log/sup 2/N). Network communication is reduced by one half by leaving the N/2 even-parity keys in the local memory of each comparator.
Long-term effects of inescapable stress on daily running activity and antagonism by desipramine.

Abstract The behavioral consequences of exposure to stressors such as inescapable shock are usually transitory if testing is conducted in an environment different from that in which the stressor was administered. The behaviors tested have generally been motivated by discrete stimuli in the environment (e.g., activity in reaction to shock) or have been part of homeostatic regulatory mechanisms (e.g., eating). Here we investigated the effects of inescapable shock on a behavior that is not so tightly tied to motivating and reinforcing conditions, daily activity in a familiar home cage/running wheel environment. Rats lived in the wheel environment for 44–85 days before treatment. Inescapable shock produced only a transient reduction of water intake and body weight, but daily running was depressed for 14–42 days (the maximum period studied) depending on the conditions. This long-term effect on activity occurred despite the fact that shock was administered in an environment very different from the animal's home running wheel environment. The activity reduction was reversed by desipramine in a dose dependent fashion. Indeed, the activity of inescapably shocked animals treated with the optimum dose of desipramine exceeded that of control animals undergoing neither stress nor drug treatment. The maximum effect of desipramine required 7 days of treatment. Desipramine did not affect the activity of control subjects.
Operative treatment of intertrochanteric hip fractures: an overview of modern advances and techniques

Abstract Hip fractures have been one of the most studied injury pattern in adults. The number of hip fractures is increasing exponentially; furthermore, the cost of treatment places great economic strain on society. There have been recent developments in hip-fracture treatment, particularly involving the intertrochanteric region, with emphasis on deformity prevention to try to optimize patient functional outcomes. In this article, we outline some of these developments with an emphasis on changes in implant design.
Model-to-hardware correlation of disk resonators for via-array modeling in high-speed PCBs

In high-speed printed circuit board (PCB) designs, vias play a critical role in determining signal and power integrity. This paper uses disk resonators to investigate modeling approaches for common via array structures. Boundary integral equation (BIE) and effective dielectric medium approaches are used for a perforated disk resonator with non-plated holes, using dielectric properties derived from a solid disk resonator study. Both approaches are compared and validated with measurements.
Dose rate dependency of electronic personal dosemeters measuring X- and γ-ray radiation

Three models of electronic personal dosemeters (EPDs)-Siemens Mk 2.3, Rados RAD-60S and Vertec Bleeper Sv-were irradiated with seven photon beam qualities: 60Co, 137Cs and the ISO narrow spectrum series X-ray qualities N-250, N-200, N-150, N-60 and N-20. The personal dose equivalent rates delivered to the devices varied between 0.002 and 0.25 mSv s(-1). Measurements were made with the EPDs mounted free-in-air as well as against Lucite and water phantoms. Results for all models of EPDs showed differences in personal dose equivalent energy response for different energies covered by this range of radiation qualities, with different models showing variations from 15 to 65%. In some cases, the personal dose equivalent rate response of these devices varied by a factor of 3 between irradiations at typical calibration dose rates and those normally encountered by nuclear energy workers.
Modeling of photoresist erosion in plasma etching processes

A set of surface reaction mechanisms has been developed to predict photoresist (PR) erosion in a high density Ar-c-C/sub 4/F/sub 8/ plasma. The mechanisms include angle and energy dependent ion sputtering, ion activation, and atomic F etching of activated surface species. An integrated plasma equipment and feature profile model was used to simulate these mechanisms. The simulation results show faceted profile evolution for the PR due to preferential ion sputtering at the incident angle to the facet. The faceting also occurs on small defective surface pits, leading to expansion of the defect size. Comparison between simulated and experimental profiles shows good agreement.
Process-based derivation of requirements for medical devices

One goal of medical device certification is to show that a given medical device satisfies its requirements. The requirements that should be met by a device, however, depend on the medical processes in which the device is to be used. Such processes may be complex and, thus, critical requirements may be specified inaccurately or incompletely, or even missed altogether. We are investigating a requirement derivation approach that takes as input a model of the way the device is used in a particular medical process and a requirement that should be satisfied by that process. This approach tries to produce a derived requirement for the medical device that is sufficient to prevent any violations of the process requirement. Our approach combines a method for generating assumptions for assume-guarantee reasoning with one for interface synthesis to automate the derivation of the medical device requirements. The proposed approach performs the requirement derivation iteratively by employing a model checker and a learning algorithm. We implemented this approach and evaluated it by applying it to two small case studies. Our experiences showed that the proposed approach could be successfully applied to abstract models of portions of real-world medical processes and that the derived requirements of the medical devices appeared useful and understandable.
The Impact of Hispanic Ethnicity on Knowledge and Behavior Among Patients With Diabetes.

PurposeThe purpose of the study was to measure the current level of awareness of the American Heart Association’s 7 risk/protective factors of cardiovascular health among adults with diabetes of Hi...