cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MRI Characterizes the Progressive Course of AD and Predicts Conversion to Alzheimer's Dementia 24 Months Before Probable Diagnosis.

There is no disease-modifying treatment currently available for AD, one of the more impacting neurodegenerative diseases affecting more than 47.5 million people worldwide. The definition of new approaches for the design of proper clinical trials is highly demanded in order to achieve non-confounding results and assess more effective treatment. In this study, a cohort of 200 subjects was obtained from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Subjects were followed-up for 24 months, and classified as AD (50), progressive-MCI to AD (50), stable-MCI (50), and cognitively normal (50). Structural T1-weighted MRI brain studies and neuropsychological measures of these subjects were used to train and optimize an artificial-intelligence classifier to distinguish mild-AD patients who need treatment (AD + pMCI) from subjects who do not need treatment (sMCI + CN). The classifier was able to distinguish between the two groups 24 months before AD definite diagnosis using a combination of MRI brain studies and specific neuropsychological measures, with 85% accuracy, 83% sensitivity, and 87% specificity. The combined-approach model outperformed the classification using MRI data alone (72% classification accuracy, 69% sensitivity, and 75% specificity). The patterns of morphological abnormalities localized in the temporal pole and medial-temporal cortex might be considered as biomarkers of clinical progression and evolution. These regions can be already observed 24 months before AD definite diagnosis. The best neuropsychological predictors mainly included measures of functional abilities, memory and learning, working memory, language, visuoconstructional reasoning, and complex attention, with a particular focus on some of the sub-scores of the FAQ and AVLT tests.
EFFECTS OF METHYLPHENIDATE ON INTERPERSONAL PERCEPTIONS

ABSTRACT Methylphenidate (0.5 mg/kg) and placebo were administered intravenously to twenty psychiatric inpatients. Subjects engaged in one-hour dialogues with trained interviewers after infusion. The typical methylphenidate effects on mood and psychopathology were observed. Subjects also reported increases in their perception of regard from their interviewers. The prediction, concomitants, and implication of drug-induced changes in interpersonal perceptions are discussed.
Kinds, Individuals and Theories

Those of the systematic community who have considered the nature of taxa have tended to treat them in one of two ways, as natural kinds or as individuals. Many members of my research community (phylogenetics) will probably wonder why it matters. After all, so long as we arrive at the same empirical conclusions given the same data, can this controversy be so important? Perhaps not, at least within the small confines of our community. However, I have concluded that this seemingly minute controversy has importance in illuminating some larger philosophical issues that are not confined to the phylogenetics community.
Factors associated with ELISA scores for paratuberculosis in an Angus-Brahman multibreed herd of beef cattle

Cow and calf genetic and environmental factors were evaluated for their association with ELISA scores for paratuberculosis in a multibreed population of beef cattle. The ELISA scores are a measure of the presence or absence of antibodies against Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in bovine serum. The linear mixed-model analysis used 352 ELISA scores from 238 cows: 51 Angus (A); 34 Brahman (B); 41 (3/4 A 1/4 B); 45 (1/2 A 1/2 B); 34 (1/4 A 3/4 B); and 33 Brangus (5/8 A 3/8 B). Cows were assumed to be unrelated. Year affected (P < 0.001) ELISA scores, but age of cow did not, which was expected to be significant because of the chronic progressive nature of this disease. Important regressions on fixed effects associated with cows were 1) a positive estimate of cow B breed effect (0.59 +/- 0.24; P < 0.017), indicating an upward trend of ELISA scores toward 100% B cows; 2) a negative estimate for weight change from before calving (late November) to the date of the blood sample in May (-0.0062 +/- 0.0019 score/kg; P < 0.002), indicating that poorer maintenance of cow weights was associated with higher ELISA scores; and 3) a positive estimate for days in lactation of cow on the date of the blood sample (0.0086 +/- 0.0034 score/d; P < 0.021), indicating the production of larger amounts of antibodies against Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis as lactation progressed. Relevant regressions on fixed effects associated with calves were 1) calf birth weight (-0.022 +/- 0.010 score/kg; P < 0.035), and 2) calf gain from birth to the date of the cow blood sample (-0.0092 +/- 0.0027 score/kg; P < 0.001). These estimates indicate that cows that produced lighter calves at birth and/or calves with slower preweaning growth tended to have greater ELISA scores. Although the sensitivity (percentage of infected animals detected) of ELISA was only 50%, these results suggest that subclinical paratuberculosis may be negatively affecting cows and their offspring. Factors identified as associated with ELISA scores could help producers with culling decisions related to paratuberculosis control and eradication in beef cattle.
Response of a Thick Orthotropic Composite Material to Dynamic Surface Line Loads and the Application to Elastic Constant Determination

Thick composites are used in many primary structures. The determination of the elastic moduli of thick composites is important not only in characterizing ultrasonic waves for NDE, but also in prediction of load-carrying capacity of the structures. For a sufficiently thick composite, the attenuation of waves often makes echoes too weak for practical measurements. Therefore, surface measurement becomes an important method for determining the elastic moduli of a thick composite.
Geriatric Transgender Care

There is a growing need to put older transgender and gender non-conforming individuals (TGNC) to the forefront of healthcare services, policies, and research. The TGNC population continues to be underserved. The knowledge on this topic will grow over time as better data collection tools emerge. The aging process for cisgender and transgender individuals occurs in parallel. While nuances in the approach to health care exist, the first step is to acknowledge the presence of TGNC individuals as patients in various transitions. It is essential to offer a culturally competent, inclusive, and affirmative health care to everyone. Furthermore, it is also important to facilitate care across clinical settings. As chronic illnesses turn into life-limiting diseases, it is essential to guide and support the patients through the process of advance care planning including end-of-life care. Palliative and hospice care are specialized programs that could be offered toward patients experiencing serious illness across its trajectory.
Region-specific interneuron demyelination and heightened anxiety-like behavior induced by adolescent binge alcohol treatment

Adolescent binge drinking represents a major public health challenge and can lead to persistent neurological and mental conditions, but the underlying pathogenic mechanisms remain poorly understood. Using a mouse model of adolescent binge ethanol treatment (ABET), we found that this treatment induced behavioral changes associated with demyelination in different brain regions. After ABET, adolescent mice exhibited anxiogenic behaviors with no change in locomotion on the elevated plus maze, and impaired spatial memory indicated by a significant reduction in spontaneous alternation in the Y maze test. Both effects persisted into adulthood. Anatomical studies further showed that ABET induced a significant reduction of parvalbumin-positive (PV+) GABAergic interneurons and myelin density in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). While these deficits in PV+ interneurons and myelin persisted into early adulthood in the hippocampus, the myelin density recovered in the mPFC. Moreover, whereas ABET mainly damaged myelin of PV+ axons in the hippocampus, it primarily damaged myelin of PV-negative axons in the mPFC. Thus, our findings reveal that an adolescent binge alcohol treatment regimen disrupts spatial working memory, increases anxiety-like behaviors, and exerts unique temporal and spatial patterns of gray matter demyelination in the hippocampus and mPFC.
Important Differences in Cancer Care

African Americans have the highest mortality for the top five causes of cancer death. The reasons for these and other cancer disparities are not easily explained, but a better understanding of current hypotheses and best practices may improve your patient’s outcomes. A study of almost 20,000 cancer patients found that “when controlled for uniform stage, treatment, and follow up, African American sex-specific cancers (breast, ovarian, and prostate) still did worse.” The colon cancer incidence and death rate is so high in the African American community that the American College of Gastroenterology recommends screening begin at age 45. Studies also showed an increased occurrence in African Americans for right-sided colon cancer tumors prompting recommendations against sigmoidoscopy in these patients because a majority of tumors would be missed. Prostate cancer in African American men is the most prevalent occurring cancer, and the second most common cause of overall cancer deaths. European American male smokers consume 30%–40% more cigarettes than their African American counterparts, but African American male smokers are 34% more likely to develop lung cancer. These and other curious cancer differences are more closely examined.
Annual incidences and predictors of 30-day readmissions following spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage from 2010 to 2014 in the United States: A retrospective Nationwide analysis.

Abstract Objective 30-day readmission rate is a quality metric often employed to represent hospital and provider performance. Currently, little is known regarding 30-day readmissions (30dRA) following spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH). The purpose of this study was to use a national database to identify risk factors and trends in 30dRAs following sICH. Patients and methods 64,909 cases with a primary diagnosis of sICH were identified within the Nationwide Readmission Database (NRD) from 2010 through 2014. Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was used to adjust for the severity of each patient's comorbidities. A binary logistic regression model was constructed to identify predictors of 30-day readmission. Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test was used to generate a pooled odd ratio (OR) describing the likelihood of experiencing a 30dRA according to year. Results The 30dRA rate following sICH decreased from 13.9% in 2010 to 12.5% in 2014 (pooled OR = 0.90, 95% CI 0.87–0.94). Cerebrovascular and cardiovascular etiologies accounted for the greatest number of admissions (36.1%). Sodium abnormality, healthcare-associated infection, gastrostomy, venous thromboembolism, and ischemic stroke during the index admission were associated with 30-day readmission. Furthermore, patients who underwent ventriculostomy (OR = 1.20, 95% CI 1.03–1.38) and craniotomy (OR = 1.20, 95% CI 1.09–1.31) were more likely to be readmitted within 30 days. Hospital volume, hospital teaching status, mechanical ventilation, and tracheostomy did not affect 30dRAs. Median readmission costs increased from $9,875 in 2012 to $11,028 in 2014 (p = 0.040). Conclusion The overall U.S. 30dRA rate after sICH from 2010 to 2014 was 12.9% and decreased slightly during this time period, but associated costs increased. Prospective studies are required to confirm the risk factors described in this study and to identify methods for preventing readmissions.
Adoptive Parenting Cognitions: Acknowledgement of Differences as a Predictor of Adolescents’ Attachment to Parents

Objective. Adoptive parents’ acknowledgment of differences is defined as the propensity to think that adoptive and nonadoptive families are different in important ways. Few studies have examined th...
Desperate Measures: The Effects of Economic Isolation on Warring Powers

Does a state’s access to the international economy affect its strategy to prevail in war? This question bears on some of the most important international challenges facing the United States. North Korea maintains a national ideology of self-sufficiency and does its best to isolate itself from the world. China fears the U.S. Navy could block the Strait of Malacca and disrupt its supply of oil. Some U.S. strategists see such a plan as an alternative to an “AirSea Battle.” Japan fears China could use its reclaimed islands in the South China Sea similarly. The United States has justified tariffs on steel and aluminum on national security grounds. Surprisingly, the traditional scholarly answer is no: industrial economies are sufficiently robust and economic isolation is sufficiently difficult that states facing economic isolation can easily adapt except in extraordinary circumstances. This paper challenges that claim. While economic isolation alone may not lead directly to defeat, it places or removes important constraints on a power’s strategic decision making. Economically isolated powers pursue riskier strategies, often launching attacks that expand the conflict. These broader conflicts often end in defeat. When powers have access to outside economic support, they have more strategic options, easing the challenges their armies face. This effect holds regardless of a state’s pre-war level of economic integration. This article reviews the principal arguments about pre-war economic integration and security and economic isolation in war. It then develops of theory of how economic isolation induces risky decision making. It briefly discusses case selection before exploring three critical cases in which great powers underwent different combinations of pre-war economic integration and war-time economic access: Germany in the First World War; Germany in the Second World War; and Russia in the Second World War. It concludes with a discussion of the implications of its analysis.
Alpha-Decay Studies of the N = 127 Isotones Fr 214 , Ra 215 , and Ac 216

The study of nuclei which are one neutron removed from the $N=126$ closed shell has shown that the odd-proton $N=127$ isotones $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ decay from both the ground state and a metastable state whose excitation energy decreases between $^{210}\mathrm{Bi}$ and $^{216}\mathrm{Ac}$. The $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-decay daughters of these nuclei show some correspondence in their energy-level spacings which is due to the coupling of specific single-particle configurations near the $N=126$ closed shell. New information has been obtained for the $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ decay of the 1 - isomer of $^{214}\mathrm{Fr}$ to levels in $^{210}\mathrm{At}$, and for the $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ decay of $^{216}\mathrm{Ac}$ to levels in $^{212}\mathrm{Fr}$. The decay scheme of $^{216}\mathrm{Ac}$ is markedly different from that reported by others. An experimental and theoretical study of the $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ decay of $^{215}\mathrm{Ra}$ has also been made.
Low cardiac vagal control is associated with genetic liability for elevated triglycerides and risky health behaviors

Low parasympathetic regulation of cardiac activity, known as cardiac vagal control (CVC), is robustly associated with poor health outcomes. However, the etiological mechanism that undergirds this association remains largely unknown. One explanation is a causal relationship wherein health problems cause low CVC, or vice versa. However, an alternative explanation is that a common set of genetic factors contributes to both increased liability for poor health and low CVC (i.e., pleiotropy). The present study uses polygenic risk scores for a number of health-related phenotypes (physical, mental, behavioral) to test whether genetic liability for poor health has pleiotropic effects on CVC. We report evidence for shared genetic liability between low CVC and both poor physical health (elevated triglycerides) and risky health-related behaviors (increased drinking and sexual activity). The present findings are consistent with shared genetic liability explaining, at least in part, the well-documented correlation between CVC and health.
Mothers’ Gender Beliefs Matter for Adolescents’ Academic Achievement and Engagement: An Examination of Ethnically Diverse U.S. Mothers and Adolescents

We examined mothers’ beliefs about gender-typed values and activities and their associations with the academic skills (i.e., math and reading/language arts) and engagement (i.e., emotional engagement in school) of their adolescent children (13–15 years-old) in a U.S. sample of Black, Chinese American, Latinx, and White families (n = 158). Mothers were more likely to endorse gender-typed activities (e.g., “Boys shouldn’t play with dolls”) than gender-typed values (e.g., “Men should make the important decisions in the family”). We found that Chinese American and Latina mothers endorsed more traditional gender-typed beliefs than Black mothers, who endorsed more traditional beliefs than White mothers. Adjusting for race/ethnicity and prior academic outcomes, mothers’ endorsement of gender-typed values was associated with lower emotional engagement in school for male adolescents. In addition, adjusting for race/ethnicity and prior academic outcomes, mothers’ endorsement of gender-typed activities was associated with lower math grades for female adolescents, lower emotional engagement in school for young men, and higher emotional engagement in school for young women. Mothers’ endorsement of gender-typed values and activities was not associated with reading/language arts grades for either male or female adolescents. Our findings have important implications for understanding the processes through which mothers’ gender attitudes may be conveyed and enacted in adolescents’ behavior within the school setting.
Muslim Student Radicalism and Self-Deradicalization in Indonesia

In recent years, the phenomenon of religious radicalism has become alarming, including the increasing number of youth involved in violence and terrorism. The university has now become a significant...
Infrapopliteal Artery Occlusive Disease: An Overview of Vessel Preparation and Treatment Options

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is defined as chronic rest pain and/or the presence of tissue loss (ulcers or gangrene) in the lower extremities secondary to ischemia. CLI is a limb and potentially life-threatening disease associated with a poor prognosis with only 50% of patients being able to preserve both limbs within 12 months of diagnosis. CLI related to diabetes is often more extensive with multi-level long segmental arterial disease resulting in a 5-30-fold increased rate of amputation. As the incidence and prevalence of diabetes mellitus increases within our aging society, the rate of infrapopliteal artery occlusive disease (IPOD) and the need for intervention rises with it. The aim of this manuscript is to provide the reader with an overview of the various devices available for vessel preparation (VP) and treatment of IPOD in order to optimize patency rates, symptom resolution, healing of wounds, and minimize complications.
Church leaders and parishioners speak out about the role of the church in advance care planning and end-of-life care.

Objective Despite the increased focus on improving advance care planning (ACP) in African Americans through community partnerships, little published research focused on the role of the African American church in this effort. This study examines parishioner perceptions and beliefs about the role of the church in ACP and end-of-life care (EOLC). Method Qualitative interviews were completed with 25 church members (parishioners n = 15, church leader n = 10). The coding of data entailed a direct content analysis approach incorporating team experts for final themes. Results Seven themes emerged: (1) church role on end-of-life, (2) advocacy for health and well-being, (3) health literacy in EOLC, (4) lay health training on ACP and EOLC, (5) church recognized as a trusted source, (6) use of church ministries to sustain programs related to ACP and EOLC, and (7) community resources for EOLC needs. Significance of results The church has a central role in the African American Community. These findings suggest that involving African American churches in ACP and EOLC training can have a positive effect on facilitating planning and care during illness, dying, and death for their congregants.
Treatment with gleevec in NSCLC xenografts decreases proliferative capillary index and improves drug delivery

1340 Most solid tumors are characterized by abnormal angiogenesis that results in morphologically and functionally defective vasculature. Pdgf-rβ (with its ligand pdgf) and VEGF have crucial roles in angiogenesis and are commonly over-expressed in a number of solid tumors. Abnormal tumor angiogenesis is believed to be partially responsible for inadequate tumor perfusion, oxygenation and drug delivery. Vasculature normalization theory implies that angiogenesis inhibition affects more immature than mature vasculature, and therefore, improves tumor physiologic parameters. Current data from our laboratory shows that in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) xenografts, gleevec inhibits Pdgf-rβ expression, down-regulates VEGF, and decreases microvessel density (MVD). Further, our data show that gleevec improves tumor oxygenation and decreases interstitial fluid pressure. The objective of this study was: 1) to evaluate the change in immature microvessel density or proliferate capillary index (PCI) after treatment with gleevec in relation to overall microvessel density (MVD) and 2) to evaluate the relationship of gleevec treatment and tumor drug delivery in NSCLC xenografts. A549, a cell line derived from human lung carcinoma, was used to grow xenografts in nude mice. Tumor bearing animals were randomized to: control (saline), gleevec alone (100 mg/kg via gavague for 7 days), doxil (6.5 mg i.v. once on day 7), and gleevec plus doxil treatment group. 24 hours after doxil injection animals were sacrificed and tumors were harvested for IHC and HPLC analysis. CD105 and CD31 endothelial cell markers were used to determine PCI and overall MVD, respectively. NSCLC xenograft treatment with gleevec resulted in significant PCI decrease (p=0.01) as compared to control group. The ratio of MVD to PCI for control and gleevec treated group was 1.05 and 1.18, respectively, suggesting that gleevec specifically reduces more immature blood vessels when compared to all existing blood vessels. Furthermore, the average tumor drug concentration for gleevec treated versus control animal groups was 538±188 ng/ml and 395±71 ng/ml (mean±SD), respectively. The change in tumor drug concentration after gleevec treatment showed a strong trend towards statistical significance (p=0.057). This study shows that treatment with gleevec in NSCLC xenografts might significantly decrease immature microvessel density and increase the ratio of MVD/CPI. In this study we also demonstrated that gleevec might have the ability to improve tumor drug delivery. These results could be of important clinical relevance since if truly responsible for improved drug delivery, gleevec, as a relatively non-toxic and easy-to-take drug, could become an important adjunct to standard chemotherapy. However, future larger preclinical studies are needed to further investigate the role of gleevec in tumor drug delivery.
Effect of Pacifier Design on Nonnutritive Suck Maturation and Weight Gain in Preterm Infants: A Pilot Study.

ABSTRACT Background Pacifiers are effective in promoting oral feeding by increasing the maturation of nonnutritive sucking to nutritive suck in preterm neonates. It is unclear whether pacifier design can influence suck dynamics and weight loss during the first week of life. Objectives This pilot study examined the feasibility of studying the effect of pacifier design on suck maturation and weight loss in preterm neonates. Methods Twenty-five preterm neonates (mean [SD] birth weight 1791 [344.9] grams, mean [SD] gestational age 33.1 [1.2] weeks) were studied in a single newborn intensive care unit. Neonates were assigned to either an orthodontic pacifier (n = 13) or a bulb-shaped pacifier (n = 12) immediately after birth. Suck dynamics (cycles per minute, total compressions per minute, cycle bursts, and amplitude) were assessed with an NTrainer (Innara Health, Olathe, Kansas). Weight was recorded during the first week of life on day 1.2 (±2.5 days) and day 6.0 (±2.1 days). Descriptive statistics were applied to analyze data. Results No significant differences were seen between groups with respect to birth weight and gestational age. Reproducible nonnutritive sucking measurements could be obtained with the NTrainer, with both types of pacifiers. No differences were detected in nonnutritive sucking dynamics or weight loss over time within each group or between groups. Conclusions Data indicate that it is feasible to measure nonnutritive sucking dynamics and associated weight loss in relation to pacifier design in preterm neonates. Larger trials over longer time periods are needed to determine whether pacifier design influences suck dynamics and maturation, oromotor function, feeding/weight loss, and dental formation in preterm neonates. (Curr Ther Res Clin Exp. 2020; 81:XXX–XXX)
Ecosystems, Ecological Restoration, and Economics: Does Habitat or Resource Equivalency Analysis Mean Other Economic Valuation Methods Are Not Needed?

Coastal and other area resources such as tidal wetlands, seagrasses, coral reefs, wetlands, and other ecosystems are often harmed by environmental damage that might be inflicted by human actions, or could occur from natural hazards such as hurricanes. Society may wish to restore resources to offset the harm, or receive compensation if this is not possible, but faces difficult choices among potential compensation projects. The optimal amount of restoration efforts can be determined by non-market valuation methods, service-to-service, or resource-to-resource approaches such as habitat equivalency analysis (HEA). HEA scales injured resources and lost services on a one-to-one trade-off basis. Here, we present the main differences between the HEA approach and other non-market valuation approaches. Particular focus is on the role of the social discount rate, which appears in the HEA equation and underlies calculations of the present value of future damages. We argue that while HEA involves elements of economic analysis, the assumption of a one-to-one trade-off between lost and restored services sometimes does not hold, and then other non-market economic valuation approaches may help in restoration scaling or in damage determination.
The value of on-site proton audits.

Abstract Purpose To highlight the value and key findings of on-site proton audits. Methods & Materials The authors have performed 38 on-site measurement-based peer reviews of proton centers participating in NCI-funded clinical trials. The reviews covered beam calibration, lateral and depth measurements, mechanical checks, treatment planning and clinical practice, and quality assurance (QA) practices. Program deficiencies were noted and recommendations were made about ways institutions could improve their practices. Results Institutions received an average of 3 [1, 8] recommendations for practice improvements. The number of deficiencies did not decrease over time, highlighting the continued need for this type of peer review. The most common deficiencies were for Task Group recommended QA compliance (97% of centers), CT Number to RLSP conversion (59%), and QA procedures (53%). 32% of institutions assessed failed at least one lateral beam profile measurement ( Conclusions This peer review program has been integral in confirming and promoting consistency and best practice across proton centers for clinical trials, minimizing deviations for outcomes data.
A current-mode synchronous chaotic circuit for signal encryption

Recently, much attention has been given to the generation and synchronization of chaos for signal encryption. Some implementations have been reported using OTA and conventional operational amplifiers. Here we present a current-mode implementation using simple current integrators, current mirrors, and a current hysteresis element. The current-mode technique allows for fewer components, and thus, a more efficient monolithic implementation.
The cardiac Na+-Ca2+ exchanger binds to the cytoskeletal protein ankyrin.

Na+-Ca2+ exchange is the major pathway of Ca2+ efflux during excitation-contraction coupling in cardiac muscle. The Na+-Ca2+ exchanger is present in cardiac transverse tubules with an apparent high density (Frank, J.S., Mottino, G., Reid, D., Molday, R. S., and Philipson, K.D. (1992) J. Cell Biol. 117, 337-345). The mechanism for this localization is unknown but may involve interactions with the cytoskeleton. In the present study, we examined the interaction of the Na+-Ca2+ exchanger with the cytoskeletal protein ankyrin. On immunoblots of isolated canine cardiac sarcolemma, an antibody raised against purified rabbit red blood cell-ankyrin (RBC-ankyrin) recognized a 220-kDa protein, which is the same size as RBC-ankyrin. Alkaline extraction of sarcolemma removed this protein. The Na+-Ca2+ exchange protein, purified from recombinant baculovirus-infected insect cells, bound 125I-labeled-RBC-ankyrin with a KD of 42 +/- 3 nm. 125I-RBC-ankyrin was co-precipitated by antibodies to the Na+-Ca2+ exchanger after preincubation with solubilized cardiac sarcolemma. Myocardial ankyrin could be localized to both surface and T-tubular sarcolemma by immunofluorescence techniques. These results demonstrate that the cardiac Na+-Ca2+ exchanger binds ankyrin with high affinity. This interaction may be important for localizing the Na+-Ca2+ exchanger to specific domains of the sarcolemma.
Cheung, Fanny Mui-Ching

Growing up in a traditional Chinese family in Hong Kong, Fanny Mui-Ching Cheung obtained her undergraduate degree at the University of California Berkeley and her Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Minnesota. Soon after completing her doctoral studies, Cheung returned to Hong Kong in the 1970s and became actively involved in promoting psychological education and Chinese mental health. Additionally, she has advocated for the rights of women and the disabled in Hong Kong. Keywords: cross-cultural psychology; personality ; psychology of women; mental health
Preventing Neural Tube Defects

I had been an inpatient labor and delivery nurse for two years when my husband and I learned we were expecting our first baby. Actually, everyone in the unit where I worked knew before my husband did. My OB-GYN was even sitting beside me when I got the news from the hospital lab. He reached into his pocket and gave me a prescription for prenatal vitamins, asked me about my labor management plan, and told me to make an office appointment in the next two to three weeks. Prenatal care had begun and I was only five and a half weeks pregnant.
Patterns Topology for Performance Evaluation

This paper specifically deals with patterns topology or pattern language for performance evaluation, a cognitive process involved in producing and understanding different concepts of patterns in this discipline. It also explains how this language can be used to obtain the relationship between certain stable patterns, exhibiting a rich set of behaviors capable of handling features that are reusable, adaptable, and maintainable with minimal modification. The main goal of this paper is to overcome the issues with "forgettable" systems. The proposed solution is not intended to replace existing systems; rather, the effort is to define and provide a new methodology for designing such systems, with a rich set of patterns for performance evaluation that can be used efficiently.
Pelvic prolapse and urinary incontinence in nulliparous college women in relation to paratrooper training.

The objective of this study was to determine whether paratrooper training is associated with pelvic support defects or urinary incontinence. Nulliparous women at The United States Military Academy were examined using the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification System and completed a questionnaire regarding incontinence and exercise prior to undergoing summer military training. The exam and questionnaire were repeated following training. One hundred sixteen women completed the study (80.6%), 37 of whom had attended paratrooper training. Women who attended paratrooper training were significantly more likely to have stage II prolapse (RR = 2.72, 1.37 < RR < 5.40; p = 0.003). Additionally, women who attended paratrooper training were significantly more likely to have worsening in their pelvic support regardless of initial prolapse stage (RR = 1.57, 1.12 < RR < 2.20; p = 0.01). Twenty-four women complained of urinary incontinence; however, this was not associated with paratrooper training. The forces transmitted to the female pelvis during paratrooper training are significant and cause pelvic support defects.
Stimulation of liver growth and DNA synthesis by glucosylceramide.

The nature of the growth-stimulating effect of glucosylceramide was studied. Mice were injected intraperitoneally with emulsified glucosylceramide and conduritol B epoxide, an inhibitor of cerebroside glucosidase. Within one or two days, the liver grew 18–24%, as reported. Two enzymes involved in DNA synthesis also increased more than the weight. The total liver activity of thymidine kinase increased 46–73%, and the total activity of ornithine decarboxylase increased as much as 101%. It is suggested that elevated liver levels of glucocerebroside stimulate cell proliferation through a relatively direct mechanism.
Contagion and Confinement: Controlling Tuberculosis along the Skid Road

Historians of tuberculosis have generally focused on the sanatorium era of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, losing interest in the disease with the discovery of curative antibiotics in the 1940s. But the author of this work argues that the availability of drugs actually highlighted the complex social problems that predisposed people to tuberculosis and interfered with its treatment. Lerner offers an in-depth look at the history of tuberculosis control in the USA after 1945 and at the issue of forcible detention of non-compliant tuberculosis patients. Since 1903, Lerner notes, health departments have locked up tuberculosis patients whose uncooperative behaviour presented a public health threat. Using Seattle's Firland Sanatorium as a case study, he focuses on the surprisingly recent use of detention between 1950 and 1970. Although Firland's policy during this period was to use confinement only as a last resort, Lerner explains, the facility detained nearly 2000 patients, most of them alcoholics from Seattle's famous "Skid Row". Given the resurgence of tuberculosis and the renewed use of detention in the 1990s, the text raises issues which are still controversial. Although modern day public health officials are duly concerned with civil liberties, they still have great authority to detain tuberculosis patients who do not take their antibiotics. Recent studies show that such persons are most likely to be homeless, HIV-positive, or drug users. Society is still struggling, Lerner concludes, to balance protection of the public's health with the rights of patients.
Retrolental Fibroplasia in a Full-Term Infant

A 3,800-g infant, born after 40 weeks' gestation, developed retrolental fibroplasia, documented by indirect ophthalmoscopy. Elevated arterial oxygen tensions may have occurred during brief treatment for two episodes of cyanosis.
The roles of brand equity and branding strategy: A study of restaurant food crises

Abstract Food crises, such as food borne illnesses, are a major threat to the restaurant industry. However, consumer responses to a food crisis are expected to differ depending on the brand equity and branding strategy of the restaurant involved. In order to test the roles of brand equity and branding strategy in a food crisis situation, this study used a scenario-based experimental survey with a 2 (brand equity: Low/High) × 2 (branding strategy: Corporate branding/House-of-brands) × 2 (presence of crisis: No/Yes) design. The results of the study supported the “amplifying” perspective by providing evidence of the negative role of brand equity during a crisis. Moreover, the three-way interaction between brand equity, branding strategy, and presence of crisis revealed the effectiveness of the corporate branding strategy, which varies depending on the level of brand equity, under crises. The findings of this study will enable marketers to develop appropriate post-crisis strategies based on predicted consumer responses depending on the level of brand equity and branding strategy. Further discussion and implications are provided in the text.
Family Influences on Alcohol and Drug Use by American Indian Youth: Implications for Prevention

ABSTRACT Extensive research has focused on risk factors for and social influences on alcohol and drug use by adolescents. While peers tend to be most the influential, parents and families are also important, with specific parental behaviors and particular family dynamics identified in the literature as having a protective or risk effect on youth. However, this line of research has not examined the differences in family influence on youth of various ethnic and cultural backgrounds. This qualitative research study of American Indian adolescents identified both positive and negative influences on youth substance use by various family members within kinship groups. The widespread influence of specific kinship members on high-risk behaviors of American Indian youth has not been previously identified. These findings have significant implications for alcohol and drug prevention and intervention activities with American Indian youth.
Markov processes with infinitely divisible limit distributions: some examples

Abstract A set of examples is described which suggests that members of a certain class of Markov processes have infinitely divisible limit distributions. Counter examples rule out such a possibility and raise the question of what further restrictions are required to guarantee infinitely divisible limits. Some related examples illustrate the same occurrence of infinitely divisible limit distributions. For both settings, an easily checked necessary and sufficient condition is obtained for the existence of a limit distribution.
Organizational memory and knowledge management

Organizational Memory (OM) can be defined as the way an organization applies past knowledge to present activities. Knowledge Management (KM) addresses the process of acquiring, creating, distributing and using knowledge in organizations. While both concepts date back several decades and span many disciplines, a current resurgence of interest is occurring as researchers and practitioners are exploring how OM can be realized using information technology. KM is a growing facet of the IT industry, and represents an important aspect of OM and has many overlapping interests. For the past five years, this minitrack, previously known as the Organizational Memory mini-track, has evolved into a key international forum for OM researchers and practitioners. By extending the minitrack's scope, we have effectively extended this research community and hope the resulting discussions and interactions will further research and development in both areas.
Dnmt2 is not required for de novo and maintenance methylation of viral DNA in embryonic stem cells

We have shown previously that de novo methylation activities persist in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells homozygous for a null mutation of Dnmt1 that encodes the major DNA cytosine methyltransferase. In this study, we have cloned a putative mammalian DNA methyltransferase gene, termed Dnmt2 , that is homologous to pmt1 of fission yeast. Different from pmt1 in which the catalytic Pro-Pro-Cys (PPC) motif is 'mutated' to Pro-Ser-Cys, Dnmt2 contains all the conserved methyltransferase motifs, thus likely encoding a functional cytosine methyltransferase. However, baculovirus-expressed Dnmt2 protein failed to methylate DNA in vitro . To investigate whether Dnmt2 functions as a DNA methyltransferase in vivo , we inactivated the Dnmt2 gene by targeted deletion of the putative catalytic PPC motif in ES cells. We showed that endogenous virus was fully methylated in Dnmt2 -deficient mutant ES cells. Furthermore, newly integrated retrovirus DNA was methylated de novo in infected mutant ES cells as efficiently as in wild-type cells. These results indicate that Dnmt2 is not essential for global de novo or maintenance methylation of DNA in ES cells.
Hierarchy of lepton masses in a vectorlike theory with Majorana particles

We demonstrate that a slightly modified version of the vectorlike weak-interaction theory of Fritzsch, Gell-Mann, and Minkowski can provide a framework for understanding the lepton mass spectrum. We conjecture that electrons and neutrinos are massless in the absence of weak interactions, and acquire masses through radiative corrections. But, because there are heavy Majorana leptons in such a theory, electron mass is of the second order and neutrino masses are of the fourth order. One of the more immediate predictions of our theory is that among the dominant three-body decay products of the 1.8-GeV lepton U of Perl et al. there should be a Majorana lepton of intermediate mass (approx. 100 MeV) which decays into ..nu..-bar/sub e/..gamma.. and ..nu../sub e/..gamma.. with a lifetime approx. 10/sup -5/ sec. Heavy Majorana particles and the attendant lepton-number violations are in fact desired for a number of reasons in an SU/sub 2/xU/sub 1/ vectorlike theory where all fundamental fermions transform as doublets. We discuss lepton-number-violation processes such as ..cap alpha.. ..-->.. ..beta mu../sup + -/..mu../sup + -/. We calculate the fourth-order induced neutrino masses. The possibility of their being finite and calculable quantities in a theory with an enlarged gauge group is also examined. Wemore » remark that our estimates indicate that the observation of ''neutrino beam oscillation'' will be hopelessly difficult in a laboratory setting. (AIP)« less
En bloc resection for primary and metastatic tumors of the spine: a systematic review of the literature.

Background The efficacy of en bloc resection for spinal tumors is unknown because most of the current evidence is provided by small, single-institution clinical series or case reports. Objective To combine all previously published reports of en bloc resection for primary and metastatic spinal tumors, to describe the overall pattern of disease-free survival, and to investigate potentially prognostic factors for recurrence. Methods A complete MEDLINE search for all articles reporting survival data for en bloc resection of spinal tumors was undertaken; 44 articles met inclusion criteria from which 306 eligible patients were identified. Results There were 229 cases of primary tumors with a mean follow-up of 65.0 months and 77 cases of solitary metastatic tumors with a mean follow-up of 26.5 months. Median time to recurrence was 113 months for the primary group and 24 months for the metastatic group. Disease-free survival rates at 1, 5, and 10 years were 92.6%, 63.2%, and 43.9%, respectively, for the primary group and 61.8%, 37.5%, and 0%, respectively, for the metastatic group; 5-year disease-free survival rates were 58.4% for chordoma and 62.9% for chondrosarcoma. After adjusting for covariates, age, male sex, metastatic tumors, and osteosarcomas were significantly associated with a tumor recurrence. Conclusion This study provides the largest published series of patients undergoing en bloc resection for spinal tumors. Median time to recurrence reached almost 10 years in patients with primary tumors; however, it was only 2 years in those with isolated metastatic tumors.
Multivariable spatial prediction

For spatial prediction, it has been usual to predict one variable at a time, with the predictor using data from the same type of variable (kriging) or using additional data from auxiliary variables (cokriging). Optimal predictors can be expressed in terms of covariance functions or variograms. In earth science applications, it is often desirable to predict the joint spatial abundance of variables. A review of cokriging shows that a new cross-variogram allows optimal prediction without any symmetry condition on the covariance function. A bivariate model shows that cokriging with previously used cross-variograms can result in inferior prediction. The simultaneous spatial prediction of several variables, based on the new cross-variogram, is then developed. Multivariable spatial prediction yields the mean-squared prediction error matrix, and so allows the construction of multivariate prediction regions. Relationships between cross-variograms, between single-variable and multivariable spatial prediction, and between generalized least squares estimation and spatial prediction are also given.
Magnetorheological elastomers : Properties and applications

Magnetorhelogical (MR) elastomers are viscoelastic solids whose mechanical properties are controllable by applied magnetic fields. We have developed a family of MR elastomers, comprising micrometer-sized carbonyl iron particles embedded in natural rubber, that can be processed using conventional rubber-mixing techniques. By crosslinking the elastomer in the presence of an applied magnetic field, field-induced interparticle interactions promote the formation of particle chains and columns aligned along the field direction. The resulting composites possess field- dependent of the mechanical properties of MR elastometers enables the construction of controllable elastomeric components, such as suspension bushings, that may prove advantageous in some automotive applications.
Effects of Small-Scale, High Intensity Inlet Turbulence on Flow in a Two-Dimensional Diffuser

The flow through a 2D experimental diffuser with channel width 2.60 cm and divergence angle (2 theta) 9 or 20 deg is investigated experimentally for inlet Reynolds number 78,300 and velocity 43.9 m/s, with and without vertical rods to generate inlet turbulence in excess of the limits defined by Hoffmann (1981) and Hoffmann and Gonzales (1983). Measurements are obtained using a thermal wall-flow-direction probe and a single hot-wire velocity probe, and the results are presented graphically. Significant increases in the pressure-recovery coefficient of the diffuser (10 percent at 9 deg and 22 percent at 20 deg) are attributed to the action of turbulence to reduce distortion and delay separation, thus creating an altered flow condition with symmetrical velocity profiles.
Review: Medication Delivery in the Short-Bowel Syndrome

Technologic advances such as total parenteral nutrition have prolonged the lives of individuals with short-bowel syndrome who previously would not have survived. However, the day-to-day management of these patients presents a significant challenge to those who take care of them. Providing medications on either an acute or chronic basis without the use of their central catheters is a difficult clinical problem. This article reviews the approach and methods of treating short-bowel patients on the basis of their individual circumstances and physiology.