cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficacy and Safety of Dual Biologic Therapy in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Review of the Literature

Using 2 or more treatment modalities to achieve a synergistic effect in patients with refractory inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been an area of focus for many years. This methodology, known as combination therapy, has been proposed for various therapeutic agents, most commonly biologics and immunomodulators. Although the mainstay of biologic therapy for IBD has traditionally focused on agents targeting tumor necrosis factor, the development of newer biologics with different targets, such as vedolizumab and ustekinumab, has introduced the possibility of concomitant dual biologic therapy. Dual biologic therapy has been proposed in the treatment algorithm for 2 types of patients with IBD: those with well-controlled luminal IBD and uncontrolled extraintestinal symptoms (secondary indications such as arthritis or psoriasis) and those with refractory, uncontrolled IBD. Thus far, the data on the efficacy and safety of dual biologic therapy as a treatment for Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis remain quite limited. In fact, the overwhelming majority of the literature consists of case reports and case series. Given this paucity of high-level data, physicians have looked to larger studies on dual biologic therapy in other fields of medicine, such as rheumatology and dermatology. The goal of this article is to summarize the current literature on the use of dual biologics in IBD, address the potential adverse effects or risks associated with combination therapy, and highlight future directions in the use of this therapeutic modality.
Careful Co-Planning for Effective Team Teaching in Mathematics

This paper reports on a semester-long co-teaching investigation in which three mathematics teacher educators in the USA themselves enacted a co-plan/co-teach credentialing model in the context of a mathematics content course for future elementary teachers. The mathematics teacher educators sought to examine the co-planning practices for improving the team teaching co-teaching strategy. Data were collected from the mathematics teacher educators over fifteen weeks, including twice-weekly journal entries and classroom observation protocols. Utilizing a first-person research study design, the mathematics teacher educators found that a co-planning strategy could be used to maximize resources and improve lesson cohesion during team taught lessons. In particular, the mathematics teacher educators used co-planning meetings to divide lesson responsibilities by learning goal or by task. In this novel approach to mathematics teacher educator training, we describe the co-planning strategy along with its expansion, implementation, benefits, and limitations, and argue for its use in co-teachers’ co-planning repertoire.
Preoccupation in bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, anorexia nervosa, and higher weight.

Objective Preoccupation (excessive and constant thoughts) about shape/weight and food/eating is thought to be prominent in individuals with eating disorders but has received much less research than overt behavioral features. This study examined the significance and distinctiveness of different foci of preoccupation in individuals categorized with different forms of eating disorders and in individuals with higher weight. Method Participants (N = 1,363) completed a web-based survey with established measures of eating-disorder psychopathology and depression. The current study compared preoccupation among individuals with core features of bulimia nervosa (BN; n = 144), binge-eating disorder (BED; n = 576), anorexia nervosa (AN; n = 48), and higher body weight (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 25) without eating-disorder features (higher weight [HW]; n = 595). Associations of each type of preoccupation with other eating-disorder psychopathology and depression were examined both between and within study groups. Results Preoccupation with shape/weight and with food/eating showed a graded pattern of statistically significant differences: AN and BN had higher preoccupation than BED, which was higher than HW. Within BN, BED, and AN study groups, correlation magnitudes of shape/weight and food/eating preoccupation with eating-disorder psychopathology and depression did not differ significantly. Within the HW group, shape/weight preoccupation was significantly more strongly correlated than food/eating preoccupation with overvaluation, body dissatisfaction, and depression. Discussion The preoccupation cognitive style, as well as focus, appears associated with other facets of eating-disorder psychopathology and depression. If results are confirmed among individuals with formal diagnoses, clinicians addressing maladaptive cognitions in cognitive-behavioral therapy should consider the role of preoccupation. Future research should investigate whether preoccupation predicts or moderates eating disorder treatment outcomes.
Beyond Combat: Women and Gender in the Vietnam War Era

Beyond Combat investigates how the Vietnam War both reinforced and challenged the gender roles that were key components of American Cold War ideology. Refocusing attention onto women and gender paints a more complex and accurate picture of the war's far-reaching impact beyond the battlefields. Encounters between Americans and Vietnamese were shaped by a cluster of intertwined images used to make sense of and justify American intervention and use of force in Vietnam. These images included the girl next door, a wholesome reminder of why the United States was committed to defeating Communism, and the treacherous and mysterious 'dragon lady', who served as a metaphor for Vietnamese women and South Vietnam. Heather Stur also examines the ways in which ideas about masculinity shaped the American GI experience in Vietnam and, ultimately, how some American men and women returned from Vietnam to challenge homefront gender norms.
Light Chain Variable Region Subgroups of Monoclonal Immunoglobulins in Amyloidosis AL

We have reported previously that λ light chains of the VλVI subgroup are preferentially associated with amyloidosis AL(λ) — based on the finding that 5 of 20 λ Bence Jones proteins from such patients were classified serologically and chemically as members of this uncommon V region isotypic subgroup representing ∿10 percent of normal λ chains. Subsequently, using specific anti-λVI antisera, we have identified 6 additional λVI Bence Jones proteins and 1 IgGλVI protein, all of which were obtained from patients with histologically proven amyloidosis. We have determined the complete amino acid sequence of 3 λVI light chains and found that each protein contains a 2-residue V region insertion between positions 68 and 69 — a finding unique to proteins of this λ chain subgroup. The non-λVI chains were classified immunochemically as members of either the λI, λII, λIII, or λIV subgroup. Although monoclonal non-λVI proteins are found in patients with amyloidosis AL(λ), the striking association of a particular V region isotype with amyloidosis AL appears to be limited to λVI proteins. No such association has been evident in patients with amyloidosis AL(κ). Serological analyses with specific anti-κI, anti-κII, anti-κIII, and anti-κIV anti-sera of monoclonal Igκ from 34 such patients revealed that the frequence of distribution of the 4 κ chain V region subgroups approximates that found among non-amyloid associated κ-type proteins. Whether amyloid-associated light chains, especially λVI chains, possess distinct structural features that render them “amyloidogenic” or, alternatively, the light chain degradative process is abnormal in patients with amyloidosis AL remains to be established.
Antibody Binding to a Conformation-Dependent Epitope Induces L-Selectin Association with the Detergent-Resistant Cytoskeleton

L-Selectin mediates leukocyte rolling on endothelium and immobilized leukocytes. Its regulation has been the subject of much study, and the conformation of the molecule may play an important role in its function. Here we report that a conformational change in L-selectin, induced by an anti-lectin domain mAb (LAM1-116) and recognized by another mAb directed to a conserved epitope on L-selectin (EL-246), predisposed L-selectin to cytoskeletal association. This effect was due to direct binding of the mAb, not to overt signaling events, and was specific to LAM1-116. Nineteen other anti-L-selectin mAbs directed against the lectin, epidermal growth factor, or short consensus repeat domains lacked this activity. The induced conformational change occurred at 37°C, at 4°C, in the presence of sodium azide and tyrosine kinase inhibitors herbimycin A and genistein, and with soluble detergent-extracted L-selectin. In the presence of LAM1-116, EL-246 induced cytoskeletal association of L-selectin in the absence of Ab cross-linking as visualized by L-selectin staining after low dose detergent treatment of the cells. We propose that the conformational change described herein regulates L-selectin-mediated events by exposing a high avidity binding site that, when engaged, triggers association of L-selectin with the cytoskeleton, which may lead to stronger tethers with physiological ligands.
Inter-temporal Price Discrimination with Time-inconsistentConsumers

This paper analyzes the inter-temporal price discrimination problem of a durable good monopolist facing time-inconsistent consumers. We look at both cases of sophisticated and naive time-inconsistent consumers, but the emphasis is on the naive case. When consumers are naive, we first need to confront the following question: how does the consumers' naivete about their preferences interact with their ability to predict future prices? We solve the game under two solution concepts. Under the first solution concept, which is similar in spirit to the SPNE, consumers have correct expectations about future prices. Under the second one, which relies on backwards induction, consumers' naive expectations concerning their future preferences lead them to have incorrect expectations about future prices. We show that under both solution concepts, as the degree of naivete rises, monopoly profits fall. The monopolist does not benefit from consumers' naivete and should instead educate naive consumers into sophisticated ones. Moreover, as the degree of naivete rises, both solution concepts predict that welfare falls for all consumers, except for the highest valuation ones, and prices approach marginal cost at a lower rate.
Health Literacy Impact on Patient-Provider Interactions Involving the Treatment of Dental Problems

Health literacy-related problems can interfere with effective doctor-patient communication and effective patient care. This study examined several health literacy-related markers for patients seeking treatment in hospital emergency departments and physician and dentist offices for dental problems and injuries. Participants consisted of low-income white, black, and Hispanic adults who had experienced a dental problem or injury during the previous twelve months and who visited a hospital emergency department, physician, or dentist for treatment. A stratified random sample of Maryland households participated in a cross- sectional telephone survey. Interviews were completed with 94.8 percent of 423 eligible individuals. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. Only 10.0 percent of the respondents expressed a difficulty understanding what they were told by the health provider, while 4.9 percent expressed a difficulty understanding the dental or medical forms they were asked to complete and 6.9 percent reported that they had difficulty getting the health provider to understand their dental problem or injury. Logistic regression analysis found that males and Hispanics were significantly (p<0.05) more likely to experience health literacy-related problems. In general, respondents did not express health literacy-related problems. Additional research is needed to identify health literacy-related barriers to effective patient-provider communication.
Polymyxin B sulfate-induced pH-dependent increase in calcium influx in cultured fibroblasts

Abstract Polymyxin B sulfate treatment induced an increase in calcium influx in mouse fibroblasts (3T6) and normal human skin fibroblasts. This increase in calcium influx occurred in a dose- and time-dependent fashion and was dependent on pH but independent of the electrochemical gradient of calcium across the plasma membrane. This effect was prevented when cycloheximide (20 μg/ml) was added with polymyxin B sufate. Addition of actinomycin D (2 μg/ml) also remarkably reduced this effect. In view of these findings, it is possible that polymyxin B sulfate therapy-induced side effects, such as neuromuscular blockade and kidney dysfunction, are conditional and may be due to an increase in calcium influx.
May teach you more of man

Immunology in Medicine, 2nd Edn. Edited by E. J. Holborow and W. G. Reeves. Grune & Stratton: 1983. Pp.655. £55, $88.
Understanding Obesity Defining the Samples

Nail, Levy, Russin, and Crandall (this issue) report a failure to replicate the Rodin time estimation/obesity study. Their study and conclusions provide the basis for comments regarding the problem with viewing obesity as a homogeneous disorder, and thereby making inadvertent sampling errors by dividing groups on the basis of weight alone. The current status of the internality and externality hypothesis is also briefly considered, with suggestions regarding directions for future research.
The Ethics of Collaborative Ambivalence

We are all ambivalent at every turn. “Should I skip class on this gorgeous spring day?” “Do I really want to marry Eric?” Despite being uncomfortable and unsettling, there are some forms of ambivalence that are appropriate and responsible. Even when they seem trivial and superficial, they reveal some of our deepest values, the self-images we would like to project. In this paper, I analyze collaborative ambivalence, the kind of ambivalence that arises from our identity-forming close relationships. The sources and resolutions of collaborative ambivalence reveal how much of our thinking—and so also of our motivational structure—emerges from the details of our collaborative and dialogical engagements. The imaginative skills and strategies exercised in remaining justifiably of two minds—of preserving appropriate ambivalence—are central to practical reasoning. Because these skills provide models for addressing conflicts in the public sphere, because they prompt shared deliberation, they are among the civic virtues.
Significance of High Degree Atrioventricular Block in Acute Posterior Myocardial Infarction The Importance of Clinical Setting and Mechanism of Block

This report evaluates the morbidity and mortality, during hospitalization and follow-up, of a subgroup of patients with posterior or diaphragmatic myocardial infarction (PDMI) who developed high degree A-V block via a type I mechanism and in the absence of power failure (pulmonary edema or cardiogenic shock). This subgroup was not at any higher risk of hospital morbidity, hospital mortality, or 1-year mortality than three other groups: (a) patients with PDMI but neither high degree A-V block nor initial power failure; (b) patients with other infarct sites who developed high degree A-V block in the absence of power failure; and (c) patients with other infarct sites but neither high degree A-V block nor initial power failure. The significance of subgrouping patients with high degree A-V block by the quantity of clinical heart failure is exemplified by a review of the literature and the present study.
Separated components of root exudate and cytosol stimulate different morphologically identifiable types of branching responses by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

Abstract Two morphologically distinct hyphal branching responses by the AM fungus, Glomus intraradices, were stimulated by separated components of carrot root exudate. Complex branching up to the sixth order was induced by compounds most soluble in 35 % methanol, whereas the formation of more lateral branches (second order) was stimulated by compounds most soluble in 70 % methanol. This same 70 % alcohol soluble fraction also stimulated a completely different type of branching pattern in another fungus, Gigaspora gigantea. This pattern consisted of a very periodic distribution of dense clusters of hyphal branches that had a very high degree of complexity. In contrast to exudate components, separated cytosolic components of carrot roots did not stimulate any of the observed hyphal branching patterns. Alcohol-soluble fractions actually inhibited hyphal tip growth of G. gigantea and induced the formation of “recovery” branches that were identical to those induced by an inhibitor found in the exudate of Chard (Beta vulgaris ssp. cicla), a non-host plant.
Pentaborane(9) Derivatives, part III: Long-range homonuclear and heteronuclear magnetic resonance coupling in pentaborane(9) derivatives

Abstract Long-range heteronuclear coupling has been observed between apex alkyl proton nuclei and both the apex (5.4–7.5 Hz) and basal boron (ca. 0.8 Hz) nuclei in apex alkyl substituted pentaborane(9) derivatives. Basal methyl substituted pentaborane(9) derivatives have also been investigated, and it has been shown that homonuclear long-range coupling is observed between the methyl protons and the near bridge hydrogen (2.9–3.3 Hz) nuclei. Similar homonuclear coupling was also detected for basal unsubstituted pentaborane(9) derivatives between the basal terminal protons and the near bridge hydrogen nuclei (4.8–5.7 Hz). Also discussed is the evidence for possible nuclear quadrupole relaxation of the heteronuclear and homonuclear coupling of the basal boron nuclei to apex substituents and apex boron nuclei, respectively.
Soliton switch using birefringent optical fibers.

The use of solitons is proposed for interferometric switching in birefringent optical fibers. Pulse propagation in the fiber is modeled by the coupled nonlinear Schrodinger equation, in which the ratio between the self-coupling and cross-coupling terms depends on the ellipticity of the fiber eigenmodes. It is shown that shadows occur unless the self-coupling and the cross-coupling are equal and that these shadows seriously affect the contrast ratio attainable by a switch. These two couplings become equal at an ellipticity angle θ ≈ 35°, and, within a tolerance of θ = ± 5°, a contrast ratio of 10 or more can be achieved.
Utilization of ferrites for water treatment

Abstract Utilization of chemically precipitated ferrites for water treatment has been studied. In acidic media ferrites act as adsorbents of impurities contained in untreated water and as desorbents in alkaline media. The parameters of sorption such as pH, mixing conditions, concentration and type of alkaline agent etc. have been stated. Detailed research has led to the technology of water cleaning, which is schematically described. The results of the treatment of samples from the river Vltava are discussed in comparison with conventional water clarification methods.
"Is this really a police station? Police department exteriors and judgments of authority, professionalism, and approachability."

Abstract This study examined the relationship between exteriors of police department facilities and participants’ ratings of the buildings’ authority, professionalism, and approachability. After a pilot study, research was conducted with 122 participants who were undergraduate students from a small, liberal arts college in the Northeast. On each of three characteristics (authority, professionalism, and approachability), participants rated 16 color images of police departments located in the United States. The facade ratings for each characteristic were then categorized into factors through factor analyses. There were three factors for authority (Ineffectual, Strong, and Outdated); three for professionalism (Unskilled, Non-traditional, and Governmental); and four for approachability (Uninviting, Accessible, Public, and Impenetrable). The results were compared to participants’ scores on the Right-Wing Authoritarianism Scale ( Altemeyer, 1981 ) and the Social Dominance Orientation scale ( Sidanius & Pratto, 1999 ). Although the primary goal for the study was to determine whether there are consistent responses to police department exteriors, it was hypothesized that the facade ratings would relate to the authoritarianism ratings, with more authoritarian people expected to rate the facades higher in authority. Although this hypothesis was not supported, significant findings were related to gender. Applications to architectural design are discussed.
Analysis of blast waves induced by Q-switched Nd:YAG laser photodisruption of absorbing targets

Abstract An experimental investigation on photoacoustic effects originated in plasma-mediated laser photodisruption by a Q -switched Nd:YAG was done by means of a pump-and-probe set up providing time-resolved shadowgraphy of the shock wave produced onto the target surface. Estimations of coupled specific momentum and of the explosion energy were obtained by modelling the process on the basis of the variable energy blast wave theory. A comparison with the instantaneous (constant energy) explosion model is also discussed.
Learning through open source participation

Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and documentation projects provide excellent learning opportunities for students. In the context of active learning, FOSS is particularly interesting in providing transparent meritocracies that allow students to observe and contribute as part of their learning. This panel will present four different perspectives on student involvement in Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) projects. These perspectives will cover: (a) different ways that students can contribute to FOSS projects beyond coding, (b) an industry perspective on student involvement in FOSS projects, (c) how Humanitarian FOSS can provide a welcoming environment for student learning, and (d) barriers to faculty involvement and how such barriers can be overcome.
Measurement of the efficiency of solid state detectors using atomic-field bremsstrahlung

We report on the current status of our efforts to use the atomic-field bremsstrahlung spectrum from the bombardment of thin-film targets by an electron beam to measure the photon energy dependence of the efficiency of HPGe and Si(Li) detectors. Results are presented for an HPGe detector from 15 to 100 keV and for an Si(Li) detector from 2 to 40 keV. Points on the efficiency curve are also obtained using calibrated radioactive sources for comparison and for absolute normalization. Problems associated with the background in bremsstrahlung measurements are also discussed.
Klotho deficiency disrupts hematopoietic stem cell development and erythropoiesis.

Klotho deficiency is a characteristic feature of chronic kidney disease in which anemia and cardiovascular complications are prevalent. Disruption of the Klotho gene in mice results in hypervitaminosis D and a syndrome resembling accelerated aging that includes osteopenia and vascular calcifications. Given that the bone microenvironment and its cellular components considerably influence hematopoiesis, in the present study, we addressed the in vivo role of klotho in blood cell formation and differentiation. Herein, we report that genetic ablation of Klotho in mice results in a significant increase in erythropoiesis and a decrease in the hematopoietic stem cell pool size in the bone marrow, leading to impaired hematopoietic stem cell homing in vivo. Our data also suggest that high vitamin D levels are only partially responsible for these hematopoietic changes in Klotho−/− mice. Importantly, we found similar hematopoietic abnormalities in Klotho−/− fetal liver cells, suggesting that the effects of klotho in hematopoietic stem cell development are independent of the bone microenvironment. Finally, injection of klotho protein results in hematopoietic changes opposite to the ones observed in Klotho−/− mice. These observations unveil a novel role for the antiaging hormone klotho in the regulation of prenatal and postnatal hematopoiesis and provide new insights for the development of therapeutic strategies targeting klotho to treat hematopoietic disorders associated with aging.
Prevention of Pneumonia in Elderly Stroke Patients by Systematic Diagnosis and Treatment of Dysphagia: An Evidence-Based Comprehensive Analysis of the Literature

We conducted a systematic literature review and analysis of programs for evaluating swallowing in order to prevent aspiration pneumonia. This article derives from an evidence report on diagnosis and treatment of swallowing disorders (dysphagia) in acute-car stroke patients prepared by us as an Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) under contract to the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Available evidence on the diagnosis and treatment of dysphagia for preventing pneumonia is limited. We found reported pneumonia rates in one historical controlled study of a program using bedside exams (BSE) for acute stroke patients; one uncontrolled case series study of acute stroke patient- reporting of swallowing difficulty; one controlled case series study of videofluoroscopic study of swallowing (VFSS) for acute stroke patients; and one historical controlled study of fiberoptic endoscopic examination of swallowing (FEES) for patients referred for swallowing evaluation in rehabilitation centers. Comparing these results with historical controls indicates that implementation of dysphagia programs is accompanied by substantial reductions in pneumonia rates. While all these methods appeared effective, the small sizes of available studies did not allow determination of the relative efficacy of BSE, VFSS, or FEES.
Evidence that the nucleus accumbens shell, ventral pallidum, and lateral hypothalamus are components of a lateralized feeding circuit.

Abstract Pronounced feeding can be elicited by injections of the GABA A agonist muscimol into the medial shell region of the nucleus accumbens (AcbSh). This region of AcbSh has been shown to project to both the lateral hypothalamus (LH) and the medial ventral pallidum (VPm). The current study examined the effects of unilateral LH or VPm lesions on the ingestive responses induced by injections of muscimol into the AcbSh on either the same or the opposite side of the brain. We found that lesions of either of these structures drastically attenuated feeding induced from the ipsilateral, as compared to the contralateral, AcbSh. The “ipsilateral/contralateral disruption design” employed here virtually rules out the possibility that the suppressive effects of the lesions were nonspecific and suggests that the VPm and LH play essential roles in mediating the ingestive effects of inactivation of the AcbSh.
Stability of ceramic pigments for maxillofacial applications.

Summary In this study samples made from pigmented porcelain and Silastic 44210 were evaluated for colour stability after accelerated ageing in order to determine the potential of coloured ceramic powders as maxillofacial pigments. These pigments demonstrated good clear colour stability compared with the same pigments which were not incorporated into a porcelain matrix.
A GENERALIZED INTERNAL AXIS METHOD FOR HIGH BARRIER TUNNELING PROBLEMS, AS APPLIED TO THE WATER DIMER

Abstract When more than one large-amplitude vibrational motion is present in a molecule, it is often not possible to define a global internal-axis-method (IAM) coordinate system and set of basis functions. In the present work, a method is presented for extending the IAM treatment to tunneling problems in such cases, using as an illustration a model for the water dimer with three large-amplitude vibrational coordinates. The method involves the construction of two different sets of local IAM-like coordinate systems. The first of these contains n coordinate systems, one for the small neighborhood surrounding each of the n equilibrium frameworks. The second contains on the order of n 2 2 coordinate systems, one for each feasible tunneling path between each pair of frameworks. Basis functions written in the second set of local IAM-like coordinates are used to determine the complex phase factors associated in this method with tunneling matrix elements of the phenomenological rotational Hamiltonian in the high barrier limit. These phase factors govern the way in which the various real tunneling frequencies in the molecule constructively and/or destructively interfere in the Hamiltonian matrix elements and final energy expressions. Various mathematical approximations are involved in using the local IAM-like basis sets to obtain matrix elements; the full extent of the adverse effects of these approximations will not be known until an attempt to fit experimental data is carried out.
The effects of heparin upon atherogenesis in the watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic rabbit

Heparin is routinely added to vascular cell cultures to inhibit smooth muscle cell proliferation. The in vivo effects of heparin upon atherogenesis have remained controversial, however. In this experiment 13 four-month-old, heritably hyperlipidemic, Watanabe rabbits were randomly assigned to three treatment groups: 1500 U heparin, 500 U heparin, or saline. An injection protocol was followed for nine months. The rabbits were bled monthly from their marginal ear veins and plasma from these bleeds was analyzed for cholesterol and triglyceride content. At sacrifice each rabbit's aorta was sampled at 10 specific locations from the arch to the iliac bifurcation. The reduction in the area of the aorta by atherosclerotic plaque at each site was calculated using a video imaging system. Heparin injections significantly reduced mean plasma levels of cholesterol and triglycerides compared to pretreatment levels and saline injected controls. However, the magnitude of the reduction was not dose-related. The aortic luminal area occupied by atherosclerotic plaque in rabbits injected with 1500 U of heparin was significantly toss (p
Residual distribution schemes for Bondi-Hoyle accretion

Black hole accretion is a key component in astrophysical phenomena such as gamma-ray bursts and quasars. As a step towards understanding such phenomena, accurate and efficient computational methods for simulating gas dynamics in the presence of black holes must be developed. In this work a residual distribution scheme on unstructured grids is constructed for solving the general relativistic version of the compressible Euler equations. In particular, we simulate Bondi-Hoyle accretion onto a Schwarzschild black hole. Presented here are preliminary results in a larger effort to develop high-order methods on unstructured meshes for general relativistic flows. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Transferring Methadone‐maintained Outpatients to the Buprenorphine Sublingual Tablet: A Preliminary Study

There is no accepted algorithm to transfer opioid-dependent patients from methadone (METH) to its new alternative, buprenorphine (BUP). Five outpatients transferred (double blind, double dummy) from METH 60 mg/day (with one day at 45 mg) to BUP 8 mg s.l. tablet. Relative to METH maintenance, BUP decreased opioid agonist symptoms (transfer day 1) and increased withdrawal symptoms (days 1 and 2) and blood pressure (day 2). Self-reported heroin use did not increase from METH maintenance levels. It may be feasible to transfer outpatients on METH 60 mg/day to BUP 8 mg/day s.l. tablet, although this pilot protocol needs refinements to improve tolerability and clinical efficacy.
Examining the job attitude/salesman performance issue

Questions the value of ‘morale boosting’ as a device for salesman improvement, concludes that attention to specific attitudes is likely to prove more rewarding. Specifies the improvement of sales‐force morale is often seen as vital to effective performance. Sheds light on the scarcity of research efforts and the inconclusiveness of available findings indicate the effects of job attitudes on sales performance are uncertain and, at best, are likely to be situation specific. Chronicles that this study was designed to contribute to a small but growing body of research efforts into the question of job attitudes and selling performance.
Coarse molecular-dynamics determination of the onset of structural transitions: Melting of crystalline solids

Using a coarse molecular-dynamics (CMD) approach with an appropriate choice of coarse variable (order parameter), we map the underlying effective free-energy landscape for the melting of a crystalline solid. Implementation of this approach provides a means for constructing effective free-energy landscapes of structural transitions in condensed matter. The predictions of the approach for the thermodynamic melting point of a model silicon system are in excellent agreement with those of ``traditional'' techniques for melting-point calculations, as well as with literature values.
NMR Relaxation Studies of the 13CH3 Spin Grouping in the Vicinity of the T1 Minimum

The perturbation-response behavior of various nuclear spin polarizations associated with methanol's 13CH3 spin grouping were examined in the vicinity of the T1 minimum. Dipole−dipole auto- and cros...
Using electrocardiographic activation time and diastolic intervals to separate focal from macro-re-entrant atrial tachycardias.

Objectives This study was designed to separate focal from atypical macro–re-entrant atrial tachycardia (AT) on the electrocardiogram (ECG). Background Focal AT often cannot be distinguished from macro–re-entrant AT until the time of electrophysiology study (EPS). We hypothesized that quantitative ECG metrics should separate focal AT, using its short activation relative to tachycardia cycle length (CL), from macro–re-entrant AT, whose activation should span the CL. We developed tools to accurately quantify CL and P- or F-wave duration even when overlying T waves, then prospectively applied them to patients during focal or macro–re-entrant AT ablation and compared them to the gold standard EPS diagnosis. Methods We studied 41 patients (27 men, 14 women) age 57 ± 17 years. In the training group (n = 20), tachycardia P or F waves overlying T waves were identified from transitions in slope (dV/dt) relative to “expected” T waves generated from scaling of the sinus-rate T-wave. Electrocardiographic P-wave duration agreed with the duration of intra-atrial activation. Autocorrelation was used to estimate ECG atrial CL (p Results Compared to macro–re-entry (n = 13), focal AT (n = 7) had shorter P waves (115 ± 31 ms vs. 227 ± 67 ms; p Conclusions Quantitative ECG indexes of shorter atrial activation and longer diastolic interval separate focal from macro–re-entrant AT without diagnostic maneuvers.
Spatial Population Structure of Yellowstone Bison

Abstract Increases in Yellowstone National Park, USA, bison (Bison bison) numbers and shifts in seasonal distribution have resulted in more frequent movements of bison beyond park boundaries and development of an interagency management plan for the Yellowstone bison population. Implementation of the plan under the adaptive management paradigm requires an understanding of the spatial and temporal structure of the population. We used polythetic agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis of radiolocations obtained from free-ranging bison to investigate seasonal movements and aggregations. We classified radiolocations into 4 periods: annual, peak rut (15 Jul–15 Sep), extended rut (1 Jun–31 Oct), and winter (1 Nov–31 May). We documented spatial separation of Yellowstone bison into 2 segments, the northern and central herds, during all periods. The estimated year-round exchange rate (4.85–5.83%) of instrumented bison varied with the fusion strategy employed. We did not observe exchange between the 2 segments d...
An approach to achieving a negative index of refraction using coincident resonances

A novel method of achieving a negative index of refraction in the far-infrared region using intrinsic material properties is proposed. SrTiO3 has a dielectric resonance at ~100?cm?1 that can be lowered by lowering the temperature or with Ba doping. NiO has an antiferromagnetic resonance at ~35?cm?1 that can be raised with an applied field or with Co doping. These resonance frequencies can therefore be engineered to occur at the same frequency to achieve a negative index of refraction over an interval just above the coincident resonance. We show that SrTiO3 and NiO are readily chemically compatible and non-reacting at temperatures up to 1550??C and can be formed into polycrystalline composite bodies. Epitaxial thin film heterostructures of (SrTiO3/NiO)n/MgO with n = 1, 2 have also been fabricated with very high crystal quality.
Chemical Composition and Physical Properties of the Milk of the Collared Peccary

Samples of milk from the collared peccary, Pecari tajacu , were analyzed for chemical composition and physical properties. Average chemical composition of the two specimens of mature milk were as follows: fat 3.55%, lactose 6.55%, total protein 5.8%, total solids 16.45%, pH 6.64, sp gr 1.0441, nonprotein N (mg/100 ml) 81.5. Colostrum milk differed in composition from mature milk in that the casein was slightly lower and the whey protein higher which is comparable to other species. There are two principal sugar components in peccary milk. On a paper chromatogram the one in greatest concentration corresponded in speed to lactose. The other sugar probably represented an oligosaccharide. In comparison to domestic sow milk the milk of the collared peccary is lower in fat and total solids. The range is so varied in other constituents that comparisons were valueless with the limited number of samples. Caseins of the peccary are similar to those of the domestic sow. The whey proteins of the peccary are similar to those of the domestic sow for mature and colostrum milk.
Modular organization of actin crosslinking proteins.

Abstract A family of actin-crosslinking proteins share a conserved 125 residue sequence that lies within a 250 residue actin-binding domain. This domain is combined with spacer segments consisting of a variable number of repeated α-helical or β-sheet motifs and other functional domains, which generate proteins that differ in their ability to form actin bundles or networks and to associate with the plasma membrane. These functional domains are not in other actin-crosslinking proteins, one of which is elongation factor 1a (EF-1a) suggesting there are several pathways for the evolution of actin-crosslinking function.
Online Controlled Experiments: Lessons from Running A/B/n Tests for 12 Years

The Internet provides developers of connected software, including web sites, applications, and devices, an unprecedented opportunity to accelerate innovation by evaluating ideas quickly and accurately using trustworthy controlled experiments (e.g., A/B tests and their generalizations). From front-end user-interface changes to backend recommendation systems and relevance algorithms, from search engines (e.g., Google, Microsoft's Bing, Yahoo) to retailers (e.g., Amazon, eBay, Netflix, Etsy) to social networking services (e.g., Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter) to Travel services (e.g., Expedia, Airbnb, Booking.com) to many startups, online controlled experiments are now utilized to make data-driven decisions at a wide range of companies. While the theory of a controlled experiment is simple, and dates back to Sir Ronald A. Fisher's experiments at the Rothamsted Agricultural Experimental Station in England in the 1920s, the deployment and mining of online controlled experiments at scale (e.g., hundreds of experiments run every day at Bing) and deployment of online controlled experiments across dozens of web sites and applications has taught us many lessons. We provide an introduction, share real examples, key lessons, and cultural challenges.
Attitude stability and attitude strength: one is enough to make it stable

The temporal stability of attitudes toward socially relevant and irrelevant issues was examined as a function of different dimensions of attitude strength. Attitude strength was found to be a three-dimensional structure consisting of Generalized Attitude Strength (defined by amount of experience with the attitude object, certainty, importance, vested interest, frequency of thinking about the attitude object, self-reported and working knowledge); Internal Consistency (defined by evaluative-cognitive and evaluative-affective consistency); and Extremity (defined by affective and evaluative extremity). The temporal stability of an attitude was moderated by only one dimension of attitude strength. The specific dimension that moderated stability was different for different issues. Generalized Strength appeared to contribute to temporal stability of an attitude by supporting its cognitive component.
Pre-preeipitation studies in an Al-Zn alloy by positron Doppler broadening measurements

Abstract Positron annihilation studies using measurements of Doppler broadening of annihilation y-rays have been carried out in an Al-85wt % Zn alloy. More than 90% of positron trapping is believed to occur at GP zones formed on quenching the supersaturated solid solution. The dissolution of GP zones above 373 K was revealed by drastic narrowing of the Doppler energy spectrum for Samples aged above 373 K. The kinetics of formation of GP zones at ambient temperature is drastically reduced when the alloy containing GP zones formed during quenching from supersaturated solid solution was reverted at 403 K and reaged at ambient temperature. It was also observed that, even after long reageing, the total number of GP zones formed is much lower than in a directly quenched alloy. The kinetics of formation of GP zones are also reduced by quenching from a single phase to an intermediate temperature where GP zones are not stable, followed by ageing at ambient temperature. Transmission electron micrographs revealed th...
Solubility and rheological characterization of polyaniline base in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone and N,N′-dimethylpropylene urea

Abstract The thermodynamic ‘goodness’ of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP) and N,N′-dimethylpropylene urea (DMPU) as solvents for polyaniline (PANI) (emeraldine base) were compared by studying the dilute solution viscometry of solutions of PANI in NMP and DMPU. The intrinsic viscosity of PANI polymer in NMP was found to be 0.71 dl g−1, whereas the same polymer in DMPU had an intrinsic viscosity of 0.77 dl g−1, which indicates that DMPU is a ‘better’ solvent for PANI. The rheology and rheological stability of solutions of PANI in NMP and DMPU were studied by cone and plate rheometry. A 10% PANI solution in NMP gelled within 60 min, whereas a 17.5% solution in DMPU did not show any change in its viscosity for as long as 400 min. Solutions of PANI (10–17.5%) in DMPU displayed prominent shear thinning behaviour at lower shear rates (below 3 s−1 and Newtonian behaviour at higher shear rates (3–15 s−1). A solution of 10% PANI in NMP showed a similar prominent shear thinning followed by a gradual decrease in viscosity with an increase in shear rates, presumably due to breaking of the ‘weak’ thixotropic gel.
Feature analysis for forward-looking landmine detection using GPR

There has been significant amount of study on the use of Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) for forward-looking landmine detection. This paper presents our analysis of GPR data collected at a U.S. Army site using the Synthetic Aperture Radar system developed by Stanford Research Institute (SRI). Various types of features are extracted from the GPR data and investigated for their abilities to distinguish buried landmines and false alarms; the list include intensity and local-contrast features, fuzzy geometrical image features, ratio between co-polarization and cross-polarization signals, and features obtained using two different approaches of polarimetric decomposition. We also describe the feature selection procedures employed to find subsets of features that improve detection performance when combined. In addition, our analysis indicates that images formed with different frequency bands have different qualities, and that the selection of proper frequency bands can significantly improve the detection performance. Results of landmine detection, including performance on blind test lanes, are presented.
Neuroanatomy of sea spiders implies an appendicular origin of the protocerebral segment

The arthropod body is made up of distinct body segments plus the head region. The latter causes a problem, known as the ‘arthropod head problem’, which is to explain how modern arthropod heads evolved so many different patterns of organization. A new study of modern sea spiders suggests that the scary claws of ancient Cambrian arthropods, (‘great appendages’, in the literature) have modern analogues, seen in the neuroanatomical detail of developing larvae. This excludes the theory that the anterior segment was primitively limb-free, and suggests that the arthropods lost these anteriormost limbs during evolution. A victim of this work is the ‘acron’, a hypothetical non-segmental region introduced to explain the lack of appendages in extant arthropods: they were simply hiding. Independent specialization of arthropod body segments has led to more than a century of debate on the homology of morphologically diverse segments1,2, each defined by a lateral appendage and a ganglion of the central nervous system. The plesiomorphic composition of the arthropod head remains enigmatic because variation in segments and corresponding appendages is extreme. Within extant arthropod classes (Chelicerata, Myriapoda, Crustacea and Hexapoda—including the insects), correspondences between the appendage-bearing second (deutocerebral) and third (tritocerebral) cephalic neuromeres have been recently resolved on the basis of immunohistochemistry1 and Hox gene expression patterns3,4. However, no appendage targets the first ganglion, the protocerebrum, and the corresponding segmental identity of this anterior region remains unclear5. Reconstructions of stem-group arthropods indicate that the anteriormost region originally might have borne an ocular apparatus and a frontal appendage innervated by the protocerebrum6. However, no study of the central nervous system in extant arthropods has been able to corroborate this idea directly, although recent analyses of cephalic gene expression patterns in insects suggest a segmental status for the protocerebral region7,8,9,10. Here we investigate the developmental neuroanatomy of a putative basal arthropod11, the pycnogonid sea spider, with immunohistochemical techniques. We show that the first pair of appendages, the chelifores, are innervated at an anterior position on the protocerebrum. This is the first true appendage shown to be innervated by the protocerebrum, and thus pycnogonid chelifores are not positionally homologous to appendages of extant arthropods but might, in fact, be homologous to the ‘great appendages’ of certain Cambrian stem-group arthropods.
Asian American Women's Retrospective Reports of Their Sexual Socialization.

This study used qualitative research methods to investigate the sexual socialization experiences of young Asian American women, a group often overlooked in psychological research on sexuality. Focus group interviews were conducted with 30 ethnically diverse young Asian American women to explore their perceptions and interpretations of the direct and indirect sexual communication they received from parents during adolescence. Interviews were analyzed using open and focused coding techniques based on principles of grounded theory. Although most participants initially reported that sexuality was a closed or taboo topic of discussion in their family, they described several indirect, implicit, and nonverbal strategies their parents used to clearly convey their sexual attitudes and expectations, most of which were restrictive in nature. Women interpreted parents' silence and restrictiveness about sexuality as tied to their upbringing and cultural heritage and as a feature characterizing Asian parents more broadly.