cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cardiovascular Risk Factors in a Patient with Diabetes Mellitus and Coronary Artery Disease: Therapeutic Approaches to Improve Outcomes: Perspectives of a Preventive Cardiologist

In patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), a cardiovascular event is of critical concern because of the impact on long-term survival. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death for patients with DM, which makes the modification of risk factors in the patient with DM and CVD a primary focus of the preventive cardiologist. Management of this patient population should include pharmacologic interventions, such as antidyslipidemics (mainly statins) and oral anti-DM (or insulin) agents, as well as diet control, physical exercise, and smoking cessation. It is hoped that focus on the ABCs of treatment--hemoglobin A(1c), blood pressure, and cholesterol-lipid profile--along with ongoing and future studies on the effects of these interventions will help to reduce the significant morbidity and mortality from microvascular and macrovascular complications in these high-risk patients with DM.
CONTRAST BETWEEN THE ENVIRONMENTAL pH DEPENDENCIES OF PROPHASING AND NUCLEAR MEMBRANE FORMATION IN INTERPHASE-METAPHASE CELLS

In Chinese hamster Don cells, fusion of an interphase cell with a metaphase cell resulted either in prophasing of the interphase nucleus, including loss of the nuclear envelope (NE), or in the formation of a double membrane around the metaphase chromosomes. Only one of these phenomena occurred in a given interphase-metaphase (I–M) binucleate cell. At pH 7.4, there was about an equal probability that either event could occur amongst the population of I–M cells. The effect of pH changes in the medium containing the fused cells was examined. At pH 6.6, prophasing was the predominant event; at pH 8.0, membrane formation predominated. It was found that the rate of progression of a mononucleate cell from G2 to metaphase was appreciably faster at pH 6.6 than at pH 8.0. Conversely, the progression from metaphase to G1 was faster at pH 8.0 than at pH 6.6. These results with the mononucleate cells strengthen the hypothesis that structural changes in I–M cells are reflections of normal mitotic phenomena. Additional evidence for this hypothesis was produced by electron microscope examination after direct fixation in chrom-osmium. The double membrane around the chromosomes of the I–M cell was indistinguishable from the normal NE. The results obtained by varying the pH of the medium containing the fused cells provide an indication that disruption or formation of the NE of Don cells depends on the balance reached between disruptive and formative processes.
STUDIES ON THE INHIBITION OF BACILLUS SUBTILIS GROWTH BY CORDYCEPIN.

Abstract 1. 1. This work was undertaken to determine the specific enzymatic site at which cordycepin inhibits the growth of Bacillus subtilis. Of a number of compounds tested, the nucleosides of adenine and guanine were most effective in reversing this inhibition. This fact, coupled with the failure to demonstrate the accumulation of ultraviolet-absorbing intermediates in the acid-soluble fraction of these cells, as well as the ability of 5-amino-4-imidazolecarboxamide to partially reverse the inhibition of growth, suggests that cordycepin exerts its growth inhibitory effect in this organism on reactions in the synthesis of purines de novo. 2. 2. Bacillus subtilis is capable of cleaving cordycepin to adenine and cordycepose. The fact that adenine can reverse cordycepin inhibition probably best explains the ability of this organism to overcome the inhibition at low concentrations. 3. 3. Replacement of the 6-amino group of cordycepin by a hydroxyl group produced the hypoxanthine analog of cordycepin which was much less effective as an inhibitor.
Mitotic Checkpoint Slippage in Humans Occurs via Cyclin B Destruction in the Presence of an Active Checkpoint

In the presence of unattached/weakly attached kinetochores, the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) delays exit from mitosis by preventing the anaphase-promoting complex (APC)-mediated proteolysis of cyclin B, a regulatory subunit of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1). Like all checkpoints, the SAC does not arrest cells permanently, and escape from mitosis in the presence of an unsatisfied SAC requires that cyclin B/Cdk1 activity be inhibited. In yeast , and likely Drosophila, this occurs through an "adaptation" process involving an inhibitory phosphorylation on Cdk1 and/or activation of a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (Cdki). The mechanism that allows vertebrate cells to escape mitosis when the SAC cannot be satisfied is unknown. To explore this issue, we conducted fluorescence microscopy studies on rat kangaroo (PtK) and human (RPE1) cells dividing in the presence of nocodazole. We find that in the absence of microtubules (MTs), escape from mitosis occurs in the presence of an active SAC and requires cyclin B destruction. We also find that cyclin B is progressively destroyed during the block by a proteasome-dependent mechanism. Thus, vertebrate cells do not adapt to the SAC. Rather, our data suggest that in normal cells, the SAC cannot prevent a slow but continuous degradation of cyclin B that ultimately drives the cell out of mitosis.
Unlocking the mysteries of leaf primordia formation

The shoot apical meristem (SAM), at the tip of the plant stem, has two roles; it is the source of the new cells that are needed for stem growth, and it is the site of small cellular outgrowths, called leaf primordia (LP), that develop into the leaves (1). These LPs occur in predictable positions, with the site of the next primordium (I1) being specified by the location of the most recently appearing primordia (e.g., P1, P2). The ordered arrangement of LPs around the circumference of the SAM is known as phyllotaxy (2). A major question in plant development is what events occur at the I1 position, so that the primordium develops at this spot rather than elsewhere on the SAM. Two recent papers now provide some of the answers. In this issue of PNAS, Pien et al. (3) have demonstrated that a localized induction in the SAM of the wall-loosening protein expansin is sufficient to induce a primordium and set into motion all of the events needed to produce a mature leaf. Reinhardt et al. (4) obtained similar results, but used instead a localized application of the plant hormone auxin. Together, these two papers are starting to answer some of the main questions about LP formation.
Oh, What Those Oats Can Do. Quaker Oats, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Market Value of Scientific Evidence 1984 to 2010

Abstract: Contemporary consumers have become accustomed to nutrition labels in the 20 y since they were federally mandated. However, “health claim” labels that link nutrients to disease prevention have a contentious history involving regulators, corporations, and the public. The “oat bran craze” of the late 1980s demonstrated these claims’ enormous profit potential, but also the need for more rigorous regulation. In response, the 1990 Nutrition Labeling Education Act created quantitative nutrition labels and qualitative “health claims” to summarize medical knowledge about specific foods. Quaker Oats was granted the first food-specific health claim in January 1997 when the Food and Drug Administration determined that consumption of soluble fiber from oats lowered risk of heart disease. The company subsequently made the oat health claim a central part of its strategy and has served as a model for other manufacturers seeking health claims. This article examines the institutional interactions and underlying values that made health claims desirable, legally possible, and profitable from the 1980s onward.
Spatial selectivity in visual search

To what extent does successful search for a target letter in a visual display depend on the allocation of attention to the target’s spatial position? To investigate this question, we required subjects to discriminate the orientation of a briefly flashed U-shaped form while searching for a target letter. Performance operating characteristics (POCs) were derived by varying the relative amounts of attention subjects were to devote to each task. Extensive tradeoffs in performance were observed when the orientation form and target letter occurred in nonadjacent display positions. In contrast, the tradeoff was much more restricted when the two targets occurred in adjacent positions. These results suggest that the interference between simultaneous visual discriminations depends critically on their separation in visual space. Both visual search and form discrimination require a common limited-capacity visual resource.
Feasible partition problem in reverse convex and convex mixed-integer programming

Abstract In this paper we consider the consistent partition problem in reverse convex and convex mixed-integer programming. In particular we will show that for the considered classes of convex functions, both integer and relaxed systems can be partitioned into two disjoint subsystems, each of which is consistent and defines an unbounded region. The polynomial time algorithm to generate the partition will be proposed and the algorithm for a maximal partition will also be provided.
Conformational sampling and structure prediction of multiple interacting loops in soluble and β-barrel membrane proteins using multi-loop distance-guided chain-growth Monte Carlo method

Motivation: Loops in proteins are often involved in biochemical functions. Their irregularity and flexibility make experimental structure determination and computational modeling challenging. Most current loop modeling methods focus on modeling single loops. In protein structure prediction, multiple loops often need to be modeled simultaneously. As interactions among loops in spatial proximity can be rather complex, sampling the conformations of multiple interacting loops is a challenging task. Results: In this study, we report a new method called multi-loop Distance-guided Sequential chain-Growth Monte Carlo (M-DiSGro) for prediction of the conformations of multiple interacting loops in proteins. Our method achieves an average RMSD of 1.93 A for lowest energy conformations of 36 pairs of interacting protein loops with the total length ranging from 12 to 24 residues. We further constructed a data set containing proteins with 2, 3 and 4 interacting loops. For the most challenging target proteins with four loops, the average RMSD of the lowest energy conformations is 2.35 A. Our method is also tested for predicting multiple loops in β-barrel membrane proteins. For outer-membrane protein G, the lowest energy conformation has a RMSD of 2.62 A for the three extracellular interacting loops with a total length of 34 residues (12, 12 and 10 residues in each loop). Availability and implementation: The software is freely available at: tanto.bioe.uic.edu/m-DiSGro. Contact: ude.usf.tats@gnefnij or ude.ciu@gnailj Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
A molecular comparison of culturable aerobic heterotrophic bacteria and 16S rDNA clones derived from a deep subsurface sediment

Culture-based techniques have traditionally been the primary tools utilized for studying the microbiology of terrestrial subsurface environments. Recently, nucleic acid-based methods have been employed to further characterize the microbial diversity in subsurface sediments and rocks, but the results have not been related to individual bacteria cultivated from the same environment. Restriction fragment length profiles of 16S rRNA genes derived from bulk community DNA or bacterial isolates were compared to determine the efficacy of PCR-based methods for studying microbial diversity and phylogeny in a deep (188 m) subsurface environment. The phylogenetic relatedness between 16S rRNA genes of enrichment cultures and individual clones was also determined through DNA sequence analysis of 16S rRNA genes. Restriction fragment length profiles from PCR clone libraries accounted for 64% of recovered isolates and 55% of the estimated culturable diversity based upon their 16S rDNA RFLP signatures. DNA sequence comparisons between the 16S rDNA of the most commonly occurring isolates and clones confirmed that similar DNA sequences were contained within the RFLP groups used to categorize the isolates and clones. For 7 of 8 RFLP groups for which DNA sequences were obtained, nearest neighbor assignments corresponded at the genus level but suggested that 16S rDNA sequences from multiple genera were contained within single RFLP profiles. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA sequences supported the nearest neighbor inferences and indicated that 16S rDNA clones derived from bulk sediment were specifically related to isolates recovered on enrichment plates. This study has shown that a majority of the cultivated aerobic heterotrophic bacteria in a subsurface sediment could be described by 16S rDNA clones obtained from directly extracted DNA, but that PCR-based methods cannot account for all organisms from a given sample. Consequently, a more comprehensive assessment of microbial diversity in subsurface (and probably other) environments can be obtained by using a combination of culture- and molecular-based techniques than by using either method alone.
Computed Tomography-Guided Pudendal Nerve Block. A New Diagnostic Approach to Long-term Anoperineal Pain: A Report of Two Cases

Objective: To show the value of computed tomography (CT) in selectively blocking the pudendal nerve in patients with long-term anogenital pain of uncertain etiology. We report a technique to selectively block the pudendal nerve using CT guidance in 2 patients with long-term anogenital pain. Case Report: In 1 patient, a competitive cyclist, the diagnosis of pudendal neuralgia was substantiated by blocking the nerve under CT. The procedure relieved the pain for approximately 24 hours. In the other patient, pudendal nerve block produced perineal analgesia but no pain relief. Superior hypogastric plexus block relieved the pain significantly for about 4 weeks on 2 separate occasions, suggesting sympathetically maintained pain. Conclusion: The use of CT to guide the procedure allowed precision in performing the procedure and in making a differential diagnosis. Reg Anesth Pain Med 2000;25:420-423.
Formulation and stability of itraconazole and odanacatib nanoparticles: Governing physical parameters

The successful formulation of itraconazole and odanacatib into nanoparticle form with diameters of 145 and 350 nm, respectively, using rapid, block copolymer-directed precipitation is presented. These are the smallest stable nanoparticles that have been reported for these compounds. The difference in size of the nanoparticles for the two compounds is explained by the difference in nucleation rate and its dependence on supersaturation. The conditions for stability after formation are presented: storage at 5 degrees C and removal of residual processing solvent. These requirements are explained in terms of solute solubility and its dependence on both temperature and solvent concentration. The theory of Ostwald ripening provides the framework for understanding the differences in stability observed for the two compounds. The dynamics of the hydrophobic polymer block plays a major role in long-term stability as demonstrated by the behavior of nanoparticles stabilized by poloxamer vs polystyrene-b-polyethylene oxide polymers.
Further studies on the ethanol antagonism exhibited by 2(2-chloro-5-trifluoromethyl phenylimino) imidazolidine (St 587)

Abstract A lipid soluble α1-adrenoceptor agonist 2-(2-chloro-5-trifluoromethyl phenylimino) imidazolidine (St 587) dose-dependently antagonized the hypnotic, hypothermic and respiratory depressant effects of ethanol in C57B1/6 mice. This effect was present whether St 587 was given before or after ethanol. St 587 did not block the pentobarbitone-induced hypnosis. It also did not influence the elimination of ethanol. Combined treatment with a subhypnotic dose of ethanol and St 587 resulted in marked hyperactivity in mice. This effect was completely abolished by pimozide pretreatment. It was inferred that the dopamine released from brain areas by this dose offered by together with the norepinephrine receptor activation offered by St 587 resulted in this hyperactivity. Cirazoline, a more potent α1-adrenoceptor agonist than St 587 was relatively more effective than the latter in blocking the ethanol-induced hypnosis in mice. It seems that α1-adrenoceptor stimulation is a major contributing factor to the ethanol antagonism exerted by St 587. This drug might prove to be useful in the treatment of acute ethanol intoxication and in understanding the mode of action of ethanol.
Technical performance scores in congenital cardiac operations: a quality assessment initiative.

Background Technical performance in congenital cardiac operations and its association with clinical outcomes was previously examined in infants and neonates. The purpose of this study was the development and implementation of a system for measuring technical performance in the majority of congenital cardiac operations to be used as a surgeon's self-assessment tool. Methods Using the methodologic framework piloted at our institution, measures of technical performance were created for more than 90% of all congenital cardiac operations. Each operation was divided into multiple subprocedures to be assessed separately. Criteria for technical scores were created using a consensus panel of senior clinicians and were based primarily on the predischarge echocardiographic findings and need for early postoperative reinterventions. This system of procedure modules was then piloted by prospectively assigning technical scores to all patients undergoing operations. Results Thirty modules were created covering more than 90% of the cardiac operations performed. One hundred eighty-five patients were enlisted. One hundred one (54.6%) cases were scored as class 1 (highest), 46 (24.9%) cases as class 2, 22 (11.9%) cases as class 3 (lowest); 16 cases (8.6%) could not be scored. The results were further analyzed by RACHS (Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery) categories and outcomes. Valve-procedure–specific criteria were calibrated to reflect specific echocardiographic measurements. Conclusions The development and implementation of a broad technical performance self-assessment system for congenital cardiac operations is possible. Based on this scoring system, the impact of a less than optimal (2 or 3) technical score depends on case risk category, with higher mortality in the higher risk group, and increased resource use for lower risk procedures.
Gender Risks and Education: The Particular Classroom Challenges for Urban Low-Income African American Boys

A fundamental consideration in discourses on risk and schooling for primary and ^LjLsecondary school-age students focuses on gender inequalities in the classroom. Gender equity in education debates have raged for several decades and so remain an enduring concern of educators and researchers across the nation (Klein, Kramarae, & Richardson, 2007). Gender politics in classrooms, in teaching, and in teacher training have been accorded minimal to no attention by No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation and other educational policies. The blindness of NCLB, toward an approach best characterized by its "devil and/or god in the details," still sends parents, educators, and researchers battling over how much gender matters and how much these issues go unaddressed throughout the school day. A recent report by the American Association of University Women found no disadvantage toward boys in American education, and it discredited the niyth that boys are receiving less attention and less schooling as compared to that of girls (Corbett, Hill, & St. Rose, 2008). This report was in response to a pendulum swing in the field from the earlier position that girls were disadvantaged, particularly in math and science skills development. Gender war debates have used individual studies to document disadvantage on both ends. However, a consistent review of the literature tends to point to one challenging reality namely, that gender may be too broad a category in critically examining the more challenging problems of educational equity or in developing future training, programs, and policies to ameliorate educational risk for students in primary and secondary schools (Dee, 2005). We take issue with a broad definition of risk within the context of gender because it tends to focus on a universalism that masks subgroups of students at greatest risk
Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of an unknown primary localized to the neck. Advantages of an aggressive treatment

Treatment of patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of an unknown primary localized to the neck is still controversial, particularly regarding advanced disease. We reviewed 41 such patients treated with surgery and/or radiotherapy (RT) (n = 25) or with combined modality treatment including chemotherapy (CH) (n = 16). The male to female ratio was 28 to 13, and the median age was 58 years (range, 32 to 94 years). There were 27 (66%) patients with poorly differentiated SCC and 8 with moderately differentiated or well-differentiated cancer. Twenty-three (56%) patients had N3 disease, 16 (39%) had N2, and 2 had N1. The majority of N3 patients have been treated with CH and RT (n = 12) or with RT alone (n = 9). The combined CH-RT was well tolerated, with no life-threatening toxicity. The complete response (CR) to CH-RT was 81% (11 patients have no evidence of disease [NED] currently). The median survival time of this group was 37+ months. Of the 25 patients who had surgery and/or RT as their first planned treatment, 7 (28%) have NED currently. The median survival time of this group was 24 months. Patients with N3 disease who received CH had a higher CR rate and a longer survival time as compared with those treated with surgery and/or RT, despite a higher (N3) stage of disease. These findings warrant further investigation in randomized cooperative studies.
African Americans and Genetic Research, Risk Versus Benefit: Implications for the Profession of Social Work

The Human Genome Project was a 13-year study with great potential for improving the health of the current generation and extending the life of future generations. Genetic research, though showing potential for good, may also result in societal problems. This article considers the implications of future genetic research for African Americans and other vulnerable groups with a retrospective view of medical research and the African Americans' experience. In light of the growing health disparity between Whites and Blacks, this article argues for minority participation in clinical trials and other studies. It addresses the role of social workers as genetic counselors and encourages, especially social workers of color, involvement in the field of genetics as advocates, teachers, and as members of research teams.
Simplified Physically Based Model of Earthen Embankment Breaching

AbstractA simplified physically based model has been developed to simulate the breaching processes of homogenous and composite earthen embankments owing to overtopping and piping. The breach caused by overtopping flow is approximated as a flat broad-crested weir with a trapezoidal cross section, downstream connected with a vertical drop (headcut) and a straight slope for cohesive and noncohesive homogeneous embankments, respectively. For a composite dam with a clay core, the downstream becomes two straight slopes after the core is exposed. The breach by piping is assumed to be a flat pipe with rectangular cross section until the pipe top collapses and overtopping takes place. Sediment transport and morphology changes on the breach top flat section and downstream slopes and inside the pipe are calculated using a nonequilibrium total-load sediment transport model, whereas the time-averaged headcut migration rate is determined using an empirical formula. Stabilities of the side slope, pipe top, headcut, and ...
High-resolution VLBA imaging of the radio source Sgr A * at the Galactic Centre

Images of Sgr* A with milliarcsecond resolution obtained by using five telescopes of the partially completed Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) in conjunction with a few additional telescopes are presented. The image of Sgr A* at a wavelength of 3.6 cm confirms almost exactly the elliptical Gaussian model that has been proposed on the basis of previous data. The source size at 1.34 cm wavelength is 2.4 +/- 0.2 mas, similar to previous results. At both wavelengths, the radio source is smooth, without detectable fine structure. These observations support the suggestion that the radio emission from Sgr A* is strongly scattered by electron-density fluctuations along the line of sight. On the assumption that the emission is due to a black hole accreting stellar winds from massive stars in the central 0.5 pc, the observations are consistent with a black hole mass of less than about 2 million solar masses.
Single-molecule magnets: a reductive aggregation route to new types of Mn12 complexes

Three dodecanuclear Mn clusters [Mn12O10(OMe)3(OH)(O2CC6H3F2)16(MeOH)2]·8MeOH (1), [Mn12O10(OMe)4(O2CBut)16(MeOH)2] (2), and [Mn12O12(O2CBut)16(MeOH)4] (3) synthesized by reductive aggregation reactions are reported. Clusters 1 and 2 possess a central alkoxide-bridged planar Mn4 topology, whereas 3 is a new high-symmetry member of the normal Mn12 family. Complexes 1 and 2 crystallize in the monoclinic space groups C2/c and P21/n, respectively. Both consist of four MnIV and eight MnIII ions held together by 10 μ3-O2- ions, and either (i) one μ-OH- and three μ-MeO- groups for 1 or (ii) four μ-MeO- groups for 2. Complex 3 crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Aba2 and possesses the normal Mn12 structure but with terminal MeOH molecules. The cyclic voltammogram (CV) of 1 exhibits no reversible redox processes. Variable-temperature, solid-state dc and ac magnetic susceptibility measurements on 1 and 2 reveal that they possess S = 5 and 9 ground states, respectively. In addition, ac susceptibility measur...
Mathematical modeling of fatigue in physically demanding jobs

Abstract This paper applies catastrophe modeling to fatigue resulting from physically demanding work. It is shown that the cusp model is essentially the same as a mathematical model for behavioral fatigue originally proposed by Ioteyko (1920, La fatigue [Fatigue] (2nd ed.), Paris: Flammarion). The test of the model was nested in a standard personnel selection problem involving 129 employees of a Midwest manufacturer. Dynamometer measurements of arm, back, and leg strength were collected before and after a simulated task sequence, along with measurements of height, weight, body fat, and exercise habits. The cusp model for arm strength was substantially more accurate than linear modeling alternatives. Several variables were implicated in the process. The results argue in favor of the proposed paradigm for studying fatigue.
FIXED AND VARIABLE TIME PRESS AND SEX DIFFERENCES IN PRODUCTION OF VERBAL ORIGINALITY

Summary.-Thinking Creatively with Sounds and Words was administered to 42 male and 42 female students (Grades 7 through 9) to investigate the effects of time press (fixed vs variable) on sex differences in production of verbal originality. The results indicated that the main effects of time press and sex and their interaction effect were nonsignificant. Elements of creativity are defined by Rhodes (1961) as person, process, press, and products. Much research has been done in the area of person, process, and products, but relatively little has been done with press (Khatena, 1982). Press, as indicated by Rhodes (1961), refers to the relationship between individuals and their environment. McCurdy ( 1958), in an interesting study examined the childhood environments of twenty geniuses, and later Ammons and Ammons (1962a, 1962b) made a learning analysis of McCurdys' findings and their generalizations and applications. The results showed that as a child, the genius on one hand, learns habits of intellectual creativity and, on the other hand, does not learn habits which would compete with the habits of intellectual creativity in his environment. The findings not only show the important roles that external environalental conditions play in development of creative persons but also indicate that favorable conditions for development of genius arise very seldom in our current cultural environment. Time press is one of the environmental conditions that, by virtue of its controllability, has been the subject of several studies for its effects on creativity. One of the early studies is the Maltzman and associates' (195s) study of repeated presentation of the same stimulus words to evoke uncommon responses. They noted repeated elicitation of different responses to the same stimulus words increased originality of the responses. Another study by Mednick and associates (1764) tested the effects of associative priming, in the context of incubation, on production of verbal originality. The primed subjects gave reliably more correct answers than unprimed subjects; however, when three time relationships (immediate, pre-24 hr. and past-24 hr.) were included, the length and placement of time interval had no differential effect upon the subjects' performance. More recently, Khatena in a series of studies ( 1970, 1771, 1772, 1773a, 1973b) explored the effects of time press on production of verbal originality with repetition of word stimuli to fixed and variable time intervals
Correlations between Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) and Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (1H MRS) in schizophrenic patients and normal controls

Evidence suggests that white matter integrity may play an underlying pathophysiological role in schizophrenia. N-acetylaspartate (NAA), as measured by Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS), is a neuronal marker and is decreased in white matter lesions and regions of axonal loss. It has also been found to be reduced in the prefrontal and temporal regions in patients with schizophrenia. Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) allows one to measure the orientations of axonal tracts as well as the coherence of axonal bundles. DTI is thus sensitive to demyelination and other structural abnormalities. DTI has also shown abnormalities in these regions. MRS and DTI were obtained on 42 healthy subjects and 40 subjects with schizophrenia. The data was analyzed using regions of interests in the Dorso-Lateral Prefrontal white matter, Medial Temporal white matter and Occipital white matter using both imaging modalities. NAA was significantly reduced in the patient population in the Medial Temporal regions. DTI anisotropy indices were also reduced in the same Medial Temporal regions. NAA and DTI-anisotropy indices were also correlated in the left medial temporal region. Our results implicate defects in the medial temporal white matter in patients with schizophrenia. Moreover, MRS and DTI are complementary modalities for the study of white matter disruptions in patients with schizophrenia.
Verification of New Capabilities of Deterministic Load Module of FAVOR 09.1

This paper describes a computational study conducted by the Probabilistic Pressure Boundary Integrity Safety Assessment (PISA) program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in support of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) sponsored verification of the new capabilities of the latest version of Fracture Analysis of Vessels – Oak Ridge (FAVOR) 09.1. The v09.1 version of FAVOR represents a significant generalization over previous versions, because the problem class for FAVOR has been extended to encompass a broader range of transients and vessel geometries. FAVOR, v09.1, provides the capability to perform both deterministic and risk-informed fracture analyses of boiling water reactors (BWRs) as well as pressurized water reactors (PWRs) subjected to heat-up and cool-down transients. In this study, deterministic solutions generated with the FAVOR v09.1 code for a wide range of representative internal/external surface-breaking flaws and embedded flaws subjected to selected thermal-hydraulic transients were benchmarked with the solutions obtained from ABAQUS (version 6.9-1) for the same transients. Based on the benchmarking analyses, it is concluded that the deterministic module implemented into FAVOR, v09.1, satisfies the criteria described in the FAVOR software design documentation.© 2010 ASME
Rieger syndrome revisited: Experimental approaches using pharmacologic and antisense strategies to abrogate EGF and TGF-α functions resulting in dysmorphogenesis during embryonic mouse craniofacial morphogenesis

The major manifestations of Rieger syndrome (RS), an autosomal dominant disorder, include absent maxillary incisor teeth, malformations of the anterior chamber of the eye, and umbilical anomalies [Aarskog et al., 1983: Am J Med Genet 15:29–38; Gorlin et al., 1990: “Syndromes of the Head and Neck” 3rd ed.]. Linkage of RS to human chromosome 4q markers has been identified with tight linkage to epidermal growth factor (EGF) [Murray et al., 1992: Nat Genet 2:46–48]. Mutations associated with genes of the EGF superfamily are implicated in malformations arising from abnormal development of the first branchial arch [Ardinger et al., 1989: Am J Hum Genet 45:348–353; Sassani et al., 1993: Am J Med Genet 45:565–569]. Down-regulation of EGF during early mouse development results in ablation of tooth formation [Kronmiller et al., 1991: Dev Biol 147:485–488]. Since EGF, TGF-α, and EGF receptor (EGFr) transcripts are expressed in the mouse first branchial arch and derivatives, experimental strategies were employed to investigate the consequences of down-regulation of EGF translation and inhibition of EGF receptor during embryonic mandibular morphogenesis. Antisense inhibition of EGF expression produces mandibular dysmorphogenesis with decreased tooth bud size; these effects are reversed by the addition of exogenous EGF to the culture medium [Shum et al., 1993: Development 118:903–917]. TVrphostin RG 50864, which inhibits EGF receptor kinase activity, inhibits EGF or TGF-α stimulation of tyrosine phosphorylation in a concentration-dependent manner and severely retards mandibular development [Shum et al., 1993: Development 118:903–917]. These findings and the other evidence analyzed in this review support the hypothesis that RS represents abrogations of endogenous EGF signaling to regulate the size and shape of tooth formation during maxillary and mandibular morphogenesis. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Grandmothers' Use of Routines to Manage Custodial Care of Young Children

Principles of grounded theory guided a qualitative analysis of the occupational nature of late-life parenting among four grand- or great-grandmothers raising grandchildren and four typical age mothers. Semi-structured interview and video of in-home childcare routines furnished data relevant to understand how custodial grandmothers re-engage in the parental role after age 60 despite contextual barriers and age-related limitations. When presented with the situation to care, grandmothers activate prior role competencies and enfold the child into existing routines with only subtle contextual adaptations. Findings conceptualize the strength of prior experience as grandmothers make wise use of routine to meet the physical demands and energy challenges posed by late-life parenting.
Transformation-based high-level synthesis of fault-tolerant ASICs

The authors present a transformation-based approach to the high-level synthesis of fault-tolerant application-specific ICs (ASICs) satisfying a given performance constraint but requiring less than proportional increase in hardware over their nonredundant counterparts. They propose a synthesis methodology to exploit hardware minimizing transformations. A simple set of transformations are identified that minimize the fault-tolerance overhead. The selected transformations make the final design resilient to common mode failures. These transformations can be composed to form a rich set of complex transformations. An algorithm is presented to automatically identify structures in a flow graph where transformations can improve hardware utilization, and transformations that suit the structure best are applied. The system has been used to schedule several flow graphs. >
Acute versus primary care: the health care decision making process for individuals with severe mental illness.

Objectives: This study’s purpose was to determine factors influencing treatment choices of individuals with severe mental illness (SMI). The sample was drawn from admissions to residential crisis programs in San Francisco. Inclusion criteria were an Axis I and Axis III disorder. Methods: This qualitative study utilized grounded theory method. Interviews and field notes were coded for recurring themes. Descriptive data were also collected. Results: Participants revealed that the most important influences on treatment decisions were immediate need for care, the belief that their subacute complaints will not be taken seriously by providers, positive reinforcement for emergency service use, and enabling factors such as insurance coverage. Other remarkable findings included: numerous reports of substance induced medical crises, lack of support from family, and unawareness of client’s medical conditions in psychiatric facilities. Conclusions: Health care seeking behaviors are learned and learning that will promote the use of outpatient services in SMI must include positive experiences in the delivery of care in the primary care setting. Participants were knowledgeable regarding their
Escalation to High-Dose Defibrotide in Patients with Hepatic Veno-Occlusive Disease

Abstract Hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD) is a serious complication of high-dose chemotherapy regimens, such as those used in hematopoietic cell transplantation recipients. Defibrotide is considered a safe and effective treatment when dosed at 25 mg/kg/day. However, patients who develop VOD still have increased mortality despite the use of defibrotide. Data are limited on the use of doses above 60 mg/kg/day for persistent VOD. In this prospective clinical trial 34 patients received escalating doses of defibrotide. For patients with persistent VOD despite doses of 60 mg/kg/day, doses were increased to a maximum of 110 mg/kg/day. Increased toxicity was not observed until doses rose beyond 100 mg/kg/day. Patients receiving doses between 10 and 100 mg/kg/day experienced an average of 3 bleeding episodes per 100 days of treatment, whereas those receiving doses >100 mg/kg/day experienced 13.2 bleeding episodes per 100 days (P = .008). Moreover, dose reductions due to toxicity were needed at doses of 110 mg/kg/day more often than at lower doses. Defibrotide may be safely escalated to doses well above the current standard without an increase in bleeding risk. However, the efficacy of this dose-escalation strategy remains unclear, because outcomes were similar to published cohorts of patients receiving standard doses of defibrotide for VOD.
Two-Axis MEMS Lens Alignment System for Free-Space Optical Interconnect

We present a two-axis microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) lens aligner with a 260 μm × 220 μm translation range that positions a 6.35 mm lens with focal length f = 12.1 mm for alignment compensation of free-space optical interconnects (FSOIs) between computer servers separated by 50 mm spacing. Efficient ultrasonic linear piezoelectric motors (PMs) provide actuation with zero power required to hold the lens alignment. A four-channel FSOI is demonstrated with 1 × 4 vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) and photodiode (PD) arrays capable of 10 Gb/s transmission bandwidth. Demonstrated minimum step size of 1.68 μm is sufficient for aligning the 20 μm VCSEL spots onto the 40 μ m PD receivers. Force transmission between PMs and a silicon MEMS flexure stage is accomplished using a 1-mm steel ball bearing in a magnetic groove, providing compliance in the nondriven axis. The ball-coupling design has 15 μm backlash and induces a maximum of 8 μm of cross-axis motion.
Enhanced SNR estimates from direct-sequence spread-spectrum demodulator statistics

Demodulator statistics are used in a binary direct-sequence spread-spectrum receiver to improve the performance of a well-known signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) estimate for ratios of the binary symbol energy to one-sided noise density that are below approximately 7 dB. The new estimate requires no pilot symbols, training sequences, data symbol decisions, or channel measurements, and it can be obtained prior to decoding.
GENES WITH SOCIAL EFFECTS ARE EXPECTED TO HARBOR MORE SEQUENCE VARIATION WITHIN AND BETWEEN SPECIES

The equilibrium sequence diversity of genes within a population and the rate of sequence divergence between populations or species depends on a variety of factors, including expression pattern, mutation rate, nature of selection, random drift, and mating system. Here, we extend population genetic theory developed for maternal-effect genes to predict the equilibrium polymorphism within species and sequence divergence among species for genes with social effects on fitness. We show how the fitness effects of genes, mating system, and genetic system affect predicted gene polymorphism. We find that, because genes with indirect social effects on fitness effectively experience weaker selection, they are expected to harbor higher levels of polymorphism relative to genes with direct fitness effects. The relative increase in polymorphism is proportional to the inverse of the genetic relatedness between individuals expressing the gene and their social partners that experience the fitness effects of the gene. We find a similar pattern of more rapid divergence between populations or species for genes with indirect social effects relative to genes with direct effects. We focus our discussion on the social insects, organisms with diverse indirect genetic effects, mating and genetic systems, and we suggest specific examples for testing our predictions with emerging sociogenomic tools.
Development of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus in the cat

The development of the lateral geniculate nucleus has been studied systematically in Nissl preparations from a series of cats that ranged in age from newborn to adult. In addition, preliminary observations are reported at two stages of fetal development. It was found that laminae develop in the lateral geniculate nucleus near the time of birth and continue to differentiate during the first postnatal week. During development the major axis of the lateral geniculate rotates approximately 180 degrees in the sagittal plane. The rotation begins prenatally and is not completed until after the twentieth postnatal week. The volume of the lateral geniculate was computed at different ages and it was determined that during the first postnatal month the nucleus attains two-thirds of its adult size. However, the rate of growth declines markedly thereafter, and final volume, like final position, is not achieved until late in development. The cross-sectional areas of lateral geniculate neurons were measured at four locations in the nucleus in each animal. The locations represented the following parts of the visual field: the paracentral and inferior peripheral fields in the binocular segment of lamina A; the monocular segment of lamina A; and the paracentral field in lamina A1. Neurons in each of these locations grow at approximately the same rate and are essentially fully grown by 56 days. Cell size histograms show that more large cells are found in lamina A1 and more small cells in the monocular segment than elsewhere in the dorsal laminae. Unlike the retina, there appears not to be a gradient of development in the lateral geniculate nucleus from center to periphery, at least in terms of cell body size at the ages studied. On the contrary, that part of the lateral geniculate nucleus which represents the paracentral visual field is the last segment in the dorsal laminae to achieve a mature cell size distribution. Finally, a discrete class of small spindle-shaped neurons was observed in the lateral geniculate nucleus ventral and caudal to the C laminae during the first two postnatal weeks. These cells possess a leading and trailing cytoplasmic process and are distinctly different from cells in the main laminae. It is suggested that these spindle-shaped cells may be neurons that are still in the process of migration or differentiation in the postnatal animal.
An asymptotic bound on the distance of arithmetic codes

An asymptotic bound on the minimum distance is derived to show the existence of good high-rate multiple-error-correcting arithmetic codes.
Skeptics Can Win (But Almost Never Will)

Abstract I defend the radical claim that there are only two solutions to what Chisholm calls ‘The Problem of the Criterion’: methodological skepticism and a view which I would like to call ‘particularism’, if the label were not already taken. Finally, I consider how this result bears on a recent critique of skepticism offered by Thomas Kelly (2005), and argue that it fails.
Mood and Emotions in Small Groups and Work Teams

Affective influences abound in groups. In this article we propose an organizing model for understanding these affective influences and their effects on group life. We begin with individual-level affective characteristics that members bring to their groups: moods, emotions, sentiments, and emotional intelligence. These affective characteristics then combine to form a group's affective composition. We discuss explicit and implicit processes through which this affective combination occurs by examining the research on emotional contagion, entrainment, modeling, and the manipulation of affect. We also explore how elements of the affective context, such as organizationwide emotion norms and the group's particular emotional history, may serve to constrain or amplify group members' emotions. The outcome, group emotion, results from the combination of the group's affective composition and the affective context in which the group is behaving. Last, we focus on the important interaction between nonaffective factors and affective factors in group life and suggest a possible agenda for future research.
A Note Regarding the Speeds of Babcock Centrifuges

Summary The table of speeds of Babcock centrifuges in common use gives equal forces at the bottom of the cup, not in the bottle where the sample is placed. A new table has been calculated to produce equal forces at the fat-acid interface during the first centrifuging period. It is recommended that the use of small diameter centrifuges be discontinued because the force acting to remove water emulsified in the fat column is very small in the small machines.
Bi-Criteria Scheduling of Surgical Services for an Outpatient Procedure Center

Uncertainty in the duration of surgical procedures can cause long patient wait times, poor utilization of resources, and high overtime costs. We compare several heuristics for scheduling an Outpatient Procedure Center. First, a discrete event simulation model is used to evaluate how 12 different sequencing and patient appointment time-setting heuristics perform with respect to the competing criteria of expected patient waiting time and expected surgical suite overtime for a single day compared with current practice. Second, a bi-criteria genetic algorithm (GA) is used to determine if better solutions can be obtained for this single day scheduling problem. Third, we investigate the efficacy of the bi-criteria GA when surgeries are allowed to be moved to other days. We present numerical experiments based on real data from a large health care provider. Our analysis provides insight into the best scheduling heuristics, and the trade-off between patient and health care provider-based criteria. Finally, we summarize several important managerial insights based on our findings.