cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Klebsiella pneumoniae type 3 fimbria-mediated immunity to infection in the murine model of respiratory disease

Type 3 fimbriae are expressed by most strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae and facilitate adherence to the basement membrane of human respiratory tissues. The ability of these appendages to stimulate a protective immune response in vivo has not been investigated. A murine model of acute pneumonia was used to determine whether the production of type 3 fimbria-specific antibodies correlated with protection against infection by K. pneumoniae. Purified fimbriae from several strains were used to immunize mice prior to challenge with a virulent strain. The immunized mice produced high titers of specific antibody and this was associated with protection against challenge with a low dose of bacteria that was lethal in unimmunized animals. However, challenge with a high number of bacteria resulted in no protection against infection.
The importance of surface recombination and energy-bandgap arrowing in p-n-junction silicon solar cells

Experimental data demonstrating the sensitivity of open-circuit voltage to front-surface conditions are presented for a variety of p-n-junction silicon solar cells. Analytical models accounting for the data are defined and supported by additional experiments. The models and the data imply that a) surface recombination significantly limits the open-circuit voltage (and the short-circuit current) of typical silicon cells, and b) energy-bandgap narrowing is important in the manifestation of these limitations. The models suggest modifications in both the structural design and the fabrication processing of the cells that would result in substantial improvements in cell performance. The benefits of one such modification-the addition of a thin thermal silicon-dioxide layer on the front surface-are indicated experimentally.
The mitogenic response to stimulation with basic calcium phosphate crystals is accompanied by induction and secretion of collagenase in human fibroblasts.

Synovial fluid basic calcium phosphate (BCP) crystals are associated with severe destructive arthro-pathies that are characterized by synovial proliferation and digestion of articular collagenous structures. BCP crystals are potent mitogens, which may account for this proliferation. The role of collagenase in articular degradation is controversial because, despite the massive loss of collagen, no studies have confirmed collagenolytic activity in synovial fluid, as originally reported. We investigated collagenase messenger RNA induction and enzyme activity in human foreskin flbroblasts proliferating in response to stimulation with BCP crystals, and analyzed the associated secreted proteins. Northern blots revealed a dose-dependent accumulation of collagenase message, evident by 4 hours and continuing to at least 36 hours, in BCP-stimulated cultures. One- and 2-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of conditioned media from BCP crystal–stimulated cultures revealed the selective induction of 2 proteins with molecular weight and pI values consistent with those of collagenase. Increased enzyme activity was also found. Thus, the mitogenic response of fibroblasts to BCP crystals is accompanied by collagenase induction and secretion, supporting the hypothesis that they act as a mediator of joint destruction in BCP crystal–associated arthropathies.
Transient Plane Source Method for Thermal Property Measurements of Metal Hydrides

Metal hydrides are promising hydrogen storage materials with potential for practical use in a passenger car. To be a viable hydrogen storage option, metal hydride heat transfer behavior must be well understood and accounted for. As such, the thermal properties of the metal hydride are measured and compiled to assess this behavior. These properties include thermal conductivity, specific heat, and thermal diffusivity. The transient plane source (TPS) method was selected primarily due to a high level of versatility, including customization for high pressure hydrogen environments. To perform this measurement, a TPS 2500 S thermal property analyzer by the Hot Disk Company was employed. To understand the measurement and analysis process of the TPS method, two different sample materials were evaluated at ambient conditions. These samples included a stainless steel pellet and an inactivated (non-pyrophoric) metal hydride pellet. Thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of these samples were measured using the TPS method. The thermal property measurements are compared to the data available in the literature (stainless steel) and the data obtained using laser flash method (metal hydride). The improvements needed to successfully implement the TPS method are discussed in detail.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Marital Name Change as a Window into Gender Attitudes

The need to revise scholars’ approach to the measurement of gender attitudes—long dominated by the separate-spheres paradigm—is growing increasingly timely as women’s share of the labor force approaches parity with men’s. Recent years have seen revived interest in marital name change as a gendered practice with the potential to aid in this task; however, scholars have yet to test its effectiveness as one possible indicator of gender attitudes. In this article we present views toward marital name change as a potential window into contemporary gender attitudes and most centrally as an illustration of the types of measures that hold great potential for attitudinal research. Using quantitative analyses from a national survey, we show that views on name change reflect expected sociodemographic cleavages and are more strongly linked to a wide array of other gender-related attitudes than are views regarding gendered separate spheres—even net of sociodemographic factors. We then turn to interlinked qualitative da...
Biosensor for the nonspecific determination of ionic surfactants.

We report the analytical figures of merit for the first biosensor for ionic surfactant quantification. The biosensor consists of a silanized silica optical fiber, onto which acrylodan-labeled bovine serum albumin (BSA-Ac) is immobilized. Recent work from our laboratory on native BSA-Ac (Lundgren, J. S.; Bright, F. V. J. Phys. Chem. 1996, 100, 8580−8586) has shown that ionic surfactants dehydrate the local environment surrounding the lone acrylodan residue, open up the pocket hosting the acrylodan reporter group, and dramatically increase the segmental mobility of domain I in BSA. In the current work, we use BSA-Ac as an actual biorecognition element for surfactant detection and quantification. We also compare several BSA-Ac immobilization strategies and determine the analytical figures of merit for the BSA-Ac-based biosensor to a prototypical analyte, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The biosensor linear dynamic range extends from 5 to 60 μM, and the t90 response time (90% of the total response) is ...
Regulation of gonadotropin release, GnRH receptors, and gonadotrope responsiveness: A role for GnRH receptor microaggregation

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulates luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) release from pituitary gonadotrope cells. Additional receptor-mediated actions of the releasing hormone include homologous regulation of both the GnRH receptor and of cell responsiveness. While it is apparent that the release mechanism is Ca2+ mediated, it remains unclear how this receptor-mediated action is integrated with regulation of the receptor and with cell responsiveness. It is the purpose of this review to describe the requirements for gonadotropin release as well as for receptor and response regulation in order to prepare an integrated model for these actions of the releasing hormone.
Photoelectron Count Distributions Due to Periodic Irradiance Modulation

Ejected photoelectron count probability distribution due to periodic irradiance modulation of amplitude stabilized light beam
Effect of diltiazem, a calcium antagonist, on renin secretion from rat kidney slices

Abstract The purpose of these experiments was to characterize the effects of diltiazem on renin secretion from rat renal cortical slices. Incubation of slices in 60 versus 4 mM K medium almost completely abolished renin secretion. Diltiazem antagonized the inhibitory effect in a concentration-dependent manner but had no effect on secretion of slices incubated in 4 mM K medium. Lowering extracellular Ca enhanced the efficacy of diltiazem. These observations demonstrate that Ca influx through voltage-sensitive Ca channels mediates the inhibitory effect of depolarization and further demonstrate that such channels are not open in the basal state of this preparation. In the presence of a concentration of diltiazem which blocked the inhibitory effects of depolarization, both angiotensin II and antidiuretic hormone (ADH) still inhibited secretion. Therefore, both these peptides inhibit secretion by mechanisms which are independent of the voltage-sensitive Ca channels. These observations confirm and extend previous observations suggesting that Ca plays an inhibitory coupling role in the control of renin secretion.
Retinal prosthetic strategy with the capacity to restore normal vision

Retinal prosthetics offer hope for patients with retinal degenerative diseases. There are 20–25 million people worldwide who are blind or facing blindness due to these diseases, and they have few treatment options. Drug therapies are able to help a small fraction of the population, but for the vast majority, their best hope is through prosthetic devices [reviewed in Chader et al. (2009) Prog Brain Res 175:317–332]. Current prosthetics, however, are still very limited in the vision that they provide: for example, they allow for perception of spots of light and high-contrast edges, but not natural images. Efforts to improve prosthetic capabilities have focused largely on increasing the resolution of the device’s stimulators (either electrodes or optogenetic transducers). Here, we show that a second factor is also critical: driving the stimulators with the retina’s neural code. Using the mouse as a model system, we generated a prosthetic system that incorporates the code. This dramatically increased the system’s capabilities—well beyond what can be achieved just by increasing resolution. Furthermore, the results show, using 9,800 optogenetically stimulated ganglion cell responses, that the combined effect of using the code and high-resolution stimulation is able to bring prosthetic capabilities into the realm of normal image representation.
Retroperitoneal Placement of an ICD Generator: A Solution for a Difficult Problem

A woman experienced multiple episodes of pocket erosion after placement of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator culminating in a pocket infection. The device was placed in a retroperitoneal location, and the patient has not developed further episodes of pocket erosion or infection. Interrogation of the device in this position and its subsequent replacement have been straightforward.
Kinetic study on replacement of hydrogen by deuterium at (100)Si/SiO2 interfaces

The kinetics for the replacement process of hydrogen by deuterium at the (100)Si/SiO2 interface is studied. Metal–oxide–semiconductor devices were initially annealed in hydrogen and then reannealed in deuterium at various temperatures for various durations. The deuterium concentration CD, defined as the percentage of interface defects passivated by deuterium, was then determined by a technique that is solely based on electrical measurements. From fundamental kinetics, activation energy E for replacing hydrogen by deuterium at the (100)Si/SiO2 interface is determined to be 1.84 eV. This result suggests that the replacement of hydrogen by deuterium involves a process of the dissociation of molecular deuterium at the interface.
Attributions of success and failure for actors and observers

Abstract Causal attributions of a person actually experiencing a success or failure (the actor) and someone who read about the situation (the observer) were compared. Results supported Jones and Nisbett (1971) . Actors were relatively more likely to perceive their outcomes as caused by external factors (task difficulty), while observers attributed these outcomes more to internal factors (effort). Attributions for both actors and observers were also strongly affected by whether the outcome was a success or failure. Hypotheses concerning sex differences in attributions were not supported.
Effect of backscattering in phase conjugation with weak scatterers

An extension is presented of a recently developed theory (based on the first Born approximation) of cancellation of distortions by phase conjugation. The influence of backscattering of both the incident and the conjugate waves is considered. It is shown that, when backscattering is taken into account, distortions are not eliminated by phase conjugation, except when the conjugate wave is generated without a loss or a gain.
Effects of Freudian sexual symbolism in advertising on self-reported purchasing tendencies: a preliminary intrabrand analysis

A preliminary study measured the effects of Freudian sexual symbolism in liquor advertisements on self-reported purchasing tendencies by comparing symbolic versus nonsymbolic advertisements of the same brand of liquor (intrabrand). The analysis generally indicated greater purchasing tendencies for symbolic than for nonsymbolic advertisements. Findings suggest that symbolic advertisements may unconsciously motivate consumers to purchase certain products and, when sexual symbols are present versus absent, advertisements of the same product may influence consumers differently.
Stepwise translocation of nucleic acid motors

Recent single molecule studies have made a significant contribution to the understanding of the molecular mechanism involved in the movement of motor proteins which process DNA and RNA. Measurement of stepsize in two disparate motors, NS3 helicase and ribosome both revealed 3-bp steps, which consist of three hidden substeps. Combined with previous structural studies, NS3 is likely taking a single nucleotide step of translocation coupled to one ATP binding event and this mode may be conserved in multitude of helicases. Such a stepwise translocation movement appears to occur through main contacts with the phosphate backbone. Double stranded RNA and DNA motor, RIG-I and phi29, respectively, showed translocation on a duplex while tracking exclusively a single strand of RNA or DNA in a directional manner, 5'-3' in both cases. Spontaneous dynamics displayed by ribosome ratcheting and SSB (single stranded DNA binding protein) diffusing on DNA were rectified by interacting cofactors and proteins, EF-G and RecA, respectively.
Improving the workflow while reducing the costs: using XML for web site content management in government agencies

XML seems to be a promising alternative for developing and managing e-government web sites. However, there is a lack of empirical research about the use of XML for web site content management in government settings. Based on a multi-method research study, this poster will describe some of the advantages and challenges of using XML. Specifically, it will highlight its potential to streamline the publication workflow while reducing web site maintenance costs. It will also present the potential of XML to achieve greater consistency and allow for multiple formats using a single-source document.
Evidence for a Calpeptin-sensitive Protein-tyrosine Phosphatase Upstream of the Small GTPase Rho A NOVEL ROLE FOR THE CALPAIN INHIBITOR CALPEPTIN IN THE INHIBITION OF PROTEIN-TYROSINE PHOSPHATASES

Activation of the thiol protease calpain results in proteolysis of focal adhesion-associated proteins and severing of cytoskeletal-integrin links. We employed a commonly used inhibitor of calpain, calpeptin, to examine a role for this protease in the reorganization of the cytoskeleton under a variety of conditions. Calpeptin induced stress fiber formation in both forskolin-treated REF-52 fibroblasts and serum-starved Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts. Surprisingly, calpeptin was the only calpain inhibitor of several tested with the ability to induce these effects, suggesting that calpeptin may act on targets besides calpain. Here we show that calpeptin inhibits tyrosine phosphatases, enhancing tyrosine phosphorylation particularly of paxillin. Calpeptin preferentially inhibits membrane-associated phosphatase activity. Consistent with this observation, in vitro phosphatase assays using purified glutathione S-transferase fusion proteins demonstrated a preference for the transmembrane protein-tyrosine phosphatase-alpha over the cytosolic protein-tyrosine phosphatase-1B. Furthermore, unlike wide spectrum inhibitors of tyrosine phosphatases such as pervanadate, calpeptin appeared to inhibit a subset of phosphatases. Calpeptin-induced assembly of stress fibers was inhibited by botulinum toxin C3, indicating that calpeptin is acting on a phosphatase upstream of the small GTPase Rho, a protein that controls stress fiber and focal adhesion assembly. Not only does this work reveal that calpeptin is an inhibitor of protein-tyrosine phosphatases, but it suggests that calpeptin will be a valuable tool to identify the phosphatase activity upstream of Rho.
Diagnosis and treatment of vein of Galen aneurysmal malformations

Introduction Vein of Galen aneurysmal malformations (VGAM) are rare but clinically significant intracranial arteriovenous shunt lesions that most often present in neonates and infants.
Synthesis and evaluation of 1-[11C]methyl-4-aryl-piperazinium salts as myocardial imaging agents

Our previous study with radioiodinated 1-methyl-1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-4- phenylpiperazinium derivatives indicated that these compounds localize selectively in the rat myocardium. Based upon these results, 1-[11C]methyl-1-alkyl-4-phenylpiperazinium cations were synthesized and evaluated for their potential as myocardial imaging agents. Biodistribution studies were performed in rats and imaging studies in normal dogs. The results indicate high concentrations of 3-4% ID/g in the rat heart at 5 min, comparable to those obtained with the radioiodinated analogs. Sequential imaging of the canine heart showed a similar pattern of uptake. The level of activity reached at 20 min was maintained over the 1-h time period. These results suggest that the phenylpiperazinium agents may have potential application as myocardial imaging agents.
Hepatitis B in liver transplant recipients

Key Concepts: 1 The use of low-dose immunosuppressive therapy along with pre- and posttransplantation nucleos(t)ide therapy and posttransplantation hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) has yielded marked improvements in survival. 2 Lamivudine (Epivir-HBV), adefovir (Hepsera), entecavir (Baraclude), tenofovir (Viread), emtricitabine (Emtriva), and the combination drugs tenofovir + emtricitabine (Truvada) and abacavir + lamivudine (Epzicom) are effective nucleos(t)ide antiviral agents that, in some cases, may help reverse liver disease sufficiently to avoid transplant. 3 In posttransplantation patients, virus suppression with some combination of HBIG and the nucleos(t)ide agents may prevent graft loss and death or the need for a second transplant. 4 In both the pre- and posttransplantation setting, the goal of hepatitis B virus management is complete virus suppression. 5 The use of low-dose intramuscular HBIG is evolving, with studies showing that dosing and cost can be reduced by 50–300% with a customized approach. 6 Elimination of HBIG from the treatment paradigm is currently under evaluation and may be possible with the use of newer medications that have no or low resistance rates. 7 Although there is growing evidence that some types of combination therapy may decrease the chance that drug resistance will develop and increase the likelihood of long-term success in preventing graft loss and death, additional research will be required to determine which combinations will work well in the long term, and which will not. Liver Transpl 12:S54–S64, 2006. © 2006 AASLD.
A comparison of surfactant delivery with conventional mechanical ventilation and partial liquid ventilation in meconium aspiration injury.

Abstract The objective of this study was to compare surfactant (SF) distribution and physiological effects after standard SF delivery during conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV) with that using partial liquid ventilation (PLV). A model of meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) was developed using two groups of adult rats ( n =14). After meconium instillation of 2·5 ml kg −1 (20% v/w), SF/CMV: ( n =7) CMV and SF/PLV: ( n =7) PLV, received 14 C-labeled surfactant (4 ml kg −1 ) delivered intratracheally in four aliquots over 20 min in both groups. Sequential measurements of arterial blood chemistry and lung mechanics were performed in all animals. At the conclusion of experiments, lungs were inflated (30 cmH 2 O), dried, sectioned and evaluated for radioactivity in disintegrations per minute (DPM). Surfactant distribution was improved ( P vs. 30·9% of the pieces receiving within 25% of the mean amount of surfactant, respectively. Further, regional distribution was also significantly more uniform with PLV than CMV: left vs right ( P vs. dorsal ( P 2 and ventilation efficiency index were significantly ( P
Robustness issues regarding content-corrected tolerance limits

This article reviews the content-corrected method for tolerance limits proposed by Fernholz and Gillespie (2001) and addresses some robustness issues that affect the length of the corresponding interval as well as the corrected content value. The content-corrected method for k-factor tolerance limits consists of obtaining a bootstrap corrected value p* that is robust in the sense of preserving the confidence coefficient for a variety of distributions. We propose several location/scale robust alternatives to obtain robust corrected-content k-factor tolerance limits that produce shorter intervals when outlying observations are present. We analyze the Hadamard differentiability to insure bootstrap consistency for large samples. We define the breakdown point for the particular statistic to be bootstrapped, and we obtain the influence function and the value of the breakdown point for the traditional and the robust statistics. Two examples showing the advantage of using these robust alternatives are also included.
Fluosilicates as Insecticides for the Japanese Beetle

The insecticidal value of the fluosilicates for control of the Japanese beetle was studied during the past two seasons. The results indicate that the fluosilicates of barium, potassium and sodium are of the same order of toxicity as acid lead arsenate.
Studies of dished accelerator grids for 30-cm ion thrusters

Geometrically different sets of dished accelerator grids were tested on five 30-cm thrusters. The geometric variation of the grids included the grid-to-grid spacing, the screen and accelerator hole diameters and thicknesses, the screen and accelerator open area fractions, ratio of dish depth to the dish diameter, compensation, and aperture shape. In general, the data taken over a range of beam currents for each grid set included the minimum total accelerating voltage required to extract a given beam current and the minimum accelerator grid voltage required to prevent electron backstreaming.
Coplanar-waveguide/microstrip probe coupler and applications to antennas

A method to couple microwave power from a coplanar waveguide to a microstrip line on opposite sides of a ground plane is demonstrated. The coupler uses a metallic post which passes through an aperture on the ground plane connecting the strip conductor of the coplanar waveguide to the microstrip line. The measured insertion loss and return loss are about 1 dB and 10 dB, respectively, across the frequency range of 0.045-6.5 GHz. To demonstrate potential applications of the coupler as a feeding network for a microstrip patch array, measured radiation patterns of two rectangular patch antennas with a direct coplanar-waveguide/microstrip feed and with a proximity coupled coplanar-waveguide/microstrip feed are presented.
A note on a quadratic formulation for linear complementarity problems

In this note, we discuss some properties of a quadratic formulation for linear complementarity problems. Projected SOR methods proposed by Mangasarian apply to symmetric matrices only. The quadratic formulation discussed here makes it possible to use these SOR methods for solving nonsymmetric LCPs. SOR schemes based on this formulation preserve sparsity. For proper choice of a free parameter, this quadratic formulation also preserves convexity. The value of the quadratic function for the solution of original LCP is also known.
The validity of "conceptual span" as a measure of working memory capacity

Three experiments tested whether a modified version of the Clustered Conceptual Span task (H. J. Haarmann, E. J. Davelaar, & M. Usher, 2003), which ostensibly requires active maintenance of semantic representations, predicted individual differences in higher-order cognitive abilities better than short-term memory (STM) span tasks or nonsemantic versions of the "Conceptual" task did. Nonsemantic Conceptual tasks presented short word lists clustered by color, first letter, or initial vowel sound, and cued subjects to recall only 1 of 3 clusters from each list; the Semantic task clustered words by taxonomic category. The Semantic Conceptual task generally failed to predict incremental variance in either verbal abilities or general fluid intelligence beyond the other Conceptual tasks or STM span tasks. Although the Semantic task showed a stronger relation to working memory span tasks than did the nonsemantic tasks (Experiment 3), that stronger relation did not translate into strong prediction of cognitive individual differences.
Strong evidence for universals in facial expressions: A reply to Russell's mistaken critique.

J. A. Russell (1994) misrepresents what universality means, misinterprets the evidence from past studies, and fails to consider or report findings that disagree with his position. New data are introduced that decisively answer the central question that Russell raises about the use of a forced-choice format in many of the past studies. This article also shows that his many other qualms about other aspects of the design of the studies of literate cultures have no merit. Russell's critique of the preliterate cultures is inaccurate; he does not fully disclose what those who studied preliterate subjects did or what they concluded that they had found. Taking account of all of Russell's qualms, my analysis shows that the evidence from both literate and preliterate cultures is overwhelming in support of universals in facial expressions.
High-temperature creep and resultant anisotropy in ultrasonic velocity in isotropic graphite

Plastic deformation of isotropic graphite in the vicinity of 2500 °C was studied using an Instron-type testing machine. The load-deflection curve was found to show a proportional limit at high temperature. Creep curves of graphite were also measured and were simulated by an empirical equation based on parabolic creep. Following the creep tests, ultrasonic velocity in the elongated graphite was measured. The velocity showed 5%–20% decrease after the creep. Below 2500 °C, the rate of velocity decrease along the elongation axis was always larger than that across the elongation axis. Above 2500 °C, this behaviour was reversed with the rate of velocity decrease across the elongation axis being the larger. The rate of decrease appeared to depend firstly on temperature and secondly on stress.
An alternative method for the certification of the sulfur mass fraction in coal Standard Reference Materials.

The S mass fractions of coal SRMs 2682b, 2684b, and 2685b are certified by direct comparison with coal SRMs 2682a, 2684a, and 2685a, respectively, using high-temperature combustion analysis with infrared (IR) absorption detection. The S mass fractions of the “a” materials used for calibration were previously determined by means of isotope-dilution thermal-ionization mass spectrometry (ID-TIMS). Therefore, the comparisons performed with the combustion–IR absorption method establish direct traceability links to accurate and precise ID-TIMS measurements. The expanded uncertainties associated with the certified S mass fractions are of approximately the same magnitude as would be expected for the ID-TIMS methodology. An important aspect of these certifications is that each “b” material is essentially identical with the corresponding “a” material, because both were produced from the same bulk, homogenized coal. As a test of the efficacy of the new certification approach when calibrant and unknown are not identical, the S mass fraction of coal SRM 2683b has been determined by direct comparison to coal SRM 2683a. These two coals, which have both previously been analyzed with ID-TIMS, are different in terms of S content and other properties. Whereas the S mass fraction for SRM 2683b determined with the new methodology agrees statistically with the ID-TIMS value, there is reason for caution in such cases. In addition to the usefulness of the alternative approach for certification activities within NIST, this approach might also be an excellent way of establishing NIST traceability during the value assignment process for reference materials not issued by NIST. Further research is needed, however, to understand better the scope of applicability.
On the Measurement of Ideation Quality

Ideation is a key step in organizational problem solving, so researchers have developed a variety of technological interventions for improving ideation quality, which we define as the degree to which an ideation activity produces ideas that are helpful in attaining a goal. In this paper, we examine the four measures typically used to evaluate ideation quality, including idea-count, sum-of-quality, average-quality, and good-idea-count, and discuss their validity and potential biases. An experimental study comparing three levels of social comparison was used to illustrate the differences in the ideation quality measures and revealed that research conclusions were dependent on the measure used. Based on our analysis of the measures and experimental results, we recommend that only good-idea-count be used as a measure to evaluate ideation treatments and call into question research that has based its findings on the other measures. Finally, we discuss implications for research and other potential approaches to evaluating ideation quality.
PCN14: CHOICE OF LOCALIZED BREAST CANCER TREATMENTS IN A MEDICARE POPULATION: A COMPARISON OF OUTCOMES AND COSTS

OBJECTIVES: In this study we compared outcomes and costs between three treatments options (mastectomy (MRM), breast conservation surgery with radiation (BCSRT), and breast conservation surgery only (BCSO)) for elderly women with localized breast cancer. METHODS: The sample was a national random sample from Medicare claims of 2,821 elderly women treated between 1992 to 1994 for localized breast cancer. Data on patient preferences were collected in patient interviews conducted in 1997. The outcomes studied were 5-year survival, Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALY), total costs and cost/QALY. For each outcome we used univariate, multivariate and instrumental variable analysis to compare the differences between treatments. The instrumental variables used were geographic region, and distance to nearest radiation facility. RESULTS: There were 1813 patients who received MRM, 704 who received BCSRT, and 304 who received BCSO. The multivariate analysis showed significantly higher survival for BCSRT relative to MRM (4.21 vs. 4.13) and significantly higher QALYs (3.50 vs. 3.45), but the IV analysis found an insignificant difference opposite in sign. Costs were significantly higher for BCSRT relative to MRM ($54,073 vs. $37,327 in multivariate analysis). The cost-effectiveness ratio of BCSRT relative to MRM is $334,920/QALY (CI:$80,000 to NW) per QALY using multivariate estimates and dominated using IV estimates. CONCLUSION: Survival and QALYs are statistically higher in traditional analyses of the BCSRT group relative to MRM, but the IV analysis suggests an upward bias due to the selection of healthier patients into BCSRT. This finding is consistent with previous studies. Costs are unequivocally higher in the BCSRT group suggesting BCSRT is not a cost-effective option relative to MRM. Supplemental analyses suggests that the presence of choice between MRM and BCSRT raises the quality of life for all elderly women independent of the choice that is made. Thus, choice is costly but valuable.
Specifically alkylated DNA fragments. Synthesis and Physical Characterization of D[cGC(o2Me)GCG]and d[cGT(O6Me) GCG]

Abstract Two hexamer DNA fragments containing a carcinogenic modified base, O6-methyl guanine, have been synthesized by a solid-phase phosphotriester method, in which the unmodified guanine residues present were O6 protected with the 4-nitrophenylethyl group. These two alkylated oligonucleotides were found to have similar Tm's about 40° lower than the unmodified parent compund, d(CG)3. Moreover, the presence of the (O6Me)G appears to inhibit the B→Z transition, as determined by CD spectroscopy.
Misplaced paranoia over subliminal advertising: what's the big uproar this time?

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to revisit the concept of subliminal advertising as a response to August Bullock's recent book The Secret Sales Pitch: An Overview of Subliminal Advertising.Design/methodology/approach – Citing published research and using Bullock's own words, this article refutes Bullocks viewpoint of subliminal advertising.Findings – The article finds that Bullock's book is based on his personal interpretation while he ignores research that refutes his claims.Practical implications – The concept of subliminal advertising cannot be substantiated by only opinion, and research does not support the concept.Originality/value – The article questions this newest view of subliminal advertising and reminds marketers, advertisers, and consumers of subliminal advertising being an invalid concept.
Implementing Enrichment Clusters in Elementary Schools: Lessons Learned

Enrichment clusters offer a way for schools to encourage a high level of learning as students and adults work together to develop a product, service, or performance by applying advanced knowledge and authentic processes to real-world problems. This study utilized a qualitative research design to examine the perceptions and experiences of two enrichment specialists who led the implementation of enrichment clusters in their schools. The perceptions of the participants hold particular value, as the success of clusters depends heavily on the ability of the specialist to effectively plan and organize clusters so that they meet the needs of administrators, teachers, students, and parents. Findings indicated that the participants felt that clusters were worthwhile, despite the time and effort required for implementation. A number of factors were considered critical for the success of clusters, including time and money, teachers as facilitators, focusing on student interests, and planning for rules, routines, and procedures. In addition, the participants identified several ways in which clusters were adapted in order to meet the needs of the school. The study indicates implications, and limitations of these findings are also discussed.
Similarities in the induction of synthesis of a cell-surface polypeptide in Arthrobacter sp. by near-UV irradiation and photodynamic conditions.

Irradiation of aerobic suspensions of Arthrobacter sp. with near-UV light (310-400 nm) induced synthesis of a 21 000 dalton, cell-surface polypeptide. Synthesis of this polypeptide also was induced by visible light in the presence of photodynamic dyes, as shown previously (Hoober, 1978). Induction of the polypeptide in near-UV light and with visible light plus dyes was inhibited by histidine. Hemin inhibited induction in near-UV light and in visible light with methylene blue, neutral red and acrifiavin, which are cationic dyes, but failed to inhibit induction in visible light with rose bengal, an anionic dye. These results suggested that inhibition by hemin required electrostatically favored interaction between the anionic porphyrin and the sensitizer, and that the near-UV light effect was mediated by a cationic or neutral endogenous sensitizer. The similarities in the responses of the cells to near-UV irradiation and visible light plus dyes suggested that the mechanism of induction under the two conditions was the same.
Spectrophotometric measurement of Nosema algerae (Microspora: Nosematidae) spore germination rate

Abstract The visible process of polar tube emergence and sporoplasm expulsion, during which the Nosema algerae spore also becomes phase-contrast dark, takes only 1–2 sec. This rapid germination event occurs, at 30°C in 100 m m NaCl at pH 9.5, after a lag time of 1–4 min. Presence of the germinant (NaCl) was required only during the first 35% of the lag time. Maximum percentage germination (ca. 85%) causes 55% reduction in the optical density (OD) of a suspension of spores. Percentage germination is highly correlated with OD reduction (r = 0.946). Continuous spectrophotometric recording of a suspension of germinating spores produces a sigmoid curve, regardless of the final percentage germination. Germination rates (slopes) and lag times (LT50) were obtained through linear regression of probit-transformed percentage changes in OD. The relative effects of CaCl2 inhibition and reduced temperatures on maximum OD change, slope, and LT50 were different. These results demonstrate that kinetic studies might provide some insight on the germination mechanism.
Optimal Work‐Rest Schedules with a Set of Fixed‐Duration Rest Periods

This paper demonstrates that the problem of optimizing the work output of an individual employee, subject to a set of fixed-duration rest periods over a continuous time horizon, can be modeled with a quadratic programming formulation. Exogenous determination of break period durations may result from union contracts, management policies, or necessary lower bounds on break time due to transportation or other requirements. Although the new formulation is more complex than that required for previous models, an efficient solution procedure is presented which avoids the complexities of nonlinear programming. The number of iterations required for convergence is bounded from above by the number of rest periods to be scheduled and all computations are simple. An illustration of the procedure demonstrates that it may be effectively used without computer support. While this research was motivated by the fact that previous work-rest models were not applicable to work horizons which contained a fixed-duration meal break, the procedure can be used to obtain optimal placement for a set of fixed-duration rest periods which may or may not include a meal break. The characteristics of optimal strategies for a set of fixed-duration breaks proofs are shown to have implications for the design of shifts which are potentially more attractive and productive than shifts based upon typical practice. These characteristics are also compared to the general characteristics of optimal policies associated with endogenously determined break durations. This comparison provides insight into the possible consequences of exogenous determination of break durations. This paper concludes with suggestions for additional research.
Determination of Methyl Tert. Butyl Ether (MTBE) in Gasoline

Abstract A GLC-acid extraction method is described for the determination of MTBE in gasolines. The method consists of a programmed GLC analysis starting at about room temperature conducted before and after extraction with cold 85% phosphoric acid. This treatment results in the preferential solubility of ethers and other oxygenated compounds while minimizing the reaction of olefins and aromatics which may be present in the gasolines. Plotting various known concentrations of MTBE in gasolines against the concentrations determined in the same samples by our methodolgy results in a straight line relationship. The concentration of MTBE in any sample of gasoline may thus be determined using our GLC extraction procedure and the calibration line. The analysis can accomodate a wide choice of standard GLC columns and programs.
Polymerase chain reaction‐based monitoring techniques for the detection of insecticide resistance‐associated point mutations and their potential applications

The design of three PCR-based monitoring techniques for the genotyping of cyclodiene-resistant insects are described: (1) PCR followed by a diagnostic restriction enzyme digest or PCR/REN, (2) PCR amplification of specific alleles or PASA and (3) single-stranded conformational polymorphism analysis of PCR-amplified DNA or SSCP. The relative disadvantages and potential applications of each of these techniques are discussed and compared to the use of insecticide bioassays. It is concluded that, although such technique will probably never replace bioassays for routine monitoring, they can more readily address several fundamental questions relating to the evolution and spread of specific resistance alleles in insect populations
Mechanisms of dynamic fragmentation: Factors governing fragment size

The fragment size produced in the dynamic fragmentation process is the central issue of this study. Theoretical developments based independently on inherent fracture-producing flaw concepts and on energy balance concepts have been reported previously. These theories are examined and tested on several applications, including oil shale fragmentation, dynamic fragmentation of expanding metal shells and rings, dynamic liquid fragmentation, and propellant fracturing of drill holes in rock. A description of dynamic fragmentation is proposed which reconciles the need for both fracture flaw and energy balance concepts. Preliminary computational studies of dynamic fracture and fragmentation are described which illustrate the relative importance and range of influence of fracture flaw and energy balance effects.
Comment on a Generalized Corresponding-States Method for the Prediction of Surface Tension of Pure Liquids and Liquid Mixtures

This article provides comments on "Generalized corresponding-states method for the prediction of surface tension of pure liquids and liquid mixtures," published in the 'Journal of Colloid and Interface Science' in 1982.
The influence of electric field exposure on bone growth and fracture repair in rats.

Rats were exposed to a 60-Hz electric field at an unperturbed field strength of 100 kV/m to determine its affect on bone growth and fracture repair. Exposure of immature male and female rats for 20 h/day for 30 days did not alter growth rate, cortical bone area, or medullary cavity area of the tibia. In another experiment, midfibular osteotomies were performed and the juvenile rats were exposed at 100 kV/m for 14 days. Evaluation by resistance to deformation and breaking strength indicated that fracture repair was not as advanced in the exposed animals as in the sham-exposed animals. In another experiment measurements of resistance to deformation were made in adult rats at 16, 20 and 26 days after osteotmy. Fracture repair was slower in exposed compared to control animals at day 20 and, to a lesser extent, at day 16, but not at day 26. 28 references, 6 tables.
Vortex formation in a proposed detonation internal combustion engine

A possible configuration for taking advantage of detonation combustion in an internal combustion engine is described, which uses a separate detonation combustion chamber that discharges tangentially into a vortex chamber formed by the piston and cylinder at top dead center. The vortex chamber is designed to efficiently store a portion of the kinetic energy produced by the detonation wave in the form of a vortex, which would subsequently be converted into static pressure. By placing this chamber above the piston surface, the detonation and primary shock waves are directed parallel to the piston surface, thus avoiding potentially destructive loads to the piston. The rapid burning followed by mixing with air in the vortex chamber may reduce the formation of NOx and unburned hydrocarbons as compared to conventional combustion. Such a configuration may efficiently take advantage of clean-burning slow-deflagrating fuels such as natural gas to yield constant volume-type efficiencies. Shock wave propagation through the vortex chamber was simulated to qualitatively observe the vortex storage and rapid mixing characteristics. 30 refs.
Adult versus Pediatric Neuroblastoma: The M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Experience

Background. Staging and treatment of adult neuroblastoma has yet to be formalized. We sought to determine the utility of the pediatric classification system in adults and determine the efficacy of different treatment modalities. Methods. Medical records of 118 adults (patients >17 years old) and 112 pediatric patients (ages 2-17), who were treated for neuroblastoma at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center from January 1994 to September 2012, were reviewed. International neuroblastoma risk group (INRG) variables were abstracted. The primary outcome of interest was actuarial progression-free survival. Results. Median age of pediatric patients was 5 years (range 3-16) and 47 years (range 18-82) for adult patients. There were no differences in PFS or OS between stage-matched risk categories between pediatric and adult patients (L1-P = 0.40, L2-P = 0.54, and M-P = 0.73). In the treatment of L1 disease, median PFS for adults treated with surgery and radiation was 11.1 months compared with single modality local treatment ± chemotherapy (6.4 and 5.1 months, resp.; P = 0.07). Median PFS in L2 adult patients was 5.2 months with local therapy and 4 months with the addition of chemotherapy (P = 0.23). Conclusions. Adult and pediatric patients with neuroblastoma achieve similar survival outcomes. INRG classification should be employed to stratify adult neuroblastoma patients and help select treatment.
Ancient, giant riboswitches at atomic resolution

Two recent reports on the structures of cobalamin riboswitches uncover amazing details on how a ubiquitous riboswitch class selectively grips a large and ancient coenzyme, revealing that some variants in this class have evolved to detect a different metabolite target.
Analytic image reconstruction in local phase-contrast tomography

Phase-contrast tomography is a non-interferometric imaging technique for reconstructing the refractive index distribution of a weakly absorbing object from a set of tomographic projection measurements. In many practical situations, the spatial resolution of the reconstructed image can be increased by minimizing the field of view (FOV) of the imaging system. When the object of interest is larger than the FOV, the measured projections are truncated and one is faced with a local tomography reconstruction problem. In this work, we analytically and numerically investigate the problem of reconstructing tomographic images from truncated phase-contrast projection data. A simple backprojection algorithm for reconstructing object discontinuities from truncated phase-contrast projection data is proposed and investigated that involves no explicit filtering of the projection data. We also investigate the use of the filtered backprojection algorithm and a local tomography reconstruction algorithm developed for absorption CT. These reconstruction algorithms are implemented and numerically investigated to corroborate our theoretical assertions.