cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In the name of the “advancement” of behavior therapy: Is it all in a name?

Almost since its inception, the behavior therapy movement has defined itself in terms of advancement. Advancement, in turn, implies progress or moving forward, not stagnation, or regress and moving backward. Over the last 30 years, behavior therapy has witnessed notable advancements, but also periods of stagnation, and at times regress. The challenge of advancement entails progress both from within behavior therapy and from without. Recent trends within the field suggest more attention to the latter than the former. Behavior therapy, therefore, is at risk of failing to advance as a progressive basic and applied science. For the science and practice of behavior therapy to be a viable force within the larger psychological community, health care, and society, it must revisit its theoretical and basic science foundations and continue to move forward from within.
Pediatric Craniomaxillofacial Trauma

The management of facial injuries has historically focused on adult trauma, accompanied by a conservative approach in the management of pediatric patients. Although facial injuries occur less frequently in children than adults, the pediatric emergency medicine physician will encounter these injuries frequently. A working knowledge of the different types of craniofacial injuries is required to make a diagnosis, order appropriate imaging, and facilitate management. This article reviews common injury patterns, pertinent anatomy and growth patterns, diagnostic tests of choice, and management considerations for pediatric craniomaxillofacial injuries.
Measurement of MOSFET channel potential profile

A method for the extraction of the channel potential of a MOSFET from the gate-to-drain capacitance is presented. The method is demonstrated on two devices. Comparison is made between experimental results and numerical simulation. It is shown that a potential drop within the drain diffusion would reduce the actual voltage drop across the channel. A technique to account for this voltage drop is also given. >
Sources of registration error with image guidance systems during endoscopic anterior cranial base surgery.

Abstract Objectives The goal of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the registration process and to identify potential sources of error during anterior cranial base surgery. Study design and setting The registration accuracy of image guidance and the location of excluded fiducials were recorded prospectively from 50 endoscopic, anterior cranial base procedures in an academic university setting. Results The mean error of initial registration was 2.8 mm (range, 1.4 to 7.1 mm). Following the exclusion of fiducials the mean error of registration was 1.6 mm (range, 0.6 to 3.7 mm). There was a significant improvement in the mean error rate from initial to final registration following the exclusion of fiducials ( P P = 0.64). Conclusions The accuracy of the Stryker Image Guidance System is enhanced by the exclusion of individual fiducials with high registration errors. Significance The exclusion of fiducials with high registration errors increases the accuracy of image guidance in anterior cranial base surgery.
Xylose isomerase improves growth and ethanol production rates from biomass sugars for both Saccharomyces pastorianus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The demand for biofuel ethanol made from clean, renewable nonfood sources is growing. Cellulosic biomass, such as switch grass (Panicum virgatum L.), is an alternative feedstock for ethanol production; however, cellulosic feedstock hydrolysates contain high levels of xylose, which needs to be converted to ethanol to meet economic feasibility. In this study, the effects of xylose isomerase on cell growth and ethanol production from biomass sugars representative of switch grass were investigated using low cell density cultures. The lager yeast species Saccharomyces pastorianus was grown with immobilized xylose isomerase in the fermentation step to determine the impact of the glucose and xylose concentrations on the ethanol production rates. Ethanol production rates were improved due to xylose isomerase; however, the positive effect was not due solely to the conversion of xylose to xylulose. Xylose isomerase also has glucose isomerase activity, so to better understand the impact of the xylose isomerase on S. pastorianus, growth and ethanol production were examined in cultures provided fructose as the sole carbon. It was observed that growth and ethanol production rates were higher for the fructose cultures with xylose isomerase even in the absence of xylose. To determine whether the positive effects of xylose isomerase extended to other yeast species, a side-by-side comparison of S. pastorianus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was conducted. These comparisons demonstrated that the xylose isomerase increased ethanol productivity for both the yeast species by increasing the glucose consumption rate. These results suggest that xylose isomerase can contribute to improved ethanol productivity, even without significant xylose conversion.
Results of a Community Pharmacy-Based Breast Cancer Risk-Assessment and Education Program

We tested the hypothesis that an education program addressing breast cancer screening schedules and modalities coupled with a breast cancer risk assessment provided by community pharmacists can increase women's confidence in performing screening practices endorsed by the American Cancer Society (ACS). This randomized, paired, pre-post study was conducted in six community pharmacies and two health-screening fairs; subjects were 140 women over 18 years of age. The pharmacist-administered program used the Breast Cancer Risk-Assessment Tool (Gail model) software provided by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health. In addition, pharmacists provided education and training on breast self-examination (BSE), clinical breast examination (CBE), and mammography. Adherence to ACS guidelines for monthly BSE increased from 31% to 56% (p<0.001) for all women 6 months after the program. Performance of monthly BSE by women considered at high risk for developing breast cancer increased from 20% to 60% (p<0.005). The mean number of BSEs performed over 6 months increased from 2.69 to 4.09 (p<0.001). Women's confidence performing correct BSE improved from 6.41 to 7.04 (p<0.001) on a scale of 0-10. Adherence to ACS guidelines for CBE and mammography did not reveal statistically significant improvements except for better adherence to CBE in women aged 40-49 years (81% to 97%, p<0.025). The strength of the pharmacists' intervention may not appear as manipulation of high-risk patients' behavior but as improvement of self-directed behaviors, such as BSE, across all age groups.
Factors related to functional status after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty

Objective To describe the recovery process 1 year after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and measure factors that influence functional status.
Navigation of an autonomous ground vehicle using the subsumption architecture

The subsumption architecture is used to provide an autonomous vehicle with the means to stay within the boundaries of a course while avoiding obstacles. A three- layered network has been devised incorporating computer vision, ultrasonic ranging, and tactile sensing. The computer vision system operates at the lowest level of the network to generate a preliminary vehicle heading based upon detected course boundaries. The network's next level performs long-range obstacle detection using an array of ultrasonic sensors. The range map created by these sensors is used to augment the preliminary heading. At the highest level, tactile sensors are used for short-range obstacle detection and serve as an emergency response to obstacle collisions. The computer vision subsystem is implemented on a personal computer, while both ranging systems reside on a microcontroller. Sensor fusion within a subsumption framework is also executed on the microcontroller. The resulting outputs of the subsumption network are actuator commands to control steering and propulsion motors. THe major contribution of this paper is as a case study of the application of the subsumption architecture to the design of an autonomous ground vehicle.
A Quantitative Comparison of Leading-edge Vortices in Incompressible and Supersonic Flows

When requiring quantitative data on delta-wing vortices for design purposes, low-speed results have often been extrapolated to configurations intended for supersonic operation. This practice stems from a lack of database owing to difficulties that plague measurement techniques in high-speed flows. In the present paper an attempt is made to examine this practice by comparing quantitative data on the nearwake properties of such vortices in incompressible and supersonic flows. The incompressible flow data are obtained in experiments conducted in a low-speed wind tunnel. Detailed flow-field properties, including vorticity and turbulence characteristics, obtained by hot-wire and pressure probe surveys are documented. These data are compared, wherever possible, with available data from a past work for a Mach 2.49 flow for the same wing geometry and angles-of-attack. The results indicate that quantitative similarities exist in the distributions of total pressure and swirl velocity. However, the streamwise velocity of the core exhibits different trends. The axial flow characteristics of the vortices in the two regimes are examined, and a candidate theory is discussed.
Homo Economus? Economic Information and Economic Voting

Although retrospective economic voting does not require voters to have precise information about recent economic conditions, it is arguably the case that the quality of retrospective voting as a democratic accountability mechanism hinges on the degree to which citizens have reasonably accu rate perceptions of the state of the economy In this paper we test a model of the accuracy of individuals' perceptions of national economic condi tions. Utilizing data collected in a survey of residents of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, during the 1992 presidential campaign, we depict perceptual accuracy as a function of four sets of independent variables: (1) personal characteristics likely to enhance citizens' political and economic cognition; (2) perceptions of economic threat; (3) interest in politics and/or econom ics ; and (4) exposure to media sources. Our findings point to the impor tance of personal characteristics, such as socioeconomic status, gender, race, and age, as well as retrospective personal evaluations...
β-ENDORPHIN STIMULATES THE SECRETION OF INSULIN AND GLUCAGON IN HUMANS

Administration of β-endorphin as an iv bolus elicited an acute and simultaneous rise in insulin and glucagon levels within 5 min in fasting normal male and female subjects. This was followed by an increase in the concentration of plasma glucose. The elevation of plasma insulin, glucagon and glucose levels lasted for up to 120 min. These observations suggest a possible role for β-endorphin in the regulation of α and β cell function within the pancreatic islets.
Osmium vapor fixation of pulmonary surfactant

Electron microscopic techniques presently employed to preserve the alveolar lining layer are inadequate, and published reports have failed to demonstrate surfactant as a continuous layer over the alveolar surface. Osmium vapor insufflation into the airway combined with vascular perfusion preserves the alveolar lining layer (surfactant). In all the alveoli studied, the combination of airway and vascular fixation of the surfactant layer offers a visualization of surfactant as a continuous layer over the alveolar surface.
The population biology of coevolution

New populational approaches to the study of coevolution among species are confronting two major problems: the geographic scale at which coevolution proceeds, and the long-standing issue of how species may coevolve with more than one other species. By incorporating the ecological structure of life histories and populations into analyses of the coevolutionary process, these studies are indicating that coevolutionary change is much more ecologically dynamic than indicated by earlier work. Rather than simply a slow, stately process shaping species over long periods of time, parts of the coevolutionary process may proceed rapidly (sometimes observable in less than a decade), continually molding and remolding populations and communities locally and over broad geographic scales.
Could a score of industrial organization economists agree on competition

Twenty experienced I.O. economists were asked to classify 19 industries as competitive, oligopoly or monopoly. There was considerable agreement. More than two thirds of the economists agreed on the classification for 14 of the industries. Only in the case of nursing homes was there substantial disagreement among the panelists.
A note on the design of screen-filled wide-angle diffusers

Abstract The design of wide-angle diffusers using screens to control flow separation is analyzed on the basis of diffuser equations and performance charts, and the limited experimental data available. The relationship between diffuser geometry and the necessary screen losses to maintain attached flow is examined on the basis of a diagram showing screen loss coefficients plotted against diffuser area ratios, in which attached and separated flow regions are depicted. The possibility of designs with some (limited) overall gain in pressure in the diffuser, and a consequent reduction in energy losses, is discussed.
An Empirical Investigation of Costs in Batching Decisions

This paper examines the use of costs and cost functions to model lot-sizing decisions in batch manufacturing. The cost functions used to model a wide variety of manufacturing systems are typically derived from average cost models of unconstrained inventory problems. The use of setups and average inventories as the basis for modeling the economics of a typical batch manufacturing cell is shown to be inadequate. An alternative physical model that focuses on lead times provides a model that more closely represents the underlying value of such a cell.
Selective inhibition of crystal growth on octacalcium phosphate and nonstoichiometric hydroxyapatite by pyrophosphate at physiological concentration

Octacalcium phosphate, Ca8H2(PO4)6·5H2O (OCP), appears to be a precursor in biomineral formation. The formation of OCP as the precursor is supported by the observation that stoichiometric hydroxyapatite, Ca5(PO4)3OH (OHAp), cannot form directly because of the presence of its growth inhibitors in serum. Therefore, the effects of the physiological concentration of pyrophosphate (P2O4-7), one of the most important calcium phosphate growth inhibitors in blood, on calcium phosphate growth rates on OCP and nonstoichiometric OHAp (apatite) seeds were measured. The amounts of seed crystals used to initiate the growth were adjusted by trial and error so that the control growth rates (in the absence of P2O4-7) were the same on both OCP and apatite seeds at a given supersaturation. The crystal growth on both kinds of seed crystals from supersaturated solutions in the presence of 1μM P2O4-7 added once (“one-time” addition) at constant pH (7.4) and 25°C was determined by KOH titration and decreases in Ca and PO4 concentrations in the solutions. Crystal growth on OCP seed crystals in the presence of a constant concentration of 1μM P2O4−7 was also measured. The growing phases were characterized by ‡Ca/‡PO4 ratios, chemical potential plots, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). The results of this study show that: (1) P2O4−7 ions inhibited the growth on the apatite seeds more than on the OCP seeds; (2) apparently OCP precipitated on both types of seeds, followed by its hydrolysis to a more apatite-like phase; (3) slower crystal growth was observed on OCP seeds in the presence of a constant physiological concentration of P2O4−7 (1μM) than in the “one-time” addition of P2O4−7.
Quantitative forecasting of near‐term solar activity and upper atmospheric density

[1] Autoregressive algorithms are developed to forecast solar activity on timescales of 1 to 10 days and utilized to forecast upper atmospheric densities using the NRLMSIS density specification model. Quantitative assessment of solar activity observations and forecasts made over 27 years (from 1980 to 2006) indicates that the chromospheric Mg index is superior to the coronal F10.7 radio flux, both as a proxy for the day-to-day EUV irradiance variations that drive density changes and as an input to empirical models for density forecasts. For 1- to 10-day Mg forecasts, the average of the root-mean-square error (evaluated in 81-day windows and averaged over the 27 years) increases from 3% to 13%; for F10.7, the corresponding forecast uncertainty increases from 5% to 20%. We demonstrate how the use of Mg instead of F10.7 reduces the errors in forecasting upper atmospheric density changes by comparing orbit-derived and forecast density changes along the tracks of two low earth-orbiting objects. For the Yohkoh orbit, the 3-day Mg and F10.7 forecasts have average root-mean-square errors of 29% and 30%, respectively. For the 10-day solar activity forecasts, the errors are 37% and 41%. Although the improvement using Mg is evident, density uncertainties arising from errors in the solar activity forecasts are on average three to five times smaller than the uncertainties in the combined NRLMSIS density specification model and density data. To improve density forecasts, better characterization of the upper atmospheric response to solar and other drivers is needed.
Molecular structures of two conjugated ene-ynes derived from thiophene

The crystal structures of two conjugated ene-yne derivatives of thiophene are described, 2,5-di-(trimethylsilylethynyl)-3,4-dibromothiophene (1), is triclinic P\(\bar 1\) witha=6.3281(4)A,b=9.7421(6)A,c=16.3669(9)A; α=80.516(5)°, β=84.810(5)°, γ=74.072(5)°,Z=2,R=0.054; 2,3,4,5-tetra(trimethylsilylethynyl)thiophene (2), is monoclinic, P21/c with a=20.928(2)A b=5.852(1)A,c=23.907(2)A; β=100.245(6)°,Z=4,R=0.049. The ethynylic C atoms of both compounds lie near the thiophene plane, with deviations in the range 0.010(3)–0.455(4)A. The phenyl groups of2 form a dihedral angle of 13.0(4)°.
Alzheimer disease and frontotemporal dementias : Behavioral distinctions

Background: Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a syndrome produced by lobar degeneration of the temporal and/or frontal lobes. Objectives: To quantify the behavioral disturbances of FTD and compare them with behavioral changes observed in Alzheimer disease (AD). Design: Cross-sectional comparison of 2 groups defined by research diagnostic criteria and single photon emission computed tomography. Behaviors were assessed using a standardized rating scale—Neuropsychiatric Inventory. Groups were matched for dementia severity. Setting: Patients were seen at 2 university-based outpatient dementia clinics and a Veterans Affairs medical center. Participants: Twenty-two patients with FTD and 30 patients with AD. Results: Patients with FTD had significantly greater total Neuropsychiatric Inventory scores than patients with AD and exhibited more apathy, disinhibition, euphoria, and aberrant motor behavior. The Neuropsychiatric Inventory accurately assigned 77% of patients with FTD and 77% of patients with AD to the correct diagnostic group using disinhibition, apathy, and depression. Patients with FTD had higher levels of disinhibition and apathy with relatively lower levels of depression compared with patients with AD. Conclusions: The Neuropsychiatric Inventory provides a behavioral profile that differentiates patients with FTD from patients with AD. Patients with FTD are more behaviorally disturbed but are often less depressed than patients with AD relative to their level of apathy.
The hsp90-based chaperone system: Involvement in signal transduction from a variety of hormone and growth factor receptors

A variety of transcription factors and protein kinases involved in signal transduction are recovered from cells in heterocomplexes containing the abundant protein chaperone hsp90. Genetic studies in yeast have demonstrated that binding of steroid receptors, the dioxin receptor, and some protein kinases to hsp90 is critical for their signal transducing function in vivo. These heterocomplexes are formed by a multiprotein chaperone machinery consisting of at least four ubiquitous proteins--hsp90, hsp70, p60 and p23. Four high-molecular-weight immunophilins have been discovered as components of steroid receptor or other transcription factor complexes with hsp90. The immunophilins, protein chaperones with prolyl isomerase activity, bind the immunosuppressant drugs FK506 or CyP-40. These immunophilins all bind via tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) domains to a single TPR binding site on each hsp90 dimer, and multiple heterocomplexes exist for each protein chaperoned by hsp90 according to the immunophilin that is bound to this TPR binding site at any time. Three components of the MAP kinase signalling system (Src, Raf, and Mek) exist in complexes with hsp90 and a 50-kDa protein that is the mammalian homolog of the yeast cell cycle control protein cdc37. The p50cdc37 binds to hsp90 at a site that is close to but different from the TPR binding site of the immunophilins, and like the immunophilins, p50cdc37 is thought to be involved in targeting and trafficking of the protein kinases. The recent introduction of the benzoquinone antibiotic geldanamycin has facilitated the identification of proteins that are chaperoned by the hsp90-based system. Geldanamycin binds to members of the hsp90 protein family, blocking assembly of hsp90 heterocomplexes and destabilizing preformed heterocomplexes. In the presence of geldanamycin, the function of hsp90-chaperoned proteins is disrupted, and the proteins undergo rapid degradation by an ubiquitin-dependent proteasomal mechanism. It is becoming clear that hsp90 chaperoning is not only essential to a variety of signal transduction pathways, but is critical for proper folding, stabilization, and trafficking of an expanding list of proteins.
The impact of regulation fair disclosure on earnings management and analyst forecast bias

Regulation Fair Disclosure (FD) has changed the information transfer process in the US securities market. We examine the impact that regulation FD has had on earnings management and analyst forecast bias. First, we examine the accuracy of financial analysts' earnings forecasts in the post-FD period. We find that analysts have become less accurate in forecasting earnings in the post-FD period and tend to overestimate earnings more relative to the pre-FD period. Second, we examine the level of earnings management after the passage of regulation FD and we find that the level of earnings management did not change after the implementation of regulation FD
The relationship between three-dimensional connectivity and the elastic properties of trabecular bone

A finite-element model was used to explore the relationship between connectivity density and the elastic modulus of trabecular bone. Six cubic specimens of trabecular bone, three prepared from human distal radii and three from L1 vertebrae, were imaged with synchrotron microtomography. The three-dimensional images were reconstructed into binary volumes of mineralized bone and soft tissue, and incorporated into the finite-element model. The relationship between three-dimensional connectivity and elastic modulus was explored by uniform thinning (atrophy) and thickening (recovery) of the trabecular bone. Though no functional relationship was found between connectivity and elastic modulus, there was a linear relationship, after a full cycle of atrophy and recovery, between the loss of elastic modulus and the overall loss of connectivity. The results indicate that recovery of mechanical function depends on preserving or restoring trabecular connectivity.
BoLA-DIB: species distribution, linkage with DOB, and northern analysis.

Summary The bovine major histocompatibility complex differs from that of other species in that it has a second group of class II genes that are separated from the classical class I/class II complex by 15 to 20 centimorgans. Two class II bovine genes, BoLA-DYA and BoLA-DIB, seem to be unique based on sequence analysis. To investigate the occurrence of one of these genes, BoLA-DIB, in other species, a DIB 2nd domain exon probe was hybridized to Southern genomic blots containing DNA from representatives from a variety of mammalian families. The probe hybridized only with DNA from representatives of the Cervidae, Giraffidae and Bovidae families, indicating that significant sequence similarity to DIB may be confined to these families. Analysis of the linkage relationship between DIB and DOB in cattle half-sib families did not yield any recombinants among 39 informative offspring, indicating that DIB maps within the second group of class II bovine genes; DOB has previously been mapped to the second group of class II genes. A 1st domain exon probe from BoLA-DQB hybridized to RNA from either stimulated or unstimulated peripheral bovine lymphocytes, while 1st domain exon probes from BoLA-DIB and HLA-DOB gave no hybridization signals, indicating that transcription in peripheral lymphocytes of these genes is at least very minor compared to BoLA-DQB.
The opening of the two pores of the Hv1 voltage-gated proton channel is tuned by cooperativity

In voltage-gated sodium, potassium and calcium channels, the functions of ion conduction and voltage sensing are performed by two distinct structural units: the pore domain and the voltage-sensing domain (VSD). In the hydrogen voltage-gated channel 1 (Hv1), the VSD, unusually, performs both functions. Hv1 was recently found to dimerize and to form channels made of two pores. However, the channels were also found to function when dimerization was prevented, raising a question about the functional role of dimerization. Here we show that the two subunits of the human Hv1 dimer influence one another during gating, with positive cooperativity shaping the response to voltage of the two pores. We also find that the two voltage sensors undergo conformational changes that precede pore opening and that these conformational changes are allosterically coupled between the two subunits. Our results point to an important role for dimerization in the modulation of Hv1 activity.
Infrared Laser Surface Treatment Of Sheet Molding Compound (SMC) For Adhesive Bonding: The Effect Of Power Density And Fluence On Adhesive Properties

Many automotive parts, such as hoods and decklids, are made by adhesively bonding sheet molding compound (SMC) sub-assemblies. The presence of contaminants such as mold releases, together with variable chemical composition, characterizes the SMC surface. Thus some form of surface preparation is required to ensure reproducible adhesive bonding. This paper describes how a reproducible bonding surface can be obtained by ablation of the variable outer layer with an infrared laser. The effect of laser beam power density and fluence on surface properties, ablation depth, and adhesion is discussed. As laser beam delivery systems can be readily automated, this procedure has substantial potential for use in an automated SMC manufacturing system.
A 3-cocycle in quantum mechanics

Abstract We find the existence of a non-vanishing 3-cocycle in the unitary, gauge-invariant, ray representations of translations for the quantum mechanics of a charged particle in a background magnetic monopole field. The 3-cocycle can be removed by passing to the central extension of the Lie algebra of translations, or the algebra can be made associative by imposing the Dirac quantization condition.
Comparison of Campus and Family Dietary Guideline Practices of College Students

Abstract Previous research of college student eating patterns shows that some students adopt dietary guideline (DG) recommendations by reducing fat and increasing use of fruits and vegetables. The purpose of this study was to identify similarities between campus DG practices of college students with those of the families in which they grew up. DG questions followed the USDA format used previously with college students at this university with frequency ratings of seldom to daily. Responses to Campus DG Practices resulted in two factors. One, Unhealthy Campus DG Practices, included fried and processed meats, salty snacks, high fat desserts, and other add-ons and condiments high in fat and sodium. The other, Healthy Campus DG Practices, emphasized exercise and carbohydrate choices (fruits, vegetables, grains), and low-fat meat and milk choices. Family DG Practices produced four interpretable factors - Fruits and Vegetable; High Fat Food; Chinese-Mideastern Patterns; and Italian Patterns. The statistically significant correlation between Family High Fat Food Practices and Unhealthy Campus DG Practices indicates those students from families with high fat diets are currently eating fewer healthy foods. The fact that there was no correlation between the Family Fruit and Vegetable pattern and campus eating patterns suggests that being exposed to a diet high in fruit and vegetables in the home doesn't guarantee that college students will follow a similar diet - i.e., eating fruits and vegetables in the home was unrelated to current eating practices. This latter finding parallels the national influence of away-from-home foods that results in American diets with higher calories and fats than home prepared meals. In general, DG messages appear to be oriented to college women.
Immunochemical characterization and cellular distribution of protein kinase C isozymes in the bovine corpus luteum

Abstract Research was conducted to determine the nature of the isoforms of protein kinase C (PKC) present in the bovine (Bos taurus) corpus luteum (CL) and their subcellular distribution. Western blot analysis was performed using isozyme-specific polyclonal antibodies and revealed that the bovine corpus luteum contains the α and ϵ isozymes of PKC, but not the β, γ, δ or ζ isozymes. Subcellular fractionation demonstrated that the α and ϵ isozymes of PKC were present in both the cytosolic and plasma membrane fractions. Densitometric measurements of Western blots of the subcellular luteal PKC fractions indicated that PKCα was found predominantly in the cytosolic fraction, whereas the majority of PKCϵ was associated with the plasma membrane.
Three-dimensional curved beam stress analysis of the human femur.

Abstract We discuss an analytical approach to the investigation of the normal, shear, and principal stresses transmitted to the human femur. Two cases are considered: in the first the femur is treated as a three dimensional isotropic curved beam, and in the second as a three dimensional anisotropic composite curved beam, consisting of two different materials, the spongy bone and the cortical bone. The composite beam theory is used to investigate stresses in the femur, in which the spongy bone is surrounded by a cortical bone jacket; compatibility of stresses and strains being introduced at the interface of the two bones in order to derive the stress equations at any point in the cross section. General loading conditions are considered in the analysis, in which the femur is subjected to normal and shear forces, and to biaxial bending and twisting moments.
Intravitreal moxifloxacin: retinal safety study with electroretinography and histopathology in animal models.

PURPOSE. To determine whether moxifloxacin can be used safely as an intraocular antibiotic, retinal safety of intravitreal moxifloxacin was studied with electroretinography (ERG) and histopathology in animal models. METHODS. Moxifloxacin was injected into mouse eyes at intravitreal concentrations of 5 to 500 g/mL and into rabbit eyes at 150 g/mL. As the control, the vehicle was injected into the fellow eyes of each animal. Four weeks after injection, ERG recordings were performed, and animal eyes were processed for histologic examination. RESULTS. ERG studies showed no significant difference between control and moxifloxacin-injected eyes at any dose in either the mouse or rabbit model. Histologic examination revealed no retinal abnormality in mice at 5 to 100 g/mL or in rabbits at 150 g/mL intravitreal moxifloxacin. In mice at 500 g/mL, occasional focal retinal necroses were observed, suggesting isolated retinal toxicity at this concentration of moxifloxacin. CONCLUSIONS. Intravitreal moxifloxacin, up to 100 g/mL in mice or 150 g/mL in rabbits, caused no ERG or retinal histologic abnormality. These results indicate that moxifloxacin is a safe intravitreal antibiotic in mouse and rabbit animal models. If proven safe and efficacious by further study in humans, intravitreal injection of moxifloxacin could be considered as an alternative to currently used antibiotics in selected patients with resistance or allergy to the more traditional antibiotics. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2006;47:1606‐1611) DOI:
Use of intravascular ultrasound in the endovascular management of atherosclerotic aortoiliac occlusive disease.

Background Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) has been described as interesting technology in search of a clinical application by some and by others as a valuable diagnostic tool for many endovascular interventions. Its clinical usefulness has yet to be fully defined. When used during endovascutar interventions, it can provide structural and diagnostic information, assess effectiveness of the therapy, and identify treatment-related complications. Methods Thirty-two consecutive patients with atherosclerotic aortoiliac occlusive disease who presented with 40 separate arterial lesions were evaluated with IVUS before and after balloon angioplasty and intraluminal stent placement. Information obtained from IVUS was compared with similar data obtained from simultaneous angiographic images. Both techniques were evaluated with respect to assessment of vessel size, lesion location, adequacy of therapy, and identification of complications. Results Real time IVUS imaging compared with angiographic imaging showed that in 62% of the patients, vessel diameter was underassessed using angiographic criteria alone. More importantly, 40% (16 of the 40 lesions) had underdeployed stents by IVUS evaluation that appeared adequately expanded by angiographic criteria. Further stent expansion with a larger balloon was necessary to achieve accurate stent to vessel wall apposition. This was found to be significant by an exact binomial 95% confidence interval. Incomplete stent deployment has been identified as a possible cause for restenosis and vessel occlusion. Information obtained from IVUS imaging substantially altered the endovascular therapy in approximately 40% of our patients and provided valuable vessel sizing and lesion composition information in 62% of the patients. Conclusion Intravascular ultrasound can provide important diagnostic information that can alter the conduct of selected endovascular procedures. It is especially useful when the procedure requires deployment of arterial stents.
The statistical mechanical resolution of a thermodynamic “paradox”

We discuss a thermodynamic paradox suggested by Fallows and Greenleaf. Using quantum statistical mechanics, we analyze the problem in detail, showing why no paradox arises.
Duration of abnormal SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging following resolution of acute ischemia: an angioplasty model.

Abstract Objectives This study was designed to determine how long nuclear myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) remains abnormal following transient myocardial ischemia. Background Acute rest MPI identifies myocardial ischemia with a high sensitivity when the radionuclide is injected during chest pain. However, the sensitivity of this technique is uncertain when the radionuclide is injected following the resolution of symptoms. Methods Forty patients undergoing successful coronary angioplasty were randomized into four equal groups. Tc-99m sestamibi was injected intravenously during the last balloon inflation (acute MPI) in 30 patients and then reinjected 1, 2, or 3 h later (delayed MPI). In a fourth group, the radiopharmaceutical was injected at 15 min following balloon deflation (delayed MPI). A final injection was performed at 24 to 48 h (late MPI) in 37 patients (93%). Results A perfusion defect was detected in all 30 acute MPI studies; in 7/10 patients (70%) injected at 15 min; in 11/30 patients (37%) injected at 1, 2, or 3 h; and in 7/37 patients (19%) injected at 24 to 48 h. Perfusion scores were 13.0 ± 9.2 on acute MPI, 5.1 ± 2.8 at 15 min (p Conclusions Myocardial perfusion imaging may remain abnormal for several hours following transient myocardial ischemia even when normal flow is restored in the epicardial coronary artery.
Bacillus enteritidis meningitis in an infant of fifteen months

Summary 1. A case of meningitis caused by Bacillus enteritidis of Gartner is reported in a fifteen-month-old infant. 2. The bacteriologic characteristics of the organism are discussed, and the incidence of causative organisms is given in a series of 100 cases of meningitis in infants and children.
Social capital and the search for information: Examining the role of social capital in information seeking behavior in Mongolia

The process of finding information to address problems that arise in everyday life situations is complex. Individuals are influenced by many factors when the information need occurs, including their social, psychological, political, economic, physical, and work environments. Research focusing on the social factors affecting information has stressed the importance of interpersonal communication and the quality of social networks in facilitating access to information. The study reported in this article investigates the role of social networks in affecting access to information and, more particularly, how social capital or the resources made available to individuals through their social networks influence their success in finding the information they need. Questionnaires were administered in a face-to-face format to a random sample of 320 residents of the city of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The theoretical framework for the study is Lin's theory of social capital whose main proposition is that the ability of people to achieve desired outcomes is positively associated with social capital. The findings indicate that social capital did have a significant effect on information behavior, particularly on the choice of source, which in turn had a direct influence on successful search outcomes.
One dimensional onsager model for dye sensitized charge injection into semiconductors

Abstract A one dimensional diffusion model has been developed to explain the potential dependence of dye sensitized photocurrents at semiconductor electrodes. Use of this model yields predictions for the role of image charge forces, back reactions, and surface defects in current production by excited dye molecules at semiconductor surfaces. Results of these calculations are compared with data from dye-semiconductor systems which are known to exhibit nearly ideal behavior.
PTEN-deficient intestinal stem cells initiate intestinal polyposis.

Intestinal polyposis, a precancerous neoplasia, results primarily from an abnormal increase in the number of crypts, which contain intestinal stem cells (ISCs). In mice, widespread deletion of the tumor suppressor Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) generates hamartomatous intestinal polyps with epithelial and stromal involvement. Using this model, we have established the relationship between stem cells and polyp and tumor formation. PTEN helps govern the proliferation rate and number of ISCs and loss of PTEN results in an excess of ISCs. In PTEN-deficient mice, excess ISCs initiate de novo crypt formation and crypt fission, recapitulating crypt production in fetal and neonatal intestine. The PTEN-Akt pathway probably governs stem cell activation by helping control nuclear localization of the Wnt pathway effector β-catenin. Akt phosphorylates β-catenin at Ser552, resulting in a nuclear-localized form in ISCs. Our observations show that intestinal polyposis is initiated by PTEN-deficient ISCs that undergo excessive proliferation driven by Akt activation and nuclear localization of β-catenin.
Cladding of a crystal fiber by high-energy ion implantation

The feasibility of using a multi-MeV He+-ion beam to convert the outer portion of a crystal fiber into cladding is demonstrated. When applied to a-axis LiNbO3 fiber, the resulting structure has been found to show good waveguiding characteristics.
Panton-Valentine leukocidin genes in a laboratory quality control strain of Staphylococcus aureus.

Until rather recently, our total awareness of the Staphylococcus aureus -associated exotoxin known as Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) was limited to a few historic publications ([2][1]). Interest in PVL was renewed in the 1990s with the recognition of two distinct yet soon-to-be-linked
Phase I trial of valaciclovir, the L-valyl ester of acyclovir, in patients with advanced human immunodeficiency virus disease.

Valaciclovir, the L-valyl ester of acyclovir, is rapidly and extensively converted in humans to acyclovir after oral administration by first-pass metabolism. A phase I study was conducted in two cohorts of volunteers with advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease (absolute CD4 lymphocyte count of or = 6 weeks prior to entry in study; these medications were continued throughout the study. Multiple-dose administration of valaciclovir showed a generally favorable safety profile. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain each were reported in < or = 31% of the patients; of these symptoms, only one episode of diarrhea was considered causally related to valaciclovir exposure. Four patients developed neutropenia (two at each dose level) which was not clinically significant. There were no renal or neurologic adverse events. Valaciclovir was rapidly absorbed and converted to acyclovir, with plasma valaciclovir levels generally undetectable or levels of < or = 0.4 microgram/ml. After 3 h postdosing, valaciclovir was not detectable in plasma. Acyclovir was measurable in plasma as early as 15 min following valaciclovir dosing, and plasma concentrations of acyclovir greatly exceeded those of valaciclovir. The mean values for the maximum concentration of drug in plasma, time to maximum concentration of drug in plasma, area under the concentration-time curve from 0 h to infinity, and apparent half-life of acyclovir obtained after single- and multiple-dose valaciclovir administration in HIV-infected patients were similar to those reported in normal healthy volunteers. The time to maximum concentration in serum and half-life of acyclovir after valaciclovir administration were approximately 2 and 3 h, respectively, which were similar to those reported after oral administration of acyclovir itself. The mean trough and peak acyclovir concentrations and the daily area under the concentration-time curve acyclovir values at steady state were 2.5 and 8.4 micrograms/ml and 120 h micrograms/ml, respectively, after a dosage of 2,000 mg of valaciclovir four times daily. These values were approximately fivefold greater than those achieved with high dosages of oral acyclovir (800 mg, five times daily) and were not affected by continued use of medications necessary for management of advanced HIV disease. Thus, 2,000 mg of valaciclovir given orally four times daily should be evaluated for its potential efficacy in suppressing cytomegalovirus and other herpes group virus infections not optimally managed with current oral acyclovir therapy.
Challenging Gait Conditions Predict 1-Year Decline in Gait Speed in Older Adults With Apparently Normal Gait

Background Mobility often is tested under a low challenge condition (ie, over a straight, uncluttered path), which often fails to identify early mobility difficulty. Tests of walking during challenging conditions may uncover mobility difficulty that is not identified with usual gait testing. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine whether gait during challenging conditions predicts decline in gait speed over 1 year in older people with apparently normal gait (ie, gait speed of ≥1.0 m/s). Design This was a prospective cohort study. Methods Seventy-one older adults (mean age=75.9 years) with a usual gait speed of ≥1.0 m/s participated. Gait was tested at baseline under 4 challenging conditions: (1) narrow walk (15 cm wide), (2) stepping over obstacles (15.24 cm [6 in] and 30.48 cm [12 in]), (3) simple walking while talking (WWT), and (4) complex WWT. Usual gait speed was recorded over a 4-m course at baseline and 1 year later. A 1-year change in gait speed was calculated, and participants were classified as declined (decreased ≥0.10 m/s, n=18), stable (changed <0.10 m/s, n=43), or improved (increased ≥0.10 m/s, n=10). Analysis of variance was used to compare challenging condition cost (usual − challenging condition gait speed difference) among the 3 groups. Results Participants who declined in the ensuing year had a greater narrow walk and obstacle walk cost than those who were stable or who improved in gait speed (narrow walk cost=0.43 versus 0.33 versus 0.22 m/s and obstacle walk cost=0.35 versus 0.26 versus 0.13 m/s). Simple and complex WWT cost did not differ among the groups. Limitations The participants who declined in gait speed over time walked the fastest, and those who improved walked the slowest at baseline; thus, the potential contribution of regression to the mean to the findings should not be overlooked. Conclusions In older adults with apparently normal gait, the assessment of gait during challenging conditions appears to uncover mobility difficulty that is not identified by usual gait testing.
The validity of providing automated hints in an ITS using a MDP

In building intelligent tutoring systems, it is critical to be able to understand and diagnose student responses in interactive problem solving. However, building this understanding into the tutor is a time-intensive process usually conducted by subject experts. Much of this time is spent in building production rules that model all the ways a student might solve a problem. In our prior work, we have proposed a novel application of Markov decision processes (MDPs), to automatically generate hints for an intelligent tutor that learns. We demonstrate the feasibility of this approach by extracting MDPs from four semesters of student solutions in a logic proof tutor, and calculating the probability that we may be able to generate hints for students. Our results indicate that extracted MDPs will be able to provide over 80% of students with hints while working problems.
Determinants of coronary artery reactivity in premenopausal female cynomolgus monkeys with diet-induced atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUNDThe purpose of this study was to identify determinants of coronary artery reactivity among premenopausal female monkeys. Estrogen replacement therapy in postmenopausal females modulates reactivity of atherosclerotic coronary arteries. However, no studies have evaluated the factors that modulate coronary artery reactivity among premenopausal females.METHODS AND RESULTSTwenty-five adult premenopausal female monkeys were fed an atherogenic diet for 32 months. During this time, monkeys were housed in small social groups and determined to be socially dominant (associated with normal ovarian function) or subordinate (associated with impaired ovarian function). After 32 months, coronary artery vasomotor responses to intracoronary acetylcholine, nitroglycerin, and serotonin were assessed by computer-assisted quantitative coronary angiography. Coronary arteries of dominant monkeys dilated (+9 +/- 2%), whereas those of subordinate monkeys constricted (-6 +/- 2%) in response to acetylcholine (P < .05). The...