cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Palliative Care in Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer

Significant symptoms and suffering related to castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) are associated with the disease and its treatment. Increasingly, with advances in treatment efficacy, men can live with symptoms for long periods. Interdisciplinary palliative care teams (including physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, pharmacists, psychologists, physical therapists, and nutritionists) focused on symptom management and patients' goals of care can collaborate with prostate cancer surgeons, oncologists, and radiation oncologists to provide the best care for men at all stages of treatment, including end of life. This article reviews the benefits of palliative care in helping patients with CRPC manage symptoms and distress.
Reading Comprehension Tests Vary in the Skills They Assess: Differential Dependence on Decoding and Oral Comprehension.

Comprehension tests are often used interchangeably, suggesting an implicit assumption that they are all measuring the same thing. We examine the validity of this assumption by comparing some of the most popular reading comprehension measures used in research and clinical practice in the United States: the Gray Oral Reading Test (GORT), the two assessments (retellings and comprehension questions) from the Qualitative Reading Inventory (QRI), the Woodcock–Johnson Passage Comprehension subtest (WJPC), and the Reading Comprehension test from the Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT). Modest intercorrelations among the tests suggested that they were measuring different skills. Regression analyses showed that decoding, not listening comprehension, accounts for most of the variance in both the PIAT and the WJPC; the reverse holds for the GORT and both QRI measures. Large developmental differences in what the tests measure were found for the PIAT and the WJPC, but not the other tests, both when development w...
Verifying end-to-end system performance with the transformational information extraction model

In the intelligence community, the volume of imagery data threatens to overwhelm the traditional process of information extraction. Satellite systems are capable of producing large quantities of imagery data every day. Traditionally, intelligence analysts have the arduous task of manually reviewing satellite imagery data and generating information products. In a time of increasing imagery data, this manual approach is not consistent with the goal of a timely and highly responsive system. These realities are key factors in Booz Allen Hamilton's transformational approach to information extraction. This approach employs information services and value added processes (VAP) to reduce the amount of data being manually reviewed. Booz Allen has utilized a specialization/generalization hierarchy to aggregate hundreds of thousands of imagery intelligence needs into sixteen information services. Information Services are automated by employing value added processes, which extract the information from the imagery data and generate information products. While the intelligence needs and information services remain relatively static in time, the VAP's have the ability to evolve rapidly with advancing technologies. The Booz Allen Transformational Information Extraction Model validates this automated approach by simulating realistic system parameters. The functional flow model includes image formation, three information services, six VAP's, and reduced manual intervention. Adjustable model variables for VAP time, VAP confidence, number of intelligence analyst, and time for analyst review provide a flexible framework for modeling different system cases. End-to-End system metrics such as intelligence need satisfaction, end-to-end timeliness, and sensitivity to number of analyst and VAP variables quantify the system performance.
Evidence-based medicine and psychiatric practice.

Evidence-based medicine (EBM) has been defined as "the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients." EBM requires the ability to apply a knowledge of medical informatics (e.g., efficiently searching the medical literature) and clinical epidemiology (e.g., being able to critically appraise the literature) to the treatment of individual patients. This article provides an introduction to the history, philosophy, and methods of EBM as applied to psychiatric practice. The article summarizes the five-step EBM model: (1) formulate the question; (2) search for answers; (3) appraise the evidence; (4) apply the results; and (5) assess the outcome. Resources (including Web sites) for further learning are provided.
Remembering in Latin America

Latin American historians and social scientists have been grappling with the region's experience of crimes against humanity since the 1950s. In recent years, a number of important works have sought to go beyond the concern for “transitional justice” as a frame for writing about how societies grapple with atrocious pasts, examining instead the ties between historiography and the legacies of atrocity—the murky relationship between what is known about and what is known from the past.
Myelin basic protein gene expression in neurons: developmental and regional changes in protein targeting within neuronal nuclei, cell bodies, and processes

The myelin basic protein (MBP) gene is part of the golli-mbp gene complex. In mouse, the golli-mbp gene produces two families of mRNAs from different transcription start sites that generate either MBPs or golli proteins (which contain MBP sequences in addition to unique peptide sequences). In situ hybridization and immunocytochemical analyses indicate that golli products are expressed in selected neuronal populations in postnatal mouse brain, in addition to oligodendrocytes, as shown earlier. The principal subcellular location of golli proteins in neurons was in axonal and dendritic processes. In a small subset of neurons, golli proteins were located in nuclei. With development and neuronal maturation, golli-mbp expression decreased and/or there was a striking shift in subcellular localization from nuclei and cell soma to the cell processes in specific neuronal populations. Golli protein was localize in neurites of migrating cerebellar granule cells, but it shifted to a nuclear localization when the cells took up residence in the internal granule cell layer. In some regions, (e.g., olfactory bulb and cerebellum) golli proteins were expressed over the entire postnatal period examined (birth to 75 d). The unique patterns of developmental expression within individual populations of neurons, and the unusual shift in subcellular localization of golli proteins with neuronal migration and maturation, suggest a complex regulation of this gene at both the transcriptional and posttranslational levels. The data also suggest that the cellular function(s) of the golli proteins is very different from the structurally related MBPs.
Dental topography and molar wear in Alouatta palliata from Costa Rica.

Paleoprimatologists depend on relation- ships between form and function of teeth to reconstruct the diets of fossil species. Most of this work has been limited to studies of unworn teeth. A new approach, dental topographic analysis, allows the characterization and comparison of worn primate teeth. Variably worn museum specimens have been used to construct species-specific wear sequences so that measurements can be compared by wear stage among taxa with known differences in diet. This assumes that individuals in a species tend to wear their molar teeth in similar ways, a supposition that has yet to be tested. Here we evaluate this assumption with a longitudinal study of changes in tooth form over time in primates. Fourteen individual mantled howling monkeys (Alouatta palliata) were captured and then recaptured after 2, 4, and 7 years when possible at Hacienda La Pacifica in Costa Rica between 1989 -1999. Dental impres- sions were taken each time, and molar casts were pro- duced and analyzed using dental topographic analysis. Results showed consistent decreases in crown slope and occlusal relief. In contrast, crown angularity, a measure of surface jaggedness, remained fairly constant except with extreme wear. There were no evident differences between specimens collected in different microhabitats. These re- sults suggest that different individual mantled howling monkeys wear their teeth down in similar ways, evidently following a species-specific wear sequence. Dental topo- graphic analysis may therefore be used to compare mor- phology among similarly worn individuals from different species. Am J Phys Anthropol 125:152-161, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
UAV autonomous control system reliability-what should it be, and how do we reach it?

Summary form only given, as follows. The Air Vehicles Directorate of the US Air Force Research Laboratory is pressing ahead with designing and implementing autonomous control systems for both individual UAVs as well as hierarchical and/or distributed control for packs (or swarms) of UAVs. The goal is to truly make the man the stategist, tell the UAV(s) what is needed and the UAVs go away, figure out how- to do it, and execute the mission. Implicit in all of this is safety. One of our goals is to make these UAVs as reliable as, or better than, manned aircraft. This paper looks at what that actually means without a pilot in the loop, and the requirements flow-down, both overt and implied, which places the specifications on the subsystems and components. At the end we "prognosticate" the possible impacts to current best practices in testing and certification, stressing the need to possibly look at this a bit differently for these types of systems-a paradigm shift may be in order.
Functional disorders in children and adolescents: diagnostic considerations.

Objective To describe the advantages of a nosologic approach to "functional" illness and its benefit in planning treatment for such illnesses. Design A review of common functional syndromes occurring during childhood and adolescence is presented. Results The functional versus "organic" dualism in pediatrics and family practice is not heuristic. The biopsychosocial model allows a more useful approach to nosology and treatment planning. An approach to such a clinical conceptualization is given. Several case examples are provided. Conclusion Patients with functional syndromes should be assessed with specific diagnostic criteria rather than criteria of exclusion.
Effect of Pravastatin on Total Kidney Volume, Left Ventricular Mass Index, and Microalbuminuria in Pediatric Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

Background and objectives In autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), progressive kidney cyst formation commonly leads to ESRD. Because important manifestations of ADPKD may be evident in childhood, early intervention may have the largest effect on long-term outcome. Statins are known to slow progressive nephropathy in animal models of ADPKD. This randomized double-blind placebo-controlled phase III clinical trial was conducted from 2007 to 2012 to assess the effect of pravastatin on height-corrected total kidney volume (HtTKV) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and urine microalbumin excretion (UAE) in children and young adults with ADPKD. Designs, setting, participants, & measurements There were 110 pediatric participants with ADPKD and normal kidney function receiving lisinopril who were randomized to treatment with pravastatin or placebo for a 3-year period with evaluation at 0, 18, and 36 months. The primary outcome variable was a $20% change in HtTKV, LVMI, or UAE over the study period. Results Ninety-one participants completed the 3-year study (83%). Fewer participants receiving pravastatin achievedtheprimaryendpointcomparedwithparticipantsreceivingplacebo(69%versus88%;P=0.03).Thiswas due primarily to a lower proportion reaching the increase in HtTKV (46% versus 68%; P=0.03), with similar findingsobserved betweenstudygroupsfor LVMI (25% versus38%;P=0.18) andUAE(47%versus39%;P=0.50). The percent change in HtTKV adjusted for age, sex, and hypertension status over the 3-year period was significantly decreased with pravastatin (23%63% versus 31%63%; P=0.02). Conclusions Pravastatin is an effective agent to slow progression of structural kidney disease in children and young adults with ADPKD. These findings support a role for early intervention with pravastatin in this condition.
Prevention of Paroxysmal Tachycardia of Wolff­ Parkinson-White Syndrome With Combined Propranolol and Quinidine Therapy

• The prevention of frequent episodes of the tachyarrhythmias associated with Wolff­ Parkinson-White syndrome may pose a diffi­ cult therapeutic problem. The usual prophy­ lactic regimens that have been used include digitalis, quinidine, procainamide, and reser­ pine; frequently, they have been unsuccessful. The beta adrenergic blocking agent proprano­ lol has been shown to be of value in prevent­ ing recurrent supraventricular tachycardias in patients with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syn­ drome"". Recently the synergistic action of propranolol with quinidine has been proposed for the treatment of chronic atrial fibrillation". We have utilized this combined therapy in a patient with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syn­ drome for the prevention of recurrent episodes of supraventricular tachycardia. The patient is a 29-year-old man with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome who has ex­ perienced frequent episodes of su;>raventri­ cular tachycardia since early childhood. These
MUSEUMS AND THEIR DISCONTENTS

The Museum Time Machine edited by Robert Lumley, London and New York: Comedia/Routledge, 1988, 241 pp., 17 b. &w. illus., £25.00 (hardback), £9.99 (paper) The New Museology edited by Peter Vergo, London: Reaktion Books, 1989, 230 pp., 33 b. &w. illus., £8.95 (paper)
Is Reliable In Vivo Detection of Stem Cell Viability Possible in a Large Animal Model of Myocardial Injury

In vivo cellular and molecular imaging of the stem cells has been developed to characterize the biological processes at the most fundamental level in an intact, living organism. With the emergence of cell-based therapy in a failing heart, the capability to evaluate engraftment and survival of the transplanted stem cells in vivo represents a critical measure of therapeutic efficacy. The stem cells at the very least must survive to restore the injured myocardium.1,2 Cell viability signal holds physiological relevance because it may correlate with the resultant myocardial restoration. There are 2 primary considerations for in vivo imaging of stem cell viability in the heart: (1) amplification of molecular and cellular signals and (2) high spatial and temporal resolution imaging of the myocardium. It is widely acknowledged that there is no single imaging modality that will fulfill all needs of in vivo stem cell imaging. However, an imaging modality that optimizes the technical objectives may extract meaningful information on cellular and molecular events of the transplanted cells. The predominant imaging modalities to assess stem cell survival in vivo in preclinical models consist of radionuclide imaging, optical imaging, and MRI. These modalities are commonly used in small animal models. Direct transfer of in vivo cellular and molecular imaging techniques from small to large animal models, however, has not been straightforward. Article see p 430 The report by Templin et al3 in this issue of Circulation addresses the critical issue of in vivo imaging of stem cell viability in a porcine myocardial injury model. The study evaluated sodium iodide symporter (NIS) transgene to follow in vivo survival of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and their derivatives. A stable transgenic hiPSC line expressing a fluorescent reporter and NIS (NISpos-hiPSCs) was used. Longitudinal dual isotope single-photon emission computed …
Faster, smarter? Working memory capacity and perceptual speed in relation to fluid intelligence

Numerous studies have found that working memory capacity and perceptual speed predict variation in fluid intelligence. Within the cognitive ageing literature, perceptual speed accounts for substantial ageing variance in working memory capacity and fluid intelligence. However, within young adults, the interrelationships among these three abilities are less clear. The current work investigated these relationships via confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation modelling using tasks with verbal, spatial, and numerical content. The results indicate that working memory capacity and perceptual speed were not related in a large, cognitively diverse sample of young adults. However, both working memory capacity and perceptual speed accounted for unique variance in fluid intelligence. The results are discussed in relation to previous research with young and older adults.
Behavioural interaction between the NMDA antagonist MK-801 and the dopaminergic antagonist haloperidol: support for a balance model

One hundred and four male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three experiments. The first two experiments were to assess the effect of different MK-801 doses (0.1-0.3 mg/kg) and combinations of MK-801/ haloperidol (0.3/0.1-0.5 mg/kg) on locomotor behaviour. The animals from the third experiment were administered either saline, MK-801 (0.3 mg/kg), haloperidol (0.5 mg/kg) or MK-801/haloperidol (0.3/0.5 mg/kg). Locomotor activity measurements showed that the NMDA antagonist MK-801 induced a dose-dependent hyperactivity, while haloperidol, the D-2 dopamine receptor antagonist, induced hypoactivity. Significantly the highest doses of combined MK-801/haloperidol treatment (0.3/0.5 mg/kg) showed behavioural equivalence to the saline animals in both total locomotion, locomotion patterns and within-session habituation. Thus, the behavioural effects of each drug given alone were cancelled when the drugs were given together. This cancellation effect could not be ascribed to direct drug interference effects on dop...
A Simple, Efficient Solution of Flux–Profile Relationships in the Atmospheric Surface Layer

This note describes a simple scheme for analytical estimation of the surface-layer similarity functions from state variables. What distinguishes this note from the many previous papers on this topic is that this method is specifically targeted for numerical models in which simplicity and economic execution are critical. In addition, it has been in use in a mesoscale meteorological model for several years. For stable conditions, a very simple scheme is presented that compares well to the iterative solution. The stable scheme includes a very stable regime in which the slope of the stability functions is reduced to permit significant fluxes to occur, which is particularly important for numerical models in which decoupling from the surface can be an important problem. For unstable conditions, simple schemes generalized for varying ratios of aerodynamic roughness to thermal roughness (z0/z0h) are less satisfactory. Therefore, a simple scheme has been empirically derived for a fixed z0/z0h ratio, which represents quasi-laminar sublayer resistance. 1. Background Interactive linkages between state variables at the earth’s surface and in the atmospheric surface layer are essential components of numerical atmospheric models. Surface fluxes of heat, moisture, momentum, and any other modeled quantity (e.g., trace chemical species) are determined by gradients across the surface– atmosphere interface; at the same time, surface fluxes are critical processes determining the time evolution of these gradients. Hence, simultaneous solution of the surface fluxes and the surface layer profiles is required. Atmospheric models typically use surface-layer similarity theory to describe the flux–profile relationships. In accord with this theory, nondimensional profiles are defined for momentum as kz
Differences in Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease between African American and Caucasian Women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Racial differences exist in disease rates and mortality in both cardiovascular disease (CVD) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The objective of this cross-sectional study was to compare the frequency and risk factors for subclinical CVD in African American (AA) and Caucasian women with SLE and no prior CVD events. Traditional CVD risk factors and SLE-related factors were assessed in 309 SLE women. Subclinical CVD was assessed by carotid ultrasound to measure intimamedial thickness (IMT) and plaque, and electron beam computed tomography (EBCT) was used to measure coronary artery calcium (CAC). AA women had less education and higher levels of body mass index, blood pressure, lipoprotein(a), C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). However, AA women had lower albumin, more and longer duration of corticosteroid use, higher SLE disease activity and damage, and more dsDNA antibodies compared with Caucasian women after adjustment for age and study site. More AA women had carotid plaque (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03–3.65) and higher carotid IMT (0.620 vs 0.605 mm, P = 0.07) but similar CAC compared with Caucasians. A multivariate analysis revealed that the following risk factor variables were significantly different between the racial groups and associated with plaque: blood pressure, current corticosteroid use, SLE disease activity, and SLE damage. All factors contributed to the result, but no individual risk factor fully accounted for the association between race and plaque. In conclusion, the presence of carotid plaque was higher in AA compared with Caucasian women with SLE, in contrast to studies of non-SLE subjects, in which AA have similar or less plaque than Caucasians. A combination of SLE-related and traditional CVD risk factors explained the racial difference in plaque burden.
Training perioperative physicians.

It has been widely suggested that the specialty of anesthesiology should alter its traditional focus on the technical aspects of intraoperative care toward an expansion of its responsibilities and promotion of the profession as the practice of perioperative medicine. Greene 2 and Saidman 6 used the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) annual Rovenstine lectures to recommend changing the name of the specialty to reflect such a new approach. This concept has been relevant over the last few years, especially in America, because there has been an apparent oversupply of anesthesiology practitioners. Events of the past 18 months have shown this condition to be transient, but during its most intense period, expansion into other areas seemed appropriate. Presentations and panels at major national meetings on perioperative medicine were commonplace (e.g., ASA1996, ASA1998). Leaders of the profession were championing the concept, including the Chairman of a major West Coast anesthesia department who remarked, "I'm afraid we're going to recover too soon." By this statement, he meant that the job shortage crisis seemed to be the motivating factor for causing the re-evaluation and revision of training and programmatic activities and that, as soon as the shortage resolved, enthusiasm would drain from the perioperative medicine initiative. He may have been right. There are many reasons for believing that properly trained and motivated anesthesiologists could provide added value to the care of hospitalized surgical patients. Before, during, and after surgery, aspects of patient management are fragmented, nonstandardized, and are conducted by multiple groups with various degrees of communication. Anesthesiologists practicing perioperative medicine may be better able to integrate preoperative evaluation and testing; risk assessment and optimization of patient status; intraoperative techniques and monitoring; and principles of postoperative management, which affect morbidity and mortality, timely convalescence, and satisfaction. 1 At Vanderbilt University School of Medicine (Nashville, TN), a program and a practice of perioperative medicine is being developed that reflects the expectation that such activity constitutes appropriate evolution of the profession, improves patient care, improves specialty image, and increases the ability to attract high-quality house-staff. The following points are proposed: •The future of anesthesiology does not rest on the development of better agents, delivery devices, or monitors •Appropriately trained and motivated anesthesiologists are better able to assess and modify perioperative risk •Principles of perioperative management not yet established can reduce morbidity, facilitate recovery, and lead to earlier discharge •Enlightened subgroups in the profession have the resolve to pursue the practice of perioperative medicine, whereas training programs include a program of instruction
Assessing the potential for establishment of western cherry fruit fly using ecological niche modeling.

ABSTRACT Sweet cherries, Prunus avium (L.) L., grown in the western United States are exported to many countries around the world. Some of these countries have enforced strict quarantine rules and trade restrictions owing to concerns about the potential establishment and subsequent spread of western cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis indifferens Curran (Diptera: Tephritidae), a major quarantine pest of sweet cherry. We used 1) niche models (CLIMEX and MaxEnt) to map the climatic suitability, 2) North Carolina State University-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Plant Pest Forecasting System to examine chilling requirement, and 3) host distribution and availability to assess the potential for establishment of R. indifferens in areas of western North America where it currently does not exist and eight current or potential fresh sweet cherry markets: Colombia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, Venezuela, and Vietnam. Results from niche models conformed well to the current distribution of R. indi...
Outcome Moderators of a Fatigue Management Program for People With Multiple Sclerosis

OBJECTIVE. We determined whether age, gender, work status, or impairment moderated fatigue management program outcomes for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). METHOD. We conducted a secondary analysis of longitudinal data from a randomized controlled trial using mixed-effects models (N = 181) and examined outcomes of fatigue impact, mental health, physical health, and self-efficacy. Measures were collected before and immediately after intervention and at 6 wk, 3 mo, and 6 mo postintervention. RESULTS. Younger participants experienced greater reductions in fatigue impact and greater improvements in self-efficacy over time than did older participants, but we found no age differences in physical or mental health. Participants with less impairment experienced greater mental health gains and were more likely to retain these gains over time than were participants with greater impairment. Although women experienced greater fatigue impact benefits, men experienced greater mental health benefits. Work status did not moderate outcomes. CONCLUSION. Fatigue management program outcomes for people with MS are moderated by age, gender, and impairment
Special Education Teacher Education Research: Current Status and Future Directions

In this article, the authors propose an agenda for special education teacher education researchers, with particular attention to policy work and studies of innovations in pre-service preparation, induction and mentoring, and professional development. Because previous research is limited and unfocused, the foundation for future research is weak, but opportunities to study questions of importance and interest are seemingly limitless. The authors discuss strategies to bolster the research foundation, namely, by oversampling special education teachers in the Schools and Staffing Survey and the Teacher Follow-Up Survey and by fostering the development of models of teacher development and related measures of teacher quality.
Multi-domain learning and generalization in dialog state tracking

Statistical approaches to dialog state tracking synthesize information across multiple turns in the dialog, overcoming some speech recognition errors. When training a dialog state tracker, there is typically only a small corpus of well-matched dialog data available. However, often there is a large corpus of mis-matched but related data ‐ perhaps pertaining to different semantic concepts, or from a different dialog system. It would be desirable to use this related dialog data to supplement the small corpus of well-matched dialog data. This paper addresses this task as multi-domain learning, presenting 3 methods which synthesize data from different slots and different dialog systems. Since deploying a new dialog state tracker often changes the resulting dialogs in ways that are difficult to predict, we study how well each method generalizes to unseen distributions of dialog data. Our main result is the finding that a simple method for multi-domain learning substantially improves performance in highly mis-matched conditions.
Type 2 diabetes: Where we are today: An overview of disease burden, current treatments, and treatment strategies

Abstract Objective To provide an overview of the disease burden and current strategies in the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes. Data sources Medline search of all relevant clinical and review articles. Study selection By the author. Data extraction By the author. Data synthesis The prevalence of diabetes in the United States has reached epidemic proportions with the total diagnosed and undiagnosed cases among people aged 20 years or older estimated at 12.9%, and it continues to rise at an alarming rate. This upsurge has been paralleled by an increase in rates of obesity. Type 2 diabetes accounts for up to 95% of diabetes cases and is often comorbid with hypertension and dyslipidemia. Conclusion Tight glycemic control is necessary for the management of type 2 diabetes, but progressive deterioration of beta-cell function can lead to a loss of glycemic control. Oral antidiabetes drugs and insulin are effective but do not always correct the associated metabolic and glucoregulatory dysfunctions, and hypoglycemia and weight gain are common adverse effects of these agents. A clear need exists for aggressive therapeutic options—particularly incretin-based agents—that can be combined with existing agents to preserve beta-cell function and halt the progression of type 2 diabetes.
Stability Of Default-Mode Network Activity In The Aging Brain

Activity attributed to the default-mode occurs during the resting state and is thought to represent self-referential and other intrinsic processes. Although activity in default-associated regions changes across the lifespan, little is known about the stability of default-mode activity in the healthy aging brain. We investigated changes in rest-specific activity across an 8 year period in older participants in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) neuroimaging study. Comparison of resting-state and recognition memory PET regional cerebral blood flow conditions from baseline and 8-year follow-up shows relative stability of rest-specific activity over time in medial frontal/anterior cingulate, hippocampal and posterior cingulate regions commonly associated with the default-mode. In contrast, prefrontal, parahippocampal and occipital cortical regions, which are not typically associated with default-mode activity, show changes over time. Overall, activity in the major components of the default-mode network remains stable in healthy older individuals, a finding which may assist in identifying factors that discriminate between normal and pathological aging.
Restructuring Democracy or Lawlessness? Critical Reflections on in Re Marriage Cases

This essay argues that the decision of the California Supreme Court legalizing same-sex marriage was beyond the competence and legitimate authority of the court, and that the 121-page slip opinion of the majority was “padded for pedantic display.” The passage of Prop 8 by 600,000 votes (52.3% to 47.7%), in which 2 million more voters voted for Prop 8 than voted either for Governor Schwarzenegger or Senator Feinstein when they were reelected by “landslides” in 2006, and with nearly the same percentage of the California vote that Barack Obama received nationally in what was considered a “mandate” in the same 2008 election, represents the clear will of the people of California. Attorney General Brown’s argument that Prop 8 (which he was supposed to defend) should be declared unconstitutional because it would reverse an “inalienable right” was inconsistent with any principled theory of constitutional interpretation, and the lawless acts that targeted supporters of Prop 8 following its passage in California is linked to the lawlessness of the court’s ruling in legalizing same-sex marriage.
Advances in the Use of Enantiopure β-Lactams for the Synthesis of Biologically Active Compounds of Medicinal Interests

β-Lactams play a significant role in organic synthesis in addition to its importance as the core structure of β-lactam antibiotics. The “β-lactam synthon method” introduced in late 1970s has greatly advanced the use of β-lactams as key intermediates for the synthesis of biologically active compounds such as nonprotein amino acids, peptides, peptidomimetics, and complex natural products and congeners. This chapter describes the advances in the synthesis of β-lactams with excellent enantiopurity, useful patterns of β-lactam ring cleavage, ring-opening coupling, and applications of the β-lactam synthon method to the synthesis of biologically active compounds of medicinal interests. In addition, novel β-lactams, exhibiting potent activities, not as antibacterials but as anticancer and cholesterol-controlling agents, are described.
Platelet Aggregation Testing in Platelet-Rich Plasma

Platelet function testing consisting of platelet aggregation and secretion often is requested in the clinical evaluation of patients with bleeding problems. At present, there are no uniform clinical laboratory standards for the performance or interpretation of these studies. The present report describes one laboratory’s methods and interpretations of platelet aggregation and secretion studies of platelet-rich plasma using each of the common platelet agonists. Diagnostic categories for the evaluation of the platelet function testing are presented. The diagnostic categories then are applied to the evaluation of 61 patients referred to our medical center for these studies. The aims of this report are to present clinical platelet aggregation and secretion studies and to provide a working schema to evaluate these results. Our intent is to stimulate interest in the development of professional guidelines for platelet function testing in the clinical laboratory.
Simulation of Insect-sized Flapping-wing Aerodynamics

This paper presents recent progress in an investigation of the aeromechanical aspects of unsteady flapping wings for nano-air vehicles (NAV). Numerical results obtained using the in-house code INSflow for insect-sized airfoils and wings are discussed. The calculations revealed that, at hover conditions, the vortices formed during the airfoil plunging motion may remain in the near region and affect the new vortex formation and thus the integral aerodynamic performance. In addition, the flow around the insect-like wing is fully threedimensional. The tip flow affects the flow separations and is shown to reduce the separation intensity. Nomenclature b = length of the wing span c = chord length f = frequency of the flapping motion H = plunging amplitude (peak value) of the point about which the airfoil pitches H = normalized plunging amplitude, / H Hc = c k = reduced frequency, / c kf c U π ∞ = Re = Reynolds number based on airfoil chord, Re /( / ) ref Uc μρ = t = time ref U
Multimorbidity, mortality, and physical activity:

ObjectivesMultimorbidity and physical inactivity are individually associated with increased mortality risk, but the possibility for physical activity to moderate the multimorbidity–mortality relationship has yet to be investigated.MethodsData from the 1999–2006 NHANES were employed, with 16,091 participants constituting the analytic sample. Participants were followed through 2011, including a median follow-up of 99 months. Physical activity was assessed via self-report with multimorbidity assessed from physician diagnosis.ResultsAfter adjustment, for every 1 morbidity increase, participants had a 23% increased risk of all-cause mortality (HR = 1.23; 95% CI: 1.19–1.28; p < 0.001). Multimorbidity mostly remained associated with all-cause mortality across all levels of physical activity, with the exception of those achieving four times the dose of the government guidelines.DiscussionWith the exception of those who engaged in high levels of self-reported physical activity, physical activity had a minimal effe...
Individual and Network Correlates of Antisocial Personality Disorder Among Rural Nonmedical Prescription Opioid Users.

Purpose Examination of the association of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) with substance use and HIV risk behaviors within the social networks of rural people who use drugs. Methods Interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to assess substance use, HIV risk behavior, and social network characteristics of drug users (n = 503) living in rural Appalachia. The MINI International Psychiatric Interview was used to determine whether participants met DSM-IV criteria for ASPD and Axis-I psychological comorbidities (eg, major depressive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder). Participants were also tested for herpes simplex 2, hepatitis C, and HIV. Multivariate generalized linear mixed modeling was used to determine the association between ASPD and risk behaviors, substance use, and social network characteristics. Results Approximately one-third (31%) of participants met DSM-IV criteria for ASPD. In multivariate analysis, distrust and conflict within an individual's social networks, as well as past 30-day use of heroin and crack, male gender, younger age, lesser education, heterosexual orientation, and comorbid MDD were associated with meeting diagnostic criteria for ASPD. Conclusions Participants meeting criteria for ASPD were more likely to report recent heroin and crack use, which are far less common drugs of abuse in this population in which the predominant drug of abuse is prescription opioids. Greater discord within relationships was also identified among those with ASPD symptomatology. Given the elevated risk for blood-borne infection (eg, HIV) and other negative social and health consequences conferred by this high-risk subgroup, exploration of tailored network-based interventions with mental health assessment is recommended.
Evidence from Toxicology: The Most Essential Science for Prevention

BackgroundThe most essential goal of medicine and public health is to prevent harm (primum non nocere). This goal is only fully achieved with primary prevention, which requires us to identify and p...
Detection of ciguaterra and diarrheic shellfish toxins in finfish and shellfish with ciguatect kit

The Ciguatect test kit for the detection of ciguatoxin, okadaic acid, and related polyether compounds, based on solid-phase immunobead assay technology, was developed for rapid screening of toxic fish and shellfish in harvesting areas and the marketplace. Earlier formats, based on radioimmunoassay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technology, were used successfully to identity and separate ciguatoxic fish harvested from Hawaiian waters. The new format utilizes a membrane attached to a plastic strip, immunobead solution, and a user-friendly readout. Multiple formats of the test kit, including a rapid extraction method (REM) and ELISA, were demonstrated to be more sensitive than the mouse assay for detection of ciguatera-related compounds. Depending on the format used, the level of detection can be as low as 50 pB okadaic acid per gram of tissue. The test kit has been used to map ciguatoxic and non-toxic fishing areas around the islands of Hawaii through the use of a biomarker and the monitoring of toxic fish obtained from Pacific and Caribbean regions. Ciguatera-related toxins can be detected directly on fish flesh or after extraction by traditional procedures or the newly developed REM. Initial applications of the test kit to monitor diarrheic shellfish poisoning (DSP)-related toxins in mussels before, during, and after Dinophysis sp. blooms and during depuration operations were successful. The Ciguatect methodology can be used to monitor reef fishing areas for ciguatera potential, shellfish beds for DSP toxins, and shellfish depuration operations for elimination of DSP toxins and to screen for toxic fish and shellfish in the market-place
Medieval and Modern C2: Command and Control in the Field during Western Europe’s Long Twelfth Century (1095–1225)

‘Command and control’ has become ever more important in the postmodern military world even though there is no universal consensus among contemporary militaries on what ‘command and control’ encompasses. Military histories, manuals and handbooks of the Anglo-American world concede that classical armies and leaders understood the concepts but dismiss eras like the long twelfth century entirely or present them with a lack of understanding or context. Why is this? This can be partially answered through the following factors: (1) the nature of ancient vs. medieval source material; (2) perceived lack of professionalism in medieval armies; (3) the existence of discrete tactical formations in the ancient world but not medieval; (4) the perceived existence of a professional officer class or political career in the ancient world but not the medieval; and (5) the nature of ancient and medieval authority and strategic, operational and tactical objectives. Twelfth-century commanders exhibited command and control altho...
Measuring the Impact of the US Financial Crisis on Salvadoran Migrants and Family Remittances

Between 1965 and 2010, the proportion of the world’s population living outside their countries of birth grew from 2.2 to 3.1 percent. Today these migrants number more than 200 million. Many of them send remittances to their countries of origin, which are an important but poorly understood financial flow compared to other international financial flows to developing countries, such as official development assistance and foreign direct investment. In 2009, migrant remittances to developing countries amounted to more than US$300 billion.1
Playdays in a High School

(1937). Playdays in a High School. The Journal of Health and Physical Education: Vol. 8, No. 10, pp. 607-632.
Cambios en el tratamiento de la infertilidad durante los tres pasados decenios

Los tres pasados decenios han estado especialmente dedicados al estudio y perfeccionamiento de metodos que aseguren y mantengan vigentes los ocho postulados esenciales de SIMS, para la concepci
Reconsidering Physician-Pharmaceutical Industry Relationships.

A fundamental task of physicians is to guide patients through illness, a process that involves collecting information and then seeking balance between the risks and benefits of treatments and between the length and quality of life. The work of physicians draws on an expanding base of medical knowledge, and there is always more to learn than time to read. Understandably, help is appreciated. It is easier when educational opportunities are convenient and enjoyable such as when they are combined with meals brought into clinic by pharmaceutical representatives and others.
Updating the Evidence of the Interaction Between Clopidogrel and CYP2C19-Inhibiting Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors: A Cohort Study and Meta-Analysis.

We previously found that patients who initiate clopidogrel while treated with a cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C19-inhibiting selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) have a higher risk of subsequent ischemic events than patients treated with other SSRIs. It is not known whether initiating an inhibiting SSRI while treated with clopidogrel will also increase risk of ischemic events. The aim of this study was to assess clinical outcomes following initiation of a CYP2C19-inhibiting SSRI versus initiation of other SSRIs among patients treated with clopidogrel and to update existing evidence on the clinical impact of clopidogrel–SSRI interaction. Using five US databases (1998–2013), we conducted a cohort study of clopidogrel initiators who encountered treatment with SSRI during their clopidogrel therapy. Patients were matched by propensity score (PS) and followed for as long as they were exposed to both clopidogrel and index SSRI group. Outcomes were a composite ischemic event (myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, or a revascularization procedure, whichever came first) and a composite major bleeding event (gastrointestinal bleed or hemorrhagic stroke, whichever came first). Results were combined via random-effects meta-analysis with previous evidence from subjects initiating clopidogrel while on SSRI therapy. The PS-matched cohort comprised 2346 clopidogrel users starting CYP2C19-inhibiting SSRI therapy and 16,115 starting other SSRIs (mean age 61 years; 59% female). Compared with those treated with a non-inhibiting SSRI, the hazard ratio (HR) for patients treated with a CYP2C19-inhibiting SSRI was 1.07 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.82–1.40) for the ischemic outcome and 1.00 (95% CI 0.42–2.36) for bleeding. The pooled estimates were 1.11 (95% CI 1.01–1.22) for ischemic events and 0.80 (95% CI 0.55–1.18) for bleeding. We observed similar estimates of association between the two studies. The updated evidence still indicates a small decrease in clopidogrel effectiveness associated with concomitant exposure to clopidogrel and CYP2C19-inhibiting SSRIs.
Why Forward Viral Fashion Messages? The Moderating Roles of Consumers' Fashion Traits and Message Traits (Doctoral - 1st place)

Social media is being used as platforms for viral marketing. Little is known about the motivations, attitudes, and behaviors of fashion consumers engaged in this marketing instrument. Such understanding is needed for social media practitioners to better design and implements a viral marketing campaign because they need to consider (1) whether to use viral marketing, (2) how to design it to appeal to different consumers, (3) to which type of consumer to promote such service options and (4) how to do so. This study attempts to understand why consumers pass on a fashion viral message. This research attempted to examine the factors that impact consumer usage of social media and their behavioral intentions to forward fashion viral messages.
Thermal conductivity of electron-irradiated graphene

We report results of a systematic analysis of thermal transport in electron-irradiated, including irradiation-induced amorphous, graphene sheets based on nonequilibrium molecular-dynamics simulations. We focus on the dependence of the thermal conductivity, k, of the irradiated graphene sheets on the inserted irradiation defect density, c, as well as the extent of defect passivation with hydrogen atoms. While the thermal conductivity of irradiated graphene decreases precipitously from that of pristine graphene, k0, upon introducing a low vacancy concentration, c < 1%, in the graphene lattice, further reduction of the thermal conductivity with the increasing vacancy concentration exhibits a weaker dependence on c until the amorphization threshold. Beyond the onset of amorphization, the dependence of thermal conductivity on the vacancy concentration becomes significantly weaker, and k practically reaches a plateau value. Throughout the range of c and at all hydrogenation levels examined, the correlation k = ...
Hidden Quantum Processes, Quantum Ion Channels, and 1/ fθ-Type Noise.

In this letter, we perform a complete and in-depth analysis of Lorentzian noises, such as those arising from and channel kinetics, in order to identify the source of –type noise in neurological mem...