cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy of the trifluoroacetyl radical CF3CO

Laser-excitation and dispersed fluorescence spectra of the CF3CO radical are reported. The 0-0 band of the A-[Xtilde] transition lies at 26 023 cm-1 (384·28 nm). The spectra are characterized by a prominent progression involving the CO stretching mode. The fundamental CO stretching frequency in the ground state is 1525 cm-1 and compares well with the CO stretching mode of 1574 cm-1 observed for CF3CO by Kozuka and Isobe. The CO stretching mode of the excited state is reported as 818 cm-1. The radiative lifetime of the excited state is 0·34 ± 0·01 μs. The argon quenching rate constant for the excited state is determined as (6·0 ± 0·20) × 105 Torr-1 s-1. The CF3CO radical is found in the infrared multiphoton dissociation of CF3C(O)Cl, as well as in the CF3 + CO reaction.
The cultural and linguistic context of English in West Germany

: A growing number of studies document the spread and influence of English in Afrka and Asia and its subsequent nativization in these non-native contexts. However, the spread and nativization of English has not been restricted to former colonies. In Europe, too, English plays a significant role in the daily lives of Germans, Italians and Danes. This paper considers the linguistic creativity of West German users of English and their particular variety of English. Attention will be given to describing the forms and functions of this variety, processes of nativization, especially the process of borrowing, and West Germans’ attitudes toward English and toward the development of a variety of English that is distinctly German. Throughout, the term ‘German English’ will be used to highlight the unique social, cultural and linguistic role English plays in the German context or situation.
Characterization of guided-wave propagation in composite plates

ABSTRACT The increasing use of composite materials in multiple engineering applications has emphasized the need for structural health monitoring (SHM) technologies capable of detecting, locating, and classifying structural defects in these materials. Guided wave (GW) methods of fer an attractive solution for SHM due to their tunable sensitivity to different defects and their ability to interrogate large structural surfaces. The complications associated with the material anisotropy and directionality in composites result in an increased need for accurate and efficient simulation tools to characterize GW excitation and propagation in these materials. This paper presents a theoretical model based on three-dimensional elasticity to characterize GW excitation by finite-dimensional transducers in composite laminates. The theory uses an eigenbasis expansion for a bulk transversely isotropic material combined with Fourier transforms, the global matrix approach, and residue theory to find the displacement field excited by an arbitrarily shaped finite-dimensional transducer. Experimental results obtained in a cross-ply composite laminate are used to assess the accuracy of the theoretical solution. Keywords: structural health monitoring (SHM), guided wave s (GW), transducer design, composite materials.
Comparative Studies on the Buckling of Isotropic, Orthotropic, and Sandwich Columns

ABSTRACT Advanced composite and sandwich construction has raised the issue of accuracy of the column buckling formulas currently used in structural design. In these advanced material systems, transverse shear effects are significant and cannot be ignored. The objective of this paper is to answer the question of how accurate the simple column buckling formulas by Euler or the transverse shear correction formulas by Engesser and by Haringx or other direct column buckling formulas in the literature are when composite or sandwich construction and moderate thickness are involved. For this purpose, a three-dimensional elasticity solution is presented along with finite element results. For the elasticity solution, which is performed for the monolithic orthotropic material, the column is considered to be in the form of a hollow, circular cylinder and the direct column buckling formulas are based on the axial modulus. As an example, the cases of an orthotropic material with stiffness constants typical of glass/epo...
Effects of aluminum source and level, nutrient solution ph and tissue age on elemental concentrations in ryegrass

Abstract Recent studies have indicated that A1 concentrations in excess of 1000 μg/g have occurred in grass species susceptible to Al toxicity, although other studies have suggested that high Al concentrations were the result of soil contamination. Our objectives were to determine the effect of Al source, Al level, nutrient solution pH, and tissue age on elemental concentrations in ryegrass. An experiment was conducted in which ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) cv ‘Gulf grown in nutrient solution at pH 5 and 6 received 0 Al or 100 and 500 μg Al/ml as Al‐sulfate and as NaAl‐citrate. Plant shoots were harvested 35 and 42 days after planting. Where nutrient solution pH was adjusted daily to pH 5 or 6, highest forage Al concentrations averaged only 295 μg/g. Where pH was not adjusted, highest Al concentrations averaged over 2000 μg/g. Plants having Al concentrations above 500 μg/g showed visible signs of Al toxicity. Source and level of Al in the nutrient solution, initial nutrient solution pH, and age of ti...
The cell cycle and turnover times of the small intestinal epithelia of the pouchless opossum, Marmosa mitis.

Es wird erstmals der in vivo Zellzyklus von intestinalen Zellen des MarsupialiersMarmosa mitis beschrieben. Die bei diesem beutellosen Opossum beobachteten langeren Generationszeiten gehen gleichzeitig mit langeren Erneuerungszeiten der Epithelzellen in oberen Darmabschnitten uberein.
Limitations of using cardiac catheterization rates to assess the quality of care for patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Background An early invasive management strategy is recommended for patients with non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) who do not have a contraindication to cardiac catheterization (CCC). However, the frequency of CCC reporting has not been delineated, and the relationship of CCC reporting to hospital-level guidelines adherence for NSTEMI has not been investigated. Methods We used the American College of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Data Registry Acute Coronary Treatment and Intervention Outcomes Network Registry-Get With The Guidelines database to evaluate variations in hospital-level reporting of CCC for 111,320 patients with NSTEMI admitted to 370 hospitals with revascularization capabilities in the United States from 2007 to 2010 and how these variations were associated with guideline adherence and in-hospital mortality. Hospitals were grouped into tertiles based on rates of reported CCCs. Treatment patterns and in-hospital mortality rates were evaluated across hospital tertiles separately for patients with and without a reported CCC. Results A total of 18,290 (16.4%) of 111,320 patients with NSTEMI had a reported CCC, but hospital-level CCC reporting varied considerably (low tertile 0%-8.2%, intermediate tertile >8.2%-18.8%, and high tertile >18.8%-75.6%). Patients with a reported CCC had more comorbidities and high-risk features compared with patients without a CCC. The use of most guideline-recommended medications and in-hospital mortality rates were similar across hospital tertiles—both for patients with and without a reported CCC. Conclusions The reporting of CCC among patients with NSTEMI varies widely across US hospitals and does not appear to be related to guidelines adherence or in-hospital mortality rates. These findings suggest that it will be a challenge to standardize the reporting of CCC and thus use invasive management to assess the quality of NSTEMI care.
A DSM-IV-referenced teacher rating scale for use in clinical management.

ABSTRACT Objective Two studies were conducted to examine the psychometric properties of a DSM-IV —referenced teacher-completed rating scale in children receiving special education. Method To assess reliability, teachers rated 74 students on two separate occasions (test-retest) using the teacher version of the Child Symptom Inventory-4 (CSI-4T), and teacher aides also rated the children on the first occasion (interrater). In a second study, teacher CSI-4T and Teacher's Report Form (TRF) ratings and consultant diagnoses were obtained for 101 students. Results Internal consistency reliabilities (0.72–0.94), 2-week test-retest reliabilities ( r = 0.61–0.88), and interrater agreement ( r = 0.19–0.56) for the CSI-4T major symptom categories were comparable with dimensional rating scales. CSI-4T ratings showed a consistent pattern of convergent and divergent validity with TRF scores and with consultant diagnoses. Conclusion Findings provide preliminary support for the reliability and validity of the CSI-4T as a measure of DSM-IV symptoms in children receiving special education.
The role of contextual cues in mediating transfer

Abstract An experiment was conducted with sceond-grade children to test the hypothesis that contextual (task format) changes limit the transfer of learning. The S s learned two problems employing different formats concurrently and were then given a single transfer problem similar in format to one of the training problems. The transfer data were predictable from a consideration of the similar format training problem and independent of the different format training problem. This indicated that contextual cues were stored during training and played a role in determining transfer.
The variation in suspended sediment and water properties in the flood-water front traversing the tidal flat

The initial flooding waters from twenty-four consecutive tides were examined for changes in water properties as the flood-front traversed the intertidal zone. The flood-front water temperature depended on the time of flooding as well as the sun’s insolation. On warm sunny days, the water temperature at the leading edge of the tide successively increased as the water flooded the tidal flat. In contrast, during cloudy days, and early morning and evening samplings, the flood-front water decreased during flooding. Flood-front water temperatures on warm days exceeded 34°C, some 15°C higher than the water observed in the deeper tidal channels.
Effects of time delays on the stability of collocated and noncollocated point control of discrete dynamic structural systems

The effects of time delays on collocated as well as noncollocated point control of discrete dynamic systems have been examined. Controllers of proportional-integral-derivative (PID) type have been considered. Analytical estimates of time delays to maintain/obtain stability for small gains have been given. Several new results dealing with the effect of time delays on collocated and noncollocated control designs are obtained. It is shown that undamped structural systems cannot be stabilized with pure velocity (or integral) feedback without time delays while using a controller which is not collocated with the sensor when the mass matrix is diagonal. However, with the appropriate choice of time delays for certain classes of commonly occurring structural systems, stable noncollocated control can be achieved. Analytical results providing the upper bound on the controller's gain necessary for stability have been presented. The theoretical results obtained are illustrated and verified with numerical examples.
Discordance in interpretation of chest radiographs between pediatric intensivists and a radiologist: impact on patient management.

Abstract Purpose When radiologists are not available, chest radiographs (CXRs) of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patients are commonly interpreted by pediatric intensivists. We prospectively investigated the frequency of errors in CXR interpretation by pediatric intensivists and their impact on patient management. Materials and Methods Chest radiographs of PICU patients were evaluated by 5 pediatric intensivists then by a pediatric radiologist (the “gold standard”). If the interpretation of the radiologist and intensivist differed, an independent intensivist determined whether a management change took place. A pediatric pulmonologist determined how many intensivist interpretations were different from the radiologist's interpretations. Results Seven hundred twenty-eight radiographic findings were identified by the radiologist in 460 CXRs. There were 33 interpretation errors by the intensivists (4.5% of the findings in 7.1% of the CXRs). Only 3/33 error corrections (0.45% of the findings in 0.7% of the CXRs) resulted in change in patient management. Conclusions Errors in interpretation of CXRs by pediatric intensivists were common but less than that in other series, probably because of education of the pediatric intensivists through daily rounds with the radiologist. Although interpretation errors that affected patient management were rare, their clinical importance supports the growing practice of 24/7 remote radiograph reading by radiologists.
Retrieving Hierarchical Information from Maps: The Role of Metric and Configurational Variables

AbstractOne of the most important challenges for cartographers is to be able to transmit information appearing in maps in a simple manner to users. The commonest strategy to do so consists in displaying visual information in a hierarchical way, that is, making it some elements to appear as being more important than others. Nevertheless, recent research has shown that people also pay attention to configurational information, or information about relationships among elements appearing in a map, to retrieve hierarchical information of it. This is the topic of this paper. It aims to investigate the role of metric and configurational information in enabling people to retrieve hierarchical information from maps. The main problem consisted in identifying ‘the main street’ of different layouts whose paths were sometimes widened to make them appear more important. The main findings show that people retrieved hierarchical information by paying attention to a combination of metric and configurational factors.One of ...
Characterization of a soluble ternary complex formed between human interferon-β-1a and its receptor chains

The extracellular portions of the chains that comprise the human type I interferon receptor, IFNAR1 and IFNAR2, have been expressed and purified as recombinant soluble His-tagged proteins, and their interactions with each other and with human interferon-beta-1a (IFN-beta-1a) were studied by gel filtration and by cross-linking. By gel filtration, no stable binary complexes between IFN-beta-1a and IFNAR1, or between IFNAR1 and IFNAR2 were detected. However, a stable binary complex formed between IFN-beta-1a and IFNAR2. Analysis of binary complex formation using various molar excesses of IFN-beta-1a and IFNAR2 indicated that the complex had a 1:1 stoichiometry, and reducing SDS-PAGE of the binary complex treated with the cross-linking reagent dissucinimidyl glutarate (DSG) indicated that the major cross-linked species had an apparent Mr consistent with the sum of its two individual components. Gel filtration of a mixture of IFNAR1 and the IFN-beta-1a/IFNAR2 complex indicated that the three proteins formed a stable ternary complex. Analysis of ternary complex formation using various molar excesses of IFNAR1 and the IFN-beta-1a/IFNAR2 complex indicated that the ternary complex had a 1:1:1 stoichiometry, and reducing SDS-PAGE of the ternary complex treated with DSG indicated that the major cross-linked species had an apparent Mr consistent with the sum of its three individual components. We conclude that the ternary complex forms by the sequential association of IFN-beta-1a with IFNAR2, followed by the association of IFNAR1 with the preformed binary complex. The ability to produce the IFN-beta-1a/IFNAR2 and IFN-beta-1a/IFNAR1/IFNAR2 complexes make them attractive candidates for X-ray crystallography studies aimed at determining the molecular interactions between IFN-beta-1a and its receptor.
Pemetrexed Alone and in Combination with Platinum Compounds in the Management of Malignant Mesothelioma

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive but rare malignancy with a dismal prognosis. It is traditionally resistant to chemotherapy. Antifolate agents have recently shown promising data in the treatment of this malignancy. Pemetrexed is a multitargeted antifolate inhibitor of thymidylate synthase and other folate-dependent enzymes that has emerged as one of the most active agents in this disease. Several phase I/II trials of pemetrexed as a single agent or in combination with a platinum drug have demonstrated considerable activity in mesothelioma. In a recently published phase III randomized study, pemetrexed/cisplatin showed a significant improvement in survival, response rate, and quality of life compared with single-agent cisplatin. In addition, several trials reported that folic acid and vitamin B12 supplementation significantly reduced the toxicity observed with the use of pemetrexed without affecting the efficacy of the drug.
Febrile Neutropenia in Hematologic Malignancies

Febrile neutropenia (FN) can occur at any time during the course of a malignancy, especially hematologic malignancies, from diagnosis to end-stage disease. The majority of FN episodes are typically confined to the period of initial diagnosis and active treatment. Because of suppressed inflammatory responses, fever is often the sole sign of infection. As FN is a true medical emergency, prompt identification of and intervention in FN can prolong survival and improve quality of life. This article reviews FN in the setting of hematologic malignancies, specifically myelodysplastic syndromes and acute leukemias, providing an overview of the definition of fever and neutropenia, diagnostic approach, categories of risk/risk assessment, management in patients at low and high risk, and prophylaxis of infections.
Realization and characterization of a waveguide calorimeter for the 5 TO 8.5 GHz frequency range

We have built and characterized a calorimeter for RF power measurements in rectangular metal waveguide in the range from 5 to 8.5 GHz (WR-137, R-70). We describe the instrument, show the experimental results and evaluate its accuracy.
Many medicines in one: Curing in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea

The actual means by which the clinical successes of non-Western medical treatments are achieved has been little explored. More specifically, analyses have focused almost exclusively on their psychotherapeutic value, with some attention to the pharmacodynamics of plant remedies. The central argument of this paper is that such a perspective has been generated more by the selective psychiatric orientation of cross-cultural field workers than by the diverse realities of the curing systems themselves. The paper describes medical care among the Nekematigi, Benabena-speaking horticulturalists of the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea. Presented within an ecological framework, these materials demonstrate dependence upon a wide range of physical manipulations such as bleeding and flagellation with nettles, dietary alterations including increased protein consumption, social rearrangements, verbal spells, and plant medicinals of both specific and general application. The potential effects of each contribution to the medical regime are examined and a twofold conclusion is reached: (1) that it is precisely the mix of physical and psychological elements that accounts for Nekematigi success in treating the chronic infectious diseases which predominate in their environment, and (2) that this is likely to be true of many previously reported medical systems hitherto interpreted primarily in psychological, social, or symbolic terms.
The need to reevaluate trisomy screening for advanced maternal age in prenatal diagnosis.

OBJECTIVES: Fluorescence in situ hybridization aneuploidy screening promises immediate results. To evaluate aneuploidy screening in prenatal diagnosis, the prenatal records at Oregon were reviewed. STUDY DESIGN: Karyotype reports of 7240 amniocentesis samples referred for advanced maternal age were retrospectively reviewed for numeric and structural chromosome abnormalities. RESULTS: The frequency of abnormal karyotypes was 2.5%; 1.4% were age-related trisomies and sex-chromosome aneuploids, and 1.1 % were non-age-related abnormalities. The incidence of structural rearrangements was 0.9%, of which 70% were familial but not suspected on the basis of family history. CONCLUSIONS: Structural chromosome abnormalities were twice as common as previously reported, representing a significant unrecognized risk for subsequent pregnancies and other family members. Fluorescence in situ hybridization aneuploidy screening would not routinely detect structural chromosome abnormalities, which were twice as frequent as numeric aneuploidy at age 35 years. Routine use of fluorescence in situ hybridization for prenatal diagnosis should not be adopted without a prospective study of its accuracy, reliability, and impact on prenatal diagnosis.
Opportunities for Dialogue on Public Radio Web Sites: A Longitudinal Study

This study used a content analysis of Web sites for 200 public radio stations to measure how stations are creating opportunities for dialogue and relationship building with listeners and donors. Results showed most Web sites were easy to use, provided useful information, gave visitors reasons to return, and had the potential to generate dialogic loops. Many of the sites could improve by making advertising links open in new windows and by providing more information for potential donors. A longitudinal analysis found significant increases from 2011 to 2014 in the number of sites providing links to Facebook, Twitter, and mobile apps.
The Effect of Chilling of the Physiological and Simulated Apex of 2- and 3-leaf Plants of Pisum sativum L. cv. Alaska on Lateral Shoot Growth, C-14 IAA Movement and P-32 Accumulation

The apex of a 3-leaf pea plant was chilled in cold chambers maintained at 5–7°C. The lateral shoots 1 through 5 grew, and shoot 5 eventually dominated other lateral shoots. The apex when returned to the ambient temperature did not reimpose apical dominance. The growing lateral shoots competed with the stem apex. The apices of 2- and 3-leaf plants were chilled and P-32 distribution in these plants was studied in the entire plant, at various intervals of time. Phosphorus-32 accumulation followed the growth pattern of the plant. The lateral shoots accumulated P-32 activity and very little activity was accumulated by the apex. The dominating shoots 2 and 5 accumulated the maximum amount of activity in 2- and 3-leaf plants, respectively. Labeled-IAA moved basipetally through the stem when applied to the cut stump simulating the apex. By cold treatment the translocation of IAA was influenced more than its absorption. The plant seems to metabolize this compound in the later periods of application. The plant now becomes “insensitive” to auxin and the lateral shoots grow.
Invasiveness, invasibility and the role of environmental stress in the spread of non-native plants

Abstract Invasion ecology, the study of how organisms spread in habitats to which they are not native, asks both about the invasiveness of species and the invasibility of habitats: Which species are most likely to become invasive? Which habitats are most susceptible to invasion? To set the stage for considering these questions with regard to plants, we offer a two-way classification of nativeness and invasiveness that distinguishes natives, non-invasive non-natives and invasive non-natives. We then consider the current state of knowledge about invasiveness and invasibility. Despite much investigation, it has proven difficult to identify traits that consistently predict invasiveness. This may be largely because different traits favour invasiveness in different habitats. It has proven easier to identify types of habitats that are relatively invasible, such as islands and riverbanks. Factors thought to render habitats invasible include low intensities of competition, altered disturbance regimes and low levels of environmental stress, especially high resource availability. These factors probably often interact; the combination of altered disturbance with high resource availability may particularly promote invasibility. When biotic factors control invasibility, non-natives that are unlike native species may prove more invasive; the converse may also be true. We end with a simple conceptual model for cases in which high levels of environmental stress should and should not reduce invasibility. In some cases, it may be possible to manipulate stress to control biological invasions by plants.
CNR enhancement in the presence of multiple interfering processes using linear filters.

Given several images of the same slice, a linear filter can produce an image in which the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) between pathological and normal tissues is greater than in any of the initial images. To distinguish the pathology from more than one tissue, the filter should optimize the set of CNRs between the pathology and each of the interfering tissues. We define the optimal filter as the one which provides the largest value for the minimum CNR in the set and show how it is selected from a field of only four possibilities. The filter is demonstrated with both experimental phantom studies and clinical cases. Filter performance is compared with that of other techniques for distinguishing a desired feature from more than one interfering process. © 1990 Academic Press, Inc.
Acute vision loss after general anesthesia in a cat

A 6-year-old, male castrated, domestic shorthair cat presented with a 2-week history of blindness following general anesthesia. Behavioral changes, lethargy, inappetence and neurological deficits were also noted. Ophthalmic evaluation revealed blindness, normal pupillary light response and dazzle response, but no other abnormalities. Serodiagnostic testing for common infectious agents was negative and a cerebrospinal fluid analysis was normal. History and postmortem examination following euthanasia revealed cerebrocortical necrosis most consistent with anesthesia related hypoxia.
Helping behaviour, reproductive value, and the future component of indirect fitness

Abstract The indirect component of an individual's inclusive fitness incorporates the effects of the individual's behaviour on the survival and reproductive success of non-descendent kin. Indirect fitness benefits may be particularly important in species in which helpers assist in the reproductive activities of close relatives. Although helpers can influence both present and future reproduction of recipients, future effects have received relatively little attention. In this paper a general method is developed for estimating the future component of indirect fitness in which activities of helpers in the present influence residual reproductive value and future reproduction by recipients. The future component of indirect fitness is the sum of these effects weighted by genetic relatedness between the helper and each recipient breeder and between each recipient and its offspring. This approach is illustrated by estimating the relative contributions of present and future components to total indirect fitness gained by non-breeding helpers in three species of cooperatively breeding birds, the Florida scrub jay, Aphelocoma coerulescens, pied kingfisher, Ceryle rudis, and splendid fairy-wren, Malurus splendens. The results of this study, along with those available for other species, suggest that the future component of indirect fitness may comprise 29–49% of the total gain in indirect fitness accruing to helpers. The effect of helping and other forms of aidgiving behaviour on the survival and future reproduction of recipients thus should be given considerably more emphasis in analyses of the selective costs and benefits of such behaviour.
Conversion of 7α-hydroxycholesterol to bile acid in human subjects: Is there an alternate pathway favoring cholic acid synthesis?

Despite the fact that most human subjects synthesize about twice as much cholic acid as chenodeoxycholic acid, available evidence suggests that 7 alpha-hydroxycholesterol, the first intermediate in the major pathway for bile acid synthesis, is converted about equally to these two bile acids. Synthesis through the main alternate pathway can not explain this discrepancy because 27-hydroxycholesterol, the first intermediate in that pathway, is converted preferentially to chenodeoxycholic acid. To examine the validity of these contradictory observations, we administered (24-(14)C)-cholic acid and (24-(14)C)-chenodeoxycholic acid together with (7 beta-(3)H)-7 alpha-hydroxycholesterol on one occasion and (22,23-(3)H)-27-hydroxycholesterol on a separate occasion to eight normal human subjects. Synthesis of the two primary bile acids was determined by means of standard isotope dilution kinetics of the carbon 14-specific activities of biliary bile acids. Conversion of (7 beta-(3)H)-7 alpha-hydroxycholesterol and (22,23-(3)H)-27-hydroxycholesterol to bile acid was calculated from the tritium/carbon 14 ratio in cholic and chenodeoxycholic acid. For synthesis, the mean +/- SEM cholic/chenodeoxycholic ratio was 1.82 +/- 0.26. For apparent conversion of (7 beta-(3)H)-7 alpha-hydroxycholesterol to bile acid, the mean +/- SEM cholic/ chenodeoxycholic ratio was 1.02 +/- 0.09, whereas for (22,23(3)H)-27-hydroxycholesterol, the mean +/- SEM cholic/chenodeoxycholic ratio was 0.38 +/- 0.03. These data imply that, on average, more than 40% of cholic acid in these subjects was synthesized through a pathway that bypassed initial 7 alpha-hydroxylation. However, consideration of all potential candidates for such a pathway raises doubts that any of them contributes substantially to bile acid synthesis.
Pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase from Cucurbita cotyledons

Pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase, which required reduced pyridine nucleotide and Δ′-pyrroline-5-carboxylate for proline synthesis, was isolated from pumpkin cotyledons. The enzyme was found in the soluble fraction and had a 4.5-fold greater activity with NADH than NADPH. The enzyme was inhibited by NH2OH, NADP, ATP and slightly by proline. Glutathione or pyridoxal-5-phosphate had little effect on enzyme activity. The enzyme had a pH optimum between 7·0 and 7·6 and was not inhibited by high concentrations of NADH or Δ′-pyrroline-5-carboxylate.
The evolution of women as physicians and surgeons.

Women have played an active role as physicians and surgeons from earliest history. In the United States, medical education for women began in 1847 and flourished as medical schools proliferated to meet the growing population demand. The Flexner Report in 1910 resulted in about half the medical schools in the U.S. closing; many of them had admitted women. The number of women medical students increased beginning in the 1970s, until now, 43% of medical school graduates are women. The number of women residents has increased concomitantly from 22% in 1980 to 36% in 1997. Women residents in surgical training programs lag behind. Thoracic surgery has the lowest percent of women residents, at 5%. Unless an attempt is made to actively recruit women, thoracic surgery training programs are in danger of drawing from an increasingly smaller portion of medical school graduates.
Engineering Vein Grafts Using an External Electrospun Biodegradable Polymer Wrap to Gradually Impose Arterial Circumferential Wall Stress Over Time

Failure of vein grafts via intimal hyperplasia (IH) remains a critical problem, with the 5-year reoperation rate at 60% of all cases[1]. Vein segments transposed to the arterial circulation for use as bypass grafts are exposed to increased bloodflow and intraluminal pressure[2]. Indeed, Liu and Fung showed that the average circumferential wall stress (CWS) in an arterial vein graft (AVG) immediately upon reestablishing flow could be 140 fold that in a vein under normal circumstances[2]. The tissue often responds to this perceived injury by thickening, which is thought to be an attempt to return the stress to venous levels. However, this response is uncontrolled and can over-compensate, leading to stenosis instead of the desired thickening or “arterialization” of the AVG. It has been suggested that this hyperplastic response by AVGs is a direct result of a “cellular shock” related to their abrupt exposure to the harsh new biomechanical environment[3]. We hypothesize that the adverse hyperplastic response by AVGs may be reduced or eliminated by more gradually exposing them to the arterial biomechanical environment. We believe that an adventitially-placed electrospun polymer wrap will allow an AVG ample opportunity to adapt and remodel to the stresses of its new environment in situ, thereby reducing cellular injury and limiting the initiating mechanisms of IH. Previous work has shown that preventing acute distension of AVGs by adding an external support or sheath can improve various pathologic responses[4, 5], but clinical utility of such a wrap is unproven. Liu et al. used a polytetrafluoroethylene external support to reduce IH in AVGs[2]. However, the immunological response to a permanent wrap is unfavorable and led Vijayan et al. to develop a biodegradable polyglactin sheath. These polyglactin sheaths were loose-fitting and allowed the AVG to expand to their maximum diameters under arterial pressure and thus did not offer mechanical support or prevent increased levels of CWS.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Statistically significant differences between subtest scores on the test of reading comprehension

The authors contend that erroneous conclusions concerning intraindividual strengths and weaknesses may result when comparing scaled scores on subtests of The Test of Reading Comprehension. Examination of scaled scores may seem to indicate that a given student has performed better on one subtest than on another when, in reality, the difference between the two scores is not statistically significant. The authors present a table in which statistically significant differences between subtest scaled scores are identified. Use of the table enables more precise determination of intraindividual strengths and weaknesses.
Cross Validation of the b Test in a Large Known Groups Sample

The b Test (Boone, Lu, & Herzberg, 2002a) is a measure of cognitive performance validity originally validated on 91 non-credible participants and 7 credible clinical comparison groups (total n = 161). The purpose of the current study was to provide cross-validation data for the b Test on a known groups sample of non-credible participants (n = 212) and credible heterogeneous neuropsychological clinic patients (n = 103). The new data showed that while the original E-score cut-off of ≥155 achieved excellent specificity (99%), it was associated with relatively poor sensitivity (41%). However, the cut-off could be substantially lowered to ≥82, while still maintaining adequate specificity (≥90%) and raising sensitivity to 68%. Examination of non-credible subgroups revealed that b Test sensitivity in feigned mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) was 58%, whereas in non-credible patients claiming depression and psychosis, cut-off sensitivity was 76% and 67%, respectively. These data suggest that the b Test may have ...
Synthesis, characterization, and ligand exchange reactivity of a series of first row divalent metal 3-hydroxyflavonolate complexes.

A series of divalent metal flavonolate complexes of the general formula [(6-Ph2TPA)M(3-Hfl)]X (1−5-X; X = OTf− or ClO4−; 6-Ph2TPA = N,N-bis((6-phenyl-2-pyridyl)methyl)-N-((2-pyridyl)methyl)amine; M = Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II); 3-Hfl = 3-hydroxyflavonolate) were prepared and characterized by X-ray crystallography, elemental analysis, FTIR, UV−vis, 1H NMR or EPR, and cyclic voltammetry. All of the complexes have a bidentate coordinated flavonolate ligand. The difference in M−O distances (ΔM−O) involving this ligand varies through the series, with the asymmetry of flavonolate coordination increasing in the order Mn(II) ∼ Ni(II) < Cu(II) < Zn(II) < Co(II). The hypsochromic shift of the absorption band I (π→π*) of the coordinated flavonolate ligand in 1−5-OTf (relative to that in free anion) increases in the order Ni(II) < Mn(II) < Cu(II) < Zn(II), Co(II). Previously reported 3-Hfl complexes of divalent metals fit well with this ordering. 1H NMR studies indicate that the 3-Hfl complexes of Co(II),...
Geology and biology of North Pacific cold seep communities

Because of crushing pressure, low temperature, and stygian darkness, the floor of the deep sea is one of the most hostile habitats on Earth. Until recently it was widely believed that the base of the food chain for all deep-sea communities was plant life in the ocean's sunlit upper layer. With the discovery of hydrothermal vent and cold-seep communities, which are based on chemical rather than solar energy, those beliefs were overturned. New studies focused on the animals that inhabit cold seep regions have begun to throw light on the geological basis of chemosynthetic communities. The initial results suggest a strong relationship between geologically determined fluid flux, and the diversity and abundance of animals at the seeps.
The moral emotions, alcohol dependence, and HIV risk behavior in an incarcerated sample

This article examines the relationship of shame, guilt, and symptoms of alcohol dependence to pre-incarceration HIV risk behaviors in an ongoing study in a metropolitan jail. Between 2002 and 2004 an ethnically diverse sample of 368 male inmates (mean age = 31, SD = 9.7), were interviewed on a variety of constructs including shame- and guilt-proneness (), alcohol dependence (), and HIV risk behavior (). Symptoms of alcohol dependence were associated with elevated levels of HIV risk behavior (risky needle use and unprotected sex) prior to incarceration. Guilt-proneness was negatively related to risky sexual behavior. In addition, there was an interaction between shame and symptoms of alcohol dependence. Specifically, among those who were low on alcohol dependence, shame-proneness was negatively related to risky sexual behavior. The study's limitations are noted and findings are discussed in the context of the importance of considering moral emotions and alcohol dependence when designing programs to reduce ...
La sociología en el continente: convergencias pretéritas y una nueva agenda de alcance medio

THE ARTICLE EXAMINES CONVERGENCIES IN THE PRACTICE OF SOCIOLOGY IN THE UNITED STATES AND LATIN AMERICA, CRITIQUES PAST RELIANCE ON GRAND THEORY, AND ADVANCES A RESEARCH AGENDA BASED ON A SET OF MID-RANGE CONCEPTS STEMMING FROM RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN ECONOMIC SOCIOLOGY. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF THE DISCIPLINE IN BOTH PARTS OF THE HEMISPHERE ARE DISCUSSED.
The writing center and second language writers

Writing centers (or writing labs) have been part of the higher education landscape since the 1930s (Murphy & Law, 1995). They have been regarded as separate from the classroom, a unique space for writers working on their writing. Originally, they were primarily identified with remediation, an impression that unfortunately lingers even today (Carino, 1992; North, 1984a). In the late 1970s and 1980s, writing centers (WCs) saw a shift that paralleled the shift in composition studies more generally, with greater emphasis on facilitating the writing process, on liberatory practice, writer ownership of text, and collaborative approaches to instruction (Brooks, 1991; Lunsford, 1991). Many WCs embraced the peer tutoring model, pioneered by Bruffee (1984), who maintained that tutoring is best seen as an interaction between peers who share similar backgrounds, experience, and status, one that creates a different and powerful context for learning. WC pedagogy as inquiry dates perhaps to the publication of Muriel Harris’s Writing One-on-One (1986) and to Stephen North’s call for serious writing center research (North, 1984b). There are now numerous guides to WC practice (Capossela, 1998; Gillespie & Lerner, 2004; Rafoth, 2000), a lively research community, and two dedicated journals (Writing Center Journal, Writing Lab Newsletter). It was not until ten years ago, however, that attention turned to the second language (L2) writers who were beginning to use—often Journal of Second Language Writing 13 (2004) 165–172
Biomedicine and Alternative Healing Systems in America: Issues of Class, Race, Ethnicity and Gender.

Biomedicine and Alternative Healing Systems in America: Issues of Class, Race, Ethnicity and Gender. Hans A. Baer. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 2001. 248 pp.
Can an etiologic agent be identified in adults who are hospitalized for community-acquired pneumonia: results of a one-year study.

Summary Introduction Determining the cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains problematic. In this observational study, we systematically applied currently approved diagnostic techniques in patients hospitalized for CAP in order to determine the proportion in which an etiological agent could be identified. Methods All patients admitted with findings consistent with CAP were included. Sputum and blood cultures, urine tests for pneumococcal and Legionella antigens, nasopharyngeal swab for viral PCR, and serum procalcitonin were obtained in nearly every case. Admission-related electronic medical records were reviewed in entirety. Results By final clinical diagnosis, 44 patients (17.0%) were uninfected. A causative bacterium was identified in only 60 (23.2%) cases. PCR identified a respiratory virus in 42 (16.2%), 12 with documented bacterial coinfection. In 119 (45.9%), no cause for CAP was found; 69 (26.6%) of these had a syndrome indistinguishable from bacterial pneumonia. Procalcitonin was elevated in patients with bacterial infection and low in uninfected patients or those with viral infection, but with substantial overlap. Conclusions Only 23.2% of 259 patients admitted with a CAP syndrome had documented bacterial infection; another 26.6% had no identified bacterial etiology, but findings closely resembled those of bacterial infection. Nevertheless, all 259 received antibacterial therapy. Careful attention to the clinical picture may identify uninfected patients or those with viral infection, perhaps with reassurance by a non-elevated procalcitonin. Determining an etiologic diagnosis remains elusive. Better discriminators of bacterial infection are sorely needed.
Platypus TCRμ Provides Insight into the Origins and Evolution of a Uniquely Mammalian TCR Locus

TCRμ is an unconventional TCR that was first discovered in marsupials and appears to be absent from placental mammals and nonmammals. In this study, we show that TCRμ is also present in the duckbill platypus, an egg-laying monotreme, consistent with TCRμ being ancient and present in the last common ancestor of all extant mammals. As in marsupials, platypus TCRμ is expressed in a form containing double V domains. These V domains more closely resemble Ab V than that of conventional TCR. Platypus TCRμ differs from its marsupial homolog by requiring two rounds of somatic DNA recombination to assemble both V exons and has a genomic organization resembling the likely ancestral form of the receptor genes. These results demonstrate that the ancestors of placental mammals would have had TCRμ but it has been lost from this lineage.
Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease

Perspectives on the News commentaries are now part of a new, free monthly CME activity. The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York, is designating this activity for 2.0 AMA PRA Category 1 credits. If you wish to participate, review this article and visit www.diabetes.procampus.net to complete a posttest and receive a certificate. The Mount Sinai School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Extracting link spam using biased random walks from spam seed sets

Link spam deliberately manipulates hyperlinks between web pages in order to unduly boost the search engine ranking of one or more target pages. Link based ranking algorithms such as PageRank, HITS, and other derivatives are especially vulnerable to link spam. Link farms and link exchanges are two common instances of link spam that produce spam communities -- i.e., clusters in the web graph. In this paper, we present a directed approach to extracting link spam communities when given one or more members of the community. In contrast to previous completely automated approaches to finding link spam, our method is specifically designed to be used interactively. Our approach starts with a small spam seed set provided by the user and simulates a random walk on the web graph. The random walk is biased to explore the local neighborhood around the seed set through the use of decay probabilities. Truncation is used to retain only the most frequently visited nodes. After termination, the nodes are sorted in decreasing order of their final probabilities and presented to the user. Experiments using manually labeled link spam data sets and random walks from a single seed domain show that the approach achieves over 95.12% precision in extracting large link farms and 80.46% precision in extracting link exchange centroids.
LogTM: log-based transactional memory

Transactional memory (TM) simplifies parallel programming by guaranteeing that transactions appear to execute atomically and in isolation. Implementing these properties includes providing data version management for the simultaneous storage of both new (visible if the transaction commits) and old (retained if the transaction aborts) values. Most (hardware) TM systems leave old values "in place" (the target memory address) and buffer new values elsewhere until commit. This makes aborts fast, but penalizes (the much more frequent) commits. In this paper, we present a new implementation of transactional memory, log-based transactional memory (LogTM), that makes commits fast by storing old values to a per-thread log in cacheable virtual memory and storing new values in place. LogTM makes two additional contributions. First, LogTM extends a MOESI directory protocol to enable both fast conflict detection on evicted blocks and fast commit (using lazy cleanup). Second, LogTM handles aborts in (library) software with little performance penalty. Evaluations running micro- and SPLASH-2 benchmarks on a 32-way multiprocessor support our decision to optimize for commit by showing that only 1-2% of transactions abort.
Neutron β -decay as the origin of IceCube’s PeV (anti)neutrinos

Motivated by the indications of a possible deficit of muon tracks in the first three-year equivalent data set of IceCube we investigate the possibility that the astrophysical (anti)neutrino flux (in the PeV energy range) could originate from $\ensuremath{\beta}$-decay of relativistic neutrons. We show that to accommodate IceCube observations it is necessary that only about 1% to 10% of the emitted cosmic rays in the energy decade ${10}^{8.5}\ensuremath{\lesssim}{E}_{\mathrm{CR}}/\mathrm{GeV}\ensuremath{\lesssim}{10}^{9.5}$, yielding antineutrinos on Earth ($1{0}^{5.5}\ensuremath{\lesssim}{E}_{\overline{\ensuremath{\nu}}}/\mathrm{GeV}\ensuremath{\lesssim}1{0}^{6.5}$), are observed. Such a strong suppression can be explained assuming magnetic shielding of the secondary protons which diffuse in extragalactic magnetic fields of strength $10\ensuremath{\lesssim}B/\mathrm{nG}\ensuremath{\lesssim}100$ and coherence length $\ensuremath{\lesssim}\mathrm{Mpc}$.
Schizophrenic patients show facial reactions to emotional facial expressions

Facial reactions in schizophrenic patients were assessed via electromyography (EMG) in response to pictures of facial expressions. Male patients and nonpatient controls viewed photographs of positive and negative facial expressions while EMG activity from the corrugator and zygomatic muscle regions was recorded. Both schizophrenic patients and controls exhibited greater zygomatic reactivity in response to positive pictures than in response to negative pictures and greater corrugator reactivity in response to negative pictures than in response to positive pictures. Schizophrenic patients exhibited greater corrugator reactivity than did nonpatient controls. Implications for understanding emotion expression and perception in schizophrenic patients are discussed.