cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Indwelling Urinary Catheters in Hospitalized Patients: When in Doubt, Pull It Out

st 13 One-half century ago, Dr. Paul Beeson astutely recognized the role of the indwelling urinary catheter in predisposing to urinary tract infection.1 He observed that inserting an indwelling urinary catheter is “commonly regarded as a comparatively harmless procedure”1(p1) and recommended that “the decision to use this instrument should be made with the knowledge that it involves risk of producing a serious disease.”1(p3) Over the ensuing 50 years, physicians’ attitudes regarding urinary catheterization appear to have changed little. Up to 25% of hospitalized patients will have an indwelling urinary catheter inserted.2 Surprisingly, over 50% of these may be unnecessary.3 Yet, in a recent national survey of US hospitals, more than half of the institutions did not monitor which patients had had a urinary catheter placed, and nearly three-quarters did not track the duration of urinary catheterization.4 In an era in which we are emphasizing patient safety, this oversight is difficult to understand and harder to justify. In a recent review of 14 hospitals, Saint et al.5 found that although most gave low priority to preventing hospital-acquired urinary tract infection, they professed substantial recognition of the value to patients of early removal of a urinary catheter. Urinary tract infection is the most common hospital-acquired infection, accounting for 40% of nosocomial infections, and most of these are caused by an indwelling urinary catheter.2,6 The incidence of bacteriuria in catheterized patients is approximately 5% per day,2,6-8 emphasizing the need to remove the device as soon as possible. Of grave concern is that bacteremia occurs in 1% to 4% of those patients who develop nosocomial bacteriuria.9,10 In addition to causing this morbidity and occasional mortality, catheter-associated urinary tract infection substantially increases hospital costs.11,12 In this issue of the journal, Fakih et al.13 add to a small but growing body of evidence that relatively simple interventions can reduce the use of indwelling urinary catheters in hospitalized patients. The study used a quasi-experimental design with data gathering before, during, and after their intervention. A
Single-incision laparoscopic right hemicolectomy

Background: The results of a prospective consecutive series of single-incision laparoscopic right hemicolectomy procedures are presented. Methods: Right colonic resections were performed by a single-incision laparoscopic technique between February and December 2009. Surgical outcomes were recorded in a prospective database. Results: Twenty-two consecutive procedures were completed by single-incision laparoscopic colorectal surgical resection. All patients were alive at 30 days. The median length of hospital stay was 5 days. Morbidity was encountered in six patients. Pathological examination of the resected specimen showed adenocarcinoma in 13 patients, adenoma in five, carcinoid in two, Crohn’s disease in one patient and an intussuscepting lipoma in one. Clearance from the pathology was greater than 5 cm in all cases and the median lymph node harvest in patients with cancer was 17 (range 10‐30). Conclusion: Single-incision laparoscopic surgery is a possible approach to right colonic resection with potential for minimal access advantages.
Cigarette smoking shortens the survival of patients with low-risk myelodysplastic syndromes

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of hematological malignancies with poor survival. Although previous studies have identified the prognostic role of multiple demographic and clinical characteristics, the potential role of lifestyle factors has not been evaluated. In this study, we conducted an extensive assessment of the predictors of MDS survival, with a special focus on lifestyle factors. A total of 616 patients (median survival = 4.1 years) were included in the analysis, and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were utilized to estimate hazard ratios. Compared with non-smokers, MDS patients who smoked at the initial clinical encounter had a significantly increased risk of death [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.46, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.07–2.00]. The elevated risk was restricted to men (HR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.21–2.56) and not observed among women (HR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.51–1.85). When patients were stratified by the IPSS categorization, a near three fold increased risk of death was associated with smoking among patients with low-risk MDS (HR = 2.83, 95% CI: 1.48–5.39), whereas smoking did not appear to influence the survival of patients with intermediate- or high-risk MDS. This study was the first to identify smoking as a significant and independent predictor of MDS survival, particularly among low-risk patients.
The use of standard slides in semiquantitative radioautography with tritiated compounds.

Essentially identical smears can be prepared from a pooled suspension of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells labeled with tritiated thymidine. In these smears, the percentage of labeled cells and the mean grain count per labeled cell vary within narrow limits: in the same slide, within 2 to 5% of the mean of the slide. In smears processed together in the same manner, the percentage of labeled cells (calculated on 1,000 cells) varies within 2%, and the mean grain count per labeled cell (calculated on 50 cells) between 15 and 20% of the mean of all smears. Once the limits of variability are known, smears from the same cell population can be used to ensure the accuracy of procedures performed on separate batches of radio-autographs that have been processed separately but in a presumably identical manner. A comparison of the mean grain counts of standard smears from separate batches will indicate if variations, not otherwise detectable by the experimenter, have actually occurred during the radioautographic procedure.
Electronic structure and magnetic properties of hard/soft multilayers

Magnetic properties of FePt/Fe multilayers of alternating hard and soft magnetic regions are calculated using linear-muffin-tin-orbitals and Green function methods. The changes in the magnetic properties of hard and soft phases with their relative thicknesses are studied via self-consistent calculations of local magnetic moments, effective exchange interaction parameters and the anisotropy energy. The calculations show that this system is a promising permanent-magnet candidate with large-energy product, uniaxial anisotropy, and high Curie temperature.
Synthesis and study of crown ether-appended boron dipyrrin chemosensors for cation detection

Boron dipyrrin (BDP) bearing crown ethers of varying cavity sizes, namely, 15-crown-5, 18-crown-6, and 21-crown-7, at the meso-position are synthesized and employed as chemosensors for cation detection in solution. In the absence of metal cations, the emission of the BDP moiety is found to be quenched to some extent by an intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) process from the donor oxygen atoms to the acceptor BDP unit. Coordination of metal ions to the oxygen donor atoms in the crown ether cavity inhibits intramolecular charge transfer to the BDP acceptor, leading to cation-induced fluorescence enhancement. The fluorescence enhancement is systematically probed as a function of crown ether cavity and metal ion sizes to achieve metal ion selectivity.
APL editor features for productivity and quality

This paper describes features for a full screen APL program-and-data editor which provide capability above and beyond basic text editing functions. These features result from the integration of numerous separate utility operations into the editor. The combined processes enable the APL programmer to be more productive while at the same time generate a higher quality result. One such implementation, EDITFS, modelled on SPF, is the basis of this description.
Computational Study of Jet-in-Crossflow and Film Cooling Using a New Unsteady-Based Turbulence Model

This paper documents a computational investigation of the unsteady behavior of jet-in-crossflow applications. Improved prediction of fundamental physics is achieved by implementing a new unsteady, RANS-based turbulence model developed by the authors. Two test cases are examined that match experimental efforts previously documented in the open literature. One is the well-documented normal jet-in-crossflow, and the other is film cooling on the pressure side of a turbine blade. All simulations are three-dimensional, fully converged, and grid-independent. High-quality and high-density grids are constructed using multiple topologies and an unstructured, super-block approach to ensure that numerical viscosity is minimized. Computational domains include the passage, film hole, and coolant supply plenum. Results for the normal jet-in-crossflow are for a density ratio of 1 and velocity ratio of 0.5 and include streamwise velocity profiles and injected flow or “coolant” distribution. The Reynolds number based on the average jet exit velocity and jet diameter is 20,500. This represents a good test case since normal injection is known to exaggerate the key flow mechanisms seen in film-cooling applications. Results for the pressure side film-cooling case include coolant distribution and adiabatic effectiveness for a density and blowing ratio of 2. In addition to the in-house model that incorporates new unsteady physics, CFD simulations utilize standard, RANS-based turbulence models, such as the “realizable” k-e model. The present study demonstrates the importance of unsteady physics in the prediction of jet-in-crossflow interactions and for film cooling flows that exhibit jet liftoff.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Referring to Fictional Characters

In this paper, the author replies to a question raised about theories of nonexistent objects. The question concerns the way names of fictional characters, when analyzed as names which denote nonexistent objects, acquire their denotations. Since nonexistent objects cannot causally interact with existent objects, it is thought that we cannot appeal to a 'dubbing' or a 'baptism'. The question is, therefore, what is the starting point of the chain'? The answer is that storytellings are to be thought of as extended baptisms, and the details of this response receive attention in the paper. Once the storytelling is complete, and the characters have been baptized, a priori metaphysical principles linking the storytelling with the realm of nonexistent objects provide the referential, non-causal connection between the names used in the storytelling and the objects denoted by such names.
Arsenic Promotes Ubiquitinylation and Lysosomal Degradation of Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) Chloride Channels in Human Airway Epithelial Cells

Arsenic exposure significantly increases respiratory bacterial infections and reduces the ability of the innate immune system to eliminate bacterial infections. Recently, we observed in the gill of killifish, an environmental model organism, that arsenic exposure induced the ubiquitinylation and degradation of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), a chloride channel that is essential for the mucociliary clearance of respiratory pathogens in humans. Accordingly, in this study, we tested the hypothesis that low dose arsenic exposure reduces the abundance and function of CFTR in human airway epithelial cells. Arsenic induced a time- and dose-dependent increase in multiubiquitinylated CFTR, which led to its lysosomal degradation, and a decrease in CFTR-mediated chloride secretion. Although arsenic had no effect on the abundance or activity of USP10, a deubiquitinylating enzyme, siRNA-mediated knockdown of c-Cbl, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, abolished the arsenic-stimulated degradation of CFTR. Arsenic enhanced the degradation of CFTR by increasing phosphorylated c-Cbl, which increased its interaction with CFTR, and subsequent ubiquitinylation of CFTR. Because epidemiological studies have shown that arsenic increases the incidence of respiratory infections, this study suggests that one potential mechanism of this effect involves arsenic-induced ubiquitinylation and degradation of CFTR, which decreases chloride secretion and airway surface liquid volume, effects that would be proposed to reduce mucociliary clearance of respiratory pathogens.
Local covariance equalization of hyperspectral imagery: advantages and limitations for target detection

The operational implementation of many conventional hyperspectral detection algorithms can be greatly simplified by adaptively preprocessing all test pixels and target signatures to equalize first- and second-order background statistics. The process is equivalent to expressing spectral radiance in a locally Euclidean coordinate system. Removing hyperspectral curvature in this way greatly simplifies both the data archiving function and the mathematical forms of standard detectors. Here we show why the equalization procedure does not compromise performance for conventional detection methods. More advanced algorithms cannot, however, be implemented with equalized data alone. We show how this limitation can nonetheless be overcome by temporarily storing a few parameters, with no archiving penalty
Small-Scale Abundance Variations in TMC-1: Dynamics and Hydrocarbon Chemistry

We present high spectral resolution observations of eighteen molecules, including high-quality maps of CCS and HC7N in TMC-1, using NASA's Deep Space Network 70 m antenna to study the interaction between cloud dynamics and chemistry. Other molecules shown in our study are C18O, NH3, CS, C3S, C3H2, H2C3, H2C4, H2C6, HC3N, HC5N, DC5N, HC9N, C4H, C5H, C6H, and a successful detection of the rare C8H molecule. In addition, we have searched for and set meaningful abundance limits on several carbon chain and ring molecules such as C7H, H2C5, c-H2C5, and biogenic molecules such as pyrrole and glycine. All the species observed in TMC-1 show large spectral-line variations in both intensity and shape over extremely small scales (~0.03 pc). Maps of CCS and HC7N display abundance ratio variations of 3-5 along individual lines of sight. The high degree of clumpiness, transient nature of clumps, and gas-phase enrichment adequately explain the "early-time" chemistry and the molecular complexity in TMC-1. This enrichment has interesting implications for hydrocarbon chemistry in TMC-1, and presumably other clumpy, dark clouds. Specifically, the large number of clumps at various stages of early-time chemical evolution increases the chances for detection of complex hydrocarbons, since the probability of observing a clump at the time of peak abundance for a given molecular species is increased. We suggest two mechanisms for explaining the small-scale variations: (1) the passage of MHD waves in a clumpy medium and (2) grain impacts during clump-clump collisions. In the quiescent region far from any protostar, the MHD activity can be generated locally by clump collisions. The passage of MHD waves helps maintain early-time chemistry in the clumps. Both mechanisms provide enough energy to raise grain temperatures from 10 K to Tcrit ~ 30 K, sufficient to cause reactive radical explosions in grain mantles and thermal desorption. In this manner, the mantle injection causes TMC-1 to exhibit some aspects of "hot-core" chemistry, as seen in more massive star-forming regions. The transient nature of the clumps and the mantle-driven chemistry make TMC-1 a good target for future searches of complex molecular species.
Ionizing Radiation Dose Distribution Produced inside a Canonical Cavity by Direct e-Beam Excitation

Reliable dosimetry methods have been developed to map relativistic electrons that have been injected into a generic cavity. These measuring techniques are: (1) thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) combined with photodiodes yielding dose rate; (2) TLD telescopes yielding electron angular distributions; and (3) TLD mosaic arrays yielding rough energy spectra. Total dose, dose rate, electron angular distribution and current density measurements have been obtained during electromagnetic excitation of a canonical cavity with diffuse electron beam (e-beam) bombardment. A theoretical interpretation of the dose rate and electron current density measurements is presented.
Benefits of Training Dietetics Students in Preprofessional Practice Programs: A Comparison With Dietetic Internships

Abstract Objective To conduct a nationwide study on the opinions of dietitian preceptors regarding the intangible benefits to hospitals and medical centers of training dietetics students in approved preprofessional practice programs (AP4s) and to compare the findings with a similar survey of dietetic internships. Design A questionnaire was adapted from a 1990 study of preceptors in dietetic internships to investigate the benefits of training dietetics students in AP4s. Sample Program directors and dietitians who supervise and teach students in the 117 preprofessional programs approved by The American Dietetic Association were sent pretested questionnaires. Responses to the survey were received from 312 dietitians who supervise students in 74 practice programs. Statistical analysis Descriptive statistics were used to calculate frequency of response, t Tests were used to compare mean differences between the opinions of preceptors in AP4s and internships. Analysis of variance and Scheffe post-hoc test were used to determine the demographic characteristics related to the dietitians' opinions of benefits. Results Strongest agreement (agree to strongly agree) was found for three items: sense of satisfaction from seeing students develop as professionals (4.34); belief that teaching students makes the job more interesting (4.17); and real sense of achievement in working with students (4.05). Significant differences were found between the groups on six items and, in all but one instance, the internship preceptors were more in agreement with the statements on intangible benefits than the AP4 preceptors. Applications/conclusions The preceptors generally agreed that intangible benefits exist for departments that are AP4 sites and the professionals that work in them. As programs develop from AP4s into accredited internships, examination of intangible and monetary benefits may affect the continuation of dietetics training programs. J Am Diet Assoc. 1996;96:758–763
Evidence contradicting the notion that gonadal hormones regulate brain opiate receptors.

Abstract Castration of male rats has been reported to increase brain opiate receptors by nearly 100%. We assayed brain opiate receptors with both naloxone and met-enkephalin, but found no effect of gonadectomy on the Kd or Bmax for either ligand in male or female mice or in male rats. Experiments were performed with 2 strains of mice and 3 strains of rats; mice were gonadectomized 1–7 weeks and rats were castrated 3 weeks before assay. Both washed and unwashed brain membrane preparations were used. Administration of testosterone or estrogen to intact male or female mice did not alter opiate receptors. Castration did not affect the strain or age and brain-region differences found for naloxone binding in male rats.
Presentation of the Roebling Medal for 2005 of the Mineralogical Society of America to Ho-kwang Mao

Mr. President, Members, and Guests: It is an honor and a pleasure to introduce Ho-kwang “David” Mao as recipient of the Mineralogical Society of America’s highest honor, the Roebling Medal. David was born in Shanghai, China, and moved with his family to Taiwan when he was seven years old. He received his B.S. degree from the National University of Taiwan in 1963, served as a second lieutenant in the Air Force for a year, and entered the University of Rochester the next year. He became involved in high-pressure studies with Bill Bassett and Taro Takahashi, leading to his early interest in iron at high pressure as well as in exploring phase transitions in mantle silicates. Upon graduation from the University of Rochester in 1968, Dave joined the Geophysical Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution of Washington as a postdoctoral fellow and became a staff member in 1972. I have known Dave for many years as a friend and professional colleague. I first met him on Connecticut Avenue in Washington, I think in 1968. He and Peter Bell were walking near the Sheraton Park Hotel where the spring AGU meeting was being held. Peter introduced Dave and said that this fellow was going to revolutionize the field of high-pressure science. That prediction has certainly come true and there is …
Using a fast-neutron spectrometer system to candle luggage for hidden explosives

A continuous spectrum of neutron switch energies up to 8.2 MeV is produced by a 4.2-MeV nanosecond-pulsed deuteron beam slowing down in a thick beryllium target. The spectrum form the locally shielded target is collimated to a horizontal fan-beam and delivered to a row of 16, 6-cm square plastic scintillators located 4 m from the neutron source. The scintillators are coupled to 12-stage photomultiplier tubes, constant-fraction discriminators, time-to-amplitude converters, analog-to-digital converters, and digital memories. Unattenuated neutron-source spectra and background spectra ar recorded. Luggage is stepped through the fan beam by an automated lift located 2 m from the neutron source. Transmission spectra are measured, and are transferred to a computer while the location is advanced one pixel width. As the next set of spectra is being measured, the computer calculates neutron attenuations for the previous set, deconvolutes attenuations into projected elemental number densities, and determines the explosive likelihood for each pixel. With a time-averaged deuteron beam current o 1(mu) A, a suitcase 60-cm long can be automatically imaged in 1600s. We will suggest that time can be reduced to 8s or less with straight-forward improvements. The following paper describes the explosives recognition algorithm and presents the results of teste with explosives.
The severity of dieting and bingeing behaviors in college women: Interview validation of survey data

Abstract A combined survey and interview study was conducted to validate a categorical Dieting and Bingeing Severity Scale (DBSS), and to estimate the prevalance of eating disorders in young women. We hypothesized that assignment to the DBSS categories would be confirmed by clinical interviews such that interview-diagnosed eating disorders would be found with increasing frequency and severity at the upper end of the DBSS. Freshmen college women ( n = 1367) completed a survey instrument addressing the frequency and severity of dieting, binge-eating, and other behaviors and attitudes related to weight control. Random stratified sampling procedures were used to select a subset of women ( n = 306) from each DBSS category for structured clinical interviews for DSM-III-R (SCID). Survey respondents were assigned to one of six mutually exclusive DBSS categories: non-dieters (9% of sample), casual dieters (26%), moderate dieters (23%), intense dieters (21%), dieters at-risk (19%), and probable bulimia nervosa (2%). The DBSS effectively rank-ordered subjects according to the risk of having interview-diagnosed eating disorders. Women in the three most severe DBSS categories were significantly more likely to have current subthreshold and threshold level eating disorders, in particular bulimia nervosa and eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS). The estimated prevalence of current bulimia nervosa was approximately 2% by both survey and interview methods. The prevalence of current EDNOS was 13%, more than six times greater than the prevalence of bulimia nervosa. The DBSS was found to be a reliable and valid measure of dieting and bingeing severity. The survey instrument may be useful in measuring the extent of, and changes in, pathological dieting in community-based samples of young women, and in studying comorbidity of dieting and bingeing severity with other psychiatric conditions including depression and substance use. The DBSS may also be useful in identifying risk factors associated with the onset of eating disorders.
The law of the iterated logarithm for the multivariate nearest neighbor density estimators

We consider estimation of a multivariate probability density function f(x) by kernel type nearest neighbor (nn) estimators gn(x). The development of nn density estimation theory has had a rich history since Loftsgaarden and Quesenberry proposed the idea in 1965. In particular, there is a vast literature on convergence properties of gn(x) to f(x). For statistical purposes, however, it is of importance to study also the speed of almost sure convergence. For pointwise estimation, this problem appears to have received no attention in the literature. The aim of the present paper is to obtain sharp pointwise rates of strong consistency by establishing a law of the iterated logarithm for this class of estimators. We also study the local estimation of a density function based on censored data by the kernel smoothing method using a nearest neighbor approach and derive a law of the iterated logarithm.
Subpicosecond intersystem crossing in mono- and di(organophosphine)gold(I) naphthalene derivatives in solution.

Femtosecond-to-microsecond broadband transient absorption experiments are reported for Cy3PAu(2-naphthyl) (1), (Cy3PAu)2(2,6-naphthalenediyl) (2), and (Cy3PAu)2(2,7-naphthalenediyl) (3), where Cy = cyclohexyl. Global and target analyses of the data, based on a sequential kinetic model, reveal four spectral components. These components are assigned to (1) excited state absorption (ESA) of the ligand-centered S1 state; (2) ESA of a receiver ligand-to-metal or metal-to-ligand charge transfer triplet state (τ1 ≤ 300 fs); (3) ESA of the vibrationally excited, ligand-centered T1 state (τ3 = 7–10 ps); and (4) ESA of the relaxed T1 state. Intersystem crossing (ISC) occurs in hundreds of femtoseconds, while internal conversion (IC) in the triplet manifold is slow (τ2 ≈ 2 ps). The relaxed T1 state shows biphasic decay kinetics in 2 and 3 with lifetimes of hundreds of picoseconds and hundreds of nanoseconds in air-saturated conditions, while only monophasic decay is observed in 1 under identical conditions. The prim...
Tribological issues during quick plastic forming

Quick plastic forming (QPF) was developed as a high-volume, hot blow forming process for automobile components, enabling larger volume applications than traditional superplastic forming (SPF). One critical aspect of the process is the tribological interaction between the forming tool and the aluminum blank, as this impacts formability, surface quality, and tool durability. While QPF has been successfully implemented for automobile components, many opportunities exist for improving the tribological condition during the process, including the die coating or treatment, the lubricant, and the fundamental understanding of aluminum/iron adhesion under QPF conditions (450 °C). This work reviews key tribological issues affecting QPF and identifies areas where additional research is required.
Molecular and genetic events accompanying petite induction and recovery of respiratory competence induced by ethidium bromide.

The treatment of yeast cells with high levels of ethidium bromide causes a rapid induction of respiratory deficient mutants followed by a period of recovery to respiratory competence in 60 to 70% of the cells. Prolonged exposure then results in a final irreversible phase of petite formation. Sucrose gradient sedimentation analysis of 3H-adenine labelled mtDNA indicates that limited fragmentation (to about 16-18S) occurs during the initial phase of petite induction followed by a reassembly of the fragments during the period corresponding to the recovery of respiratory competence. The reassembly is associated with an ethidium bromide insensitive incorporation of 3H-adenine into mtDNA at a level consistent with repair synthesis. Genetic analyses, based on the transmission of five markers carried on the mtDNA of “repaired ρ+” clones, suggests that reassembly occurs with a high degree of fidelity, though in two of a total of twenty five clones differences in marker transmission frequency were observed which could possibly reflect an altered gene order. In addition, a description is given of the marked changes in the suppressive nature of the treated cells and the temporary reduction in the capacity for marker transmission seen to accompany the transitory fragmentation of the mtDNA. The final phase of petite induction is an energy dependent degradation of the mtDNA to produce a ρ0 culture.
Mice with cisplatin and oxaliplatin-induced painful neuropathy develop distinct early responses to thermal stimuli

Background Cisplatin has been in use for 40 years for treatment of germ line and other forms of cancer. Oxaliplatin is approved for treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. Thirty to forty percent of cancer patients receiving these agents develop pain and sensory loss. Oxaliplatin induces distinctive cold-associated dysesthesias in up to 80% of patients.
Maintenance of separated rat pituitary mammotrophs in cell culture.

Dispersed female rat anterior pituitary cells were cultured in Medium 199 containing 20% fetal calf serum for 30 days. Prolactin levels in the culture medium remained relatively constant during this time, ranging from 30–40 ng/10,000 cells seeded/day. The total quantity of prolactin released into the medium was 10–15 times that originally contained in the cells. Morphological integrity of the mammotrophs was maintained. Using velocity sedimentation at unit gravity, cells from untreated, ovariectomized or estrogen-primed animals were separated into several fractions, and subsequently cultured for 14 days. Not all mammotrophs secreted the same quantity of hormone during this time. The data suggest that the pituitary of the female rat is composed of a heterogeneous population of mammotrophs, and that their capacity to secrete prolactin in vitro may, in part, be reflected by the previous physiological status of the animal. (Endocrinology 98: 25, 1976)
Does amifostine have a role in chemoradiation treatment

For many years, scientists have been investigating use of drugs to protect normal tissue from injury during radiation therapy, thereby increasing the amount of radiation that can be safely administered to patients. Despite the introduction of modern shielding techniques, dose modulation, and tissue-volume mapping, a small amount of normal tissue surrounding the target volume is inevitably irradiated during treatment, which can lead to severe side-effects. The most recent chemical radioprotector to become available clinically is amifostine. On the basis of efficacy data from a phase III randomised trial in patients with head and neck cancer, which showed reduced acute and chronic xerostomia with preserved antitumour response, some institutions are now adding amifostine to their chemoradiation regimens. However, much controversy surrounds the use of this drug. Some investigators are worried that radioprotectors may stop tumour tissue responding to radiation and therefore reduce treatment effectiveness. Moreover, amifostine opponents argue that the evidence is insufficient to justify routine use of this drug. In this Debate, David Brizel, who worked on the phase III amifostine efficacy study, and Jens Overgaard, a vehement opponent of amifostine therapy, provide thought-provoking arguments for two opposing perspectives on this contentious issue.
Reply distribution in online discussions:A comparative network analysis of political and health newsgroups

IntroductionA major promise of the vast expansion of the Internet throughout the last decade isits potential to become a revolutionary platform for public discourse and informa-tion exchange. When connecting to the Internet, individuals are free to becomeactive participants in conversations and information seeking regarding a wide spec-trum of issues, including their social and civil lives.Joseph Nye (2002) discusses power in the information age and elaborates onSimon’s (1998) idea of the paradox of plenty.He argues that when information isaccessible through such a wide range of channels, attention - not information -becomes the scarce source. ‘‘A plenitude of information’’ Nye concludes, ‘‘leads toa poverty of attention’’ (p. 68). Network literature supports this assertion. Manylarge networks follow a power-law distribution, where links are distributeddisproportionally. The potential of the Internet to beneﬁt individuals andsociety at large by encouraging civil discussion and exchange of informationshould, therefore, be examined neither by the mere ability of individuals toparticipate, nor simply by their actual contribution – volume or quality. Thepremise of this study is that the potential democratic contribution of the Internetshould be examined via the networks created by patterns of replies individualsevoke.The goal of this study is twofold. First, to explore the structure of Usenet news-groups as it is expressed by the distribution of replies among participants. Second, toidentify what affects this structure. Two independent variables are suggested topredict reply distributions in discussion groups: size and topic of discussions. Thesewill be discussed each in turn below.
Effect of Anorexia Nervosa on Linear Growth

To study the effect of severe undernutrition on linear growth during adolescence, a report was obtained on the ultimate adult height of 71 patients who had had anorexia nervosa at or before age 16 years. At time of diagnosis (ages 9-16 years) median height percentile was 49; at adult follow-up (ages 18-29 years) the median height percentile was 55. This change favoring growth was statistically significant (p < 0.01). Height percentile was maintained or increased in 45 patients and decreased in 26 patients. In only four patients did it change by more than 20 percentile points downward; in 12 patients height percentile increased by more than 20 points. We conclude that, despite weight loss of up to 45 percent at or before age 16 years, most patients with anorexia nervosa continue to grow in stature according to expected norms.
MicroRNAs act sequentially and asymmetrically to control chemosensory laterality in the nematode

Animal microRNAs (miRNAs) are gene regulatory factors that prevent the expression of specific messenger RNA targets by binding to their 3' untranslated region. The Caenorhabditis elegans lsy-6 miRNA (for lateral symmetry defective) is required for the left/right asymmetric expression of guanyl cyclase (gcy) genes in two chemosensory neurons termed ASE left (ASEL) and ASE right (ASER). The asymmetric expression of these putative chemoreceptors in turn correlates with the functional lateralization of the ASE neurons. Here we find that a mutation in the die-1 zinc-finger transcription factor disrupts both the chemosensory laterality and left/right asymmetric expression of chemoreceptor genes in the ASE neurons. die-1 controls chemosensory laterality by activating the expression of lsy-6 specifically in ASEL, but not in ASER, where die-1 expression is downregulated through two sites in its 3' untranslated region. These two sites are complementary to mir-273, a previously uncharacterized miRNA, whose expression is strongly biased towards ASER. Forced bilateral expression of mir-273 in ASEL and ASER causes a loss of asymmetric die-1 expression and ASE laterality. Thus, an inverse distribution of two sequentially acting miRNAs in two bilaterally symmetric neurons controls laterality of the nematode chemosensory system.
Building Your Own Musical Community: How YouTube, Miley Cyrus, and the Ukulele Can Create a New Kind of Ensemble

This column presents an account of the Homebrew Ukulele Union: an ensemble where students build their own instruments, write their own compositions and arrangements, and organize performances in the local community. One author, a member of the group, presents the student perspective on building, learning, leading, and performing, whereas the second author focuses on some scholarly ideas that shaped the practice: anthropology, ethnomusicology, and the lifelong-learning era of new media. The authors argue for a sustainable model of musicianship that students can carry forth into their adult lives, making music of their own choosing in small or large groups, built around the local musical culture or that of an online community.
Perspectives on the Physiology and Structure of Inward-Rectifying K+ Channels in Higher Plants: Biophysical Implications for K Uptake

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 442 PHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS OF PLANT Ki� CHANNELS . . . . . . . . . . . . 443 Ki� Channels and K+ Uptake . . . ... .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443 Why Do Plant Cells Take Up K+ via Ki� Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 448 BASIC ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF PLANT K� CHANNELS . . . . . . . . 449 CLONING AND FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF Ki� CHANNEL cDNAs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 452 Yeast Expression: A Powerful System to Study Transporters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 452 Structural Features of Ki� Channel Genes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 453 Ki� CHANNEL SELECTIVITY AND BLOCK .... 455 Putative Structural Domains for Ki� Channel Block and Ion Selectivity . . . . 455 Possible Interactions of Na+ with K+ -Uptake and Cation Transporters . . . . 457 Aluminum Toxicity and Block of Ki;; Channels 458 VOLTAGE-DEPENDENT Ki� CHANNEL ACTIVATION . . . ... ... . . ... ... 459 Outward-Rectifying K+ Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461 CYTOSOLIC MODULATION OF K;� CHANNELS 461 PERSPECTIVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 464
Searching for Outcomes of Leadership: A 25-Year Review

>> A significant question in management research is, “What criteria should be used to evaluate the effects of leadership?” In this review, the authors systematically summarize various ways the field of leadership has (and has not) sought to answer questions about whether, when, and how leadership affects outcomes. A total of 1,161 empirical studies over 25 years, spanning microand macro-oriented perspectives, were content coded to answer six basic questions that set the scope of leadership science. The authors first descriptively summarize these criterion issues in the empirical literature and draw comparisons across areas (e.g., To what extent have leadermember exchange, transformational, and strategic leadership research differentially examined various outcomes?). Second, the authors explore the implications of criterion selection issues for the further advancement of leadership theory and offer concrete recommendations for future leadership research.
A content analysis of research published in the Journal of Research in Science Teaching from 1985 through 1989

To determine if actual practice was consistent with commonly recommended research methods and procedures, this study examined 130 studies reported over a 5-year period in three volumes of the Journal of Research in Science Teaching (JRST). The results were consistent with similar previous analyses (Shaver & Norton, 1980a, 1980b; Wallen & Fraenkel, 1988a) and indicate that appropriate generalizations beyond the confines of the reported studies may be impossible for most (64%) of the JRST studies surveyed. The findings also show that replication studies, which could be employed to offset deficiencies in generalizability, were not commonly encountered (3%) in these 130 reports. In addition, the study results indicate that many researchers (48%) do not properly restrict their conclusions based on the limits imposed by the accessible populations and samples used; nor do they typically provide possible alternative explanations for the outcomes obtained (76%). These findings prompt the following recommendations: 1. A greater awareness and use of replication as a check on generalizability should be encouraged by the science education community. 2. Clearly defined populations (target and accessible) and fully described samples warrant increased attention as report components from authors, reviewers, and editorial board members of JRST. 3. In light of the difficulties inherent in effecting random selection in educational settings, a greater emphasis should be placed on recognizing the limits that the underlying assumptions of inferential statistics place on research conclusions. The results of this study indicate that the methodological quality of published science education research should remain a concern for both practitioners and readers.
Subjective and Objective Sleep Quality in Patients on Conventional Thrice-Weekly Hemodialysis: Comparison With Matched Controls From the Sleep Heart Health Study

Background Studies examining sleep in the hemodialysis (HD) population have largely lacked an adequate comparison group. It therefore is uncertain whether poor sleep quality in the HD population reflects age, chronic health conditions, or effects of conventional HD therapy. Study Design Cross-sectional matched-group study. Setting & Participants Forty-six in-center HD patients were compared with 137 community participants participating in the Sleep Heart Health Study matched for age, sex, body mass index, and race. Predictor HD patients compared with community-dwelling non-HD participants. Outcomes & Measurements Home unattended polysomnography was performed and scored by using similar protocols. Sleep habits and sleepiness were assessed by using the Sleep Habits Questionnaire and Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Results Average age of study samples was 63 years, 72% were white, and average body mass index was 28 ± 5 kg/m 2 . HD patients were significantly more likely than community participants to have short sleep (odds ratio, 3.27; 95% confidence interval, 1.16 to 9.25) and decreased sleep efficiency (odds ratio, 5.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.5 to 19.6). HD patients reported more difficulty getting back to sleep (odds ratio, 2.25; 95% confidence interval, 1.11 to 4.60) and waking up too early (odds ratio, 2.39; 95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 5.66). There was no association between polysomnography sleep time and self-reported sleep time ( r = 0.09; P = 0.6) or between the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and severity of sleep apnea ( r = 0.10; P = 0.5) in the HD population. Limitations The study was limited to participants older than 45 years. Conclusions Kidney failure treated with thrice-weekly HD is significantly associated with poor subjective and objective sleep quality.
Substance P and capsaicin release prostaglandin E2 from rat intrapulmonary bronchi

We hypothesized that substance P and capsaicin would cause the release of prostaglandin E2(PGE2) from intrapulmonary bronchi isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats. Substance P (1 μM) caused the release...
Rate matching attribute settings and error rate performance sensitivity for selected UMTS FDD services

The sensitivity of the frequency division duplex (FDD) mode of Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) radio access to variation of the rate matching attributes is investigated. The examples of voice service and a more complex service (speech and data) are studied. The speech service is supported using multiple transport channels in order to exploit differing sensitivities to error of classes of coded speech bits. A method of choosing rate matching attributes, is described and applied to these services. It is shown that it is important to choose the rate matching attributes with care for any given service mix, to ensure the required quality of service, and that in general the control of the rate matching attributes is a useful tool in optimizing link (and hence) system performance.
The Yeast AMPK Homolog SNF1 Regulates Acetyl Coenzyme A Homeostasis and Histone Acetylation

Acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) is a key metabolite at the crossroads of metabolism, signaling, chromatin structure, and transcription. Concentration of acetyl-CoA affects histone acetylation and links intermediary metabolism and transcriptional regulation. Here we show that SNF1, the budding yeast ortholog of the mammalian AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), plays a role in the regulation of acetyl-CoA homeostasis and global histone acetylation. SNF1 phosphorylates and inhibits acetyl-CoA carboxylase, which catalyzes the carboxylation of acetyl-CoA to malonyl-CoA, the first and rate-limiting reaction in the de novo synthesis of fatty acids. Inactivation of SNF1 results in a reduced pool of cellular acetyl-CoA, globally decreased histone acetylation, and reduced fitness and stress resistance. The histone acetylation and transcriptional defects can be partially suppressed and the overall fitness improved in snf1Δ mutant cells by increasing the cellular concentration of acetyl-CoA, indicating that the regulation of acetyl-CoA homeostasis represents another mechanism in the SNF1 regulatory repertoire.
Immunotherapy of a mouse mammary carcinoma by sustained peritumor release of IL-2.

The purpose of this study was to compare the local and systemic therapeutic effects of Interleukin-2 (IL-2) used in 3 different preparations: suspended in PBS, suspended in 2% agar, and entrapped in multi-lamellar liposomes suspended in 2% agar. The liposomes were composed of phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylcholine in a 1:4 molar ratio. The net release of IL-2 in vitro (by ELISA assay) at 37 degrees C, measured at 4 hr, 2 days, and 10 days, was 50%, 75%, and 100% from agar, and 8%, 22%, and 33% from liposomes in agar. In the therapeutic tests, the IL-2 preparations were injected close to s.c. implants of the MC2 mouse mammary carcinoma. Four injections at weekly intervals of IL-2 in agar had as much local and systemic (against uninjected contralateral tumor implants in treated mice) therapeutic effect as the same total amount of IL-2 in PBS given in 20 daily injections over 4 weeks. The IL-2 liposome-gel preparation was most effective (p less than 0.05), probably due to the more sustained release of IL-2. Three injections of this preparation gave a fixed and sustained peritumor release of IL-2 which, at sub-toxic levels, resulted in both local and systemic therapeutic effects.
Experts Judging Experts: The Role of Expertise in Reviewing Agency Decision Making

What role does judicial subject matter expertise play in the review of agency decisions? Using a data set of decisions in which the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences (BPAI) is reviewed by the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, we investigate this question and find that greater subject matter expertise does make it more likely that a judge will vote to reverse an agency decision.
A switching diffusion model for lifetime estimation in randomly varying environments

This article presents a switching diffusion model for estimating the useful lifetime of a component that operates in a randomly varying environment. The component’s degradation process is unobservable; therefore, a signal of degradation is observed to estimate the environment parameters using a Markov chain Monte Carlo statistical procedure. These parameter estimates serve as key inputs to an analytical stochastic model that approximates the first passage time of the degradation process to a critical threshold. Several numerical examples involving simulated and real degradation data are presented to illustrate the quality of these approximations.