cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Perceptions and experiences of multiple sclerosis patients regarding out-of-pocket costs of care discussions

Abstract Background and Purpose Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a costly disease and out-of-pocket (OOP) cost information is difficult to obtain. We seek to characterize the perceptions and experiences of MS patients regarding out-of-pocket (OOP) costs of care discussions and evaluate factors associated with them. Materials and Methods MS patients visiting an outpatient neurology clinic 7/2018-2/2019 were approached to complete a survey regarding costs of care discussions. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with patient preferences in discussing OOP costs with their provider and actions to contact insurance company to inquire about OOP costs. Results A total of 243 patients responded (response rate 43.5%). With regard to perceptions, 85.3% of patients expressed interest in knowing about OOP costs, 59.6% reported desire specifically for their healthcare provider to discuss OOP costs, and 18.5% reported that there have been times they wanted to discuss OOP costs but did not have the opportunity to do so. With regard to experiences, 20.5% reported discussing costs with their providers in the past three months, 15.5% contacted their insurance company regarding OOP costs, and 10.6% received a call from an imaging center to inform them of OOP costs. Patients who were male, white, or had at least one relapse were significantly more likely to desire to discuss OOP costs with their provider. No factors were significantly associated with patients contacting their insurance company regarding OOP costs. Conclusion Most MS patients would like to discuss costs of care with their providers, but only one in five actually do so. Medical practices can take initiatives towards providing transparency in OOP costs.
An environmental scan of pharmacists supporting pre-doctoral dental education institutions.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES Reports have described pharmacists providing services within academic dental settings. The full scope of these activities and where they exist is unreported. This environmental scan was performed to identify and summarize the levels in which pharmacists provide support to predoctoral dental education programs. METHODS A survey was circulated in summer 2019 to all CODA accredited dental schools through the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) clinical dean listserv. The IRB approved survey consisted of 23 questions pertaining to the pharmacist's role in predoctoral dental education programs. Institutions were asked whether pharmacists were used and what kinds of services pharmacists provided. Pharmacist roles were classified into standard pharmacy services, clinical pharmacy services, medication inventory, education, and administration/research. Univariate analysis was performed on responses and reported using descriptive statistics. RESULTS A response rate of 59.1% from 66 institutions was achieved. Of those responding, 28.21% reported utilizing a pharmacist at their institution. Of the institutions responding positively to utilizing a pharmacist, the most common standard pharmacy services used were patient counseling regarding a disease state (50%), and medication errors/adverse event reporting (60%). Some clinical pharmacy services provided were medication history collection (70%), advising antimicrobial selection (50%), and treatment plan consultation (60%). Pharmacists were also found to be active in education, school administration, and research. CONCLUSION Pharmacists are utilized at just over a quarter of responding CODA accredited predoctoral dental education institutions in the United States. Where deployed, pharmacists provide a wide array of services.
The Fate of the Master’s in Social Work (MSW) Degree: Will the Practice Doctorate Replace It as the Profession’s Flagship Credential?

As the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) begins to approve accreditation standards for programs granting practice doctorates, it is unclear as to what implications accreditation of these prog...
Pediatric magnetic resonance imaging training versus job-readiness: using education research tools to re-align

Fellows begin MRI training with variable experience and expertise. To better serve patients, pediatric radiology fellows should gain competence in MRI that enables seamless transition to independent practice. We implemented a needs assessment survey and conducted a focus group discussion to identify knowledge gaps and inform creation of a curriculum for pediatric body MRI. We electronically distributed a comprehensive anonymous needs assessment survey in October 2016 to current fellows and recent (<5 years) graduates from Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited pediatric radiology fellowships, with follow-up in January 2017. We conducted a focus group discussion among current fellows at our institution in October 2017 to inform a better understanding of the results. Eighty-one pediatric radiologists (8 fellows/73 attendings) completed the survey (24%); 5 current fellows participated in the focus group. The technical issues most commonly identified with limited or no instruction during training included setting up an MR service, accessory equipment (coil) selection and MRI field inhomogeneity correction. Areas needing increased attention and inclusion within the curriculum included coil choice/patient positioning (n=42, 52%), contrast agents (n=40, 49%), field strength (n=33, 41%) and strategies for motion correction (n=33, 41%). Most fellows were uncomfortable with setting up an MR service (n=57, 70%), correcting field inhomogeneity (n=56, 69%) and improving image quality (n=50, 62%). The focus group showed consensus that there was insufficient MR training in residency to prepare them for fellowship. The group also preferred shorter lectures and streaming via video education/tutorials. While traditional instruction emphasizes image interpretation, trainees in pediatric radiology need a curriculum that also emphasizes technical and non-interpretive aspects of MRI.
Association of the SNP rs112369934 near TRIM66 Gene with POAG Endophenotypes in African Americans

We investigated the association of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs112369934 near the TRIM66 gene with qualitative and quantitative phenotypes of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in African Americans (AA). AA subjects over 35 years old were recruited for the Primary Open-Angle African American Glaucoma Genetics (POAAGG) study in Philadelphia, PA. Glaucoma cases were evaluated for phenotypes associated with POAG pathogenesis, and the associations between rs112369934 and phenotypes were investigated by logistic regression analysis and in gender-stratified case cohorts: The SNP rs112369934 was found to have a suggestive association with retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and cup-to-disc ratio (CDR) in 1087 male AA POAG cases, individuals with the TC genotype having thinner RNFL (95% CI 0.85 to 6.61, p = 0.01) and larger CDR (95% CI −0.07 to −0.01, p = 0.02) than those with wildtype TT. No other significant associations were found. In conclusion SNP rs112369934 may play a role in POAG pathogenesis in male AA individuals. However, this SNP has been implicated in higher POAG risk in both male and female AA POAG cases.
The Richland Crematorium: New Evidence of Plains Woodland Mortuary Practices in the Central Plains

Les fouilles preliminaires du site Richland dans le Kansas ont revele la presence d'un crematorium sur ce site d'habitation de la periode Sylvicole des Plaines. L'analyse des structures intra-site et du contexte regional fournit de nouveaux temoignages sur la variete des pratiques funeraires de cette region. Datations C 14
Improving software engineering processes to support operational oceanography

This paper presents a plan to improve software engineering processes based on the Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute Capability Maturity Model. The perspective is from an organization that performs information processing of oceanographic data. The objective of the plan is to create software quality that is repeatable. Special emphasis is given to key process areas that must be addressed and how these areas relate to the production processes of operational oceanography products. Oceanographic organizations that pursue improvements to software engineering processes may realize significant increases in the quality of their software and, as a result, the information and products that their software produces.
p-nitrophenylacetate hydrolysis by nonspecific esterases of the mosquito Culex tarsalis coquillett

The activities of esterases, hydrolyzing p-nitrophenylacetate (Acnp), of several strains of the mosquito, Culex tarsalis, are examined spectrophotometrically. Michaelis-Menten constants were determined to be 49.5 μmole/10 min (Vmax) and 1.4 mM (Km). Mg2+ ions stimulate the reaction much above other divalent cations (Ba, Ca, Co, Cu, Mn and Fe) with a maximal activity at 33 mM. The optimal temperature is 30°C, with a range of approximately 1°C depending on the mosquito strain. The efficacy of adding deoxycholate to the isolation medium is examined and compared to H2O and buffer. Inhibition data and isoelectric focusing electrophoresis indicate that, with Acnp as the substrate, 50–55% of the measured activity is attributable to an arylesterase.
Hearing: Anatomy, Physiology, and Disorders of the Auditory System (3rd ed.)

Hearing: Anatomy, Physiology, and Disorders of the Auditory System (3rd ed.) was written by Aage R. Moller, Ph.D. (D. Med. Sci.), a prolific book author and well-recognized auditory neuroscientist,...
A Kinase to Dampen the Effects of Cocaine

Chronic exposure to cocaine results in long-term changes in the central nervous system (CNS). In their Perspective, [Gupta and Tsai][1] discuss new results, reported elsewhere, that elucidate the signaling pathways that promote and dampen down the effects of chronic cocaine on the CNS. They explain the part played by a cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk5), which is switched on by the DFosB transcription factor and regulates PKA-dependent signaling pathways, resulting in a dampening of the effects of chronic cocaine. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/292/5515/236
Chapter 9 – Computational Studies of the Thermochemistry of the Atmospheric Iodine Reservoirs HOI and IONO2

Book chapter discussing computational studies of the thermochemistry of the atmospheric iodine reservoirs HOI and IONO₂.
A universal circuit for studying chaos in Chua's circuit family

The author presents a canonical piecewise-linear circuit capable of realizing every member of Chua's circuit family. It contains only six two-terminal elements; five of them are linear resistors, capacitors, and inductors, and only one element is a three-segment piecewise-linear resistor. It is canonical in the sense that: it can exhibit all possible phenomena associated with any three-region symmetric piecewise-linear continuous vector field, and it contains the minimum number of circuit elements needed for such a circuit. Using this circuit, many chaotic attractors which have not been observed before have been found. Among them, the author reports on a special example: a nonfractal chaotic attractor. >
Analysis of concordance of different haplotype block partitioning algorithms

Different classes of haplotype block algorithms exist and the ideal dataset to assess their performance would be to comprehensively re-sequence a large genomic region in a large population. Such data sets are expensive to collect. Alternatively, we performed coalescent simulations to generate haplotypes with a high marker density and compared block partitioning results from diversity based, LD based, and information theoretic algorithms under different values of SNP density and allele frequency. We simulated 1000 haplotypes using the standard coalescent for three world populations – European, African American, and East Asian – and applied three classes of block partitioning algorithms – diversity based, LD based, and information theoretic. We assessed algorithm differences in number, size, and coverage of blocks inferred under different conditions of SNP density, allele frequency, and sample size. Each algorithm inferred blocks differing in number, size, and coverage under different density and allele frequency conditions. Different partitions had few if any matching block boundaries. However they still overlapped and a high percentage of total chromosomal region was common to all methods. This percentage was generally higher with a higher density of SNPs and when rarer markers were included. A gold standard definition of a haplotype block is difficult to achieve, but collecting haplotypes covered with a high density of SNPs, partitioning them with a variety of block algorithms, and identifying regions common to all methods may be the best way to identify genomic regions that harbor SNP variants that cause disease.
CHAPTER 13 – Semiconductors

This chapter discusses semiconductors in detail. While most metals like copper and silver are electrical conductors, most oxides like quartz and sapphire are insulators, and semiconductors have conductivities that are in between. In conductive metals, the electric current consists of moving electrons; however, in semiconductors, the electric current can either be negatively charged electrons, or positively charged “holes”. A complex set of mathematical relationships called quantum mechanics seems to describe the behavior of electrons quite truthfully. The electron obeys many of the same natural laws that a much bigger object does when vibrating. An important thing to note is that if a million pendula are coupled, there will be a fairly wide band of frequencies, and so many other frequencies would be inside this band, that they would blend together. There is another band at higher energy, called the conduction band. It has no electrons in it, at least with the element silicon. Semiconductors such as silicon (Si), with only medium sized energy gaps, can easily be made into fairly good conductors. A semiconductor that has been doped so that electrons can conduct is called N–type material.
Sequential unfolding of the hemolysin two‐partner secretion domain from Proteus mirabilis

Protein secretion is a major contributor to Gram-negative bacterial virulence. Type Vb or two-partner secretion (TPS) pathways utilize a membrane bound β-barrel B component (TpsB) to translocate large and predominantly virulent exoproteins (TpsA) through a nucleotide independent mechanism. We focused our studies on a truncated TpsA member termed hemolysin A (HpmA265), a structurally and functionally characterized TPS domain from Proteus mirabilis. Contrary to the expectation that the TPS domain of HpmA265 would denature in a single cooperative transition, we found that the unfolding follows a sequential model with three distinct transitions linking four states. The solvent inaccessible core of HpmA265 can be divided into two different regions. The C-proximal region contains nonpolar residues and forms a prototypical hydrophobic core as found in globular proteins. The N-proximal region of the solvent inaccessible core, however, contains polar residues. To understand the contributions of the hydrophobic and polar interiors to overall TPS domain stability, we conducted unfolding studies on HpmA265 and site-specific mutants of HpmA265. By correlating the effect of individual site-specific mutations with the sequential unfolding results we were able to divide the HpmA265 TPS domain into polar core, nonpolar core, and C-terminal subdomains. Moreover, the unfolding studies provide quantitative evidence that the folding free energy for the polar core subdomain is more favorable than for the nonpolar core and C-terminal subdomains. This study implicates the hydrogen bonds shared among these conserved internal residues as a primary means for stabilizing the N-proximal polar core subdomain.
Applications of Aldehyde Detection Methods for Source Emissions Measurements

Abstract Aldehyde emissions from two types of sources were measured by three measurement method approaches. The two sources were a municipal incinerator and a phenolic resin manufacturing process. The three measurement methods were: collection of the aldehydes in a basic peroxide solution with subsequent detection by Ion Chromatography, collection of the aldehydes in a bisulfite solution with subsequent determination of total carbonyl with a titrimetric procedure, and collection of the aldehydes in a dinitrophenylhydrazine solution followed by detection of the respective derivatives by high performance liquid chromatography. The results indicate several limitations to the peroxide approach and potential collection efficiency problems with the derivative method. The need to develop further measurement methodology for such sampling and detection exists.
EFFECT OF DEXAMETHASONE ON INTESTINAL SUGAR UPTAKE CAPACITY IN SUCKLING RATS.† 1367

Dexamethasone (DEX) is a glucocorticoid that is now widely used not only to prevent the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia but also to facilitate weaning of infants already with BPD from respirator support. Concerns about its usage have mainly been related to sepsis, hypertension, hyperglycemia and delayed weight gain. The aim of this study is to address the latter complication and relate DEX's effect on small intestinal sugar uptake capacity. DEX, 0.4ug/g body weight (BW), was administered i.p. once daily to rat pups from d 8-9 (Group I). Control litter mates received phosphate buffer i.p. instead of DEX (Group II). Pups stayed with dams at all times. On d 10, pups were sacrificed and intestinal uptake studies using the everted sleeve technique were performed. DEX-treated pups failed to gain weight compared to control (P<0.0001). There was no statistically significant difference in small intestinal (SI) lengths (P=0.8) and weights (P=0.3) across treatment groups. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that intestinal glucose uptake capacity increased 2X in DEX-treated pups (P<0.05) and intestinal fructose uptake capacity increased 3X in DEX-treated pups (P<0.03) over control. Two-way ANOVA showed that intestinal glucose uptake per mg and per cm SI doubled (P=0.003; P=0.003) while intestinal fructose uptake per mg and per cm SI tripled (P<0.0001; P=0.0006) in DEX-treated pups over control. These magnitudes of increases in sugar uptake was evident across intestinal regions. Uptakes were 2-3X greater in the proximal and middle than in the distal SI. DEX therefore non-specifically enhances intestinal transport of sugars and possibly other nutrients but these effects do not make up for its catabolic effects and prevent decrease in somatic growth. The proximate mechanism of DEX's effect on intestinal sugar uptake remains to be elucidated.
Objectivist vs. Subjectivist Views of Criminality: A Study in the Role of Social Science in Criminal Law Theory

The article identifies a pattern of doctrinal shift from common law criminal law to modern criminal codes and uses social science methodology to determine whether the shift is one that reflects changing community views of what ought to constitute criminality. The study finds that the objectivist-subjectivist distinction that it defines does indeed capture a distinction important to lay perceptions of criminality, but that lay perceptions have not shifted from the objectivist view of common law to the subjectivist view of modern codes, as the law and many commentators suggest. Rather, the study results suggest that lay persons agree with the subjectivist view of modern codes in defining the minimum requirements of criminality, but prefer the common law's objectivist view of grading the punishment deserved for a violation. We argue that there is practical value in having the criminal law track shared community intuitions of the proper rules for assigning liability and punishment. For that reason, the study results support the often criticized subjectivist view of modern codes in setting the minimum requirements of liability, but disapprove of the modern code shift away from the common law's objectivist view of grading. Beyond its conclusion's implications for future criminal code reform, the study suggests that social science research, properly done and carefully focused, can help resolve criminal law theory debates that rest in whole or in part on claims of what people see as just punishment.
Horner's syndrome after intrapleural anesthesia with bupivacaine for post‐herpetic neuralgia

We observed the development of Horner's syndrome 25 min after the intrapleural administration of 30 cc of 0.5% bupivacaine to a patient with post-herpetic neuralgia in the thoracic region. The patient reported immediate relief of pain. There was no change in blood pressure or pulse rate, and no discernible level of anesthesia to pinprick was detected.
Fly in the face of reason

The Making of a Fly: The Genetics of Animal Design. By Peter A. Lawrence. Blackwell Scientific1992. Pp. 228. £16.95, $29.95 (pbk).
Increasing plant use of organic nitrogen with elevation is reflected in nitrogen uptake rates and ecosystem δ15N

It is hypothesized that decreasing mean annual temperature and rates of nitrogen (N) cycling causes plants to switch from inorganic to organic forms of N as the primary mode of N nutrition. To test this hypothesis, we conducted field experiments and collected natural-abundance delta15N signatures of foliage, soils, and ectomycorrhizal sporocarps along a steep elevation-climate gradient in the White Mountains, New Hampshire, USA. Here we show that with increasing elevation organic forms of N became the dominant source of N taken up by hardwood and coniferous tree species based on dual-labeled glycine uptake analysis, an important confirmation of an emerging theory for the biogeochemistry of the N cycle. Variation in natural abundance foliar delta15N with elevation was also consistent with increasing organic N uptake, though a simple, mass balance model demonstrated that the uptake of delta15N depleted inorganic N, rather than fractionation upon transfer of N from mycorrhizal fungi, best explains variations in foliar delta15N with elevation.
Westmoreland County Youth Commissions: A Diversionary Program Based on Balanced and Restorative Justice

The Westmoreland County Youth Commission is a diversionary program based on Balanced and Restorative Justice. The purpose of the program is to reduce caseload and lower costs of the juvenile court as well as provide youths with a rehabilitation program with close supervision. This study was exploratory in nature to describe what has been happening with youths diverted to the Youth Commissions. Data was collected from the 19 Youth Commissions, and a total of 559 cases were reviewed. Outcome data reveals that young offenders were assessed individually, and sanctions were imposed to hold them accountable, cultivate competency, and have them become cognizant of their part in community protection/public safety. Overall, 91% of the youths completed the program. Thus, this program appears to be a viable alternative to juvenile court processing.
Regulation of Adenosine‐Sensitive Adenylate Cyclase from Rat Brain Striatum

: An adenosine-sensitive adenylate cyclase has been characterized from rat brain striatum. In whole homogenates as well as in particulate fractions, N6-phenylisopropyl adenosine (PIA), 2-chloroadenosine, and adenosine N′-oxide were equipotent in stimulating adenylate cyclase. Although GTP inhibited basal as well as PIA-stimulated activity of whole homogenates, the enzyme showed an absolute dependency on GTP for stimulation by PIA, dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine in a particulate fraction derived from discontinuous sucrose gradient centrifugation. Adenosine exerts two effects on this adenylate cyclase, stimulation at low concentrations and inhibition at high concentrations, suggesting the presence of two adenosine binding sites. The stimulation of adenylate cyclase by PIA was dependent on the concentration of Mg2-. The degree of stimulation by PIA was greater at a low concentration of Mg2+, which suggests that stimulation by PIA was accompanied by increasing the apparent affinity for Mg2+. Activation of adenylate cyclase by PIA was blocked by theophylline or 3-isobutyl- 1-methylxanthine (IBMX). The pH optimum for basal or (PIA + GTP)-stimulated activities was broad, with a peak between 8.5 and 9.5. In the presence of GTP, stimulation by an optimal concentration of PIA was additive, with maximal stimulation by the catecholamines. Phospholipase A2 treatment at a concentration of 1 U/ml for 5 min completely abolished the stimulatory effect of dopamine, whereas PIA-stimulated activity remained unaltered. These data suggest that rat brain striatum either has a single adenylate cyclase, which is stimulated by catecholamines and adenosine by distinct mechanisms, or has different cyclase populations, stimulated by either adenosine or catecholamines.
Remote Sensing of Winter Wheat Tiller Density for Early Nitrogen Application Decisions

There is increasing evidence that scouting of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) fields to determine tiller density at Growth Stage (GS) 25 is useful in deciding if N should be applied. However, to obtain an accurate average of field tiller density, frequent and intensive measurements must be made. A solution to this problem may be remote sensing. The objectives of this study were to determine (i) if a spectral index or digital counts in the near infrared (NIR), red (R), green (G), or blue (B) wavelengths could be used to estimate GS-25 tiller density across environments and (ii) if the inclusion of within-field references would improve the estimation of GS-25 tiller density for determining N recommendations. Research was conducted at four site-years in 1998 and 1999 using two wheat varieties. At three locations, a randomized replicated strip-plot design with three seeding rates was used. The fourth location was an on-farm test with one seeding rate. Spectral indices and individual NIR, R, G, and B digital counts were tested for correlation with tiller density at each site. Tiller density at GS 25 and NIR digital counts were found to be consistently correlated (0.67 ≤ r ≤ 0.87). The inclusion of within-field tiller density references resulted in a high correlation (r = 0.88) between relative tiller density and relative NIR digital counts across environments. Using relative NIR digital counts to predict tiller density would have resulted in the correct N recommendation 82% of the time.
GENETIC VARIANCE IN ADAPTIVE PERSONALITY TRAITS

Personality test data from the California Psychological Inventory on a sample of 147 pairs of normal adolescent twins, seventy-nine identical and sixty-eight fraternal same-sex pairs, were evaluated within the framework of evolutionary biology. All eighteen of the trait intraclass correlation coefficients for the identical twins were significant at less than the 0.01 level compared to nine for the fraternals. When heritability of the traits was estimated from the intrapair variances, seven had one-third or more of the within-family variance significantly associated with genetic factors. A factor termed person orientation or extraversion-introversion hadthe greatest genetic variation. Introversion was entertained as a derivative of the social attachment observed in infants by Schaffer and Emerson and considered by them to be a pervasive innate response tendency.
EFFECT OF NON-UNIFORMITY OF SOURCE VIBRATION AMPLITUDE ON THE SOUND FIELD WAVE NUMBER, ATTENUATION COEFFICIENT AND REYNOLDS STRESS FOR THE ACOUSTIC STEAMING

The aim of this paper is to analytically solve the sound field generated by a standing wave induced in a vibrating beam. This case is different from a plane wave which is the traditional way of inducing acoustic streaming. The analytical solution shows that the amplitude non-uniformity can be represented by a non-uniformity coefficient y, which characterizes the ratio of the wave number or the attenuation coefficient to their values for the classical plane wave case. The non-uniformity coefficient γ is also obtained by resolving the acoustic field utilizing full numerical solution. Numerical and analytical results are in a good agreement. The Reynolds stress generated by a beam vibrating at one of its modes is also calculated. The maximum values of the Reynolds stress are achieved at the anti-node coordinates and small negative minimum values of the Reynolds stress are observed at the node coordinates. An interesting four-vortex-per-wavelength structure is predicted for such sound field.
Dementia presenting as postpartum depression.

Abstract BACKGROUND: Other conditions that can mimic postpartum depression are rare but must be considered. CASE: A 37-year-old woman developed mood symptoms as well as progressive hyperphagia, hypersexuality, disinhibition, and impairment of judgment after delivery of her third child. She was unresponsive to multiple treatments for depression and was evaluated for frontal lobe syndromes. CONCLUSION: Frontotemporal dementia, formerly known as Pick disease, is a primary degenerative dementia for which no cause is clearly established. Family history or genetic abnormalities are found in about 50% of cases. The diagnosis is frequently missed or delayed, as in this case, because it occurs in a younger age group, presents with unusual signs and symptoms, and is far less prevalent than Alzheimer disease.
Cell biology: protein choreography.

Just under the cell surface, proteins engage in an intricate ballet to drive a transport process called endocytosis. Much is known about the individual dancers, but now the choreography is revealed.
Sézary syndrome: diagnosis, prognosis, and critical review of treatment options

Sezary syndrome is a form of leukemia-lymphoma characterized clinically by erythroderma, pruritus, adenopathy, and circulating atypical cells with cerebriform nuclei. Histologically, atypical lymphocytes in the dermis and Pautrier's microabscesses are often present in skin biopsy specimens. Immunologic findings that support a diagnosis of Sezary syndrome include a predominance of CD4 + lymphocytes in both skin biopsy specimens and peripheral blood. Cytogenetic studies that demonstrate aneuploidy and DNA probe analysis that shows gene rearrangement for the β -subunit of the T cell receptor are the latest, most sensitive, and specific methods for identifying the clonal nature of the disease. Various staging systems are used. We review the various treatments for Sezary syndrome, including the newer, biologically based investigational therapies, (e.g., antithymocyte globulin, monoclonal antibodies and other immunostimulants, retinoids, cyclosporine, interferon, and extracorporeal photopheresis). Extracorporeal photopheresis and some chemotherapeutic agents appear to produce the best results in terms of response and remission duration with minimal toxicity. However, more multicenter controlled clinical trials are needed to determine the most effective single or combined therapeutic regimen.
Benzopyran selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs): Pharmacological effects and structural correlation with raloxifene

Abstract Several 2,3-diarylbenzopyrans have been evaluated in an ovariectomized rat model and found to exhibit tissue selective estrogen agonist activity on bone and serum lipid parameters. A structural model that accounts for the pharmacological similarity of these benzopyrans and the benzothiophene SERM, raloxifene, is proposed.
Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves for Radiation Belt Remediation Applications

The high-energy particles of the Van Allen belts coming from cosmic rays, solar storms, and man-made processes pose a risk to humans and spacecraft operating in those regions. These high-energy fluxes rapidly damage electronics, optics, and other systems. The radiation belt remediation (RBR) concept has been proposed as a way to solve this problem through ULF/VLF transmissions in the magnetosphere capable of precipitating these energetic particles into the atmosphere. This paper analyzes the effect of an RBR in-situ transmitter on inner belt energetic protons and outer belt electrons. This interaction requires the radiation of the left-hand polarized electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) band from space-borne antennas. The transmitter driving frequency and radiation pattern characteristics needed to drive the interaction are analyzed and applied to the calculation of individual test particles' scattering for different radiated power levels. The results show that the effect of the transmitter on individual loss cone particles is up to three orders of magnitude smaller for inner belt protons than outer belt electrons. While protons' scattering scales linearly with the wave field amplitude, electrons' scattering rapidly saturates because particles are being lost into the atmosphere. A radiated power flux of 10-9 W/m2 at the source would require three days of continuous interaction to scatter near loss cone inner belt protons by 1°, and 0.2 s in the case of outer belt electrons. If we increase the radiated power flux to 10-5 W/m2, this interaction is reduced to 30 s for protons and 35 milliseconds for electrons. The engineering feasibility of EMIC transmitters is finally discussed; plasma contactors at both ends of a linear dipole antenna and magnetic loop arrangements are identified as possible EMIC in-situ transmitter solutions.
Effects of Tax Depreciation Policy and Investment Incentives on Optimal Equipment Replacement Decisions: Comment

The recent article by Chisholm in this Journal is a welcome addition to the literature on farm-asset replacement. The effect of income taxes on asset replacement has been largely ignored in the economic analyses of decisionmaking by the farm firm. Yet farmers obviously operate in an environment in which income taxes are an important factor in many of the decisions they make. Chisholm reported the results of changes in Australian income tax legislation on the optimal replacement time for a capital asset. He also reported that, by applying U.S. income tax regulations to his data, he found an eleven-year optimal replacement policy that was the upper limit on his data. The only exception was for an after-tax discount rate of zero when the indicated replacement age was eight years. These results were reported as being unaffected by the depreciation method used or by including additional first-year depreciation and investment credit in his model.
History of Flight Vehicle Structures 1903-1990

In this paper the authors present a survey of the major developments in structure technology that have influenced modern aircraft design. They also offer their perspectives on the key materials and concepts that drive air vehicle structural design. The authors discuss the focus of research and development structural development resources and address the reasons for this focus.
DEP actuated nanoliter droplet dispensing using feedback control

Dielectrophoretic (DEP) droplet dispensing using dielectric-coated coplanar electrode structures provides an ideal platform for testing smart control systems for high-speed microfluidic devices. Open-loop control of DEP droplet dispensing is not sufficiently robust for precision droplet dispensing because unavoidable surface property variations of the substrates and other parameters such as liquid viscosity introduce uncertainty in the motion. Closed-loop systems employing distributed optical sensors and feedback provide flexibility, sensitivity, and reliability. In this new scheme, an array of distributed optical sensors detects fluid motion and, through a programmable control module, triggers application of AC voltage bursts of appropriate magnitude, duration, and frequency to control liquid motion and droplet formation. Reconfiguring the module connections and reprogramming the control module permits testing of a variety of control strategies.
Preventing Highway Crashes by Raising The Legal Minimum Age for Drinking: An Empirical Confirmation

In recent years there has been increased interest in reducing the massive social costs due to alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes. Raising the legal minimum age for purchase and consumption of alcohol beverages has been proposed as one way to reduce alcohol-related crashes among young drivers. Currently, many states are raising the legal age, in contrast to the trend towards lower legal drinking ages in the early 1970s. Recent studies of the effects of raising the drinking age are reviewed, and results from a controlled multiple time-series evaluation of the experience in Michigan are presented. Significant 11 to 28% reductions in alcohol-related crash involvements are shown to be attributable to the raised drinking age in Michigan. Suggestions for further research and discussion of policy implications are included.
Radical-enhanced atomic layer deposition of Y2O3 via a β-diketonate precursor and O radicals

Abstract Thin films of Y 2 O 3 were deposited on Si(1 0 0) by radical-enhanced atomic layer deposition (ALD), using Y(TMHD) 3 and O radicals. First, the self-limiting mechanism of this process was investigated in situ from 473 to 573 K, using a quartz crystal microbalance. Specifically, adsorption of Y(TMHD) 3 can only be initiated after reactive sites are created on the surface by the exposure to O radicals. However, due to the bulky β-diketonate ligands, only a sub-monolayer of metal oxide was achieved after these ligands were removed by a subsequent O radical exposure. These alternating reactions were found to be self-limiting and temperature insensitive from 473 to 573 K. A reactant pulse time of 7 min was required for both Y(TMHD) 3 and O radicals to achieve saturation, yielding a maximum deposition rate of 0.5 A/cycle in the ALD temperature window from 473 to 573 K. A lower deposition rate of 0.3 A/cycle was obtained when both reactant pulse times were reduced to 30 s. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis suggests the formation of a thin yttrium silicate interfacial layer between Y 2 O 3 and Si. The compositional analysis indicates stoichiometric Y 2 O 3 films were deposited, with the carbon content decreased from 24 at.% at 473 K to 4 at.% at 623 K. The atomic force microscopy images revealed fairly smooth surfaces of films deposited at 573 K, showing a small root mean square roughness of 5 A for a 115-A Y 2 O 3 film. Excellent conformal deposition of an 800-A Y 2 O 3 film over 0.5 μm features with an aspect ratio of 2 was accomplished. These results demonstrate that radical-enhanced ALD is a viable technique for conformal low-temperature deposition of stoichiometric and smooth metal oxide thin films with minimal carbon contamination.
Avian reproductive failure in response to an extreme climatic event.

Recently, climate change research has emphasized the potential increase in the frequency and severity of climatic extremes. We compared the reproductive effort and output among four species of passerine birds in coastal southern California, USA, a semi-arid region, during a normal precipitation year (2001) and the driest year in a 150-year climate record (2002). Both reproductive effort and output differed dramatically between years. Mean reproductive output among the four species was 2.37 fledglings/pair in 2001 and 88.4% of all pairs observed attempted at least one nest. The birds attempted a mean of 1.44 nests per pair and were successful in 47.7% of those attempts. In 2002, only 6.7% of the pairs even attempted a nest and only 1.8% were successful, for a total output of 0.07 fledglings per pair. The abundance of suitable arthropod prey items in the environment was also much lower in 2002, suggesting that low food availability was the proximal cause of the reproductive failure. The data for one of these species, the rufous-crowned sparrow (Aimophila ruficeps), were combined with reproductive and rainfall data from a previous 3-year study (1997–1999) in the same sites. The combined data sets suggest that the response of reproduction to rainfall variation is linear, and that the low end of the precipitation range brings the population near reproductive failure. Any change in climate that would increase the frequency of extreme dry conditions would likely endanger populations of these species.
Benzyladenine modulation of the expression of two genes for nuclear-encoded chloroplast proteins in Lemna gibba: Apparent post-transcriptional regulation.

Cytokinins and phytochrome have both been reported to promote chloroplast development, and possible interactions between the two have been suggested. We have examined the effects of red light (R) and a cytokinin, benzyladenine (N6-benzylaminopurine; BA), on the levels of four mRNAs coding for chloroplast proteins in Lemna gibba L. The amounts of hybridizable RNA coding for both the major chlorophyll a/b-binding protein and for the small subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) carboxylase decrease to a low level when white-light-grown L. gibba plants are placed in the dark. We have previously shown that a subsequent R treatment causes a several-fold increase in the levels of these two messages, and this increase is phytochrome-mediated. We have now found that addition of submicromolar concentrations of BA to plants kept in total darkness also results in an increase in levels of these two mRNAs. Furthermore, BA treatment magnifies the extent of the response to R treatment. However, the levels of mRNAs encoding the large subunit of RuBP carboxylase and the 32-kDa herbicide-binding protein, which are both chloroplastsynthesized messages, are not significantly altered by either R or BA treatment during the same time period. The relative amount of β-actin mRNA, a nuclear-encoded message for a cytoplasmic protein, is also not altered either by R or BA treatment. Thus, BA treatment does not simply alter the proportion of mRNA to total RNA. This conclusion is also supported by the observation that levels of mRNA hybridizing to a sequence abundant in dark-treated plants are not altered by BA treatment. The amplification by BA of the R-induced increase in the level of chlorophyll a/b-binding protein mRNA, consistently seen in total RNA, is not observed in RNA isolated from nuclei from plants receiving the same treatments. We therefore suggest that cytokinin is regulating expression of this message at a post-transcriptional level, possibly by affecting the stability of the RNA.
A rate summation model of temperature dependent development with stochastic extensions

Abstract The studies of population dynamics often involve modeling growth as a function of temperature. The rate summation methodology has perhaps proven to be the most viable approach to such modeling. The majority of the work in rate summation treat the rates as deterministic quantities. There have been some efforts, however, to consider the rates as random variables. The most remarkable work with this posture introduces the concept of “physiological time” as the basis for growth modeling, and provides a comprehensive framework built around that concept. This paper is similar in spirit, but it concentrates on development in “chronological time”. The resulting model is, therefore, simple and straightforward.
New State Records of Chrysomelidae (Coleoptera) for Wisconsin (U.S.A.), with Notes on Selected Species and Special Attention to Possible Prairie-Dependent Fauna

Collections of insect fauna in native grasslands in Wisconsin have yielded 23 new state records for Chrysomelidae (Coleoptera). An examination of the Chrysomelidae holdings at the University of Wisconsin Insect Research Collection for purposes of inventory and determination confirmed these collections as new to Wisconsin. The habitat-specific nature of the collections aids in developing a list of possible species with a preference for native grasslands.
Resist process windows in electron-beam lithography

High resolution sub resolution assist features (SRAFs) are challenging to pattern, especially on photomasks with pattern density variations and beam corrections. This paper presents analysis techniques of SRAF resist resolution performance and manufacturing robustness. Electron beam proximity effects and their correction methods impact aerial image quality. Resist resolution and LER depend strongly on the aerial image, and these effects will be looked at theoretically and experimentally with CDSEM and reflected die-to-die inspection techniques. A quantitative understanding of resolution process latitude is important in SRAF patterning, especially when one considers beam corrections that are used to compensate for effects like electron fogging and etch loading.
Burns with inhalation injury and petrol aspiration in adolescents seeking euphoria through hydrocarbon inhalation

We have recently managed four adolescent boys severely injured while aspirating petrol to achieve euphoria. This is a practice that occurs sporadically in this group in which alcohol and drugs are more difficult to procure by reason of their age and fiscal resources. The injuries sustained included extensive burns all with associated severe inhalation injury secondary to smoke and products of combustion, complicated by hydrocarbon pneumonitis.
Origin of porcine brain natriuretic peptide-like immunoreactive innervation of the middle cerebral artery in the rat

We recently demonstrated that porcine brain natriuretic peptide-like immunoreactive (pBNPir) fibers innervate parts of the cardiovascular system, including the arteries comprising the circle of Willis. To determine the origin of this innervation, we used the retrograde fluorescent tracer Fast Blue dye combined with pBNP immunocytochemistry. Cells which project to the middle cerebral artery and were also pBNPir were found in the trigeminal, pterygopalatine and superior cervical ganglia bilaterally but not in the geniculate or otic ganglia. The majority of these double-labelled cells were found in the ipsilateral trigeminal (46%) and superior cervical ganglia (34%). A pBNP-like substance may be a natural vasodilator in sympathetic, sensory and to a lesser extent parasympathetic neurons innervating the cerebrovascular system.
New frontiers in gut nutrient sensor research: luminal glutamate-sensing cells in rat gastric mucosa.

Dietary free glutamate is known to elicit umami, one of the five basic tastes percepted via the specific taste sensor cells on the tongue. Recent studies suggest the specific glutamate sensors exist in the gastric mucosa and contribute to the regulation of gastrointestinal functions, yet the precise mechanism remains still unknown. We established the method to enrich various cell fractions from the isolated rat gastric mucosa and characterized the expression of putative glutamate sensors using such cell fractions. The gastric mucosal cell fractions such as surface mucous, parietal, chief, and endocrine cells were successfully prepared by mucosal protease digestion, elutriation, and gradient centrifugation. The characteristics of these cells were confirmed by real-time RT-PCR using the respective cell-specific markers. Parietal cell fraction exclusively expressed putative umami receptor molecules such as T1R1 and mGluR1 compared to other fractions, although the degree of expression was low. In contrast, the representative taste cell specific markers such as PLCβ2 and TRPM5 were specifically expressed in the smaller endocrine cell fraction. Both parietal and smaller endocrine cell fractions also positively expressed some mGluR subtypes. The chief-cell fraction less expressed T1R1 and mGluR1. These results suggest that multiple glutamate sensors, probably different mechanisms from taste buds, contribute to the glutamate sensing in the gastric mucosa.