cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Literacy & Controversy: Focus- Group Data from Canada on Proposed Changes to the Braille Code

Focus-group research conducted on Unified English Braille highlights the diversity of views about the desirability of the new code and its proposed changes. Many features seen by students as positive were the same features deemed undesirable by other students. In general, teachers were more amenable to the changes than were students. Nearly all participants expressed serious concern about the effect of the new code on current students and on adult braille readers. Issues were raised about the feasibility of instituting the new code as well, and about how closely braille needs to be wedded to print. With many constituents opposed to altering the braille code, this research explores questions associated with the controversy over instituting the proposed changes.
Computer programs that teach the interpretation of image-based laboratory tests.

OBJECTIVE To review the effort of the University of Washington (UW) Department of Laboratory Medicine to develop and use personal computer programs to teach the interpretation of image-based clinical laboratory tests to medical technologists and other health care workers. DATA SOURCES Professional journals and books; Software owned by and licensed by the University of Washington. STUDY SELECTION Not applicable. DATA EXTRACTION Not applicable. DATA SYNTHESIS We have been developing interactive personal computer (PC) programs for teaching image-based laboratory tests to medical technologists and other health care workers. The programs, called "Laboratory Tutors," are useful for teaching microscope-based tests and tests based on electrophoresis. Our programs include ANA-Tutor, which teaches the immunofluorescence assay for anti-nuclear antibodies; Gram Stain-Tutor, which teaches the direct Gram stain; Electrophoresis-Tutor, which teaches the interpretation of agarose gel protein electrophoretic patterns; Urinalysis-Tutor, which teaches the microscopic examination of urine sediment; in addition to other programs. The tutorials are all based on high-quality digital images that were acquired and processed using digital imaging systems. They require minimal computer literacy and have a number of advantages over standard approaches to teaching image-based laboratory tests. The computer tutorials are used in UW's medical technology and medical school curriculum, where they are used as supplements to traditional instruction. CONCLUSION Laboratory tutors are computer programs that use high resolution digital images to teach the interpretation of image-based laboratory tests. We plan to continue to develop these programs, study their educational effectiveness, and update them periodically.
Karma Yoga: The Path of Enlightened Action

This chapter presents the teachings of the Bhagavad Gitā regarding karma yoga, the path of enlightened action, and its application to leadership. The words karma and yoga have become a regular part of everyday discourse in the West, and this chapter proposes to contribute to the understanding of these ubiquitous terms. In this chapter, we will also focus on the path of detached action as a framework for performing selfless service. Many scholars and practitioners believe that the philosophy of disinterested selfless action, niṣkāma karma, is the most distinctive contribution of the Gitā to the field of practical spirituality. It is perhaps true that nowhere else is the doctrine of disciplined action enunciated with such clarity and granularity as it is in the Bhagavad Gitā. This path of enlightened action is explored in great depth as an alchemy of sage-hood, the realization of one’s Highest Self.
Phase contrast x-ray imaging at high energies (Conference Presentation)

Gratings-based x-ray imaging can provide additional materials signatures, including refraction which is proportional to variations in electron density, and scatter which is sensitive to sub-resolution texture. Phase contrast measurements have been conducted using a variety of approaches, including Talbot-Lau interferometry, coded aperture systems, and single absorption grid systems. Because of the simultaneous requirements for fine spatial patterns to detect small angular changes, and the thickness of material required to modulate a penetrating beam, many phase contrast measurements are conducted at relatively low energy, below 100 kV. Many applications in security screening require higher energies in order to penetrate larger objects. Here, we use a single absorption grid with direct imaging of the projected pattern to perform phase contrast measurements. A second grid is used for a beam hardening correction. We present measurements of pattern visibility as a function of energy up to 450 kV, demonstrating that the necessary beam patterning can be extended to higher energies. We also present measurements of a textured and homogeneous material as a function of energy, demonstrating that a texture signature is still present as energy is increased, and that the beam-hardening correction correctly accounts for and removes spectral effects on pattern visibility. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the highest energy demonstration of this technique to date, and enables new application areas.
Reporting of patient (pt) characteristics (c) and use of stratification factors (SF) in phase III trials for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC): Urgent need for standardization.

e15055Background: An increasing number of pt and tumor c have predictive and prognostic implications in mCRC. However, there is no consensus on their reporting in trial results. Methods: Pt c and S...
Weierstrass coefficients of the canonical lifting

Given an ordinary elliptic curve E/&#x1d55c;:y02 = x 03 + a 0x0 + b0 over a field of characteristic p ≥ 5, there are functions Ai(a0,b0) and Bi(a0,b0) such that the curve E/W(&#x1d55c;):y2 = x3 + ax + b, where a =...
Injury Prevention Education in the Waiting Room of an Urban, Underserved Pediatric Primary Care Clinic

Purpose: Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for children greater than 1 year of age and can be prevented with appropriate education. However, physicians may not be comfortable or have enough time during the visit to discuss injury prevention. We chose this setting because previous studies have illustrated that utilizing the time in the waiting room to provide education yields positive results. There are two main purposes of this study. The first is to provide injury prevention education that is accessible to caregivers outside of the well-child visit. The second is to improve patient satisfaction by creating a waiting room atmosphere that is educational …
Topography of the femoral attachment of the posterior cruciate ligament. Surgical technique.

BACKGROUND: The success of posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction has varied. The objective of this study was to determine quantitatively and qualitatively the topography and osseous landmarks of the femoral footprints of the anterolateral and posteromedial bundles of the posterior cruciate liga
Central Neck Dissection

Cervical lymphadenectomy plays an important role in the management of thyroid malignancy. Excision of clinically and/or radiographically apparent cervical node metastases (therapeutic lymphadenectomy) has been shown to decrease locoregional recurrence and improve prognosis. Similarly, excision of central cervical lymph nodes that are neither clinically nor radiographically suspicious for malignancy (prophylactic central cervical lymphadenectomy) may also decrease recurrence rates and improve disease-specific survival for some types of thyroid cancer.
Toward noise-robust quantum advantage

Near-term quantum computations are susceptible to noise that — left uncorrected — can destroy the correlations responsible for quantum computational speedups. New work develops tools for bolstering the noise resilience of these speedups.
Identifying HIV-1 RNA splice variant protein interactomes using HyPR-MSSV

HIV-1 generates unspliced (US), partially spliced (PS), and completely spliced (CS) classes of RNAs; each playing distinct roles in viral replication. Elucidating their host protein "interactomes" is crucial to understanding virus-host interplay. Here, we present HyPR-MSSV for isolation of US, PS, and CS transcripts from a single population of infected CD4+ T-cells and mass spectrometric identification of their in vivo protein interactomes. Analysis revealed 212 proteins differentially associated with the unique RNA classes; including, preferential association of regulators of RNA stability with US- and PS-transcripts and, unexpectedly, mitochondria-linked proteins with US-transcripts. Remarkably, >80 of these factors screened by siRNA knock-down impacted HIV-1 gene expression. Fluorescence microscopy confirmed several to co-localize with HIV-1 US RNA and exhibit changes in abundance and/or localization over the course of infection. This study validates HyPR-MSSV for discovery of viral splice variant protein interactomes and provides an unprecedented resource of factors and pathways likely important to HIV-1 replication.
Consensus Analyst Target Prices: Information Content and Implications for Investors

Consensus analyst target prices are widely available online at no cost to investors. In this paper we consider whether these consensus target prices are informative for predicting future returns. We find that when considered in isolation, consensus target prices are not generally informative about future returns. However, we find that the dispersion of individual analysts’ target prices that comprise the consensus is an important moderating factor. When dispersion is low (high), there is a strong positive (negative) correlation between predicted returns based on the consensus target price and future realized returns. Further analyses suggest that this phenomenon is partially due to consensus target prices being slow to reflect bad news. In addition, we show that the negative correlation between consensus-based predicted returns and future realized returns for high-dispersion stocks exists only for stocks with high short interest or low institutional ownership, suggesting that limits to arbitrage play a role in the observed mispricing and that unsophisticated investors are negatively impacted by high consensus target prices.
"To Conserve Fighting Strength": The Role of Military Culture in the Delivery of Care

Introduction There are ongoing discussions about reorganizing the delivery of health care within the US Armed Forces. The military cultural context of care has beneficial qualities for patients with orthopedic and extremity trauma acquired during deployments to conflict zones. Methods The study included 35 participants with lower limb amputations who had been discharged from the Amputee Patient Care Program ≥ 12 months prior to the study. Participants were interviewed using a lightly structured schedule designed to elicit accounts of community integration, which attended to reports of belongingness supported by accounts of social engagement in work, school, family, and social events. Interviews were analyzed using a modified content analysis approach. Results Participants generally described their postcare lives as "successful" that had been built on "good outcomes." For most former patients, remembering the social intensity of their rehabilitation program was an important element in their narratives of recovery. Weekly amputee clinics worked to alleviate stress and anxiety in participants' minds around the complexities of their injuries and care. Conclusions Participants reported that features of their care were particularly valuable to their recovery and their current assessment of their injury related health. These features are present, in part because of the military cultural context that is part of the framework of care delivery.
Non-Rheumatological Cause of Biopsy-Proven Pulmonary Vasculitis in Ulcerative Colitis

Introduction: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) like ulcerative colitis (UC) have thoracic manifestations of the large and small airways, pulmonary vasculature, lung parenchyma, and serosa, such as bronchiectasis, chronic bronchitis, interstitial lung disease, cryptogenic organizing pneumonia, and necrosis1. These manifestations can mimic other diseases or be related to IBD drug treatment. Correct identification of disease etiology ensures adequate treatment and avoidance of irreversible damage. Using laboratory and histological data can aid in differentiating various etiologies. We describe a patient with UC who presented with pleuritic chest pain and multiple pulmonary …
Genomics of human congenital hydrocephalus

Congenital hydrocephalus (CH), characterized by enlarged brain ventricles, is considered a disease of pathological cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) accumulation and, therefore, treated largely by neurosurgical CSF diversion. The persistence of ventriculomegaly and poor neurodevelopmental outcomes in some post-surgical patients highlights our limited knowledge of disease mechanisms. Recent whole-exome sequencing (WES) studies have shown that rare, damaging de novo and inherited mutations with large effect contribute to ~ 25% of sporadic CH. Interestingly, multiple CH genes are key regulators of neural stem cell growth and differentiation and converge in human transcriptional networks and cell types pertinent to fetal neurogliogenesis. These data implicate genetic disruption of early brain development as the primary pathomechanism in a substantial minority of patients with sporadic CH, shedding new light on human brain development and the pathogenesis of hydrocephalus. These data further suggest WES as a clinical tool with potential to re-classify CH according to a molecular nomenclature of increased precision and utility for genetic counseling, outcome prognostication, and treatment stratification.
Sucrose Catabolism in Clostridium pasteurianum and Its Relation to N2 Fixation

The growth constant and Y (sucrose) (grams of cells per mole of sucrose) for NH3-grown cultures of Clostridium pasteurianum were 1.7 times those of N2-grown cultures, whereas the rate of sucrose utilized per gram of cells per hour was similar for both conditions. The Y (sucrose) of chemostat cultures grown on limiting NH3 under argon at generation times equal to those of N2-fixing cultures was less than that of cultures grown on excess NH3, but cells of NH3-limited cultures contained the N2-fixing system in high concentration. The concentration of the N2-fixing system in whole cells, when measured with adenosine triphosphate (ATP) nonlimiting, was more than twofold greater than the amount needed for the N2 actually fixed. Thus, energy production from sucrose, and not the concentration of the N2-fixing system nor the maximal rate at which N2 could be fixed, was the limiting factor for growth of N2-fixing cells. Either NH3 or some product of NH3 metabolism partially regulated the rate of sucrose metabolism since, when cultures fixing N2, growing on NH3, or growing on limiting NH3 in the absence of N2 were deprived of their nitrogen source, the rate of sucrose catabplism decreased. Calculations showed that the rate of ATP production was the growth rate-limiting factor in cells grown on N2, and that the increased sucrose requirement of N2-fixing cultures in part reflected the energy demand of N2 fixation. Calculations indicated that whole cells require about 20 moles of ATP for the fixation of 1 mole of N2 to 2 moles of NH3.
‘Paint Is Cheaper Than Rails’: Why Congress Should Abolish New Starts

This paper will show that New Starts has effectively given transit agencies incentives to select the costliest, rather than the most cost-effective, alternative to any transit problem. This usually means building new rail transit lines, but can also mean building exclusive bus lanes for bus rapid transit.
The Future of Public Health

Public health deals with the health and well-being of the population as a whole and its achievements over the past century, especially in the richer countries, have been truly impressive. What direction should public health take in the future?
Playing the immigration card: the politics of exclusion in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana

Exclusionary rhetoric often emerges in the context of political competition in Africa, but why are anti-immigrant strategies used by politicians in some transitional democracies and not others? Drawing on broader comparative literature, this article proposes three conditions under which politicians are likely to ‘play the immigration card’: when the costs of immigration become concentrated for key interest groups; when embracing anti-immigration rhetoric will divide the support base of an opponent; and when the backing of anti-immigration groups is necessary to build a winning electoral coalition. A comparative case analysis of Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana provides preliminary support for these hypotheses.
The Venerable Bede's Manuductive Hermeneutics: Lame Readers, Apostolic Teachers, and Temple Exegesis in His Commentary on Acts

This essay examines Bede's portrayal of an Apostle as one who imitates Christ's example of a “good teacher” by leading others by the hand, physically and spiritually, toward a better interpretation of their texts and their world. Central to the development of this exegesis is his recurring focus on the ascent with Christ in both knowledge and virtue, the journey to and from the heavenly Jerusalem, and the Temple as a richly layered image of Christ's body. In so far that Bede's commentary itself “builds up” the life of faith and leads its own readers into a deeper understanding of Christ's body and the heavenly kingdom, Bede is himself modeling the pattern of a good teacher.
Sexual approach conditioning: Omission contingency tests

Male Japanese quail learned to approach a light that predicted visual exposure to a female quail. In Experiment 1, duration of visual exposure to the female did not systematically affect the speed or strength of conditioning. Introduction of an omission contingency for approach to the light after acquisition did not suppress conditioned approach relative to the performance of yoked controls. In Experiment 2, males learned to approach a light that predicted visual exposure to a female despite an omission contingency for approach in effect during acquisition. Experimental males were not slower to acquire the approach response under an omission contingency than were yoked controls. The findings indicate strong Pavlovian control of sexual conditioned approach in Japanese quail.
Beware of carryover in modern chemistry analyzers.

Background: Random-access analyzers that employ dedicated probes may be affected by carryover. Sample carryover, involving analyte from one sample that is measured in a subsequent sample, is most often detected in measurement procedures that have wide reportable ranges. However, reagent carryover can be more difficult to detect as it may involve only one pair of measurement procedures. Methods: Our laboratory noted several patient samples with total cholesterol <2.58 mmol/L (100 mg/dL) during the initial months after a new chemistry analyzer was installed. The problem seemed to occur intermittently, approximately once per week. Results: Immediate reanalysis of affected samples resulted in measured values that were 1.03-2.58 mmol/L (40-100 mg/dL) higher. Evaluation of reagent carryover revealed a significant decrease in total cholesterol after analysis of creatine kinase (EC 2.7.3.2). Carryover disappeared when an additional reagent probe wash was applied, whereas the root of the problem was eliminated with replacement of the reagent probes. The insidious nature of reagent carryover made it difficult to initially detect the problem, which affected two of the three instruments in our laboratory. Conclusions: Laboratorians should be aware of the potential for carryover in random access analyzers, and should be mindful of appropriate troubleshooting techniques.
Liver Ischemia and Ischemia–Reperfusion Induces and Trafficks the Multi-specific Metal Transporter Atp7b to Bile Duct Canaliculi: Possible Preferential Transport of Iron into Bile

Both Atp7b (Wilson disease gene) and Atp7a (Menkes disease gene) have been reported to be trafficked by copper. Atp7b is trafficked to the bile duct canaliculi and Atp7a to the plasma membrane. Whether or not liver ischemia or ischemia–reperfusion modulates Atp7b expression and trafficking has not been reported. In this study, we report for the first time that the multi-specific metal transporter Atp7b is significantly induced and trafficked by both liver ischemia alone and liver ischemia–reperfusion, as judged by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analyses. Although hepatocytes also stained for Atp7b, localized intense staining of Atp7b was found on bile duct canaliculi. Inductive coupled plasma-mass spectrometry analysis of bile copper, iron, zinc, and manganese found a corresponding significant increase in biliary iron. In our attempt to determine if the increased biliary iron transport observed may be a result of altered bile flow, lysosomal trafficking, or glutathione biliary transport, we measured bile flow, bile acid phosphatase activity, and glutathione content. No significant difference was found in bile flow, bile acid phosphatase activity, and glutathione, between control livers and livers subjected to ischemia–reperfusion. Thus, we conclude that liver ischemia and ischemia–reperfusion induction and trafficking Atp7b to the bile duct canaliculi may contribute to preferential iron transport into bile.
LIQUID SCINTILLATION COUNTING OF INORGANIC RADIOCHEMICALS IN HIGH-EFFICIENCY SCINTILLATORS

Methods of incorporating inorganic radiochemicals into liquid and solgel scintillators that exhibit high scintillation yield are described. Liquid-scintillation measurements have been made at the National Bureau of Standards on 31 different radionuclides for a variety of application in radionuclide metrology. Sample preparation techniques are described for a number of radionuclides that differ markedly in their chemical behavior as well as in their nuclear-decay characteristics. Particular emphasis is given to radionuclides such as 55 Fe and 241 Pu which decay by emission of low-energy radiations.
Connectivity in marine protected areas.

Marine protected areas (MPAS) are a promising tool for many problems, from biodiversity conservation to fisheries management ([1][1]). Their success depends on connectivity among protected areas and spillover into unprotected areas. In their Report “Scaling of connectivity in marine populations
Long‐range CH correlation 2D NMR spectroscopy 2—effect of TANGO and BIRD pulses

The basic CH correlation sequence, with the delays lengthened to facilitate long-range correlations, was modified by using TANGO and BIRD pulses (both basic and composite) to facilitate both the suppression of one-bond cross-peaks and the decoupling of long-range cross-peak intensity modulations due to one-bond coupling. The relative effectiveness of these modifications is illustrated with nicotinamide as a model compound. The use of a combination of the basic TANGO pulse and the basic BIRD pulse achieves both of these aims. The composite TANGO pulse can replace the basic TANGO pulse when more effective suppression of one-bond cross-peaks is needed. The use of the composite BIRD pulse during refocusing increases F1 noise and artifacts and is therefore not recommended.
Temporal pattern of vocalization type usage in singing sessions of male tyrant flycatchers (Tyranninae)

It has been hypothesized that variation (e.g., of repertoire elements) in prolonged vocalization sessions of passerine birds can serve to minimize habituation by conspecifics. The repertoire of vocalization types limited in suboscine passerines, raising the question of how a limited set of elements can create patterns that minimize habituation. This question was studied by computational analysis of recorded singing sessions of 20 suboscine species from the subfamily Tyranninae, family Tyrannidae (tyrant flycatchers). The recordings of 12 of the species included two or more distinct vocalization types (VTs). In these species, the interval between vocalization units when the VT changed was on average shorter than that when the VT remained the same. In addition, when the VT changed, the mean interval length between successive vocalization units differed depending on which VT preceded the interval and which VT followed it. On the other hand, species with just a single VT in the session analyzed showed a surprisingly high degree of absolute difference between adjacent vocalization units with respect to both the length of the vocalization and percentage of time elapsed until peak amplitude. A change in the rhythm of vocalization accompanying a change in VT provided a potential means of drawing a conspecific listener's attention to the change in VT. The results showed that tyrant flycatchers use temporal patterning to achieve a high level of variety in vocalization sessions despite a limited vocal repertoire.
Brain neurotransmitter turnover correlated with morphine-seeking behavior of rats ☆

Neurochemical substrates of intravenous opiate self-administration were investigated in rats using littermate controls for vehicle and passive morphine infusion. The rates of turnover of the putative neurotransmitters, dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid, aspartate and glutamate were concurrently measured in eleven brain regions of rats intravenously self-administering morphine and yoked-morphine or yoked-vehicle infused littermates. The passive infusion of morphine resulted in significant changes in the rates of turnover of the biogenic monoamine and amino acid neurotransmitters in six brain regions with the caudate nucleus-putamen-globus pallidus showing the most changes. The contingent infusion of morphine resulted in changes in utilization rates that were generally greater in both magnitude and number than the effects of the drug itself. Twenty-nine significant changes were observed in the self-administering group with most changes occurring in limbic structures. The neurotransmitter turnover rate changes resulting from contingent administration suggest that the drug administration environment is an important factor that should be considered in studies of interactions between drugs and neuronal systems.
Controlling cadmium in the human food chain: A review and rationale based on health effects

Abstract Cadmium can cause acute and chronic illness in humans. The evidence for inclusion of Cd among the elements known to be human carcinogens is insufficient. There is scientifically recognized agreement that renal tubular damage and pulmonary emphysema are the two cardinal pathological lesions associated with excessive Cd exposure. Renal tubular damage is the chronic effect attributed to environmental Cd exposure for the nonoccupationally exposed population. For the nonoccupationally exposed population the primary routes of Cd exposure are through food and tobacco smoke. Most persons are in an approximate Cd balance and tend to accrete Cd until approximately age 50, after which a negative balance ensues. Cadmium is accumulated in the renal cortex and concentrations of between 200 300 300 μg/g wet wt generally result in renal dysfunction, with the 200 μg/g level being the most widely accepted number at which the first signs of β2-microproteinuria occur. In the United States the current mean level of Cd in the kidney cortex is 20–35 μg/g with about 0.6% of the population exceeding 100 μg/g. The impact of increasing soil Cd on the movement of Cd from soil to plant to animal to human would indicate little reason for concern. In contrast, the movement of Cd from soil to plant to human can be of concern. The degree of risk is dependent upon the amount of the diet which is affected, diet selection of the individual, soil pH at which the crop is produced, and the amount of Cd added to the soil.
Public Policy for Private Higher Education: A Global Analysis

Abstract Public policy for private higher education reveals many characteristics associated with decentralized, pluralist systems. Private higher education emergence often comes through initiative outside government, with government unprepared to act. Government and government policy have not usually been the central driving forces for the sector's appearance. However, government supervision is growing, commonly through delayed regulation, and indirect forms of government funding are also growing. Moreover, realities vary by world region and country and even sometimes by province or other sub-national entity. Further variation depends greatly on the type of private higher education in question. Government funding and regulation is often different depending on whether private higher education is identity based (religious or otherwise), elite/semi-elite, or demand-absorbing in respectable or shoddy ways. Additionally, whatever the present realities of public policy, the arguments for and against more govern...
Image reconstruction with acoustic radiation force induced shear waves

Acoustic radiation force may be used to induce localized displacements within tissue. This phenomenon is used in Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Imaging (ARFI), where short bursts of ultrasound deliver an impulsive force to a small region. The application of this transient force launches shear waves which propagate normally to the ultrasound beam axis. Measurements of the displacements induced by the propagating shear wave allow reconstruction of the local shear modulus, by wave tracking and inversion techniques. Here we present in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo measurements and images of shear modulus. Data were obtained with a single transducer, a conventional ultrasound scanner and specialized pulse sequences. Young's modulus values of 4 kPa, 13 kPa and 14 kPa were observed for fat, breast fibroadenoma, and skin. Shear modulus anisotropy in beef muscle was observed.
Carcinoma of the nasopharynx—The significance of histology

Abstract The effect of histological type on the natural history and results of therapy among 84 patients with carcinoma of the nasopharynx is analyzed. The criteria for classification as either lymphoepithelioma, squamous carcinoma, or undifferentiated carcinoma are presented. There were no differences in the age or sex distribution. Although there was a similar extent of primary disease among the different histological types, patients with lymphoepithelioma tended to have a greater likelihood of advanced cervical node involvement at the time of presentation. Relapse-free survivals after megavoltage radiation therapy showed better results for patients with lymphoepitheliomas. This was because of better local control of lymphoepitheliomas, especially when the tumors were limited to the nasopharynx. Patients with advanced local disease did poorly regardless of histological type and may be candidates for planned additional local therapy. While advanced neck disease usually can be eradicated with radiation, many of these patients will develop distant metastases. Adjuvant combination chemotherapy is proposed for this group.
Neuropeptide Y potentiates luteinizing hormone (LH)-releasing hormone-induced LH secretion only under conditions leading to preovulatory LH surges.

We recently demonstrated that neuropeptide Y (NPY) potentiates the ability of pulsatile LHRH infusions to restore LH surges in pentobarbital (PB)-blocked, proestrous rats. In the present study we determined if specific endocrine conditions are necessary for the expression of these direct pituitary effects of NPY. Facilitatory actions of NPY were examined in the absence of gonadal feedback [ovariectomy (OVX)], in the presence of negative gonadal feedback (metestrus), after estrogen priming of the pituitary gland [OVX plus 30 micrograms estradiol benzoate (EB) 2 days before experiments], and after treatments which evoke preovulatory-like LH surges (OVX plus EB and 5 mg progesterone or P the morning of experiments). Rats received jugular catheter implants the day before experiments. On the day of experiments, hourly blood samples were taken from 1100-2100 h. At 1330 h, rats received injections of PB to block endogenous LHRH release, or saline. Every 30 min from 1400-1800 h, PB-treated rats received iv pulses...
Determination of neuraminidase-suseeptible and total N-acetylneuraminic acid in cells by selected ion monitoring

Abstract N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA) is released from glycoproteins by neuraminidase or acid hydrolysis and quantified by monitoring the protonated molecular ions of fully silylated NANA ( m e = 814 ) and neuraminic acid β-methylglycoside (internal standard, m e = 714 ) in a gas chromatograph—mass spectrometer system using isobutane ionization. Detection limit is 200 pg (0.6 pmol, underivatized weight) of NANA injected. In biological samples 5 ng (15 pmol) of NANA can be detected in 50 μl of hydrolysate. Only 1 to 50 μl of hydrolysate is needed, sample preparation is simple, NANA is positively identified in every analysis, 2-deoxy carbohydrates and other sialic acids do not interfere, only free NANA is determined, and the internal standard increases reliability. The NANA content of neuraminidase-treated human leukemic cells was on the order of 0.3μ mol 10 9 cells. NANA was quantified using as few as 5 × 104 cells, in contrast to the conventional colorimetric (thiobarbituric) technique which requires 2.5 × 107 cells.
1-(1-aryl-3-ethylthiocarbamido)-4-arylaminothiocarbonyl)- piperazines as possible anticonvulsants

Several 1-(1-aryl-3-ethylthiocarbamido)-4-(arylaminothiocarbonyl)piperazines were synthesized as possible anticonvulsants. These 1,4-disubstituted piperazines were characterized by their sharp melting points and elemental and spectral analyses.
The Box-Cox transformation-of-variables in regression

The application of the Box-Cox transformation to the dependent and independent variables is discussed. Maximum likelihood and iterative GLS estimators are used and bootstrapping is carried out to compare the bootstrap sample variability with the finite sample variability (RMSE) and improve RMSE estimation. The biases of parameter estimators were shown to be substantial in small samples. The standard errors obtained from the Hessian matrix were a poor measure of the finite sample variability. Thet-ratios of the linear parameter estimators may not be normally distributed in small samples.
Is pediatric trauma really a surgical disease

Abstract [Green SM, Rothrock SG. Is pediatric trauma really a surgical disease? Ann Emerg Med. May 2002;39:537-540.]
Adaptive two-scale edge detection for visual pattern processing

Adaptive methods are defined and experimentally studied for a two-scale edge detection process that mimics human visual perception of edges and is inspired by the parvocellular (P) and magnocellular (M) physiological subsystems of natural vision. This two-channel processing consists of a high spatial acuity/coarse contrast channel (P) and a coarse acuity/fine contrast (M) channel. We perform edge detection after a very strong nonlinear image enhancement that uses smart Retinex image processing. Two conditions that arise from this enhancement demand adaptiveness in edge detection. These conditions are the presence of random noise further exacerbated by the enhancement process and the equally random occurrence of dense textural visual information. We examine how to best deal with both phenomena with an automatic adaptive computation that treats both high noise and dense textures as too much information and gracefully shifts from small-scale to medium-scale edge pattern priorities. This shift is accomplished by using different edge-enhancement schemes that correspond with the P- and M-channels of the human visual system. We also examine the case of adapting to a third image condition-namely, too little visual information-and automatically adjust edge-detection sensitivities when sparse feature information is encountered. When this methodology is applied to a sequence of images of the same scene but with varying exposures and lighting conditions, this edge-detection process produces pattern constancy that is very useful for several imaging applications that rely on image classification in variable imaging conditions.
Reduced Na+/K + Adenosine Triphosphatase Activity and Motor Nerve Conduction Velocity in L-Fucose-Fed Rats Is Reversible After Dietary Normalization

Development of early defects in diabetic neuropathy has been linked to metabolic abnormalities and is considered reversible. To further address some of the questions concerning the contribution by metabolic derangements to the development of neural defects and reversibility, we have developed an animal model, by feeding rats a diet containing 20% L-fucose, that develops neural defects similar to those that occur in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. After 6 weeks on a 20% L-fucose diet, myo-inositol content and Na+/K+ adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity of the sciatic nerve were significantly reduced, as was the motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV). L-Fucose is a monosaccharide that occurs in low concentrations in normal serum but is increased in diabetic patients. In cultured cells, L-fucose, at concentrations that occur in diabetic circulation, is a competitive inhibitor of myo-inositol uptake. The purpose of the present study was to compare the sequential pattern of the reversibility of the slowing of MNCV with ouabain-inhibited sciatic nerve Na+/K+ ATPase activity and myo-inositol content in rats fed a diet containing 20% L-fucose for a period of 6 weeks followed by a normal diet lasting up to 2 weeks. Unbound L-fucose levels in the serum returned to normal in less than 24 hours of the rats being placed on the normal diet. Normalization of slowed MNCV after removing L-fucose-fed rats from the L-fucose diet followed a pattern of recovery similar to the recovery of sciatic nerve ouabain-inhibited Na+/K+ ATPase activity, with complete recovery occurring within 7 days of the rats being placed on the normal diet. In contrast, myo-inositol content of the sciatic nerve remained decreased following 3 days on the normal diet, and required 14 days for complete normalization. Results from these studies suggest that a causal relationship may exist for reduced Na+/K+ ATPase activity and MNCV in L-fucose-fed rats, and that a measurable decrease in myo-inositol content may not be necessary for the development of these defects in the sciatic nerve.
21st-century leadership in nursing education: the need for trifocals.

In this qualitative study, deans of top-ranked graduate nursing schools were interviewed to examine how they are approaching leadership issues into the next century. Discussion focused on managing change, handling problems, communication/leadership styles, models of governance, research productivity, and expectations of faculty. The picture that emerged suggested that deans must be able to see objects and events from diffrent perspectives, analogous to wearing trifocal eyeglasses. Deans described current roles, which were labeled as Director, Sensor, and Negotiator. However, future roles will require a different set of skills and competencies. Deans described these roles as Consensus Builder, Risk Taker, and Interactive Empowerer. Deans will need to react based on multiple points of vision and accomodate rapidly to maintain excellence in all areas of the mission.
Direct ESR evidence for radiolytic production of D atoms, their trapping and reaction in neopentane-d12 irradiated at 4.2 and 77 K1

Abstract Direct evidence has been obtained for the radiolytic production of D atoms in neopentane-d12 irradiated at 4.2 K by observing ESR signals from trapped D atoms (Dtr) together with neopentyl-d11 radicals (R). The drastically low Dtr yield ( D tr /∽ = 1 9 ) as compared with the high Htr yield (1/1) in the radiolysis of methane suggests that the hydrogen atoms more easily react with neopentane-d12 at 4.2 K and that the mean excess kinetic energy of the D atoms radiolytically produced is as low as to exhibit a marked dependence on the bond dissociation energies. On the other hand, the D atoms scavengeable by a dilute solute of C2H4 (1 mol%) to give ©H2CH2D radicals at 77 K are estimated to be 35% of the total radical yield. This indicates that the low Dtr yield does not always mean the low production of D atoms and that only a minor fraction of scavengeable D atoms is trapped at 4.2 K. The interpretation is further confirmed by the photolysis of HI in neopentane-d12. The low trapping yield ( H tr /∽ = 1 10 ) in neopentane-d12 in contrast to the high yeild (25/1) in CH4 is parallel to the radiolysis.
Effect of thioacetamide, growth hormone or partial hepatectomy on spermidine acetylase activity of rat liver cytosol.

Abstract Rat liver cytosol extracts catalyzed the formation of monoacetylspermidine when incubated with acetyl-CoA and spermidine. This activity was enhanced 15-fold by administration of thioacetamide (150 mg/kg). The peak of activity occurred 18–24 h after treatment with the drug and then declined reaching control levels by 76 h. Previous studies have shown that ornithine decarboxylase activity was also greatly increased over this time period. Putrescine content in the liver was increased 80–90-fold at 18–24 h and then declined. Spermidine levels were decreased significantly over the period 12–24 h after thioacetamide treatment and then increased substantially at later times. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that, at early times after administration of thioacetamide, the increase in putrescine content is brought about both by decarboxylation of ornithine and by degradation of monoacetylspermidine. Spermidine acetylase activity was also measured in liver extracts prepared after two other physiological stimuli known to enhance ornithine decarboxylase activity were used. Both growth hormone treatment and partial hepatectomy produced an early 2–3-fold increase in the cytosolic spermidine acetylase activity.
An Error Compensation Strategy for Replication by Rapid Prototyping

A generic closed-loop strategy for error compensation is presented which extracts and mathematically models the geometry of sculptured artifacts, and compensates for cumulative error build-up during replication. Experimental results using this strategy demonstrate that a considerable improvement in the accuracy of the end product can be achieved. The replication process involves scanning, CAD solid model creation, rapid prototyping utilizing the stereolithography process, the production of room temperature vulcanized (RTV ) molds, the casting of polyurethane parts from the RTV mold, abrasive finishing processes associated with these prototyping processes, and the CNC machining of production molds and dies. At each stage in the replication process, the surface errors (caused primarily by material shrinkage, layer curling, internal stresses, chemical curing phenomena, and material removal during mechanical surface finishing) are tracked and used in subsequent production, through an iterative process of surface fitting and surface compensation.
On engineering equivalent linear analysis of soils in the frequency domain

This study investigated the performance, in the frequency domain, of an engineering equivalent linear method that is widely used in soil dynamics. A stochastic linear method using an extended differential equation by Wen and Baber was employed as the base line for evaluation. Stationary responses of single-degree-of-freedom non-linear systems under filtered white noise from both approaches were compared. For both a smooth nearly elasto-plastic material and soils, the study found that the engineering equivalent linear analysis underestimated rms displacements, but provided good estimates of rms acceleration responses. Furthermore, the frequency response functions of acceleration from both approaches were close at all levels of response.
The Gamma Gauche Substituent Effect in 13C NMR1

Abstract Gamma gauche substituent effects are often used as stereochemical probes in 13 C NMR, but empirical force field calculations suggest that such applications must be made with caution.
Contested Culture: The Image, the Voice, and the Law

Jane M. Gaines examines the phenomenon of images as property, focusing on the legal staus of mechanically produced visual and audio images from popular culture. Bridging the fields of critical legal studies and cultural studies, she analyzes copyright, trademark, and intellectual property law, asking how the law constructs works of authorship and who owns the country's cultural heritage.
The relationship between binocular brightness matches and luminance difference discriminability of successively presented light flashes1

Measurements of monocular ΔI and PSE as a function of the ISI between two 2-deg foveal fields successively presented to the same retinal area were obtained for two Standard durations, using the method of constant stimuli. Binocular brightness matches of the stimuli revealed that detection of a difference occurred whenever a constant difference (in log mL) in matching luminance existed. The implication of the results was that ΔI is related to the rate of change of brightness with changes in test-field luminance.
Seismic array monitoring of mortar fire during the November 2005 ARL-NATO TG-53 field experiment at YPG

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) participated in a joint ARL-NATO TG-53 field experiment and data collection at Yuma Proving Ground, AZ, in early November 2005. Seismic and acoustic signatures from both muzzle blasts and impacts of small arms fire and artillery were recorded using seven seismic arrays and three acoustic arrays. Arrays composed of 12 seismic and 12 acoustic sensors each were located from 700 m to 18 km from gun positions. Preliminary analysis of signatures attributed to 60-mm, 81-mm, and 120-mm mortars recorded at a seismic-acoustic array 1.1 km from gun position are presented. Seismic and acoustic array f-k analysis is performed to detect and characterize the source signature. Horizontal seismic data are analyzed to determine efficacy of a seismic discriminant for mortar and artillery sources. Rotation of North and East seismic components to radial and transverse components relative to the source-receiver path provide maximum surface wave amplitude on the transverse component. Angles of rotation agree well with frequency-wavenumber (f-k) analysis of both seismic and acoustic signals. The spectral energy of the rotated transverse surface wave is observable on all caliber of mortars at a distance of 1.1 km and is a reliable source discriminant for mortar sources at this distance.
Cloning and Quantification of Galanin-1 Receptor Expression by Mucosal Cells Lining the Human Gastrointestinal Tract☆

Abstract Recent studies suggest that galanin receptors may be expressed by mucosal epithelial cells lining the GI tract and play a role in regulating ion transport. However, no information exists as to which receptor subtype is expressed by these mucosal cells, or the relative distribution of such receptors within the GI tract. In this study we cloned the human galanin-1 receptor (huGal1-R) from small intestinal RNA, and demonstrate its expression in endoscopically obtained mucosal pinch biopsies by RT-PCR from the esophagus to the rectum. Semi-quantitative PCR (SQ-PCR) was performed and revealed the largest amount of huGal1-R message in the duodenum and the least amount in the gastric fundus. This study for the first time directly demonstrates the presence and quantity of huGal1-R message in human GI tract mucosal epithelial cells, and suggests that this subtype is of primary importance in regulating galanin-induced changes in intestinal absorption.