cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of RBCs and FFP with whole blood during liver transplant surgery

BACKGROUND : Component therapy has become the accepted standard of care in transfusion medicine. In instances of large blood loss, the transfusion of whole blood rather than the combination of RBCs and FFP is rational and may be preferred. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS : In a controlled, prospective, randomized study of 33 patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation, the effectiveness of component therapy (RBCs and FFP) was compared with the use of whole blood. Coagulation tests (prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time), clotting factor levels (FV, FVIII, fibrinogen), platelet counts, the number of donor exposures, and the total volume of blood transfused for the whole-blood group and the component-therapy group were compared at designated times before surgery, during surgery, and 24 hours after surgery. RESULTS : There was a significant difference (p = 0.015) in the median number of donor exposures for RBCs and FFP, with fewer occuring in the whole-blood group (n = 14.5) compared with the component group (n = 25). There was no significant difference between groups in coagulation profiles during any of the phases of surgery except for a mild decrease in fibrinogen levels in the whole-blood group at the conclusion of surgery. There were no differences between the groups in the median volume of blood component replacement, the median age of blood components, the patients' Hct or the number of RBC-containing components transfused. CONCLUSION : Whole blood, when compared with component therapy, is associated with fewer donor exposures yet provided equally effective replacement therapy for blood loss in liver transplantation patients.
Staging TDP-43 pathology in Alzheimer’s disease

TDP-43 immunoreactivity occurs in 19–57 % of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) cases. Two patterns of TDP-43 deposition in AD have been described involving hippocampus (limbic) or hippocampus and neocortex (diffuse), although focal amygdala involvement has been observed. In 195 AD cases with TDP-43, we investigated regional TDP-43 immunoreactivity with the aim of developing a TDP-43 in AD staging scheme. TDP-43 immunoreactivity was assessed in amygdala, entorhinal cortex, subiculum, hippocampal dentate gyrus, occipitotemporal, inferior temporal and frontal cortices, and basal ganglia. Clinical, neuroimaging, genetic and pathological characteristics were assessed across stages. Five stages were identified: stage I showed scant-sparse TDP-43 in the amygdala only (17 %); stage II showed moderate-frequent amygdala TDP-43 with spread into entorhinal and subiculum (25 %); stage III showed further spread into dentate gyrus and occipitotemporal cortex (31 %); stage IV showed further spread into inferior temporal cortex (20 %); and stage V showed involvement of frontal cortex and basal ganglia (7 %). Cognition and medial temporal volumes differed across all stages and progression across stages correlated with worsening cognition and medial temporal volume loss. Compared to 147 AD patients without TDP-43, only the Boston Naming Test showed abnormalities in stage I. The findings demonstrate that TDP-43 deposition in AD progresses in a stereotypic manner that can be divided into five distinct topographic stages which are supported by correlations with clinical and neuroimaging features. Given these findings, we recommend sequential regional TDP-43 screening in AD beginning with the amygdala.
Metabolism of purines by extracts of Tetrahymena.

SYNOPSIS. Cell-free extracts of Tetrahymena contain adenase, guanase, xanthine oxidase, uricase, and adenosine deaminase. The levels of activity of the latter three are of the same order of magnitude as in mammalian tissues. 5′-Adenylic acid deaminase is also present in ciliate extracts. Spectrophotometric assays of this enzyme indicate formation of two intermediates which, although not as yet identified, are not precursors of uric acid, the expected product of deamination of the nucleotide.
Cycling of methane, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, and hydroxylamine in a meromictic, coastal lagoon

The vertical distributions of methane, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, and hydroxylamine were measured in a seasonally stratified, coastal lagoon in northern California. The production of gases was estimated from mass-balance calculations where possible, including considerations of diffusion and microbial oxidation. From late spring through most of the summer the lagoon remained oligotrophic, with biological activity concentrated near the pycnocline and the sediments. Methane, attaining high levels of supersaturation, was produced mainly in the sediments and in the metalimnion. Its subsequent fate was governed primarily by transport, but also by microbial activity. Carbon monoxide also reached high concentrations, but, having a turnover time of a few hours, was regulated almost entirely by micro-organisms. Nitrous oxide production was evident near the halocline throughout most of the study, but was apparent near the sediments only in the spring. Throughout the summer, N2O in the hypolimnion was consumed in the sediments, presumably by denitrification. Hydroxylamine was present in the spring when nitrous oxide was produced, but absent during the summer when nitrous oxide was being consumed. Nitrous oxide distribution, like that of methane, was governed by diffusion and microbial processes, but hydroxylamine, with estimated turnover times of only a few hours, was probably regulated my microbes and in situ chemical oxidation.
Preventing Iatrogenic Overdose: A Review of In–Emergency Department Opioid-Related Adverse Drug Events and Medication Errors

Study objective We describe characteristics of patients with in–emergency department (ED) opioid-related adverse drug events, medication errors, and harm resulting from medication errors; identify patient-, provider-, and system-based factors associated with in-ED opioid-related medication errors and harm; and create a list of strategies to prevent future events. Methods This retrospective study was conducted at 2 urban academic EDs. Potential iatrogenic opioid overdoses were identified by querying the ED electronic medical record for cases when naloxone was administered after an opioid was administered in the ED. Cases involving medication errors resulting in harm were reviewed qualitatively for common patient-, provider-, and systems-based factors that might have contributed to the event. Results Of 73 ED patients with in-ED opioid-related adverse events that required reversal with naloxone, 43 had a medication error resulting in harm. Patient-, provider-, and systems-based factors that might have contributed to the events included chronic health conditions that could predispose an individual to an opioid-related adverse event, failure to adjust opioid dosing in the elderly and for hepatic or renal impairment, multiple doses and routes of administration of opioids, coadministration of opioids with other sedating medications, and systems-based problems with patient handoffs and pharmacy oversight. Conclusion We identified patient-, provider-, and systems-based factors related to opioid-related adverse drug events and medication errors among ED patients who had received naloxone. The results from our assessment can be used to inform educational and policy initiatives aimed to prevent in-ED opioid-related adverse drug events and medication errors.
Content-based image and video compression

The term Content-Based appears often in applications for which MPEG-7 is expected to play a significant role. MPEG-7 standardizes descriptors of multimedia content, and while compression is not the primary focus of MPEG-7, the descriptors defined by MPEG-7 can be used to reconstruct a rough representation of an original multimedia source. In contrast, current image and video compression standards such as JPEG and MPEG are not designed to encode at the very low bit-rates that could be accomplished with MPEG-7 using descriptors. In this paper we show that content-based mechanisms can be introduced into compression algorithms to improve the scalability and functionality of current compression methods such as JPEG and MPEG. This is the fundamental idea behind Content-Based Compression (CBC). Our definition of CBC is a compression method that effectively encodes a sufficient description of the content of an image or a video in order to ensure that the recipient is able to reconstruct the image or video to some degree of accuracy. The degree of accuracy can be, for example, the classification error rate of the encoded objects, since in MPEG-7 the classification error rate measures the performance of the content descriptors. We argue that the major difference between a content-based compression algorithm and conventional block-based or object-based compression algorithms is that content-based compression replaces the quantizer with a more sophisticated classifier, or with a quantizer which minimizes classification error. Compared to conventional image and video compression methods such as JPEG and MPEG, our results show that content-based compression is able to achieve more efficient image and video coding by suppressing the background while leaving the objects of interest nearly intact.
The Horizontal-Vertical Illusion in Plane Geometric Figures

Abstract : The purpose of the experiment was to determine whether the classical statement of the horizontal-vertical illusion (which states that the vertical dimension is seen as perceptually longer than the horizontal dimension) is descriptive of judgments of plane geometric figures. The results did not wholly agree with the classical statement of the horizontal-vertical illusion. The data from the square-rectangle series suggest the operation of two distinct differential effects. First, it would seem that while the classical illusion exists in some figures, a nonclassical, or even no illusion, exists in other figures, and, therefore, the classical statement which says that the vertical dimension is perceptually lengthened does not hold, arbitrarily, for all figures. Each individual figure must be studied before any definite statement can be made about the illusory effects of that figure. Secondly, there is a difference in subjects as to whether they see the illusion or not. A square, for example, consistently looks like a vertical rectangle to some subjects and appears as a horizontal rectangle to others. (Author)
Stability of pyrimidine N-glycosydic bonds in the presence of Lawesson’s reagents: revisit of 2-thiolation of pyrimidine nucleosides

Abstract 2-Thiolation of O4-phenylthymidine and 4-thiothymidine using Lawesson’s reagents proceeded differently. The glycosydic bond of O4-phenylthymidine quickly dissociated when treated with Lawesson’s reagent, whereas 4-thiothymidine was reasonably stable and can be converted to 2,4-dithiothymidine. A hypothesis that involves a cationic pyrimidine intermediate facilitating SN1 cleavage was proposed.
Incidence and characterization of temporomandibular joint sounds in adults

There has been a significant increase in the recent literature about temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. Differences in professional opinions exist about the need for therapy and the influence of joint noises on the diagnosis of TM disorders. This study discusses the incidence of TMJ noise in an adult study population. Results indicate that some signs of TMJ dysfunction are relatively common findings in adults with no pain, no decrease in joint mobility, and no evidence of disease progression. These findings should be considered when instituting therapy for TM disorders.
Long-Term Outcome of Renal Transplantation in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

This study was performed to determine the long-term outcome of renal transplantation in 54 patients with end-stage renal failure secondary to autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) and in 107 patients with renal diseases other than ADPKD or diabetes mellitus matched by gender, age, year of transplantation, and source of the allograft. The overall patient survival and patient survival with a functioning first renal allograft were similar in both groups. Infection and cardiovascular accidents were the leading causes of early and late death in both groups. No cause of death was greatly overrepresented in the ADPKD group. Serious complications from extrarenal manifestations of ADPKD following renal transplantation included a ruptured intracranial aneurysm in one patient, a dissection of the ascending thoracic aorta in one patient, and infected hepatic cysts in two patients. Neoplasia (other than skin or cervical) occurred in four ADPKD patients and in one control patient and included one lymphoma in each group. Two ADPKD and one control patient had monoclonal gammopathies of undetermined significance. No complications related to the retention of native kidneys were detected in 12 ADPKD patients with a mean follow-up of 3 years. Cysts were observed in the renal allografts of some patients in both groups at autopsy and in a prospective computed tomography (CT) study of the allograft. However, we failed to detect a significant difference in the occurrence and number of the cysts between ADPKD and control patients.
Long-term effect of phototherapy on visual function

Computer-averaged electroretinogram records were used to examine scotopic retinal functioning of a group of 4-year-old children who were treated for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia by exposure to at least 42 consecutive hours of continuous phototherapy. Dark adaptation functions of the children were similar to those previously found for control subjects, suggesting that no permanent damage to rod function had been incurred during exposure. Statistical analysis showed no significant differences in the final electroretinographic amplitudes of light-treated and control subjects. Ophthalmologic and neurologic examinations were also negative.
Hydration of tricalcium germanate

The hydration characteristics of tricalcium germanate were examined. Kinetics of tricalcium germanate hydration, and hydration product morphologies and compositions were determined at 5 °C intervals between 5 and 70 °C. Complete hydration was rapidly achieved, X-ray diffraction indicated that tricalcium germanate reacted completely within 2 h at all the temperatures investigated. However, a constant value for an Arrhenius activation energy could not be determined. At hydration temperatures above 45 °C a small heat peak, which preceded the main calorimetric peak, appeared in the calorimetric curves. Calcium hydroxide was rarely observed by SEM for hydration at temperatures below 45 °C. Dense regions of calcium hydroxide were readily observed for hydration above this temperature. In contrast to the hydration of tricalcium silicate, an induction period was not observed nor was an extended period of diffusionally controlled reaction. Calcium germanate hydrate was fibrous with the fibre thickness exhibiting a temperature dependence. Hydration product compositions were determined by thermal gravimetry. Expressing the composition of calcium germanate hydrate as (CaO)3−x GeO2·nH2O, the value of 3−x decreases from 1.68 to 1.59 with increasing temperature from 5–70 °C. The values obtained forn varied inconsistently between 2.4 and 3.3. The unit cell of the calcium germanate hydrate was determined to be monoclinic. Cell parameters werea=1.851,b=1.147,c=0.531 nm and β=98.10 °.
A unifying framework for assessing changes in life expectancy associated with changes in mortality: The case of violent deaths

For over forty years, demographers have worked intensely to develop methods that assess the gain in life expectancy from a reduction in mortality, either hypothetical or observed. This considerable body of research was motivated by assessing the gains in life expectancy when mortality declined in a particular manner and determining the contribution of a cause of death in observed changes in life expectancy over time. As yet, there has been no framework unifying this important demographic work. In this paper, we provide a unifying framework for assessing the change in life expectancy given a change in age and cause-specific mortality. We consider both conceptualizations of mortality change–counterfactual assessment of a hypothetical change and a retrospective assessment of an observed change. We apply our methodology to violent deaths, the leading cause of death among young adults, and show that realistic targeted reductions could have important impacts on life expectancy.
Massive Expansion of Antigen-Specific CD8+ T Cells during an Acute Virus Infection

During LCMV infection, CD8+ T cells expand greatly. Bystander activation has been thought to play a role because few cells score as LCMV specific in limiting dilution analysis. In contrast, we find that at least a quarter of the CD8+ cells secrete IFNγ specifically in response to LCMV peptides at the peak of the response. Moreover, by analyzing the expansion of adoptively transferred LCMV-specific, TCR-transgenic CD8+ T cells in congenic hosts, we have determined that most of the CD8+ cell expansion is virus specific. Analysis of the effect of the monospecific TCR-transgenic T cells on the host response to three LCMV epitopes suggests that CTL precursors compete for sites on the APC in an epitope-specific fashion and that this competition determines the specificity of the response.
Negotiating structure and culture: L2 learners’ realization of L2 compliment-response sequences in talk-in-interaction

Abstract This study investigates the effects of teaching American learners of German culture-specific complimenting behavior with findings in conversation analysis (CA). Using CA as a tool to analyze dyadic L2 learner interaction, this study focuses on how L2 learners realize sequences underlying L2 compliment-responses in talk-in-interaction. Based on two data examples of NNS–NNS interaction, it will be demonstrated that (1) L2 learners display their structural awareness of the sequential organization of a particular L2 compliment-response and use it in talk-in-interaction; (2) L2 learners employ distinct discourse markers to signal to their co-participants the specific use of L2 sequential patterns; (3) L2 learners display their cultural orientation as they apply the L2 sequences and thus make the “foreign” sequences a locus for negotiating their own cultural identity. While the data suggest that teaching L2 conversational sequences may be effective to heighten L2 learners’ cultural awareness, problematic aspects involved in L2 learners’ negotiating cross-cultural differences in their talk, such as fallacious interpretations of the teaching materials and the need for displaying their own cultural orientation, are equally reflected in the structure of their talk. The data thus show the inherently social nature of L2 interaction in the context of foreign language teaching.
The Quest for Victory: Collective Memory and National Identification among the Arab-Palestinian Citizens of Israel

The interdependence of collective memory and national identification has become a widespread scholarly axiom. While the related literature recognizes the role of memories of victimization and heroic victories, this article illustrates the importance of a ‘semiotic balance’ between these two for the maintenance of national identification. The study is based on an individual-centered quantitative method, which has never been used to investigate the national identity—memory nexus before. Using a survey with a representative sample (N = 530) of the Palestinian citizens of Israel, the association between individuals’ memories and national identification is examined. It was found that remembering a combination of victory and victimization is a better predictor of national identification than either theme separately. These findings indicate the crucial importance of a balanced mythical structure that includes both themes of victimization and triumph.
Meconium ileus in cystic fibrosis is not linked to central repetitive region length variation in MUC1, MUC2, and MUC5AC.

Background Mucins are excellent candidates for contributing to the presence of meconium ileus (MI) in cystic fibrosis (CF) due to their extensive genetic variation and known function in intestinal physiology. The length of variants in mucin central repetitive regions has not been explored as “risk” factors for MI in CF.
Particle deposition from a natural convection flow onto a vertical isothermal flat plate

The deposition of particles from a laminar, natural convection boundary layer flow adjacent to a heated or cooled flat plate occurs due to a combination of thermophoretic drift and Brownian motion. In this paper, scale analysis is used to determine the magnitudes of the concentration boundary layer thickness and the normalized particle flux. Scaling arguments are also used to show that thermophoresis dominates Brownian motion in the concentration boundary layer whenever Le^(1/3)>(T∞/│ΔT│)^(1/2), where Le is the Lewis number of the particle and ΔT is the difference between the temperature of the plate surface and that of the air outside the momentum boundary layer (T_∞). Using a similarity transformation, the governing partial differential equations are converted to a system of ordinary differential equations which are solved numerically. Dimensionless particle flux is determined as a function of particle diameter in the range 0.001–3.0 μm and ΔT from −10 to 10 K. The results have application in understanding and preventing the soiling of indoor surfaces, including works of art.
Primary treatment failure in patients with malignant ovarian germ cell neoplasms.

Between 1970 and 1990, 160 patients with malignant non-dysgerminomatous ovarian germ cell tumors have been treated at our own institution. Primary therapy failed in 42 of these patients, who constitute the basis for this study. Seventeen patients had stage I disease, 5 stage II, 17 stage III, and 3 stage IV. Histologic type included 13 immature teratomas, 8 endodermal sinus tumors, and 21 mixed germ cell tumors. Primary therapy for 14 patients was surgery alone, for 23, surgery plus chemotherapy, for 2, surgery plus radiotherapy and for 3, all three modalities. Median progression-free survival from initial diagnosis lasted 6.8 months (range, 0.9–24 months). Thirty-four patients received chemotherapy as part of salvage; 5/11 (45%) who received VAC are disease-free, and 6/11 (55%) who received cisplatin combinations are disease-free. When primary VAC failed, 3/7 (43%) were salvaged with cisplatin combinations. When primary cisplatin combinations failed, 2/5 (40%) were salvaged. Twelve of the 42 patients (29%) are currently alive disease-free. Primary treatment failure was attributed to surgery alone for 14 patients (7 because of misdiagnosis), radiotherapy for 5, and toxicity for 1. Of the 22 patients who failed chemotherapy, 12 did so because of a suboptimal regimen, 3 because of possible dose-intensity problems, one because of non-compliance, and 6 for unexplained reasons. Patients with ovarian germ cell tumors have an excellent probability of cure with aggressive primary therapy, but successful salvage may be difficult when primary treatment fails.
Melancholy, madness, or malevolence? Jury confusion in insanity cases and a brief for “Guilty but mentally Ill”

Put short and sweet, the insanity defense is a misfit in the criminal justice system. The system, after all, is designed to deter crime by encouraging rational persons to choose lawful conduct because of the consequences, it is fundamentally based upon individual culpability for wrongful choices. Conduct that springs from insanity--by definition, conduct which is nat the product of a rational, calculating mind--is not accommodated by such a system, either in theory or practice. Recent years have witnessed significant dissatisfaction, from several quarters, with the insanity defense. Two major problems are commonly acknowledged. In some cases, juries unknowingly facilitate an early return to the streets for dangerous offenders when they are found not guilty by reason of insanity but are quickly thereafter certified as sane by mental health professionals. On the other hand, in cases where an insanity verdict clearly is appropriate, juries are sometimes ignoring -"nullifying" -the insanity defense in order to assure imprisonment of deranged offenders. At the same time, mentally tit offenders who are simply found guilty but not insane are, perhaps, treated less humanely because they are sent to a penitentiary, not a hospital. Is there a solution? No one claims a perfect answer. The concept and structure of our criminal law were intended to deal with willful conduct by rational human beings, not deranged persons. Nonetheless, it is the purpose of this paper to argue that our system could be improved by the addition of an alternative verdict of "Guilty But Mentally IU." First, it would preclude early, inappropriate release of serious offenders by the mental health system. Secondly, it would aid juries in following the law and being true to their oaths. Finally, it would facilitate medical ue.atment for convicts suffering from mental illness.
Why poor countries rely mostly on redistribution in-kind

Abstract We present a model in which the crucial distinction between rich and poor countries is that governments in rich countries have access to a more productive tax collection technology than governments in poor countries. Since the tax collection technology in poor countries is poor, the quality of the public service is low. Therefore many households at the top of the income distribution opt out of the public service. The median voter takes this into consideration and allocates a larger share of the public budget to redistribution in-kind (public service) than to redistribution in cash.
Searching for the sequential line-up advantage: A distinctiveness explanation

Gronlund (2005) proposed that one factor leading to a sequential line-up advantage could be the greater likelihood of recollecting distinctive information about a perpetrator when using a sequential line-up. Since then questions have been raised about the robustness of the sequential advantage and the possible moderating role of line-up fairness and suspect position. We manipulated these factors as well as suspect/target distinctiveness in two experiments. A sequential advantage occurred only after encoding a distinctive target, both for biased line-ups (Experiment 1) and fair line-ups (Experiment 2). Remember-Know results were consistent with the greater use of a recall-to-reject strategy in target-absent sequential line-ups. This provided support for the first process-based explanation of the sequential line-up advantage. No consistent position effects were found, but this might be due to the line-up recognition paradigm used, in which each participant viewed a line-up for each of several targets. Theor...
Nuclear data sheets for A=213

The available nuclear structure information for all nuclei with mass number A=213 is presented. Various decay and reaction data are evaluated and compared. Adopted data, levels, and spin and parity assignments are given.
Recombinant human leukocyte interferon‐α 2b stimulates the synthesis and release of a 90k tumor‐associated antigen in human breast cancer cells

We have previously reported the production of a new monoclonal antibody (MAb) (SP-2) recognizing a 90-kDa tumor-associated antigen, termed 90K, which is increased in the serum of many cancer patients. Treatment of CG5 human breast cancer cells with recombinant interferon-alpha 2b (rIFN-alpha 2b) can increase the synthesis and release, in culture medium, of the 90K. The effect of rIFN-alpha 2b was dose-related and occurred at concentrations which did not affect cell proliferation. The increase of 90K expression was due to de novo protein synthesis since cycloheximide, added within 3 hr of the beginning of rIFN-alpha 2b stimulation treatment, completely abolished the effect of rIFN-alpha 2b. The stimulatory effect of rIFN-alpha 2b was already evident after 24 hr treatment. Finally, an increase in serum 90K levels was observed in 3 patients with advanced breast cancer receiving a short course of rIFN-alpha 2b (Intron A). No effect of rIFN-alpha 2b was seen in 3 normal women. The ability of rIFN-alpha 2b to increase the synthesis and release of 90K both in vitro and in vivo may be of clinical importance in the early detection of tumors.
Parent Perceptions of Children's Weight Status, Nutrition, and Activity Levels

Although national statistics indicate about a third of children aged 6 to 11 years are overweight or obese, previous studies have revealed that parents often fail to accurately perceive a child's problematic weight status. In this study, data were collected on 407 parent-child dyads to determine the accuracy of parent perceptions of child weight status across the upper elementary school years. Parents also reported on their perceptions of the healthfulness of the child's daily diet and the amount of physical activity engaged in by the child. Findings indicated that parents underestimate the child's weight status while overwhelmingly perceiving that the child is physically active and consuming a healthy diet. Specifically, 76% of parents of overweight children viewed the child as healthy weight rather than overweight, and about 90% of parents of obese children viewed the child as healthy weight or only slightly overweight. Accordingly, it is proposed that parents may need more information on recognizing he...
Measurements of peroxy radicals using chemical amplification-cavity ringdown spectroscopy.

The peroxy radical chemical amplification (PERCA) method is combined with cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CRDS) to detect peroxy radicals (HO2 and RO2). In PERCA, HO2 and RO2 are first converted to NO2 via reactions with NO, and the OH and RO coproducts are recycled back to HO2 in subsequent reactions with CO and O2; the chain reactions of HO2 are repeated and amplify the level of NO2. The amplified NO2 is then monitored by CRDS, a sensitive absorption technique. The PERCA−CRDS method is calibrated using a HO2 radical source (0.5−3 ppbv), which is generated by thermal decomposition of H2O2 vapor (permeated from 2% H2O2 solution through a porous Teflon tubing) up to 600 °C. Using a 2-m long 6.35-mm o.d. Teflon tubing as the flow reactor and 2.5 ppmv NO and 2.5−10% vol/vol CO, the PERCA amplification factor or chain length, Δ[NO2]/([HO2]+[RO2]), is determined to be 150 ± 50 (90% confidence limit) in this study. The peroxy radical detection sensitivity by PERCA−CRDS is estimated to be ∼10 pptv/60 s (3σ). Ambie...
Theoretical electronic properties of Ti O 2 (rutile) (001) and (110) surfaces

We have calculated the one-electron density of states of thick slabs of Ti${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ (rutile) with (001) and (110) symmetry using the linear combination of muffin-tin orbitals (LCMTO) energy-band method. We have also calculated the density of states of bulk Ti${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ and of bulk ${\mathrm{Ti}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$. We found that the local titanium-oxygen coordination is the major factor determining the band structures of these surface and bulk systems. In particular, for the unreconstructed (001) face of Ti${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$, we found that there is a large band of occupied surface states in the bulk band gap while there are no occupied states for the unreconstructed (but slightly relaxed) (110) surface. Our results suggest that the (001) face reconstructs to increase the local coordination of titanium in order to eliminate these band-gap surface states.
Induced electronic anisotropy in bismuth thin films

We use magneto-resistance measurements to investigate the effect of texturing in polycrystalline bismuth thin films. Electrical current in bismuth films with texturing such that all grains are oriented with the trigonal axis normal to the film plane is found to flow in an isotropic manner. By contrast, bismuth films with no texture such that not all grains have the same crystallographic orientation exhibit anisotropic current flow, giving rise to preferential current flow pathways in each grain depending on its orientation. Extraction of the mobility and the phase coherence length in both types of films indicates that carrier scattering is not responsible for the observed anisotropic conduction. Evidence from control experiments on antimony thin films suggests that the anisotropy is a result of bismuth's large electron effective mass anisotropy.
Diffusion in Inhomogeneous Media: Theory and Simulations Applied to Whole Cell Photobleach Recovery

A continuum description for diffusion in a simple model for an inhomogeneous but isotropic media is derived and implemented numerically. The locally averaged density of diffusible marker is input from experiment to define the sample. Then a single additional parameter, the effective diffusion constant, permits the quantitative simulation of diffusive relaxation from any initial condition. Using this simulation, it is possible to model the recovery of a fluorescently tagged protein in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) after photobleaching a substantial region of a live cell, and fit an effective diffusion constant which is a property both of the geometry of the ER and the marker. Such quantitative measurements permit inferences about the topology and internal organization of this organelle.
Thyroid carcinoma: the surgeon’s perspective

Surgery is often needed to diagnose thyroid cancer, but is also the initial therapeutic modality. Several current imaging techniques are important for preoperative risk stratification. By optimizing initial thyroidectomy and lymphadenectomy, accurate and appropriate imaging can help minimize operative morbidity and potentially reduce the risk of recurrent disease.
Aprotinin Exerts Differential and Dose-Dependent Effects on Myocardial Contractility, Oxidative Stress, and Cytokine Release After Ischemia-Reperfusion

Background Cardiac surgery can result in left ventricular ischemia and reperfusion (I/R), the release of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor, and oxidative stress with release of myeloperoxidase. Although aprotinin has been used in cardiac surgery, the likely multiple effects of this serine protease inhibitor limit clinical utility. This study tested the hypothesis that different aprotinin doses cause divergent effects on left ventricular contractility, cytokine release, and oxidative stress in the context of I/R. Methods Left ventricular I/R (30 minutes I, 60 minutes R) was induced in mice, and left ventricular contractility (maximal end-systolic elastance) determined. Mice were randomly allocated to 2 × 10 4 kallikrein inhibitory units (KIU)/kg aprotinin (n = 11), 4 × 10 4 KIU/kg aprotinin (n = 10), and vehicle (saline, n=10). Based upon a fluorogenic assay, aprotinin doses of 2 and 4 × 10 4 KIU/kg resulted in plasma concentrations similar to those of the half and full Hammersmith doses, respectively. Results After I/R, maximal end-systolic elastance fell by more than 40% from baseline ( p 4 KIU/kg but not 4 × 10 4 KIU/kg aprotinin. Tumor necrosis factor increased by more than 60% from control ( p 4 KIU/kg aprotinin. Myeloperoxidase increased with I/R, and was reduced to the greatest degree by 2 × 10 4 KIU/kg aprotinin. Conclusions Aprotinin influences left ventricular contractility, cytokine release, and oxidative stress, which are dose dependent. These results provide mechanistic evidence that multiple pathways are differentially affected by aprotinin in a context relevant to cardiac surgery.
FDL ― A language for function description and rationalization in mechanical design

Presentation du langage FDL (Function description language) pour decrire les fonctions des composants et rationaliser la conception mecanique
The Rapid Cycling Synchrotron Extraction Kicker Magnet Drive System

The Rapid Cycling Synchrotron (RCS) accelerator of the Intense Pulsed Neutron Source-I (IPNS-I) at Argonne National Laboratory utilizes a fast kicker magnet to provide single-turn extraction for a 500 MeV proton beam at a 30 Hz rate. The single-turn, 0.89 m long ferrite magnet is broken up into two identical cells with four individual windings. Each winding requires a 4863 A magnetizing current into a 7.0 ? load with a rise time of less than 100 ns and a flattop of about 140 ns. Pulse forming network (PFN) charging and switching techniques along with the components used will be described.
Age-related differences in the neural bases of phonological and semantic processes

Changes in language functions during normal aging are greater for phonological compared with semantic processes. To investigate the behavioral and neural basis for these age-related differences, we used fMRI to examine younger and older adults who made semantic and phonological decisions about pictures. The behavioral performance of older adults was less accurate and less efficient than younger adults' in the phonological task but did not differ in the semantic task. In the fMRI analyses, the semantic task activated left-hemisphere language regions, and the phonological task activated bilateral cingulate and ventral precuneus. Age-related effects were widespread throughout the brain and most often expressed as greater activation for older adults. Activation was greater for younger compared with older adults in ventral brain regions involved in visual and object processing. Although there was not a significant Age × Condition interaction in the whole-brain fMRI results, correlations examining the relationship between behavior and fMRI activation were stronger for younger compared with older adults. Our results suggest that the relationship between behavior and neural activation declines with age, and this may underlie some of the observed declines in performance.
Use of diagnostic probes for detection of periodontal disease.

Routine use of the periodontal probe as an aid in determining the health and architecture of the periodontium can result in early detection and treatment of periodontal disease. Methods of using the probe and application of these methods to specific situations are discussed.
Estimating System State During Human Walking With a Powered Ankle-Foot Orthosis

This paper presents a state estimator that reliably detects gait events during human walking with a portable powered ankle-foot orthosis (AFO), based only on measurements of the ankle angle and of contact forces at the toe and heel. Effective control of the AFO critically depends on detecting these gait events. A common approach detects gait events simply by checking if each measurement exceeds a given threshold. Our approach uses cross correlation between a window of past measurements and a learned model to estimate the configuration of the human walker, and detects gait events based on this estimate. We tested our approach in experiments with five healthy subjects and with one subject that had neuromuscular impairment. Using motion capture data for reference, we compared our approach to one based on thresholding and to another common one based on k-nearest neighbors. The results showed that our approach reduced the RMS error by up to 40% for the impaired subject and up to 49% for the healthy subjects. Moreover, our approach was robust to perturbations due to changes in walking speed and to control actuation.
Child care policy: A need for greater advocacy

Abstract While some scholars have recognized the importance of child care to families in the United States (Kamerman, 2001; Waldfogel, 1998), child care has not been viewed as a core social policy concern in the United States. In this article, we provide an overview of child care needs in the U.S. followed by an analysis of three major federal programs that shape U.S. child care policy. The first, the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF), provides financial child care supplements to low-income parents to enable them to engage in paid labor. The second policy, The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), is technically a universally applicable policy enabling people to care for a family member in need, including all parents who choose to spend a few weeks of unpaid leave with a newborn child. The third is the U.S. tax policy, including child care exemptions, deductions and credits. We suggest that, though all of these policies exist to help families care for children, they fail the children and families that they are purportedly designed to help. We then discuss the crucial role that professionals who work with families and children can play in shaping U.S. child care policies.
Development of a Residual Solvent Test for Bulk α-Phenyl-1-(2-phenylethyl)-piperine Methanol Using Headspace Sampling

An automated static headspace gas chromatographic method for the determination of residual solvents in the bulk drug substance alpha-phenyl-1-(2-phenylethyl)-piperine methanol, a serotonin 5-HT2 receptor antagonist, is evaluated. The method includes the use of 1-propanol as an internal standard. The gas chromatographic conditions utilize a dimethylpolysiloxane phase (SPB-1) capillary column and a flame ionization detector. Validation of this test method includes a recovery study of known levels of acetone, ethyl acetate, methanol, and methyl ethyl ketone in the range of 0.05% to 1.0% (weight-per-weight or w/w) to verify the accuracy of this method; these four solvents are the most likely residual volatiles used in the production of the drug substance. These data and other aspects of the development of this test method are discussed.
Biology and Clinical Relevance of the Micropthalmia Family of Transcription Factors in Human Cancer

Members of the micropthalmia (MiT) family of transcription factors (MITF, TFE3, TFEB, and TFEC) are physiologic regulators of cell growth, differentiation, and survival in several tissue types. Because their dysregulation can lead to melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, and some sarcomas, understanding why these genes are co-opted in carcinogenesis may be of general utility. Here we describe the structure of the MiT family of proteins, the ways in which they are aberrantly activated, and the molecular mechanisms by which they promote oncogenesis. We discuss how meaningful understanding of these mechanisms can be used to elucidate the oncogenic process. Because the expression of these proteins is essential for initiating and maintaining the oncogenic state in some cancer types, we propose ways that they can be exploited to prevent, diagnose, and rationally treat these malignancies.
Aberrant splicing of the E-cadherin transcript is a novel mechanism of gene silencing in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells

Premature termination codon (PTC) mutations are due to insertion or deletion of nucleotides causing a frameshift and premature termination codon in RNA. These transcripts are degraded by the nonsense-mediated decay pathway and have a very short half-life. We used a microarray technique to screen for genes that up-regulate their RNA signal upon nonsense-mediated decay pathway blockade in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) specimens and identified an E-cadherin transcript with PTC. Sequencing revealed an aberrant E-cadherin transcript lacking exon 11, resulting in a frameshift and PTC. The aberrant E-cadherin transcript was also identified in normal B cells, but occurred at a much lower level compared with CLL cells. In CLL specimens, E-cadherin expression was depressed more than 50% in 62% cases (relative to normal B cells). By real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis, the relative amounts of wild-type transcript inversely correlated with amounts of aberrant transcript (P = .018). Ectopic expression of E-cadherin in CLL specimens containing high amounts of aberrant transcript resulted in down-regulation of the wnt–β-catenin pathway reporter, a pathway known to be up-regulated in CLL. Our data point to a novel mechanism of E-cadherin gene inactivation, with CLL cells displaying a higher proportion of aberrant nonfunctional transcripts and resulting up-regulation of the wnt–β-catenin pathway.
STUDIES ON PSEUDORABIES (INFECTIOUS BULBAR PARALYSIS, MAD ITCH : III. THE DISEASE IN THE RHESUS MONKEY, MACACA MULATTA.

In the monkey (M. mulatto) the virus of pseudorabies, pantropic in the rabbit, behaves as a strict neurotrope. Infection, usually fatal, readily follows intracerebral and intracisternal inoculation of rabbit virus, and often intrasciatic inoculation; the symptomatology of the ensuing disease is described. In a limited number of experiments no infection resulted from intradermal, intramuscular or intravenous inoculation. Nerve and glial cells are primarily attacked by the virus, but no cytological or other evidence of susceptibility of non-nervous tissue or of growth of virus outside the nervous system was obtained. Certain cortical areas, of which the principal are the pyriform area, cornu Ammonis, island of Reil, lower lip of the Sylvian fissure and basal surface of the frontal lobe, are affected far more severely than are other parts of the nervous axis; the reasons for this elective distribution of the most severe lesions, seen alike after intracerebral and intrasciatic inoculation and analogous perhaps to that in poliomyelitis and louping-ill, are not obvious. Other areas of the nervous system are relatively insusceptible to the action of the virus. Cases showing clinically only a febrile reaction without definite nervous symptoms may later exhibit marked residual lesions at the sites of election. The blood and cerebrospinal fluid play no apparent role in disseminating the virus, which, after intrasciatic inoculation, spreads upwards by the nervous path. Some suggestion was received from the experiments that in monkeys possessed of immunity to B virus (Sabin and Wright, 1934) pseudorabic infection is less likely to prove fatal than in animals not so immune, but the observations made were insufficiently numerous to be of statistical value. The sera of 6 out of 26 monkeys were found to contain antibodies neutralising B virus; these 6 monkeys were all included in one batch of 7 received at one time from the dealer.
Liquid-phase synthesis of thiol-derivatized silver nanocrystals

A liquid-phase method is reported for the preparation of dodecanethiol-derivatized silver nanocrystals. Toluene sols of this material maintain as sols in air at room temperature at least on the timescale of months. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are used to obtain size and structural information about the nanocrystal core while solubility properties and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) are used to identify the passivating layer. Laser desorption time-of-flight mass spectra (LDTOFMS) of this material show broad peaks in the mass range from 40 to 300 kamu. These results are consistent with the synthesized material being a dodecanethiol-derivatized silver nanocrystal material with a mean crystalline silver core of 3.1 + 0.6 nm.
Psychiatric manifestations of hyponatremia

Abstract To ascertain whether hyponatremia produces a characteristic psychiatric syndrome, the authors compared 17 patients with the condition with 18 control patients, all hospitalized. Mental status was assessed with the Cognitive Capacity Screening Examination. Scores showed the hyponatremic patients to have more severe mental deficits than the control subjects. Further, increased severity of hyponatremia correlated with greater cognitive impairment. A large proportion (88%) of the hyponatremic patients had organic brain syndrome. Psychiatric symptoms, such as depression and anxiety, and overt psychosis were absent in both groups. The hyponatremic patients were generally more severely ill than their nonhyponatremic counterparts, and so their clouded mental state cannot be attributed with certainty to their hyponatremia.