cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinicopathologic characterization and outcomes for patients with renal medullary carcinoma: Results from the National Cancer Database.

456Background: Renal medullary carcinoma (RMC) is a rare, aggressive malignancy for which relatively limited characterization exists to date. We evaluated clinicopathologic features, treatment patterns, and variables associated with outcomes for patients with RMC. Methods: We reviewed the National Cancer Database to identify patients diagnosed with RMC between 1998-2012. Overall survival (OS) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Clinicopathologic features associated with all-cause mortality (ACM) were assessed using Cox regression analysis. Results: We identified 153 patients with RMC, comprising approximately 0.04% of renal malignancies during this time period. Median age at diagnosis for RMC was 24 years (IQR 20, 31). The majority of RMC patients were black (135; 88%), male (108; 71%), and presented with unilateral, right-sided tumors (101; 66%). Notably, nearly half (72; 48.9%) presented with metastatic disease. A total of 92 (64.3%) patients underwent radical nephrectomy (RN), and 2 (1.3%) wer...
Global role of the bacterial post-transcriptional regulator CsrA revealed by integrated transcriptomics.

CsrA is a post-transcriptional regulatory protein that is widely distributed among bacteria. This protein influences bacterial lifestyle decisions by binding to the 5′ untranslated and/or early coding regions of mRNA targets, causing changes in translation initiation, RNA stability, and/or transcription elongation. Here, we assess the contribution of CsrA to gene expression in Escherichia coli on a global scale. UV crosslinking immunoprecipitation and sequencing (CLIP-seq) identify RNAs that interact directly with CsrA in vivo, while ribosome profiling and RNA-seq uncover the impact of CsrA on translation, RNA abundance, and RNA stability. This combination of approaches reveals unprecedented detail about the regulatory role of CsrA, including novel binding targets and physiological roles, such as in envelope function and iron homeostasis. Our findings highlight the integration of CsrA throughout the E. coli regulatory network, where it orchestrates vast effects on gene expression. The RNA-binding protein CsrA regulates the expression of hundreds of bacterial genes. Here, Potts et al. use several approaches to assess the contribution of CsrA to global gene expression in E. coli, revealing new binding targets and physiological roles such as in envelope function and iron homeostasis.
Abnormal Plant Growth

The systemic controls that operate within the plant as it interacts with the environment are crucial for all essential aspects of normal plant growth. As noted in previous chapters, these controls have also proved powerful in the developmental analysis of individual plant organs. Abnormal plant growth manifests as far-reaching permanent changes induced by physical means such as wounding and irradiation, by chemical means with growth hormones, and by external agents such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, and insects. Abnormal growth is common in flowering plants and has been used as an adjunct to the conventional pattern of growth to elucidate the nature of the stimuli and controls involved. Classic examples of abnormal growth exhibited by plants are the stunted growth accompanied by the formation of motley leaves induced by viruses on tobacco, potato, and cauliflower, crown gall tumors on many dicots caused by Agrobacterium tumefaciens, nodules on the roots of leguminous plants caused by Rhizobium, proliferation of adventitious roots (hairy roots) caused by Agrobacterium rhizogenes, callus production induced by auxins on the cut end of stems, hyperelongation of rice seedlings caused by the fungus Gibberella fujikuroi, fasciation disease of seedlings caused by Corynebacterium fascians, and galls formed on dicots by insects. Less conspicuous than the abnormal growth caused by external agents is the response of plants to wounding. This generally results in the formation of the wound callus—a mass of cells that grows around the wound.
22 – Redox Regulation of Ischemic Adaptation

Redox signaling plays an essential role in myocardial ischemic reperfusion injury. The generation of oxygen-derived free radicals and the development of oxidative stress is an important causative factors in the cellular injury associated with ischemia and reperfusion. The presence of reactive oxygen species in the reperfused myocardium is detected directly using Electron Spin-Resonance (ESR) and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) techniques, and indirectly by estimating malonaldehyde formation and DNA damage. This chapter evaluates that the reperfusion of ischemic myocardium undergoes apoptosis cell death, an oxidative stress-regulated process, further supporting the role of redox regulation in ischemic-reperfusion injury. It discusses the role of nitric oxide in the pathophysiology of ischemic-reperfusion injury. Results emphasize that exogenous nitric oxide can provide myocardial preservation in the face of ischemia. Ischemic preconditioning and myocardial adaptation to ischemia is found to be associated with the induction of the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase.
INTEGRATING THE WORK FORCE INTO THE DESIGN OF PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

Abstract This paper will describe a project undertaken by the custom woodworking industry owners and skilled workers to identify criteria for the design of new software for their industry and attempts to have that software produced. Key criteria were skill and flexibility. The role of the NIST as a provider of support will be discussed.
SEVERE COMBINED IMMUNODEFICIENCY DISEASE: A DISORDER OF BOTH IMMUNE FUNCTION AND BLOOD COAGULATION

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the different aspects of severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). Tissue factor is a cell-surface protein which, when activated in human mononuclear cells by antigens, mitogens or lipopolysaccharide, can trigger the extrinsic cascade of blood coagulation. The chapter presents the clinical aspects of four studied cases. Patient 1 had adenosine deaminase deficiency and was presented with typical bone changes, severe hypogammaglobulinemia, and absent T-cell function. A bone marrow transplantation performed at 13 months of age allowed progressive reconstitution of immune function within 1 year. Cell viability was determined by exclusion of trypan blue dye and always exceeded 96%. Monocytes were quantified by the ingestion of latex particles. The percentage of monocytes per cell culture was increased in the patient group as compared to controls. The generation of the mononuclear cell tissue factor generation (MCTF) activity was expressed as units per monocyte for both groups. All four patients had markedly reduced generation of MCTF activity to PHA stimulation. The two patients with SCID and a probable block or defect in stem cell or precursor T-cell differentiation also had a severe defect in MCTF generation in response to LPS stimulation.
Neuro-oncology: Implications of the molecular era

The field of neuro-oncology has recently experienced a renaissance in the understanding of the molecular underpinnings and pathophysiology of glioma. Genetic markers have significant implications regarding treatment responsiveness and prognosis and are now the primary basis for classification. This article gives an updated understanding of the pathogenesis and mechanisms of resistance of glioma via discussion of 4 molecular and genetic markers: MGMT, IDH, 1p/19q, and TERT.
One Early Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience Produces Sustainable Knowledge Gains, but only Transient Perception Gains †

Universities have been called upon to integrate research experiences into early, introductory courses to better prepare our STEM workforce. This call is primarily based on short-term studies that link research experiences with knowledge and perception gains. However, the influence of pre-existing student characteristics has not been fully disentangled from the research experience, and the long-term stability of these gains is uncertain. To address these issues, we integrated a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) into randomly assigned sections of a required freshman-level biology laboratory course. We previously reported that this CURE resulted in immediate targeted knowledge and perception gains. Here, we evaluate the stability of these gains as students progressed through a biology degree program. At sophomore year, the impact of the CURE on student perception was still apparent. When compared to controls, students who participated in the CURE perceived a greater understanding of what researchers do and an increased interest in pursuing a research career. However, by senior year, these positive perceptions had fallen to levels shared by control groups. Targeted knowledge gains persisted throughout this study. Our results support CURE logic models predicting that multiple CUREs will be required to sustain perception gains.
CS4Some? Differences in Technology Learning Readiness

This article investigates the extent to which teens are ready to take advantage of the Computer Science for All (CS4All) initiative promoted in 2016 by the Obama administration. Using new survey da...
Providing Equity of Access to Higher Education in Indonesia: A Policy Evaluation

In the last decade, Indonesia has worked towards expanding access to higher education, but the enrolment of the poor remains negligible with the majority of students in the country’s leading public universities still coming from Indonesia’s wealthiest echelons. Concerned with the issue of equity and access, the government has formulated a new policy calling on all higher education institutions to ensure at least 20% of their newly admitted students are of a low socioeconomic status (SES). The principal challenge the government has faced is a discrepancy between its ambitious political agenda and the policy’s implementation affected by inadequate budgeting, lacking implementation mechanisms, and limited award allocations. This challenge raises a question of whether the Equity and Access Policy can be effectively implemented and, if so, under what conditions can such success be achieved. We thus examine the country’s Equity and Access Policy, education system with its leadership structure, broader institutional framework, and how these factors interact to obstruct the higher education access for the poor in Indonesia. The inadequate policy implementation can impede Indonesia’s human capital development and the country’s economic growth.
Reengineering capital budgeting

This article illustrates the application of business process reengineering (BPR) to capital budget process redesign. The case of the City of Pittsburgh is used to argue that capital budgeting processes in many large cities often pose barriers to effective financial management. Design principles of BPR are presented; implications for capital budget management are then discussed. Pittsburgh’s capital expenditure/encumbrance process is used to illustrate implications of BPR for public financial management. By identifying shortcomings in current maps, “future” maps can be constructed that rely on organizational redesign and technology to eliminate steps that do not add value.
Rough seafloor and target far-field scattering prediction using numerically determined Green’s functions

Acoustic scattering from rough seafloor, and from targets on and buried within rough seafloor interfaces, is modeled using 3D finite elements to capture the effect of seafloor roughness and variability upon the far-field scattering. Though the model is necessarily small, far-field scattering prediction is achieved using Green’s functions determined numerically within the model. Comparisons to experimental measurements and between models demonstrate the effect that seafloor roughness and variation, as well as target orientation, burial, and asymmetry have upon the measured scattering. Numerically determined Green’s functions are an efficient method for obtaining long-range scattering prediction out of small, localized models, and are practical for complex geometry situations in which the exact Green’s function is difficult to estimate analytically. Best practice techniques for domain truncation in complex environments are also explored and compared in this work. [This work was supported by the Office of Naval Research and by the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program.]
Pain management in shoulder arthroplasty: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background Postoperative pain management after total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) can be challenging. Given the variety of pain management options available, the purpose of this investigation was to systematically review the literature for randomized controlled trials reporting on pain control after shoulder arthroplasty. We sought to determine which modalities are most effective in managing postoperative pain and reducing postoperative opioid use. Methods A systematic review was performed using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) guidelines. PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for Level I-II randomized controlled trials that compared interventions for postoperative pain control after TSA. Pain control measures included nerve blocks and nerve block adjuncts, local injections, patient-controlled analgesia, oral medications, and other modalities. The 2 primary outcome measures were pain level measured on a 0-10 visual analog scale and opioid use. The risk of study bias and methodologic quality were analyzed using The Cochrane Collaboration’s Risk of Bias 2 (RoB 2) tool. Network meta-analyses were performed for visual analog scale pain scores at postsurgical time points and opioid use using a frequentist approach and random-effects model, with heterogeneity quantified using the I2 statistic. Treatments were ranked using the P score, and statistical significance was set at P Results The initial search yielded 2391 articles (695 duplicates, 1696 screened, 53 undergoing full-text review). Eighteen articles (1358 shoulders; 51% female patients; mean age range, 65-73.7 years; 4 studies with low risk of bias, 12 with some risk, and 2 with high risk) were included and analyzed. At 4 and 8 hours postoperatively, patients receiving local liposomal bupivacaine (LB) injection (P Conclusion Interscalene blocks are superior to local injections alone at managing pain after TSA. Single-shot interscalene blocks are optimal for reducing early postoperative pain (
PEDRO: Secure Pedestrian Mobility Verification in V2P Communication using Commercial Off-the-shelf Mobile Devices

Vehicle-to-Pedestrian (V2P) communication enables numerous safety benefits such as real-time collision detection and alert, but poses new security challenges. An imminent and probable scenario is where a malicious node claiming to be a legitimate pedestrian within the network broadcasts false observations or phenomena on the roads (e.g., traffic load, road hazard, and false road crossing alarms) in order to impede traffic flow, erode user's trust in alert messages, or even cause traffic accidents. Therefore, it is crucial to identify legitimate road users against adversaries pretending to be one. In this work, we propose PEDRO, a PEDestRian mObility verification mechanism for pedestrians using commodity hardware, where only legitimate mobile pedestrians can be admitted to the ad hoc network consisting of trustworthy vehicles and pedestrians. We leverage the round-trip time (RTT) of wireless signal between vehicle and pedestrian's devices, and verify only moving (mobile) ones while rejecting stationary ones, based on the realistic assumption that the adversaries are likely to remotely launch attacks through static malicious devices. Through an extensive analysis based on simulation as well as real-world experiments, we show that PEDRO's verification takes under 8 s while achieving an 8.5% Equal Error Rate (EER) under regular road environments.
READINGS IN THE FIELD OF NATURAL RESOURCE & ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS

This is the latest version of a document periodically produced since the early 1980's. It combines an outline of the field of natural resource and environmental economics with a bibliography of 945 references. In the past, this reading list has been used in a variety of ways: as a guide to the literature for graduate students in departments of economics which do not offer a Ph.D.-level survey course of the field; as a resource for Ph.D. students who wish to develop a directed readings course in the field; and as an aid to students at the masters and undergraduate levels who wish to explore selected areas in greater depth.
SHIFTING PARTISAN ALIGNMENTS IN OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma has often stood at the fringe of the South, both in the study of southern politics and in the mindset of Oklahoma. While Oklahoma was not a state at the time of the Civil War, many of the events and cultural factors that structure Oklahoma politics are distinctly southern. As in many southern states, the GOP has enjoyed a dramatic growth in adherents, and has sustained electoral success in contests for major offices. What is so intriguing about the GOP growth in Oklahoma is the catalyst for change. In most southern states, studies have shown that Republican growth can be linked to race. Race is not such a divisive issue in Oklahoma. Only 6.7 percent of the state population is black (Morgan, et al., 1991 ). Instead, religion, the growth of the Christian Right, appears to be a major catalyst in the GOP upswing (Bednar and Hertzke, 1995a, 1995b).
Looking Backward, Moving Forward

Aresurgence of interest in new nuclear power generation as part of the energy mix has emerged around the world in the past few years. The reasons for this potential "nuclear renaissance" stem from a complex set of considerations, including the environmental benefits of no "greenhouse" gas emissions, the enhanced reliability of nuclear operations, advantageous fuel and operating costs and government incentives, among others. For the first time in a generation, electric generating companies are giving serious consideration to building new commercial nuclear power plants in the United States.
A new technique for absolute total electron content determination using the CITRIS instrument on STPSat1 and the CERTO beacons on COSMIC

[1] Highly accurate measurements of total electron content (TEC) of the ionosphere are made using beacon transmitters and a beacon receiver on low Earth orbit satellites. The Naval Research Laboratory Scintillation and Tomography Receiver in Space (CITRIS) instrument, in a nearly circular orbit at 560 km altitude and 35° inclination, uses signals from more than 12 VHF/UHF radio beacons also in low Earth orbits. CITRIS recordings of differential phase observations estimate TEC between two satellites using a differential phase technique and are limited by the 2π ambiguities of the measurements. During space-to-space conjunctions, nearby passes allow determination of absolute TEC by assuming that the TEC is zero for extrapolations to zero separation. Data from CITRIS conjunctions with the Coherent Electromagnetic Radio Tomography (CERTO) beacons on the Taiwanese COSMIC satellites provide absolute TEC and horizontal electron density gradients. Accurate absolute TEC measurements, though difficult to obtain, are important for successful space weather modeling. These types of high-resolution ionospheric observations have been routinely collected for midlatitude and low-latitude regions of the ionosphere with CITRIS for the past 2 years.
AeroWEB: An Information Infrastructure for the Supply Chain

Information flow up and down the supply chain, particularly for complex products such as automobiles, aircraft, and weapons systems is complex, difficult, fraught with errors and time consuming. In the defense business, for example, just the engineering trade-off process in the conceptual design phase can take up to a year before all the information requested is available for the design engineering team to compare alternatives (Schwart97). Some of the problems encountered include the inability of small suppliers far down the chain to access technical data created with CAD systems to which they do not have access, inaccurate or wrong versions of technical data when the supplier eventually obtains it, and difficulty in contacting people to request clarification. EDI and geometric modeling standards (e.g. STEP) and Email have started to address these problems, but they do not address all of them. Email, for instance often results in huge CAD files bogging down a suppliers email system (often using a dial up modem) only to have it discarded because it was not appropriate to their business. EDI/EC and STEP standards focus on standards for the exchange and sharing of data, not on their smooth and efficient movement up and down the chain.
A First for This Century: Closing and Reopening of a Children’s Hospital During a Disaster

Children’s Hospital of New Orleans (CHNO) is a 201-bed general pediatric hospital that provides inpatient and outpatient medical and surgical care to more than 56000 children per year. In 1 recent year, children came from at least 40 different states and 5 foreign countries. Critical care is provided in CHNO’s 25-bed PICU, the 21-bed NICU, and an 8-bed spinal unit. New Orleans has had many hurricane threats over the years, leading hospitals and physicians to develop emergency plans to deal with the rare but predictable consequences of hurricanes. CHNO has an extensive inclement-weather plan (“Code Gray”) that is updated and reviewed regularly. For a hurricane that is stronger than Category 3, there is an automatic coordination of activities with the State of Louisiana Emergency Operations Plan and the City of New Orleans Office of Emergency Preparations. CHNO sits 12 feet above sea level, and the building is designed to withstand up to 14 feet of water. With each major construction project during the last 20 years, the hospital has incorporated new components of their hurricane-protection master plan. Some of the projects included: When the staff left the hospital that Friday afternoon, the assumption was that the storm was heading to the Florida panhandle or would make landfall in Alabama. There … Address correspondence to Keith Perrin, MD, FAAP, 298 Henry Clay Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118. E-mail: kperrin{at}chnola.org
Mechanisms of optic nerve damage in primary open angle glaucoma

Several mechanisms have been postulated to explain the optic nerve damage that occurs in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). No single mechanism can adequately explain the great variations in susceptibility to damage and the patterns of damage seen in this syndrome. The etiology of POAG is likely to be multifactorial. Mechanical, vascular and other factors may influence individual susceptibility to optic nerve damage. An enhanced understanding of the nature of the optic nerve damage in POAG and improved methods of study may result in earlier diagnosis or may allow us to distinguish among different pathological processes all currently grouped under the diagnosis of POAG. As we gain a better understanding of the neuropharmacology and cellular biology of injury and repair of the visual system we will undoubtedly refine the concepts of glaucomatous optic neuropathy.
An evaluation of elementary school nutrition practices and policies in a southern Illinois county

The purpose of this study is to assess elementary school nutrition programs in a rural county in southern Illinois. The researcher interviewed the food service managers of eight schools and completed the School Health Index (SHI) based on their responses. Eighty-seven percent of the schools did not have venues such as vending machines outside the cafeteria. Three food service managers stated that from 75% to 80% of the students in the district ate lunch in the cafeteria. The SHI corresponds to the eight components of a coordinated school health program; nutrition services are just one of the eight components. The SHI is a tool that can be used to identify strengths and weaknesses in the nutrition program. It covers items from healthy, low-fat choices to food preparation and cafeteria practices. School nurses can work with teachers and food service personnel to create nutrition programs and a curriculum related to healthy nutrition practices.
Hanslick, Wagner, Chomsky: Mapping the Linguistic Parameters of Music

EDUARD Hanslick's The Beautiful in Music (1854) is a classic of musical aesthetics. Its influence has been profound, not least as a polemic against Wagner's Opera and Drama (1851). The polemic was defended by the author in his preface to the seventh edition of 1885, which contains the oft-quoted evaluation of music drama as 'formlessness exalted into a principle'.' The Hanslick/Wagner debate defines an aesthetic and theoretical ground zero around which significant forces have been arrayed. The results have been complex and mixed. While Wagner's music prevailed and his theories were generally dismissed,2 Hanslick's rejection of music as a medium for expressing feelings articulated an approach brought to fruition by Heinrich Schenker (who unsurprisingly shared Hanslick's negative view of Wagner as well as his polemical tendencies).Hanslick claims that musical beauty cannot derive from the expression of feeling and that music expresses nothing other than itself. It is not that in order to be beautiful music should not rely upon its emotive capacity, but rather that it is incapable of such expression. The claim is absolute: 'Our proposition is ... above all suspicion of partisanship. The whole course of the present inquiry never approaches the question of what ought to be, but simply of what is.'4 Hanslick's arguments are directed to the essence of music, its relationship to nature, ideas and the expressive means of the arts that represent them, musical form, and the contrast between feeling on the one hand and thinking and sensation on the other. Hanslick attempts to define such terms, and his definitions differ greatly from Wagner's. Yet when Hanslick's arguments are
Healthcare Policy in the United States: A Primer for Medical Family Therapists

As family therapists increasingly practice in healthcare settings, they need to be aware of forthcoming changes in healthcare policy and the impact of these changes on their clinical work and the lives of their clients. In this paper, we provide a primer on healthcare policy for family therapists, which describes current and proposed changes in healthcare that will potentially revolutionize healthcare delivery for families. We describe three key initiatives: (1) Triple Aim; (2) the Accountable Care Organization; and (3) the Patient Centered Medical Home. We conclude with a discussion about future directions and healthcare policies that include families.
Thyroid Activity as Measured with Radioactive Iodine and Fighting Behavior in Cocks

ABSTRACT OBSERVATIONS of breed differences in fighting behavior (Potter, 1949) raise the question of the possible contribution of endocrine factors to the observed behavioral differences. It is conceivable that level of thyroid activity may be involved since normal gonad development and concomitant development of fighting and sexual behavior are dependent upon normal thyroid activity (Blivaiss, 1947). Injecting athyroidic cocks with either thyroxine or testosterone propionate increases aggressive behavior (Blivaiss, 1947). Measurement of thyroid secretion rate of individual, intact animals using radioactive iodine has been undertaken for sheep and cattle with reports of some success (Henneman et al., 1955; Lodge et al., 1957; Pipes et al., 1957). Blood protein-bound iodine has been used and rejected as a criterion of circulating thyroid hormone in birds (Mellen and Hardy, 1956; Bumgardner and Shaffner, 1957). The present study was undertaken to determine the applicability of certain radioactive iodine techniques for obtaining relative measures of thyroid . . .
Constrained systems, OSP(1,1|2) and string theory

Abstract The underlying OSP invariance of the Fradkin-Vilkovisky formalism is discussed. Ghost degrees of freedom are interpreted as negative dimensional phase space variables that eliminate unphysical degrees of freedom by the Parisi-Sourlas mechanism, ensuring manifest covariance. The formalism makes use of subsidiary constraints, extending the usual algebra of constraints. A relations between abelian and nonabelian constraint algebras is established, and exploited to construct a nonabelian representation of the OSP generators. For theories based entirely on constraints such as string theories, the natural Fradkin-Vilkovisky hamiltonian is a manifestly OSP invariant squared length of a graded phase space vector. As an application, the OSP covariant formulation of bosonic strings is discussed.
Analysis of urinary function using validated instruments and uroflowmetry after primary and salvage prostate cryoablation.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate changes in urinary function after cryoablation for clinically localized prostate cancer and to investigate risk factors that predict changes in urinary function after surgery. METHODS Among the patients who underwent primary or salvage cryoablation between January 2002 and May 2008, 74 patients (50 primary and 24 salvage) with both a preoperative and postoperative urinary function domain score and uroflowmetry were included in this study. The mean age was 66.8 ± 7.5 years and the mean follow-up period was 42.5 ± 20.3 months. The changes in postoperative urinary function were evaluated on the basis of several categorized groups, including surgical method, preoperative urinary symptoms, and prostate volume. RESULTS Of 74 patients, 2 (2.7%) presented with mild stress incontinence after cryoablation. No patient presented with persistent urinary retention or urethral fistula. When comparing postoperative International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and bother index scores with preoperative scores, it was found that on average IPSS and bother index recovered 12 and 18 months after cryoablation, respectively, and continued to improve after recovery. Only salvage cryoablation correlated with deteriorating urinary function in a logistic regression model (P = .032). However, it was noted that the patients with preoperative moderate to severe urinary symptoms and larger prostate volume showed improvement of urinary function after cryoablation. No associations were found between worsened urinary function and prostate volume, comorbidities (hypertension, obesity, and diabetes), or sexual function. CONCLUSIONS Cryoablation is a minimally invasive surgery for localized prostate cancer. This study is the first to demonstrate the ability of cryoablation in terms of maintaining and potentially improving urinary function using validated instruments and uroflowmetry assessments.
Medium Energy Photon Accelerator for Therapy

The Harvard Cyclotron Laboratory is designing a small synchrotron to make low-current adjustable-energy proton beams for radiotherapy. The specifications include an adjustable range of 50 to 250 MeV; an 0.1 microamp average in 10 pulses per second; a size of 6 by 6 meters; a weight of 5 tons; and a prototype cost of ca. $400 K. The magnet offers a field on design orbit of 1 KGauss (injection) and 12 KGauss (250 MeV); a four quadrant alternate-gradient 4 x (O d F D D d O) lattice; a bending radius of 2 m; a gross radius of 3.2 m; four 2 m straight sections; split H laminations; and an aperture of 1.5 x 4.5 cm. The magnet coil consists of ca. 20 turns with a single coil per quadrant, is strip-wound and edge-cooled, and has an effective area of .0007 m/sup 2/. Its electrical and magnetic specifications are listed. The injector consists of an RFQ linac, matched to a DC beam at both ends, a 50 keV ion source, a partly lumped resonator, and is driven by Y690A planar triodes. While these and other specifications such as the rf characteristics and output energy are design rather than empirical specificationsmore » and are, therefore, subject to change, they serve to define the general character of the synchrotron.« less
Inhibition of return : Neural basis and function

Abstract A goal of neuropsychology is to connect cognitive functions with underlying neural systems. Posner (1984; in press) has proposed a framework for doing so in which elementary mental operations in cognitive models are expressed in terms of component facilitations and inhibitions in the performance of normal persons. Studies of brain-injured patients are used to link these components to underlying neural systems. In the area of spatial attention one such component is the tendency to inhibit orienting towards visual locations which have been previously attended (inhibition of return). Here we report studies in patients and normals which demonstrate the relationship of this component to neural systems which generate saccades. The first experiment showed that midbrain lesions impairing saccade generation produced a concurrent loss of the inhibition of return, whereas cortical components shown to impair facilitatory components did not. The second and third experiments show that the inhibition of return ...
Effect of DDT on Calcium Uptake and Vitamin D Metabolism in Birds

THE “thin eggshell phenomenon” has been widely found in nature for several species of raptors1 and has been demonstrated for a number of species in laboratory conditions2. Calcium metabolism in birds is closely linked to the reproductive cycle and is, to a large extent, regulated by two steroids, oestradiol and vitamin D. Avian hepatic liver enzymes induced by chlorinated hydrocarbons have been shown to increase the metabolism of sex hormones both in vitro3 and in vivo4. The structure of vitamin D is sufficiently close to that of the sex hormones investigated to suggest that increased vitamin D metabolism might occur and thus calcium uptake from the gastrointestinal tract be affected. Two groups of experiments were carried out: in vivo studies of 45Ca uptake in zebra finches (Poephila guttata) and in vitro studies of vitamin D metabolism by the hepatic microsomal fractions of ringed turtle doves (ring doves; Streptopelia risoria).
Tribological fundamentals of polycrystalline diamond films

Abstract A decade's worth of SEM-tribometric work on polycrystalline diamond films is reviewed. Diamond-coated Si and SiC specimens have been tested under oscillatory sliding, at temperatures from room ambient to 1000 °C in (a) ∼1.33×10 −3 Pa (∼1×10 −5 Torr) vacuum, (b) 13–39 Pa (0.1–0.3 Torr) partial pressures of hydrogen and (c) 26 Pa (0.2 Torr) partial pressure of oxygen. The temperature- and atmosphere-controlled tribological behavior of the films is interpreted by the environment-dependent values and trends of the average coefficient of friction. Accurate interpretation of the results is assisted by similar friction and wear data on various silicon crystallinities, complemented by applicable thermal desorption, surface chemical and tribometric data taken from the literature.
Effect of benthic-pelagic coupling on dissolved organic carbon concentrations in permeable sediments and water column in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract Large areas of the continental shelf are covered by permeable sand beds that filter substantial volumes of coastal water. This study investigated the temporal changes in and coupling between dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations in the water column and pore water of nearshore permeable sediments in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Time series samples, collected in the nearshore environments at an exposed and a nearby protected site, showed very similar patterns of sedimentary DOC concentrations at both sites indicating that large-scale, seasonal, and weather-related processes controlled these distributions. A summer situation, with the sediment surface layer depleted in DOC and upward diffusion of recalcitrant DOC from deeper layers, was separated by a fall transition phase, where increasing winds and waves caused a mixing of the sedimentary DOC, resulting in relatively even concentrations over the investigated sediment depth (0–12 cm). The subsequent winter situation was characterized by increased DOC in the surface layer caused by filtration of degradable organic material into the sands and subsurface removal of degradable DOC. A second transition phase in early spring marked the end of the winter situation, with strong winds and waves and thorough pore water mixing, leading again to even DOC distribution in the investigated sediment layer. This transition phase initiated the next summer situation with depletion of DOC in the sediment surface layers. Our results indicate that DOC in the upper layer (≤12 cm) of the shallow sands is controlled by benthic-pelagic coupling facilitated by relatively rapid solute and particle exchange in the highly permeable sediments at our study sites. The prompt responses of the surface layer DOC concentrations to the changes in the overlying water underline the dynamic character of substrate supply in the permeable sediments, setting them apart from fine-grained cohesive beds characterized by relatively stable DOC distributions.
Critical dependency of the conductivity of polypyrrole and polyaniline films on the hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity of the substrate surface

Abstract The conductivity, electronic properties and morphology of polypyrrole and polyaniline films deposited from aqueous solutions of the polymerizing monomer differ greatly according to whether they are deposited on a hydrophobic or hydrophilic substrate surface. For each polymer the conductivity of the film deposited on a hydrophobic substrate is ~10 4 greater than that of the film of approximately the same thickness deposited on a hydrophilic surface. Films of increasing thickness exhibit a “memory effect” induced by the nature of the original substrate surface.
Invasive infections and sickle-cell disease

The burden of disease caused by bacterial infections in patients with sickle-cell disease has long been neglected. Meenakshi Ramakrishnan and colleagues emphasise the scarcity of data for the association between sickle-cell disease and invasive bacterial disease in Africa. However, four of the seven studies included in this metaanalysis were from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire). Although the reviewers present these as independent studies, the same data are shared in these reports. The fi rst study by Eeckles and colleagues, published in 1967, included data for blood and cerebrospinal fl uid (CSF) infections, recorded from 1959 to 1966. The second study, by Lontie and colleagues published in 1973, included data for CSF samples collected from 1959 to 1972. The third study, by Omanga published in 1981, from the same clinics as the fi rst and second studies, included data for all types of invasive infections; the investigators do not mention dates of sample collection. In a fourth study by Omanga published in 1989, data were collected from 1964 to 1985. This study reported 69 patients with sicklecell disease and bacteraemia. At least 14 of these 69 patients also had positive CSF cultures. A fi fth study, published in 1977 (not included in Ramakrishnan and colleagues review), also by Omanga and colleagues, examined meningitis in 47 patients with sicklecell disease, nine of whom also had positive blood cultures. These CSF samples were collected from 1964 to 1974. Because Eeckles and colleagues’ 1967 study, reported 45 patients with sickle-cell disease, few new cases are likely to have been added in the last study published in 1989 (confl ict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo meant microbiology laboratories might not have been functional). The combined odds ratios for bacterial infections calculated in Ramakrishnan and colleagues’ study therefore included duplicate, triplicate, and perhaps quadruplicate data. This fact clearly shows the need for a more careful analysis of this published work, but more importantly, the need for new studies to accurately establish the relative burden of disease in patients with sickle-cell disease in Africa.
Supercooled liquids and solids in porous glass

Liquid and solid supercooling of molecular oxygen has been observed and studied in well-characterized porous sol-gel glasses. The depression of the solid-solid phase transition temperature was measured as a function of pore size, showing the strong influence of confinement on the solid phases. The liquid freezing-point depression was also measured, and a picosecond optical technique was used to probe the dynamics of the supercooled liquid. The liquid's geometrical confinement is observed to have an important effect on its properties, leading to behavior unlike that of ordinary bulk fluids.
Dynamic dissipative compensator design for large space structures

Control system design is considered for attitude control and vibration suppression of flexible space structures. The problem addressed is that of controlling both the zero-frequency rigid-body modes and the elastic modes. Model-based compensators, which employ observers tuned to the plant parameters, are first investigated. Such compensators are shown to generally exhibit high sensitivity to the knowledge of the parameters, especially the elastic mode frequencies. To overcome this problem a class of dynamic dissipative compensators is next proposed, which robustly stabilize the plant in the presence of unmodeled dynamics and parametric uncertainties. An analytical proof of robust stability is given, and a method of implementing the controller as a strictly proper compensator is given. Methods of designing such controllers to obtain optimal performance and robust stability are presented. Numerical and experimental results of application of the methods are presented, which indicate that dynamic dissipative controllers can simultaneously provide excellent performance and robustness.
On the occurrence of microtubules in the developing lens of the squid Loligo pealii

The lens of the cephalopod eye is formed by cellular processes from the corneal cells which form a bulb-like structure in the optic vesicle. These processes contain microtubules, polyribosomes, and numerous mitochondria. Secretion of the lens protein first takes place in this bulb and appears to be associated with the cell membranes. The cytoplasm of the cellular processes is replaced by concentric layers of the lens protein. The possible role of the microtubules was briefly discussed.
Molecular Motion in Krypton Films Physisorbed on a Grooved Graphite Surface: A Computer Simulation Study

Molecular dynamics simulations of monolayers of krypton adsorbed on a heterogeneous graphite surface are reported. The heterogeneity is introduced by modeling a surface with parallel, straight-walled grooves of depth ≃ 7 A. The dynamical processes simulated included diffusion parallel to the surface; transfer between first layer atoms and the small amount of second layer adsorption that occurs at the simulation temperatures of 90, 110 and 140 K; and transfers between step and groove. Also considered was the special role played by the edge atoms adsorbed at the ledge between step and groove. Diffusion constants and transfer rates are reported and the results are discussed.
Synthesis of a Targeted Biarsenical Cy3-Cy5 Affinity Probe for Super-resolution Fluorescence Imaging

Photoswitchable fluorescent probes capable of the targeted labeling of tagged proteins are of significant interest due to their ability to enable in situ imaging of protein complexes within native biomolecular assemblies. Here we describe the synthesis of a fluorescent probe (AsCy3Cy5) and demonstrate the targeted labeling and super-resolution imaging of a tagged protein within a supramolecular protein complex.
Experimental investigation of electrostrictive polarization biased direct apparent piezoelectric properties in polyurethane elastomer under quasistatic conditions

Polyurethane elastomer was recently discovered to demonstrate a very high field induced electrostrictive response. In this work an experimental setup, consisting of an electric circuit and a mechanical system, was designed and constructed for the measurement of the electrostrictive polarization biased apparent piezoelectric response of polyurethane elastomers in a direct piezoelectric effect under quasistatic conditions. The electric circuit design allows the application of a direct current (dc) bias electric field to the sample and the possibility of picking up the generated quasistatic electrical signal separately. The mechanical system provides the function of a vibration source from which the stress and strain of the sample can be measured. Therefore, such effective piezoelectric properties as d31 and k31 can be measured. The electromechanical coupling coefficient was derived by two different methods. One was from the deduction based on the piezoelectric equations. The other was from the calculation based on the basic definition of the electromechanical coupling coefficient (i.e., through the exact measurement of input mechanical energy and output electric energy). In the latter case, the internal resistance of the sample and the dc bias blocking capacitor were found to be the critical factors for precision determination of the total electrical energy output. The different approaches led to close agreement. The effective d31 can be 184 pC/N under a 25 MV/m bias electric field in a 30-µm thick sample, which is much higher than that of typical piezoelectric polymers. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 73: 2603–2609, 1999
Steroid hormones inhibit induction of spontaneous nitric oxide production in cultured hepatocytes without changes in arginase activity or urea production.

The spontaneous formation of nitrites was examined in the medium of cultured rat hepatocytes and taken as a measure of nitric oxide generation. The rate of nitrite formation increased after 8-12 hr in culture which was blocked by the addition of dexamethasone, actinomycin D, or cycloheximide. Various glucocorticoids, mineralo- corticoids, and sex steroids also inhibited nitrite formation by varying degrees, without affecting arginase activity or urea production. The inhibition of nitric oxide formation appears, therefore, not to be due to changes in the availability of arginine. The results suggest that nitric-oxide synthase is induced in hepatocytes in culture and show that anti-inflammatory glucocorticoids are not the only steroids that inhibit nitric oxide formation. (P.S.E.B.M. 1993, Vol2021
Reproductive character displacement of female mate choice in the grey treefrog, Hyla chrysoscelis

Abstract Abstract. Females of the grey treefrog, Hyla chrysoscelis, from three areas where a genetically incompatible, sibling species, H. versicolor, also occurred, were much more likely to prefer synthetic sounds with fine-temporal properties typical of conspecific males than were females from two areas of remote allopatry. Specifically, more than 90% of the females from sympatric populations weighted a species-specific cue (pulse-repetition rate = pulse rate) more strongly than they did a cue (call duration) that mediates intraspecific mate choice, whereas only about 50% of the females from remote allopatric populations did so. These results suggest that selection for the avoidance of mating mistakes has acted on females in sympatric populations. If this is a general phenomenon, then the apparent rarity of reproductive character displacement may be explained at least in part by the fact that nearly all previous studies have focused solely on geographical patterns of variation in male courtship signals.