cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Safety and efficacy of infertility treatment after conservative management of borderline ovarian tumors: A preliminary report

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of infertility treatment in a group of patients after conservative management of borderline ovarian tumors. Design Retrospective study. Setting University IVF unit. Patient(s) Five patients with previous conservative treatment of borderline ovarian tumor. Intervention(s) Seventeen IVF cycles. Main outcome measure(s) Recurrence, IVF outcome. Result(s) At the time of diagnosis, the mean age of the patients was 32.2 ± 6.9 years. The mean time elapsed between the initial diagnosis of a borderline tumor and the performance of IVF was 42.2 months. After IVF, the mean number of oocytes retrieved was 7.9 ± 4.0 with a mean fertilization rate of 57.1% and a mean number of 3.1 ± 1.4 day 3 embryos transferred. Six pregnancies were achieved in three of the five patients with a pregnancy rate per retrieval of 37.5% and per transfer of 42.9%. The mean follow-up time that elapsed since the first IVF cycle was 39.2 months (range 9–78 months). One patient had three recurrences 13, 27, and 43 months after her first IVF cycle, all of which remained histologically serous borderline tumor. All patients were without evidence of disease at the time of last follow-up. Conclusion(s) At a mean follow-up time of 39.2 months, our results suggest that IVF may be considered for patients with conservatively treated borderline tumors. Furthermore, overall IVF success rates were very satisfactory, suggesting no perceptible negative impact of prior borderline ovarian neoplasia on pregnancy rates after IVF.
Rutherford backscattering (RBS) with lithium ions

Abstract 7 Li ions at 4.5 MeV and 4 He ions at 1.5 MeV were scattered at 170° from the same target under the same conditions. The distribution of elements as a function of distance from the surface is more clearly revealed with 7 Li than 4 He. We have rewritten our RBS analysis program to handle all ion beams and to take into account the normal isotopic abundance of the target elements. With 4.5 MeV 7 Li ions the minority isotopes can not be ignored, even with silicon. At present, the accuracy for determining elemental depth profiles with 7 Li is limited by the accuracy of Li ion stopping powers.
Light harvesting in microscale metal-organic frameworks by energy migration and interfacial electron transfer quenching.

Microscale metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) were synthesized from photoactive Ru(II)-bpy building blocks with strong visible light absorption and long-lived triplet metal-to-ligand charge transfer (3MLCT) excited states. These MOFs underwent efficient luminescence quenching in the presence of either oxidative or reductive quenchers. Up to 98% emission quenching was achieved with either an oxidative quencher (1,4-benzoquinone) or a reductive quencher (N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylbenzidine), as a result of rapid energy migration over several hundred nanometers followed by efficient electron transfer quenching at the MOF/solution interface. The photoactive MOFs act as an excellent light-harvesting system by combining intraframework energy migration and interfacial electron transfer quenching.
In Process Characterization of Gallium Arsenide Crystals by X-Ray Digital Radiography and Computed Tomography

Gallium arsenide has promised to revolutionize the semiconductor industry for many years. However, numerous practical difficulties have prevented this potential from becoming reality. As part of a DARPA funded effort to enhance the manufacturability of gallium arsenide crystals, we have designed and implemented an x-ray inspection system for imaging these crystals during growth. The objective of the work is to measure melt height, crystal diameter, meniscus shape, and liquid-solid interface shape of a 3 in. diameter crystal grown using the liquid encapsulated Czochralski process. The shape of these structures is a critical factor in determining whether the growth process results in a single crystal with good electrical properties, or whether twinning or polycrystalline growth is present.
Static and Dynamic Properties of Trapped Fermionic Tonks-Girardeau Gases

We investigate some static and dynamic properties of harmonically trapped fermionic Tonks-Girardeau gases in tight de Broglie waveguides with attractive p-wave interactions induced by a Feshbach resonance. An exact solution for the one-body density matrix is analyzed in terms of its natural orbitals, with the surprising result that for odd, but not for even, numbers of fermions the maximally occupied orbital coincides with the ground harmonic oscillator orbital. A dynamical consequence of this is that when the interactions are turned off the on-axis density remains a maximum for an odd number of fermions, whereas a minimum develops for an even number.
In vitro and in vivo effects of repifermin (keratinocyte growth factor-2, KGF-2) on human carcinoma cells

Abstract Purpose. Repifermin (keratinocyte growth factor-2, KGF-2) is a growth factor that selectively induces epithelial cell proliferation, differentiation and migration. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of repifermin on in vitro tumor cell proliferation and in vivo tumor growth using a variety of human carcinoma cell lines with differing growth rates and levels of KGF receptor (KGFR) expression. Methods. Potential effects of repifermin on in vitro cell proliferation were evaluated by alamarBlue and/or [3H]-thymidine incorporation assays under a range of serum conditions. In vivo tumor growth was evaluated by implanting KGFR+ carcinomas subcutaneously into nude mice and measuring tumor growth over time in mice injected intravenously (i.v.) or intraperitoneally (i.p.) with repifermin or placebo. Results. In vitro, none of the 30 human carcinoma cell lines tested demonstrated a substantial increase in proliferation in response to repifermin over the concentration range 0.01 to 1000 ng/ml. In vivo results showed no significant tumor growth-promoting activity when single- or multiple-cycle intravenous injections of repifermin (1 mg/kg) were given to athymic nude mice inoculated with human KGFR+ tumors of the pharynx (Detroit 562, FaDu), colon (Caco-2), salivary gland (A-253) or tongue (SCC-25, CAL 27). In addition, repifermin (0.2 or 2 mg/kg) injected i.p. for 2 weeks had no effect on the growth of eight other human carcinomas including those of the ovary (NIH:OVCAR-3, SK-OV 3, PA-1), bladder (SCaBER), epidermis (A 431), lung (SW 900), breast (MDA-MB-231) and cervix (SiHa). Conclusions. Repifermin had no in vitro or in vivo proliferative effects on KGFR+ human epithelial-like tumors. This failure to stimulate tumor cell growth highlights the ability of repifermin to specifically target normal epithelial tissue. This is critical to the safety profile of repifermin, since it is currently in phase II clinical trials for the treatment of cancer patients with mucositis resulting from chemo- or radiotherapy.
Inhibition of steroid 3-sulfatase by endogenous steroids. A possible mechanism controlling placental estrogen synthesis from conjugated precursors.

ABSTRACT Others have shown that during perfusion of human placentae estrogen formation occurs less readily from androst-5-en-17-one-3β-yl sulfate (DHAS) than from 3β-hydroxyandrost-5-en-17-one (DHA) or androstenedione, indicating that sulfatase (S) activity may be rate limiting. The S, 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-4,5-isomerase (D) and aromatase (A) activities of 10,000 g supernatant of placental homogenates were determined kinetically. Activities (nmole product formed/min/g protein) differed greatly and invariably S >D >A: e.g., S-705, D-46, A-14 (spontaneous term delivery); S-589, D-113, A-18 (term cesarean section); S-173, D-34, A-5 (hysterectomy, 12th week of gestation). Initial rates of estrogen formation from DHAS, DHA and androstenedione by placental microsomes, incubated with an NADPH generating system in air, were similar, confirming that the aromatase and not the sulfatase is rate limiting in. vitro. Hydrolysis of DHAS by S was inhibited by excess substrate, pregn-5-en-20-one-3β-yl sulfate, e...
Control Issues in High-speed AFM for Biological Applications: Collagen Imaging Example

Abstract This article considers the precision positioning problem associated with high-speed operation of the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), and presents an inversion-based control approach to achieve precision positioning. Although AFMs have high (nanoscale) spatial resolution, a problem with current AFM systems is that they have low temporal resolution, i.e., AFM imaging is slow. In particular, current AFM imaging cannot be used to provide three-dimensional, time-lapse images of fast processes when imaging relatively-large, soft samples. For instance, current AFM imaging of living cells takes 1-2 minutes (per image frame) - such imaging speeds are too slow to study rapid biological processes that occur in seconds, e.g., to investigate the rapid movement of cells or the fast dehydration and denaturation of collagen. This inability, to rapidly image fast biological processes, motivates our current research to increase the operating speed of the AFM. We apply an inversion-based feedback/feedforward control approach to overcome positioning problems that limit the operating speed of current AFM systems. The efficacy of the method, to achieve high-speed AFM operation, is experimentally evaluated by applying it to image collagen samples.
p‐tert‐Butylcalix[4]arene

p-tert-Butylcalix[4]arene reactant: p-tert-Butylphenol from Aldrich Chemical Company, Inc. product: p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene Keywords: annulation, carbocyclic-[>6]; cyclization, condensation
Analysis of wave generators and absorbers in basins

Abstract Wave generation and absorption are analyzed in a closed basin, within the framework of linear potential theory. Wavemakers on the sides of the basin are used for both generating and absorbing the waves. Relations are derived governing the control of the absorbers, to reduce or eliminate reflected waves from the walls of the basin. These relations are tested by showing numerical examples of wave systems in square and circular basins, first without a body in the basin and then with a floating hemisphere. Computations of the added mass, damping, and exciting forces on the hemisphere are presented to indicate the effectiveness of the wave absorbers. Two-dimensional results are shown in the time domain to illustrate some of the transient effects associated with different types of absorber controls.
Use of uterine EMG and cervical LIF in monitoring pregnant patients

Objectives Review the uterine electromyography (EMG) and cervical light-induced fluorescence (LIF) devices and their role in the evaluation of uterine and cervical function in comparison with present methods. Design Review of recent studies. Setting University of Texas Medical Branch Labour and Delivery Clinics. Population Various groups of pregnant women. Methods We have developed and recently improved non-invasive methods to evaluate quantitatively uterine electrical signals from the abdominal surface and cervical collagen. Main outcome measures Uterine EMG utilised power density spectrum (PDS) peak frequency and total power (P 0 ) and cervical LIF utilising LIF ratio. Results Human studies indicate that uterine and cervical performance can be successfully monitored during pregnancy using EMG and LIF, respectively, and the assessment of uterine and cervical function can both be used to influence patient management in a variety of conditions associated with labour, more than can currently available methods. Conclusions The potential benefits of the proposed instrumentation include the following: a reduction in the rate of preterm birth, improved maternal and perinatal outcome, better monitoring of treatment, decreased caesarean section rate and better research methods for understanding uterine and cervical function.
Parents' and Pediatricians' Views of Individuals with Meningomyelocele

The parents of 63 individuals with meningomyelocele completed a scale examining the effects of their child's disability on their family. Eighty-six pediatricians also completed the scale as they predicted parents would respond. Medical and psychosocial data were also obtained. The results showed the following: (1) A higher level lesion was associated with parental reports of a more negative impact on the family (p <.05), and (2) pediatricians predicted a more negative impact than was reported by the parents (p <.001 ). We conclude that pediatricians overestimate the negative effects while also underestimating the positive effects of the disability on the family.
Ideology, Power, and Equity: Testing Competing Explanations for the Perception of Fairness in Household Labor

Les AA. etudient les mecanismes de la perception et de la legitimation, de la division du travail au sein des menages. Ils isolent trois facteurs fondamentaux en ce domaine : l'adhesion a une ideologie traditionnelle de la division sexuelle des roles au sein du couple, les alternatives sociales et professionnelles des femmes vis-a-vis du mariage, l'equite dans les relations entre les partenaires. Ils presentent un certain nombre de donnees collectees aux Etats-Unis entre 1987 et 1988 qui confirment leur importance respective
First Record of Daphnia lumholtzi (Sars) in the Rio Grande Basin, New Mexico

ABSTRACT The exotic cladoceran, Daphnia tumholtzi, was collected at several sites in Elephant Butte Reservoir, New Mexico, from spring through fall of 2003. Densities were always relatively low, suggesting that D. lumholtzi is in the early stages of invasion. There were two seasonal peaks in abundance of D. lumholtzi. One peak occurred in August and coincided with highest surface water temperature and declines in the densities of native Daphnia species; the second peak was in November.
Performance improvement boot camp

Abstract Various regulatory agencies require some form of quality improvement program. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) encourages hospital-wide continuous quality improvement (CQI) and performance improvement (PI) to be implemented by all departments.
Stimulation of chick liver mitochondrial protein synthesis by thyroxine without mitochondrial swelling.

Thyroxine (T4) is known to stimulate rat liver mitochondrial protein synthesis and increase mitochondrial volume (so-called “swelling”) in vitro. It has been suggested that this effect of T4 on mitochondrial structure is required for the effect on protein synthesis. However, this report on the effect of T4 on chick liver mitochondria shows that 20 µM and 50 µM T4 increased protein synthesis 37 ± 3% and 65 ± 6%, respectively, in the absence of swelling. On the other hand, T4, which increases O2 consumption by rat liver mitochondria in vitro, did not increase Oo consumption by chick liver mitochondria. Therefore, swelling is associated with a catabolic effect (increased O2 consumption) of T4 but not with an anabolic effect (increased protein synthesis). (Endocrinology 94: 871, 1974)
Patterns of Prenatal Growth among Infants with Cardiovascular Malformations: Possible Fetal Hemodynamic Effects

This study characterized fetal growth differences among control infants (n= 276) and infants with d-transposition of the great arteries (TGA) (n = 69), tetralogy of Fallot (n = 66), hypoplastic left heart syndrome (n = 51), and coarctation of the aorta (n = 65), thus permitting assessment of competing theories about the relation between these cardiovascular malformations and fetal growth disturbance. Subjects were liveborn singletons without genetic or extra-cardiovascular structural abnormalities sampled from the Baltimore-Washington Infant Study. Multivariate analysis of covariance was performed: birth weight, birth length, newborn head circumference, and two nonlinear functions of these measures were regressed jointly on a diagnostic class variable and covariates. Differences in the vectors of dependent variable means across diagnostic groups were striking (p < 0.0001). Infants with TGA had normal birth weight, but lesser head volume relative to birth weight. Infants with tetralogy of Fallot were smaller in all measured dimensions, but they were shaped normally. Infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome were smaller in all measured dimensions, and head volume was disproportionately small relative to birth weight. Infants with coarctation of the aorta had lower birth weight, shorter birth length, and greater head volume relative to birth weight. These findings suggest that fetal circulatory abnormalities may predict abnormal patterns of fetal growth.
PHOTOBIOLOGICAL BASIS AND CLINICAL ROLE OF LOW-INTENSITY LASERS IN BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE

The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive review on the clinical role of low intensity laser therapy (laser photostimulation) in biology and medicine. Studies on wound healing and pain relief are highlighted to show the clinical efficacy of laser therapy. Controversies about the use of low intensity laser as a therapeutic modality for wound healing and pain relief are presented and a brief explanation is provided to overcome these controversies. The importance of standard parameters is emphasized for the applications of low intensity lasers in biology and medicine. A justification has been made to warrant further research on the use of low intensity laser as a therapeutic modality. Although the therapeutic applications of low intensity laser are imminent, the heterogeneity in treatment protocols and study design calls for a vigilant interpretation of the findings.
The use of STIM and PESA to measure profiles of aerosol mass and hydrogen content, respectively, across Mylar rotating drums impactor samples

A method has been developed for measuring profiles of aerosol mass on thin (480 w g/cm 2 ) Apiezon-L coated Mylar films employed in rotating drum aerosol impactor samplers using the ion beam analysis technique scanning transmission ion microscopy (STIM). The greased Mylar films are excellent impaction substrates and possess excellent uniformity in projected density, making them an ideal substrate for STIM analysis. The uniformity in projected density of a film enables STIM with a 3 MeV proton beam to produce profiles of aerosol mass with an accuracy of better than 90% and a mass sensitivity approaching 10 w g/cm 2 . Further, we have extended proton elastic scattering analysis (PESA) to the same films, achieving measurement of an organic surrogate. Although the films contain ∼ 20 w g/cm 2 hydrogen, the spatial uniformity in film hydrogen content enables PESA with a 3 MeV proton beam to produce profiles of hydrogen arising solely from the aerosols with an accuracy to within - 1 w g/cm 2 and a mass sensitivi...
Inhibition of exercise-induced asthma by theophylline.

Although an association between exercise and provocation of asthma has been recognized for 300 yr, Jones et al., ’ pediatricians at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, appear to have been the first to attempt to assess the effect of drugs as modulators of the exercise-induced bronchoconstriction phenomenon. Among the drugs they investigated was the choline salt of theophylline, a formulation that contains 64% anhydrous theophylline. In a single-dose study in which the subjects were administered anhydrous theophylline of the equivalent of between 4.5 and 5.8 mg/kg body weight several hours before exercise challenge, the postexercise fall in FEV, was completely or partially prevented in eight of nine subjects, and Jones et al. concluded that theophylline was protective against exercise-induced wheezing. In retrospect, it appears that the FEV, was measured before drug administration and not immediately before exercise and thus one does not know how much of the putative inhibition of exercise-induced asthma (EIA) was due to the bronchodilator effect of theophylline. Anderson et al.’ have emphasized the importance of measuring expiratory flow rate immediately before exercise so that the bronchodilating effect of the drug and its inhibitory effect on EIA can be considered separately. Nonetheless, in the study of Jones et al., the maximal FEV, after exercise was observed at a mean of 90 min after drug administration, which would coincide with the time of the peak serum theophylline concentration after administration of a rapidly absorbed product such as the one used. This was the first suggestion of a pharmacodynamic effect of theophylline in asthma. During the past decade there have been 10 additional studies2-” in which the efficacy of theophylline in the prevention of EIA has been investigated (Table I). While these studies are not strictly comparable because of a number of differences in experimental design and particularly in dose of theophylline, there are some generalizations that can be made. First, the results of these studies have uniformly shown that the-
Management Motive, Weak Governance, Earnings Management, and Fraudulent Financial Reporting: Malaysian Evidence

ABSTRACT: This study examines ten factors associated with fraudulent financial reporting (FFR) in Malaysian publicly listed companies. We hypothesize that three factors proxy for management rationalization, four factors proxy for management motives, and three factors proxy for the opportunity to commit fraud. Our sample consists of 53 fraud firms convicted of securities fraud and 53 no-fraud firms, all of which were listed on the Bursa Malaysia and have a complete set of data from 1996–2007. With regard to rationalization, we find that prior violations and founders on the board are positively and significantly associated with FFR. With regard to motive, we find that financial distress is positively and significantly associated with FFR while family ownership is negatively and significantly associated with FFR. Our opportunity for fraud proxies, multiple directorships, and audit quality are positively and significantly associated with FFR. Additionally, we find evidence of earnings management in the years ...
An Ultrabithorax protein binds sequences near its own and the Antennapedia P1 promoters

Summary The homeotic gene Ultrabifhorax (Ubx), located in the bithorax complex of Drosophila, encodes a family of closely related proteins that direct the developmental fates of posterior thoracic and anterior abdominal metameres. We have purified a member of the Ubx protein family from an overproducing E. coli strain and have shown that it is a sequence-specific DNA binding protein. The protein binds tightly to sequences near its own promoter and near the Pl promoter of Anfennapedia (Antp), a homeotic gene Ubx is known to repress from genetic studies. The binding sites occur in clusters downstream of the transcription start sites, and far upstream at Antp Pl. They range in size from 40 to 90 bp, and contain tandem repeats of the trinucleotide TAA or the related hexanucleotide TAATCG. These results suggest that the regulatory activities of Ubx are direct and are mediated by binding of Ubx proteins to promoter region sequences.
Sterile Abscess in the Myocardium after Direct Intramyocardial Injection Related to Gene Therapy in a Swine Model

Cardiac gene therapy is one of the most promising approaches to cure patients with cardiac dysfunctions. Many ways of efficient gene transfer using viral vectors are tested, and some of them are already used in clinical settings. However, it is always important to be keenly alert to the possible complications when a new therapy is introduced. We present a case of myocardial sterile abscess in a swine model associated with a direct myocardial injection.
The scientific basis for and efficacy of optometric vision therapy in nonstrabismic accommodative and vergence disorders.

Background: For nearly 75 years, optometric vision therapy has been an important mode of therapy for both children and adults who manifested a range of nonstrabismic accommodative and vergence disorders. Methods: In this article, the scientific basis for, and efficacy of, optometric vision therapy in such patients will be discussed. Using bio-engineering models of the oculomotor system as the conceptual framework, emphasis will be focused on studies that used objective recording techniques to directly assess therapeutically related changes in oculomotor responsivity. Results and Conclusions: The findings clearly support the validity of optometric vision therapy. Furthermore, the results are consistent with the tenets of general motor learning.
A Method of Appraising Lost Production for Mined-Through Coal-Bed Methane Wells

The coalbed methane industry has become a prominent source of domestic natural gas, with its technology having evolved over the past 30 years. Whereas most coalbed methane wells are able to produce without major interruption over their economic lives, wells operating in an underground mining area are subject to being mined-through. If mine-through occurs, the productivity of the well is at least compromised, and may even be terminated. The economic consequences of mine-through may be relatively simple if mineral ownership and extraction rights are common for the coal and coalbed methane. However, if ownership is not common and a superior coalbed methane lease exists, the coalbed methane ownership must be compensated for lost production caused by mine-through. This paper presents a relatively straightforward method to calculate the value of the lost production caused by the mine-through. It uses technology from mining and petroleum engineering, as well as simple economics and financial management techniques. © 2006 Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum. All rights reserved.
Quantifying fluxes and characterizing compositional changes of dissolved organic matter in aquatic systems in situ using combined acoustic and optical measurements

Studying the dynamics and geochemical behavior of dissolved and particulate organic material is difficult because concentration and composition may rapidly change in response to aperiodic as well as periodic physical and biological forcing. Here we describe a method useful for quantifying fluxes and analyzing dissolved organic matter (DOM) dynamics. The method uses coupled optical and acoustic measurements that provide robust quantitative estimates of concentrations and constituent characteristics needed to investigate processes and calculate fluxes of DOM in tidal and other lotic environments. Data were collected several times per hour for 2 weeks or more, with the frequency and duration limited only by power consumption and data storage capacity. We assessed the capabilities and limitations of the method using data from a winter deployment in a natural tidal wetland of the San Francisco Bay estuary. We used statistical correlation of in situ optical data with traditional laboratory analyses of discrete water samples to calibrate optical properties suited as proxies for DOM concentrations and characterizations. Coupled with measurements of flow velocity, we calculated long-term residual horizontal fluxes of DOC into and out from a tidal wetland. Subsampling the dataset provides an estimate for the maximum sampling interval beyond which the error in flux estimate is significantly increased.
2002 APTA presidential address: What's all the fuss about direct access?

I greet you today—and I didn't think this was possible—with even more pride and passion for this profession than I had 1 year ago, when I delivered my first Presidential Address. It has been clear to me for months that I wanted to use this special occasion to talk about something that is near and dear to our hearts. It is one of the keys to fulfilling our vision for the profession, and one of the most critical issues involving patients' rights during the last several decades. I'm talking about direct access. Direct access is not a new topic. We've been fighting for the rights of patients to see physical therapists without having to obtain a physician referral for 2 decades now. We've waged the battle for direct access state by state. Most recently, we celebrated along with Virginia and Pennsylvania as these 2 states were added to the ever-growing list of direct-access states. Each state's battle has been fought with a passion and dedication that is difficult to describe unless you've lived it. My state of North Carolina was the seventh in the country—and the first in the South—to pass direct-access legislation. Our bill was signed into law on July 4, 1985, and it was quite a celebration of independence that year! We had worked on the legislation for 3 years. During that time, I served as chapter president. I was so proud of the incredible grassroots lobbying effort by our members. Each state has its own special story of how victory was achieved. In North Carolina, for example, we were on the brink of victory but almost pulled our bill because chiropractors were working to add language restricting us from spinal manipulation. After negotiation, our bill moved forward without major restrictions…. A very close call. As a profession, …
The Historic Role of Humans and Other Keystone Species in Shaping Central Hardwood Forests for Disturbance-Dependent Wildlife

Multiple natural disturbance types historically created conditions that were suitable for many, but not all, disturbance-dependent wildlife species in the Central Hardwood Region (CHR). In addition, some wildlife species, such as beavers, passenger pigeons, elk, and bison, historically functioned as keystone species by creating or maintaining unique disturbed habitats that otherwise would be rare. For millennia, humans (Native Americans, and later European settlers) also created and maintained early successional habitat variants (estimated at 7–43 % of the CHR landscape in 1500 AD) including farmlands, old fields in different stages of succession, grasslands, and open woodlands by clearing for cultivation and settlements, frequent burning, and old field abandonment. In this chapter, we argue that humans were a keystone species in the CHR, having a major influence on the diversity, distribution, and abundance of many disturbance-dependent wildlife species by creating, maintaining, or greatly expanding specific, unique types of early successional habitats and some mature forest types dominated by shade-intolerant pioneer species, such as yellow pine. Determining the largely unknowable historic range of variation of natural disturbances, selecting an arbitrary moment on a temporally and spatially dynamic landscape as a reference, and subjectively deciding what should or should not be included as ‘natural’ may not serve as the most productive guide for conservation. Alternatively, forest and land use planning for diverse wildlife conservation might more logically start with clear objectives, and proceed with management activities targeted toward attaining them.
Molecular Determinats of the T Wave

The last two decades have seen an impressive increment in our understanding of the determinants of cardiac electrical activity, as molecular and genetic techniques applied initially to bacteria, yeast and drosophila have been used to explore the structure - function relationships of mammalian ion channels. A major asset in these studies has been the pattern of conservation that characterizes so many processes in nature; i.e., the ion channels studied molecularly and biophysically in less complex life forms have a good deal of homology with channels in mammalian heart. These points of similarity have facilitated our understanding of the physiology and the structure of the channels and - as a result - are providing new directions for exploring pathophysiology and developing therapy.
An Axially Heterogeneous Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor Designed to Transmute Minor Actinides

An axially heterogeneous sodium-cooled fast reactor design is developed for converting minor actinide waste isotopes into plutonium fuel. The reactor design incorporates zirconium hydride moderatin...
ERBB2 Emerges as a New Target for Colorectal Cancer

ERBB2 mutations and amplifications are present in 7% of colorectal cancers. The presence of these alterations may be a marker of resistance to anti-EGFR therapy and, more importantly, could help identify patients who would benefit from ERBB2-directed therapy.
Comparing Self-Monitoring Blood Glucose Devices

Eleven types of self-monitoring blood glucose devices were evaluated for reliability and accuracy. Devices were divided into three groups according to time of evaluation. Each device within a group determined the capillary whole blood glucose value of a patient in random order, and these values were compared with venous plasma glucose values determined simultaneously by the laboratory glucose oxidase method. Ninety venous plasma glucose samples and capillary whole blood samples determined by each self-monitoring blood glucose device were examined in each group. All devices, except one, had excellent reliability and accuracy of capillary whole blood glucose values compared with venous plasma glucose values determined by the laboratory method.
Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) content of canine mastocytoma.

SummaryEight canine mastocytomas revealed only negligible quantities of 5-HT, averaging 0.49 μg/g dry weight, although histochemically large amounts of indol compounds could be demonstrated.
Video-Based Affect Detection in Noninteractive Learning Environments.

The current paper explores possible solutions to the problem of detecting affective states from facial expressions during text/diagram comprehension, a context devoid of interactive events that can be used to infer affect. These data present an interesting challenge for face-based affect detection because likely locations of affective facial expressions within videos of students’ faces are entirely unknown. In the current study, students engaged in a text/diagram comprehension activity after which they selfreported their levels of confusion, frustration, and engagement. Data were chosen from various locations within the videos, and texture-based facial features were extracted to build affect detectors. Varying amounts of data were used as well to determine an appropriate window of data to analyze for each affect detector. Detector performance was measured using Area Under the ROC Curve (AUC), where chance level is .5 and perfect classification is 1. Confusion (AUC = .637), engagement (AUC = .554), and frustration (AUC = .609) were detected at above-chance levels. Prospects for improving the method of finding likely positions of affective states are also discussed.
Determination and pattern analysis of built-up area of Suzhou City

Urban built-up range is the fundamental data for urban planning and management.The area of Suzhou main built-up was 618 km2,which was extracted from satellite image on May 24,2010.The center of Suzhou main build-up area at that time was located at Wufeng Garden.Two expansion patterns of Suzhou built-up area were observed from the characteristics of outline of built-up polygon in different districts: one was overall expansion;the other was sporadic expansion.Some problems in Suzhou urban outspread were pointed through analysis of built-up patterns.In order to get a precise planning,management and research of Suzhou,it is necessary to extract the built-up area annually with remote sensing and GIS techniques.
Detection and Analysis of Mercury and Formaldehyde in Hospital Departments

[Objective]To detect the mercury and formaldehyde levels in dental office and pathology room of 6 hospitals. [Methods]The air samples were collected by the large bubbling absorber,and hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry(HG-AFS)was applied to determine the mercury in air,formaldehyde detection by Phenol reagent spectrophotometry. [Results]The mercury levels in the air of dental rooms of 6 hospitals ranged between 0.001 3 μg/m~3 and 0.005 4 μg/m~3 which did not exceed national standard,while the formaldehyde levels of pathology room air was 0.02~1.90 mg/m~3,2 of them exceeded the national standard. [Conclusion]The protection against mercury and formaldehyde should be enhanced to reduce the chance of exposure to mercury and formaldehyde and protect the health of medical workers.
The Bankruptcy of Refusing to Hire Persons Who Have Filed Bankruptcy

In 1978, Congress made it illegal for government employers to deny employment to, terminate the employment of, or discriminate with respect to employment against a person who has filed bankruptcy. In 1984, Congress extended this prohibition to private employers by making it illegal for such employers to terminate the employment of, or discriminate with respect to employment against a person who has filed bankruptcy. Under the prevailing view of the law, private employers can refuse to hire a person who has filed bankruptcy solely because that person has filed bankruptcy. Meanwhile, employers have substantially increased their use of credit history checks as a pre-employment screening device. Credit history checks will disclose bankruptcy filings, and because blacks and Latinos are overrepresented among bankruptcy filers, those groups are disproportionately affected by bankruptcy discrimination. This disparate impact probably violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Moreover, there is almost no empirical support for the proposition that creditworthiness is a reliable proxy for workplace performance or employee trustworthiness.Relying on bankruptcy status simpliciter is antithetical to a core purpose of the bankruptcy system, which is to give debtors a fresh start. Employers’ prerogatives to operate under whatever employment policies and practices that they want must be balanced against employees’ and would be employees’ right to participate in the labor market in an environment free from irrational discrimination. It is irrational to deny employment to a person who is or was a debtor if the person is otherwise qualified, and the job can be successfully performed regardless of bankruptcy status. To allow such discrimination makes the bankruptcy system’s promise of a fresh start illusory.
Utility of the Nudged Elastic Band Method in Identifying the Minimum Energy Path of an Elementary Organometallic Reaction Step

The nudged elastic band (NEB) method has been used to re-examine the oxidative addition step in the classic rhodium-catalyzed hydroacylation reaction. Numerous additional intermediates were found on a pathway that is lower in energy than that originally reported. This study illustrates the potential limitations of the traditional approach to locating transition states in which a chemical-intuition-guided linear or quadratic synchronous transit is used to estimate the high point of the reaction trajectory. Utilization of that approach constrains the search so that the actual transition state and other possible intermediates and transition states may be missed.
Pharmacologic Issues in Liver Disease

This article describes key concepts for drug dosing considerations in liver disease. Included in this article is a review of pharmacokinetic changes that are known to occur in patients with liver disease that can aide in drug dosing. Although limited, the currently available pharmacokinetic data for medications that are commonly used in the critical care setting are also included.
Outcome Evaluations as Measures of Quality in Pediatric Intensive Care

In recent years, interest in assessing quality of care has blossomed. Quality care may be defined as providing the most appropriate treatment and providing it with great technical and managerial skill and proficiency in a manner that gains patient acceptance. For assessment purposes, variation in risk-adjusted outcomes between providers should be attributable to quality of care differences. Some methods for measuring outcomes and risk-adjustment for pediatric intensive care populations have been developed, but additional tools are needed for applications in outcomes management, continuous quality improvement, and outcomes research.
Population-Based Estimates of Decreases in Quality-Adjusted Life Expectancy Associated with Unhealthy Body Mass Index.

Objective.Being classified as outside the normal range for body mass index (BMI) has been associated with increased risk for chronic health conditions, poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and premature death. To assess the impact of BMI on HRQOL and mortality, we compared quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE) by BMI levels.Methods.We obtained HRQOL data from the 1993–2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and life table estimates from the National Center for Health Statistics national mortality files to estimate QALE among U.S. adults by BMI categories: underweight (BMI <18.5 kg/m2), normal weight (BMI 18.5–24.9 kg/m2), overweight (BMI 25.0–29.9 kg/m2), obese (BMI 30.0–34.9 kg/m2), and severely obese (BMI ≥35.0 kg/m2).Results.In 2010 in the United States, the highest estimated QALE for adults at 18 years of age was 54.1 years for individuals classified as normal weight. The two lowest QALE estimates were for those classified as either underweight (48.9 years) or severely obese (48.2 ye...
Estimates of pregnancies and pregnancy rates for the United States, 1976-81.

Mrs. Ventura, Mrs. Taffel, and Dr. Mosher are statisticians in the Division of Vital Statistics, National Center for Health Statis tics. Mrs. Ventura and Mrs. Taffel are.in the Natality Statistics Branch, and Dr. Mosher is in the Family Growth Survey Branch. Cecilie Witt and Teri Liss of the Division of Vital Statistics provided statistical assistance. Tearsheet requests to Mrs. Stephanie J. Ventura, NCHS, Rm. 1-44, Center Bldg., 3700 East-West Highway, Hyattsville, MD 20782.
Bid and Time Strategyproof Online Spectrum Auctions with Dynamic User Arrival and Dynamic Spectrum Supply

The allocation of underutilized spectrum from primary users to secondary users in real time is likely the most promising avenue for advancing efficiency of spectrum use given the ever-increasing demand for transmission. Research in this area has focused on auctions to facilitate the distribution of spectrum, inducing truthful reporting by participants. However, most research has assumed a static or partially dynamic setting. These approaches are unable to capture that spectrum becomes available at random intervals as primary users' needs vary across time; and, similarly, secondary users' needs vary over time. Moreover, frequently there is flexibility regarding the time of transmission - with some transmissions being more urgent and time-sensitive than others. Therefore, existing research cannot be directly applied to such auction environments involving users with variable transmission deadlines, while preserving efficiency and truthfulness. In this work, we design SOADE, a strategyproof online auction mechanism in dynamic environments that considers dynamic arrival of bidders with varying transmission deadlines and dynamic availability of spectrum. SOADE builds on a priority function that determines the rank of a bidder of winning spectrum at an auction considering its valuation, deadline, and uncertainty associated with dynamic arrival of bidders and spectrum availability. We analytically prove that SOADE is truthful and ex ante and ex post individually rational. Finally, we perform numerical simulation to demonstrate the efficiency of SOADE and show that it improves auction revenue compared to prior work.
Equations of motion methods for computing electron affinities and ionization potentials

Publisher Summary The abinitio calculation of molecular electron affinities (EA) and ionization potentials (IP) is a difficult task because the energy of interest is a very small fraction of the total electronic energy of the parent neutral. For example, EAs typically lie in the 0.01 – 10 eV range, but the total electronic energy of even a small molecule is usually several orders of magnitude larger. Moreover, because the EA or IP is an intensive quantity but the total energy is an extensive quantity, the difficulty in evaluating EAs and IPs to within a fixed specified (for example, ± 0.1 eV) accuracy becomes more and more difficult as the size and number of electrons in the molecule grow. The situation becomes especially problematic when studying extended systems such as solids, polymers, or surfaces for which the EA or IP is an infinitesimal fraction of the total energy. Equations of motion (EOM) methods and other related approaches offer a route for calculating the intensive EAs and IPs directly as eigen-values of a set of working equations. A history of the development of EOM theories as applied to EAs and IPs, their numerous practical implementations, and their relations to Greens function or propagator theories are given in this contribution. EOM methods based upon Moller–Plesset, multiconfiguration self-consistent field, and coupled-cluster reference wave functions are included in the discussion as is the application of EOM methods to metastable resonance states of anions.
A unified approach to the design and generation of complex database schemata

SORAC (Semantic Objects, Relationships, and Constraints) is a unified approach and environment for the design and automated implementation of active database schema that utilizes object-oriented and semantic techniques. It has been applied to architectural design, real-time, and program stock trading applications, but also represents a general approach that can be used to support other complex applications. This paper reviews and consolidates previously reported pieces of this work, in particular concentrating on the architectural design and real-time applications. Characteristics of these two areas as they relate to active database systems are first reviewed. Then, we describe SORAC and a vision for advanced database systems construction, and describe ongoing research in the SORAC environment. Lessons learned from our experimentation are outlined.
A Motley Pattern Of Sales-marketing Integration

Sales and marketing departments play a crucial role in revenue generation in business organizations. Given the interdependent nature of the strategic processes such as value creation, communication, and delivery that these functions are involved in, it is imperative for a firm’s success that the sales-marketing interface (henceforth interface) function smoothly. There has been a surge in literature on this interface recently and early work in this area suggests that in a large number of companies, these two functions share sub-optimal relationship (Carpenter 1992; Kotler, Rackham, and Krishnaswamy, 2006; Montgomery and Webster 1997).
Long-term follow-up of chemotherapy-induced remissions in patients with disseminated nonseminomatous germ cell tumors

5029 Background: There is controversy concerning management of patients (pts) with nonseminomatous germ cell tumor (NSGCT) who obtain a chemotherapy-induced complete radiographic (<1cm node diameter) and serologic remission (CR). It has been our policy not to recommend retroperitoneal lymph nodes dissection (RPLND). Proponents of mandatory RPLND cite a 20% to 30% rate of residual microscopic tumor, mostly teratoma, despite achieving CR. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 141 patients with metastatic NSGCT who obtained CR to cisplatin-based first-line chemotherapy. All were observed without RPLND. Included were 78 consecutive pts treated between Jan 1987 and Sept 1994. Additionally included were 63 pts recruited in 4 prospective trials between Oct 1984 and Apr 2005. Seven pts were lost to follow-up (FU) after <2 year. Results: At a median a FU of 15 years (range 3 months to 23.8 years), 12 pts recurred and 4 are dead of disease (DOD). The estimated 15 year recurrence free and disease specific survival was ...