cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The stereospecificity of D-glucose-6-phosphate: 1L-myo-inositol-1-phosphate cycloaldolase on the hydrogen atoms at C-6.

D-Glucose-6-phosphate: 1L-myo-Inositol-1-phosphate cycloaldolase from rat testis or mammary gland removed stereospecifically the pro-S hydrogen atom at C-6 from D-glucose-6-phosphate. The pro-R hydrogen at C-6 remained in the product, 1L-myo-Inositol-1-phosphate and evidence is given that it is the hydrogen at C-1 of 1L-myo-Inositol-1-phosphate. The possible mechanism of cyclization is discussed.
State-level high school completion rates: Concepts, measures, and trends.

Since the mid 1970s the national rate at which incoming 9th graders have completed high school has fallen slowly but steadily; this is also true in 41 states. In 2002, about three in every four students who might have completed high school actually did so; in some states this figure is substantially lower. In this paper I review state-level measures of high school completion rates and describe and validate a new measure that reports these rates for 1975 through 2002. Existing measures based on the Current Population Survey are conceptually imperfect and statistically unreliable. Measures based on Common Core Data (CCD) dropout information are unavailable for many states and have different conceptual weaknesses. Existing measures based on CCD enrollment and completion data are systematically biased by migration, changes in cohort size, and/or grade retention. The new CCD-based measure described here is considerably less biased, performs differently in empirical analyses, and gives a different picture of the dropout situation across states and over time.
A Stochastic Personnel-Assignment Model

Personnel assignment decisions involve a performance prediction of job success using test results etc., and b the determination of optimal allocations of individuals to jobs. A model is developed that integrates these two phases and obviates the theoretical difficulties introduced by their independent application. One form of the model requires value measurements that are beyond the scope of current techniques, making it necessary to present "information conditions" that may reduce the level of the required value measurements.
Cloning and analysis of the CYP1A promoter from the atlantic killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus)

Enzymes in the cytochrome P450 gene family 1 (CYP1) catalyze the metabolic activation of numerous hydrocarbon carcinogens and various natural compounds. CYP1 family members have been identified in several vertebrates, including fish, amphibians, birds, and mammals, and are inducible by aromatic hydrocarbons acting through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). Together with its heterodimeric partner ARNT, the ligand-bound AHR binds conserved xenobiotic response elements (XREs) near the promoter of CYP1A and other genes. However, some populations of the Atlantic killifish Fundulus heteroclitus inhabiting highly contaminated sites are refractory to CYP1A induction by aromatic hydrocarbons. To better understand the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon, we are characterizing the AHR-CYP1A signaling pathway in this species. We report here the characterization of a genomic clone containing the 5(') end of the wild-type F. heteroclitus CYP1A gene. The 5(') coding sequence matches that of the F. heteroclitus CYP1A cDNA reported earlier [Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 121C (1998) 231]. Consistent with its inducibility by AHR agonists, the CYP1A gene contains three consensus XREs (5(')CACGC3(')) within 1.6 kb of the putative transcriptional start site. When oligonucleotides containing each of these sites were analyzed in an electrophoretic mobility shift assay, one of these showed a strong, TCDD-inducible mobility shift in the presence of in vitro expressed mouse AHR protein. These sequence data and initial functional characterization provide a valuable tool for the study of genetic variations in CYP1A expression and activity in sensitive and resistant populations. These studies may ultimately shed light on the importance of P4501A activity in xenobiotic toxicity.
Human cytomegalovirus and human immunodeficiency virus type-1 co-infection in human cervical tissue

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) infect the female genital tract. A human cervical explant model was developed to study single and dual infection by these viruses in the genital compartment. An HCMV strain expressing green fluorescent protein, and two clinical HCMV strains produced peak viral DNA copies at 14 to 21 days post-infection. Peak levels of HIV-1Ba-L p24 antigen occurred at 7 days post-infection. HIV-1Ba-L appeared to enhance HCMV in co-infected tissues. Singly and dually-infected explants produced increased levels of cytokines IL-6, IL-8, and GRO-α in culture supernatants. Immunohistochemical and flow cytometric analysis showed HCMV infection of leukocytes with the phenotype CD45+/CD1a+/CD14+/HLA-DR+ but not stromal or endothelial cells. Cells expressing both GFP and HIV-1 p24 antigen were detected in co-infected tissues. The cervical explants provide an ex vivo human model for examining mechanisms of virus-virus interaction and pathogenesis in clinically relevant tissue.
Thickness-direction thermal expansion of polyimide films

The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) for thin polymer films is a property of considerable practical importance. In contrast to the abundance of CTE data in the in-plane or film direction, data in the thickness or z-direction is rarely available, in part due to the high sensitivity required for measurement of the small thickness changes involved. In this paper, we will describe both a capacitance change and a Fabry-Perot laser interferometric method for measuring z-direction CTE's. Results are presented for a variety of commercially available polyimide films of thickness 50 to 130 μm. Upilex and Kapton were found to have z-direction CTE's of about 55 and 81 ppm/°C, respectively. These CTE's for the thickness direction are many times higher than the corresponding values in the in-plane direction. This anisotropy is attributed to the preferential in-plane molecular orientation of the polymer chains.
Asymptotic analysis of the Stokes problem on general bounded domains: the case of a characteristic boundary

The goal of this article is to study the asymptotic behaviour of the solutions of linearized Navier–Stokes equations (LNSE), when the viscosity is small, in a general (curved) bounded and smooth domain in ℝ3 with a characteristic boundary. To handle the difficulties due to the curvature of the boundary, we first introduce a curvilinear coordinate system which is adapted to the boundary. Then we prove the existence of a strong corrector for the LNSE. More precisely, we show that the solution of LNSE behaves like the corresponding Euler solution except in a thin region, near the boundary, where a certain heat solution is added as a corrector.
Evaluation of a program for distribution of ipecac syrup for the emergency home management of poison ingestions.

A state program for distribution of ipecac syrup was undertaken by the Massachusetts Pharmaceutical Association and the Boston Poison Information Center during Poison Prevention Week, 1965. Evaluation by questionnaire of a random sample of pharmacists and physicians revealed the limited success of the campaign. Future programs will be altered because ipecac syrup in 1 ounce quantities no longer requires a prescription. The need for community programs and their evaluation is emphasized.
Use of Prescription Antiobesity Drugs in the United States

Study Objective To examine national trends in prescription antiobesity drug use in the United States.
The correlation of length, weight and girth in the toadfish,Opsanus tau

Length, girth and weight were taken from a series of toadfish. Prediction equations for each variable in terms of another were derived. It was found that these various measurements correlate so highly with one another (r=0.97) that they can be used interchangeably in making comparisons of various kinds.
The knapsack problem with generalized upper bounds

Abstract A particular production planning problem gives rise to a knapsack problem with generalized upper bounds. We investigate the efficient solution of this problem via approximation and ‘reduction’. The methodology has general applicability to KnPGUB independently of the current application.
Behavioral finance in Asia

This paper introduces the Pacific-Basin Finance Journal's special issue on behavioral finance in Asia. We first briefly discuss behavioral finance in general, and then we explain why behavioral finance in Asia is an important topic worth studying. We describe the papers published in this special issue, and in doing so, we place the papers within the appropriate context of the growing literature on behavioral finance. We close by acknowledging the referees of this special issue and by offering brief concluding thoughts.
Measurement of neuronal surface area using high-voltage electron microscope tomography

High-voltage electron microscopy (HVEM) and axial tomography were used to reconstruct the three-dimensional structure of dendrites of intracellularly stained neostriatal spiny neurons. Neurons were stained using iontophoretic injection of horseradish peroxidase from an intracellular micropipet. Thick sections were cut on a vibratome, reacted with diaminobenzidine, and embedded in plastic. High-voltage electron microscopy was used to obtain high-resolution images of neuronal processes in 2- to 3-micron plastic sections cut from those blocks. Series of high-voltage electron micrographs were taken at 2 degrees increments of specimen tilt over a range of at least +/- 60 degrees, and three-dimensional reconstructions were generated from the series using an R-weighted backprojection method. An interactive procedure was used to draw the dendritic profiles from slices through the reconstructed volume and to measure volumes and surface areas of the dendrites. Values obtained in this manner matched previous findings using reconstruction from serial thin sections. The HVEM-tomography method offers an alternative to the serial-thin-section method for the quantitative analysis of neuronal shape.
Trophic structure of a grassland insect community

The idea that there is some underlying trophic structure to ecological communities has long been attractive1–3. Energy, biomass or nutrients are undeniably transferred from one trophic level to another. However, does the number of species at one trophic level place constraints on the number of species at another trophic level? Cohen4 has shown that, in a sample of 14 community food webs, the ratio of prey species to predator species remains virtually constant. In an analysis of a grassland insect community, Evans and Murdoch5 have shown that the ratio of herbivorous insects to entomophagous insects remains fairly constant throughout the growing season. They speculated that this reflects an underlying trophic pattern that persists in the face of a continuing turnover of species. I have now found that a close examination of this pattern shows that an appearance of constancy can be generated by replicate samples taken from the pool of all available species.
Differential utility of medical procedures in the assessment of chronic pain patients

Abstract Physicians are frequently called upon to evaluate patients with chronic pain to 1. (1) establish the etiology, 2. (2) determine the extent of impairment and disability, and 3. (3) prescribe treatment. In many cases, there is little agreement as to what evaluation procedures should be used or how to weight and integrate these findings. Two studies were conducted to determine the domain of procedures pain specialists believe are most important in evaluation and the clinical utility of each. A survey of 75 physicians specializing in the treatment of chronic pain was conducted. Coefficients of concordance indicated that physicians displayed substantial agreement as to the differential utility of 18 physical examination and diagnostic procedures. The relevance of each of these procedures in the assessment of 100 pain patients was evaluated. Differential weights for each procedure derived from the survey were highly correlated with clinical practice. The results of the present studies provide a basis for development of a standardized assessment procedure that incorporates statistically derived weights to quantify medical findings.
Similar binding of the carcinostatic drugs cis-[Pt[NH3)2] and [Ru(NH3)5Cl] Cl2 to tRNAphe and a comparison with the binding of the inactive trans-[Pt(NH3)2Cl2] complex - reluctance in binding to Watson-Crick base pain within doable helix

Abstract A comparative study of the binding of square planar cis- and trans-[Pt(NH3)2Cl2] complexes and the octahedral [Ru(NH3)5(H2O)]3+ complex to tRNAphe from yeast was carried out by X-ray crystallography. Both of the carcinostatic compounds, cis-[Pt(NH3)2Cl2] and [Ru(NH3)5(H2O)]3+ show similarities in their mode of binding to tRNA. These complexes bind specifically to the N(7) positions of guanines G15 and G18 in the dihydrouridine loop. [Ru(NH3)5(H2O)]3+ has an additional binding site at N(7) of residue G1 after extensive soaking times (58 days). A noncovalent binding site for ruthenium is also observed in the deep groove of the acceptor stem helix with shorter (25 days) soaking time. The major binding site for the inactive trans-[Pt(NH3)Cl2] complex is at the N(1) position of residue A73, with minor trans-Pt binding sites at the N(7) positions of residues Gm34, G18 and G43. The similarities in the binding modes of cis-[Pt(NH3)2Cl2] and [Ru(NH3)5(H2O)]3+ are expected to be related to their carcinostatic properties.
The Ability of Three Species of Tadpoles to Differentiate among Potential Fish Predators

The ability of prey to respond to novel predator cues may depend on the generality or specificity of the response to predator cues. We used laboratory behavioral experiments to examine the ability of tadpoles of three species of anurans (American toad, Bufo americanus; bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana; and green frog, R. clamitans) to respond to the presence of two native potential predators (bluegill, Lepomis macrochirus; and largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides) and one non-native potential predator (goldfish, Carassius auratus). We also examined the effect of tadpole size on the behavioral responses of American toads and green frogs to predator cues. All three species of tadpoles responded to the presence of predator cues, although the specific responses varied among species. American toads and green frogs reduced activity in the presence of at least some fish cues, but bullfrog tadpoles did not change their activity. Bullfrogs decreased use of vegetation in the presence of some predator cues, whereas American toads and green frogs did not. American toads only responded to the presence of bluegill cues but not the other fish predator cues, whereas bullfrogs and green frogs responded more generally to the fish predators. In both American toads and green frogs, tadpole size affected behavior. For American toads, activity increased, as did the use of the vegetated side of the aquarium, in larger tadpoles. Not only did size affect American toad behavior, but it also influenced the responses of the tadpoles to predator cues. For green frogs, activity decreased in larger tadpoles. Our results suggest that behavioral responses of tadpoles to predator cues can be influenced by both the identity of the predator and the prey, as well as the size of the potential prey.
How long should you wait for a chest radiograph after placing a chest tube on water seal? A prospective study.

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal time interval for identifying a pneumothorax (PTX) on chest radiograph (CXR) after placing a chest tube on water seal. Methods One hundred nineteen chest tubes were placed on water seal according to a prospective, observational study protocol. After water seal, both an early (3.1 +/- 2.1 hours) and a late (17.6 +/- 8.0 hours) CXR was obtained. Results Thirty-one patients had a PTX on follow-up CXRs. There were 22 early and 9 late PTXs identified. Three patients in the early group had a clinically significant PTX or an increase in the size of PTX on follow-up CXR. None of the patients in the late group had a clinically significant PTX (any worsening of their PTX) or required further intervention. Conclusion A normal chest radiograph obtained 3 hours after placing a chest tube on water seal effectively excludes development of a clinically significant pneumothorax.
Solving the Strong CP Problem Without the Peccei-Quinn Symmetry

A simple theorem is proved about the $\stackrel{-}{\ensuremath{\theta}}$ parameter in grand unified models with spontaneous $\mathrm{CP}$ symmetry breaking. This theorem states two conditions on such models which, if fulfilled, imply that $\stackrel{-}{\ensuremath{\theta}}$ is zero at tree level. Models which fulfill these conditions are generalizations of a recent model of Nelson and are easy to construct.
Progestin stimulation of lactate dehydrogenase in the human breast cancer cell line T-47D.

Abstract We have previously reported that physiological levels of progestins alone stimulate lactate dehydrogenase in a dose-responsive manner in the progesterone-receptor-rich human breast cancer cell line T-47D. Using isozyme electrophoresis, we have now found that lactate dehydrogenase isozyme 5 is the only isozyme detectable in these cells, as has been reported for other human breast cancer cells in long-term tissue culture. Upon treatment with progestins, isozyme 5 remains the only isozyme detectable. T-47D cells were plated in charcoal-stripped serum-containing medium and grown for 2 days before treatment with progestin. Lactate dehydrogenase stimulation then plateaued after around 2–3 days of treatment with progestin and was maintained until around day 5, following which a decline in enzyme activity occurred. The effect is specific for progestins, and inhibited by the anti-progestin RU-38486 (17β-hydroxy-11β-(4-dimethylaminophenyl-1)-17 α-(prop-1-ynil)-estra-4,9-dien-3-one). Experiments using actinomycin D and cycloheximide suggest that the effect is dependent on RNA and protein synthesis, respectively. Lactate dehydrogenase stimulation occurs regardless of the presence of the estrogenic pH indicator Phenol red, and of whether it was analyzed per mg DNA or per mg protein.
Endogenous extra-cellular heat shock protein 72: Releasing signal(s) and function

Exposure to acute physical and/or psychological stressors induces a cascade of physiological changes collectively termed the stress response. The stress response is demonstrable at the behavioural, neural, endocrine and cellular levels. Stimulation of the stress response functions to improve an organism's chance of survival during acute stressor challenge. The current review focuses on one ubiquitous cellular stress response, up-regulation of heat shock protein 72 (Hsp72). Although a great deal is known about the function of intra-cellular Hsp72 during exposure to acute stressors, little is understood about the potential function of endogenous extra-cellular Hsp72 (eHsp72). The current review will develop the hypothesis that eHsp72 release may be a previously unrecognized feature of the acute stress response and may function as an endogenous 'danger signal' for the immune system. Specifically, it is proposed that exposure to physical or psychological acute stressors stimulate the release of endogenous eHsp72 into the blood via an alpha1-adrenergic receptor-mediated mechanism and that elevated eHsp72 functions to facilitate innate immunity in the presence of bacterial challenge.
The Effects of Exchange Rate Fluctuations on Output and Prices: Evidence from Developing Countries

The paper examines the effects of exchange rate fluctuations on real output and the price level in a sample of 33 developing countries. The theoretical model decomposes movements in the exchange rate into anticipated and unanticipated components. Unanticipated currency fluctuations help to determine aggregate demand through exports, imports, and the demand for domestic currency, and aggregate supply through the cost of imported intermediate goods. Anticipated exchange rate depreciation, through the supply channel, has limited effects on output growth and inflation. Unanticipated currency fluctuations appear more significant, with varying effects on output growth and price inflation across developing countries.
Outcome of Polyester Cuff Retention Following Traction Removal of Tunneled Central Venous Catheters

PURPOSE: To elucidate the factors that contribute to cuff retention during traction removal of tunneled catheters, as well as to determine the risk of complication associated with polyester cuff retention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 428 tunneled, cuffed catheters were removed with traction and local anesthesia. Polyester cuff retention was recorded when it occurred, and the effects of cuff retention were determined at a mean follow-up of 250 days. Statistical analysis was performed to determine the variables influencing cuff retention. RESULTS: Traction removal was successful in 428 (100%) patients. Of 428 catheters removed, 41 (10%) cuffs were retained. Silicone 10-F double-lumen and 9.6-F single-lumen catheters had a higher rate of cuff retention (27 [32%] of 84 and nine [39%] of 23, respectively) than did the split-tip polyurethane hemodialysis catheter (two [1%] of 196; P < .001). Cuff retention rates among other catheter types compared with that of the polyurethane catheter were not significan...
Evaluating central corneal thickness measurements with noncontact optical low-coherence reflectometry and contact ultrasound pachymetry.

Purpose To compare the central corneal thickness (CCT) measurements obtained with noncontact optical low-coherence reflectometry (OLCR) and ultrasound (US) pachymetry. Design Prospective, comparative observational study. Methods Three sequential ultrasonic measurements and a set of five OLCR scans of 52 eyes of 26 healthy subjects were recorded. Noncontact measurement was repeated five minutes after anesthetic drop instillation. Results Mean CCT values for noncontact OLCR and US pachymetry were 544.03 μm and 548.66 μm, respectively, with mean SDs of 0.97 μm and 4.63 μm, respectively. Noncontact OLCR measured on average 4.64 μm less than US pachymetry (95% confidence interval −7.56 to −1.72; P = .003). The OLCR measured 1.68 μm less than US pachymetry in the thinner cornea group (≤548.7 μm, n=24) and 7.48 μm less in the thicker group (n = 25). This difference was statistically significant ( P = .04). Conclusions There was agreement between the two pachymetric measurements. Noncontact OLCR appeared to measure slightly smaller than US pachymetry.
Immunoregulatory effects of ethyl-acetate fraction of extracts from Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels et. Gilg on immune functions of ICR mice.

Objective To evaluate the effects of ethyl-acetate fraction (EAF) of extracts from Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels et. Gilg (TDG) on immune functions of icr mice. Methods ICR mice were exposed to different doses of EAF for 15 or 30 days and then their immune functions were analyzed, including ConA-induced splenic lymphocyte transformation, SRBC-induced delayed type hypersensitivity response, serum hemolysin analysis, antibody-producing cells, peritoneal macrophage phagocytized chicken red blood cells, natural killer cell activity, and serum level of cytokines. Results EAF of extracts from tdg at different doses had various effects on immune functions of icr mice. As compared with the controls, it increased the mouse spleen lymphocyte transformation induced by ConA, the left-hind voix pedis thickness and the number of plague forming cells (PFCs) at the dose of 1.82 mg/mL, 5.48 mg/mL, and 9.12 mg/mL, respectively; increased the ink clearance ability at the dose of 0.91 mg/mL, 1.82 mg/mL, 5.48 mg/mL, and 9.12 mg/mL, respectively; increased the phagocytosis index of mononuclear-macrophages and production of serum interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) at the dose of 5.48 mg/mL; and could promote the production of serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) at the dose of 9.12 mg/mL. Conclusion EAF of extracts from TDG can regulate mouse immune functions in vivo .
Fixing Special Education

The current system of educating disabled students provides financial incentives to schools to overidentify students as disabled and underserve those that are identified. The incentive to overidentify is caused by providing schools with additional funds as more students are placed in special education categories that are ambiguous to diagnose and require relatively low additional expenditures to address. The incentive to underserve is caused by high information and transaction costs imposed on parents using the legal process to obtain desired services. An efficient alternative to the current system is to offer disabled students vouchers worth the cost of their education in public schools with which they can attend a private school if they wish. This article considers empirical analyses of the relationship between financial incentives and overidentification as well as the potential benefits of vouchers for special education. It concludes that vouchers for special education are a promising idea for improving...
Mutational Reversions During Adaptive Protein Evolution

Adaptation is often regarded as the sequential fixation of individually, intrinsically beneficial mutations. Contrary to this expectation, we find a surprisingly large number of evolutionary trajectories on which natural selection first favors a mutation, then favors its removal, and later still favors its ultimate restoration during the course of antibiotic resistance evolution. The existence of reversion trajectories implies that natural selection may not follow the most parsimonious path separating two alleles, even during adaptation. Altogether, this discovery highlights the unusual and potentially circuitous routes natural selection can follow during adaptation.
Increased Intra-abdominal Fat Predicts Perioperative Complications Following Minimally Invasive Partial Nephrectomy

Objective To evaluate the anthropometric measurements of body mass index, outer-abdominal fat (OAF) and intra-abdominal fat (IAF) for their utility in predicting perioperative complications following minimally invasive partial nephrectomy. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of patients who underwent a laparoscopic or robotic partial nephrectomy between August 2006 and July 2012 by a single surgeon. Measurements of OAF and IAF were obtained from preoperative cross-sectional imaging available through our institution's imaging archive. Preoperative clinical parameters, including BMI, OAF and IAF, were evaluated for associations with postoperative complications, operative time and length of hospital stay. Results In total, 257 patients underwent a minimally invasive partial nephrectomy during the study period. Of these patients, 195 (75.9%) had preoperative scans available for analysis of OAF and IAF. A total of 52 (26.7%) patients experienced a Clavien grade I-IV complication within 30 days of surgery, 18 (34.6%) of which were grade III-IV. No patient experienced a grade V complication. On multivariate analysis, only increasing IAF (OR 1.05 [95% CI 1.02-1.09], P = .005) was associated with grade I-IV complications, while IAF (OR 1.05 [95% CI 1.00-1.10], P = .04) and intermediate to high tumor complexity (OR 5.31 [95% CI 1.47-19.17], P = .01) were associated with grade III-IV complications. BMI, OAF and IAF were not found to be independently associated with operative time or length of hospital stay. Conclusion IAF is independently associated with complications following minimally invasive partial nephrectomy. With further validation, this measurement may prove useful in the preoperative risk stratification of patients with small renal masses.
Statistical Cost Analysis Revisited

I. Introduction, 107.—II. Pseudo-data generation from a process model, 109.—III. A comparison of time series and pseudo data, 112.—IV. The translog cost function, 114.—V. Statistical cost function estimation, 116.—VI. Substitution and price elasticities: Tests for an energy aggregate, 119.—VII. Applications for long-range analysis, 122.—VIII. Summary, 126.
Renal replacement therapy in the elderly

Background and Methods: In a retrospective study the medical records of 122 patients aged over 65 years at the start of renal replacement therapy (RRT) in our dialysis centre were analysed. Results: The mean age at the start of RRT was 72.7 ± 5.7 years (range 65.0–90.3). Seventy-six percent were treated with haemodialysis, 21% with haemofiltration and 3% with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. There was no significant difference in survival between the different modes of treatment. The median survival was 23.8 months, the actuarial survival rates at 2, 5 and 7 years were 50, 27 and 18%, respectively. Patients aged between 65 and 75 years had a median survival of 36.4 months, patients above 75 years of 12.5 months (P = 0.009). Patients with tubulo-interstitial nephritis had a significantly longer survival than patients with other renal diseases. When chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or peripheral vascular disease was present, there was a significantly shorter survival. There was no difference in survival between patients with malignancy, cardiac diseases, diabetes mellitus or cerebrovascular diseases before the start of RRT and others. After the start of RRT there was a significant increase of infectious and psychiatric disease. During the study period 70% died, most frequently from cardiovascular causes (28%), discontinuation of dialysis treatment (28%) or infection (19%). Conclusions: We think that both survival and quality of life in elderly patients during RRT are acceptable, and that neither age nor comorbidity should be a contraindication to RRT.
Scanning Electron Microscopy And Data Digitization Of Craniofacial Growth

The scanning electron microscope (SEM), combining high resolution and large depth of focus, affords detailed observation of surface microstructure in a three-dimensional perspective. It also allows large specimen dimensions and avoids the processing and sectioning limitations of light and transmission electron microscopic procedures. For these reasons the SEM is ideally suited for analyses of bone, a rigid tissue whose surface topography and internal architecture accurately reflect the developmental, metabolic and mechanical influences exerted upon it. Furthermore, SEM photomicrographs are compatible with devices for quantification, mathematical manipulation and graphic reconstruction of the image. Features of a photo may be traced with a stylus on the electromagnetically activated surface of a data digitizer, which converts the outlined path to x and y axis coordinates. Interfaced with a programmed calculator these data undergo algebraic and geometrical computation and may be stored for statistical analyses. Alternatively, stereopairs of micrograph transparencies may be utilized in micro-stereophotogrammetric procedures in which x, y and z axis coordinates are generated for selected morphologic points. Our research concerns spatiotemporal interrelationships of primate craniofacial growth as evidenced by changes in the skeletal gross morphology and microanatomy of the orbital region, jaws and teeth during their growth and development. Applications of SEM and digitization techniques to these studies and an evaluation of the derived data will be presented.
Marked suppression by salicylate of the augmented proteoglycan synthesis in osteoarthritic cartilage.

In osteoarthritis a net increase in proteoglycan synthesis has been noted until the disease is far advanced and presumably reflects an attempt by the chondrocyte to repair the defect in the cartilage matrix. Because salicylates are the agents most commonly employed in treatment of osteoarthritis and because we recently showed that 10(-3) M sodium salicylate (i.e., approximately 20 mg%) suppresses proteoglycan synthesis in normal canine knee cartilage in vitro, we have studied the effects of this compound on osteoarthritis knee cartilage from dogs whose anterior cruciate ligament had been transected 9 weeks previously. The data indicated that the augmented synthesis of glycosaminoglycans in the degenerating cartilage was suppressed to a much greater degree by 10(-3) M sodium salicylate than the lower level of glycosaminoglycan synthesis in control cartilage from the contralateral knee of the same animal. Uptake of 14C-acetylsalicylic acid was increased about 35% in osteoarthritic cartilage, suggesting that the drug permeated it more readily than normal cartilage. The salicylate-induced suppression of proteoglycan synthesis in the osteoarthritic cartilage was not accompanied by reversal of the defect in proteoglycan aggregation or by improvement in the (presumed) defect in proteoglycan-collagen interaction in the matrix, as reflected by the abnormally high proportion of 35S-proteoglycans present in the culture medium.
Surface spreading of lung alveolar surfactant

Abstract Surfactants tend to spread over and reduce equally the surface tension of a surface. Indications were sought of the rate of spreading of lung alveolar surfactant in the presence of known differentials of surface tension. It was found to spread and abolish surface tension differences at a rate measured in centimeters/second whether the initial surface tension differential was relatively high (35 dynes/cm) or low (15 dynes/cm). Alveolar lung has been thought to be stabilized by maintenance of surface tensions at values which remain directly proportional to alveolar size. However, groups of alveoli of varying sizes are contiguous and, forming a single surface, possibly act as a unit with respect to surface tension because of rapid equalization of differences in surface tension. On the other hand, the equilibrium surface tension of lung alveolar surfactant is less than the equilibrium surface tension of material found elsewhere in the lung. Combining this fact with the tendency of surfactants to spread from areas of lower to areas of higher surface tension indicates that lung alveolar surfactant does originate in the alveoli and could act as an agent to remove substances from lung alveoli to the ciliated part of the lung structure.
Welter weight ion transport for diode generated ion beam inertial confinement fusion

Summary form only given. The choice of ion species for ion beam inertial confinement fusion is driven by target design, ion beam transport and beam generation. An important question is whether heavy and light ion technologies and be extended into the welter weight regime of intermediate atomic weight. The target defines the total energy in the ion beams, the number of beams, and the temporal shape of the beams. Of the several possible methods of ion beam transport, self-pinched propagation is potentially the most attractive. This mode requires that the beam current is only partially neutralized by a background gas and uses the net current to generate a confining azimuthal magnetic field. The net current required is determined by the diode design. A formalism for comparing the beam generation and propagation has been constructed from known relations. Beam ions from Li to Cs are compared within this formalism. As the beam ion atomic number and energy increase, the anode surfaces in the diodes become smaller and the required neutralization fraction decreases. Higher than some atomic mass, the combined use of magnetically insulated diodes and self-pinched transport is no longer a useful concept and ion beam generation with a linear accelerator might be more attractive.
Extending the DEVS formalism for massively parallel simulation

The use of multiprocessors for discrete event simulation is an active research area where work has focused on strategies for model execution with little regard for the underlying formalism in which models may be expressed. However, a formalism-based approach offers several advantages including the ability to migrate models from sequential to parallel platforms and the ability to calibrate simulation architectures to model structural properties. In this article, we extend the DEVS (discrete event system specification) formalism, originally developed for sequential simulation, to accommodate the full potential of parallel processing. The extension facilitates exploitation of both internal and external event parallelism manifested in hierarchical, modular DEVS models. After developing a mapping of the extended formalism to parallel architectures, we describe an implementation of the approach on a massively parallel architecture, the Connection Machine. Execution results are discussed for a class of models exhibiting high external and internal event parallelism, the so-called broadcast models. These verify the tenets of the underlying theory and demonstrate that significant reduction in execution time is possible compared to the same model executed in serial simulation.
An Act of State: The Execution of Martin Luther King – By William F. Pepper

The author frames this book against the backdrop of the civil rights movement of the 1960s. That decade was the most revolutionary period in the nation's history since the Civil War. Segregationist...
In vitro allergy testing: Quality control and result reporting

i n 1966, the Ishizakas first established that a new class of immunoglobulins, immunoglobulin E (IgE), was responsible for the reaginic or skin-sensitizing properties of the serum from allergic individuals. 9 The almost simultaneous discovery of the first IgE myeloma made it possible to produce antihuman IgE antibodies. Anti-IgE antibodies, in turn, lead to assays for both the total quantity of IgE and for the quantity of IgE directed toward specific allergens. Subsequent studies have firmly established the role of IgE antibodies in the pathogenesis of allergic disease. 7 There is a close association between the atopic diathesis or genetic predisposition toward allergic disease and the tendency to produce IgE antibodies when exposed to antigens. Thus allergic individuals usually have increased total serum IgE concentrations and detectable quantifies of IgE specific for common allergens in their serum. 2,s,7
Intrarace Group Variability in Characteristics of Self-Reported Pain and Sleep Difficulty in Older African Americans With Arthritis:

Purpose: Few studies have examined the behavioral and clinical indicators of sleep difficulty among older African Americans diagnosed with arthritis. This study aimed to examine the association of ...
Fast computation of monochromatic infrared atmospheric transmittances using compressed look-up tables

Abstract We present a new technique for the fast computation of near-monochromatic atmospheric transmittances in the infrared, utilizing compressed look-up tables, that is well suited for nadir viewing satellite and airplane observations. The algorithm is very simple to use in radiative transfer codes and is easily adapted to provide analytic Jacobians of radiances. A Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) is used to transform very large monochromatic look-up tables of optical depths into a compressed representation that is approximately 73 times smaller. Temperature and pressure interpolations are performed in the compressed representation, resulting in significant savings in computation times. The resulting transmittances are as accurate as those computed with a line-by-line algorithm.
THE NEW CRIMINOLOGY IS THE OLD SENTIMENTALITY

The New Criminology is neither new nor criminology, merely sentimental overidentification with the underdog masquerading as science. This sentimentality appeals to students of crime only because criminology has traditionally been sympathetic to the underdog. The hypotheses of discriminatory law enforcement and of white-collar immorality reflect such sympathy. The millenarial hopes of the New Criminology are illusory. That justice is imperfect even in relatively decent societies is no excuse for embracing nihilism or for giving up the attempt to maintain social order.
Religious and mystical states: a neuropsychological model

. This paper first considers the current confusion in categorizing and even describing mystical states, including experiences of God, the Void, and lesser religious experiences. The paper presents the necessity of studying the neuropsychological substrate of such experiences both to understand them in greater depth and to help resolve scholarly confusion in this area. As a prelude to presenting a neuropsychological model, the basic principles of brain organization are reviewed, including hemispheri-city; primary, secondary, and tertiary sensory receptive areas; their motor analogues; prefrontosensorial polarity; and the integration of limbic functioning into cortical activity. A neuropsychological model for mystical states is then presented in terms of differential stimulation and deafferentation of various tertiary sensory association areas, along with integration of various patterns of limbic stimulation.
Development of the Child Attitude Toward Illness Scale

Described the development of the Child Attitude Toward Illness Scale (CATIS), a short self-report instrument designed to provide a systematic assessment of how favorably or unfavorably children feel about having a chronic physical condition. Subjects were children (N = 269), ages 8-12 years, who had either epilepsy (n = 136) or asthma (n = 133). Results of confirmatory factor analysis and predicted relationships with scores on the Child Behavior Checklist and the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale provided support for construct validity of the scale. Good internal consistency and test-retest reliability were also found.
Steele High School's Legacy

This case involves overturning a 35-year-old program of weighted grading that defined a school's identity. Examination of the practice revealed a curriculum that was discriminatory toward students and teachers with deep-seated values and beliefs among an elite group of core teachers perpetuating that discrimination. Further examination revealed unspecified differences in grading practices among staff. This case can be used in classes that consider instructional leadership, school board/superintendent relationships, superintendent/principal relationships, curriculum, school culture, and ethical decision-making.
"Go Be a Writer": Intra-Activity with Materials, Time and Space in Literacy Learning.

This article is based on research in a United States second-grade classroom during a multimodal literacy workshop. Observing students working with tissue paper, foam board, string, pipe cleaners an...
The ail locus is found uniquely in Yersinia enterocolitica serotypes commonly associated with disease.

Yersinia enterocolitica is a heterogeneous group of organisms with more than 50 serotypes and several biotypes. Only a few of these serotypes cause gastrointestinal disease in otherwise healthy hosts; these serotypes are the pathogenic serotypes. Although Y. enterocolitica requires a high-molecular-weight plasmid to cause disease, chromosome-encoded determinants are required for the full expression of virulence. The ability of Yersinia spp. to invade eucaryotic cells is thought to be a virulence factor, because nonpathogenic serotypes are noninvasive in animals and in tissue culture cell models. Current evidence indicates that invasion ability is chromosome encoded. We recently reported cloning two loci, inv and ail, from Y. enterocolitica O8 strain 8081c that allow Escherichia coli to invade tissue culture cells. We investigated the link between invasion in an in vitro tissue culture invasion (TCI) model and hybridization to probes derived from the two invasion loci, inv and ail. We examined 177 Yersinia strains. Strains of serotypes and species associated with disease were TCI+, whereas strains of serotypes and species not associated with disease were TCI-. Only TCI+ strains had DNA homologous to probes derived from ail. All strains (TCI+ and TCI-) had DNA homologous to probes derived from inv, but there were certain restriction fragment-linked polymorphisms that were associated primarily with TCI+ strains. These observations held true for strains epidemiologically associated with disease. Both the inv and ail loci were found to be clearly located on the chromosome. No other genera, including other invasive organisms, had DNA homologous to inv or ail. These data support the hypothesis that the ail locus encodes a Y. enterocolitica invasion factor that may be involved in pathogenesis. Images
Evaluating the testing ability of senior-level computer science students

Testing is a key skill for computer science students to acquire during their studies. To determine how well students are learning this skill, we conducted an empirical study in two offerings of a senior-level computer science course. The goal of the study was to determine whether students would be able to create a small, complete test suite for a simple program. The students created a test suite first without the aid of a coverage tool and then with the aid of a coverage tool. The results indicate that without a coverage tool, students achieved significantly less than 100% statement, branch or condition coverage. When provided with a code coverage tool, students increased coverage levels. Still, examination of the test suites indicated that they were significantly larger than the minimum required. These results indicate that students cannot conduct adequate testing of even a small program. To provide context for our results, we provide a literature survey summarizing various techniques proposed for teaching testing in the computer science curriculum. We discuss each technique, its strengths, and its weaknesses.
Inhibition of the CXCL12/CXCR4-Axis as Preventive Therapy for Radiation-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis

Background: A devastating late injury caused by radiation is pulmonary fibrosis. This risk may limit the volume of irradiation and compromise potentially curative therapy. Therefore, development of a therapy to prevent this toxicity can be of great benefit for this patient population. Activation of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 by its ligand stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1/CXCL12) may be important in the development of radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Here, we tested whether MSX-122, a novel small molecule and partial CXCR4 antagonist, can block development of this fibrotic process. Methodology/Principal Findings: The radiation-induced lung fibrosis model used was C57BL/6 mice irradiated to the entire thorax or right hemithorax to 20 Gy. Our parabiotic model involved joining a transgenic C57BL/6 mouse expressing GFP with a wild-type mouse that was subsequently irradiated to assess for migration of GFP+ bone marrow-derived progenitor cells to the irradiated lung. CXCL12 levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum after irradiation were determined by ELISA. CXCR4 and CXCL12 mRNA in the irradiated lung was determined by RNase protection assay. Irradiated mice were treated daily with AMD3100, an established CXCR4 antagonist; MSX-122; and their corresponding vehicles to determine impact of drug treatment on fibrosis development. Fibrosis was assessed by serial CTs and histology. After irradiation, CXCL12 levels increased in BALF and serum with a corresponding rise in CXCR4 mRNA within irradiated lungs consistent with recruitment of a CXCR4+ cell population. Using our parabiotic model, we demonstrated recruitment of CXCR4+ bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells, identified based on marker expression, to irradiated lungs. Finally, irradiated mice that received MSX-122 had significant reductions in development of pulmonary fibrosis while AMD3100 did not significantly suppress this fibrotic process. Conclusions/Significance: CXCR4 inhibition by drugs such as MSX-122 may alleviate potential radiation-induced lung injury, presenting future therapeutic opportunities for patients requiring chest irradiation.