cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A 92%-Efficiency Battery Powered Hybrid DC-DC Converter for IoT Applications

A two-stage hybrid power management unit (PMU) is presented with a highly-efficient novel ON-OFF LDO as the second stage and uses a switched-capacitor dc-dc divider as the first stage. The design targets IoT applications that operate across a wide range of load from sub-microwatt to 100’s of microwatts. The first stage provides a step-down using selectable sizing of its switches to improve efficiency to >95% across the target range of load current. The output voltage that is divided from the first stage is then regulated using the proposed ON-OFF LDO with a dropout voltage of 80% for load ranges $1\mu $ - $240\mu \text{A}$ . The design is fabricated in 28-nm CMOS technology.
Helping Agritourism Visitors Learn During their Visits

Agritourism is a growing industry in Florida, and combines two of the state’s major assets: tourism and agriculture. This 4-page document outlines ways that agritourism operators can incorporate meaningful educational opportunities into their operation. Written by Kathryn Stofer and Joy N. Rumble and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, June 2018.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc308
Original ContributionsRisk factors for rebleeding and mortality from acute upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage in human immunodeficiency virus infection

Objectives: In the general population, acute upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage (UGIH) is a common problem that results in significant morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to determine the etiology, clinical outcome, and risk factors for rebleeding and mortality in a large cohort of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients with acute UGIH. Methods: We reviewed the medical records of consecutive HIV-infected patients with acute UGIH who were referred for an endoscopic evaluation from January 1992 through January 1997 at Bellevue Hospital Center. Results: During the 5-yr study period, 297 HIV-infected patients with acute UGIH were evaluated by endoscopy. Gastroduodenal ulcers (25.6%), esophageal ulcers (21.5%), and Kaposi’s sarcoma (19.2%) were the three most common causes of acute UGIH. Fifteen percent of patients rebled within 30 days and independent predictors of rebleeding included a CD4 count of <200 cells/mm3, inpatient status, a hemoglobin of <8 g/dl, major stigmata of hemorrhage, and lymphoma. The 30-day mortality from UGIH was 11.4% and a hemoglobin of <8 g/dl, a platelet count of <100,000/mm3, major stigmata of hemorrhage, rebleeding within 30 days, and lymphoma were independent predictors of mortality. The introduction of protease inhibitors in December 1995 resulted in a reduction in 30-day mortality from 13.5% to 4.4% (p= 0.04) without affecting the etiology of UGIH or the incidence of rebleeding. Conclusions: Acute UGIH in HIV-infected patients is most commonly due to gastroduodenal ulcers, esophageal ulcers, and Kaposi’s sarcoma. In this patient population, the introduction of protease inhibitors has had a positive impact on the outcome of UGIH.
Information Flow Within and Across Online Media Platforms: An Agenda-setting Analysis of Rumor Diffusion on News Websites, Weibo, and WeChat in China

In China, the discussion of “fake news” often revolves around online rumor. In addition to politically motivated rumors, a large portion of profit-driven, sensational rumors permeate China's Intern...
Fluid deficit calculation at hysteroscopy: could consideration of intraperitoneal fluid accumulation add insight to safety limits?

Background The current literature and guidelines are largely silent regarding the contribution of the fallopian tubes to the fluid deficit (FD) during hysteroscopy. We explored whether the FD could be in part due to transtubal passage. Methods This was a prospective cohort study. Patients who underwent hysteroscopy because of benign gynecologic pathology with, or without, laparoscopy were enrolled. The fluid deficit and, in laparoscopic cases, the amount of fluid found in the pelvis were prospectively reported. Results Comparisons between FD and intraperitoneal fluid were performed. Sixty-five patients were included in the study. Forty-five underwent hysteroscopy prior to laparoscopy and 20 patients underwent hysteroscopy-only. These were further divided into operative hysteroscopy and diagnostic hysteroscopy subgroups. In the laparoscopy group, the average FD was 525.9 mL (95% CI: 482.1-569.7) and the calculated FD due to intravasation was 286.6 mL (95%CI: 253.0-320.3). In the hysteroscopy without laparoscopy group, the average FD was 303.0 mL (95% CI: 85.2-520.8). There was no correlation between the intrauterine fluid pressure and the amount of FD, or the presence of intraperitoneal fluid. Conclusions Most women with patent tubes undergoing hysteroscopy have accumulation of distention fluid in the pelvis and that the passage was not correlated with the intrauterine fluid pressure. These findings add new insight to the current guidelines, suggesting more accurate and patient-centered safety protocols.
Generalized g-Fractional Vector Representation Formula And Bochner Integral Type Inequalities for Banach Space Valued Functions

Here we give a very general fractional Bochner integral representation formula for Banach space valued functions. We derive generalized left and right fractional Opial type inequalities, fractional Ostrowski type inequalities and fractional Gruss type inequalities. All these inequalities are very general having in their background Bochner type integrals. See also [4].
“It Will Haunt the Reader after the Others Have Faded into the Mist”: The Gothic West of Ella Rhoads Higginson’s “In the Bitter Root Mountains”

Higginson’s 1894 story is based on the disappearance of the infamous Carlin hunting expedition in Idaho’s Bitterroot Mountains. Located by a search party, the men were barely alive and delirious from their wilderness horrors. Higginson’s Gothic West is wild and haunted compared to tamer ways established regions of the nation were portrayed. Activating tropes of the “uncontrolled realm of the Gothic” (Elbert and Ryden 5) and the uncanny conquest of domestic ideals by the wild, Higginson establishes a horrifying frontier Gothic which worries the vexed line between the U.S. West and the larger nation.
Investigation of the domain line tension in asymmetric vesicles prepared via hemifusion.

Abstract The plasma membrane (PM) is asymmetric in lipid composition. The distinct and characteristic lipid compositions of the exoplasmic and cytoplasmic leaflets lead to different lipid-lipid interactions and physical-chemical properties in each leaflet. The exoplasmic leaflet possesses an intrinsic ability to form coexisting ordered and disordered fluid domains, whereas the cytoplasmic leaflet seems to form a single fluid phase. To better understand the interleaflet interactions that influence domains, we compared asymmetric model membranes that capture salient properties of the PM with simpler symmetric membranes. Using asymmetric giant unilamellar vesicles (aGUVs) prepared by hemifusion with a supported lipid bilayer, we investigate the domain line tension that characterizes the behavior of coexisting ordered + disordered domains. The line tension can be related to the contact perimeter of the different phases. Compared to macroscopic phase separation, the appearance of modulated phases was found to be a robust indicator of a decrease in domain line tension. Symmetric GUVs of 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC)/1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC)/1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC)/cholesterol (chol) were formed into aGUVs by replacing the GUV outer leaflet with DOPC/chol = 0.8/0.2 in order to create a cytoplasmic leaflet model. These aGUVs revealed lower line tension for the ordered + disordered domains of the exoplasmic model leaflet.
Electrochemical Decomposition of Nitrosamines Formed in CO2 Capture Systems

Nitrosamines can form from the reaction of NOx with secondary amines and accumulate in the amine solvent loop and waterwash sections of amine CO2 capture systems. Nitrosamines, as a class of compounds, have been reported to be mutagenic, cytotoxic, genotoxic and carcinogenic. Nitrosamines are an emerging environmental concern if their formation and emission from operating CO2 capture systems cannot be better understood and controlled. In this study, a stationary carbon electrode material inside an electrochemical cell will be used to target and adsorb the nitrosamines from a washing water solution and decompose them into less harmful compounds. This preliminary study shows that the UKy-CAER developed carbon xerogel (CX) electrode material has a high adsorption capacity and can decompose a high percentage of nitrosamines with a minimal amount of charge passed. This electrochemical strategy can be effective for the removal of nitrosamines from wastewater and amine-CO2 capture waterwash streams.
Cost-benefit analysis as a tool for measuring economic impacts of local food systems: Case study of an institutional sourcing change

Universities continue to expand their local food sourcing, but the impacts of these sourcing changes are ambiguous. Some academics have measured these impacts using input-output analysis methods to track economic indicators that may be of interest to local communities. However, these studies do not capture nonmarket benefits of local food system investments or answer the broader question of whether local sourcing benefits society as a whole, both of which can be addressed using cost-benefit analysis. This paper explores cost-benefit analysis as an additional tool for measuring the economic impacts of local food investments, using a sourcing change by The Ohio State University as a case study. It builds on recent theoretical applied economics literature on the welfare impacts of local food sourcing and sheds light on important trade-offs of local sourcing that institutions and other buyers may want to consider. Employing data provided by Ohio State University Dining Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, I use a Monte Carlo simulation approach that accounts for uncertainty and allows for exploration of many scenarios. In more than half of the scenarios, local sourcing yields a net loss to society. However, additional research is needed by economists and others to enable local food system stakeholders to more easily and accurately conduct this work and add cost-benefit analysis to their project evaluation toolkit.
Exploring perceptions of healthcare technologies enabled by artificial intelligence: an online, scenario-based survey.

Healthcare is expected to increasingly integrate technologies enabled by artificial intelligence (AI) into patient care. Understanding perceptions of these tools is essential to successful development and adoption. This exploratory study gauged participants’ level of openness, concern, and perceived benefit associated with AI-driven healthcare technologies. We also explored socio-demographic, health-related, and psychosocial correlates of these perceptions. We developed a measure depicting six AI-driven technologies that either diagnose, predict, or suggest treatment. We administered the measure via an online survey to adults (N = 936) in the United States using MTurk, a crowdsourcing platform. Participants indicated their level of openness to using the AI technology in the healthcare scenario. Items reflecting potential concerns and benefits associated with each technology accompanied the scenarios. Participants rated the extent that the statements of concerns and benefits influenced their perception of favorability toward the technology. Participants completed measures of socio-demographics, health variables, and psychosocial variables such as trust in the healthcare system and trust in technology. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of the concern and benefit items identified two factors representing overall level of concern and perceived benefit. Descriptive analyses examined levels of openness, concern, and perceived benefit. Correlational analyses explored associations of socio-demographic, health, and psychosocial variables with openness, concern, and benefit scores while multivariable regression models examined these relationships concurrently. Participants were moderately open to AI-driven healthcare technologies (M = 3.1/5.0 ± 0.9), but there was variation depending on the type of application, and the statements of concerns and benefits swayed views. Trust in the healthcare system and trust in technology were the strongest, most consistent correlates of openness, concern, and perceived benefit. Most other socio-demographic, health-related, and psychosocial variables were less strongly, or not, associated, but multivariable models indicated some personality characteristics (e.g., conscientiousness and agreeableness) and socio-demographics (e.g., full-time employment, age, sex, and race) were modestly related to perceptions. Participants’ openness appears tenuous, suggesting early promotion strategies and experiences with novel AI technologies may strongly influence views, especially if implementation of AI technologies increases or undermines trust. The exploratory nature of these findings warrants additional research.
High-Efficiency Compound Metaoptics for Independent Amplitude and Phase Control

We demonstrate multi-metasurface devices with high efficiency that provide independent amplitude and phase control across an optical wavefront. Experimental results of metaoptics implementing a three-dimensional point source hologram are reported.
Psycho-educatie over rouw

Ook nadat zij de traumatische aspecten van het gebeurde hebben besproken en deze tot op zekere hoogte hebben verwerkt, vinden veel kinderen het nog steeds moeilijk om over de dood te praten. Volwassenen geven wat dit betreft vaak het voorbeeld; die ‘weten niet wat ze moeten zeggen’ wanneer er iemand doodgaat, waardoor ze soms maar helemaal niets zeggen of het hele onderwerp uit de weg gaan. In onze cultuur wordt de dood in de media verheerlijkt, maar betekenisvolle gesprekken over het onderwerp worden meestal vermeden. Psycho-educatie over rouw geeft kinderen en hun verzorgers de gelegenheid om openlijk over de dood te spreken en diepgaander kwesties rondom het overlijden aan te snijden die voorheen nog niet waren besproken.
A Unified Framework for Automatic Distributed Active Learning.

We propose a novel unified framework for automated distributed active learning (AutoDAL) to address multiple challenging problems in active learning such as limited labeled data, imbalanced datasets, automatic hyperparameter selection as well as scalability to big data. First, automated graph-based semi-supervised learning is conducted by aggregating the proposed cost functions from different compute nodes and jointly optimizing hyperparameters in both the classification and query selection stages. For dense datasets, clustering-based uncertainty sampling with maximum entropy (CME) loss is applied in the optimization. For sparse and imbalanced datasets, shrinkage optimized KL-divergence regularization and local selection based active learning (SOAR) loss are further naturally adapted in AutoDAL. The optimization is efficiently resolved by iteratively executing a genetic algorithm (GA) refined with a local generating set search (GSS) and solving an integer linear programming (ILP) problem. Moreover, we propose an efficient distributed active learning algorithm which is scalable for big data. The proposed AutoDAL algorithm is applied to multiple benchmark datasets and two real-world datasets including an electrocardiogram (ECG) dataset and a credit fraud detection dataset for classification. We demonstrate that the proposed AutoDAL algorithm is capable of achieving significantly better performance compared to several state-of-the-art AutoML approaches and active learning algorithms.
What We Know and Goals for Future Research

This chapter reflects the most recent updates from ACL Research Retreat V held in Greensboro, North Carolina, on March 25th–27th, 2010, a meeting involving over 75 clinicians and researchers from six countries. The consensus surrounding neuromuscular and biomechanical risk factors, anatomical and structural risk factors, hormonal risk factors, and risk factor screening and prevention is summarized relative to our current understanding and the questions that remain and drive future directions for research. Following these thematic sections, some global observations, themes, and recommendations that emerged from the meeting are presented.
Practice Protocols, Parameters, Pathways, and Guidelines: A Review

The evolution of clinical practice protocols is described within the context of its origins in utilization review and utilization management. Physician concerns and barriers to implementation, as well as the role of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) are discussed. An example of competing guidelines from the AHCPR and the American Psychiatric Association is described in detail. The available literature on cost savings related to utilization management and clinical guidelines is reviewed and summarized. With over 1,800 medical practice guidelines catalogued, practice protocols have become ubiquitous and continued research into their cost and impact on quality are needed.
Sequence of Bovine Liver Glutamate Dehydrogenase: VII. ISOLATION AND SEQUENCES OF PEPTIC PEPTIDES

Abstract A total of 82 peptides has been isolated from a peptic digest of bovine liver glutamate dehydrogenase. Partial and complete sequence determinations have been performed on most of these to confirm their position in the polypeptide chain, to complete portions of the sequence not determined in previous studies, and to provide overlaps for the tryptic and cyanogen bromide peptides. All of the 82 peptic peptides could be accommodated by the amino acid sequence.
Numerical simulation of time-dependent 3-D flows using adaptive unstructured grids

We review recent progress in grid generation, adaptive refinement, and visualization using unstructured grids. The combination of these capabilities has allowed the accurate simulation of flows that have hitherto been intractable by any other technique.
No Place Like Home

This article discusses feeling at home through the lens of three works of art: the film The Wizard of Oz, Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, and Samuel Beckett’s play Waiting for Godot. For Dorothy home is a metaphor for the state of her sense of self at a moment of developmental crisis. For Odysseus home is a very real place and utterly crucial to his identity as a Greek warrior, husband, father, son, and king. For Estragon and Vladimir, the homeless tramps of Waiting for Godot, home is a concept all but unthinkable, and yet an idea of what home might mean persists in what the two mean to one another.
Protocol-driven care in the intensive care unit: a tool for quality

Advances in organization and patient management in the intensive care unit (ICU) have led to reductions in the morbidity and mortality suffered by critically ill patients. Two such advances include multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) and the development of clinical protocols. The use of protocols and MDTs does not necessarily guarantee instant improvement in the quality of care, but it does offer useful tools for the pursuit of such objectives. As ICU physicians increasingly assume leadership roles in the pursuit of higher quality ICU care, their knowledge and skills in the discipline of quality improvement will become essential.
Description of and experimental results for a high data rate underwater acoustic telemetry link

A wideband system (40 kHz-50 kHz) whose coding is self-synchronous and is adjustable for variations in coherence and reverberation times to obtain a maximum reliable data transmission rate for any given set of conditions is presented. To maximize data rate the approach takes full advantage of system bandwidth. At its simplest level a spectral line is used to represent a bit. The major delimiters of multispectral transmission (within a given system bandwidth) in this environment are coherence time due to Doppler spreading and reverberation time due to multiple transmission path. Banks of different frequencies are sequentially transmitted, each bank being reused after the reverberation time. Theory, experimental setup, and preliminary results are presented. >
Halogenated Aromatic Hydrocarbons Suppress CA1 Field Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials in Rat Hippocampal Slices

Halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (HAHs), such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), alter cognitive function and learning. The cellular basis of HAH-induced alteration of brain function is not well-understood. The hippocampus is a likely site of toxic action because of its well-known roles in learning and memory, as well as its propensity to accumulate environmental neurotoxicants. A hippocampal function that can be measured readily is evoked excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs), which are an index of excitatory synaptic function. In this study, effects of HAHs on EPSPs were characterized in hippocampal slices from adolescent to adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and 1,2,3,4-TCDD were used because these HAHs are prototypical potent and weak aryl hydrocarbon (Ah) receptor agonists, respectively. 2,2',5,5'-Tetrachlorobiphenyl (TCB) was used as a prototypical ortho-substituted PCB, which acts through Ah receptor-independent pathways. For each hippocampal slice, peak amplitudes of EPSPs during a 15-min recording period (1 recording/min) were averaged and used as baseline (100%). Subsequent EPSPs were expressed as percentage of baseline. TCDD and 1,2,3,4-TCDD did not alter EPSPs in slices from the middle third of the hippocampus. However, in ventral slices, TCDD significantly decreased EPSPs, whereas 1,2,3,4-TCDD was inactive. TCB decreased EPSPs in both middle and ventral slices at half-maximal stimulation. An unexpected reversal of inhibition was observed within 30 min of continuous application of TCDD or TCB. In ventral slices, L-type calcium channel blocker nifedipine blocked inhibition of EPSPs induced by TCDD but not EPSPs inhibited by TCB. These results suggest that, while TCB-induced inhibition of EPSPs occurs through an unknown mechanism, TCDD-induced inhibition of EPSPs was mediated by L-type calcium channel activity in a congener-specific manner.
Immunochemical studies of AMP:pyrophosphate phosphoribosyltransferase from normal and Lesch—Nyhan subjects

Abstract Adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (AMP:pyrophosphate phosphoribosyltransferase, EC 2.4.2.7) has been purified 4000-fold from human erythrocytes. On Sephadex column chromatography or polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis multiple peaks were observed. The prior addition of 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate (P-Rib-P-p) to the enzyme produced a single peak with a molecular weight of 26 000. Magnesium is not required to form the P-Rib-P-P adenine phosphoribosyltransferase complex. The complex is more stable to heat denaturation. Rabbit antiserum against human adenine phosphoribosyltransferase cross-reacts with lysate of erythrocytes of rhesus monkey but not with those of rabbit, dog, mouse and sheep. Neutralization of rhesus adenine phosphoribosyltransferase is more effective than of human enzyme indicating structural differences between the enzymes. The antiserum neutralizes the same amount of adenine phosphoribosyltransferase activity in erythrocytes from Lesch-Nyhan patients and normal subjects. The enzymes from both sources are not distinguishable by radial diffusion against antiserum or by immunoelectrophoresis. This evidence of immunological identity is consistent with the postulate that the elevated levels of adenine phosphoribosyltransferase found in Lesch-Nyhan patients are due to stabilization of the enzyme by endogenous metabolites.
Capture and identification of proteins that bind to a GGA-rich sequence from the ERBB2 gene promoter region.

The ERBB2 gene (HER2/neu) is overexpressed in many human breast cancers. It is an important therapeutic target and its product protein is a key biomarker for breast cancer. A 28-bp GGA repeat sequence (Pu28-mer) in the nuclease hypersensitive site of the ERBB2 promoter region may play an important role in the regulation of ERBB2 transcription, possibly involving the formation of a G-quadruplex. In order to investigate this possibility, an affinity MALDI-MS approach was used for in vitro protein capture from nuclear extracts from cultured MCF-7 and BT-474 cancer cells at Pu28-mer and control oligonucleotide-modified surfaces. Captured proteins from MCF-7 cells were analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Based on these results, Western blot was then used to interrogate captured proteins from both MCF-7 and the Her-2/neu-positive BT-474 cells. Results support the formation of a G-quadruplex by Pu28-mer, indicated by circular dichroism spectroscopy, that selectively captures transcription factors including Ku70, Ku80, PURA, nucleolin, and hnRNP K. Chromatin immunoprecipitation confirmed binding of Ku70, Ku80, PURA, and nucleolin to ERBB2 promoter in the live BT-474 cells. These findings may lead to a better understanding of the role of non-duplex DNA structures in gene regulation and provide a more complete picture of the regulation of ErbB2 expression in breast cancer. The results also provide a blueprint for development of “genome-inspired” aptamers based on the Pu28-mer sequence for in vitro and in vivo detection of proteins related to regulation of ERBB2 gene expression and breast cancer.
Growth responses, biomass partitioning, and nitrogen isotopes of prairie legumes in response to elevated temperature and varying nitrogen source in a growth chamber experiment

 Premise of the Study: Because legumes can add nitrogen (N) to ecosystems through symbiotic fi xation, they play important roles in many plant communities, such as prairies and grasslands. However, very little research has examined the effect of projected climate change on legume growth and function. Our goal was to study the effects of temperature on growth, nodulation, and N chemistry of prairie legumes and determine whether these effects are mediated by source of N.  Methods: We grew seedlings of Amorpha canescens , Dalea purpurea , Lespedeza capitata , and Lupinus perennis at 25/20 ° C (day/night) or 28/23 ° C with and without rhizobia and mineral N in controlled-environment growth chambers. Biomass, leaf area, nodule number and mass, and shoot N concentration and δ 15 N values were measured after 12 wk of growth.  Key Results: Both temperature and N-source affected responses in a species-specifi c manner. Lespedeza showed increased growth and higher shoot N content at 28 ° C. Lupinus showed decreases in nodulation and lower shoot N concentration at 28 ° C. The effect of temperature on shoot N concentration occurred only in individuals whose sole N source was N 2 -fi xation, but there was no effect of temperature on δ 15 N values in these plants.  Conclusions: Elevated temperature enhanced seedling growth of some species, while inhibiting nodulation in another. Temperature-induced shifts in legume composition or nitrogen dynamics may be another potential mechanism through which climate change affects unmanaged ecosystems.
A regulatory mutation in tyrosine biosynthesis

Abstract Mutants of Salmonella with an altered control of the tyrosine repressible enzymes were obtained by selection for resistance to 4-fluoro-phenylalanine. The tyrosine repressible 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthetase and prephenate dehydrogenase (specified by aroF , and tyr , respectively) were constitutively and co-ordinately derepressed. The mutation to resistance was co-transducible with aroF and tyr . A unit of regulation in tyrosine biosynthesis in indicated.
Long-term consequences of cis-platinum-induced renal injury: a structural and functional study.

Previous studies have shown that a single dose of the antitumor drug, cis-platinum, causes renal cyst formation in rats 1-6 months after drug injection. This observation led to a further evaluation of the long-term effects of cis-platinum on the kidney of the rat. Fisher 344 rats (N = 13) were given either a single intraperitoneal injection of cis-platinum (6 mg/kg body weight) or saline (control) and 15 months later renal function and pathology were assessed. The glomerular filtration rate and urinary osmolality in the cis-platinum-treated rats at 15 months were significantly reduced compared to controls, 520 +/- 59 microliter/min/gm kidney weight versus 799 +/- 100 (P less than .05) and 871 +/- 194 mOsm/kg H2O versus 1471 +/- 162 (P less than .05), respectively. Renal injury was less marked and of a more chronic type than to that originally described 6 months after cis-platinum. Morphometric evaluation of renal injury revealed cis-platinum-treated rats had greater numbers of abnormal proximal tubules (atrophic or hyperplastic) when compared to control rats. Glomerular sclerosis and interstitial fibrosis were also more prevalent in the animals injected with cis-platinum. In the inner stripe of the outer medulla, numerous markedly dilated tubules filled with hyaline casts and lined by simple squamous cells were present. To assess why cis-platinum exerts a chronic effect on the kidney, total platinum levels were measured in different regions of the kidney as a function of time after drug injection. Platinum levels were significantly elevated in the cortex, outer and inner stripe regions, and in the inner medulla for as long as 1 month after cis-platinum treatment. By 2 months, however, the values were no greater than controls. In summary, cis-platinum exerts a significant long-term chronic effect on the structure and function of the rat kidney.
Post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) twenty years after heart transplantation: a case report and review of the literature

We report a 62-year-old man who developed biopsy-proven post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) 20 years after receiving a heart transplant while being treated with immunosuppressive agents. The patient presented with large retroperitoneal and intestinal wall masses that caused partial gastrointestinal stenosis. Monoclonal antibody against CD20 in conjunction with chemotherapy and tapering of the immunosuppressive regimen was instituted, resulting in objective response of the disease bulk. To the best of our knowledge, this is the second reported case of PTLD 20 years after heart transplantation.
Structural and electrical properties of intercalated and ion-implanted highly ordered graphite fibers

Because of their high degree of structural order, high mechanical strength, and small diameter (\ensuremath{\sim}1 \ensuremath{\mu}m), benzene-derived graphite fibers provide an excellent host material for a structural analysis of both the intercalation and ion-implantation processes in graphite. Using the $c$-axis lattice imaging technique, with a high-resolution electron microscope, we observe well-staged intercalated regions in this fiber matrix. With regard to ion implantation, we find a distribution in the density of lattice defects with depth from the fiber surface. Ion implantation is also found to increase the graphite interlayer spacing. This information is correlated with electrical properties of these fibers.
Morphogenesis of the brain

The fundamental structure of the brain stem is uniform throughout the vertebrate series, not essentially because it expresses an architypical pattern, but because of the constancy of peripheral connections and their internal relationships, both of which are parts of an apparatus of adjustment to environment which is common to vertebrates. Other parts of the brain are more variable because, with complication of the behavior pattern in higher forms, more elaborate and diversified mechanisms of correlation and integration are requisite. The brain stem between the olfactory bulb and other primary sensory centers is plastic tissue not dominated by any single sensory-motor system; it is the meeting place of descending and ascending sensory paths. Here the chief apparatus of correlation and integration is elaborated. From it emerge the complex thalamic and cortical adjustors. The pallium is not a primary constituent of the vertebrate brain. The pallial type of organization gradually emerged from the more ancient subpallial type and comes to mature expression in the cerebral cortex. Several instructive stages in the progressive differentiation of cortical structure and connections are seen in the amphibian forebrain, but the process is not consummated. Amphibia have no cerebral cortex, though cortical primordia are evident here and in various fishes. Static concepts of architypes and the dialectic of ‘form-analytic’ argumentation are replaced by a more dynamic treatment of morphogenesis.
Attitudes of older versus younger adults toward dentistry and dentists

A total of 416 adults were interviewed by telephone to gauge their attitudes toward dentistry and dentists. Attitudes of those age 55 and older were compared with those younger than age 55. It was found that 72% of those 55 and older had not visited a dentist in the previous 2 years because they felt it was not necessary; 38.5% of respondents younger than 55 gave this reason. Only 15% of those 55 and older reported that high costs kept them away from the dentist.
Magneto-thermo-mechanical characterization of magnetostrictive composites

ABSTRACT This paper describes magneto-thermo-mechanical characterization of magnetostrictive composites. The purpose of this studyis to evaluate the behavior of magnetostrictive composites under combined magnetic, thermal and mechanical loading, and todetermine fundamental properties used for design of actuator and sensor systems that incorporate these materials. Currentlythe composites are being used in sonar transducers. The magnetostrictive composite contains Terfenol-D (Tb 0.3 Dy 0.7 Fe 2 )particulate embedded into an epoxy binder. Composite form is used due to the relative brittleness and limited operationalfrequencies of monolithic Terfenol-D. Two different tests were performed both at room temperature and under thermalloading: 1) constant magnetic field with cyclically varying load around a bias load and 2) constant pre-load with varyingmagnetic field. Testing was performed on five different volume fraction composites, namely, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50%.Parameters that were evaluated include strain output, magnetic field, magnetization and elastic modulus. Results for theconstant magnetic field tests indicate that modulus generally increases with increasing volume fraction and increasing                 more mobile at lower magnetic field levels. Results also indicate an increase in modulus with decrease in temperature.Results for the constant load test indicate a strong dependence of strain output on applied pre-stress. Results indicate that m axstrain peaks at a certain value of the pre-stress and then decreases for increasing pre-stress. Results also indicate that strainoutput peaks between 0 C and +10 C and that strain generally increases with increasing volume fraction.Keywords: Magnetostriction, Terfenol-D, Magnetostrictive composites
End-user perceptions of formal and informal representations of web sites

Web site designers have expressed concerns that formal, cleaned-up representations of early ideas cause end-users to focus on inappropriate details. It is believed that the high-fidelity of formal representations cause end-users to believe a design is more complete and therefore not amenable to high-level changes and suggestions. In this paper we present an experiment comparing end-user perceptions of formal and informal electronic representations of web site designs. We found that end-users do in fact believe formal representations are finished and unchanging, but that this does not seem to influence the level of detail in their suggestions. However, it appears that informal designs presented in an electronic medium raises user expectations such that lower-level suggestions about the visual aspects were made.
The interactive effect of revenue diversification and economic base on US local government revenue stability

Over the past 50 years, revenue diversification has emerged as an important trend in US local and state government finance. As a result, the role of the property tax has declined relative to other revenues, such as income taxes, sales taxes and user charges. This article examines the impact of revenue diversification on the revenue stability of local governments and whether the impact varies according to the nature of a jurisdiction's economic base. The findings are highly relevant to autonomous national governments in the EU. In addition, revenue stability is a significant factor that rating agencies take into account when determining a government's capacity to pay off debt, so the article has particular relevance to countries with large debts.
Early handling influences on behavioral and physiological responses during active avoidance.

The effects of early handling on behavioral and physiological responses of the rat during active avoidance learning were investigated. Handled and nonhandled males and females were run in a 2-way shuttlebox task with an unconditioned stimulus of either .5 mA or .8 mA. Animals exposed to .8 mA showed a higher corticosterone response, a shorter response latency, and increased defecation. Early handling did not affect performance of the task, however handling did alter the patterns of the plasma corticosterone response over the course of avoidance training. Handled females showed less elevation of plasma corticosterone than nonhandled females, but all females showed a decrease in corticosterone over the course of avoidance learning. All males showed the drop in corticoids if run at .5 mA shock, but only handled males showed this change at .8 mA shock.
Subversive script and novel graphs in Japanese girls’ culture

Abstract This article describes how young women in Japan transgress ideals of proper literacy, particularly notions about normative women’s writing, when they compose carefully wrought yet hard-to-read texts. Writing in this novel style serves as a generational and gendered identity marker, and elders and outsiders find it nonsensical, unfeminine and unsightly. In addition, the writing style itself demonstrates an expansionist stance through appropriation of multiple script sets, fonts and icons. The findings offer a corrective to scholarship on writing systems that routinely neglects the importance of a gestalt understanding of writing.
Psychological Adaptation of Nurses Post-Disaster

Disasters have the potential to cause major disruptions in lifeline services and family support systems. As caregivers, nurses are required to make difficult choices during national emergencies and may be at risk for experiencing psychological distress following a disaster. This study describes the responses of a group of nurses following Hurricane Hugo, and makes recommendations to minimize the stress placed on nurses working in a time of disaster.
Effect of Nb doping on pyroelectric property of lead zirconate titanate films prepared by chemical solution deposition

Abstract Pb(Zr 0.2 Ti 0.8 ) 1− x Nb x O 3 (PNZT) ( x = 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%) films with 1 μm thickness were deposited on a platinized silicon using the chemical solution deposition (CSD) method followed by rapid thermal annealing (RTA). X-ray patterns indicate that introduction of the first seeding layer significantly enhance the crystallization of films after RTA processing. Electrical characterization was performed on Pt/PNZT/Pt capacitors. In order to precisely determine the pyroelectric coefficients of the PNZT films, trapezium and sinusoidal temperature modulations were applied to Pt/PNZT/Pt capacitors while measuring the pyroelectric current signal. Pyroelectric voltage response of these films was measured with chopped IR radiation from a blackbody source tuned to equivalent of 400 °C. Results show that doping PZT with Nb significantly improves the ferroelectric and pyroelectric properties of these films. Films with doping level of 1 mol% of Nb exhibit the highest values of remnant polarization (49.33 μC/cm 2 ) and pyroelectric coefficient (4.6 × 10 −4 C/K m 2 ).
Alteration of sex expression in the cucumber by testosterone and estradiol

Abstract Treatment of monoecious cucumber plants with 17β-estradiol or testoterone induced femaleness in the flowering of the plants.
Cross-layer routing on MIMO-OFDM underwater acoustic links

UnderWater Acoustic Sensor Networks (UW-ASNs) are experiencing a rapid growth, due to their high relevance to commercial and military applications such as oceanographic data collection, pollution monitoring, offshore exploration, disaster prevention, and tactical surveillance. However, the design of efficient communication protocols for underwater sensor networks is still an open research problem due to the unique characteristics of the underwater acoustic communication channel such as limited bandwidth, high and variable propagation delays, and significant multipath and scattering. In this paper, we consider multimedia underwater monitoring applications with heterogeneous traffic demands in terms of bandwidth and end-to-end reliability. Distributed routing algorithms are introduced for delay-insensitive and delay-sensitive applications, with the objective of reducing the energy consumption by i) leveraging the tradeoff between multiplexing and diversity gain that characterizes MIMO links, and ii) allocating transmit power on suitable subcarriers according to channel conditions and application requirements. To achieve the objective above, each node jointly i) selects its next hop, ii) chooses a suitable transmission mode, and iii) assigns optimal transmit power on different subcarriers to achieve a target level of Quality of Service (QoS) in a cross-layer fashion. Extensive simulation results demonstrate that our proposed protocol is adaptive to the unique characteristics of the underwater acoustic communication channel, and achieves excellent performance through local cooperations between transmitter and receiver.
AN ANATOMICALLY PRESERVED POTONIEA WITH IN SITU SPORES FROM THE PENNSYLVANIAN OF ILLINOIS

Specimens preserved in coal balls collected from the Herrin (No. 6) Coal in Illinois reveal the internal structure of the pteridosperm pollen organ long known as the compression fossil, Potoniea. Cylindrical sporangia are concentrically arranged in a campanulate body and the end of each sporangium projects freely from the distal face of the organ. Pollen is trilete and without a distal germinal aperture. The exine is structureless and has a separable, perine-like layer adorned with orbicules. THE specimens described in this study illustrate one of the problems encountered by paleobotanists, namely, recognition of a given plant organ that is fossilized in different ways. The specimens described are preserved by a process of permineralization (Schopf, 1975) and embedded in calcareous nodules known as coal balls. This mode of preservation preserves cellular detail, but because specimens are studied from serial sections, the three-dimensional morphology must be reconstructed. The genera Potoniea and Plinthiotheca have long been known as coalified compressions preserved as highly flattened remains between layers of shale and although the gross morphology is known (Halle, 1933; Laveine, 1971), internal structure has, of necessity, been a matter of conjecture. The present study is based upon specimens that are considered to be anatomically preserved forms of the compression genus Potoniea, and the resulting increase in understanding of the internal structure of this organ contributes to our knowledge of pteridosperm pollen organs.
Review of contemporaneous mycosis fungoides and B-cell malignancy at Mayo Clinic

Background Having either mycosis fungoides or B-cell lymphoma may predispose a patient to the other. Objective We sought to determine whether the contemporaneous occurrence of the two malignancies is greater than chance and to investigate possible risk factors for the second malignancy. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with contemporaneous mycosis fungoides and B-cell lymphoma seen between 1990 and 2007 at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, or at Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ. Results In all, 23 patients had contemporaneous mycosis fungoides and B-cell malignancy. The first diagnosis was mycosis fungoides in 10 patients and B-cell lymphoma in 7; in 6 patients, the diseases were diagnosed simultaneously. No therapeutic factors could account for a predisposition to a second malignancy. Limitations Retrospective design, referral center, and small sample size are limitations. Conclusion Mycosis fungoides and B-cell lymphoma are unlikely to occur contemporaneously by chance, but no factor obviously predisposes a patient with one malignancy to development of the second
Database-backed Web sites

The article discusses how to create and use relational database backed Web sites which are protected from data corruption. A threaded discussion on the Internet is used as a typical database application in order to demonstrate the technique.
NASA funding slow, not steady, after space race.

After reading d. Kennedy's editorial “Sputnik nostalgia” (5 October, p. [17][1]), I find myself in a state I did not expect—one of disappointment. Kennedy writes about the positive effects the launch of Sputnik had on education and the nation's educational community. These improvements resulted largely from an increase in federal sponsorship that came as part of the backlash from Sputnik. Yet, there lies within this seemingly fine outcome an issue that needs to be addressed. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was formed along with a dramatic increase in federal funding for science and science education in response to the former Soviet Union's incredible achievement ([1][2]). When Neil Armstrong became the first person to set foot on the moon, the government's interest in science dropped almost immediately. Because of the sudden lack of funding, the Apollo program was discontinued just 6 years after Apollo 11 landed in the Sea of Tranquility, in order to save funds for the shuttle and Skylab programs ([2][3]). Lately, NASA has received additional funding to attempt a second series of missions to the moon as part of the Constellation Program ([3][4]), but the long-awaited increase is the bittersweet result of an imaginary space race ([4][5]). It seems that only when faced with the threat of looking stupid or coming in second place does our government open its wallet to science ([1][2], [4][5]). 1. 1.[↵][6] 1. J. F. Kennedy ,Special Message to the Congress on Urgent National Needs, Washington, DC, 25 May 1961. 2. 2.[↵][7] 1. R. W. Orloff , Apollo by the Numbers (NASA History Division, Washington, DC, 2000). 3. 3.[↵][8] 1. W. Gerstenmaier ,paper presented before the Subcommittee on Space, Aeronautics, and Related Sciences, Washington, DC, 28 March 2007. 4. 4.[↵][9] 1. R. Block ,“NASA points to foreign competition to spark support,” Orlando Sentinel 23 October 2007. [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.1150389 [2]: #ref-1 [3]: #ref-2 [4]: #ref-3 [5]: #ref-4 [6]: #xref-ref-1-1 "View reference 1. in text" [7]: #xref-ref-2-1 "View reference 2. in text" [8]: #xref-ref-3-1 "View reference 3. in text" [9]: #xref-ref-4-1 "View reference 4. in text"
Prantal in long-term anticholinergic therapy.

The anticholinergic. drug diphemanil methylsulfate (Prantal) was highly effective for the relief of pain from gastric and duodenal ulcers. Side effects were infrequent or lacking in its use in dosages up to 800 mg. daily. Prantal was slightly more effective than both propantheline bromide and methscopolamine bromide in relieving pain in these 26 patients, and could be continued at effective dosage levels for longer periods without causing severe side effects. Dryness of the mouth, blurred vision, and difficulty in urination were not encountered in the use of Prantal.