cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Legal Pathways to Deep Decarbonization in the United States: Introduction

This introduction is to a new book, Legal Pathways to Deep Decarbonization in the United States (Environmental Law Institute Press, Michael B. Gerrard & John C. Dernbach eds., forthcoming 2018). The book is a playbook of legal pathways for enabling the United States to address what is perhaps the greatest problem facing this country and the rest of humanity. It identifies hundreds of legal options for reducing U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 80% from 1990 levels by 2050. In U.S. football, a playbook is a comprehensive listing of all of the plays that can be employed by a particular team. In any one game, some of these plays will be used, and some will not, depending on the circumstances. But coaches and other decision makers for the team draw from the playbook to employ an appropriate combination of plays in order to win. Similarly, this book attempts to provide a comprehensive description and explanation of legal pathways to decarbonize the U.S. economy. It is likely that not all of them will be used, but public and private decision makers can employ various combinations of these pathways to achieve the needed reductions in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. This introduction first explains the urgency of climate change and describes the significance of the Paris Agreement. It then summarizes U.S. technical and policy pathways to deep decarbonization, as set out in two reports by the Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project (DDPP) and in other studies. It explains why deep decarbonization is in the best interests of the U.S., and describes the value of understanding legal pathways to deep decarbonization. The introduction concludes with a brief explanation of the plan of this book.
Percutaneous coronary intervention versus coronary artery bypass grafting for severe coronary artery disease

Introduction: Although coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) remains the gold standard for treatment in patients with left main (LM) disease and three-vessel coronary artery disease (CAD), advances in coronary stent design and improved percutaneous interventional techniques have made it possible to successfully treat a growing number of patients with severe coronary disease using percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
Contributions of Animal Cognition to the Understanding of Human Cognition

The study of animal cognition adds importantly to the understanding of the functions of intellect in the natural world of animals and the pressures that may select for intellect. In turn, such study and analysis can place the theory and data on human cognition in a broader comparative perspective. This may make possible the isolation of special features of human cognition, as well as features that have parallels or precursors among animal species.
Synthesis of an anionic Au(I) hydroamination precatalyst supported by charged hydrido-carboranyl phosphine ligands

Abstract Herein is reported the synthesis of an anionic gold complex bearing two charged hydrido carboranyl phosphine ligands. The compound is fully characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, high resolution mass spectrometry, as well as a single crystal X-ray diffraction study. In addition, we probe this compound’s ability to catalyze the hydroamination of alkynes and compare its behavior to a related highly active catalyst supported by a perchlorinated carboranyl phosphine.
Neoplastic Hematologic Disorders in Children and Adolescents

Pediatric neoplasms comprise specific cytogenetic and molecular biological properties that are different from adult cancers. This chapter gives a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge on pediatric hematological disorders, including standard therapy regimen; molecular biological, genetic, and morphological typing; supportive care; acute complications; and novel targeted therapy options.
Introducing the Concepts of Advocacy and Social Determinants of Health Within the Pediatric Clerkship.

Introduction Although advocacy and social determinants of health (SDH) are fundamental components of pediatrics and other areas of health care, medical education often lacks formal training about t...
Acoustical Detection of Astrophysical Neutrinos in the Ocean

The Deep Undersea Muon and Neutrino Detection (DUMAMD) Project is briefly described, starting with its inception circa 1974. Acoustical detection is preferred over optical means for astrophysical observations, and extensive hydrophone arrays in kilometer — cube sections of deep ocean can both detect the neutrinos and give their direction of arrival. Statistics for expected events, and the unique problems associated with detecting an occasional acoustic impulse are discussed. Preliminary field and laboratory tests are described. Current thinking as well as novel schemes for detector geometries and signal processing are presented.
Next-generation sequencing specifies Angiostrongylus eosinophilic meningoencephalitis in infants: Two case reports

AbstractRationale:Angiostrongylus cantonensis-induced eosinophilic meningoencephalitis (AEM) in infants is a very rare but fatal disease. Utilization of genetic assay to detect the cerebral parasite plays an important role for the treatment of the infection.Patient concerns:Two infants (<2 years) pr
Growing a backbone – functional biomaterials and structures for intervertebral disc (IVD) repair and regeneration: challenges, innovations, and future directions

Back pain and associated maladies can account for an immense amount of healthcare cost and loss of productivity in the workplace. In particular, spine related injuries in the US affect upwards of 5.7 million people each year. The degenerative disc disease treatment almost always arises due to a clinical presentation of pain and/or discomfort. Preferred conservative treatment modalities include the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, massage, acupuncture, chiropractic work, and dietary supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin. Artificial disc replacement, also known as total disc replacement, is a treatment alternative to spinal fusion. The goal of artificial disc prostheses is to replicate the normal biomechanics of the spine segment, thereby preventing further damage to neighboring sections. Artificial functional disc replacement through permanent metal and polymer-based components continues to evolve, but is far from recapitulating native disc structure and function, and suffers from the risk of unsuccessful tissue integration and device failure. Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine strategies combine novel material structures, bioactive factors and stem cells alone or in combination to repair and regenerate the IVD. These efforts are at very early stages and a more in-depth understanding of IVD metabolism and cellular environment will also lead to a clearer understanding of the native environment which the tissue engineering scaffold should mimic. The current review focusses on the strategies for a successful regenerative scaffold for IVD regeneration and the need for defining new materials, environments, and factors that are so finely tuned in the healthy human intervertebral disc in hopes of treating such a prevalent degenerative process.
Fast Learning and Invariant Object Recognition: The Sixth- Generation Breakthrough

FAST LEARNING Learning to See (A. Franich & B. Sou ek) Fast Back Propagation with Adaptive Decoupled Momentum (A. Minai & R. Williams) Second Order Gradient Methods in Back Propagation (S. Piramuthu) Constructing Efficient Features for Back Propagation (S. Piramuthu) How Slow Processes Can Think Fast in Concurrent Logic? (F. Kozato & G. Ringwood) How to Deal with Multiple Possible Generalizers (D. Wolpert) Infinitesimal Versus Discrete Methods in Neural Network Synthesis (A. Albrecht) Systolic Array Implementation of Neural Networks (J. Chung, et al.) INVARIANT OBJECT RECOGNITION Translation Invariant Neural Networks (S. Wilson) Higher Order Neural Networks in Position, Scale, and Rotation Invariant Object Recognition (L. Spirkovska & M. Reid) Visual Tracking with Object Classification: Neural Network Approach (A. Dobnikar, et al.) A Neural Network Approach to Landmark Based Shape Recognition (N. Ansari & K. Li) Directed and Undirected Segmentation of Three-Dimensional Ultrasonograms (R. Silverman) Implementation of Neural Networks on Parallel Architectures and Invariant Object Recognition (M. Misra & V. Prasanna) Index.
Meerkat and tuba: design alternatives for randomness, surprise and serendipity in reminiscing

People are accumulating large amounts of personal digital content that play a role in reminiscing practices. But as these collections become larger, and older content is less frequently accessed, much of this content is simply forgotten. In response to this we explore the notions of randomness and serendipity in the presentation of content from people's digital collections. To do this we designed and deployed two devices - Meerkat and Tuba - that enable the serendipitous presentation of digital content from people's personal media collections. Each device emphasises different characteristics of serendipity that with a view to understanding whether people interpret and value these in different ways while reminiscing. In order explore the use of the devices in context, we deployed in real homes. We report on findings from the study and discuss their implications for design.
Network security development process: a framework for teaching network security courses

Teaching Network Security course is a challenging task. One of the challenges is that networks have become more complicated and prone to attacks. In response to the challenge, the set of networking and security protocols and mechanisms continue to evolve, increasing the number of security technologies a network engineer needs to master in order to secure a network. This paper describes our experience of applying a network security development model to developing a network security lab. Developing network security is an iterative process, encompassing the analysis of vulnerabilities and threats, construction of policies, design of network architecture, integration plan of control measures, implementation of the design, and the operation and maintenance of a secure network. While Network Security has become an increasingly complicated topic to teach, we have learned from experiences the significance of a well-defined network security development process for teaching the development of secure networks.
IMPACTO DEL TLCAN EN EL COMERCIO AGRÍCOLA

El Tratado de Libre Comercio de America del Norte (TLCAN) es un acuerdo de liberalizacion del comercio global entre Canada, Mexico y los Estados Unidos. Esto es especialmente cierto para el comercio agricola entre Mexico y Estados Unidos. Los obstaculos al comercio agricola entre Mexico y los Estados Unidos se eliminaron por completo en enero 1, 2008. El acuerdo facilita la inversion transfronteriza, normas fitosanitarias, cooperacion en respecta a las materias de medio ambiente y laboral y establece un procedimiento de resolucion de controversias y procedimientos regulares de consulta. Cada uno de los paises del TLCAN adopto el tratado con la esperanza de obtener un mayor acceso a los mercados y crecimiento comercial, asi como el acceso a capital, tecnologia, una ventaja comercial favorable y otras ventajas. La pregunta es, ?se cumplieron tales expectativas? Los paises del TLCAN no se detuvieron con el TLCAN como su unico acuerdo comercial regional. Cada uno de estos acuerdos anadidos redujo la ventaja adquirida inicialmente por los productores del TLCAN ya que las barreras comerciales se han reducido tambien a otros paises competidores. La inversion extranjera directa a todas las industrias ha aumentado de US $15 mil millones en 2003 a US $95 mil millones en 2008, pero probablemente menos de lo esperado ya que despues de 2000 mas capital y el empleo comenzaron a fluir a China e India. La industria sigue buscando mano de obra barata y Mexico ya no es el mercado de mano de obra mas barata. Sin embargo el comercio agricola ha aumentado entre los socios del TLCAN a partir de US$10 mil millones dolares en 1989 a US $67 mil millones en 2008 con una mayor integracion de los mercados agricolas. Las exportaciones agricolas totales de Mexico (a todos los paises) se acercaron a US $16.9 mil millones dolares en 2008. Las importaciones correspondientes en 2008 ascendieron a unos $23.2 mil millones dolares. Las importaciones de Mexic
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times: A psychophysiologist's view of cognitive aging

This paper reviews research on age-related changes in working memory and attention control. This work is interpreted within a framework labeled "GOLDEN aging" (growing of lifelong differences explains normal aging), which is based on the idea that normal aging (as opposed to pathological aging) represents maturational processes causing progressive shifts in the distributions of mental abilities over the lifespan. As such, brain phenomena observed in normal aging are already apparent, under appropriate conditions, in younger adults. Among the phenomena that can be interpreted according to the GOLDEN aging framework are reductions in working memory capacity, impairments of inhibitory processes, increases in frontal lobe activation, and lack of suppression of responses as a function of repetition.
Intraclass and interclass correlations of allele sizes within and between loci in DNA typing data

Nonparametric measures of correlations of DNA fragment lengths within and between variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) loci are proposed to test the hypothesis of random association of allele sizes at VNTR loci. Transformations of these nonparametric correlation measures are suggested to detect deviations of their null expectations caused by population subdivision and errors of measurement of VNTR fragment lengths. Analytic and permutation-based computer simulation studies are performed to show that under the hypothesis of independence of allele sizes the transformed correlation measures are normally distributed, irrespective of the VNTR fragment size distribution in the population even when the number of individuals samples is as low as 100. Power calculations are performed to establish that the current population data on six VNTR loci in the US Hispanic sample are in accordance with the hypothesis of random association of allele sizes within and between loci. Implications of these results in the context of forensic use of DNA typing are also discussed.
The Minimal Length of a Closed Geodesic Net on a Riemannian Manifold with a Nontrivial Second Homology Group

Let M n be a closed Riemannian manifold with a nontrivial second homology group. In this paper we prove that there exists a geodesic net on M n of length at most 3 diameter(M n ). Moreover, this geodesic net is either a closed geodesic, consists of two geodesic loops emanating from the same point, or consists of three geodesic segments between the same endpoints. Geodesic nets can be viewed as the critical points of the length functional on the space of graphs immersed into a Riemannian manifold. One can also consider other natural functionals on the same space, in particular, the maximal length of an edge. We prove that either there exists a closed geodesic of length ≤ 2 diameter(M n ), or there exists a critical point of this functional on the space of immersed θ-graphs such that the value of the functional does not exceed the diameter of M n . If n=2, then this critical θ-graph is not only immersed but embedded.
Simulation of soil nutrient losses resulting from rainfall acidity

Abstract This paper describes a simulation model that provides a quantitative system utilizing established relationships from soil chemistry to predict the most likely effect of rainfall acidity on the leaching of cations from noncalcareous soils. The model utilizes the relationships between lime potential ( pH − 1 2 pCa ) and base saturation described by Clark and Hill (1964) and Turner and Clark (1964), the equilibrium between CO 2 partial pressure and H + and HCO 3 − in solution, the apparent solubility product of Al(OH) 3 , the equilibrium of cations and anions in solution, the Langmuir isotherm description of sulfate adsorption, and mass balance considerations, to predict the distribution of ions between the solution and sorbed or exchangeable phases. Ionic composition of leachates in response to rainfall composition can thus be computed. Ions considered in the present version are H + , Ca 2+ , Al 3+ , SO 4 2− , Cl − and HCO 3 − . The model predicts almost exact chemical equivalence between basic cations removed in the leachate and strong acid anions entering the system in the rainfall if pH − 1 2 pCa is above 3.0, at which point the base saturation will generally not exceed 20%. At lower pH − 1 2 pCa values, leaching of anions in association with H + and Al 3+ becomes significant and these cations predominate when pH − 1 2 pHa falls below 2.0. If the soil exhibits sulfate adsorption properties, leaching of bases in response to rainfall containing sulfuric acid may be delayed until a sulfate adsorption equilibrium is reached, but base removal would continue after the sulfuric acid input was stopped.
Tetrameric octi(p-phenylene) self-assemblies in aqueous solution: proof of principle of a novel suprastructural motif

Abstract A general supramolecular energy minimum has been predicted for tetrameric ‘pinwheels’, known as smallest units of herringbone-type suprastructures in H-aggregates and crystals of aromatic chromophores. As a proof of principle, we herein describe octi(p-phenylene)s that quantitatively self-assemble into novel tetrameric supramolecules in aqueous solution.
The role of the central nervous system in modulating glucose and protein metabolism during insulin-induced hypoglycemia.

Abstract We previously established that insulin-induced hypoglycemia is associated with enhanced proteolysis with the GI tract being the major contributor to this response. In the present study we examined whether brain hypoglycemia modulates the changes in amino acid and glucose kinetics during insulin-induced hypoglycemia. Studies were performed in 24 h faster conscious dogs chronically fitted with catheters in the femoral artery, portal vein, hepatic vein, femoral vein and in both carotid and vertebral arteries, and that were also fitted with permanent tracheostomies. Following a 30 min basal period insulin was infused i.v. at 300 mU/kg·h to achieve systemic hypoglycemia averaging 42±2mg/dl. In group 1 (n = 6) both central and systemic (global) hypoglycemia was allowed to develop. The rate of net hepatic glucose output (NHGO) increased by 50% above basal. Plasma leucine increased from 120 ± 12 μmol/1 basally to 154 ± 30 μmol/1 during the last hour of hypoglycemia. The rate of leucine appearance into the plasma compartment (Ru) increased from 154 ± 30 to 200 ± 36 μmol/kg·h and its rate of oxidation increased from 22 ± 5 to 51 ± 8 μmol/kg·h, while its non-oxidative rate of disposal (141 ± 12 μmol/kg·h) did not change. Net leucine balance across the gut was neutral (6 ± 5 μmol/kg·h) and switched to net output of 96 ± 24 μmol/kg·h. In group II (n = 5) 10% dextrose in water was infused into both carotid and vertebral arteries to prevent profound CNS glucopenia. This was associated with a drop in NHGO. Plasma leucine dropped from 143 ± 9 to 39 ± 7 μmol/I, leucine Ru dropped from 165 ± 15 to 60 ± 9 μmol/kg·h, leucine oxidation dropped from 34 ± 9 to 9 ± 2 μmol/kg·h and non-oxidative Ru dropped from 129 ± 15 to 54 ± 6 μmol/kg·h (allP
Prediction In Future Samples Studied In Terms Of The Gain From Selection.

The gain from selection (GS) is defined as the standardized average performance of a group of subjects selected in a future sample using a regression equation derived on an earlier sample. Expressions for the expected value, density, and distribution function (DF) of GS are derived and studied in terms of sample size, number of predictors, and the prior distribution assigned to the population multiple correlation. The DF of GS is further used to determine how large sample sizes must be so that with probability .90 (.95), the expected GS will be within 90 percent of its maximum possible value. An approximately unbiased estimator of the expected GS is also derived.
Eating attitudes and body image of asian and caucasian college women

Abstract Very few studies have investigated eating disorders among immigrants to the United States. The purpose of this study was to compare eating attitudes and behaviors, fear of fat, and body image in Asian and Caucasian women. Eating attitude and fear of fat were assessed with validated instruments, and body size perception was assessed with body mass index silhouettes. Both groups identified a similar, underweight body silhouette as the “ideal,” and both groups overestimated actual body size. Our results suggest that Asians in the United States have similar eating attitudes and behaviors and body dissatisfaction but a greater fear of fat than Caucasians, indicating a need for eating disorder awareness programs targeted to female Asian immigrants.
Stability and mixing of a two-layer exchange flow

Abstract The stability of a two-layer exchange flow through a contraction is investigated experimentally and analytically. Experiments validated the predictions of hydraulic theory from cases with no net barotropic flowrates to box flows with high barotropic flowrates. Instabilities which depend on the shear layer Reynolds number and the local Richardson number exist at various scales. Linear stability analysis of a tanh velocity and density profile with varying thickness ratio and boundaries imposed at arbitrary distances shows the existence of several modes of instabilities including Holmboe and Kelvin-Helmholz modes. The stability properties of exchange flows are described based on this model.
Labor analgesia with paravertebral lumbar sympathetic block

Background and Objectives: Provision of labor analgesia continues to be a challenge for parturients with spine pathology or history of back surgery. Methods: We report on the use of paravertebral lumbar sympathetic block for first stage labor analgesia in two parturients with spine pathology.
Molecular environment of the phencyclidine binding site in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor membrane

Phencyclidine is a highly specific noncompetitive inhibitor of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. In a novel approach to study this site, a spin-labeled analogue of phencyclindine. 4-phenyl-4-(1-piperidinyl)-2.2.6.6.-tetramethylpiperidinoxyl (PPT) was synthesized. The binding of PPT inhibits86Rb flux (IC50=6.6μm), and [3H] phencyclidine binding to both resting and desensitized acetylcholine receptor (IC50=17 μm and 0.22 μm, respectively). From an indirect Hill plot of the inhibition of [3H]phencyclidine binding by PPT. a Hill coefficient of approximately one was obtained in the presence of carbamylcholine and 0.8 in α-bungarotoxin-treated preparations. Taken together, these results indicate that PPt mimics phencyclidine in its ability to bind to the noncompetitive inhibitor site and is functionally active in blocking ion flux across the acetylcholine receptor channel. Analysis of the electron spin resonance signal of the bound PPT suggests that the environment surrounding the probe within the ion channel is hydrophobic, with a hydrophobicity parameter of 1.09. A dielectric constant for the binding site was estimated to be in the range of 2–3 units.
A method to define SoS requirements

The purpose of this paper, following completion of the initial research effort, is to provide an update to the previously-published article in this same journal, which examined the nature of the issues surrounding SoS requirements definition and discussed and demonstrated an emerging methodology. With the related research stage complete, the now SoS requirements definition method shows promise for being transportable to a wide range of SoS domains and can significantly enhance requirements practices for engineering SoS to provide element system managers and engineers a higher level SoS focus to their efforts while still maximising their autonomy to achieve system-level requirements. The method combines top-down, bottoms-up approaches to discerning and deriving unifying SoS requirements. The end result is a set of SoS requirements that are more granular than high-level capability objectives yet more abstract than the detailed system requirements.
Improvement in cognitive functions and psychiatric symptoms in treatment-refractory schizophrenic patients receiving clozapine

Cognitive functions and psychopathology were assessed in 36 treatment-refractory schizophrenic patients before initiation of clozapine, and at 6 weeks and 6 months, thereafter. Before treatment, cognitive impairment was found in each measure of memory, attention, and executive function as compared with 26 normal controls. After both 6 weeks and 6 months of treatment, significant improvement occurred in the Controlled Oral Word Association Test, a measure of retrieval from reference memory. Improvement was also noted at 6 months in the Category Instance Generation Test, another measure of retrieval from reference memory, and in some, but not all, tests of executive function, attention, and recall memory. Clozapine treatment also resulted in significant improvement in Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) Total and Positive symptom scores at both 6-week and 6-month assessment points. There was some evidence for a relationship between improvement in psychopathology and cognitive function. The improvement in cognitive function during clozapine treatment could have consequences for capacity to work and social function.
Long term follow-up of infliximab efficacy in pulmonary and extra-pulmonary sarcoidosis refractory to conventional therapy

Abstract Introduction Infliximab, a humanized, chimeric, monoclonal antibody against tumor necrosis alpha (TNF-α), has been shown to reduce the pulmonary and extra-pulmonary manifestations of sarcoidosis, however, there is little information regarding sustained efficacy with long-term use of infliximab. We retrospectively investigate whether a reduction in disease response is maintained, over a prolonged course of therapy (up to 85 months) with infliximab, and report on adverse events associated with its use. Methods Subjects with multi-organ sarcoidosis were prescribed infliximab, between January 2000 to June 2010 due to failure of conventional therapy and were identified from the Drexel University College of Medicine sarcoidosis clinic. Retrospective patient reported symptom and objective clinical data analyses of pulmonary and extra-pulmonary findings were evaluated pre-infliximab and post or concurrent infliximab therapy. Any adverse events or reasons for discontinuation during infliximab therapy were reported. Results Twenty-six patients with biopsy proven sarcoidosis received anti-TNF therapy and met the criteria for study inclusion. Clinical evidence of sustained resolution or improvement was demonstrated in 58.5% of all organs assessed ( p = 0.001). No clinical change in disease activity was seen in 35.8% of all organs evaluated. Despite infliximab treatment, 5.7% had progressive disease activity. Adverse events were seen in 57.7% of patients treated with infliximab over a 46.2 month average duration of therapy. Three (12%) patients had an adverse event that required permanent discontinuation. Conclusions Infliximab is efficacious in the treatment of extra-pulmonary sarcoidosis and the efficacy is maintained with prolonged treatment. In patients with pulmonary sarcoid, sustained improvement in pulmonary imaging was seen after initiation of infliximab, however, post-treatment pulmonary function testing was not conclusive. Long-term infliximab therapy was well tolerated for our study group.
Trophoblast giant-cell differentiation involves changes in cytoskeleton and cell motility.

Trophoblast giant-cell differentiation is well-characterized at the molecular level, yet very little is known about how molecular changes affect the cellular functions of trophoblast in embryo implantation. We have found, using both explanted E7.5 mouse embryo ectoplacental cone and the rat choriocarcinoma (Rcho-1) cell line, that trophoblast differentiation is distinguished by dramatic changes in cytoarchitecture and cell behavior. Undifferentiated trophoblast cells contain little organized actin and few small, peripheral focal complexes and exhibit high membrane protrusive activity, while differentiated trophoblast giant cells contain prominent stress fibers, large internal as well as peripheral focal adhesions, and become immotile. The dramatic changes in cell behavior and cytoskeletal organization of giant cells correlate with changes in the activities of the Rho family of small GTPases and a decrease in tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase. Together, these data provide detailed insight into the cellular properties of trophoblast giant cells and suggest that giant-cell differentiation is characterized by a transition from a motile to a specialized epithelial phenotype. Furthermore, our data support a phagocytic erosion, rather than a migratory infiltration, mechanism for trophoblast giant-cell invasion of the uterine stroma.
Volunteers in partnership: An Alzheimer's rehabilitation program delivered by students:

This article describes a “partnered volunteering,” student-delivered language, and memory stimulation program for Alzheimer patients that is easy to replicate and administer low in cost, and beneficial to the patients, students, family members, and participating community agencies involved. The program took place during two consecutive semesters at the University of Arizona. Positive pre- to post-test patient language changes and improvements on memory test performance are reported. Twelve early stage Alzheimer patients-six each semester-were matched with 12 undergraduate speech and hearing and psychology students. The pairs were each assigned to 10 one-hour weekly sessions of volunteer service or other community activity meaningful to the patient. During each session, students engaged partners in 30 to 40 minutes of structured conversation-stimulating activities. During the second semester, four patients also worked with biographical memory tapes and quizzes produced and administered by their student par...
Concentration, distribution, and comparison of selected trace elements in bed sediment and fish tissue in the South Platte River Basin, USA, 1992-1993

During August–November 1992 and August 1993, bed sediment and fish liver were sampled in the South Platte River Basin and analyzed for 45 elements in bed sediment and 19 elements in fish liver. The results for aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, selenium, silver, uranium, and zinc are presented here. All 12 trace elements were detected in bed sediment, but not all were detected in fish liver or in all species of fish. A background concentration of trace elements in bed sediment was calculated using the cumulative frequency curves of trace element concentrations at all sites. Arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, manganese, silver, uranium, and zinc concentrations were greater than background concentrations at sites in mining areas or at sites that have natural sources of these elements. Trace element concentrations in fish liver generally did not follow the same patterns as concentrations in bed sediment, although concentrations of aluminum and cadmium were higher in fish liver collected at mountain sites that had been disturbed by mining. Concentrations of aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, silver, and zinc increased in bed sediments in urban areas. Iron, silver, and zinc concentrations in fish liver also increased in urban areas. Concentrations of cadmium, copper, silver, and zinc in fish liver increased in the agricultural areas of the basin. Downstream changes in trace element concentrations may be the result of geological changes in addition to changes in land use along the river.
A method for preparing powdered specimens for transmission electron microscopy

A new method of preparing TEM samples from powders is described. The method consists of compacting epoxy-powder composite mixtures in special molds by centrifuging prior to polymerization. The compact is then ion milled by standard methods. Samples prepared in this way are currently being used to study dislocation structures developed during processing of ceramic powders.
When Pediatric Patients Become Parents

In the past year a number of my adolescent patients have had children of their own. Many of these adolescents had been patients of mine for as many as 10 years prior to their becoming pregnant. My own transition in caring for their children has been surprisingly difficult. Working in a hospital-based primary care center, I have cared for many children of teenaged parents, but only recently have patients whom I have known for most of their childhood reached an age at which they are becoming parents. In subtle but certain ways, I have had more difficulty with teenaged parents with whom I have a long-term relationship than I have had with teenaged parents with whom I have had no prior experience.
No increase in serum digoxin concentration with high-dose diltiazem

The effect of incremental diltiazem dosing during concomitant digoxin administration over a four-week period in eight healthy adult volunteers (mean age, 28 +/- 4 years) was studied. The study group received 0.25 mg of digoxin twice daily for two days, after which they received 0.25 mg daily for the duration of the study. Following baseline electrocardiographic evaluation and measurement of trough digoxin levels, all subjects received 120 mg of diltiazem daily for one week, then 240 mg daily for one week, followed by 360 mg daily for one week. Resting electrocardiographic parameters (heart rate, P-R interval), renal function, electrolyte values, and digoxin and diltiazem concentrations were measured weekly. Daily administration of 360 mg of diltiazem plus 0.25 mg of digoxin resulted in a significant decrease in heart rate (from 68 +/- 9 beats per minute to 61 +/- 10 beats per minute; p less than 0.05), a marginal increase in P-R interval (from 169 +/- 22 msec to 179 +/- 21 msec; p = 0.08), and no significant change in trough serum digoxin concentration (from 0.85 +/- 0.08 ng/ml to 0.90 +/- 0.08 ng/ml; p = NS). The administration of up to 360 mg of diltiazem per day with 0.25 mg of digoxin per day was not associated with significant increases in serum digoxin concentrations in healthy subjects.
pH-triggered, activated-state conformations of the influenza hemagglutinin fusion peptide revealed by NMR.

The highly conserved first 23 residues of the influenza hemagglutinin HA2 subunit constitute the fusion domain, which plays a pivotal role in fusing viral and host-cell membranes. At neutral pH, this peptide adopts a tight helical hairpin wedge structure, stabilized by aliphatic hydrogen bonding and charge–dipole interactions. We demonstrate that at low pH, where the fusion process is triggered, the native peptide transiently visits activated states that are very similar to those sampled by a G8A mutant. This mutant retains a small fraction of helical hairpin conformation, in rapid equilibrium with at least two open structures. The exchange rate between the closed and open conformations of the wild-type fusion peptide is ∼40 kHz, with a total open-state population of ∼20%. Transitions to these activated states are likely to play a crucial role in formation of the fusion pore, an essential structure required in the final stage of membrane fusion.
Role of routine intraoperative endoscopy in laparoscopic bariatric surgery.

Background: Laparoscopic bariatric surgery is a challenging procedure with a high risk of technical misadventures that may increase postoperative morbidity. Routine intraoperative endoscopy may reduce postoperative morbidity. This article reviews our 6-year experience. Methods: From April 1995 to September 2001, we performed 825 laparoscopic bariatric procedures: 743 roux gastric bypasses, 55 vertical banded gastroplasties, 18 laparoscopic adjustable gastric bands, and 9 gastric pacemakers. All the patients underwent flexible endoscopy by the primary surgeon at completion of the operation to assess for technical errors. Results: The 34 intraoperative technical errors (4.1%) identified included 29 suture and staple line leaks, 2 bougie perforations, 2 inadvertent stoma closures secondary to the suture line, and 1 mucosal perforation in a gastric pacemaker. All the errors were successfully repaired laparoscopically at the time of the procedure. Three leaks occurred postoperative (0.36%): 1 in the 34 repaired errors (2.9%) and 2 in the remaining 791 patients (0.25%). Conclusions: Routine intraoperative endoscopy identified 34 correctable technical errors in a series of 825 laparoscopic bariatric procedures. Of these, 33 (97%) were repaired successfully, which reduced postoperative morbidity.
Ovulation detection and artificial insemination

Methods of detecting ovulation and conducting artificial insemination in great apes are reviewed and described. Ovulation time can be detected to some extent by measuring timing relative to such cyclic correlates as menstruation, perineal swelling, body temperature, viscosity of cervical mucus, and behavior (copulation, masturbation, aggressivity). The most precise methods are observation of ovarian morphology using laparoscopy or ultrasonography, but the most practical method for great apes is the use of recently developed rapid hemagglutination inhibition test for luteinizing hormone. Using this test, three chimpanzees and one gorilla have been successfully artificially inseminated. Artificial insemination in great apes involves collection of semen by automasturbation or rectal probe electro-ejaculation. Females are anesthetized and fractionated ejaculate is placed on the cervical os. Complicating factors include potential effect of anesthesia, variation in semen quality, frequency of AI required, and the apparent inherent infertility potential of great apes and humans.
Perception and the Medial Temporal Lobe: Evaluating the Current Evidence

A dominant view in the learning and memory literature states that a subset of anatomically related structures within the medial temporal lobe (MTL), including the hippocampus, entorhinal, perirhinal, and parahippocampal cortices, forms a functionally related system specialized for declarative memory but not for perception. However, recent reports challenge this view, suggesting instead that the medial temporal lobe is not only important for memory, but also critical for certain forms of perception. In this review, I argue that little or no conclusive evidence currently exists to support the latter view. Experimental studies that have examined the perceptual functions of the MTL in monkeys are inconclusive because they fail to isolate perceptual from mnemonic task demands. Evaluation of conflicting results from studies in human amnesic patients suggests that extraneous damage to extra-MTL areas may underlie the reported perceptual deficits in the group of amnesic patients at the heart of this debate. See the related Review from Baxter, "Involvement of Medial Temporal Lobe Structures in Memory and Perception," in this issue of Neuron.
Getting a grip on DNA recognition: structures of the basic region leucine zipper, and the basic region helix-loop-helix DNA-binding domains

Abstract The basic region leucine zipper and basic region helix-loop-helix proteins constitute two large families of eukaryotic transcription factors. Recent crystal structures of basic region leucine zipper-DNA and basic region helix-loop-helix-DNA complexes provide the details of these protein-DNA interactions and offer insights into the details of the site-specific recognition of DNA.
Sub-10 nm thick microporous membranes made by plasma-defined atomic layer deposition of a bridged silsesquioxane precursor.

We report atomic layer deposition of an ultrathin hybrid organic/inorganic film on a porous support and its conversion to a high flux, high selectivity membrane. Through chemical passivation of the internal support porosity and remote oxygen plasma activation of the support surface, ALD of a bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane precursor is confined to the immediate surface of the support, allowing formation of a 5 nm thick film spanning the underlying porosity. UV/ozone removal of the C2 porogen creates a microporous membrane with a He/SF6 selectivity >104 and a substantial He flux of 5.3 sccm/bar·cm2. Prior to conversion, these ultrathin films are of interest as low k dielectric sealing layers. Use of bridging ligands with other shapes and sizes should enable generalization of this approach to other demanding separation problems.
The effect of triaxially deformed nuclear charge distributions on quadrupole parameters deduced from muonic x-ray experiments

Abstract The influence of the assumed model charge density distribution in deducing nuclear quadrupole parameters from muonic X-ray experiments is investigated within the framework of the Davydov model. It is shown for the case of 192 Os that the extracted quadrupole parameters are not seriously affected by a triaxial deformation of the charge distribution. The model uncertainty involved in the muonic K and L X-ray analysis is estimated to be of the order of a few percent for the deduced quadrupole parameters of 192 Os. The results of the calculation also preclude the possibility that muonic X-ray measurements can be used to obtain information concerning triaxial deformations of nuclei.
Total-System Performance Assessment for the Yucca Mountain Site

Yucca Mountain, Nevada, is under consideration as a potential site for a repository for high-level radioactive waste. Total-system performance-assessment simulations are performed to evaluate the safety of the site. Features, events, and processes have been systematically evaluated to determine which ones are significant to the safety assessment. Computer models of the disposal system have been developed within a probabilistic framework, including both engineered and natural components. Selected results are presented for three different total-system simulations, and the behavior of the disposal system is discussed. The results show that risk is dominated by igneous activity at early times, because the robust waste-package design prevents significant nominal (non-disruptive) releases for tens of thousands of years or longer. The uncertainty in the nominal performance is dominated by uncertainties related to waste-package corrosion at early times and by uncertainties in the natural system, most significantly infiltration, at late times.
Potts model, Dirac propagator, and conformational statistics of semiflexible polymers

A new discretized version of the Dirac propagator ind space and one time dimensions is obtained with the help of the 2d-state, one-dimensional Potts model. The Euclidean version of this propagator describes all conformational properties of semiflexible polymers. It also describes all properties of fully directed self-avoiding walks. The case of semiflexible copolymers composed of a random sequence of fully flexible and semirigid monomer units is also considered. As a by-product, some new results for disordered one-dimensional Ising and Potts models are obtained. In the case of the Potts model the nontrivial extension of the results to higher dimensions is discussed briefly.
Efficiency and the fix revisited : Informal relations and mock routinization in a nonprofit nursing home

Participant observation in a nonprofit nursing home reveals that informal patterns of work routinization depart markedly from official procedures designed to protect the health and safety of workers and residents. Six aspects of the informal organization of work are found to correspond closely to patterns observed by Roy (1954): the mismatch between time and tasks, the development of new (informal) skills, the institutionalization of rule-breaking, negative effects on quality, the collaboration of shop-level supervision, and workers’ experience of managerial irrationality. However, whereas classic manufacturing studies emphasized upper management's periodic attempts to force compliance to official rules and routines, here upper management engages only in symbolic interventions, collaborating with workers and nursing home residents in the “mock routinization” of work. The article concludes by showing how, in the context of contradictory external workplace regulation, all three parties to the labor process of the contemporary nursing home experience mock routinization as compatible with their own interests.
Was Race thinking invented in the modern West

Abstract The idea that genuinely racial thinking is a modern invention is widespread in the humanities and social sciences. However, it is not always clear exactly what the content of such a conceptual break is supposed to be. One suggestion is that with the scientific revolution emerged a conception of human groups that possessed essences that were thought to explain group-typical features of individuals as well the accumulated products of cultures or civilizations. However, recent work by cognitive and evolutionary psychologists suggests that such essentialism is a product of culturally canalized, domain-specific, and species-typical features of human psychology. This suggests that one common explanation of the content of a break in racial thinking is wrong, and casts some doubt on the thesis that genuinely racial thinking is a culturally and historically local invention.
Reading the cemetery, lieu de memoire par excellance

Abstract This work uses rhetoric's fourth canon to “read”; the cemetery, a bricolage that can tell us both how memory is shaped and some of what is forgotten. As ideal memory sites, cemeteries show how kairos merges with chronos as well as how memory is linked to power and truth. Looking most specifically at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this work analyzes several gravesites as well as the cemetery itself to see how such readings of cemeteries might help us develop a more critical perspective on memory.
A quantitative approach for integrating multiple lines of evidence for the evaluation of environmental health risks

Decision analysis often considers multiple lines of evidence during the decision making process. Researchers and government agencies have advocated for quantitative weight-of-evidence approaches in which multiple lines of evidence can be considered when estimating risk. Therefore, we utilized Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo to integrate several human-health risk assessment, biomonitoring, and epidemiology studies that have been conducted for two common insecticides (malathion and permethrin) used for adult mosquito management to generate an overall estimate of risk quotient (RQ). The utility of the Bayesian inference for risk management is that the estimated risk represents a probability distribution from which the probability of exceeding a threshold can be estimated. The mean RQs after all studies were incorporated were 0.4386, with a variance of 0.0163 for malathion and 0.3281 with a variance of 0.0083 for permethrin. After taking into account all of the evidence available on the risks of ULV insecticides, the probability that malathion or permethrin would exceed a level of concern was less than 0.0001. Bayesian estimates can substantially improve decisions by allowing decision makers to estimate the probability that a risk will exceed a level of concern by considering seemingly disparate lines of evidence.