cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Engineering Perspective on Cardiovascular Simulations of Fontan Hemodynamics: Where Do We Stand with a Look Towards Clinical Application.

Background Cardiovascular simulations for patients with single ventricles undergoing the Fontan procedure can assess patient-specific hemodynamics, explore surgical advances, and develop personalized strategies for surgery and patient care. These simulations have not yet been broadly accepted as a routine clinical tool owing to a number of limitations. Numerous approaches have been explored to seek innovative solutions for improving methodologies and eliminating these limitations. Purpose This article first reviews the current state of cardiovascular simulations of Fontan hemodynamics. Then, it will discuss the technical progress of Fontan simulations with the emphasis of its clinical impact, noting that substantial improvements have been made in the considerations of patient-specific anatomy, flow, and blood rheology. The article concludes with insights into potential future directions involving clinical validation, uncertainty quantification, and computational efficiency. The advancements in these aspects could promote the clinical usage of Fontan simulations, facilitating its integration into routine clinical practice.
Cholecystohepatic duct fistula (Mirizzi syndrome) in a child

Abstract This child suffered three episodes of choledocholithiasis; but what makes her case so interesting is that the stones were passing through an anomalous communication from gallbladder to common hepatic duct. Biliary ductal anatomy is notoriously aberrant, a phenomenon which this case exemplifies.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on a Single Institution's Head and Neck Radiation Therapy Population in New York City

Purpose/objective(s) On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, and on March 16, New York City issued an emergency executive order directing all hospitals to cancel elective surgeries. In the wake of this declaration, non-emergent clinical outpatient care drastically changed. The goal of this study was to understand the impact of the pandemic on treatment of head and neck (H&N) cancers. We hypothesized that the pandemic would lead to difficulties in accessing and delivering cancer care, especially detrimental in the face of curative treatments for H&N cancers. Materials/methods In this retrospective review, radiation treatment (RT) parameters for H&N cancer patients treated at our institution were extracted from March 1 to June 30 of 2019 and 2020. Treatment intent, stage at presentation, time from consultation to start date, and total duration of radiation treatment were compared by year. Results were summarized by month of consult and year, then analyzed by year using Wilcoxon rank sum and Pearson's Chi-squared tests. Results From March 1 to June 30, 2020, 53 head and neck cancer patients were seen in consultation, a 29% reduction from 2019. Ultimately, 96% of these patients received treatment. In 2020, 62% of patients were treated with definitive RT compared to 56% in 2019. When compared to 2019, there was a 23% and 60% decrease in the number of consultations during April and May, accordingly, with a recovery of these numbers by June. There was no significant difference between stage at presentation, treatment duration, time to treatment start, or number of cancelled appointments between the two groups. Conclusion Consistent with a decrease in presentation of many non-COVID related illnesses, there was a parallel decrease in treatment of H&N cancer patients within our radiation oncology practice, one of the largest H&N centers located in the initial national epicenter of the pandemic. An increase in relative definitive RT regimens demonstrates the increased utilization of radiotherapy once surgical procedures were postponed. Our data highlights that despite significant uncertainties and limitations during this period, successful efforts were made to provide high-quality cancer care without delays in treatment. Future efforts should focus on preparing medical centers to ensure the delivery of essential cancer treatments such as radiotherapy and minimize non-traditional treatment strategies, particularly in the setting of curative treatments for H&N cancers.
Clinical applications of Affymetrix Genechip arrays for RNA and DNA analysis

Scientists and clinicians are familiar with Affymetrix Genechip™ arrays being utilized predominantly in the areas of basic research, target discovery, and target validation. Recently, however, studies are being conducted and published using this research use only platform in clinical research, including phase II and phase III clinical trials. During this presentation, two breast cancer studies will be reviewed. One study utilizes gene expression profiling for predicting therapeutic response to docetaxel [1]. The other study, loss of heterozygosity in breast cancer, utilizes our new DNA analysis array for mapping over 10,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms in the human genome.
Fetal macrophages mediate vascularization and cord formation during testis organogenesis

During testis organogenesis, Sertoli cell progenitors undergo an unusual process of de novo organization to form testis cords. Sertoli cells are a driving force in the formation of these epithelial...
Relactation by Mothers of Sick and Premature Infants

Relactation, the induction of lactation at any time beyond the immediate postpartum period, has received minimal scientific investigation. In this study, one adoptive mother and six mothers ten to 150 days postpartum, who for a variety of reasons did not initiate or maintain lactation after delivery, attempted relactation. Each suckled her infant at regular feeding intervals. Prior to milk production, formula was provided during suckling through an artificial device. Serum prolactin responses to thyrotropin-releasing hormone infusion and to suckling were measured at the start of the study and to suckling at approximately weekly intervals thereafter. All mothers produced milk; three completely nourished their infants and two others provided at least half of their infants9 nutritional needs. The adoptive mother and one other failed to provide significant quantities of milk. Mothers reached their maximum potential for milk production in varying periods of time (eight to 58 days). Shorter postpartum interval and less postpartum breast involution correlated with the likelihood of successful relactation and the rapidity of the onset of lactation. Basal prolactin levels and stimulation tests were of no additional predictive value. Each mother, regardless of milk production, expressed positive feelings about nurturing her infant in this manner. We conclude that relactation frequently is possible and may offer the mother of a sick or premature infant who desires to breast-feed an alternative if she does not maintain lactation in the immediate postpartum period.
A musical duet performance MIDI over IP system

The Musical Digital Interface (MIDI) engineering specification offers a lower bandwidth alternative to real-time audio for the transmission of musical gesture data over the Internet (MIDI over IP). MIDI, while widely used in studio work and live performance by professional musicians, has historically only been transmitted over dedicated synchronous serial connections due to its requirements of low latency and zero packet loss. We demonstrate a musically viable MIDI over IP performance system. The system can be used for remote performance, collaboration, or musical instruction.
Picking the Best Expert from a Sequence

We examine the problem of finding a good expert from a sequence of experts. Each expert has an “error rate”; we wish to find an expert with a low error rate. However, each expert’s error rate is unknown and can only be estimated by a sequence of experimental trials. Moreover, the distribution of error rates is also unknown. Given a bound on the total number of trials, there is thus a tradeoff between the number of experts examined and the accuracy of estimating their error rates.
Considering virtue: public health and clinical ethics

As bioethicists increasingly turn their attention to the profession of public health, many candidate frameworks have been proposed, often with an eye toward articulating the values and foundational concepts that distinguish this practice from curative clinical medicine. First, I will argue that while these suggestions for a distinct ethics of public health are promising, they arise from problems within contemporary bioethics that must be taken into account. Without such cognizance of the impetus for public health ethics, we risk developing a set of ethical resources meant exclusively for public health professionals, thereby neglecting implications for curative medical ethics and the practice of bioethics more broadly. Second, I will present reasons for thinking some of the critiques of dominant contemporary bioethics can be met by a virtue ethics approach. I present a virtue ethics response to criticisms that concern (1) increased rigor in bioethics discourse; (2) the ability of normative theory to accommodate context; and (3) explicit attention to the nature of ethical conflict. I conclude that a virtue ethics approach is a viable avenue for further inquiry, one that leads us away from developing ethics of public health in a vacuum and has the potential for overcoming certain pitfalls of contemporary bioethics discourse.
The evaluation of technology R&D: A continuing dilemma☆

Abstract The development of new and advanced technologies, especially those with significant potential social effects, needs to be assessed as part of an on-going process. This paper proposes an evaluation agenda for technology RD the institutional context; comparisons to alternative options; and the social effects.
[17] Expression, purification, and functional reconstitution of recombinant phospholipase C-β isozymes

Publisher Summary This chapter is a study on the mechanisms by which Phospholipase C-β isoenzymes that are regulated requires the acquisition of substantial quantities or purified protein. Phospholipase C-β1 and C-β2 can be purified from bovine brain and from cultured polymorphonuclear neutrophils, respectively. In both the cases, the purification procedure is protracted, requiring access to large quantities of starting material and with only moderate or poor yield of purified protein. The chapter describes methodology for the production of recombinant PLC-β1 and-β2 in the Spodopterafrugiperda (Sf9)/baculovirus expression system. This system has the advantage of producing milligram quantities of homogeneous recombinant PLC-β1 and PLC-β2 from relatively small cultures of Sf9 cells. The smaller cultures and higher levels of recombinant protein expression facilitate their isolation by simpler purification protocols. The chapter describes the methodology for the investigation of the mechanism by which α and βγ subunits regulate the activity of the PLC-β isoforms. Utilization of the recombinant baculovirus/Sf9 expression system has allowed production of recombinant PLC-β1 and PLC-β2, both with properties that are indistinct from those of the same isoenzymes purified from native sources.
Partnering the ageing and disabilities systems – the USA experience

Introduction: In the United States, the original Older Americans Act (OAA) created a system of community-based social support services for persons age 60 and older. An updated OAA included provisions for access to these services by persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and supports for older carers of persons with I/DD. Many state and local initiatives have been initiated for use of the OAA as a means for promoting greater integration of older persons with I/DD into existing community-based social services for the elderly by targeting primarily the nation’s network of senior centres and neighbourhood congregate meal sites. Description: To help these efforts a national training program underwritten by a federal grant was undertaken in which workshops, networking building, and technical assistance efforts were conducted by a team of government and university colleagues. Conclusion: The outcome was an enhanced understanding—among workers in community ageing programs—of the needs and wants of older people with I/DD, an opening of programs, and greater collaboration on sharing resources and providing supports and services. Although obstacles remain, often linked to enmity toward people with disabilities, unwillingness to share funds and resources, or age-peer ignorance, the initiatives generally have proved to be productive resulting in enhanced social integration and the elimination of barriers to planning cooperative community services.
Postprandial Hemodynamics in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Objectives Prior analysis at our institution found that patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) who experience postprandial symptoms (PPS) are more likely to have resting left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction and reduced quality of life. Our objective was to determine whether PPS in patients with HCM vs healthy subjects occur as a result of measurable hemodynamic alterations in the postprandial hemodynamic response. Methods We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study examining 45 patients with HCM and 10 controls who underwent fasting and postprandial 2-dimensional Doppler echocardiography. Postprandial echocardiographic measurements were obtained at symptom onset or 30 minutes after consumption of a standardized meal, whichever occurred first. Results The HCM population included 18 (40%) patients with PPS and 27 (60%) without PPS. Compared to controls, mean resting peak LVOT gradient was 23.4 ± 17.6 mmHg in HCM patients with PPS and 25.1 ± 33.1 mmHg in those without PPS (P = 0.10). The mean change in peak LVOT gradient after a meal was 0.7 ± 1.1 mmHg for controls, 5.0 ± 8.3 mmHg for HCM patients with PPS, and 1.5 ± 18.2 mmHg for HCM patients without PPS (P = 0.64). Conclusion Although the ability to provoke an increased LVOT gradient with a postprandial, upright exercise study protocol was recently reported, the current study suggests that a resting, supine, postprandial protocol does not elicit evidence of LVOT obstruction. Therefore, future investigations should consider whether simply performing an upright postprandial study in HCM patients with PPS will provide evidence of dynamic LVOT or if the addition of an exercise component is necessary.
Prenatal Programming of Postnatal Susceptibility to Memory Impairments A Developmental Double Jeopardy

In the study reported here, we examined the effects of fetal exposure to a synthetic stress hormone (synthetic glucocorticoids) on children’s susceptibility to postnatal sociodemographic adversity. We recruited children who were born healthy and at term. Twenty-six had been treated with steroid hormones (glucocorticoids) during the prenatal period, and 85 had not. Only children exposed to both prenatal stress hormones and postnatal sociodemographic adversity showed impaired performance on standardized tests of memory function. The association was specific to long-term memory. General intellectual functioning and expressive language were not affected by fetal glucocorticoid exposure. Results were independent of maternal intelligence and maternal depression at the time of the study. These findings are consistent with a vulnerability-stress model: Prenatal exposure to synthetic stress hormones is associated with increased susceptibility to subsequent adversity, with consequences for cognitive functioning that persist 6 to 10 years after birth.
Quantum mechanics in a finite number of dimensions

Abstract Recently we have studied a form of quantum mechanics based on Weyl's commutation relations. Here we discuss some interesting extensions and applications.
Prospective and Retrospective Memory Coding in the Hippocampus

The effect of memory on hippocampal neuronal activity was assessed as rats performed a spatial task that was impaired by fornix lesions. The influences of current location, recently entered places, and places about to be entered were compared. Three new findings emerged. (1) Current, retrospective, and prospective coding were common and recorded simultaneously in neural ensembles. (2) The origin of journeys influenced firing even when rats made detours, showing that recent memory could modulate neuronal activity more than spatial trajectory. (3) Diminished retrospective coding and, more markedly, reduced prospective coding in error trials suggested that the neuronal signal was important for task performance. The population of hippocampal neurons thus encoded information about the recent past, the present, and the imminent future, consistent with a neuronal mechanism for episodic memory.
Effects of ketoconazole on plasma lipids and lipoprotein(a) in familial hypercholesterolaemia, compared with simvastatin.

Abstract Background: Ketoconazole is an imidazole derivative that is active as a broad-spectrum antifungal agent. It is also an inhibitor of cholesterol production both in vivo and in vitro. Methods: We compared the effect of low-dose ketoconazole (200 mg/day) or simvastatin (20–40 mg/day) on lipids, lipoproteins and lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] in 10 patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia. Results: Ketoconazole reduced serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol by 7.6 and 9.7%, respectively. Simvastatin was more effective, the respective changes being −34.4 and −40.6%. Serum triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were unchanged by ketoconazole therapy, whereas simvastatin decreased triglyceride levels by 33.8% and increased HDL-cholesterol levels by 8.7%. Median Lp(a) levels tended to increase during simvastatin and to decrease during ketoconazole therapy. However, due to the wide range of baseline concentrations of Lp(a), these changes were not significant. Conclusions: Ketoconazole has some hypocholesterolaemic potential, but the effect of simvastatin is much more pronounced. The increase in Lp(a) during simvastatin therapy has been reported earlier, whereas ketoconazole does not exhibit an effect on the level of Lp(a).
Surface and transport properties of Ni–Ti liquid alloys

Abstract Based on the phase diagram evidence of the existence of three intermetallic compounds, the phenomenon of compound formation in Ni–Ti liquid alloys has been analysed through the study of surface properties (surface tension and surface composition), dynamic properties (chemical diffusion) and microscopic functions (concentration fluctuations in the long-wavelength limit and chemical short range order parameter) in the frame of compound formation model (CFM).
Scaling of cosmic string loops

We study the spectrum of loops as a part of a complete network of cosmic strings in flat spacetime. After a long transient regime, characterized by production of small loops at the scale of the initial conditions, it appears that a true scaling regime takes over. In this final regime the characteristic length of loops scales as $0.1t$, in contrast to earlier simulations which found tiny loops. We expect the expanding-universe behavior to be qualitatively similar. If this expectation is correct, then the large loop sizes have important cosmological implications. In particular, the nucleosynthesis bound then becomes $G\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\lesssim}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}7}$, much tighter than that obtained from earlier analyses.
The effect of corneal light scatter on vision after penetrating keratoplasty.

Purpose To determine the effect of corneal light scatter on vision after penetrating keratoplasty (PK). Design Cross-sectional study. Methods setting: Cornea service at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. study population: Sixty-one eyes with clear grafts at 14.6 ± 10.5 years after PK; 12 eyes with late endothelial failure (LEF) at 19.7 ± 6.4 years after PK; 41 normal eyes. observation procedures: PK. main outcome measures: Backscatter from different depths of the cornea was measured by a custom scatterometer; intraocular forward light scatter was measured with a stray light meter; high-contrast visual acuity (HCVA) was measured by Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) or Snellen chart; mesopic and photopic low-contrast visual acuity (LCVA) were measured with a 10% contrast chart. Results Backscatter from the anterior, middle (stroma), and posterior thirds of the cornea was higher in clear grafts compared with normal ( P P r = 0.21; P = .006; n=61). Forward light scatter was higher in eyes with clear grafts compared with normal ( P ≤ .006), and higher in eyes with LEF compared with clear grafts ( P ≤ .01). Corneal stromal backscatter from clear grafts correlated with HCVA ( r = 0.34; P = .02; n=52), mesopic LCVA ( r = 0.36; P = .01; n=28), and photopic LCVA ( r = 0.57; P r = 0.38; P = .04; n=26). Conclusions Light scattered from the cornea increases with time after PK and is associated with decreased high- and low-contrast vision.
Maintaining personal health while providing public care: a surgical resident's experience.

Program chairmen and directors and other surgical educators make decisions about surgical education that will have a ripple effect on residents, and eventually, medical students. This section is designed to show you residents’ perspectives and thoughts about issues in surgical education that affect their lives, their education, and their treatment of patients. In each issue, residents from across the nation will be asked to write their response to a question, given to them by the editorial staff. This issue’s question is ‘‘How are you protecting your own health?’’
Synthesis and Reactivity of Hydroxycyclopentadienyl and Aminocyclopentadienyl Ruthenium Alcohol Complexes

Cationic aminocyclopentadienyl and hydroxycyclopentadienyl ruthenium alcohol complexes were synthesized from reaction of the corresponding ruthenium chloride with AgBF4 in the presence of an alcoho...
Projective (2n,n,λ,1)-designs

A projective (2~ n, L, I)-design is a set 9 of n element subsets (called blocks) of a 2n- element set V having the properties that each element of V is a member of 1 blocks and every two blocks have a non-empty intersection. This paper establishes existence and non-existence results for various projective (2n, n, rl, I)-designs and their subdesigns. AMS (MOS) Subject Classifications: Primary 05B05; Secondary 05B30, 0X65.
Hydrogen absorption by rare earth-transition metal alloys

Abstract The absorption of hydrogen by RTx alloys (R = Ce, La, Nd, Pr and MM (mischmetal); T = transition metals, chiefly Co, Ni and Fe) has been studied at the Federal Bureau of Mines with the object of developing a suitable alloy absorbent for hydrogen storage at 25 °C and a pressure range of 1 – 10 atm. The ability to absorb and desorb hydrogen reversibly under these conditions (i.e. the working capacity) reached a maximum with the composition RT5. LaNi5 exhibited the highest capacity. Studies with MMCo5 showed that variations in individual rare earth contents in mischmetal had little effect upon the absorption properties of the alloys, but partial substitution of cobalt by other transition metals had a substantial effect. Interstitial oxygen and carbon in MMCo5 considerably reduced both the hydrogen absorption and the working capacity. The optimum composition for mischmetal-cobalt alloys with partial substitution of cobalt by other transition metals was found to be between MMCo4.25Ni0.75 and MMCo3.5Ni1.5. Up to 2.6 g atom H mol−1 of alloy could be reversibly stored between pressure limits of 1 atm and 10 atm at room temperature. Absorption of hydrogen by MMCo4.25Ni0.75 was largely unaffected by He, N2 and CH4 impurities in the gas, but was severely inhibited by O2, H2O, CO2 and CO impurities. Cyclic studies of morphology indicated that alloy decrepitation occurred more rapidly for MMCo3.5Ni1.5 than for MMCo4.25Ni0.75 during repeated absorption and desorption.
CH4 Loss from (CH3)4N+ Revisited: How Does This High Energy Elimination Compete with •CH3 Loss?:

The rate of CH4 elimination from the tetramethylammonium ion increases faster than simple •CH3 loss with increasing internal energy at both high and low energies. Improved understanding of this highly unusual competition is sought by ab initio theory and RRKM calculations. Geometries and energies of stationary points and pathways as traced by intrinsic reaction coordinate calculations are given. A transition state at an energy much higher than those of both the reactant (414 kJ mol−1 above) and the products (361 kJ mol−1 above) was found for methane elimination from (CH3)4N+. More importantly, this transition state was also 14 kJ mol−1 above one found for methyl loss. However, according to results obtained and presented by RRKM theory, methane elimination through this transition state would be too slow to compete with methyl loss. This transition state may be for a concerted or a complex-mediated process. It is unlikely that CH4 is actually lost by a concerted elimination because only a small fraction of ...
Humoral stimulation of the larval and adult prothoracic glands in Schistocerca gregaria

Fluctuations in ecdysteroid production by explanted prothoracic glands (PG) during the penultimate and last larval instars parallel changes in ecdysteroid titer in the hemolymph. The in vitro output of ecdysteroids increases up to 30-fold when PG are co-cultured with the brain. Maximal amounts of ecdysteroids are produced when both PG and brain are taken from larvae at the time of the molt-inducing ecdysteroid peaks (days 2–3 in the penultimate and days 5–6 in the last instar), and also from day 3 last instar larvae that exhibit a small rise of hemolymph ecdysteroids. Detailed investigations on penultimate instar larvae revealed that their PG become sensitive to the stimulation on day 1 (about 24 h after ecdysis), but the stimulatory brain potential is restricted to days 2 and 3. Both the stimulatory capacity of the brain and the sensitivity of PG are lost on days 4 and 5, i.e., after the ecdysteroid surge on day 3. PG explanted from young adults do not secrete appreciable amounts of ecdysteroids but can be stimulated to ecdysteroid production with active larval brains. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 36:85–93, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Dynamics and Predictability of Hurricane Nadine (2012) Evaluated through Convection-Permitting Ensemble Analysis and Forecasts

AbstractThe governing dynamics and uncertainties of an ensemble simulation of Hurricane Nadine (2012) are assessed through the use of a regional-scale convection-permitting analysis and forecast system based on the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model and an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF). For this case, the data that are utilized were collected during the 2012 phase of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel (HS3) experiment. The majority of the tracks of this ensemble were successful, correctly predicting Nadine’s turn toward the southwest ahead of an approaching midlatitude trough, though 10 members forecasted Nadine to be carried eastward by the trough. Ensemble composite and sensitivity analyses reveal the track divergence to be caused by differences in the environmental steering flow that resulted from uncertainties associated with the position and subsequent strength of a midlatitude trough.Despite the general success of the ensemble tra...
Constrictive pericarditis: An unusual clinical entity suggested during dobutamine stress echocardiography

A 44-year-old female presents with disabling dyspnea and is unable to perform a regular treadmill stress test; instead a dobutamine stress echocardiogram is performed and although negative for ischemia reveals a vigorous paradoxical motion of the interventricular septum with dilatation of the inferior vena cava without respiratory variation and an increased diastolic flow signal in the hepatic veins after expiration with the infusion of dobutamine. The diagnosis of constrictive physiology is confirmed with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and right heart hemodynamics and the patient underwent pericardiectomy without complications with resolution of symptoms.
Graph-theoretic characterisations of zeros for the input–output dynamics of complex network processes

We examine linear network dynamics in which an input can be applied at only one network component and measurements can only be made at one (in general different) component. The infinite-zero and finite-zero structures of these dynamics are characterised explicitly in terms of the network's graph matrix, using the special coordinate basis for linear system. These algebraic characterisations are then used to identify relationships between features of the network's graph topology and the state matrix of its finite zero dynamics.
Unifying linear prior-information-driven methods for accelerated image acquisition.

In the ongoing quest for faster imaging and higher spatial resolution, several methods have been developed to speed up data acquisition by incorporating prior information about the object being imaged. This study shows that many of these methods can be integrated into a single common equation. The unified framework provides a conceptual link that facilitates comparison among these methods to reveal their strengths and weaknesses. By considering the limitations of existing methods, a new member in this class of methods was developed. The broad-use linear acquisition speed-up technique (BLAST) uses the estimated amount of change within the FOV as prior information. BLAST has the flexibility of incorporating a variable amount of prior information to avoid the misleading appearance of "phantom features," which arise from overconstraining the reconstruction. Examples from dynamic imaging and MR thermometry are shown.
Use of Non-Social Work Journals in Social Work Research: Results of a Citation Analysis

Social work research and teaching draw on the literature of other disciplines. While the use of interdisciplinary sources has been discussed at length and citation patterns in social work literature have been studied, no research has identified specific sources from other disciplines that are important for social work scholarship. Based on analysis of citations from core social work journals, several journals from both social work and other disciplines are identified as important to social work. Interdisciplinary citing patterns are discussed, and the coverage of various subjects in PsycINFO, SocINDEX, Social Work Abstracts, and Social Services Abstracts is compared.
A Practical Interfacing of HPLC with Electron Capture Detection (HPLC-ECD)

Abstract Conventional HPLC can be simply, conveniently, and inexpensively interfaced to the electron capture detector within any GC. Various parameters have been evaluated to determine the suitability of this approach for the selective trace analysis of aliphatic and aromatic nitro derivatives.
ZPEG: A hybrid DPCM-DCT based approach for compression of Z-stack images

Modern imaging technology permits obtaining images at varying depths along the thickness, or the Z-axis of the sample being imaged. A stack of multiple such images is called a Z-stack image. The focus capability offered by Z-stack images is critical for many digital pathology applications. A single Z-stack image may result in several hundred gigabytes of data, and needs to be compressed for archival and distribution purposes. Currently, the existing methods for compression of Z-stack images such as JPEG and JPEG 2000 compress each focal plane independently, and do not take advantage of the Z-signal redundancy. It is possible to achieve additional compression efficiency over the existing methods, by exploiting the high Z-signal correlation during image compression. In this paper, we propose a novel algorithm for compression of Z-stack images, which we term as ZPEG. ZPEG extends the popular discrete-cosine transform (DCT) based image encoder to compress Z-stack images. This is achieved by decorrelating the neighboring layers of the Z-stack image using differential pulse-code modulation (DPCM). PSNR measurements, as well as subjective evaluations by experts indicate that ZPEG can encode Z-stack images at a higher quality as compared to JPEG, JPEG 2000 and JP3D at compression ratios below 50∶1.
Peripherally Substituted Phthalocyanines

Abstract Peripherally substituted phthalocyanine (Pc) systems render more accessible the desirable properties of the Pc system, i.e., high thermal and oxidative stability as well as significant complexity ability of transition metals. After brief examination of existing synthetic methods, two new routes to substitution of the peripheral protons of the Pc system are described: (1) directed metalation of the Pc system itself followed by derivatization, and (2) directed metalation of phthalonitrile followed by derivatization and Pc formation. Each of these methods is further distinguished by providing exclusively substitution at the a-positions of the Pc nucleus. Several of the compounds have been isolated and characterized using the techniques of HPLC; 1H, 13C, and 29Si NMR; and mass spectroscopy. These multisubstituted Pc systems are much more soluble in organic solvents than is the parent system. Such soluble macromolecules are of interest to the energy research community because of a variety of possible ...
El derecho internacional, instrumento esencial para la promoción de la salud mental en las Américas

The standards that have been established by international law for the protection of the basic rights and fundamental liberties of mental patients have unfortunately received little promotion and regrettably have not been used to design or reform current mental health systems. This limited awareness of international standards leads to frequent violations of the basic rights and fundamental liberties of the mentally handicapped, and the dissemination of such standards would therefore foster respect for such rights. It is certainly true that these violations undermine the health of mental patients; thus, disseminating the standards would also help improve the treatment and rehabilitation of affected individuals. International law is thus an essential tool for effective mental health promotion, and its dissemination is essential if general norms and international standards for the protection of mental patients are to be incorporated in national policies, plans, and mental health laws.
Modeling ash fall distribution from a Yellowstone supereruption

We used the volcanic ash transport and dispersion model Ash3d to estimate the distribution of ashfall that would result from a modern-day Plinian supereruption at Yellowstone volcano. The simulations required modifying Ash3d to consider growth of a continent-scale umbrella cloud and its interaction with ambient wind fields. We simulated eruptions lasting 3 days, 1 week, and 1 month, each producing 330 km3 of volcanic ash, dense-rock equivalent (DRE). Results demonstrate that radial expansion of the umbrella cloud is capable of driving ash upwind (westward) and crosswind (N-S) in excess of 1500 km, producing more-or-less radially symmetric isopachs that are only secondarily modified by ambient wind. Deposit thicknesses are decimeters to meters in the northern Rocky Mountains, centimeters to decimeters in the northern Midwest, and millimeters to centimeters on the East, West, and Gulf Coasts. Umbrella cloud growth may explain the extremely widespread dispersal of the ∼640 ka and 2.1 Ma Yellowstone tephra deposits in the eastern Pacific, northeastern California, southern California, and South Texas.
Pre-operative cellularity mapping and intra-MRI surgery: potential for improving neurosurgical biopsies

Stereotactic biopsies are frequently performed to secure definitive diagnosis for brain tumor patients. Fundamentally, there are two major difficulties in these endeavors. First, because of intra-tumoral heterogeneity inherent in many forms of brain cancer, biopsies taken from one region may yield a different diagnosis than if another area is biopsied. Second, stereotactic needle biopsies inherently rely on mathematical algorithms for targeting, without real-time visualization of the actual biopsy site. This article describes the novel MRI-based technologies that can potentially afford neurosurgeons the opportunity to address these challenges.
HLA-DQA1 and MLC among HLA (generic)-identical unrelated individuals

We modified a previously published PCR-RFLP for DQA1 typing (1) and examined the predictive value of HLA-DQA1 in mixed lymphocyte cultures (MLC) among matched (HLA generic types) pairs of unrelated individuals. There were 61/102 (60%) pairs with positive MLC, one-third of which could be predicted by DQA1* typing alone. DQA1 matching and MLC reactions were classified into 3 groups: 1) DQA1 mismatches showing positive MLC: 19/102 (19%); 2) DQA1 matches showing negative MLC: 41/102 (40%); 3) DQA1 identical showing positive MLC: 42/102 (41%). Five different HLA haplotypes that result from non-random association of HLA generic types (high delta haplotypes) were overrepresented in the individuals tested. One of these haplotypes carrying HLA-B7, DR2 was found associated with three different DQA1 alleles (*0201, *0103, *0102). The remaining four high delta haplotypes were associated with one DQA1 allele in all independent examples tested: HLA-A1, B8, DR3 with DQA1*0501; HLA-A26, B38, DR4 with DQA1*0301; HLA-A2, Bw62, DR4 with DQA1*0301 and HLA-A1, Bw57, DR7 with DQA1*0201. Forty per cent of the negative MLC were explained in part by the excessive number of individuals carrying two of these four haplotypes, which probably carry determinants in linkage disequilibrium with HLA. Nineteen per cent of HLA-identical (generic types) unrelated pairs show positive MLC reactions and all of them are DQA1* mismatched, suggesting that DQA1* allele typing should be used to screen samples prior to performing MLC.
Journal Writing with Web 2.0 Tools: A Vision for Older Adults

This article describes how Web 2.0 technologies may facilitate journaling and related inquiry methods among older adults. Benefits and limitations of journaling are summarized as well as computer skills of older adults. We then describe how Web 2.0 technologies can enhance journaling among older adults by diminishing feelings of isolation, promoting collaboration, establishing learning communities that overcome physical boundaries, and facilitating storage and dissemination of resources. The article concludes by identifying several factors that must be anticipated when using these technologies and provides ideas to overcome privacy, access, and posthumous management.
Quality Problems, Policies, and Attitudes in the United States and Japan: An Exploratory Study

This study drew on surveys of first-line supervisors in a single, broadly representative industry to compare practices and attitudes concerning quality in the United States and Japan. It focused on...
Effects of bovine growth hormone (Posilac) on growth performance, body composition, and IGFBPs in two strains of channel catfish

Abstract The effects of recombinant bovine growth hormone (rbGH; Posilac®) on growth rate, feed efficiency, body composition, and insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs) were investigated in Norris and NWAC103 strains of channel catfish. Three hundred and twenty fish from each strain were assigned randomly to four treatments with four replicates each. The treatments were (1) Sham-injected control (needle puncture per 3 weeks); (2) Low (30 μg g−1 BW per 3 weeks, Posilac®); (3) Medium (60 μg g−1 BW per 3 weeks, Posilac®); and (4) High (120 μg g−1 BW per 3 weeks, Posilac®). Fish were reared in 76-l tanks supplied with 26.0 °C flow-through well water for 9 weeks. Fish were fed a 36% CP commercial diet twice each day to apparent satiation. Feed consumption increased (P
The clinical significance of end-tidal nitrogen concentration during oxygen breathing.

Abstract 1. 1. The technique of plotting end-expiratory nitrogen concentration during 7 minutes of oxygen breathing against a time coordinate as a measure of pulmonary function was applied in 134 studies on 65 patients. 2. 2. The results correlated well with residual volume and functional residual capacity estimations, but not with arterial blood oxygen saturation. 3. 3. A single end-expiratory sample obtained between the fourth and fifth minutes of oxygen breathing provides virtually the same information as a series of many samples obtained at intervals during the entire 7 minutes. 4. 4. The single sample technique provides a sensitive indicator of change in pulmonary function due to bronchodilators, surgical resection of part of the lung, and inspiratory positive pressure breathing. In regard to the latter, it is of interest to note that pulmonary nitrogen elimination is frequently impaired after Insp.P.P.B. because the lung does not return readily to its resting volume.
Ion radicals XIX. Reactions of tri-1-naphthylborane with sodium and water☆

Abstract Tri-1-naphthylborane (TNB) has been reduced to the anion radical (TNB •− ) by 1.55% sodium amalgam in dimethoxyethane (DME). The ESR spectrum consists of 14 poorly-resolved lines based on an 11 B quartet of 7.2 G. TNB •− is stable in DME but not in hexamethylphosphoramide. Reduction of TNB by 40% amalgam and sodium metal proceeds to the dianion, and the dianion decomposes to produce, ultimately, the naphthalene anion radical. Reduction of TNB may be complicated by reactions of TNB with water and oxygen. TNB forms a complex with water, and the complex is not reduced by 1.5% amalgam. Therefore, attempts to prepare TNB •− in dilute solutions with this amalgam may be unsuccessful if the solvent is not well dried. TNB undergoes light-catalyzed reaction with oxygen and two of the products are 1,1′-binaphthyl and naphthalene. Consequently, reduction of TNB solutions which have been left standing in air may give the anion radical of 1,1′-binaphthyl (BN •− ) instead of TNB •− . BN •− is stable in DME solution, except in the presence of excess sodium, in which case decomposition (presumably via the dianion) occurs and the naphthalene anion radical is formed.
Effect of dealumination on the structure and acidity of H-Y Zeolites

Abstract The effect of dealumination using ammonium hexafluorosilicate and steaming has been studied on a series of HY zeolites. The structure of the zeolites after dealumination was studied using XRD, 29Si NMR, 27Al NMR, and IR of the hydroxyl region. The effect of dealumination on the pore structure was investigated using 129Xe NMR experiments. Steam dealumination tends to result in the formation of a highly dispersed extralattice aluminum species within the zeolitic supercage. It is suggested that this extralattice species contributes to enhanced acidity.
On Filtration of Microfilariae by Lymph Nodes.

Abstract 1. 1. Experiments have been accomplished in which microfilariae ( Dirofilaria immitis ) have been perfused through the normal popliteal lymph nodes of dogs. It has been shown that there is no phagocytic filtration of the organisms and that they pass through the nodes with comparatively slight hindrance, differing from bacteria and even from the dog's own red cells which are phagocytosed in the nodes, leaving the perfusate practically free of them when collected from the efferent vessel. 2. 2. It has been shown that microfilariae of Loa loa although sheathed are more motile, i.e., they travel farther per minute, than do those of Dirofilaria which possess no sheath. 3. 3. By analogy it is suggested that microfilariae of Wuchereria bancrofti deposited in the lymph stream will not be measurably impeded by lymph nodes in their journey to the blood stream, and that if mechanically checked in nodes normal organisms will not suffer by such residence.
Baking reduces prostaglandin, resolvin, and hydroxy-fatty acid content of farm-raised Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).

The consumption of seafood enriched in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. Several n-3 oxidation products from eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) have known protective effects in the vasculature. It is not known whether the consumption of cooked seafood enriched in n-3 PUFA causes appreciable consumption of lipid oxidation products. We tested the hypothesis that baking Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) increases the level of n-3 and n-6 PUFA oxidation products over raw salmon. We measured the contents of several monohydroxy-fatty acids (MHFA), prostanoids, and resolvins. Our data demonstrate that baking did not change the overall total levels of MHFA. However, baking resulted in selective regioisomeric loss of hydroxy fatty acids from arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) and EPA, while significantly increasing hydroxyl-linoleic acid levels. The contents of prostanoids and resolvins were reduced several-fold with bakin...
Differential gene expression of transforming growth factors alpha and beta, epidermal growth factor, keratinocyte growth factor and their receptors in fetal and adult human prostatic tissues and cancer cell lines

Abstract Objectives Recent studies have shown that growth factors may play a role in the etiology of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostatic carcinoma. Several growth factors have been reported to be expressed by prostatic tissues, but these growth factors have never been examined in human fetal prostate and compared with adult prostates and cancer cell lines. The present study was designed to investigate the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-alpha, TGF-beta1, TGF-beta2, TGFbeta3, keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), EGF receptor (EGF-R), and KGF receptor (KGF-R) in human fetal and adult prostatic tissues and cancer cell lines by reverse-transcriptasepolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using specific oligonucleotide primers. Methods Total RNA was extracted from human fetal and adult prostates (BPH tissues) and cancer cell lines. The gene expression of these growth factors and their receptors was determined by RT-PCR using specific oligonucleotide primers. Conclusions These results suggest that the differential gene expression for various growth factors and their receptors in human fetal and adult prostatic tissues and cancer cell lines may be important in understanding the role of these factors in the pathophysiology of prostatic diseases.
ONE-CRYSTAL NaI SPECTROMETER.

Abstract A total absorption gamma-ray spectrometer has been developed using one large NaI(Tl) crystal (24 cm × 24 cm) surrounded by a plastic scintillator operated in anticoincidence. An energy resolution of 3.6% with a detection efficiency of 24% is achieved for 22 MeV gamma rays. The use of fast electronics for both scintillators makes efficient pileup suppression possible with negligible deadtime even in the presence of high background. The effects produced by changing the collimation of the gamma rays and the detection level of the anticoincidence pulses are investigated.