cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hearing preservation and speech perception outcomes with electric-acoustic stimulation after 12 months of listening experience†‡

Objectives/Hypothesis To report on single-center data of an FDA-approved clinical trial on the objective benefits of cochlear implantation and subsequent ipsilateral Electric-Acoustic Stimulation (EAS). Study Design Single-center data from a prospective, multicenter clinical trial. Methods Eighteen subjects completed the 12-month EAS evaluation and were included in this evaluation. Each patient underwent cochlear implantation using a standardized hearing preservation approach. Both hearing preservation and speech perception abilities were evaluated at various intervals. Speech testing included performance measures obtained in quiet (CNC words) and noise (adaptive CUNY protocol) in three listening conditions: hearing aid (HA) alone, cochlear implant (CI) only, and combined ipsilateral EAS. Results Various levels of hearing preservation were achieved with cochleostomy and round-window surgical approaches in 17 of the 18 subjects. Mean CNC word scores at the 12-month interval were 14.9 ± 12.1, 45.3 ± 15.4, and 70.7 ± 11.7% correct in the HA only, CI only, and EAS conditions, respectively. Average CUNY scores at 0 dB SNR were 14.6 ± 17.2, 47.1 ± 22.1, and 72.2 ± 21.5 for the three test conditions obtained after 12 months. Conclusions Data obtained during this clinical trial correlate well with previous reports. Hearing preservation appears successful in a high number of subjects, and combined EAS offers excellent speech perception abilities in quiet and in noise. Laryngoscope, 123:2509–2515, 2013
Using Cooperative Learning Strategies in Social Work Education

Cooperative learning strategies employ formally structured groups of students working together to maximize their own and other students’ learning. This educational approach changes the classroom environment from one in which students are passive recipients of the instructor’s knowledge, to one in which they are active participants in their own education. Cooperative learning strategies have received little attention in the social work education literature, despite proven educational benefits elsewhere. This article defines cooperative learning, reviews the educational theory and research that support it, demonstrates its relevance to social work education, and provides case examples for use throughout the social work curriculum.
Clinical Electroencephalographic Biomarker for Impending Epilepsy in Asymptomatic Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Infants

Abstract Background We assessed the clinical utility of routine electroencephalography (EEG) in the prediction of epilepsy onset in asymptomatic infants with tuberous sclerosis complex. Methods This multicenter prospective observational study recruited infants younger than 7 months, seizure-free and on no antiepileptic drugs at enrollment, who all underwent serial physical examinations and video EEGs throughout the study. Parental education on seizure recognition was completed at the time of initial enrollment. Once seizure onset occurred, standard of care was applied, and subjects were followed up until 24 months. Results Forty patients were enrolled, 28 older than 12 months with completed EEG evaluation at the time of this interim analysis. Of those, 19 (67.8%) developed seizures. Epileptic spasms occurred in 10 (52.6%), focal seizures in five (26.3%), generalized tonic-clonic seizure in one (5.3%), and a combination of epileptic spasms and focal seizures in three (15.7%). Fourteen infants (73.6%) had the first emergence of epileptiform abnormalities on EEG at an average age 4.2 months, preceding seizure onset by a median of 1.9 months. Hypsarrhythmia or modified hypsarrhythmia was not found in any infant before onset of epileptic spasms. All children with epileptiform discharges subsequently developed epilepsy (100% positive predictive value), and the negative predictive value for not developing epilepsy after a normal EEG was 64%. Conclusions Serial routine EEGs in infants with tuberous sclerosis complex is a feasible strategy to identify individuals at high risk for epilepsy. The most frequent clinical presentation was epileptic spasms followed by focal seizures, and then a combination of both seizure types.
Catheter-based intervention for pulmonary vein stenosis due to fibrosing mediastinitis: The Mayo Clinic experience

Introduction Fibrosing mediastinitis (FM) is a rare but fatal disease characterized by an excessive fibrotic reaction in the mediastinum, which can lead to life-threatening stenosis of the pulmonary veins (PV). Catheter-based intervention is currently the only viable option for therapy. However, the current literature on how best to manage these difficult cases, especially in regards to sequential interventions and their potential complications is very limited.
Investigation of aerosol indirect effects using a cumulus microphysics parameterization in a regional climate model

A new Zhang and McFarlane (ZM) cumulus scheme includes a two-moment cloud microphysics parameterization for convective clouds. This allows aerosol effects to be investigated more comprehensively by linking aerosols with microphysical processes in both stratiform clouds that are explicitly resolved and convective clouds that are parameterized in climate models. This new scheme is implemented in the Weather Research and Forecasting model, coupled with the physics and aerosol packages from the Community Atmospheric Model version 5. A case of July 2008 during the East Asian summer monsoon is selected to evaluate the performance of the new ZM and to investigate aerosol effects on monsoon precipitation. The precipitation and radiative fluxes simulated by the new ZM show a better agreement with observations compared to simulations with the original ZM that does not include convective cloud microphysics and aerosol-convective cloud interactions. Detailed analysis suggests that an increase in detrained cloud water and ice mass by the new ZM is responsible for this improvement. Aerosol impacts on cloud properties, precipitation, and radiation are examined by reducing the primary aerosols and anthropogenic emissions to 30% of those in the present (polluted) condition. The simulated surface precipitation is reduced by 9.8% from clean to polluted environment, and the reduction is less significant when microphysics processes are excluded from the cumulus clouds. Cloud fraction is reduced by the increased aerosols due to suppressed convection, except during some heavy precipitation periods when cloud fraction, cloud top height, and rain rate are increased due to enhanced convection.
Training an autistic client: The effect of brief restraint on disruptive behavior

A profoundly retarded autistic client who was making no progress in self-help skill training sessions exhibited disruptive behaviors which were incompatible with training goals. These behaviors included withdrawal, self-stimulation and mascular rigidity. Following baseline measurement of the effectiveness of standard behavior-shaping techniques, brief restraint was implemented to decelerate the disruptive behaviors. During treatment conditions a two-trainer procedure was employed. All task-oriented behavior was followed by positive reinforcement. The disruptive behaviors of the client decreased following the introduction of the restraint procedure. As the disruptive behaviors were reduced, progress in a self-help training program was evidenced. Following a fading procedure a single trainer could control the behavior of the client via positive reinforcement alone.
Bandwagons and Momentum in Sequential Voting

In this paper I show that an equilibrium exists to the sequential voting game in which a bandwagon begins with probability 1. These bandwagons are driven by a combination of beliefs and the desire of voters to vote for the winning candidate. Significantly, in this equilibrium the pivot probability for each voter is non-zero, even in an infinite population. Consequently, the bandwagons do not always start after one (or at most two) favourable decisions (as do economic cascades) and varying levels of informative voting are observed, consistent with observations from sequential voting in U.S. presidential primaries. Further, voters are exposed to counterintuitive incentives, referred to as “buyers' remorse”, that have been attributed to real primary voters.I also derive equilibrium behaviour in this environment when voting is simultaneous and compare the quality of information aggregation within each mechanism. I relate the conclusions to U.S. presidential primaries and find they are consistent with a common conclusion about the front-loading of the primary process: that in tight elections (with no front-runner) simultaneous voting is preferred, whereas in lopsided elections sequential voting is preferred. The superior performance of sequential voting in lopsided races is precisely because bandwagons occur. Copyright 2007, Wiley-Blackwell.
CAD model repair using knowledge-guided NURBS

This paper presents a methodology to repair flawed migrated models that are designed with knowledge-guided NURBS (KGN). Incompatible traditional CAD packages that are based on NURBS technology have been for many years carrying out the exchange of models and data through either neutral file formats (IGES or STEP) or proprietary formats. The exchange process most often produces poor quality data and results in errors in the migrated CAD models costing the industry billions of dollars every year. While previous studies by large focus on finding means to repair migrated models through patching, we propose to repair errors in CAD models which are generated using KGN through a reconstructing process instead of patching. We have implemented a prototype system to show that employing the right tools on the stored knowledge and data a designer can reconstruct a migrated model based on new local requirements of the receiving system without having to repair it, avoiding delay and corrective processes that only produce patched-up design bases and limiting the effective use of such models.
Infrared and the search for extrasolar planets

Search for evidence concerning the existence of extrasolar planets will involve both indirect detection as well as direct (imaging). Indirect detection may be possible using ground based instrumentation on the Keck telescope, Imaging probably will require an orbiting system. Characterizing other planets for complex molecules will require a large orbiting or lunar-based telescope or inteferometer. Cryogenic infrared techniques appear to be necessary. Planning for a NASA ground and space-based program, Toward Other Planet Systems (TOPS), is proceeding.
Diagnosis and management of bow hunter's syndrome: 15-year experience at barrow neurological institute.

Background Bow hunter's syndrome is a rare vascular phenomenon characterized by insufficiency of the posterior cerebral circulation induced by rotation of the head within normal physiologic range. The neurosurgical literature on evidence-based diagnosis and management of the disease is scarce, and reports are largely limited to case studies. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed on all patients referred to Barrow Neurological Institute during the period 1999–2013 with signs and symptoms that were possibly indicative of bow hunter's syndrome. Demographic data from patient charts were collected, and the patients' imaging studies were reviewed. Results There were 14 patients referred to Barrow Neurological Institute with symptoms concerning for bow hunter's syndrome, and 11 of these patients were confirmed to have dynamic vertebral artery compression on angiography. The location of compression was centered on C1-2 (50%) or C5-7 (50%). The compressed vertebral artery was typically the left artery (72.7%), and in 54.5% of cases, rotation of the head to the contralateral side produced symptomatic dynamic compression. Surgical decompression, via either an anterior (44.4%) or a posterior (55.6%) approach, was eventually performed in 9 patients. Decompression alone was performed in all cases; however, 1 patient developed cervical instability requiring an anterior cervical instrumented fusion 5 years later. Conclusions Decompression without fusion is a safe, reliable surgical option in patients with bow hunter's syndrome. Decompression is performed via a posterior approach for atlantoaxial vertebral artery compression and via an anterior approach for subaxial compression. Long-term complications include cervical instability, which may necessitate internal fixation and fusion.
Remembering Wartime Experiences: The Role of Spirituality Among Retired Military Nurses

Little is known about whether spirituality and religious beliefs were mechanisms of coping and support for nurses serving in the military during a war and if and how these beliefs changed over time. A qualitative study using a phenomenological approach yielded four distinct themes for military nurses serving during World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. These themes were caring, connections, compartmentalization, and adaptability. Although religious ritual was not important to the nurses who were interviewed, spirituality, as defined by a connections model, played an important part in helping military nurses cope with the stressors of active duty during war.
Infrared Analysis of Pharmaceuticals. III. Identification and Determination of Adrenocortical Steroids, Barbiturates, and Sulfonamides From Paper Chromatograms

The adrenocortical steroids: cortisone, hydrocortisone, and 17-hydroxy-11-desoxycorticosterone, have been identified and estimated from paper chromatograms in amounts between 50 mcg. and 1.5 mg. Recoveries of 90 to 105% of these steroids were obtained on the basis of infrared spectrophotometric determinations. Analyses were made of commercial tablets which contained (a) hydrocortisone and 17-hydroxy-11-desoxycorticosterone, or (b) the sodium salts of phenobarbital, butabarbital, and pentobarbital. The results agreed within 3.8% with those published earlier (9), or with the declared amounts. In addition, the identification and estimation of sulfanilamide in a sulfacetamide powder were achieved by these methods.
Peripheral-type benzodiazepine/diazepam binding inhibitor receptor: biological role in steroidogenic cell function.

I. Introduction BENZODIAZEPINES, a class of drugs that includes compounds such as diazepam (Valium), are frequently prescribed because of their anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, musclerelaxant, and hypnotic properties. It has been shown that the pharmacological effects of benzodiazepines are mediated via a specific receptor complex located in the central nervous system (CNS); benzodiazepines bind to a domain that allosterically regulates chloride channel gating by γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), on GABAA receptors (1–3). In 1977, while searching for specific benzodiazepine receptors, Braestrup and Squires (4) observed the presence of high density radiolabeled diazepam binding sites in the kidney. Since then, numerous papers have reported that this class of benzodiazepine binding sites is present apparently in all tissues examined including the CNS (Section III). Because of their abundance in peripheral tissues and in order to distinguish them from the GABAA or central benzodiazepine receptors, this class of benzodi...
Factor structure and predictive validity of the Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale.

Background: The Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS) is a 14-item, self-report instrument developed to measure obsessive thoughts about alcohol use and compulsive behaviors toward drinking. The objective of this study was to ascertain the factor structure underlying responses to the OCDS, and to further assess whether subscale scores derived from this structure were distinctive, internally consistent, predictive of future drinking, and able to differentiate between patients receiving naltrexone versus placebo in a controlled alcoholism treatment trial. Methods: OCDS data were collected from a total of 132 alcohol-dependent subjects at up to 15 assessment points during the study. Interitem correlations were pooled across assessment periods, and an iterated principal axis factor analysis with oblique promax rotation was performed. The factor analysis suggested that three primary factors could parsimoniously account for the common variance in item responses. Subscale scores were formed by summing responses to the most salient items on each factor. Results: The three common factors were interpreted as “resistance/control impairment,”“obsession,” and “interference.” The subscale scores corresponding to these three factors were internally consistent, and their correlation with other baseline measures of alcohol use and severity suggested that they were distinct. Scores on each subscale reliably distinguished between subjects who remained abstinent, exhibited “slip” drinking, or relapsed to heavy drinking during the 12 weeks of active treatment. Additionally, scores on the resistance/control impairment subscale distinguished between those patients receiving treatment with naltrexone or placebo. Scores from each subscale also were able to predict the hazard for heavy drinking in the following week of treatment. Conclusions: The three OCDS factors are easily estimated with the summated scoring approach, and the resulting subscales appear to be internally consistent and distinctive. Moreover, the group differentiation capability and predictive utility of the subscale scores suggest that they might be useful as either predictor or outcome variables in alcoholism treatment trials. The duration of time for which a given OCDS assessment maintains its predictive utility awaits further confirmation.
Cobalt Chloride Pretreatment Attenuates Myocardial Apoptosis After Hypothermic Circulatory Arrest

Background Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) causes myocyte injury as a consequence of ischemia and reperfusion. Previous studies have shown that hypoxia or hypoxia-mimetic agents (cobalt chloride [CoCl 2 ] or deferoxamine [DFX]) limit myocyte necrosis by upregulating the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor. However, it remains unknown whether these agents attenuate myocardial apoptosis after DHCA. This study tested the hypotheses (1) that hypoxia, DFX, or CoCl 2 preconditioning attenuates myocardial apoptosis during DHCA; and (2) that the protective mechanism involves the altered expression of apoptosis regulatory proteins pAkt (antiapoptotic), Bcl-2 (antiapoptotic), and Bax (proapoptotic). Methods Anesthetized neonatal piglets were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 6 in a group): control (NaCl injection); hypoxia (pO 2 of 30 to 40 mm Hg for 3 hours); DFX injection; or CoCl 2 injection. Twenty-four hours later, the animals underwent cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and 110 minutes of DHCA. One week after CPB, percentage of apoptotic myocytes (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase–mediated dUTP nick end labeling [TUNEL] assay) and expression of the pAKT, Bcl-2, and Bax were assessed by Western blot. Results Although preconditioning with hypoxia and DFX failed to show a protective benefit, CoCl 2 pretreatment significantly attenuated myocardial apoptosis (9.3% ± 4.1%) versus controls (33.8% ± 9.7%, p = 0.042). That was associated with increased myocardial pAkt expression (0.19 ± 0.006 in CoCl 2 versus 0.12 ± 0.008 in control, p 2 group (0.15 ± 0.02) versus control (0.11 ± 0.01, p = 0.007), whereas Bax expression was lower (0.34 ± 0.04 versus 0.54 ± 0.03 for control, p Conclusions Preconditioning with CoCl 2 before prolonged DHCA in neonatal piglets attenuates myocardial apoptosis by mechanisms involving phosphorylation of Akt, upregulation of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2, and decreased expression of the proapoptotic protein Bax.
Association of the −243 A→G polymorphism of the glutamate decarboxylase 2 gene with obesity in girls with premature pubarche

Objective To test the a priori hypothesis that the frequency of a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) located in the promoter region of the glutamate decarboxylase 2 ( GAD2 ) gene (−243A→G) would be overrepresented among children with higher body mass index (BMI) values. Design Genotype–phenotype correlation study. Setting University-based pediatric endocrinology practice. Patient(s) Eighty-seven girls with PP and 70 adolescent girls with hyperandrogenism. Intervention(s) Blood was obtained for genotype analysis, glucose measurement, and hormone (Δ 4 -A, insulin, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, and T) determinations. Main Outcome Measure(s) Frequency of this SNP in the GAD2 gene and correlation of this SNP with BMI and hormone concentrations. Result(s) Among the girls followed longitudinally, the presence of one or more G alleles was associated with increased BMI at both initial and recent visits and with greater BMI z score at the initial visit. No associations were found between androgen concentrations and the G-allele variant. Conclusion(s) Similar to the findings among French children, this SNP in the GAD2 gene was associated with increased BMI in late childhood and adolescence in this population of girls from western Pennsylvania. Additional prospective studies that replicate our findings are crucial. Verification of our findings will encourage the use of lifestyle interventions for young girls who carry the G allele.
I “hear” what you're “saying”: Auditory perceptual simulation, reading speed, and reading comprehension

Auditory perceptual simulation (APS) during silent reading refers to situations in which the reader actively simulates the voice of a character or other person depicted in a text. In three eye-tracking experiments, APS effects were investigated as people read utterances attributed to a native English speaker, a non-native English speaker, or no speaker at all. APS effects were measured via online eye movements and offline comprehension probes. Results demonstrated that inducing APS during silent reading resulted in observable differences in reading speed when readers simulated the speech of faster compared to slower speakers and compared to silent reading without APS. Social attitude survey results indicated that readers’ attitudes towards the native and non-native speech did not consistently influence APS-related effects. APS of both native speech and non-native speech increased reading speed, facilitated deeper, less good-enough sentence processing, and improved comprehension compared to normal silent r...
A Study on Picobubble Enhanced Coarse Phosphate Froth Flotation

Abstract Effects of picobubbles on froth flotation of coarse phosphate particles (−1180 µm+425 µm) have been investigated with a specially designed flotation column. Cavitation generated picobubbles are characterized by inherently high probability of collision, high probability of attachment, and low probability of detachment during froth flotation due to their tiny size and high surface activity. Test results obtained with a 5 cm in diameter laboratory scale flotation column indicate that picobubbles are effective in enhancing the flotation of coarse phosphate particles, and increasing the flotation recovery by 10 to 23 absolute percentage points under various conditions. The required collector dosage and frother dosage for a given flotation performance were reduced by one‐half to two‐thirds.
Class field towers of imaginary quadratic fields

In their 1934 paper, Scholz and Taussky defined the notion of capitulation type for imaginary quadratic fields whose ideal class group has a Sylow 3-subgroup which is elementary abelian of order 32. For one particular capitulation type (type D) they prove that the 3-class field tower of the quadratic field has length 2. They briefly indicate how a similar result can be shown to hold for capitulation type E. In this paper we give a simpler proof of their type D result and we construct a group theoretic counterexample to their type E assertion.
Pleiotrophin Signaling through Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase Is Rate-limiting for Glioblastoma Growth

Glioblastoma multiforme is the most common highly aggressive human brain cancer, and receptor tyrosine kinases have been implicated in the progression of this malignancy. We have recently identified anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) as a tyrosine kinase receptor for pleiotrophin, a secreted growth factor that is highly expressed during embryonic brain development and in tumors of the central nervous system. Here we report on the contribution of pleiotrophin-ALK signaling to glioblastoma growth. We found ALK overexpressed in human glioblastoma relative to normal brain and detected ALK mRNA in glioblastoma cell lines. We reduced the endogenous ALK in glioblastoma cells by ribozyme targeting and demonstrated that this prevents pleiotrophin-stimulated phosphorylation of the anti-apoptotic protein Akt. Furthermore, this depletion of ALK reduced tumor growth of xenografts in athymic nude mice and prolonged survival of the animals because of increased apoptosis in the tumors. These findings directly implicate ALK signaling as a rate-limiting factor in the growth of glioblastoma multiforme and suggest potential utility of therapeutic targeting of ALK.
A Low Complexity Progressive Bitstream Transmission System for Hybrid Channels with Correlated Loss

We propose a simple, low-complexity coding scheme for the transmission of a packetized progressive bitstream. We consider tandem channels introducing correlated bit errors and packet erasures. We show that our proposed technique transforms the hybrid channel into a channel with a single impairment for which various optimization techniques exists. Numerical results show that our proposed scheme outperforms existing solutions over the useful operating regions of the channel.
Assessment of Merocyanine Subpopulations in DPPC Vesicles using Ansitropy and Lifetime Measurements

The purpose of this study was to further investigate the properties of the fluorescent probe merocyanine 540, which has been used frequently for over two decades to assess membrane phase properties under various conditions. Differences in emission spectrum shape at temperatures above and below the thermotropic phase transition of model membranes have been hypothesized to represent changes in the position and orientation of the probe in the bilayer. This hypothesis suggests specific predictions concerning probe mobility in the membrane as a function of temperature and emission wavelength. We tested the hypothesis using measurements of steady state anisotropy and fluorescence lifetimes in dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles. Below the lipid phase transition temperature, steady state anisotropy decreased by 0.2 units across the emission spectrum from short to long wavelength. In contrast, anisotropy was more stable as a function of emission wavelength when measured above the transition temperature. Fluorescence lifetimes showed minimal wavelength dependence at either temperature. Anisotropy experiments were repeated at a variety of probe-to-lipid ratios to assess the role of probe aggregation on the observations. The data supported previous findings from measurements of the quantum yield of merocyanine 540: in the gel phase, two separate populations of the probe (monomers and dimers) fluoresce. The monomers, which emit at short wavelengths, are oriented perpendicular to the bilayer surface, and are limited in mobility by neighboring phospholipids. The dimmers, which emit at long wavelengths, are oriented parallel to the bilayer surface, and are localized in a membrane region where motion is less restricted, perhaps in the region between the membrane leaflets. At higher temperatures, only monomers fluoresce but exhibit higher mobility due to the lower order of the membrane phase.
Three-dimensional displays of isochrone and isopotential surfaces

Measurement and display of potential distributions or isochrome patterns within anisotropic, inhomogeneous myocardium is essential to understanding the complexities of the issues and the importance of these characteristics in contributing to normal and abnormal cardiac conduction and recovery. The authors have developed a set of tools designed to define and display isopotential and isochronal surfaces in three dimensions. The procedures for displaying the surfaces also may be useful for displaying three-dimensional potential distributions recorded from electrolytic tanks or calculated from forward simulations. >
A Comparative Study of Business Education Programs in China and Russia.

ABSTRACT This paper first gives a brief comparative context overview of graduate and undergraduate business programs in both Russia and China. It then provides a more detailed look at specific business education programs in these areas, including those at Renmin (People's) University and Tsinghu University in Beijing, at Shanghai University in China, and at selected key universities and institutions in Russia. The paper is based mainly on the author's experiences in teaching business programs in both China and Russia.
The 51-day periodicity in cycle 22

On the basis of analysis of the occurrence rate of major flares (X-ray class ≥M3.0), we present evidence that the 51-day periodicity was in operation during the interval from May 4, 1991 to November 15, 1992. This periodicity is noted to be two times 25.5 days, which has been proposed as the fundamental period of the Sun.
NMR study of copper with vanadium impurities

We present results of an NMR study of copper containing titanium impurities. Satellites from a near-neighbor copper shell to the impurities were detected which possess a quadrupole coupling of ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{Q}=1.20\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01$ MHz, asymmetry parameter $\ensuremath{\eta}\ensuremath{\le}0.08$, and magnetic shift $\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}K}{K}=\ensuremath{-}0.23\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01$. These values are compared with those of other $3d$ transition impurities in copper to show that the satellite is either a first neighbor, in which case $\ensuremath{\eta}$ is unusually small, or a second neighbor. If the latter case is correct, the data show the spin density is reversed relative to its value at second neighbors to iron-group atoms at the right-hand side of the Periodic Table. We have observed first-order quadrupole "wings" whose positions are concentration dependent, and present a simple analysis of the "wings." We have measured the magnetic broadening of the $^{63}\mathrm{Cu}$ main line at high fields. The data suggest that Ti impurities have a larger $s$-$d$ exchange coupling $J$ than Ni.
The PSA era is not over for prostate cancer.

In the United States (US), prostate cancer (CaP) accounts for the largest percentage of new cancer cases (33%) and is the second leading cause of cancer death (10%) inmen. In2005, therewillbeanestimated232,090 new cases and 30,350 deaths from prostate cancer in our country [1]. Based upon cases diagnosed between 1992 and 1999, it is estimated that approximately 86% of these cases are local or regional at diagnosis. The incidence of distant stage disease began to decrease at a dramatic rate of 17.9% per year in 1991 in whites, and has been decreasing in other races as well. This represents a large difference in terms of treatment outcomes, considering that the 5-year survival rate is nearly 100% for local or regional disease, and only33.5%for distant stagedisease [1]. Furthermore, according to the US Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program, the overall 5year relative survival rate for CaP was 75% from 1983 to 1985, and 99% from 1995 to 2000 – the greatest improvement for any tumor [2]. It is likely that screening is at least in part responsible for the trend toward decreasing prostate cancerspecific mortality in the US. Similar results occurred when PSA testing was made freely available in Tyrol, Austria [3]. The prostate cancer mortality declined at a significantly faster rate in Tyrol than in the remainder of Austria, where screening was then not as widely used. Despite these favorable trends, screening has continued to be the subject of heated controversy. In the
Revolt and Repair: A Comparative Study of Two University Tutorial Movements*

Tins PAPER focuses upon two university voluntary organizations engaged in tutoring lower-class Negro youngsters with the hope of increasing their intellectual capabilities and eventual achievements. The long-term goal of both groups was to boost the Negro into better educational tracks in school and eventually to better his social conditions within the community. This was to be accomplished by spending time with students after regular school hours helping them with the courses in which their performance had been considered poor. How much time a tutor spent with his tutee was determined by the particular individuals involved, for no stringent rules governed the didactic nature of the programs.1 The simplest rationale for the existence of both groups was expressed in the following citation from one of the group's leaders: "We exist because the school system isn't doing its job." 2 Over one hundred men and women offered their services to one or the other of these two groups in order to tutor young people in most high-school or junior high-school subjects. Any student could work for either organization devoting as much time as he desired with no obligation to participate in the administrative functions of the respective organization. The intention of this study is to examine briefly and compare some characteristic behavioral phenomena existing within the two voluntary organizations. Specifically, we will note the forms of individual recruitment patterns, the degree to which the organization manages mechanisms of social integration, and the levels of alienation and hostility manifested by the two tutorial groups. Because membership is voluntary, we are able to study the kinds of personality types which are attracted by such forms of social engineering activities and help them to maintain their present status in society. Furthermore, as we come to better understand
Estimated quarantine use of methyl bromide in the United States

Following on from an article in the last issue of Pesticide Outlook (Ragsdale and Vick, 2001), S.M. Schneider and K.W. Vick from the USDA-ARS at Fresno, CA and Beltsville, MD, respectively, give some recent estimates of quarantine use of methyl bromide in the USA
The impact of internet and e-commerce on the evolving business models in the financial services industry

The financial services industry has changed profoundly because of a new delivery channel (the internet), the explosion of e-commerce and the emergence of a knowledge-intensive economy. This paper explores the major technology and change drivers of the finance industry. It also suggests ways to develop an overall internet and e-commerce strategy for the financial services industry.
Identification and characterization of a taxon-specific three-finger toxin from the venom of the Green Vinesnake (Oxybelis fulgidus; family Colubridae).

Abstract Snake venoms contain a variety of protein and peptide toxins, and the three-finger toxins (3FTxs) are among the best characterized family of venom proteins. The compact nature and highly conserved molecular fold of 3FTxs, together with their abundance in many venoms, has contributed to their utility in structure-function studies. Although many target the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor of vertebrate skeletal muscle, often binding with nanomolar Kds, several non-conventional 3FTxs show pronounced taxon-specific neurotoxic effects. Here we describe the purification and characterization of fulgimotoxin, a monomeric 3FTx from the venom of Oxybelis fulgidus, a neotropical rear-fanged snake. Fulgimotoxin retains the canonical 5 disulfides of the non-conventional 3FTxs and is highly neurotoxic to lizards; however, mice are unaffected, demonstrating that this toxin is taxon-specific in its effects. Analysis of structural features of fulgimotoxin and other colubrid venom 3FTxs indicate the presence of a “colubrid toxin motif” (CYTLY) and a second conserved segment (WAVK) found in Boiga and Oxybelis taxon-specific 3FTxs, both in loop II. Because specific residues in loop II conventional α-neurotoxic 3FTxs are intimately associated with receptor binding, we hypothesize that this loop, with its highly conserved substitutions, confers taxon-specific neurotoxicity. These findings underscore the importance of rear-fanged snake venoms for understanding the evolution of toxin molecules and demonstrate that even among well-characterized toxin families, novel structural and functional motifs may be found.
Recent progress in ferroic high strain actuators materials

The clamant need for field controlled high strain actuator materials in a multitude of emerging smart materials applications has lead to extensive studies over a very wide range of materials systems from ultra soft elastomers to exceedingly stiff martensitic metals. The capabilities which have been achieved and the basic strain mechanisms exploited to achieve high controlled deformation will be briefly reviewed. The focus of the talk will be upon the importance of ferroic systems, where incipient or full spontaneous ordering permits the achievement of strain levels which would otherwise be impossible in such stiff matrices. The struggle to discipline and control spontaneous ordering so as to achieve well controlled anhysteretic response will be discussed, drawing on the examples of the electron irradiation modified polyvinylidene fluoride:trifluoroethylene copolymer and the high strain high coupling response in the single crystal lead zinc niobate: lead titanate (PZN:PT) perovskites. It is interesting to note the common theme of engineering instability in domain and/or sub domain structures important in these two grossly dissimilar material systems and the manner in which this is carried forward in other ferroics. The final important question to be discussed is where these considerations lead for the design of the next generation of improved high strain actuator materials.
Age and Comorbid Illness Are Associated With Late Rectal Toxicity Following Dose-Escalated Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer

Purpose To assess the impacts of patient age and comorbid illness on rectal toxicity following external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) for prostate cancer and to assess the Qualitative Analysis of Normal Tissue Effects in the Clinic (QUANTEC) normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) model in this context. Methods and Materials Rectal toxicity was analyzed in 718 men previously treated for prostate cancer with EBRT (≥75 Gy). Comorbid illness was scored using the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCMI), and the NTCP was evaluated with the QUANTEC model. The influence of clinical and treatment-related parameters on rectal toxicity was assessed by Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards models. Results The cumulative incidence of rectal toxicity grade ≥2 was 9.5% and 11.6% at 3 and 5 years and 3.3% and 3.9% at 3 and 5 years for grade ≥3 toxicity, respectively. Each year of age predicted an increasing relative risk of grade ≥2 ( P P P P P P P =.015) but not grade ≥2 ( P =.49) toxicity. On multivariate analysis, age, MI, CHF, and an NTCP >20% all correlated with late rectal toxicity. Conclusions Patient age and a history of MI or CHF significantly impact rectal toxicity following EBRT for the treatment of prostate cancer, even after controlling for NTCP.
HeartWare and HeartMate II left ventricular assist devices as bridge to transplantation: a comparative analysis.

Background The purpose of this study is to comparatively analyze outcomes of heart transplant patients bridged to transplantation with HeartWare (HW-VAD) versus HeartMate II (HMII-VAD) left ventricular assist devices. Methods The United Network for Organ Sharing Database was reviewed to identify first-time heart transplant recipients who were bridged to transplantation with either HW-VAD (n = 141) or HMII-VAD (n = 1824) from January 2009 through July 2012. Results Recipients of HW-VAD had a higher proportion of female patients (27.0% versus 18.9%; p = 0.019), a lower body surface area (2.01 ± 0.25 m 2 versus 2.06 ± 0.25 m 2 ; p = 0.035), and a trend toward a higher peak percentage of panel reactive antibody against human leukocyte class I antigens (40.4% ± 32.8% versus 33.0% ± 30.4%; p = 0.070). Pretransplantation recipient cardiac index (2.33 ± 0.66 L ⋅ min −1 ⋅ m −2 versus 2.33 ± 0.68 L ⋅ min −1 ⋅ m −2 ), serum creatinine (1.21 ± 0.43 mg/dL versus 1.26 ± 0.57 mg/dL), and total bilirubin (1.34 ± 3.45 mg/dL versus 1.06 ± 1.84 mg/dL) were comparable between the two groups ( p > 0.05 for all comparisons). After transplantation, there were no significant differences in freedom from rejection or freedom from cardiac allograft vasculopathy. Posttransplant graft survival rates were similar between the HW-VAD group and the HMII-VAD group at 1, 2, and 3 years (88.4% versus 87.8%, 79.9% versus 83.8%, and 77.4% versus 79.9%, respectively; p = 0.843). Conclusions These findings suggest similar hemodynamic unloading, pretransplant end-organ function, and posttransplant outcomes in patients bridged to transplantation with both the HW-VAD and HMII-VAD.
Microscopic analysis of stage dependent intercalant in-plane density in graphite-FeCl3

Abstract A complementary technique, Mossbauer spectroscopy, to conventional 00l integrated X-ray intensities is presented probing the microscopic in-plane density in graphite-FeCl3 compounds. The local in-plane density decreases as the stage of the samples increases due to the formation of iron vacancies. Applications for this technique to help resolve some controversial experimental results are also discussed.
Study on a supermemory gradient method for the minimization of functions

A new accelerated gradient method for finding the minimum of a functionf(x) whose variables are unconstrained is investigated. The new algorithm can be stated as follows: $$\tilde x = x + \delta x,\delta x = - \alpha g(x) + \sum\limits_{i = 1}^k {\beta _i \delta x_i }$$ wherex is ann-vector,g(x) is the gradient of the functionf(x), δx is the change in the position vector for the iteration under consideration, and δx i is the change in the position vector for theith previous iteration. The quantities α and β i are scalars chosen at each step so as to yield the greatest decrease in the function; the scalark denotes the number of past iterations remembered.
Examining Verbal Memory on the Word Memory Test and California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition

This study compared the Word Memory Test (WMT) and California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition (CVLT-II) in a sample (N = 76) of outpatient physiatry referrals who passed WMT validity indices. WMT and CVLT-II raw scores showed moderate to strong correlations. WMT scores were more likely to be below expectation than CVLT-II scores using norms from the respective test manuals. With impaired scores defined as 2 SDs below normative mean, the WMT and CVLT-II showed 67% overall agreement and kappa of 0.34. Forty percent of participants who scored within normal limits on the CVLT-II demonstrated an impaired score on the WMT. Despite evidence of utility, WMT memory subtests appear limited by current normative data.
Widened E Point Septal Separation in a Normal Pediatric Population

To determine the age and gender distribution of the E point septal separation (EPSS), M-mode echocardiograms were obtained from 121 normal subjects aged four months to 82 years. A small but consistent age factor was found. In subjects 20 years, EPSS was 1.4 ± 1.8 (p
Target DNA structure plays a critical role in Tn7 transposition

The bacterial transposon Tn7 utilizes four Tn7-encoded proteins, TnsA, TnsB, TnsC and TnsD, to make insertions at a specific site termed attTn7. This target is selected by the binding of TnsD to attTn7 in a sequence-specific manner, followed by the binding of TnsC and activation of the transposase. We show that TnsD binding to attTn7 induces a distortion at the 5' end of the binding site and TnsC contacts the region of attTn7 distorted by TnsD. Previous work has shown that a target site containing triplex DNA, instead of TnsD-attTn7, can recruit TnsABC and effect site- specific insertion of Tn7. We propose that the DNA distortion imposed by TnsD on attTn7, like the altered DNA structure via triplex formation, serves as a signal to recruit TnsC. We also show that TnsD primarily contacts the major groove of DNA, whereas TnsC is a minor groove binding protein. The footprint of the TnsC-TnsD-attTn7 nucleoprotein complex includes and extends beyond the Tn7 insertion site, where TnsC forms a platform to receive and activate the transposase to carry out recombination.
A review of imaging techniques for systems biology

This paper presents a review of imaging techniques and of their utility in system biology. During the last decade systems biology has matured into a distinct field and imaging has been increasingly used to enable the interplay of experimental and theoretical biology. In this review, we describe and compare the roles of microscopy, ultrasound, CT (Computed Tomography), MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), PET (Positron Emission Tomography), and molecular probes such as quantum dots and nanoshells in systems biology. As a unified application area among these different imaging techniques, examples in cancer targeting are highlighted.
X-ray mask metrology: the development of linewidth standards for x-ray lithography

The calibration of masks used in x-ray lithography has been successfully accomplished in the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) by utilizing the transmitted scanning electron detection technique. This has been made possible because these masks present a measurement subject different from most (if not all) other objects used in semiconductor processing because the support membrane is, by design, x-ray transparent. This characteristic can be used as an advantage in electron beam-based mask metrology since, depending upon the incident electron beam energies, substrate composition and substrate thickness, the membrane can also be essentially electron transparent.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Structure and Anti-TB Activity of Trachylobanes from the Liverwort Jungermannia exsertifolia ssp. cordifolia

In the critical search for new antituberculosis lead compounds, bryophytes represent a largely untapped resource of chemically diverse structures. From the liverwort Jungermannia exsertifolia subsp. cordifolia, 11 new trachylobane diterpene derivatives, as well as three known compounds, were isolated. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic means, and full (1)H NMR spin analysis of one model compound confirmed the relative configurational assignments of the congeners. Four of the isolates exhibited noticeable activity against virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis H(37)Rv with minimal inhibitory concentrations of 61-24 microg/mL. This finding suggests that bryophytes in general and trachylobanes in particular deserve further attention in the search for new antimycobacterial leads.
Jerry Mandell, leukocyte watcher, searching for the role of cytokines in infection.

The three primary goals of an academic physician should always remain: to heal, to teach, and to maintain a creative and resourceful scientific mind while continuously inspiring the quest for new knowledge and better ways of treating people. Gerald (Jerry) Mandell, MD, is an exemplary model of the academic physician/scientist (see photo). The following reflections on his academic career and achievements are offered in acknowledgment of his role as an inspirational teacher, caring physician, and innovative scientist whose contributions to medicine as a whole will have a profound effect on patient treatment.