cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Changing Neurourologic Pattern of Multiple Sclerosis

AbstractThe changing clinical course of multiple sclerosis is a hallmark of the disease. The neurourologic findings in this disorder have been well documented in the literature but the occurrence of urodynamic changes with time has been mentioned only briefly. Ten men and 8 women had 2 or more urodynamic evaluations, consisting of cystometrography and perineal floor needle electromyography during 2 months to 6 years (mean 25 months). The initial urodynamic patterns included a normal study in 1 patient, detrusor areflexia in 7 and detrusor hyperreflexia in 10 (5 with vesicosphincter dyssynergia). Re-examinations were done for persistent or new symptoms. The urodynamic pattern changed in 10 patients (55 per cent), including cystometrographic changes in 7, newly developed neuropathic changes on electromyography in 5 and changes in detrusor-sphincter interaction in 9 (with 5 new cases of vesicosphincter dyssynergia). Of the 8 patients who did not demonstrate a urodynamic change 5 had vesicosphincter dyssynerg...
A Microfabricated Fluidic Reaction and Separation System for Integrated DNA Analysis

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in developing a complete, highvolume, DNA analysis system using microfabrication techniques. Such analysis systems require components for injection, pumping, mixing, reaction, separation and detection. Over the past decade, many researchers have demonstrated that micromachined fluidic devices are capable of performing many of the required functions of chemical analysis. In addition, coupling the individual analysis steps onto a single microfabricated device significantly simplifies the process, minimizes human intervention, reduces the risk of contamination, and could lead to the realization of hand-held ‘Lab-on-a-chip’ devices. We are presently developing a fluidic handling, reaction and separation system for integrated DNA analysis. The current generation of our system contains an injection system based on selective hydrophobic patterning, air driven/thermocapillary fluid pump, a temperature controlled reaction chamber and a high-resolution electrophoresis and detection system. Since all the components are fabricated on the same wafer and use a similar channel design, the entire device could potentially function as one unit. We have successfully used these devices to perform a variety of DNA analysis techniques including constant temperature amplification using Strand Displacement Amplification (SDA) and gel-electrophoresis.
Annexin VI modulates Ca2+ and K+ conductances of spinal cord and dorsal root ganglion neurons

Annexin VI is a member of a Ca(2+)-dependent phospholipid-binding protein family that participates in the transduction of the intracellular Ca2+ signal. We have identified annexin VI as one of the ...
Surface elemental quantification of Au-Pd pre-plated leadframe by means of X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy

Quantification of sample with Palladium (Pd) and Gold (Au) using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) could be a great challenge due to the overlapping of Pd, Au and Oxygen photoelectron lines. Conventional baseline subtraction method is not applicable when the content of Pd is too low. A metrology for Pd-Au pre-plated leadframe surface atomic percent quantification using XPS deconvolution method was demonstrated to be able to quantify Pd-Au pre-plated leadframe with low Pd content. Three XPS wide scans were performed on the same analysis spot at energy resolutions of 1 eV/step, 0.5 eV/step and 0.1 eV/step respectively. The same metrology was utilized for atomic percent quantification and compare the accuracy based on deconvolution results.
Planning for an unknowable future: uncertainty in climate change adaptation planning

Uncertainty in climate projections poses a serious challenge to adaptation planning. Ignoring this uncertainty can cause adaptation plans and strategies to be ineffective and even maladaptive. As such, there is growing awareness that adaptation planning must adopt approaches that enable discovering, assessing, and addressing uncertainty. In this paper, I examine how uncertainty is managed in adaptation planning. Content analysis of 44 local climate adaptation plans in the U.S. indicates that most plans recognize uncertainty, however, very few employ approaches to address uncertainty. To better understand how uncertainty influences the planning process, I conducted informant interviews in three communities: Boulder, CO; Denver, CO and Salem, MA. These communities capture the variation across plans in content analysis scores, climate threats, and plan author. Interview results suggest that adaptation plans do not fully reflect how uncertainty is managed in the planning process. Rather than focusing on climate projections in the vulnerability assessment, which may reinforce planning for one future, communities in which interviews were conducted emphasized sensitivity and adaptive capacity. Interviewees also emphasized the importance of no-regrets strategies and an iterative adaptation process. Institutional barriers were viewed as a major challenge for adopting uncertainty approaches. For approaches, such as robust strategies and flexible strategies, to be more widely used, we must first breakdown the deeply embedded practice of planning for one future.
The legitimate effort in research papers: Student commitment versus faculty expectations

Interviews with students writing research papers reveal a disparity between their and faculty expectations of the place of academic work in the educational process. Understanding the conflicts and tacit agreements that come out of this disparity may help librarians to become more active participants in the research process.
Prediction of Seizures in Asphyxiated Neonates

Early continuous video electroencephalography was used to detect seizures in term infants at high risk of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in a study at University College Cork, and St Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
Re: Cui T, Kovell RC, Terlecki RP. Is it time to abandon the digital rectal examination? Lessons from the PLCO Cancer Screening Trial and peer-reviewed literature. Curr Med Res Opin 2016;32:1-7.

Dear Editor,We read with interest the article by Cui et al.1 as current medical opinion regarding the utility of the digital rectal exam (DRE) evolves. In an analysis of data from the Prostate, Lun...
Sacral Agenesis: Diagnosis, Treatment and Followup of Urological Complications

Sacral agenesis is an uncommon congenital anomaly that usually is accompanied by other orthopedic anomalies but often occurs singularly. We report our experience in the treatment and long-term followup of 4 cases of pure sacral agenesis. We strongly stress the need for early diagnosis and long-term careful followup. In our group the diagnosis was often overlooked and followup was poor. Studies must be undertaken to determine the type and degree of neurogenic vesicopathy in each child since this may vary from one patient to the next. We urge the early and long-term use of intermittent catheterization.
Congenital membranous occlusion of the suprahepatic inferior vena cava in a pediatric liver transplant

Congenital membranous occlusion of the inferior vena cava (IVC) in pediatric liver recipients may present with outflow occlusion and if unrecognized, result in graft loss. Prompt evaluation of outflow obstruction in the setting of unexplained inflow compromise is paramount. We report a case of successful IVC reconstruction in a patient with recurrent hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT). A 2-year-old child with history of two liver transplantations developed fevers, ascites, and abdominal tenderness one month after her second liver transplant. Hepatic duplex revealed decreased flow in the hepatic artery and IVC venogram revealed patent hepatic veins with occlusion of the suprahepatic IVC. We performed reconstruction of her suprahepatic IVC to intrapericardial IVC using an end-to-side technique after complete mobilization of the liver. Recovery was uneventful and the patient has been doing well for the last 5 years.
Online Compendium to the book chapter 'Threshold Discounting: Operational Beneﬁts, Potential Drawbacks, and Optimal Design'

This is the online appendix for the book chapter "Threshold Discounting: Operational Benefits, Potential Drawbacks, and Optimal Design".
Immigrants and mental disorders in the united states: New evidence on the healthy migrant hypothesis.

Abstract Objectives Despite experiencing migration-related stress and social adversity, immigrants are less likely to experience an array of adverse behavioral and health outcomes. Guided by the healthy migrant hypothesis, which proposes that this paradox can be explained in part by selection effects, we examine the prevalence and comorbidity of mental disorders among immigrants to the United States (US). Methods Findings are based on the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (2012–2013), a nationally representative survey of 36,309 adults in the US. Results Immigrants were significantly less likely than US-born individuals to meet criteria for a lifetime disorder (AOR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.57–0.71) or to report parental history of psychiatric problems. Compared to US-born individuals, the prevalence of mental disorders was not significantly different among individuals who immigrated as children; however, differences were observed for immigrants who arrived as adolescents (ages 12–17) or as adults (age 18+). Discussion Consistent with the healthy migrant hypothesis, immigrants are less likely to come from families with psychiatric problems, and those who migrate after childhood—when selection effects are most likely to be observed—have the lowest levels of psychiatric morbidity.
Reliability, Validity, and Measurement Invariance of Attitudinal and Social Norm Factors in Math

The purpose of the present study was to provide a deeper understanding of multidimensional aspects of attitudes and social norms in educational contexts. Specifically, the current investigation aimed to (1) examine reliability and validity of factorial structure of math attitudes ( Affective, Behavioral , and Cognitive factors) and perceived math social norms ( Parent, Peer , and Teacher factors) and (2) test whether measurement of all factors would be invariant across national groups. Three nationally representative sample data (USA, Hong Kong, and Singapore; N = 15,019) were obtained from the 2012 Programme of International Student Assessment (PISA) database. High values in Cronbach’s Alpha, Composite Reliability scores, and factor loadings indicated strong internal consistency and convergent validity of all factors. Estimated correlations among latent factors were ranged from small to moderate in value ( r s = .21 - .51, p s < .001) and each square root of average variance extracted turned out to be greater than all bivariate correlations (.71 - .85), which supported clear discriminant validity. Furthermore, the results of Multigroup Confirmatory Factor Analysis (MGCFA) yielded that measurement of the six factors was equivalent across national groups at the level of strong (scalar) factorial invariance. Implications for math education and future research are discussed.
Dangers of “Common Knowledge” in Materials Simulations

For someone entering the field of materials simulations, it may be difficult to navigate through the maze of various ideas and concepts existing in the literature and to make one’s own judgment about their validity and certainty. Monographs and chapter books make it easier for a beginner to prepare for reading the literature describing the state of the art. Yet, even while reading a textbook, a novice may get the discomforting feeling of “not digging” a certain statement. If and when this happens, the first urge is usually to reread the passage and think harder and, if that fails, to re-view the preceding discussion trying to pay more specific attention to the facts and logic behind the elusive idea. Then, depending on one’s patience, it may become necessary to read other texts or talk to more experienced people. But what if all of this fails to clarify the point in question? What if the misunderstanding persists through the years and continues to nag even after most of the other, initially difficult, ideas happily find their proper place in one’s mind. It is quite natural then to begin to doubt oneself: why does no one else have this difficulty? Is it only I who is stupid? Eventually, the feeling of desperation subsides, often replaced by a conditional acceptance: “I don’t dig it but I can live with it”.
A Review and Critical Analysis of Theories of Polar/Nonpolar Aggregation in Ionomers

A number of theoretical molecular energetics-based models of polar/nonpolar aggregation in ionomers have developed in concert with the proliferation of an experimental structure/properties database in this area. This manuscript is a critical review of these contributions with a view toward identifying areas that demand improvement or development as well as provide a general enumeration of concepts for the uninformed. A distinction is made between dry vs. hydrated ionomers and hydrocarbon-based ionomers with low ionic mole fractions vs. perfluorinated ionomers. It is also concluded that, while the existing models have come a long way in explaining observed overall structural features and properties trends, the goal of fine-tuning novel ionomer materials for a broad range of applications, using a comprehensive model, remains unattained.
Pirated Pedagogy: Repurposing Brecht’s Performance Techniques for Revolutions in Teaching

For over twenty years I have employed a teaching strategy in the university classroom and rehearsal hall with repeated success: recycling a performance of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s “Pirate Jenny” as demonstration of Brecht’s techniques for Epic Theatre. I first performed the song playing Polly Peachum in The Brecht Company’s production of The Threepenny Opera in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1989. Now a professor, I repeat my performance in the classroom to teach Brecht’s aesthetics and demonstrate the power of his techniques to raise social consciousness and inspire action towards revolutionary change. Regardless of the course, this performance has been the single most effective method I’ve employed for teaching Brecht’s theories in a quarter century in higher education. Not only does it actively demonstrate Brecht’s Verfremdungseffekt (distancing or alienation effect), disrupting classroom norms on multiple levels, it opens up relational dynamics between professor and students, revealing the performative aspects of classroom exchanges. The multiple acts of recycling at work demonstrate the power of layered aesthetic and pedagogical strategies to engage students on many levels and entertain while teaching. Through I originally aimed this exercise to demonstrate Brecht’s methods, I have the found that performing in class engages feminist pedagogical strategies in meaningful ways. The intersections between Brecht’s theories for the stage and feminist teaching methods open the potential for repurposing Brecht’s theories in innovative applications to support new philosophies and practices in an evolving academy.
Religion and Stratification

This article is a revision of the previous edition article by B.S. Turner, Volume 19, pp. 13136–13139, © 2001, Elsevier Ltd.
To the Ends of the Earth. The Truth behind the Glory of Polar Exploration. By John V. H. Dippel. (Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 2018. Pp. 343. $28.00.)

The literature of polar exploration is studded with summaries of significant expeditions and biographies of noted explorers, the latter ranging from hagiography (Hobbs on Peary) to contempt (Huntfo...
Inference Procedures for the Evaluation and Comparison of Proximity Matrices

As the title suggests, this paper is concerned with proximity matrices, or more explicitly, with any matrix that contains numerical values indexing the relationship between objects from some given set. Since the methods of evaluation to be discussed have a number of uses, our review could be appropriately placed under a particular subtopic such as hierarchical clustering, or within a more inclusive framework such as classification analysis. Alternatively, the discussion has major implications for studying geographical variation, and thus, it could be presented in this context as well. Instead of delineating any one class of special cases at the expense of others, the analysis strategies will be phrased for arbitrary proximity matrices, whatever their source. Specific interpretations will be mentioned throughout to help clarify the variety of possible applications.
On the Universal Gröbner bases of varieties of minimal degree

A universal Gr\"obner basis of an ideal is the union of all its reduced Gr\"obner bases. It is contained in the Graver basis, the set of all primitive elements. Obtaining an explicit description of either of these sets, or even a sharp degree bound for their elements, is a nontrivial task.\\ In their '95 paper, Graham, Diaconis and Sturmfels give a nice combinatorial description of the Graver basis for any rational normal curve in terms of primitive partition identities. Their result is extended here to rational normal scrolls. The description of the Graver bases of scrolls is given in terms of {\em{colored}} partition identities. This leads to a sharp bound on the degree of Graver basis elements, which is always attained by a circuit.\\ Finally, for any variety obtained from a scroll by a sequence of projections to some of the coordinate hyperplanes, the degree of any element in any reduced Gr\"obner basis is bounded by the degree of the variety.
Influence of Career Management on Performance of Firms Listed in the Nairobi Securities Exchange in Kenya

The study sought to determine the influence of career management on firm performance at the firms which are listed in the Nairobi Securities Exchange. The study was anchored on resource based view theory and shareholder value maximization theory. The research design used was a cross-sectional survey, target population included the head of human resources and finance directors in all the listed firms since they were better placed and conversant with the subject of this study and were involved in the development of the policies and review of performance. Sample size comprised of 136 respondents and data was collected through structured questionnaires to meet the objectives of the study. Responses were tabulated, coded and processed by use of a computer Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) to analyze the data. Both descriptive and inferential statistics techniques were used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that the relationship between career management and firm performance was positive and statistically significant. The study concluded that career development and planning, career mentors/ counseling, career centres and firms planning for employee growth and progression are key career management determinants for the performance of firms listed in the Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE) and recommended that career management practices should be widely adopted by NSE listed firms as doing so would lead to improved performance.
Meniscus tears accelerate joint space loss and lateral meniscal extrusion increases risk of knee arthroplasty in middle-aged adults

We sought to use publicly available data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI), a multicenter prospective cohort study, to determine the rate of joint space loss and likelihood of knee arthroplasty due to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-diagnosed meniscal tears or meniscal extrusion in middle-aged adults with no to mild knee osteoarthritis. Participants (n = 2199; mean age, 60.2 years) with Kellgren-Lawrence osteoarthritis grades 2 (mild) (48.7%) or 0 to 1 (none) (51.3%) underwent knee MRIs at enrollment and were followed radiographically for 8 years and for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for 9 years. Rate of joint space loss and risk of arthroplasty due to meniscal tears and/or extrusion were determined by multivariate modeling. Prevalence of baseline medial meniscus tears was 21.3% and lateral tears was 12.8%; 26.9% had medial meniscal extrusion (79.6%, <2 mm; 20.4%, +2 mm) and 5.4% had lateral extrusion (75.9%, <2 mm; 24.1%, +2 mm). Median medial joint space loss was 0.06 mm/y and lateral was 0.05 mm/y. Medial tears regardless of extrusion were associated with accelerated medial joint space loss (additional mean, 0.05 mm/y; P = .001). Lateral tears were associated with accelerated lateral joint space loss (additional 0.09 mm/y; P < .001) as was lateral extrusion (additional 0.10 mm/y; P < .001). The yearly incidence of knee arthroplasty was 0.5% without lateral extrusion, 1.5% with extrusion less than 2.0 mm, and 3.7% with extrusion greater than or equal to 2.0 mm. Both medial and lateral tears accelerate joint space loss in middle-aged adults. Lateral meniscal extrusion further accelerates joint space loss and increases risk of progression to TKA within 9 years.
Feto-Maternal Outcome in Caesarean Sections Performed in Second Stage of Labour

The second stage caesarean section is associated increased maternal and foetal morbidity due to its inherent technical difficulties. This was a prospective observational study of 25 cases of caesarean sections done in second stage of labour in Teaching Hospital Batticaloa, Sri Lanka. The main aim of the study was to identify the maternal and perinatal outcomes of second stage caesarean sections. The findings of this study will help for auditing of current practices and improve the standards of care. Blood stained urine was the major complication observed in 60% of patients followed by difficulty in extraction of the baby in 48%. The lower uterine segment tear and angle extension were observed in 12% of patients; PPH and Broad ligament hematoma were noted in one in each patient. Mean duration of hospital stay is 2.28 days. Longer duration was 5 days as she underwent total abdominal hysterectomy due to extensive uterine tears during caesarean section. All the babies had APGAR score of more than 7 at 5 minutes. Nearly 20% (n=5) of the babies were admitted to PBU, among them one required neonatal resuscitation at birth and two received IV antibiotics for possible sepsis. There were no maternal and neonatal mortality reported in this study.
Ten-year time trends in preterm birth during a sociodemographic transition period: a retrospective cohort study in Shenzhen, China

Objectives To investigate time trends of preterm birth and estimate the contributions of risk factors to the changes in preterm birth rates over a decade (2009–2018) of transitional period in Shenzhen, China. Design Retrospective cohort study between 2009 and 2018. Setting All births in Baoan during January 2009 and December 2018 registered in the Shenzhen Birth Registry Database. Participants 478 044 live births were included with sociodemographic and medical records for both women and infants. Outcome measures The incidence rate of preterm birth stratified by different maternal and infant characteristics. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify significant risk factors associated with preterm birth. The population attributable risk fraction of each factor was calculated to estimate its contribution to variations of preterm birth rate over the 10 years. Results A total of 27 829 preterm births from 478 044 (5.8%) live births were recorded and the preterm birth rate increased from 5.5% in 2009 to 6.2% in 2018. Medically induced preterm birth rate increased from 2.0% in 2009 to 3.4% in 2018 while spontaneous preterm labour rate decreased from 3.3% to 2.7% over the decade years. Risk factors including multiple pregnancy (0.28% increase) drove the rise of preterm birth rate, whereas changes in maternal educational attainment (0.22% reduction) and prenatal care utilisation (0.45% reduction) had contributed to the decline in preterm birth rate. Conclusions An uptrend of preterm birth rate was observed in an area under rapid sociodemographic transitions during 2009–2018 and the changes were associated with these sociodemographic transitions. Continued investments in girls’ education and prenatal care have the potential of reducing preterm birth rate.
G507 Complex care attending model

Aim Our current working paediatric model is based around a rapid turnover of acutely unwell children with none or limited co-morbidities, who are expected to return to prior health with appropriate medical management. In order to fulfil these standards we operate a weekly attending consultant system with resident on calls until 9pm, with a focus on acutely unwell children including fulfilling standard of consultant review of acute admission within 14 hours of admission. We have increasingly realised that this model of care in insufficient to care effectively for patients with more complex medical and social health needs. We are to piloting a new model of care to improve the care of Children with Complex Medical needs. This involves a second Ward Attending Consultant to focus on their care, supported by a new administrative role and Clinical nurse specialist (CNS) role. Method The Second Attending Consultant of the week, instead of managing acute medical admissions focusses on these children and families supported by an administrator and the Complex CNS. The model moves away from the daily ward rounds needed by acute patients, with instead twice weekly reviews and a greater focus on coordinating effective Multidisciplinary meetings, addressing psychosocial needs and good communication with families. The changes are based on Qualitative feedback from Staff and Family. Regular evaluation of the effectiveness of the service change has been started alongside a narrative of barriers to change and complications to help inform next steps. Results Monthly data is collected as indirect measures of improved communication between professionals and has improved from as baseline; time to first Multidisciplinary meeting, time Community teams informed of admission and discharge. Quantitative data regarding length of stay, A&E attendance, hospital admissions and missed Community appointments due to inpatient stay has been collected as a baseline. Early data shows a reduction in length of stay, data collection for other parameters are planned in January 2020 alongside repeat staff and patient surveys. Conclusion The paediatric complex care second attending model has enabled improved communication and reduced length of stay for patients with complex medical and social needs
Timeout and calendar based finite state modeling and verification of real-time systems

To overcome the complexity of verification of real-time systems with dense time dynamics, Dutertre and Sorea proposed timeout and calender based transition systems to model real-time systems and verify safety properties using k-induction. In this work, we propose a canonical finitary reduction technique, which reduces the infinite state space of timeout and calender based transition systems to a finite state space. The technique is formalized in terms of clockless finite state timeout and calendar based models represented as predicate transition diagrams. Using the proposed reduction, we can verify these systems using finite state model checkers and thus can avoid the complexity of induction based proof methodology. We present examples of Train-Gate Controller and the TTA startup algorithm to demonstrate how such an approach can be efficiently used for verifying safety, liveness, and timeliness properties using the finite state model checker Spin.
Accelerated reactions of amines with carbon dioxide driven by superacid at the microdroplet interface

Microdroplets display distinctive interfacial chemistry, manifested as accelerated reactions relative to those observed for the same reagents in bulk. Carbon dioxide undergoes C–N bond formation reactions with amines at the interface of droplets to form carbamic acids. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry displays the reaction products in the form of the protonated and deprotonated carbamic acid. Electrosonic spray ionization (ESSI) utilizing carbon dioxide as nebulization gas, confines reaction to the gas–liquid interface where it proceeds much faster than in the bulk. Intriguingly, trace amounts of water accelerate the reaction, presumably by formation of superacid or superbase at the water interface. The suggested mechanism of protonation of CO2 followed by nucleophilic attack by the amine is analogous to that previously advanced for imidazole formation from carboxylic acids and diamines.
Structural basis of a chemokine heterodimer binding to glycosaminoglycans

Chemokines Cxcl1/KC and Cxcl2/MIP2 play a crucial role in coordinating neutrophil migration to the insult site. Chemokines' recruitment activity is regulated by monomer-dimer equilibrium and binding to glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). GAG chains exist as covalently linked to core proteins of proteoglycans (PGs) and also as free chains due to cleavage by heparanases during the inflammatory response. Compared with free GAGs, binding to GAGs in a PG is influenced by their fixed directionality due to covalent linkage and restricted mobility. GAG interactions impact chemokine monomer/dimer levels, chemotactic and haptotactic gradients, life time, and presentation for receptor binding. Here, we show that Cxcl1 and Cxcl2 also form heterodimers. Using a disulfide-trapped Cxcl1-Cxcl2 heterodimer, we characterized its binding to free heparin using nuclear magnetic resonance and isothermal titration calorimetry, and to immobilized heparin and heparan sulfate using surface plasmon resonance. These data, in conjunction with molecular docking, indicate that the binding characteristics such as geometry and stoichiometry of the heterodimer are different between free and immobilized GAGs and are also distinctly different from those of the homodimers. We propose that the intrinsic asymmetry of the heterodimer structure, along with differences in its binding to PG GAGs and free GAGs, regulate chemokine function.
Hidden suppressive interactions are common in higher-order drug combinations.

Summary The rapid increase of multi-drug resistant bacteria has led to a greater emphasis on multi-drug combination treatments. However, some combinations can be suppressive—that is, bacteria grow faster in some drug combinations than when treated with a single drug. Typically, when studying interactions, the overall effect of the combination is only compared with the single-drug effects. However, doing so could miss “hidden” cases of suppression, which occur when the highest order is suppressive compared with a lower-order combination but not to a single drug. We examined an extensive dataset of 5-drug combinations and all lower-order—single, 2-, 3-, and 4-drug—combinations. We found that a majority of all combinations—54%—contain hidden suppression. Examining hidden interactions is critical to understanding the architecture of higher-order interactions and can substantially affect our understanding and predictions of the evolution of antibiotic resistance under multi-drug treatments.
Comparing video modeling and computer-based instruction to teach preference assessment implementation

Research is needed to identify staff training techniques that optimize training time and do not require the presence of a staff trainer. Asynchronous training procedures, such as video modeling and...
The Pontificate of Clement VII: History, Politics, Culture

Contents: Introduction: Clement and calamity: the case for re-evaluation, Kenneth Gouwens. Part 1 History, Politics and Humanism: Character, Politics and Family: Guicciardini, Giovio, and the character of Clement VII, T.C. Price Zimmermann The 'disastrous' pontificate of Clement VII: disastrous for Giulio de' Medici?, Barbara McClung Hallman All in the family: the Medici women and Pope Clement VII, Natalie Tomas The conspiracy of 1522 against Cardinal Giulio de' Medici: Machiavelli and 'gli esempli delli antiqui', Patricia J. Osmond The Sack of Rome and its Aftermath: Clement VII and Francesco Maria Della Rovere, Duke of Urbino, Cecil H. Clough Clement VII and the Sack of Rome as represented in the Ephemerides Historicae of Cornelius de Fine, Ivana Ait Rome during the sack: chronicles and testimonies from an occupied city, Anna Esposito and Manuel Vaquero PiA+/-eiro The papal court in exile: Clement VII in Orvieto, 1527-28, Anne Reynolds Resynthesis: The place of Clement VII and Clementine Rome in Renaissance history, Charles L. Stinger. Part 2 Patronage, Cultural Production and Reform: Clement VII as Patron: Clement VII and Michelangelo: an anatomy of patronage, William E. Wallace Michelangelo and the Clementine architectural style, Caroline Elam Clement VII and the Golden Age of the papal choir, Richard Sherr Artists, Musicians and Literati In Clementine Rome: Competition, collaboration, and specialization in the Roman art world, 1520-27, Linda Wolk-Simon Papal tastes and musical genres: Francesco da Milano 'Il Divino' (1497-1543) and the Clementine aesthetic, Victor Anand Coelho Seeking patronage under the Medici popes: a tale of two humanists, Julia Haig Gaisser Antiquity Revived and Renovatio in Religion and Art: Augustan Mediterranean iconography and Renaissance hieroglyphics at the court of Clement VII: Sebastiano del Piombo's Portrait of Andrea Doria, George L. Gorse (appendix 2 by Naomi Sawelson) Adrian VI, Clement VII, and art, Sheryl E.
Pathway of Alginic Acid Synthesis in the Marine Brown Alga, Fucus gardneri Silva

Abstract When discs of the marine brown alga, Fucus gardneri, were infiltrated with uniformly labeled d-mannose-14C or uniformly labeled d-glucose-14C, radioactivity was detected in the respiratory CO2, "fucoidin," "alginic acid," and in the residual fractions. Radioactivity was also found in the ethanol and in the acid extracts of the leaves. The extracts contained sugar phosphates, sugar nucleotides, and glyconic acids. Enzyme preparations were obtained from the alga which contained the following enzymic activities: hexokinase, phosphomannomutase, d-mannose 1-phosphate guanylyl-transferase, guanosine diphosphate-d-mannose dehydrogenase, and mannuronic acid transferase. It was shown that, starting with d-mannose, these enzyme systems are involved in the pathway leading to the formation of guanosine diphosphate-d-mannuronic acid and subsequent incorporation of the d-mannuronic acid into a polymer of the uronic acid. The enzyme activities of the F. gardneri could be observed only when the cell-free preparations were made in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone.
Psychophysical Evidence for Rod Vulnerability in Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Purpose To determine whether there is rod system dysfunction in the central retina of patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods Dark-adapted sensitivity (500-nm stimulus) and light-adapted sensitivity (600 nm) were measured psychophysically at 52 loci in the central 38 degrees (diameter) of retina in 80 patients with AMD, and results were compared with those from older adult normal controls. All dark-adapted data were corrected for preretinal absorption. Results Mean field dark-adapted sensitivity was significantly lower in AMD patients as a group than in normal subjects. Within the AMD group were subsets of patients with normal mean dark- and light-adapted sensitivities; reduced dark-adapted sensitivities without detectable light-adapted losses; both types of losses; and, least commonly, only light-adapted losses. Regional retinal analyses of the dark-adapted deficit indicated the greatest severity was 2 degrees to 4 degrees or approximately 1 mm from the fovea, and the deficit decreased with increasing eccentricity. Conclusions These psychophysical results are consistent with histopathologic findings of a selective vulnerability for parafoveal rod photoreceptors in AMD. The different patterns of rod and cone system losses among patients at similar clinical stages reinforces the notion that AMD is a group of disorders with underlying heterogeneity of mechanism of visual loss. Dark-adapted macula-wide testing may be a useful complement to the more traditional outcome measures of fundus pathology and foveal cone-based psychophysics in future AMD trials.
Fine-Grained Access Control with Object-Sensitive Roles

Role-based access control (RBAC) is a common paradigm to ensure that users have sufficient rights to perform various system operations. In many cases though, traditional RBAC does not easily express application-level security requirements. For instance, in a medical records system it is difficult to express that doctors should only update the records of their own patients. Further, traditional RBAC frameworks like Java's Enterprise Edition rely solely on dynamic checks, which makes application code fragile and difficult to ensure correct. We introduce Object-sensitive RBAC (ORBAC), a generalized RBAC model for object-oriented languages. ORBAC resolves the expressiveness limitations of RBAC by allowing roles to be parameterized by properties of the business objects being manipulated. We formalize and prove sound a dependent type system that statically validates a program's conformance to an ORBAC policy. We have implemented our type system for Java and have used it to validate fine-grained access control in the OpenMRS medical records system.
Mixing with Mozart

A variety of tools exist in hardware and software for mixing dance music. These work by estimating the “beats-perminute” count of music with heavy beats. These tools aid a DJ in finding the appropriate speed change and time shift to smoothly combine or transition between two pieces of music. In this work, we present a method for finding these alignments and combining a wider class of songs with dance music (e.g., Mozart with techno). We do this by jointly optimizing the energy alignment of both signals instead of attempting to detect individual beats/tempos. Though computationally intensive if naively computed, we introduce an approximation to greatly speed up the evaluation of the tens of thousands of possible matches. This results in a set of a few top choices for alignment parameters. We also develop a measure of the quality of the match to help assess whether the best alignment is actually a good fit. We show a variety of results demonstrating the use of this method.
"A Plain Public Road": Evaluating Arguments for Democracy in a Post-Metaphysical World

Section One of this essay addresses Patrick Buchanan's political discourse by interweaving traditional rhetorical terms (catachresis, cataplexis, and categorical propositions) with more politically...
Matters of Gravity, a newsletter for the gravity community

Table of contents: -Editorial and Correspondents Gravity news: -LISA Recommended to ESA as Possible New Cornerstone Mission, Peter Bender. -LIGO Project News, Stan Whitcomb. Research briefs: -Some Recent Work in General Relativistic Astrophysics, John Friedman. -Pair Creation of Black Holes, Gary Horowitz. -Conformal Field Equations and Global Properties of Spacetimes, Bernd Schmidt Conference reports: -Aspen Workshop on Numerical Investigations of Singularities in GR, Susan Scott -Second Annual Penn State Conference: Quantum Geometry, Abhay Ashtekar -First Samos Meeting, Spiros Cotsakis and Dieter Brill -Aspen Conference on Gravitational Waves and Their Detection, Syd Meshkov
Analysis of Microtubule Dynamics by Polarized Light

In this article we describe the needed instrumentation and the methods to be followed for the observation and measurement of the birefringence of single and bundled microtubules and of their ordered arrays using a polarizing microscope. As instruments, the traditional polarizing microscope and the recently developed LC-PolScope are discussed. As methods we describe qualitative and quantitative observations, including notes on specimen preparations, that optimize the sensitivity and accuracy of measuring specimen retardance.
Antigens of Streptococcus mutans II. Characterization of an Antigen Resembling a Glycerol Teichoic Acid in Walls of Strain BHT

Cold 10% trichloroacetic acid was used to extract antigens from purified cell walls of Streptococcus mutans BHT. Column chromatography on Biogel P-100 resolved two serologically reactive fractions (B and C). These fractions were ascertained to be relatively pure by recycling on Biogel P-100, Ouchterlony double-diffusion analysis, and immunoelectrophoresis. Fractions B and C demonstrated bands of absolute homology by double-diffusion but different mobilities by immunoelectrophoresis. Chemical analysis indicated that fraction B is a polysaccharide composed principally of rhamnose and galactose, with smaller amounts of glucose and glucosamine. Small quantities of glycerol and phosphorus also were found. Fraction C was composed mainly of galactose, glycerol, and phosphorus. Alkaline hydrolysis of this fraction yielded products typically released by the degradation of a glycerol teichoic acid, such as glycerol monophosphate, glycerol diphosphate, inorganic phosphorus, and several glycosyl glycerol phosphates. Diglycerol triphosphate was not detected. Side-group analysis revealed that glycerol was substituted by mono- and trigalactosyl moieties. Fraction C was deduced to contain 25 glycerol phosphate units per polymer length. Hapten inhibition studies revealed a β-galactoside as the probable hapten on this antigen. The BHT teichoic acid reacted strongly with FA-1 antiserum. It showed bands of homology with both BHT and FA-1 crude acid extracts upon double-diffusion, using antisera to either strain. The BHT teichoic acid also displayed immunoelectrophoretic behavior identical to one of the mobile FA-1 cell wall antigens, again using either serum to develop precipitin bands. It is concluded this antigen may possess a serotype-specific determinant for S. mutans serotype b. Images
Nuclear mass predictions for the crustal composition of neutron stars: A Bayesian neural network approach

Nuclear mass models provide essential input for astrophysical applications such as $r$-process nucleosynthesis and neutron-star structure. By using a Bayesian neural network formalism, the authors obtain a significant improvement of about 40% in the mass predictions, complemented with statistical errors, of existing models. From an average of these predictions a mass model is obtained that is used to predict the composition of the outer crust of a neutron star.
Benign synovial tumors of the knee: a diagnostic problem.

A variety of benign tumors of the synovium must be considered in the differential diagnosis of knee-joint dysfunction. This paper summarizes the data on the incidence of ninety-five such tumors and reports six representative cases. Although synovial chondromatosis and sometimes pigmented villonodular synovitis may produce a similar picture, one should suspect that the synovium of the knee may be involved by tumor when swelling, pain, and, sometimes, limitation of motion or catching occur. If there is no history of a specific trauma and, as is usually the case, the roentgenographic appearance of the knee is normal, one's suspicion should be enhanced. At the time of arthrotomy the knee joint should be thoroughly inspected, since small synovial tumors may be obscure and difficult to find. Every attempt at localization should be made preoperatively in order to help lead one to the proper area of the knee during the surgical exploration. Arthrography was not used in any patients of this series. It may be of help, but we believe that a careful history and examination, followed by thorough exploration, provide an accurate method of diagnosing these tumors. Treatment depends on the type of tumor and the extent of its involvement of the synovium.
Will a large-scale migration of Russians to the Russian Republic take place over the current decade?

The author discusses "the likely scale of in-migration from the other former union republics into the Russian Republic over the remainder of this decade....I believe that during the 1990s there will be continued mass in-migration into Russia from the seven former union republics of Central Asia and the Transcaucasus....I also foresee that Russians will continue to leave such inhospitable milieux as southern Kazakhstan and western Ukraine." (EXCERPT)
An inequality for polymatroid functions and its applications

An integral-valued set function f:2v ↦ Z is called polymatroid if it is submodular, nondecreasing, and f(φ) = 0. Given a polymatroid function f and an integer threshold t ≥ 1, let α = α(f,t) denote the number of maximal sets X ⊆ V satisfying f(X) < t, let β = β(f,t) be the number of minimal sets X ⊆ V for which f(X) ≥ t, and let n = |V|. We show that if β ≥ 2 then α ≤ β(log t)/c, where c = c(n,β) is the unique positive root of the equation 1 = 2c(nc/log β - 1). In particular, our bound implies that α ≤ (nβ)log t for all β ≥ 1. We also give examples of polymatroid functions with arbitrarily large t, n, α and β for which α ≥ β(0.551 log t)/c. More generally, given a polymatroid function f : 2v ↦ Z and an integral threshold t ≥ 1, consider an arbitrary hypergraph H' such that |H'| ≥ 2 and f(H) ≥ t for all H ∈ H'. Let f' be the family of all maximal independent sets X of H' for which f(X) < t. Then |f'| ≤ |H'|(log t)/c(n,|H'|). As an application, we show that given a system of polymatroid inequalities f1(X) ≥ t1,..., fm(X) ≥ tm with quasi-polynomially bounded right-hand sides t1,....,tm, all minimal feasible solutions to this system can be generated in incremental quasi-polynomial time. In contrast to this result, the generation of all maximal infeasible sets is an NP-hard problem for many polymatroid inequalities of small range.
Interaction of Naturally Occurring Nonsteroidal Estrogens with Expressed Recombinant Human Estrogen Receptor

The interaction between the recombinant human estrogen receptor and a variety of nonsteroidal estrogens was studied using a transient transfection assay in mammalian cells. Eight naturally occurring compounds were confirmed to stimulate the transcriptional activity of the human estrogen receptor and to compete for the binding of radiolabeled 17 beta-estradiol to this protein. In order of biological potency, these were zearalenone, beta-zearalenol, coumestrol, genistein, daidzein, phloretin, formononetin, and biochanin A. As with steroidal estrogens, the hormonal activity of these compounds was specific for the estrogen receptor and sensitive to inhibition by 4-hydroxytamoxifen and ICI-164,384. Evidence is also presented to indicate that the stimulatory activity of genistein is unrelated to the protein tyrosine kinase inhibitory activity of this isoflavone. These results demonstrate that a significant number of structurally diverse plant and fungal secondary metabolites exist in nature that may contribute to the total estrogen exposure of the human population.
Gastrointestinal foreign bodies and strictures: Radiologic interventions

Food impaction and foreign body ingestion are significant and sometimes life-threatening medical problems. As described in part 1 of this monograph, a variety of techniques and instruments are available to diagnose and treat these conditions. The radiologist interested in interventional procedures can find ample opportunities to participate in the management of esophageal obstructions by applying radiographic and fluoroscopic techniques to the diagnosis and removal of foreign bodies and food impactions. The recommended radiologic procedures are relatively safe, cost-effective, and efficient methods of addressing these serious situations. Stricture formation in the gastrointestinal tract is another significant medical problem that can often be managed nonoperatively by the radiologist. Fluoroscopically guided balloon dilatation has become an accepted method of effectively treating a large variety of strictures. As described in part 2 of this article, the technique is easy to perform, usually with very little inconvenience to the patient, and the risks of complications are very low. The procedure is relatively inexpensive and does not require the acquisition of any specialized or high-technology equipment. Also, the technique can be performed easily by any radiologist with interest in interventional procedures on the gut. A wide use of the fluoroscopic methods for treatment of impacted foreign bodies and strictures of the gastrointestinal tract is recommended.