cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ProDisc-L learning curve: 24-Month clinical and radiographic outcomes in 44 consecutive cases.

Background Total disc replacement (TDR) promises preservation of spine biomechanics in the treatment of degenerative disc disease but requires more careful device placement than tradition fusion and potentially has a more challenging learning curve.
Predicting symmetry in female/male crime rates

This paper examines changes in female criminality. Data were obtained from 1943 through 1998 on six index crimes: murder, robbery, assault, burglary, auto theft, and larceny. Rape and arson are not included because rape is almost exclusively a male crime, while statistics for arson have not been consistent for the period studied. A review of the literature on female crime is presented. Percentage differences between males and females were obtained for specific crimes for each year. A regression line was computed for this difference by year. Each line is characterized by R2, as a measure of confidence in future predictions and “b” levels to determine slope, and the expected year in which male and female crime will achieve equality if current trends continue. The authors also suggest using the year generated as an index on which to compare growth or decline of female crime.
Parents, Power, and the Reform of Mathematics Education An Exploratory Analysis of Three Urban High Schools

Recent education reform recommendations call for increased parental involvement and the promotion of partnerships between schools and communities. However, many of the reports and documents containing these recommendations speak to parents and educators in vague terms that do not identify a clear role for parents to play in their children's education. Moreover, much of the research regarding parent involvement is deficient in breadth and devoid of content; this is especially true regarding parental involvement in secondary mathematics education. This article explores the role of parents in three urban high schools engaged in the reform of mathematics education. In particular, mathematics teachers' perceptions of parents and parents' perceptions of their children's mathematics education are examined. While paying attention to issues of power; it is argued that at all three of these high schools, parents are involved in the reform of mathematics education in a limited and passive fashion.
Esthesioneuroblastoma: Is There a Need for Elective Neck Treatment?

Purpose To assess the risk of cervical lymph node metastases after definitive treatment for esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB) that did not include elective neck therapy. Methods and Materials This was a retrospective analysis of 26 ENB patients treated at the University of Michigan between 1995 and 2007. Tumor stage was Kadish A in 1 patient, B in 19, C in 5, and unknown in 1. Craniofacial or subcranial resection was performed in 24 patients (92%), with negative margins in 22 (92%). Postoperative radiotherapy (RT) to the primary site was given in 12 patients (46%), and 14 patients (54%) had surgery alone. All patients had clinically N0 disease, and no patient underwent elective neck dissection or radiation. Median follow-up was 72 months. Results Local relapse-free survival was significantly better for patients who received postoperative RT compared with those who had surgery alone: 100% vs. 29% at 5 years, respectively ( p = 0.005). Five-year disease-free survival was 87.5% in the RT group vs. 31% in the surgery-alone group ( p = 0.05). Regional failure was observed in 7 patients (27%), 6 with Kadish Stage B and 1 with Stage C disease. The most common site of nodal failure was Level II, and 3 patients failed in the contralateral neck. Only 3 patients with regional failure were successfully salvaged. Conclusion The high rate of regional failures when the neck is not electively treated justifies elective nodal RT in patients with both Kadish Stages B and C. In addition, our experience confirms the beneficial effect on local control of adjuvant RT to the tumor bed.
Naturally occurring oestrogens in foods—A review

This review is concerned with the presence of naturally occurring oestrogens in food plants and processed foods. Particular emphasis is placed on isoflavones and coumestans, both of which are true plant oestrogens, and the resorcylic acid lactones, more correctly classified as fungal oestrogens. The metabolism and mode of action of these compounds is discussed and their biological potencies, determined in both in vivo and in vitro studies, described. Current methods of analysis are indicated and the levels of these oestrogens in food plants, processed foods and feedingstuffs are presented. Botanical, environmental or technological factors affecting the possible intake of plant and fungal oestrogens are mentioned and the hazard associated with such intake is compared with that originating from other dietary or medicinal hormonally active substances. Indications are given of the wide range of common food plants which have been reported to possess oestrogenic (uterotropic) activity, although it is emphasized...
Relating Rice Milling Quality Changes During Adsorption to Individual Kernel Moisture Content Distribution

ABSTRACT Several varieties of rough rice that were either stored for an extended period of time or freshly harvested were conditioned to initial moisture contents ranging from 10 to 17%. After the individual kernel moisture content distributions were measured, the samples were soaked in water at temperatures ranging from 10 to 40°C. The samples were then dried and milled. The bulk critical moisture content, at which head rice yield began to decline due to moisture adsorption, ranged from 12.5 to 14.9%, depending on the variety, harvest moisture content, and storage conditions. The kernel critical moisture content, determined from each sample from the cumulative kernel moisture content frequency distribution, increased with increasing sample initial moisture content.
Ethnic cleansing American style: SB 1070, nativism and the contradictions of neo-liberal globalization

In April 2010, the State of Arizona established the Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act, commonly known as SB 1070. Characterized at the time as the harshest anti-immigration law in the country, SB 1070 sought to drive illegalized immigrants out of the state by making ordinary life unlivable for them. This article examines four claims regarding the birth, life and possible death of SB 1070. First, the law emerged as a political response to a right-wing populism by promising to preserve White hegemony in Arizona by blunting the growth of the state's Latino population. Second, the law facilitated the state's interest in legitimacy by promising to restore “the border,’ “citizenship’ and “sovereignty’ as protections against the consequences of globalization. Third, once the Arizona business community, which had been silent about SB1070, realized that the law was threatening economic growth, it mobilized to forestall further anti-immigrant legislation in the state. Fourth, the June 2012 deci...
Psychoneuroimmunology Meets Neuropsychopharmacology: Translational Implications of the Impact of Inflammation on Behavior

The potential contribution of chronic inflammation to the development of neuropsychiatric disorders such as major depression has received increasing attention. Elevated biomarkers of inflammation, including inflammatory cytokines and acute-phase proteins, have been found in depressed patients, and administration of inflammatory stimuli has been associated with the development of depressive symptoms. Data also have demonstrated that inflammatory cytokines can interact with multiple pathways known to be involved in the development of depression, including monoamine metabolism, neuroendocrine function, synaptic plasticity, and neurocircuits relevant to mood regulation. Further understanding of mechanisms by which cytokines alter behavior have revealed a host of pharmacologic targets that may be unique to the impact of inflammation on behavior and may be especially relevant to the treatment and prevention of depression in patients with evidence of increased inflammation. Such targets include the inflammatory signaling pathways cyclooxygenase, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, and nuclear factor-κB, as well as the metabolic enzyme, indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase, which breaks down tryptophan into kynurenine. Other targets include the cytokines themselves in addition to chemokines, which attract inflammatory cells from the periphery to the brain. Psychosocial stress, diet, obesity, a leaky gut, and an imbalance between regulatory and pro-inflammatory T cells also contribute to inflammation and may serve as a focus for preventative strategies relevant to both the development of depression and its recurrence. Taken together, identification of mechanisms by which cytokines influence behavior may reveal a panoply of personalized treatment options that target the unique contributions of the immune system to depression.
Vehicle Longitudinal Ride Comfort Control in Stop-and-Go Traffic

Ride comfort at low vehicle speed is often overlooked but is very important to vehicle control applications (e.g. the latest stop-and-go function in Adaptive Cruise Control). Most control strategies that address passenger comfort simply utilize the bounds of jerk and acceleration of the vehicles. In general, they have several major limitations when applied to low-speed applications: (I) frequency-domain comfort requirements are not integrated and (II) the vehicle models are simplified too far to capture the tire and suspension dynamics that may impact comfort significantly at low speeds. This paper develops a control scheme for ride quality under stop-and-go situations. The scheme is based on optimal control and it ensures smooth acceleration during vehicle maneuvers. A two-degree-of-freedom control strategy is used to approximate the optimal control law. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of this control scheme.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
In search of euvolemia in heart failure.

In preparation for the writing of this editorial, I consulted my copy of the Stedman’s Medical Dictionary (23rd Edition, copyright 1976) and was surprised to find that the word “euvolemia” was nowhere to be found. A subsequent search in PubMed (search terms “euvolemia” or “euvolemic”
Rhythmic Movement and Public School Music Education: Conservative and Progressive Views of the Formative Years:

The infusion of rhythmic movement into elementary music programs was a gradual process extending from the late 19th century through the third decade of the 20th century, Changing educational philosophies caused the shift from traditional curricular goals focused on singing and note-reading to the more progressive view of rhythmic movement as an avenue for the total development of the physical, social, cultural, and expressive needs of the child, A growing awareness of the eurhythmies techniques of faques-Dalcroze as well as the acceptance of John Dewey's child-centered curriculum persuaded music educators of the progressive New School (a group of philosophers whose aim was the achievement of educational aims through social activism) to develop practices for a comprehensive elementary curriculum of free and creative rhythmic expression. While conservative thinkers, including T. P. Giddings, Will Earhart, Carl E. Seashore, and Jacob Kwalwasser, upheld rhythm as a inherited trait, unalterable through trainin...
Effects of gabapentin on brain GABA, homocarnosine, and pyrrolidinone in epilepsy patients.

Summary: Purpose: Gabapentin (GBP) was introduced as an antiepileptic drug (AED) and has been used in the management of neuropathic pain. We reported that daily dosing increased brain γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in patients with epilepsy. This study was designed to determine how rapidly brain GABA and the GABA metabolites, homocarnosine and pyrrolidinone, increase in response to the first dose of GBP. Methods: In vivo measurements of GABA, homocarnosine, and pyrrolidinone were made of a 14-cc volume in the occipital cortex by using a 1H spectroscopy with a 2.1-Tesla magnetic resonance spectrometer and an 8-cm surface coil. Six patients (four women) were studied serially after the first oral dose (1,200 mg) of GBP. Five patients (three women) taking a standard daily dose (range, 1,200–2,000 mg) of GBP were rechal-lenged with a single high dose (2,400 mg). Results: The first dose of GBP increased median brain GABA by 1.3 mM (range, 0.4–1.8 mM) within 1 h. Homocarnosine and pyrrolidinone did not change significantly by 5 h. Daily GBP therapy increased GABA (0.5 mM;95% CI, 0.2–0.9), homocarnosine (0.3 mM; 95% CI, 0.2–0.4), and pyrrolidinone (0.10 mM; 95% CI, 0.06–0.14). Rechallenging patients taking GBP daily increased median brain GABA by 0.4 mM (range, 0.3–0.5) within 1 h. Conclusions: GBP promptly elevates brain GABA and presumably offers partial protection against further seizures within hours of the first oral dose. Patients may expect to experience the anticonvulsant effects of increased homocarnosine and pyrrolidinone with daily therapy.
Evaluation of Microbial Systems in Porous Media for EOR

The use of microorganisms to enhance oil recovery has become a technically feasible technology for production from stripper wells (those that produce less than 10 B/D (1.6 m/sup 3//d)). As a result of microbial growth and the production of CO/sub 2/ and/or chemicals, oil recovery can be effectively increased in certain reservoirs with temperatures and salinities hospitable to microorganisms. Research at the Natl. Inst. for Petroleum and Energy Research has led to development of laboratory facilities for evaluating microbial systems for microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) applications. Results from microbial core studies using Berea sandstone have shown that bacteria can vary greatly in their ability to recover residual oil after waterflooding, giving from 7.5 to 71% recovery efficiency. The type of core encapsulation did not affect oil recovery. Variations in rock permeability from 134 to 1,920 md indicated that some microorganisms may exhibit a better recovery efficiency in lower-permeability cores. The results also show that gas production by microorganisms is not the only factor affecting oil recovery; some bacteria that produce surfactants but no gas could provide equally efficient additional oil recoveries. Likewise, the type of surfactant also makes a difference; two species that produce surfactants can vary in recoverymore » efficiency. Another contributing mechanism to microbial oil mobilization may be by increasing areal sweep efficiency from microbial growth. A comparison of oil recovery efficiencies between microorganisms using a medium-to-light-gravity oil (Delaware-Childers) and two heavy oils (Wilmington, CA, and Chaffee, CA) indicates that MEOR may be effective for heavy oils as well as light oils. Correlations are presented between the recovery efficiency of a particular microbial species and its ability to mobilize crude oil in etched-glass micromodels.« less
How to make secure email easier to use

Cryptographically protected email has a justly deserved reputation of being difficult to use. Based on an analysis of the PEM, PGP and S/MIME standards and a survey of 470 merchants who sell products on Amazon.com, we argue that the vast majority of Internet users can start enjoying digitally signed email today. We present suggestions for the use of digitally signed mail in e-commerce and simple modifications to webmail systems that would significantly increase integrity, privacy and authorship guarantees that those systems make. We then show how to use the S/MIME standard to extend such protections Internet-wide. Finally, we argue that software vendors must make minor changes to the way that mail clients store email before unsophisticated users can safely handle mail that is sealed with encryption.
The effect of transaction cost antecedents on control mechanisms: Exporters’ psychic distance and economic knowledge as moderators

Abstract The purpose of this research is to determine how a manufacturer's reduction in export involvement barriers may moderate the effect of transaction cost drivers on control mechanisms (monitoring and information sharing). Utilizing Transaction Cost Analysis and internationalization literature, asset specificity and environment diversity are the transaction cost drivers and economic knowledge and psychic distance are the moderators. The results indicate that as manufacturers increase export involvement through reduction in economic knowledge differences it strengthens the positive relationship between asset specificity and monitoring and diversity and monitoring and weakens the corresponding relationships with information sharing. Psychic distance reduction weakened the positive effect between asset specificity and information sharing only. The results of the other three hypotheses were in the direction hypothesized but non-significant. Manufacturers may continue export involvement through intermediary usage provided they regulate their monitoring and information sharing practices in accordance with the overall influence of asset specificity, diversity, economic knowledge, and psychic distance.
How Arizona Community College Teachers Learn to Teach

A survey of novice community college teachers in Arizona examined what learning experiences are available to help them learn to teach, and how valuable they consider those experiences to be in learning to teach. These activities can be organized into four general categories: reflective activities, classroom application, formal methods of learning teaching strategies, and college-based activities. Of these activities, new teachers value reflective activities the most, followed by classroom application, then formal methods of learning teaching strategies. College-based activities got the lowest ranking. These rankings raise two questions that warrant further professional exchange and research. First, are college-based professional development activities actually less valuable in promoting student success, or are they simply perceived that way by faculty members? Second, is there an intuitive process that new teachers use to learn to teach that relies more heavily on reflective and applied activities?
Constrained games as complementary eigenvalue problems

Abstract A class of two-person nonzero sum games where the strategy choices are constrained in some form for each player is analyzed here to show the equivalent nonlinear programs which must be solved for the Cournot-Nash equilibrium. This equilibrium solution is shown in appropriate cases to lead to complementary eigenvalue problems, which have applications in normal solutions of stochastic LP models and optimal design problems in linear regression theory.
Surface characterization of oxide growth on porous germanium films oxidized in air

Abstract A time iterative surface analytical study of as-deposited and chlorinated nanoporous germanium (PGe) films oxidized in Class 1000 cleanroom air at room temperature is reported. Deconvolution of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) Ge 3d core level spectra for as-deposited films showed stable levels of Ge2O, GeO, and Ge2O3 with air exposure duration, while growth of GeO2 was observed with logarithmic rate dependence, characteristic of low temperature oxide growth on fully dense Ge films. In contrast, chlorinated PGe showed an initially reduced surface and growth of all GeOx phases for up to 10 h of air exposure, after which only GeO2 was observed to grow with similar kinetics to that observed on the as-deposited films. Deconvolution of the XPS Cl 2p core level spectra showed continual loss of chlorine for up to ~ 10 h of air exposure after which no Cl Ge components could be resolved. The results reported herein reveal logarithmic growth of each of the GeOx phases on chlorinated PGe during displacement of chlorine with oxygen. Once chlorine is removed from the surface, the percentages of Ge2O, GeO, and Ge2O3 suboxides remain constant with only GeO2 growth with further air exposure. These results offer insight into the early stages of oxide growth on porous germanium indicating the formation of a suboxide transition layer onto which GeO2 grows.
The effect of deforestation on the genetic diversity and structure in Acer saccharum (Marsh): Evidence for the loss and restructuring of genetic variation in a natural system

The level and distribution of genetic diversity can be influenced by species life history traits and demographic factors, including perturbations that might produce population bottlenecks. Deforestation and forest fragmentation are common sources of population disturbance in contemporary populations of forest ecosystems. Although the genetic effects of forest fragmentation and deforestation have been examined by assessing levels of genetic variation in forest fragments that remain after logging, few considerations have been made of the populations that re-colonize once-cleared areas. Here we examine the effects of human-mediated population bottlenecks on the level and distribution of genetic diversity in natural populations of the long-lived forest tree species, Acer saccharum (sugar maple). We compared genetic variation and structure for populations of sugar maple found within old-growth forested area and in area that has re-colonized since logging. In this study the percent polymorphic loci and allelic richness estimates were reduced in the logged populations compared to old-growth populations. Jackknifed estimates of population genetic differentiation showed significantly higher differentiation among logged populations, with this result being consistently seen when individuals within populations were grouped according to diameter at breast height. The result of decreased genetic variation and higher levels of genetic structure among logged populations suggests that even one extensive bout of logging can alter the level and distribution of genetic variation in this forest tree species.
A multi-objective integrated facility location-hardening model: Analyzing the pre- and post-disruption tradeoff

Abstract Two methods of reducing the risk of disruptions to distribution systems are (1) strategically locating facilities to mitigate against disruptions and (2) hardening facilities. These two activities have been treated separately in most of the academic literature. This article integrates facility location and facility hardening decisions by studying the minimax facility location and hardening problem (MFLHP), which seeks to minimize the maximum distance from a demand point to its closest located facility after facility disruptions. The formulation assumes that the decision maker is risk averse and thus interested in mitigating against the facility disruption scenario with the largest consequence, an objective that is appropriate for modeling facility interdiction. By taking advantage of the MFLHP’s structure, a natural three-stage formulation is reformulated as a single-stage mixed-integer program (MIP). Rather than solving the MIP directly, the MFLHP can be decomposed into sub-problems and solved using a binary search algorithm. This binary search algorithm is the basis for a multi-objective algorithm, which computes the Pareto-efficient set for the pre- and post-disruption maximum distance. The multi-objective algorithm is illustrated in a numerical example, and experimental results are presented that analyze the tradeoff between objectives.
Morphological substrates of infantile spasms: studies based on surgically resected cerebral tissue

Extensive surgical resections of neocortical cerebral tissue (including hemispherectomies) from 13 infants and children with infantile spasms showed that 12 of 13 specimens contained either malformative and dysplastic lesions of the cortex and white matter (sometimes with associated hamartomatous proliferation of globular cells), or destructive lesions possibly acquired as a result of anoxic-ischemic injury, or a combination of the two. In brain tissue from 4 patients, coarse neuronal cytoplasmic fibrils resembling neurofibrillary tangles were seen in areas of dysplastic brain on silver-stained (Bielschowsky technique) sections. Immunohistochemical (immunoperoxidase) study of cortical lesions containing globular cells employing primary antibodies to glial fibrillary acidic protein and synaptophysin as markers of astrocytic and neuronal differentiation, respectively, revealed that many cells showed astrocytic and/or neuronal features, suggesting the local proliferation of primitve or multipotential neuroectodermal cells as one substrate for this seizure disorder. Morphological abnormalities of a severe degree and wide extent in the resected tissue (e.g., in one patient with hemimegalencephaly) often showed features to suggest that they may represent variants of tuberous sclerosis. These most likely result from abnormal movement and/or local proliferation of neuroectodermal precursors that have migrated from the germinal matrix to the cortical mantle. Cellular, molecular and neurophysiological study of these abnormalities is likely to yield information about basic molecular mechanisms of brain malformation and injury important in the pathogenesis of infantile spasms and other forms of focal or generalized epilepsy.
Effect of Dietary Aflatoxin on Reproductive Performance of Mature White Leghorn Males

Abstract Aflatoxin (20 μg/g) diet) added to the feed of mature White Leghorn males for five weeks resulted in decreased semen volumes and testes weights and a disruption of the germinal epithelium, but there was no effect on percent fertile eggs or percent hatch of fertile eggs from hens artificially inseminated with spermatozoa from treated males. A significant decrease in feed consumption and body weight preceded the decline in semen volume. White Leghorn males appear to be more susceptible to aflatoxin than broiler breeder males.
A CFD simulator for multiphase flow in reservoirs and pipes

Abstract A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code for flow of oil, gas and sand in reservoirs and pipes was developed to help understand the flow in wild wells that are drilled for offshore oil production. In the reservoir, there is a large entrance effect produced by turbulence. In the pipe, the code computed turbulent velocity profiles and Reynolds stresses similar to fully developed single phase turbulent flow. The Fanning friction factor for oil flow at a Reynolds number of about 16,000 is 0.004, compared with the single phase turbulent friction factor of 0.007. The computed low frequency oscillations are consistent with wild well behavior.
Does age matter? The relationship between age and mortality in penetrating trauma

PURPOSE: Trauma is a significant cause of mortality among elderly patients, with blunt mechanisms accounting for the majority of deaths in this population. Penetrating trauma promises to evolve as an increasingly important aetiology of mortality in the elderly; particularly as the age composition of the overall population continues to shift. Unfortunately, very little data regarding outcomes following penetrating trauma in the elderly exists. The purpose of this study was to define the relationship between age and mortality following penetrating injuries and determine if differences between outcomes of elderly patients sustaining penetrating and blunt trauma exist. METHODS: After IRB approval, we conducted a retrospective trauma registry review at an urban Level 1 trauma centre between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2005. Demographic, injury, and mortality data for all patients were recorded. The relationship between age and mortality for both blunt and penetrating injuries was examined by comparison of age-specific mortality and relative risk of mortality for both mechanisms at 10 year age intervals. Additionally, the relative risk and 95% confidence interval for mortality in each age group were compared. RESULTS: There were 26,333 blunt trauma admissions and 8843 penetrating trauma admissions during the 8-year study period. The mortality following both blunt and penetrating trauma remained stable until the age of 55 and increased steadily thereafter. When differences in mortality following blunt and penetrating mechanisms were examined, the overall mortality of penetrating trauma was found to be 2.63 times that of blunt (11.0% vs. 4.2%, RR 2.63; 95% CI: 2.42, 2.85, p Language: en
Injury‐induced Regulation of Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor mRNA in the Adult Rat Brain

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is a pleiotropic molecule that acts as a neurotrophic factor for a wide range of embryonic neurons as well as a differentiation factor for sympathetic neuroblasts and O2A progenitor cells in culture. CNTF messenger RNA (mRNA) is present at very low levels in the normal adult rat central nervous system (CNS), but is dramatically up-regulated after an aspiration lesion of dorsal hippocampus and overlying cortex, in the area coincident with glial scar. The increased level of CNTF mRNA in lesioned hippocampus is maximal by 3 days and is sustained for up to 20 days, the longest time point examined. In contrast, mRNA levels for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) were slightly decreased during the same period. In situ hybridization experiments revealed that cells expressing CNTF mRNA were concentrated at the margin of the wound, and also present within the gelfoam which filled the lesion cavity. This distribution of CNTF-expressing cells corresponded very closely to that of cells expressing high levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein mRNA at the wound site. Paralleling the observed increase in CNTF mRNA, increased levels of CNTF-like neurotrophic activity were apparent in soluble extracts of the lesioned tissues. This neurotrophic activity for ciliary ganglion neurons was completely blocked by the addition of neutralizing antiserum against CNTF. Basic fibroblast growth factor, which has been shown by others to increase after a similar lesion paradigm (Frautschy et al., Brain Res., 553, 291–299, 1991), does not contribute appreciably to this trophic activity. We conclude that CNTF is markedly increased as a function of injury to the CNS and that its expression is most likely restricted to reactive astrocytes in the glial scar.
Aqueous processing of full-fat sunflower seeds: Yields of oil and protein

Undehulled sunflower seeds were comminuted and extracted with water containing 0.2% Na2SO3 at pH 10, which extracted from the fiber 86% of the oil and 85% of the protein. Isolate was prepared by addition of acid, with best yield achieved from pH 5 precipitation.
The evolution of rotating stars. I - Method and exploratory calculations for a 7-solar-mass star

A method is developed which allows the evolution of rotating stars to be studied well beyond the main-sequence stage. Four different cases of redistribution of angular momentum in an evolving star are considered. Evolutionary sequences for a 7-solar-mass star, rotating according to these different cases, were computed from the zero-age main-sequence to the double-shell-source stage. Each sequence was begun with a (typical) equatorial rotational velocity of 210 km/s. On the main sequence, the effects of rotation are of minor importance. However, as the core contracts during later stages, important effects arise in all physically plausible cases. The outer regions of the cores approach critical velocities and develop unstable angular-velocity distributions. The effects of these instabilities should significantly alter the subsequent evolution.
Rhinomaxillary mucormycosis in a kidney transplant patient.

Abstract Rhinomaxillary mucormycosis is an uncommon but important pathologic entity with a rapidly fatal course if treatment is delayed. This is of particular interest to dentists, since many of the earliest clinical signs appear in the oral and perioral regions. Successful therapy demands early diagnosis by biopsy, institution of amphotericin B therapy, and surgical de´bridement. A case of nonfatal rhinomaxillary mucormycosis is presented, and all other reported cases in transplant patients are reviewed.
Cooperative Mechanism of Transcriptional Activation by a Cyclic AMP-response Element Modulator α Mutant Containing a Motif for Constitutive Binding to CREB-binding Protein

Abstract Cyclic AMP-response element modulator α (CREMα) is a transcription factor that is highly related to cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB) but represses cAMP-induced gene expression from simple artificial promoters containing a cAMP-response element (CRE). CREMα lacks two glutamine-rich Q regions that, in CREB, are thought to be necessary for transcriptional activation. Nevertheless, protein kinase A stimulation induces CREMα to activate the complex native promoter in the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) gene. To study this phenomenon in the absence of protein kinase A stimulation, we introduced a mutation into CREMα to allow constitutive binding to the coactivator CREB-binding protein. This mutant, CREMαDIEDML, constitutively activated the PEPCK promoter. By engineering the leucine zipper regions of CREMαDIEDML and CREBDIEDML to direct their patterns of dimerization, we found that only CREMαDIEDMLhomodimers fully activated the PEPCK promoter. By using a series of deletion and block mutants of the PEPCK promoter, we found that activation by CREMαDIEDML depended on the CRE and two CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) sites. A dominant negative inhibitor of C/EBP, A-C/EBP, suppressed activation by CREMαDIEDML. Furthermore, a GAL4-C/EBPα fusion protein and CREMαDIEDML cooperatively activated a promoter containing three GAL4 sites and the PEPCK CRE. Thus, we propose that the C/EBP sites in the PEPCK promoter allow CREMα to activate transcription despite its lack of Q regions.
Uptake of potassium ions by normal and crown-gall-tumor cells of Vinca rosea grown in tissue culture.

Potassium uptake in normal and crown-gall tissue culture cells of Vinca rosea L. (Cathalanthus roseus G. Don.) was studied. When grown on White's medium for 14–20 d, the tumor cells had a higher K+ content that did the normal cells. At this logarithmic stage of growth, the rate of K+ uptake was greater in normal cells than in tumor cells. K+ uptake in both normal and tumor cells was inhibited substantially by 2,4-dinitrophenol but only slightly by oligomycin, NaF, and N,N′-dicyclohexyl carbodiimide. When the internal K+ content of the cells was varied by growing the tissue in White's medium supplemented with varying concentrations of K+, the rate of K+ uptake in normal cells increased with decreasing internal K+ concentrations. In contrast both lines of tumor cells failed to show this normal increase in the rate of K+ uptake with decreasing internal K+ concentrations.
Evidence for altered proliferative ability of progenitors of urothelial cells in interstitial cystitis.

AbstractSecondary cultures of basal urothelial cells isolated from patients with stress incontinence (7 patients), neurogenic bladder (2 patients), interstitial cystitis (IC) (27 patients), bladder rupture (1 patient) and bacterial cystitis (3 patients) grew under growth restricting conditions. All groups displayed reproducible colony size distribution, reflecting the proliferative potential distribution in the population of progenitor cells seeded. The percentage of large colonies (>6 cells/colony), progeny of basal cells with high proliferative potential, was low in cultures from control patients with stress incontinence, neurogenic bladder or bladder rupture. Exposure of cultures from control patients with stress incontinence to lipoteichoic acid from Streptococcus faecalis, in vitro, increased the percentage of large colonies to levels statistically indistinguishable from those in untreated IC cultures. This supported the possibility that exposure of progenitors of urothelial cells to infection in viv...
The Importance of Good Communication Skills on “IS” Career Paths:

This article examines the question “Are the same good writing and speaking skills required in general management positions also important in computer jobs?” The first part of the article examines t...
Parameters for treatment of cocaine-positive patients.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify the parameters by which oral and maxillofacial surgeons and anesthesiologists make decisions as to the safety for proceeding with surgery and anesthesia in cocaine-positive patients and to determine a national consensus of opinion, if possible. Methods Questionnaires were mailed to all known oral and maxillofacial surgery training programs and anesthesiology training programs in the United States (n = 241). Programs were queried as to screening, testing, parameters, and outcomes. Results Of the 241 questionnaires mailed, 114 (47%) were returned. Identification on the returns was optional; therefore, it was impossible to determine the total from each discipline. Only 16% of the programs had a formalized policy for cocaine screening prior to surgery and anesthesia. There was significant variability in the length of delay/time lapse before proceeding with anesthesia and surgery in the face of cocaine positivity. Conclusion Based on the returned questionnaires and literature searches, the authors propose that patients who test positive for cocaine in their urine may undergo necessary surgical and anesthetic care, after an 8-hour period of discontinuing of cocaine, if the individual is hemodynamically stable.
Neural connections identified with PHA-L anterograde and HRP retrograde tract-tracing techniques

This paper describes a method of identifying specific input and output elements of a two-neuron projection pathway. Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) anterograde tract-tracing was used in combination with the retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) to demonstrate connections between small groups of neurons in the brainstem auditory system. Specifically, the projection from cochlear nucleus to olivary neurons that project to the cochlea were demonstrated. The first neuron in this pathway (the cochlear nucleus neuron) was anterogradely labelled with PHA-L and could be traced via labelled axons and terminals to the second neuron (the olivocochlear neuron) whose soma was labelled with HRP after cochlear injection.
Active components of excitability in K+-depolarized ventricular muscle.

Abstract The steady-state and dynamic characteristics of excitability were assessed in isolated guinea pig papillary muscles depolarized with elevated [K + ] 0 to resting potentials near −60 mV. Transmembrane potentials were recorded from fibers during application of low-amplitude current pulses used to analyze net changes in active membrane components of excitability in terms of elicited local responses and measure threshold current (I th ). Generated local responses were blocked entirely by tetrodotoxin and lidocaine, which increased steady-state I th by more than 200%. In the absence of Na + channel-blocking agents, local responses showed marked but characteristic attenuation in a time- and voltage-dependent manner by preceding subthreshold depolarizations, which concomitantly reduced excitability. However, local responses and excitability were also modulated by small changes in [Ca 2+ ] 0 (±0.7 mmol) and reduced by exposure to slow channel blockers and to Cs + . Thus these data suggest that while the Na + channel is the primary active component of excitability in partially depolarized ventricular muscle, Ca 2+ -mediated and Cs + -sensitive conductances may also participate, although to a lesser extent. These findings may help explain the frequency-dependence of excitability and conduction under conditions of ischemia in the intact heart.
Does Religious Involvement Generate or Inhibit Fear of Crime

In victimology, fear of crime is understood as an emotional response to the perceived threat of crime. Fear of crime has been found to be affected by several variables besides local crime rates and personal experiences with victimization. This study examines the relationship between religion and fear of crime, an underexplored topic in the criminological literature. This gap is rather surprising given the central role religion has been found to play in shaping the attitudes and perceptions of congregants. In particular, religion has been found to foster generalized trust, which should engender lower levels of distrust or misanthropy, including that which is directed towards a general fear of crime. OLS regression was performed using data from the West Georgia Area Survey (n = 380). Controlling for demographic, community involvement, and political ideology variables, frequency of religious attendance was significantly and negatively associated with fear of property crime. This relationship remained even after a perceived neighborhood safety variable was introduced to the model. However, religious attendance was not significantly related to fear of violent crime, and religious orientation was unrelated to fear of property and violent crime. These results suggest that religious involvement conditionally reduces fear of crime, and the authors recommend that future research explore relationships between religion and fear of crime.
Evidence for π−π Electron Donor−Acceptor Interactions between π-Donor Aromatic Compounds and π-Acceptor Sites in Soil Organic Matter through pH Effects on Sorption

Elucidation of molecular-level interactions controlling the sorption of organic compounds in soils is of major theoretical and practical interest. Sorption of π-electron donor compounds, pentamethylbenzene (PMB), naphthalene (NAPH), and phenanthrene (PHEN), in a number of soils was found to increase with decreasing pH in the range of approximately pH 2.5−7. This behavior could not be attributed to pH-dependent alteration of the hydrophobic character of humic substances, π-H-bonding, interaction with mineral surfaces, interaction with black carbons, solute coplanarity, or pH effects on solute activity coefficient. No significant effect of pH was observed for non-π-donor hydrophobic compounds, whether planar or not: trans-1,2-dichlorocyclohexane (DCCH), hexachloro-1,3-butadiene (HCBD), 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (TCB), 2,2‘,5,5‘-tetrachlorobiphenyl, and 3,3‘,4,4‘-tetrachlorobiphenyl. The opposite pH effect was observed for 2-nonanol and 2-nonanone, which are non-π-donors, but capable of H-bonding. Also, no pH-...
A Model of Cerebral Palsy From Fetal Hypoxia-Ischemia

Disorders of the maternal-placental-fetal unit often results in fetal brain injury, which in turn results in one of the highest burdens of disease, because of the lifelong consequences and cost to society. Investigating hypoxia-ischemia in the perinatal period requires the factoring of timing of the insult, determination of end-points, taking into account the innate development, plasticity, and enhanced recovery. Prenatal hypoxia-ischemia is believed to account for a majority of cerebral palsy cases. We have modeled sustained and repetitive hypoxia-ischemia in the pregnant rabbit in utero to mimic the insults of abruptio placenta and labor, respectively. Rabbits have many advantages over other animal species; principally, their motor development is in the perinatal period, akin to humans. Sustained hypoxia-ischemia at 70% (E22) and 79% (E25) caused stillbirths and multiple deficits in the postnatal survivors. The deficits included impairment in multiple tests of spontaneous locomotion, reflex motor activity, motor responses to olfactory stimuli, and the coordination of suck and swallow. Hypertonia was observed in the E22 and E25 survivors and persisted for at least 11 days. Noninvasive imaging using MRI suggests that white matter injury in the internal capsule could explain some of the hypertonia. Further investigation is underway in other vulnerable regions such as the basal ganglia, thalamus and brain stem, and development of other noninvasive determinants of motor deficits. For the first time critical mechanistic pathways can be tested in a clinically relevant animal model of cerebral palsy.
First-principles study of oxygen-vacancy pinning of domain walls in PbTiO 3

We have investigated the interaction of oxygen vacancies and $180\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$ domain walls in tetragonal ${\mathrm{PbTiO}}_{3}$ using density-functional theory. Our calculations indicate that the vacancies do have a lower formation energy in the domain wall than in the bulk, thereby confirming the tendency of these defects to migrate to, and pin, the domain walls. The pinning energies are reported for each of the three possible orientations of the original Ti-O-Ti bonds, and attempts to model the results with simple continuum models are discussed.
The cytoskeleton and mRNA localization

Abstract The localization of mRNA appears to facilitate protein sorting, so that proteins are synthesized in specific cellular regions. The spatial information on the mRNA may be transduced by proteins that recognize specific localizing sequences on the 3′ end and then chaperone the mRNA, presumably along filaments, to its destination. Additional sequences such as poly(A), or the nascent chains of cytoskeleton-associated proteins, may then anchor mRNAs on the cytoskeleton.
Amniotic fluid infection and cerebral palsy. Focus on the fetus.

There are no new truths, but only truths that have not been recognized by those who have perceived them without noticing. Mary McCarthy, On the Contrary Amniotic fluid infection was for a long time represented primarily as an infection in the mother. The truth, which was not recognized until recently, is that amniotic fluid infection may be primarily an infection of the fetus. Historically, we assumed that a fever or other clinical signs of infection in the pregnant mother indicated that she was infected. It is becoming increasingly clear that the fetus becomes infected and develops an inflammatory response, possibly before the mother. Further, infection of amniotic fluid usually involves the fetus itself; this is not simply infection of only amniotic fluid or the fetal chorioamnion portion of placental membranes. See also p 207. What recent evidence supports the idea that amniotic fluid infection is primarily fetal? Polymorphonuclear leukocytes in
Enzymes Associated with the Survival and Virulence of Gram-Negative Anaerobes

gram -negative anaerobic bacteria constitute a major portion of the indigenous microflora of humans. Enzymes produced by these bacteria provide nutrients for growth, participate in the pathogenesis of infections involving these bacteria, modify the local environment so that it is suitable for growth, and alter nonnutrients in the immediate vicinity of the bacterial cell. Metabolism of compounds in the gastrointestinal tract by enzymes produced by gram-negative anaerobes may have appreciable effects on the absorption, distribution, and excretion of these compounds as well as on their biologic properties. Knowledge of the enzymes produced by anaerobes is important for understanding and possibly modulating interactions between these bacteria and the host.
Families and Home Computer Use: Exploring Parent Perceptions of the Importance of Current Technology

Many families today have access to computers that help them with their daily living activities, such as finding employment and helping children with schoolwork. With more families owning personal c...
Does History Matter Only When It Matters Little? The Case of City-Industry Location

When will an industry subject to agglomeration economies move from an old, high-cost site to a new, low-cost site? It is argued that history, in the form of sunk costs resulting from the operation of many firms at a site, creates a first-mover disadvantage that can prevent relocation. It is demonstrated that developers of industrial parks can partly overcome this inertia through discriminatory pricing of land over time, and empirical evidence is provided that they actually engage in such behavior. It is also shown that other aspects of developer land-sale strategy can be a source of information on the nature of interfirm externalities.