cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Outcomes Associated With High- Versus Low-Frequency Laboratory Testing Among Hospitalized Children

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Previous pediatric studies have revealed substantial variation in laboratory testing for specific conditions, but clinical outcomes associated with high- versus low-frequency testing are unclear. We hypothesized that hospitals with high- versus low-testing frequency would have worse clinical outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study of patients 0 to 18 years old with low-acuity hospitalizations in the years 2018–2019 for 1 of 10 common All Patient Refined Diagnosis Related Groups. We identified hospitals with high-, moderate-, and low-frequency testing for 3 common groups of laboratory tests: complete blood cell count, basic chemistry studies, and inflammatory markers. Outcomes included length of stay, 7- and 30-day emergency department revisit and readmission rates, and hospital costs, comparing hospitals with high- versus low-frequency testing. RESULTS: We identified 132 391 study encounters across 44 hospitals. Laboratory testing frequency varied by hospital and condition. We identified hospitals with high- (13), moderate- (20), and low-frequency (11) laboratory testing. When we compared hospitals with high- versus low-frequency testing, there were no differences in adjusted hospital costs (rate ratio 0.89; 95% confidence interval 0.71–1.12), length of stay (rate ratio 0.98; 95% confidence interval 0.91–1.06), 7-day (odds ratio 0.99; 95% confidence interval 0.81–1.21) or 30-day (odds ratio 1.01; 95% confidence interval 0.82–1.25) emergency department revisit rates, or 7-day (odds ratio 0.84; 95% confidence interval 0.65–1.25) or 30-day (odds ratio 0.91; 95% confidence interval 0.76–1.09) readmission rates. CONCLUSIONS: In a multicenter study of children hospitalized for common low-acuity conditions, laboratory testing frequency varied widely across hospitals, without substantial differences in outcomes. Our results suggest opportunities to reduce laboratory overuse across conditions and children’s hospitals.
On Misak’s 2020 Story about Ramsey, Keynes,and Logical Probability: Keynes Never Took Ramsey’s Claims Seriously at Anytime in His Lifetime

A myth has been in existence since 1922 about Keynes, Ramsey and the logical theory of probability that Keynes constructed in Parts I-V of the A Treatise on Probability, 1921. This myth claims that Ramsey found major errors in logic and epistemology in Keynes’s work, which supposedly was about mysterious,unfathomable non measurable,non numerical Platonic probabilities that could only be intuited. Keynes supposedly, according to this myth, instantly realized that his theory had been decimated, annihilated and demolished by the 18 year old boy genius, Frank Ramsey. Keynes then supposedly retracted his theory in 1931 and supported the subjective theory of probability presented in 1926 by Ramsey in “Truth and Probability” thereafter. This myth is the foundation for Robert Skidelsky’s Post Keynesian assessment of Keynes’s Theory of Probability and appears to be what S. Bradley presents as Keynes’s theory in the latest 2019 assessment of Keynes’s contributions in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. In C. Misak’s recent 2020 biography of Ramsey ,as well as in other reviews and media, this myth is simply being restated. In reality, Ramsey’s critique of Keynes, in either 1922 or 1926, was so poor that it is quite amazing that the vast majority of economists, philosophers, psychologist, and historians in the 20th and 21st centuries continue to believe something for which there is not a shred of historical evidence. Keynes was not going to waste his very valuable time restating the points he had already made in the A Treatise on Probability for an 18 year old boy. Everything is there in Parts II-V of the A Treatise on Probability that demonstrate that Ramsey’s views on Keynes’s theory of probability are nothing short of silly, preposterous and absolute nonsense masquerading as serious scholarship. What explains the longevity, nearly 100 years of this myth is the complete and total failure of academics to read the technical parts of the A Treatise on Probability, Parts II, III and V. Emile Borel made it very clear in his 1924 review of Keynes’s book, a review that never mentions Ramsey ‘s 1922 review, that his review will be about Part I of Keynes’s book only. Borel, alone among academics over the last 100 years, honestly admitted that he could not follow Keynes in Part II, although he also realized that this was the most important part of the book.For this oversight, he apologized to both Keynes and Russell in print. The Ramsey myth exists only due to the failure of historians, psychologists, philosophers and economists to read Part II of the A Treatise on Probability.
A Fast, General System for Buffered Persistent Data Structures

The emergence of fast, dense, nonvolatile main memory suggests that certain long-lived data might remain in their natural pointer-rich format across program runs and hardware reboots. Operations on such data must currently be instrumented with explicit write-back and fence instructions to ensure consistency in the wake of a crash. Techniques to minimize the cost of this instrumentation are an active topic of research. We present what we believe to be the first general-purpose approach to building buffered persistent data structures, and a system, Montage, to support that approach. Montage is built on top of the Ralloc nonblocking persistent allocator. It employs a millisecond-granularity epoch clock, and ensures that no operation appears to span an epoch boundary. It also arranges to persist only that data minimally required to reconstruct the structure after a crash. If a crash occurs in epoch e, all work performed in epochs e and e − 1 is lost, but work from prior epochs is preserved, consistently. As in traditional file and database systems, a sync operation can be used to flush buffers on demand; the Montage sync is extremely fast. We describe the implementation of Montage, argue its correctness, and report unprecedented throughput for persistent queues, sets/mappings, and general graphs.
Selection criteria for minimally invasive resection of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma-a word of caution: a propensity score matched analysis using the national cancer database.

Background While minimally invasive liver resection (MILR) vs. open approach (OLR) has been shown to be safe, the perioperative and oncologic safety for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) specifically, necessitating often complex hepatectomy and extended lymphadenectomy, remains ill-defined. Methods The National Cancer Database was queried for patients with ICC undergoing liver resection from 2010 to 2016. After 1:1 Propensity Score Matching (PSM), Kruskal-Wallis and χ2 tests were applied to compare short-term outcomes. Kaplan-Meier survival analyses and Cox multivariable regression were performed. Results 988 patients met inclusion criteria: 140 (14.2%) MILR and 848 (85.8%) OLR resulting in 115 patients MILR and OLR after 1:1 PSM with c-index of 0.733. MILR had lower unplanned 30-day readmission [OR 0.075, P = 0.014] and positive margin rates [OR 0.361, P = 0.011] and shorter hospital length of stay (LOS) [OR 0.941, P = 0.026], but worse lymph node yield [1.52 vs 2.07, P = 0.001]. No difference was found for 30/90-day mortality. Moreover, multivariate analysis revealed that MILR was associated with poorer overall survival compared to OLR [HR 2.454, P = 0.001]. Subgroup analysis revealed that survival differences from approach were dependent on major hepatectomy, tumor size > 4 cm, or negative margins. Conclusion MILR vs. OLR is associated with worse lymphadenectomy and survival in patients with ICC greater than 4 cm requiring major hepatectomy. Hence, MILR major hepatectomy for ICC should only be approached selectively and if surgeons are able to perform an appropriate lymphadenectomy.
Macrophages show distinct profiles and origins between the exocrine and endocrine pancreas (HEM3P.279)

Islets of Langerhans contain myeloid-derived cells with important features and properties. Our studies have shown islet myeloid cells to play a central role in retaining diabetogenic T cells during early stages of autoimmune diabetes and the initiation of the inflammatory process. We have studied in-depth the phenotype of the islet myeloid cells in the NOD and non-diabetic mouse strains. The major phagocyte in non-inflamed islet is a macrophage (MΦ) identified by cell markers as well as by gene expression analysis. Under steady state, islet MΦ did not arise from circulating monocytes: parabiosis of CD45.1 with CD45.2 mice showed minimal mixing of islet MΦ. Ccr2-/- mice showed no impairment in the number of islet MΦ. In sum, islet MΦ are self-maintained. Ongoing experiments indicate a slow replication rate. Lineage tracing using a Flt3-cre reporter mouse showed MΦ in the exocrine pancreas and in the islets of the adult mouse to derived from different lineages. Majority of the exocrine pancreatic MΦ were yolk sac/fetal liver-derived, while islet MΦ were bone-marrow derived. Islet MΦ required the expression of CSF-1, while exocrine pancreatic MΦ did not. Absence of islet MΦ in CSF-1 deficient mice resulted in reduced β-cell mass and impaired glucose tolerance, highlighting a symbiosis role between islet MΦ and β-cells for islet homeostasis. Current studies are aimed to replace the islet MΦ, since MΦ are involved in many diseases and represents an attractive therapeutic target.
Recent Advances in Harmonic Analysis and Applications: In Honor of Konstantin Oskolkov

Recent Advances in Harmonic Analysis and Applications features selected contributions from the AMS conference which took place at Georgia Southern University, Statesboro in 2011 in honor of Professor Konstantin Oskolkov's 65th birthday. The contributions are based on two special sessions, namely "Harmonic Analysis and Applications" and "Sparse Data Representations and Applications." Topics covered range from Banach space geometry to classical harmonic analysis and partial differential equations.Survey and expository articles by leading experts in their corresponding fields are included, and the volume also features selected high quality papers exploring new results and trends in Muckenhoupt-Sawyer theory, orthogonal polynomials, trigonometric series, approximation theory, Bellman functions and applications in differential equations. Graduate students and researchers in analysis will be particularly interested in the articles which emphasize remarkable connections between analysis and analytic number theory. The readers will learn about recent mathematical developments and directions for future work in the unexpected and surprising interaction between abstract problems in additive number theory and experimentally discovered optical phenomena in physics. This book will be useful for number theorists, harmonic analysts, algorithmists in multi-dimensional signal processing and experts in physics and partial differential equations.
An Institutional Economics Analysis of Land Use Contracting: The Case of the Netherlands

The area of leased land in The Netherlands has decreased from roughly50% of all agricultural land in 1966 to about 27% in 2005. In 1995, the Dutchgovernment introduced two new types of lease contracts in order to prevent the decline from continuing. The new types of lease contracts implied the possibility of transferring a smaller part of the bundle of property rights from landowner to tenant. However, the trend towards decreasing lease area did not stop. In 2007, a new reform was introduced implying, again, less restrictions on formal leasing (the so-called liberalised lease). According to contract theory, transferring fewer property rights from a landowner to a tenant-farmer will lead to an institutional change for land leasing. For policies regulating land leasing, it is therefore important to recognise the characteristics of contractual arrangements and the parties involved. In this paper we analyse contract choice using a Trivariate probit model and taking into account the type of landowner and farmer characteristics. Results show that an official contract is more likely to be chosen if public organisations are involved. In contrast, when farmers exchange land among themselves, they are more likely to use less explicit contracts in which trust and reputation play an important role for coordination.
Transport Analysis in Cascaded Systems

In this chapter we illustrate the finite difference approach of Chapter 7 in stagewise transport operations such as extraction, absorption, stirred tank reactors, and distillation columns. Startup and unsteady-state operations are included. Finite difference techniques are applied with the emphasis on closed form analytical solutions.
Effect of Chronic Hypovitaminosis A on Water Metabolism in the Weanling Rat

To study water imbalance reported to occur in vitamin A deficiency, chronic hypovitaminosis A was produced in 7-week old rats by feeding deficient or adequate vitamin A (12 or 256 mug/kg body weight/day, respectively) for a comparison period of 6 weeks. In the case of the deficient rats, these were partially depleted of their vitamin A stores prior to feeding the 12 mug intake. At the termination of the comparison period, the deficient rats exhibited elevated cerebrospinal fluid pressure and lower plasma and liver vitamin A concentrations. Based upon kinetics of a single intrajugular injection of 3H2O and 14C-inulin, total body water, extracellular water and renal clearances were lower in vitamin A deficient rats. However, when these criteria were expressed on a body weight basis, there were no significant differences. The turnover of total body water was reduced in the hypovitaminotic A rats. The results are discussed in terms of an inhibitory effect of vitamin A deficiency on growth.
Multiple-Stage Solid-Propellant Sounding Rockets for Space Research

Aerodynamically stabilized sounding rockets with performance useful for space research can be constructed from existing solid-propellant motors. An appreciable portion of current high-altitude research is carried out with such vehicles. Three such systems, one capable of carrying 23 kg of payload to 160 km altitude, a second capable of sending 36 kg to 480 km, and a third which has sent 9 kg to 1770 km altitude, have been developed at The University of Michigan, and are described. All these systems have been characterized by low cost and high reliability. Design considerations, such as aerodynamic stability, interstage coupling, protection against aerodynamic heating, and launchers, are discussed. Also pointed out are future capabilities based on increasing availability of military solid-propellant rockets with considerably improved specific impulses and mass ratios.
Ground-based radiometric measurements of slant-path attenuation in the V/W bands

Ground-based radiometric techniques were applied to measure the slant-path attenuation cumulative distribution function to over 20 dB of attenuation and to less than 1% exceedance probability at the V and W band frequencies of 72.5 and 82.5 GHz. These are the first such measurements in these frequency bands. Brightness temperature measurements were collected at an elevation angle of 36° in Rome, NY, using a four-channel radiometer that included 23.8 and 31.4 GHz receivers. A model-based approach was used to invert brightness temperature to attenuation. An atmospheric model relevant to the geographic location and statistically representative of the attenuating conditions was developed for this purpose. The main assumption of the atmospheric model was that the sources of attenuation for exceedance probabilities of concern were dominated by stratiform rain. Monte Carlo solutions to the radiative transfer equation for the precipitating atmosphere were used to generate the attenuation retrieval algorithm. Sensitivity analysis showed that the attenuation retrieval algorithm was robust to uncertainties in the model parameters. Slant-path attenuation was also measured with the radiometer using the Sun as a source of radiation. Over 30 dB of attenuation dynamic range was possible with this technique. Sun-beacon measurements were used to test model predictions.
Identifying clinically meaningful benchmarks for gait improvement after total hip arthroplasty

There are no established benchmarks for gait mechanics after total hip arthroplasty (THA). This study sought to identify minimum clinically important postoperative (MCIP) or minimum clinically important improvement (MCII) values for self-selected walking speed, sagittal plane dynamic hip range of motion (HROM) (peak flexion-peak extension) and peak hip adduction moments measured during quantitative gait analysis. Preoperative and 1-year postoperative data collected during quantitative gait analysis, along with Harris Hip Scores (HHS), for 145 subjects were collected from a motion analysis data repository. The MCIP (or MCII) was defined as the 75th percentile mark on a plot of the cumulative percent of subjects with HHS ≥ 80 versus the postoperative value (or change) in the respective variable. 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Logistic regression was used to test the association of age, sex, BMI, and preoperative HHS with benchmarks. The MCIP of speed was 1.34 m/s (95%CI 1.30, 1.37); MCII was 0.32 (0.30, 0.35) m/s. The HROM MCIP was 30.0° (29.4°, 30.7°); MCII was 13.3° (12.1°, 14.8°). The adduction moment MCIP was 4.2% Body Weight × Height (4.0, 4.4); MCII was 0.87 (0.57, 1.17) % Body Weight × Height. Women were more likely to achieve MCII for HROM and MCIP for adduction moment (ORs 2.4-11.6, p ≤ 0.031). Lower BMI predicted HROM and adduction moment MCIPs (ORs 0.85-0.88, p ≤ 0.015). Lower preoperative HHS predicted speed, HROM and adduction moment MCIIs (ORs 0.95-0.97, p ≤ 0.012). With further validation, clinically-relevant gait benchmarks can enhance efforts to improve THA outcomes.
The 'CheA' and 'CheY' domains of Myxococcus xanthus FrzE function independently in vitro as an autokinase and a phosphate acceptor, respectively.

FrzE is a chemotaxis protein in Myxococcus xanthus which has sequence homology to two different chemotaxis proteins of enteric bacteria, CheA (autokinase) and CheY (phosphate acceptor) [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87 (1990) 5898–5902]. It was also shown that a recombinant FrzE protein was autophosphorylated when incubated in the presence of ATP and Mn2+ [J. Bacteriol. 172 (1990) 6661–6668]. In this study, we further investigated the biochemical properties of FrzE. Two recombinant proteins were produced: one containing only the ‘CheA’ domain of FrzE and the second only the ‘CheY’ domain. The CheA domain polypeptide contained the autokinase activity which was absent from the CheY domain polypeptide. The phosphorylated CheA domain polypeptide as well as the intact FrzE protein were able to transfer phosphate groups to the CheY domain peptide. These results indicate that FrzE has structural as well as functional homologies to CheA and CheY in a single polypeptide.
Endoscopic Surgery in Infants and Children: New Approaches for Surgical Problems

Endoscopic surgery is rapidly becoming the most popular means of resolving surgical problems and is now performed with increased frequency in children. New technology has allowed for direct visualization of the surgical field using innovative surgical approaches and techniques. Decreased postoperative morbidity, shorter hospitalizations, and rapid recoveries are among the major advantages of this form of surgery. This article provides information concerning the benefits and potential risks of endoscopic surgery and reviews the major procedures that are currently available for infants and children.
Effect of particle size on cesium exchange kinetics by K-depleted phlogopite

Cation exchange mechanism and rate of Cs + exchange were investigated in <2 μm and 20-2 μm particle size fractions of K-depleted phlogopite (Na-phlogopite). The K-depleted phlogopite was prepared from a natural phlogopite by a potassium removal method using sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB) at room temperature. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns revealed that interlayer K + ions were completely replaced with sodium ions after the potassium removal treatment. Ion exchange isotherms and kinetics were determined for Na + →Cs + exchange with two particle size fractions. The isotherms indicated that both particle size fractions showed high selectivity for Cs + . Based on the isotherm tests, ΔC o values of < 2 μm and 20-2 μm particle fractions were -6.83 kJ/mol and -7.08 kJ/mol, respectively. Kinetics of Cs exchange revealed that the 20-2 μm particle size fraction of the K-depleted phlogopite took up more Cs + ions than the <2 μm particle size fraction. Various kinetic models were applied to describe Na + →Cs + exchange process. Elovich model described the kinetic data of the <2 μm particle size fraction well, while the modified first-order model or parabolic diffusion model described the data of the 20-2 μm particle size fraction well.
Response of human mature adipocytes to hypoxia-reoxygenation.

Abstract Background aims Adipocytes are metabolically active cells and have endocrine functions, such as cytokine secretion. Notably, adipocytes are found underneath skin and are thought to be involved in the body's response to ischemia-reperfusion (I-R). I-R injury is an important factor in the pathogenesis of chronic skin wounds. In this study, we investigated the response of human adipocytes to hypoxia-reoxygenation (H-R), the in vitro equivalent of I-R. Methods We cultured human mature adipocytes by enclosing them in hydrogel composed of hyaluronan and collagen and analyzed their proliferation and response to H-R. Results The average diameter of mature adipocytes isolated from abdominal subcutaneous fat tissue was between 60 and 109 μm, and a positive correlation was found between adipocyte size and body mass index. Hydrogel-enclosed human adipocytes displayed viability in in vitro culture and were capable of expressing foreign genes for at least 1 month. Proliferation analysis revealed 5-bromo-2′-deoxy-uridine labeling and positive Ki67 signaling. vascular endothelial growth factor expression was differentially altered in adipocytes in response to hypoxia and H-R. Adipocyte messenger RNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-1, interleukin-8 and tumor necrosis factor-α, was upregulated in response to H-R. In addition, the expression of heat shock protein 70, a cytoprotective gene, and inducible nitric oxide synthase, a proapoptotic gene, were both increased in H-R. Survival of hydrogel-enclosed adipocytes was found at 2 months after delivery into athymic mice. Conclusions These and previous results from our group show that mature adipocytes can be cultured in vitro within a matrix and that they are functionally active cells that respond to environmental changes.
Advances in adult asthma diagnosis and treatment and HEDQ in 2010

This summary reviews research published over the past year on asthma and through the prism of health care delivery and quality. Special attention is given to management, therapeutics, and the role of environmental exposures and their interactions with genetics. The discussion is framed around the 3 stages of translational research: from bench to first studies in human subjects, then to larger efficacy studies in well-defined patient populations, and finally into practice through effectiveness research in real-world settings.
The Effects of the Media on Federal Criminal Justice Policy

This article examines the news media's role in federal criminal justice policy-making. Specifically, we examine how news coverage of cele brated events affected the gun control policy-agenda over a twenty-five year period by linking the presentation of gun issues in the New York Times to corresponding changes in the number of congressional hearings on gun control. Moreover, we examine the implementation of two pieces of federal gun legislation as case studies to more clearly identify the role of the media in federal criminal justice policy-making. Our results indi cate that the media affect the federal policy process in three ways: first, the media can open a window of opportunity to consider policy change; second, the media can promote a limited range of policy alternatives; and third, the media can promote the interests of policy entrepreneurs.
Effects of carbon content on the surface deformation behavior of vacuum-melted iron during fatigue in ultrahigh vacuum and oxygen

Abstract Fatigue of two heats of vacuum-melted iron (one containing 170 wt.ppm C and the other 50 ppm C) produced a rumpled surface with grain boundary cracks in ultrahigh vacuum. In oxygen, prominent slip lines and transgranular cracks were observed. Also, the samples with a larger carbon content (170 wt.ppm) showed coarser slip lines in oxygen than did the samples with a smaller carbon content (50 wt.ppm). Interstitial-free samples fatigued in dry air showed very fine slip lines with the surface resembling the rumpled structure of fatigue in ultrahigh vacuum. It was suggested that CO clusters affect the dislocation motion during fatigue and control the surface structure.
Scalar Filtered Density Function for Large Eddy Simulation of a Bunsen Burner

The scalar filtered density function methodology is employed for large eddy simulation of a turbulent stoichiometric premixed methane-air flame. The scalar filtered density function accounts for the subgrid-scale chemical reaction by considering the mass-weighted probability density function of the subgrid-scale scalar quantities. A transport equation is derived for the scalar filtered density function in which the effects of chemical reactions appear in closed form. The subgrid-scale mixing is modeled via the linear mean square estimation model, and the convective fluxes are modeled via a subgrid-scale viscosity. The modeled scalar filtered density function transport equation is solved by a hybrid finite difference and Monte Carlo scheme. A novel irregular Monte Carlo portioning procedure is developed that facilitates efficient simulations with realistic flow parameters. Combustion chemistry is modeled via five-step, nine-species reduced chemical kinetics. Simulated results are assessed by comparisons against laboratory data. Good agreements are observed, capturing several important features of the flame as observed experimentally.
The effect of butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene on behavioral development of mice.

The chronic ingestion of .5% butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) or butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) by pregnant mice and their offspring resulted in a variety of behavioral changes. Compared to controls, BHA-treated offspring showed increased exploration, decreased sleeping, decreased self-grooming, slower learning, and a decreased orientation reflex. BHT-treated offspring showed decreased sleeping, increased social and isolation-induced aggression, and a severe deficit in learning.
Chemical Classification and Trophic Characteristics of Texas Reservoirs

ABSTRACT Texas reservoirs were classified into three groups by cluster analysis based upon the following properties of their surface waters: specific conductance, alkalinity, calcium, sulfate, pH, chloride, and sodium (listed in descending order of importance as discriminators). The three groups of reservoirs had a distinct geographic distribution corresponding to a strong east-west gradient of increasing aridity and differences in surface geology. Chemical characteristics of the western reservoirs were most influenced by the dissolution of evaporites formed in the geological past and current arid conditions (median specific conductance = 1817 μS cm−1; median alkalinity = 120 mg CaCO3 L−1). Sulfate and chloride accounted for 87% of the major anions (in equivalent charge concentrations). The second group of reservoirs, located in a wide band through central Texas, were dominated by weathering of limestone bedrock and calcareous soils (median specific conductance = 518 μS cm−1; median alkalinity = 133 mg Ca...
Vitamin E restriction in the diet enhances phagocytic activation by dichloroacetate and trichloroacetate in mice.

Abstract The effects of a Vitamin E-restricted diet on the induction of phagocytic activation by dichloroacetate (DCA) and trichloroacetate (TCA) was investigated. Groups of B6C3F1 male mice were either kept on standard diet (Std diet group) or diet that had the vitamin provided only by its natural ingredients (Low-E diet group). The animals in each diet group were administered 77 mg of DCA or TCA/ kg/day, or 5 ml/kg water (controls), by gavage, for 13 weeks. Thereafter, peritoneal lavage cells (PLC) were assayed for superoxide anion (SA), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and myeloperoxidase (MPO), as well as for the activities of the anti-oxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). SA and TNFα production, as well as MPO, SOD, CAT and GSH-Px activities were significantly increased in the cells from the Low-E diet group treated with the compounds as compared with cells from hosts in the Std-diet group that received the corresponding treatments. The results indicate that consumption of a Vitamin E-restricted diet enhances the induction of phagocytic activation by DCA and TCA, a mechanism that was previously suggested to be an initial adaptive/protective response against the compounds long-term effects.
The Hollow Fiber Cartridge : Operational experience with an improved reverse osmosis device/technology

Abstract Since the introduction of the Hollow Fiber (HF) Cartridge™ at the IDA World Congress in Madrid in October 1997, DuPont Permasep® Products commercialized a breakthrough in reverse osmosis (RO) device technology and advanced new membrane products for desalination. The new HF Cartridge™ product line has capabilities far beyond the current products. The sum of all improvements further increases the HF device capacity and compactness, and provides new capabilities to operate RO systems more effectively at very high recoveries in a single-stage array with low pressure drop. This paper presents results of field experience on various applications and the results obtained.
Integrated-model-based approach in recognizing blood vessels in MR images

An integrated model-based approach for extracting blood vessels in MR images is presented. A Generalized Stochastic Tube model is used to capture both the shape of local tube-like object segments and the shape dynamics of global object trajectories. The blood flow within cross sections is explicitly modeled using a bivariate Gaussian density function that predicts the expected sensor measurement configuration. Experimental results on both synthetic data with different degrees of Gaussian noise and real MRA data demonstrated that integrating both shape and blood flow models yields accurate and robust performance even under noisy conditions.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Determination of elastase activity by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.

Abstract The action of elastase on elastin was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography with on-line post-column derivatization. After alkaline hydrolysis, a 20-ml sample was injected into a ODS-2 gel column. An elastin-specific dipeptide, Val-Pro, and the internal standard, Gly-Leu, were eluted by a linear gradient of 0 to 10% of 1-propanol in 50 mM heptafluorobutyrate (pH 3) at a flow-rate of 1 ml/min. The eluent was reacted with fluorescamine, and the fluorescent products were measured. Retention times for Val-Pro and Gly-Leu were 17.33 and 23.54 min. The peak areas of 0.2–16 μg of Val-Pro gave a straight-line plot. Elastase activity was constant from 6 to 24 h and was 0.95 ± 0.02 (S.D.) μg/h. The method may be useful for the measurement of the elastolytic activity in some diseased tissues.
The Importance of Selling Abilities in Corporate Hospitality Sales to Corporate Customers

Abstract With the ever growing competitive nature of the lodging industry, the sales area or the selling function of major hotel chains continues to increase in importance. Yet little has been published recently about the salesperson/customer dyad. Drawing upon the selling and sales literature in the area of marketing, the authors with the cooperation of a large anonymous hotel company conducted a study to determine those common selling abilities deemed important to both sides of the dyad. Using a previously developed scale of 14 major selling abilities, the study was able to identify nine agreed upon abilities that both parties felt were important and five abilities on which the corporate customer and the hotel salesperson differed significantly. Understanding how the corporate customer view the sales abilities can assist sales managers in recruiting and training salespeople who will help the property increase their share of corporate revenue.
Brightness enhancement and the Talbot level in stationary gratings

At low spatial frequencies, the perceived brightness of the light phase of a stationary square-wave grating is greater than the brightness of a solid field of equal physical luminance. That increase in the perceived brightness of a grating at low spatial frequencies is analogous to the brightness enhancement observed in a flickering light at low temporal frequencies. At or above the critical spatial frequency—the visual resolution threshold—the brightness of a grating is determined by its space-average luminance, just as the brightness of a flickering light at or above the critical flicker frequency is determined by its time-average luminance in accordance with Talbot’s law. Thus, Talbot’s law applies in the spatial as well as the temporal domain. The present study adds to the evidence that temporal and spatial frequency play analogous roles in some aspects of brightness vision.
Registering and analyzing rat fMRI data in the stereotaxic framework by exploiting intrinsic anatomical features.

The value of analyzing neuroimaging data on a group level has been well established in human studies. However, there is no standard procedure for registering and analyzing fMRI data into common space in rodent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies. An approach for performing rat imaging data analysis in the stereotaxic framework is presented. This method is rooted in the biological observation that the skull shape and size of rat brain are essentially the same as long as their weights are within certain range. Registration is performed using rigid-body transformations without scaling or shearing, preserving the unique properties of the stable shape and size inherent in rat brain structure. Also, it does not require brain tissue masking, and is not biased towards surface coil sensitivity profile. A standard rat brain atlas is used to facilitate the identification of activated areas in common space, allowing accurate region-of-interest (ROI) analysis. This technique is evaluated from a group of rats (n = 11) undergoing routine MRI scans; the registration accuracy is estimated to be within 400 μm. The analysis of fMRI data acquired with an electrical forepaw stimulation model demonstrates the utility of this technique. The method is implemented within the AFNI framework and can be readily extended to other studies.
Toward High Resolution Images With SQUID-Based Ultra-Low Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the state-of-the-art clinical method for imaging soft-tissue anatomy. Because signal scales with the applied magnetic field, the overwhelming trend in MRI has been high magnetic fields, typically 1.5 or 3 T. However, there has been recent interest in ultra-low field (ULF) MRI using 10-100 μT magnetic fields. At ULF there are opportunities for novel imaging applications such as MRI combined with magnetoencephalography in a single device, imaging through or in the presence of metal, and enhanced spin-lattice tissue contrast. Loss in signal is mitigated by sensitive detectors such as superconducting quantum interference devices and sample pre-polarization, typically from 10-100 mT. There have been several proof-of-concept demonstrations based on this approach. However, ULF MRI image quality still suffers from one or more of the following disadvantages compared to high-frequency MRI: lower signal-to-noise ratio, poor spatial resolution, and longer imaging time. Here we present recent progress toward “clinically relevant” ULF MRI parameters: voxel signal-to-noise ratio > 10, voxel size <; 2 × 2 × 4 mm3. Data and simulations from a single channel system are presented and discussed.
Reviews and Communication: What Do We Know about Economic Development?:

This article is an idiosyncratic review of several recent books on development, some older ones, and a critique of development economics as applied to promoting development. It discusses various analyses of factors causing economic development or preventing it, suggesting that general theories only go so far and specific knowledge is needed. Some of this knowledge concerns the thinking of elites, their choices of whether or not to stay in their country and under what terms, and how various interest groups relate.
Replication of an infectious form of tobacco mosaic virus in chicken embryos.

PREVIOUS studies1–3 of the fate of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) in chicken embryos suggested that the multiplying form was not whole virus. This form was eluted from chicken embryo macerates on cellulose adsorbent columns with 10 per cent polyethylene glycol (PEG) and 4 per cent NaCl in water. Similar infective units could be eluted from infected Turkish tobacco macerates using the same procedure, but whole TMV does not elute in these conditions4. The infective material from both chicken embryos and plants, when partially purified, gives an ultraviolet spectrum that is more typical of a nucleoprotein than a nucleic acid. When mechanically inoculated on detached leaves of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris, our selection 367 from P.I. number 223,006) the infective particles induce the formation of small grey lesions. Such lesions appear to be non or only slightly spreading, while whole virus lesions on the same leaves are much larger and spreading, and are dark reddish-brown, in colour. The application of the phenol extraction procedure of Shigematsu et al.5 to these infective particles yields a small nucleic acid that still appears to be infective on the bean assay host6.
Ipilimumab-induced Ocular and Orbital Inflammation--A Case Series and Review of the Literature.

AbstractPurpose: Ipilimumab, a monoclonal antibody directed against the immune protein cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4), characteristically induces side effects called “immune-related adverse events” (IRAE). Although ophthalmic involvement is rare, we report 7 cases of eye and orbit complications related to ipilimumab therapy.Methods: We performed a retrospective review of patients with metastatic melanoma who developed ipilimumab-related ocular or orbital inflammation who were seen at our institutions.Results: Seven patients were identified: 4 patients had orbital inflammation, 2 had uveitis, and 1 had peripheral ulcerative keratitis. Four patients developed inflammation after the second ipilimumab infusion, 2 after the third infusion and 1 after the first infusion. All 4 patients with orbital inflammation were treated with systemic corticosteroids. Two patients with uveitis were treated with topical steroids, but were also treated with systemic corticosteroids for other IRAE, including colitis ...
Review of Musculoskeletal Injuries and Prevention in the Endoscopy Practitioner

Practitioners of endoscopy often experience musculoskeletal pain and injury (most often in the back, neck, shoulders, hands, wrists, and thumbs) that are associated with the minute and repetitive strain that is placed on these areas during endoscopic procedures. This review of the current documentation of endoscopy-related pain and injuries among practitioners finds that such problems are widespread and specific in kind as well as strongly correlated with high procedure volume and procedure duration. Research on the nature and impact of cumulative trauma and overuse syndromes in other professions such as dentistry, pianists, production labor, and athletics is brought to bear on the work of the endoscopist. A more thorough understanding of the nature and prevalence of work-related pain and injury sustained by endoscopists should inform further development of ergonomic practices and equipment design. This article reviews current recommendations for ergonomic design in the endoscopy procedure space and finds that reported compliance with those recommendations is quite low. Strategies for the management of the risk of musculoskeletal injuries related to the practice of endoscopy include compliance with currently recommended ergonomic practices, education of trainees in ergonomic technique when practicing endoscopy, and research toward the modification and development of more ergonomic endoscopes and procedure spaces.
TSC2 Integrates Wnt and Energy Signals via a Coordinated Phosphorylation by AMPK and GSK3 to Regulate Cell Growth

Mutation in the TSC2 tumor suppressor causes tuberous sclerosis complex, a disease characterized by hamartoma formation in multiple tissues. TSC2 inhibits cell growth by acting as a GTPase-activating protein toward Rheb, thereby inhibiting mTOR, a central controller of cell growth. Here, we show that Wnt activates mTOR via inhibiting GSK3 without involving β-catenin-dependent transcription. GSK3 inhibits the mTOR pathway by phosphorylating TSC2 in a manner dependent on AMPK-priming phosphorylation. Inhibition of mTOR by rapamycin blocks Wnt-induced cell growth and tumor development, suggesting a potential therapeutic value of rapamycin for cancers with activated Wnt signaling. Our results show that, in addition to transcriptional activation, Wnt stimulates translation and cell growth by activating the TSC-mTOR pathway. Furthermore, the sequential phosphorylation of TSC2 by AMPK and GSK3 reveals a molecular mechanism of signal integration in cell growth regulation.
Purification and properties of two iron-sulfur proteins from Azotobacter vinelandii.

Abstract The purification to homogeneity, by the criteria of disc electrophoresis and ultracentrifugation, of two nonheme iron (iron-sulfur) proteins from Azotobacter vinelandii is described. The proteins have molecular weights of 21 000 ± 1 000 (I) and 24 000 ± 1 000 (II), respectively and contain two atoms of iron and labile sulfur per mole of protein. On reduction with dithionite, uptake of only one electron per molecule, i.e. per two iron atoms, leads to maximal decrease of light absorption and maximal development of the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) signal at g = 1.94, characteristic of the reduced forms. Iron and labile sulfur can be removed and apoproteins obtained, from which proteins can be reconstituted by the addition of iron and sulfide. These are identical, in all properties known, to the native proteins. Light absorption, circular dichroism and EPR spectra and other properties of the proteins are reported. The biological function of either protein is unknown.
Origin of DNA and protein in λ DNA infected disrupted cell preparations

By employing the density labels 15NH4Cl and D2O to prepare bacteria and D2O to prepare λ bacteriophage, the de novo synthesis of viral DNA and protein in frozenthawed cell preparations has been demonstrated.
Factor IX antigen by radioimmunoassay in heterozygotes for hemophilia B.

Abstract The diagnostic utility of a radioimmunoassay for factor IX antigen was assessed in 15 heterozygotes for hemophilia B and 15 normal women. The mean values for clotting activity (62 vs. 86) and antigen level (73 vs. 93) were each significantly lower in the heterozygous group (p Most of the severe and some of the moderately severe hemophiliacs have low factor IX antigen levels. In their hemophilia B pedigrees, the antigen assay is of limited value in improving heterozygote detection. However, because of the strong correlation between clotting activity and antigen level (r = 0.87), antigen testing can serve as an independent method to confirm the results of clotting activity assays.
fdg-pet in two cases of neurofibromatosis type 1 and atypical malignancies

Patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (nf1) are at increased risk for both benign and malignant tumours, and distinguishing the malignant potential of an individual tumour is a common clinical problem in these patients. Here, we review two cases of uncommon malignancies (Hodgkin lymphoma and mediastinal germ-cell tumour) in patients with nf1. Although 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography (fdg-pet) has been used to differentiate benign neurofibromas from malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours, fdg-pet characteristics for more rare tumours have been poorly described in children with nf1. Here, we report the role of pet imaging in clinical decision-making in each case. In nf1, fdg-pet might be useful in the clinical management of unusual tumour presentations and might help to provide information about the malignant potential of uncommon tumours.
Evidence for a late Precambrian caldera in Boston, Massachusetts

Ash-flow tuff in the Stony Brook Reservation contains clasts as much as 450 m long. The pyroclastic matrix of this breccia and the large size of its clasts are characteristic of “megabreccias” found in terrains of ash-flow volcanism and caldera collapse. The breccia of the Stony Brook Reservation is intruded by shallow-level (Westwood?) granite, suggesting that both caldera collapse and magmatic resurgence were important processes in the history of this part of the late Precambrian plutonic-volcanic terrain in southeastern New England.
High tidal volume decreases adult respiratory distress syndrome, atelectasis, and ventilator days compared with low tidal volume in pediatric burned patients with inhalation injury.

Background Inhalation injury, which is among the causes of acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), continues to represent a significant source of mortality in burned patients. Inhalation injury often requires mechanical ventilation, but the ideal tidal volume strategy is not clearly defined in burned pediatric patients. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of low and high tidal volume on the number of ventilator days, ventilation pressures, and incidence of atelectasis, pneumonia, and ARDS in pediatric burned patients with inhalation injury within 1 year post burn injury. Methods From 1986 to 2014, inhalation injury was diagnosed by bronchoscopy in pediatric burned patients (n = 932). Patients were divided into 3 groups: unventilated (n = 241), high tidal volume (HTV, 15 ± 3 mL/kg, n = 190), and low tidal volume (LTV, 9 ± 3 mL/kg, n = 501). Results High tidal volume was associated with significantly decreased ventilator days (p Conclusions High tidal volume significantly decreases ventilator days and the incidence of both atelectasis and ARDS compared with low tidal volume in pediatric burned patients with inhalation injury. Therefore, the use of HTV may interrupt sequences leading to lung injury in our patient population.
Neo-Darwinism and Religion

In recent decades, the humanities have been in thrall to postmodern skepticism, whereas Darwinism, brimming with confidence in the genuine progress they have made in the sciences of biology and psychology, have set their sights on rescuing the humanities from the ravages of postmodernism. In their attempt to formulate a biological theory of religion, the neo-Darwinists (Richard Dawkins and Daniel Dennett, among others) have moved beyond their area of competence, revealing themselves to be inverted fundamentalists. Ignorant of the long and rich history of religious thought, they commit an ideology, rather than a science.