cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonlymphomatous malignant tumors complicating Hodgkin's disease. Possible association with intensive therapy.

Abstract Case records of 425 patients with Hodgkin's disease treated at the NIH were reviewed. Note of all biopsy-proved malignant tumors other than Hodgkin's disease was made. Cases were divided into subgroups on the basis of treatment received, and expected incidences of malignant tumors were calculated for each subgroup on the basis of age, sex, and mean follow-up period from the time of diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease. Significantly increased risks of development of second malignant tumors were found in the entire 425 patients (ratio of observed to expected, 3.5) and in the subgroups treated with both radiotherapy and chemotherapy (ratio, 3.3) and with intensive radiotherapy without intensive chemotherapy (ratio, 3.8). The greatest increase in risk was observed in 35 patients who received both intensive radiotherapy and intensive chemotherapy (ratio, 29).
Judicial Procedures as Instruments of Political Control: Congress's Strategic Use of Citizen Suits

Citizen suit provisions, which give proregulatory interests access to the federal courts, can be used by Congress to increase the courts' role in regulatory policy. I analyze 284 environmental regulation bills reported favorably out of committee and show that committee support for citizen suits is a function of the committee's policy goals and the political context in which the bills are generated. These findings indicate that Congress deliberately uses judicial procedures as instruments of political control and that scholars examining judicial policymaking must include legislative goals in the list of explanatory factors.
The Non-Dieting Approach: Tools for Nutrition Education

Abstract The purpose of this poster is to share tools that registered dietitians can use with patients who are focused on weight loss. Three handouts were developed for use in the college health setting and are appropriate for the adult population, particularly women who are chronic dieters. The American Dietetic Association position paper on weight management (January 1997) states that dietetic professionals should include behavioral and psychological goals in weight management interventions. Individuals who succumb to societal pressure to be thin and focus solely on weight-loss often fail, which inevitably reduces self-esteem and can lead to disturbed eating patterns. This poster will highlight cognitive-behavioral tools that help patients develop healthful eating patterns, improve body image and be more realistic about their weight and nutrition goals. The reproducible handouts contain information on internal cues for eating; healthier weight and body image concepts and recognizing and reducing binge eating behaviors.
Rhinocerebral mucormycosis complicated by internal carotid artery thrombosis in a pediatric patient with type 1 diabetes mellitus: a case report and review of the literature.

Objective: To illustrate that rapid diagnosis and aggressive treatment of rhinocerebral mucormycosis with internal carotid artery occlusion in a pediatric patient can prevent mortality and significant morbidity. Research Designs and Methods: Rhinocerebral mucormycosis infrequently occurs in the pediatric population, and when it involves thrombosis of an internal carotid artery, it has been almost uniformly fatal. We present an 8-yr-old girl with type 1 diabetes mellitus who has survived such an infection for 2 yr, and who has minimal residual morbidity. We believe she is the youngest patient to survive rhinocerebral mucormycosis complicated by internal carotid artery and cavernous sinus thromboses. She has survived with an intensive regimen including aggressive surgical debridement, amphotericin B, rigorous glucose control, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, interferon-γ, posaconazole (an experimental antifungal), and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Conclusions: This article illustrates the importance of prompt recognition and aggressive treatment of fungal infection in patients with diabetes. Additionally, it emphasizes that such treatment can have an excellent outcome, and mortality and significant morbidity can be avoided. Finally, we provide a review of the literature regarding mucormycosis infections and treatment options.
Post-Fire Strength Assessment of Steel Bridges Based on Residual Out-of-Plane Web Deformations

Bridges that have been damaged (but have not collapsed) due to a fire pose a problem for engineers tasked with determining whether a damaged bridge may be re-opened for full or partial traffic, or must be demolished and rebuilt. Depending on the significance of the bridge, this decision carries heavy economic costs due to both the price of building a new bridge and the impact of an out-of-commission bridge may have on regional mobility. Steel plate girder bridges are particularly susceptible to damage during a fire event. Web shear buckling at elevated temperatures has been observed in some cases. The work presented in this paper focuses on the residual post-fire shear buckling strength of steel webs that have reached their ultimate buckling load due to these fire temperatures. This initial study has found that, for most span-to-depth ratios considered, the web still retains a considerable amount of the postbuckling shear strength capacity that it had before the fire event occurred.
Treatment of locally recurrent rectal cancer.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to analyze the outcome for patients with isolated local recurrence after radical treatment of rectal cancer and to identify predictors of curative resection. METHODS: The medical records of 87 patients who developed isolated local recurrence after curative radical surgery for primary rectal cancer were retrospectively reviewed. Survival rates from the time of recurrence were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Tumor stage and histology, patient characteristics, and treatment variables were analyzed using logistic regression to identify predictors of curative surgery. RESULTS: Symptomatic treatment alone or chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy was provided to 23 patients (26 percent), and surgical exploration was performed in 64 patients. In 22 patients (25 percent), the tumor was considered unresectable at surgery (n=13) or was resected for palliation with gross or microscopic positive margins (n=9). In 42 patients (48 percent), curative-intent resection was performed. The only independent predictors of resectability were younger age at diagnosis, earlier stage of the primary tumor, and initial treatment by sphincter-saving procedure. There was no difference in survival between patients who had no surgery and those who had palliative surgery. The estimated five-year survival rate for patients who had curative-intent resection was better than for those who had no surgery or palliative surgery (35vs. 7 percent;P=0.01). Of the 42 patients who underwent curative-intent resection, 14 (33 percent) developed a second recurrence at a mean of 15±11 months after reoperation. Twenty-five percent of patients developed major complications. CONCLUSIONS: Salvage surgery for locally recurrent rectal cancer may be helpful in a selected group of patients. The stage and treatment of the primary tumor may help to identify patients with the best chance for curative-intent resection.
NMR Characterization of Adenylyl Cyclase Toxin-Calmodulin Complexes

Bordetella pertussis, etiological agent of whooping cough, secrets a calmodulin (CaM) - activated adenylate cyclase toxin (CyaA) virulence factor which assists in respiratory colonization. The worldwide increase in pertussis cases emphasizes the necessity of understanding CyaA's role in disease progression. Intact CaM consists of tethered N- and C-terminal domains both of which can separately bind to and activate CyaA. Moreover, interaction with intact calmodulin substantially increases the binding affinity between CyaA and CaM by unknown structural mechanisms. A crystal structure determined in the absence of N-terminal CaM elucidates the molecular mechanisms by which C-terminal CaM activates CyaA. While it is reported that the second N-terminal calcium-binding site in CaM is likely involved in stabilizing interactions with the catalytic pocket of CyaA, no high-resolution structure detailing this protein-protein interface is currently available. In this study, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shift mapping and paramagnetic relaxation enhancement (PRE) techniques have been used to probe molecular interactions between intact CaM and CyaA. Chemical shift perturbations induced in labeled CaM by CyaA binding were localized primarily to helices IV and V, VI and VII in the N- and C-terminal domains of CaM, respectively. Binding of CyaA resulted in the structural modification of intact CaM as evidence by the protection of specific resonances in helices IV, V, and VI of labeled CaM from spin labeled induced broadening. These data suggest that conformational modulation in both the N- and C-terminal domains of CaM upon CyaA binding contributes to the maximal activation of the toxin.
Pulmonary toxicity of high-dose chemotherapy for breast cancer: a non-invasive approach to diagnosis and treatment

Drug-induced pulmonary toxicity is one of the most frequent non-hematologic toxicities in breast cancer patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, cisplatin and BCNU (CY/CDDP/BCNU). A non-invasive clinical scoring system was utilized in an attempt to diagnose and treat early lung toxicity in 64 consecutive breast cancer patients undergoing CY/CDDP/BCNU supported by peripheral blood progenitor cells. Following hospital discharge, patients who developed symptoms suggestive of lung toxicity were evaluated with physical examination, DLCO, 2-min walking oximetry and a chest radiograph. Clinically weighted scores were assigned as follows: crackles on lung exam, 2; decrease in corrected DLCO by > 10% from baseline, 3; decrease in O2 saturation by > or = 4% with a 2-min walk, 3; and interstitial infiltrates on chest radiograph, 3. Patients with scores > or = 6 were treated with prednisone (60 mg p.o. twice a day followed by a 2-month taper). Treatment was instituted in 37 patients (58%) a median of 56 days after high-dose chemotherapy. Steroid therapy was associated with rapid clinical improvement in most patients. No fatal complications or chronic pulmonary fibrosis was seen. This non-invasive clinical scoring system can be utilized as a model for the early diagnosis of lung toxicity. Further investigation is warranted for the development of preventative measures against this syndrome.
Mechanical fractionation of polyacrylamide gel slabs.

Abstract A mechanical gel fractionator was developed to slice polyacrylamide gel slabs in a sequential manner. The device provides uniform, accurate slices unlike devices that work like cheese slicers or extrusion presses. The gels can be cut fairly rapidly and with high reproducibility. With the increasing popularity of the slab method this slicer should become increasing useful.
Some recent applications of asymptotic error expansions to finite-difference schemes

In this paper we will present some results on asymptotic error expansions of the approximate solutions of differential equations by finite-difference schemes. We will present some quite well-known material, in an effort to make the presentation self-contained, as well as discuss recent work by Engquist on linear multistep methods for initial-value problems, by Kreiss on extrapolation procedures for elliptic finite-difference schemes, by Pereyra and co-workers on iterated deferred-correction methods for elliptic equations and by the author and Hald on the finite-element method. Practical aspects of the subject as well as the use of error expansions as a technical device in theoretical numerical analysis are discussed.
Human follicle stimulating hormone receptor trafficking and hormone binding sites in the amino terminus.

Abstract Previous studies of the rat follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (rFSHR) demonstrated that the amino terminus is important in FSH binding and signal transduction. To define the structure–function correlates of this region, we prepared deletion and alanine scanning mutants of amino acids (a.a.) 9–30 in human FSHR (hFSHR). The deletion mutants ΔS9-S18, ΔK19-N30 and ΔS9-N30 failed to bind 125I-hFSH. Alanine substitution in the mutants 2HHRI5/2AAAA5, 7HCSNR11/7ACAAA11, 16QES18/16AAA18 and 19KVT21/19AAA21 increased the affinity of hFSHR for hFSH with equilibrium dissociation constants two to fivefold lower than wild type (wt) values. Signal transduction in 2HHRI5/2AAAA5 and 19KVT21/19AAA21 was similar to wt values, whereas 7HCSNR11/7ACAAA11 and 16QES18/16AAA18 showed a twofold lower accumulation of cAMP in response to hFSH than wt. These results indicate that these regions play a role in hormone binding and signal transduction. In contrast, cells infected with mutants 12VFL14/12AAA14, 22EIPS25/22AAPA25 and 26DLPRN30/26AAPAA30 were incapable of binding 125I-hFSH even when solubilized with nonionic detergent. Flow cytometry indicated that hFSHR in 12VFL14/12AAA14, 22EIPS25/22AAPA25 and 26DLPRN30/26AAPAA30 was not present on the cell surface although the protein was expressed at high levels as determined by Western blotting. These results suggest that a discontinuous epitope in the N-terminus, likely stabilized by disulfide bonds and outside of the leucine-rich repeat domains, constitutes a hormone binding site, membrane localization signal or both.
Estrogen receptor beta activation prevents glucocorticoid receptor-dependent effects of the central nucleus of the amygdala on behavior and neuroendocrine function

Abstract Neuropsychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression have formidable economic and societal impacts. A dysregulation of the hypothalamo–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis leading to elevated endogenous glucocorticoid levels is often associated with such disorders. Chronically high glucocorticoid levels may act upon the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) to alter normally adaptive responses into those that are maladaptive and detrimental. In addition to glucocorticoids, other steroid hormones such as estradiol and androgens can also modify hormonal and behavioral responses to threatening stimuli. In particular, estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) agonists have been shown to be anxiolytic. Consequently, these experiments addressed the hypothesis that the selective stimulation of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in the CeA would increase anxiety-like behaviors and HPA axis reactivity to stress, and further, that an ERβ agonist could modulate these effects. Young adult female Sprague–Dawley rats were ovariectomized and bilaterally implanted via stereotaxic surgery with a wax pellet containing the selective GR agonist RU28362 or a blank pellet, to a region just dorsal to the CeA. Four days later, animals were administered the ERβ agonist S-DPN or vehicle (with four daily sc injections). Anxiety-type behaviors were measured using the elevated plus maze (EPM). Central RU28362 implants caused significantly higher anxiety-type behaviors in the EPM and greater plasma CORT levels than controls given a blank central implant. Moreover, S-DPN treated animals, regardless of type of central implant, displayed significantly lower anxiety-type behaviors and post-EPM plasma CORT levels than vehicle treated controls or vehicle treated animals implanted with RU28362. These results indicate that selective activation of GR within the CeA is anxiogenic, and peripheral administration of an ERβ agonist can overcome this effect. These data suggest that estradiol signaling via ERβ prevents glucocorticoid-dependent effects of the CeA on behavior and neuroendocrine function.
An overview of the gene regulatory network controlling trichome development in the model plant, Arabidopsis

Trichomes are specialized epidermal cells located on aerial parts of plants and are associated with a wide array of biological processes. Trichomes protect plants from adverse conditions including UV light and herbivore attack and are also an important source of a number of phytochemicals. The simple unicellular trichomes of Arabidopsis serve as an excellent model to study molecular mechanism of cell differentiation and pattern formation in plants. The emerging picture suggests that the developmental process is controlled by a transcriptional network involving three major groups of transcription factors (TFs): the R2R3 MYB, basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH), and WD40 repeat (WDR) protein. These regulatory proteins form a trimeric activator complex that positively regulates trichome development. The single repeat R3 MYBs act as negative regulators of trichome development. They compete with the R2R3 MYBs to bind the bHLH factor and form a repressor complex. In addition to activator–repressor mechanism, a depletion mechanism may operate in parallel during trichome development. In this mechanism, the bHLH factor traps the WDR protein which results in depletion of WDR protein in neighboring cells. Consequently, the cells with high levels of bHLH and WDR proteins are developed into trichomes. A group of C2H2 zinc finger TFs has also been implicated in trichome development. Phytohormones, including gibberellins and jasmonic acid, play significant roles in this developmental process. Recently, microRNAs have been shown to be involved in trichome development. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that the activities of the key regulatory proteins involved in trichome development are controlled by the 26S/ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS), highlighting the complexity of the regulatory network controlling this developmental process. To complement several excellent recent relevant reviews, this review focuses on the transcriptional network and hormonal interplay controlling trichome development in Arabidopsis.
Measuring Power in Exchange Networks

A key scope condition of most theory and research on exchange networks is that network members try to maximize profit. Thus members will try to use maximally one type of power: power concerning own interests. I specify a measure for power concerning own interests (POI) as a particular specification of a more general measure for social power. I calculate POI, conditional on fully competent actors, for two reciprocal exchange networks studied experimentally by Molm. Analysis shows that POI is related in complex ways to power over others' outcomes (Emerson's definition of power) and power over others' behavior (Homans's definition of power), thus implying that experimental networks with the scope condition of profit-maximizing actors may be ill suited to assess the latter two types of power. Comparison with empirical results shows that participants were far from competent in use of rewards, although fairly competent in their (lack of) use of punishment.
A new calibration of the extragalactic distance scale using Cepheids and RR Lyrae stars.

Visual absolute magnitudes of classical Cepheids, metal-poor RR Lyrae stars and short-period type II Cepheids have been determined with very high precision by combining a large number of old and new astrophysical data. Five independent methods (four observational and one theoretical) have been successfully used: (1) secular and statistical parallaxes; (2) moving-group parallaxes; (3) cluster main-sequence fitting; (4) the Baade-Wesselink method and its modifications; and (5) light-curve and velocity-curve fitting (the theoretical method). With these five adopted methods, the zero point of the galactic and extragalactic distance scale can be set on a relatively firm and self-consistent basis. Classical Cepheids and RR Lyrae stars now provide essentially identical distances to nearby galaxies: the distance modulus to the Large Magellanic Cloud is 18.5 and to the Small Magellanic Cloud is 18.8, both with an uncertainty of 0.1. The distance to the center of our Galaxy is 8.6 plus or minus 0.5 kiloparsecs. The major uncertainty in these values lies in the correction for interstellar extinction.
Induction of surface-associated proteins of Streptococcus uberis by cultivation with extracellular matrix components and bovine mammary epithelial cells

Surface-associated protein expression by Streptococcus uberis was influenced by the presence of collagen, laminin and bovine mammary epithelial cells in the culture medium. After electrophoresis and silver staining, four proteins stained more intensively in samples from S. uberis cultivated with epithelial cells and extracellular matrix components than in samples from S. uberis cultivated alone. Induction of these proteins was more obvious after multiple bacterial passages. The correlation between the phenotype of S. uberis and its potential virulence status as illustrated by an immunoblotting study with sera obtained from infected cows revealed that these proteins are probably expressed in vivo during infection.
Low-Rank Transfer Subspace Learning

One of the most important challenges in machine learning is performing effective learning when there are limited training data available. However, there is an important case when there are sufficient training data coming from other domains (source). Transfer learning aims at finding ways to transfer knowledge learned from a source domain to a target domain by handling the subtle differences between the source and target. In this paper, we propose a novel framework to solve the aforementioned knowledge transfer problem via low-rank representation constraints. This is achieved by finding an optimal subspace where each datum in the target domain can be linearly represented by the corresponding subspace in the source domain. Extensive experiments on several databases, i.e., Yale B, CMU PIE, UB Kin Face databases validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach and show the superiority to the existing, well-established methods.
Formative Instructional Practices: How Core Content Teachers Can Borrow Ideas From IDEA

With many states moving toward increased accountability for all teachers, special educators, who have long been held accountable through the implementation of individualized education programs and the use of evidence-based practices, have much to offer. Formative instructional practices are evidence-based techniques that are familiar to special educators and can be implemented in classrooms filled with students of all skill and ability levels. Formative instructional practices are the way that teachers and students document evidence of student learning and make instructional decisions based on that evidence. These effective and versatile practices help teachers continuously assess their students, make data-based decisions, and ensure optimal learning. This article suggests that special educators are well positioned to make an important contribution as schools adopt more rigorous standards and the formative instructional practices necessary to guide students to mastery of these standards. An overview of th...
Separation of data as a principle in factor analysis

Two systems of factor analysis—factoring correlations with units in the diagonal cells and factoring correlations with communalities in the diagonal cells—are considered in relation to the commonly used statistical procedure of separating a set of data (scores) into two or more parts. It is shown that both systems of factor analysis imply the separation of the observed data into two orthogonal parts. The matrices used to achieve the separation differ for the two systems of factor analysis.
Strategies addressing barriers to clinical trial enrollment of underrepresented populations: A systematic review

Abstract Background Underrepresentation of racial and ethnic minorities in clinical trials remains a reality while they have disproportionately higher rates of health disparities. Objective The purpose of this study was to identify successful community-engaged interventions that included health care providers as a key strategy in addressing barriers to clinical trial enrollment of underrepresented patients. Design A systematic review of the literature on interventions addressing enrollment barriers to clinical trials for racial and ethnic minorities was performed in Ovid MEDLINE, EBSCO Megafile, and EBSCO CINAHL. The systematic review identified 360 studies, and 20 were selected using the inclusion criteria. An iterative process extracted information from the eligible studies. Results The 20 selected studies were analyzed and then grouped by first author, nature of the clinical research initiative, priority populations, key strategies, and study outcomes. Nine of the studies addressed cancer clinical trials and 11 related to chronic medical conditions, including diabetes, hypertension management, and chronic kidney disease. The key strategies employed were categorized according to their presumed impact on barriers incurred at distinct steps in study recruitment: clinical trial awareness, opportunity to participate, and acceptance of enrollment. The strategies were further categorized by whether they would address barriers associated with minority perceptions of the research process and barriers related to how studies were designed and implemented. Conclusion Multiple and flexible strategies targeting providers and participants at provider sites and within communities might be needed to enroll underrepresented populations into clinical trials.
Predator deterrence by mandibular gland secretions of bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea)

Volatile lipids from the mandibular gland secretions of bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) are potent olfactory repellents of foraging ants (Formica, Crematogaster) in biologically relevant contexts and quantities. In contrast, differential success in capture of bee and fly prey by predatory asilid flies (Efferia), reduviid bugs (Apiomerus), and arachnids (Agelenopsis, Argiope) is better explained by prey size than by chemical repellence, aposematism, or possession of a sting. Supernormal doses of some allomones, applied to worker honeybees (Apis mellifera) that were fed toArgiope aurantia spiders, elicted more frequent preenvenomation pauses following ensnarement but did not significantly increase other prey-handling times. These pauses merely delayed the bee's demise. Mandibular gland secretions of solitary bees augment their other secondary defenses in at least two contexts: (1) during intranest encounters when repelling intruding ants, and (2) retaliation delivered to their arthropodan predators which, if the bee is nearly too large for the predator to handle, may allow the bee to escape.
Re-creating a vision of motherhood: Therapeutic Drug Court and the narrative

The experience of mothering for women recovering from drug abuse in the criminal justice system is a serious issue. This article describes a study nested in a multi-method community participatory p...
Log-Concavity and Related Properties of the Cycle Index Polynomials

LetAndenote thenth-cycle index polynomial, in the variablesXj, for the symmetric group onnletters. We show that if the variablesXjare assigned nonnegative real values which are log-concave, then the resulting quantitiesAnsatisfy the two inequalitiesAn?1An+1?A2n?((n+1)/n)An?1An+1. This implies that the coefficients of the formal power series exp(g(u)) are log-concave whenever those ofg(u) satisfy a condition slightly weaker than log-concavity. The latter includes many familiar combinatorial sequences, only some of which were previously known to be log-concave. To prove the first inequality we show that in fact the differenceA2n?An?1An+1can be written as a polynomial with positive coefficients in the expressionsXjandXjXk?Xj?1Xk+1,j?k. The second inequality is proven combinatorially, by working with the notion of amarkedpermutation, which we introduce in this paper. The latter is a permutation each of whose cycles is assigned a subset of available markers {Mi,j}. Each marker has aweight, wt(Mi,j)=xj, and we relate the second inequality to properties of theweight enumerator polynomials. Finally, using asymptotic analysis, we show that the same inequalities hold fornsufficiently large when theXjare fixed with only finite many nonzero values, with no additional assumption on theXj.
Long-term follow-up of patients of intrahepatic malignancies treated with iodine-125 brachytherapy.

Purpose: We investigated the role of intraoperative iodine-125 ({sup 125}I) brachytherapy as a treatment option for unresectable primary and metastatic liver tumors. Methods and Materials: Between 1989 and 2002, 64 patients with unresectable or residual disease after surgical resection for intrahepatic malignancies underwent 160-Gy permanent {sup 125}I brachytherapy. Results: The median length of follow-up was 13.2 years. The overall 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year actuarial intrahepatic local control rates were 44%, 22%, and 22%, respectively, with a median time to liver recurrence of 9 months (95% CI, 6-12 months). The 5-year actuarial intrahepatic control was higher for patients with solitary metastasis (38%) than for those with multiple metastases (6%, p = 0.04). The 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year actuarial overall survival rates were 73%, 23%, and 5%, respectively (median, 20 months; 95% CI, 16-24; longest survival, 7.5 years). Overall survival was higher for patients with smaller-volume implants (p = 0.003) and for patients without prior liver resection (p = 0.002). No mortality occurred. Radiation-related complications were minimal. Conclusions: For select patients with unresectable primary and metastatic liver tumors for whom curative surgical resection is not an option, {sup 125}I brachytherapy is a safe and effective alternative to other locally ablative techniques andmore » can provide long-term local control and increased survival.« less
Vagotomy attenuates tumor necrosis factor-α-induced sleep and EEG δ-activity in rats

Much evidence suggests that tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is involved in the regulation of physiological sleep. However, it remains unclear whether peripheral administration of TNF-α induces slee...
We know what they did wrong, but not why: the case for 'frame-based' feedback

Summary Background: Actionable feedback targeted to the learner’s needs is one of the strongest predictors of improved performance in learning. Unfortunately, when a trainee makes an error, although instructors may understand what a trainee has done wrong, they can erroneously assume they know why. Context: There is a growing recognition that cognitive biases impede clinical diagnosis, however, the same biases can also undermine accurate and effective feedback. Innovation: Instead of focusing primarily on correcting actions, it is often crucial to diagnose trainees’‘frames’– the thought processes that drive their actions. We offer an efficient three-step algorithm for providing this ‘frame-based’ feedback: (1) describe how the trainee is doing according to the instructor; (2) diagnose the trainee’s immediate learning needs using inquiry to elicit their frame; and (3) direct instruction to those needs. Implications: ‘Misdiagnosis’ of the trainee’s actual needs wastes time when instructors teaching unneeded material, diminishes the trainee’s faith in the value of instruction and undermines patient safety when incorrect frames about important clinical processes persist.
Tools for Assessing Planetary Protection Implementation Strategies

When spacecraft go to Mars, Europa, Enceladus or other solar system bodies which might be of interest relative to the process of chemical evolution and/or the origin of life, measures will be employed to ensure the missions meet strict biological contamination requirements. These measures, generically referred to as "planetary protection" (PP) are designed to preserve our ability to study other worlds as they exist in their natural states and help ensure that the scientific investigations (or the interpretation of scientific measurements) aren't confounded by Earth life that might have been inadvertently transferred to the body of interest. To be implemented most effectively, PP strategies should be fully integrated with the mission's schedule and cost profile, but in the early mission design stages the number of open options can make it difficult to perform planetary protection trade studies. This issue is being addressed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) with the development of design tools that will permit the assessment of both the effectiveness and cost of alternative PP approaches in the mission design process. By applying these tools during the mission design process, project designers and program managers will be able to adopt the PP approach best suited to the mission architecture as well as estimate its cost in terms of dollars, schedule impact, and biological contamination risk.
Paying Teachers According to Student Achievement: Questions regarding Pay-for-Performance Models in Public Education.

In an effort to correct for perceived deficien- cies in the No Child Left Behind Act, value-added mod- els were proposed as a way to find out how much stu- dents learned in schools and classrooms throughout the school year. What has garnered much controversy regarding the value-added model, however, is the at- tempt to link pay and tenure to performance. In this article, a theoretical framework is introduced that ex- amines the likely success of using value-added assess- ments as a pay-for-performance tool. After applying the theory, the author suggests that caution should be used when utilizing value-added assessments to pay teachers for student learning.
Growth Inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes by Sodium Polyphosphate as Affected by Polyvalent Metal Ions

Sodium polyphosphate (SPP, average chain length = 13) increased the lag time of L. monocytogenes Scott A (Lm) in brain-heart infusion broth (BHI). Polyvalent metal ions (1-10 mM) reversed inhibition of Lm growth by 0.5% SPP (nominal 3.6 mM). 10 mM Ca 2+ or Mg 2+ , 5 mM Fe 3+ , 2 mM Mn 2+ or 1 mM Zn 2+ added to SPP-containing BHI, pH 6.0, at 19°C resulted in growth comparable to control cultures. Fe 2+ partially restored growth; Ni 2+ , Co 2+ , Cu 2+ or Al 3+ were ineffective. SPP inhibited growth at 28°C in BHI, pH 5.0, and Lm grew upon addition of Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ or Mn 2+ , but not Zn 2+ or Fe 3+ . Addition of 0.5% SPP to mineralrich foods, such as pureed beef, green beans or sweet potatoes, did not delay growth.
Regulation of the twist target gene tinman by modular cis-regulatory elements during early mesoderm development

The Drosophila tinman homeobox gene has a major role in early mesoderm patterning and determines the formation of visceral mesoderm, heart progenitors, specific somatic muscle precursors and glia-like mesodermal cells. These functions of tinman are reflected in its dynamic pattern of expression, which is characterized by initial widespread expression in the trunk mesoderm, then refinement to a broad dorsal mesodermal domain, and finally restricted expression in heart progenitors. Here we show that each of these phases of expression is driven by a discrete enhancer element, the first being active in the early mesoderm, the second in the dorsal mesoderm and the third in cardioblasts. We provide evidence that the early-active enhancer element is a direct target of twist, a gene encoding a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) protein, which is necessary for tinman activation. This 180 bp enhancer includes three E-box sequences which bind Twist protein in vitro and are essential for enhancer activity in vivo. Ectodermal misexpression of twist causes ectopic activation of this enhancer in ectodermal cells, indicating that twist is the only mesoderm-specific activator of early tinman expression. We further show that the 180 bp enhancer also includes negatively acting sequences. Binding of Even-skipped to these sequences appears to reduce twist-dependent activation in a periodic fashion, thus producing a striped tinman pattern in the early mesoderm. In addition, these sequences prevent activation of tinman by twist in a defined portion of the head mesoderm that gives rise to hemocytes. We find that this repression requires the function of buttonhead, a head-patterning gene, and that buttonhead is necessary for normal activation of the hematopoietic differentiation gene serpent in the same area. Together, our results show that tinman is controlled by an array of discrete enhancer elements that are activated successively by differential genetic inputs, as well as by closely linked activator and repressor binding sites within an early-acting enhancer, which restrict twist activity to specific areas within the twist expression domain.
Information decay in molecular docking screens against holo, apo, and modeled conformations of enzymes

Molecular docking uses the three-dimensional structure of a receptor to screen a small molecule database for potential ligands. The dependence of docking screens on the conformation of the binding site remains an open question. To evaluate the information loss that occurs as the active site conformation becomes less defined, a small molecule database was docked against the holo (ligand bound), apo, and homology modeled structures of 10 different enzyme binding sites. The holo and apo representations were crystallographic structures taken from the Protein Data Bank (PDB), and the homology-modeled structures were taken from the publicly available resource ModBase. The database docked was the MDL Drug Data Report (MDDR), a functionally annotated database of 95000 small molecules that contained at least 35 ligands for each of the 10 systems. In all sites, at least 99% of the molecules in the MDDR were treated as nonbinding decoys. For each system, the holo, apo, and modeled structures were used to screen the MDDR, and the ability of each structure to enrich the known ligands for that system over random selection was evaluated. The best overall enrichment was produced by the holo structure in seven systems, the apo structure in two systems, and the modeled structure in one system. These results suggest that the performance of the docking calculation is affected by the particular representation of the receptor used in the screen, and that the holo structure is the one most likely to yield the best discrimination between known ligands and decoy molecules, but important exceptions to this rule also emerge from this study. Although each of the holo, apo, and modeled conformations led to enrichment of known ligands in all systems, the enrichment did not always rise to a level judged to be sufficient to justify the effort of a docking screen. Using a 20-fold enrichment of known ligands over random selection as a rough guideline for what might be enough to justify a docking screen, the holo conformation of the enzyme met this criterion in eight of 10 sites, whereas the apo conformation met this criterion in only two sites and the modeled conformation in three.
Correlator signal-to-noise characteristics

D.L. Hofmockel of the Bell Telephone Labs. has kindly pointed out to the author that in the article "Analysis of Correlator Signal-to-Noise Characteristics" by D. K. Cheng and B.R. Mayo, equation (18) does not agree under all conditions with the curves plotted in Fig. 4. Further checking shows that an error was introduced into (15) and thereby into (18) after they were used to compute the data for Fig. 4. Figure 4 is correct and the correct version of (18) is provided.
Single-crystalline kinked semiconductor nanowire superstructures

The ability to control and modulate the composition1,2,3,4, doping1,3,4,5, crystal structure6,7,8 and morphology9,10 of semiconductor nanowires during the synthesis process has allowed researchers to explore various applications of nanowires11,12,13,14,15. However, despite advances in nanowire synthesis, progress towards the ab initio design and growth of hierarchical nanostructures has been limited. Here, we demonstrate a ‘nanotectonic’ approach that provides iterative control over the nucleation and growth of nanowires, and use it to grow kinked or zigzag nanowires in which the straight sections are separated by triangular joints. Moreover, the lengths of the straight sections can be controlled and the growth direction remains coherent along the nanowire. We also grow dopant-modulated structures in which specific device functions, including p–n diodes and field-effect transistors, can be precisely localized at the kinked junctions in the nanowires. Zigzag nanowires containing field-effect transistors and p–n diodes at the kinks have been made with a new growth technique.
Genetic Control of Fertility and Embryonic Waste in the Mouse: A Rolefor Angiotensinogen

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of angiotensinogen gene (Agt) deficiency on reproductive fitness in a rodent model. Mice with 0 (Agt−/−), 1 (Agt−/+), and 2 (Agt+/+) copies of Agt were bred according to the following schemes: 1) Agt−/− × Agt−/−, 2) Agt−/+ × Agt−/+, 3) Agt+/+ × Agt+/+, and 4) Agt+/+ ♀ × Agt−/+ ♂. There were 4 breeding pairs per scheme. Breedings were time mated. Mice and litters were weighed daily. Southern blotting was used for genotyping. We found that Agt−/− breeding pairs had fewer litters (2 [range 1–2] vs. 4 [range 3–5]; P = 0.01), fewer pups per litter (4 [range 1–7] vs. 6 [range 1–10]; P = 0.006), and longer interpregnancy intervals (43 days [range 31–44] vs. 35.5 days [range 22–58]; P = 0.04) compared to wild-type controls. The ratio of postcoital plugs to subsequent litters was 4.0 and 1.2 for Agt−/− and Agt+/+ breedings, respectively (P = 0.03). Median maternal weights during all trimesters of pregnancy were significantly lower for Agt-deficient mice...
Primary and Comprehensive Stroke Centers: History, Value and Certification Criteria

In the United States (US) stroke care has undergone a remarkable transformation in the past decades at several levels. At the clinical level, randomized trials have paved the way for many new stroke preventives, and recently, several new mechanical clot retrieval devices for acute stroke treatment have been cleared for use in practice by the US Federal Drug Administration. Furthermore, in the mid 1990s we witnessed regulatory approval of intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator for administration in acute ischemic stroke. In the domain of organization of medical care and delivery of health services, stroke has transitioned from a disease dominated by neurologic consultation services only to one managed by vascular neurologists in geographical stroke units, stroke teams and care pathways, primary stroke center certification according to The Joint Commission, and most recently comprehensive stroke center designation under the aegis of The Joint Commission. Many organizations in the US have been involved to enhance stroke care. To name a few, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, Brain Attack Coalition, and National Stroke Association have been on the forefront of this movement. Additionally, governmental initiatives by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and legislative initiatives such as the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Registry program have paved the way to focus on stroke prevention, acute treatment and quality improvement. In this invited review, we discuss a brief history of organized stroke care in the United States, evidence to support the value of primary and comprehensive stroke centers, and the certification criteria and process to become a primary or comprehensive stroke center.
Data mining: where do we start?

Summary form only given. Data mining is the analysis of (often large) observational data sets to find unsuspected relationships and to summarize the data in novel ways that are both understandable and useful to the data owner (D. Hand (2001). Much exploratory data analysis (EDA) and inferential statistics concern the same problems. Part of the challenge of data mining is the sheer size of the data sets and/or the number of possible predictor variables. With 500 potential predictor variables, just summarizing them and graphing them to start the process is impossible. Instead, in data mining, we may start the process by creating a preliminary model just to narrow down the set of potential predictors. This exploratory data modeling (EDM) seems to be at odds with standard statistical practice, but, in fact, it is simply using models as a new exploratory tool. We take a brief tour of the current state of data mining algorithms and using several case studies explain how EDM can be easily used to narrow the search for a useful predictive model and to increase the chances of producing useful meaningful results.
25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels, Race, and the Progression of Kidney Disease

Black individuals have lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels and experience a disproportionate burden of ESRD compared with white individuals. Animal studies suggest that vitamin D has renoprotective effects. We evaluated the contribution of low 25(OH)D levels on incidence of ESRD using data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey-linked Medicare claims files (n = 13,328). We included baseline (1988 through 1994) measurements of 25(OH)D and assessed the incidence of ESRD through July 31, 2001. Overall, 34% of non-Hispanic black individuals had 25(OH)D levels or =15 ng/ml (incidence rate ratio 2.64; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00 to 7.05; P = 0.05). After adjustment for clinical covariates but not 25(OH)D levels, non-Hispanic black individuals had a 2.83-fold (95% CI 1.03 to 7.77) higher risk for developing ESRD compared with non-Hispanic white individuals. Additional adjustment for 25(OH)D levels reduced the risk by 58% (incidence rate ratio 1.77; 95% CI 0.38 to 8.21). In summary, low 25(OH)D levels associate with development of ESRD even after adjustment for multiple risk factors. Low 25(OH)D levels may account for a substantial proportion of the increased risk for ESRD experienced by black individuals.
Balancing the utility of new technology against cost in urinary stone disease.

Several advances in endourologic technology have allowed for a greater scope of care to be provided to urologic patients via a minimally invasive approach. The greatest of these is likely the current generation of flexible ureteroscopes which allow for a level of maneuverability, with or without active secondary deflection, that rarely prevent lower pole renal access via a retrograde approach.
Overview of the Dementias

The dementias are a group of usually progressive conditions causing impairment in any cognitive domain and in activities of daily living. The most common causes of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia may have associated motor symptoms that can develop before or after the cognitive dysfunction. This section reviews many of the genetic counseling issues, including complexity of family history with both sporadic and inherited forms of dementia, the clinical overlap between dementias, distinction between autosomal dominant and risk genes, determining the capacity to consent to genetic testing, and the impact of predictive testing for a fatal, untreatable disease.