cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preservice Science Teachers' Experiences with Repeated, Guided Inquiry

"The purpose of this study was to examine preservice science teachers’ experiences with repeated scientific inquiry (SI) activities. The National Science Education Standards (National Research Council, 1996) stress students should understand and possess the abilities to do SI. For students to meet these standards, science teachers must understand and be able to perform SI; however, previous research demonstrated that many teachers have naive understandings in this area. Teacher preparation programs provide an opportunity to facilitate the development of inquiry understandings and abilities. In this study, preservice science teachers had experiences with two inquiry activities that were repeated three times each. The research questions for this study were (a) How do preservice science teachers’ describe their experiences with repeated, guided inquiry activities? (b) What are preservice science teachers’ understandings and abilities of SI? This study was conducted at a large, urban university in the southeastern United States. The 5 participants had bachelor’s degrees in science and were enrolled in a graduate science education methods course. The researcher was one of the course instructors but did not lead the activities. Case study methodology was used. Data was PREVIEW collected from a demographic survey, an open-ended questionnaire with follow-up interviews, the researcher’s observations, participants’ lab notes, personal interviews, and participants’ journals. Data were coded and analyzed through chronological data matrices to identify patterns in participants’ experiences. The five domains identified in this study were understandings of SI, abilities to conduct SI, personal feelings about the experience, science content knowledge, and classroom implications. Through analysis of themes identified within each domain, the four conclusions made about these preservice teachers’ experiences with SI were that the experience increased their abilities to conduct inquiry, increased their understanding of how they might use SI in their classroom, increased their understanding of why variables are used in experiments, and did not increase their physics content knowledge. These conclusions suggest that preservice science teachers having repeated, guided experiences with inquiry increase their abilities to conduct SI and consider how inquiry could be used in their future science classrooms.
Opportunity and Purpose: Outreach's Changing Mission

Opening keynote address on September 28, 2009 at the National Outreach Scholarship Conference.
Studies on the histopathological effects of ionizing radiation on the oyster Crassostrea gigas. I. The degenerative phase involving digestive diverticulae, stomach, and gut.

Abstract Oysters were irradiated at the following levels: 0, 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 400 Krads using gamma radiation from a cobalt source. Mortalities began to appear 4 days after irradiation in the 200- and 400-Krad groups and, with one exception, all oysters in these two groups were dead after 11 days. This report describes three histopathological syndromes involving the degeneration of digestive tissues (digestive tubules, collecting ducts, stomach, and gut): an acute, lethal syndrome of oysters irradiated with 200 and 400 Krads; an acute, sublethal syndrome of oysters irradiated with 10, 20, 50, and 100 Krads and a subacute, sublethal syndrome of oysters irradiated with 1 and 5 Krads. These syndromes are compared with the gastrointestinal radiation syndrome of mammals.
Fundamentals of Time-of-Arrival-Based Position Locations

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction TDOA Positioning TOA Positioning TDOA versus TOA TOA versus TDOA in the Presence of Noise Linearization Pseudorange The Impact of NLOS Propagation Handling NLOS Errors: a Linear Programming Approach Conclusions References
Experimental Designs for Validating Metrics and Applying them across Multiple Projects

We explain why it is important to validate metrics for use on multiple projects and how the risk of doing so can be assessed. We also point out that by prototyping the measurement plan on a project, we can eliminate the risk inherent in the process of validating metrics on one project and applying them on another project, where the two projects may have significant differences in application and development environment characteristics. In order to support the application of metrics across multiple projects, there must be reuse of methodologies, metrics, and metrics processes. A metrics methodology is reusable when there is a process associated with the methodology that can be applied across projects. Both the metrics and the process for applying metrics must be reusable. Metrics are reusable when validated metrics can be applied across projects, using the methodology. An example is given of assessing risk by using the confidence limits of a metric to evaluate the consequences of best-case and worst-case outcomes of using metrics on multiple projects.
When is the Verdict or Judgment Final?: An Examination of Post Trial Activity in Civil Litigation

In the civil justice system, there is often an expectation of case resolution with jury and bench trials. The assumption that verdicts or judgments provide an end point to civil disputes, however, does not provide an accurate view of the full civil litigation process. Litigants can file motions requesting various forms of post trial relief as a means of challenging or modifying the trial court verdict or judgment. This article applies multivariate logistic regression techniques to examine the factors associated with post trial activity among a sample of tort and contract trials concluded in the nation’s 75 most populous counties in 2005. Results show that the legal issues adjudicated at trial, the type of trial (bench/jury), damage award amounts, punitive damages, filing to disposition time, and trial length are all significantly associated with the decision of one or both litigants to seek post trial relief.
Reflective-memory multiprocessor

Reflective memory may be thought of as hardware-supported replication of data on multiple computers. This simple mechanism has been extended further, in software, to support memory semantics required by multiprocessors. The paper describes the reflective memory implementation of the Encore Infinity-a distributed shared memory multiprocessor. A brief overview the system is provided and comparisons are made with other cached architectures. Spinlocks are employed in this system to manage the herculean cache coherency problems which are a natural result of any system which employs massive replication. A brief introduction to the recovery procedure used to return crashed nodes to normal operation is also described. >
Complications of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Analysis of 300 consecutive cases.

A retrospective analysis of complications arising from 300 consecutive attempts at endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in 278 patients was undertaken to determine the rate and severity of complications. An over-all complication rate of 5% (15 cases) was documented. Complications were categorized in terms of those arising from endoscopy itself or from the administration of pharmacological agents (7 cases), and those observed after the injection of radioopaque contrast into the biliary tree or pancreas (8 cases). Complications which might be considered coincidental to a patient's underlying illness were not excluded. Complications were significantly more frequent after injection of diseased duct systems. Brief, self-limited pancreatitis after retrograde pancreatography occurred in 5 of 90 patients with pancreatic disease. No cases of pancreatitis were observed after retrograde pancreatography in 102 patients without pancreatic disease χ2 = 5.82, Ρ
What hurts? What helps? What is needed? Managerial cognitions about technology and innovation in emerging economies

This paper presents an empirical measurement of managerial attitudes towards technology and innovation. With it, two questions are addressed: are there measurable differences in managerial perceptions about technology and innovation across groups of managers, in particular across managers in developed countries against managers in emerging economies?; and what are the managerial attitudes towards technology and innovation in terms of obstacles, incentive and perceived needs?.
Evolving the neuroendocrine physiology of human and primate cooperation and collective action.

While many hormones play vital roles in facilitating or reinforcing cooperative behaviour, the neurohormones underlying competitive and cooperative behaviours are largely conserved across all mammals. This raises the question of how endocrine mechanisms have been shaped by selection to produce different levels of cooperation in different species. Multiple components of endocrine physiology—from baseline hormone concentrations, to binding proteins, to the receptor sensitivity and specificity—can evolve independently and be impacted by current socio-ecological conditions or individual status, thus potentially generating a wide range of variation within and between species. Here, we highlight several neurohormones and variation in hormone receptor genes associated with cooperation, focusing on the role of oxytocin and testosterone in contexts ranging from parenting and pair-bonding to reciprocity and territorial defence. While the studies reviewed herein describe the current state of the literature with regard to hormonal modulators of cooperation and collective action, there is still a paucity of research on hormonal mechanisms that help facilitate large-scale collective action. We end by discussing several potential areas for future research.
The Variable Effects of Sulfonamides on Fecal Bacteria in Patients with Chronic Ulcerative Colitis: A Preliminary Report

Summary Bacteriologic studies were made in five patients with chronic ulcerative colitis before and during long-continued sulfonamide treatment. Quantitative and qualitative changes in the fecal flora were estimated by serial aerobic and anaerobic cultures. Clinical improvement was pronounced in one patient and slight in one; three patients did not improve. The role of sulfonamide thel apy in the course of the disease could not be evaluated because other methods of treatment were employed concurrently. In all patients after variable periods of time the aerobic bacteria were as numerous as before treatment; the aerobic flora was mixed with B. Coli as a predominant organism. The early change of flora from predominantly gram negative to predominantly gram positive occurred in Case I, even though active ulceration in the bowel was present; at the time the active ulceration disappeared the flora had become predominantly gram negative. In none of the cases was the quantity of anaerobic organisms reduced appreciably by sulfonamides.
The Effects of Medicaid Eligibility on Mental Health Services and Out-of-Pocket Spending for Mental Health Services.

Objective Millions of low-income Americans will gain health insurance through Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. This study assesses the impact of previous Medicaid expansions on mental health services utilization and out-of-pocket spending. Data Sources Secondary data from the 1998–2011 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component merged with National Health Interview Survey and state Medicaid eligibility rules data. Study Design Instrumental variables regression models were used to estimate the impact of expanded Medicaid eligibility on health insurance coverage, mental health services utilization, and out-of-pocket spending for mental health services. Data Extraction Methods Person-year files were constructed including adults ages 21–64 under 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. Principal Findings Medicaid expansions significantly increased health insurance coverage and reduced out-of-pocket spending on mental health services for low-income adults. Effects of expanded Medicaid eligibility on out-of-pocket spending were strongest for adults with psychological distress. Expanding Medicaid eligibility did not significantly increase the use of mental health services. Conclusions Previous Medicaid eligibility expansions did not substantially increase mental health service utilization, but they did reduce out-of-pocket mental health care spending.
A tangent subsolar merging line

A global magnetospheric model is described with a single subsolar merging line whose position is determined neither locally by the relative orientations and strengths of the merging fields nor globally by the orientation of a separator line (the governing parameters of most previous models) but by the condition of tangential contact between the external field and the magnetopause. Attention is given to the case of finite leakage and partial penetration, which distort the IMF into a draped pattern, thus changing the locus of tangency to the sphere. In the special case where the penetrating IMF flux is balanced by an equal amount of earth flux leakage, the tangent merging line bisects the angle between the IMF and earth's northward subsolar field. This result is identical to the local merging line model result for merging fields with equal magnitude. Here, a global flux balance condition replaces the local equal magnitude condition.
Overproduction of FtsZ induces minicell formation in E. coli

The ftsZ gene in E. coli K-12 is an essential cell division gene. We report that a two to sevenfold increase in the level of the FtsZ protein resulted in induction of the minicell phenotype. An increase in the level of FtsZ beyond this range resulted in an inhibition of all cell division. Unlike the classical minicell mutant, the formation of minicells induced by increased levels of FtsZ did not occur at the expense of normal divisions, indicating that increasing FtsZ resulted in additional division events per cell cycle. In addition, increased FtsZ caused cell division to be initiated earlier in the cell cycle. These results are consistent with the level or activity of FtsZ controlling the frequency of cell division in E. coli.
Educating health professionals to improve quality of care for asthma

Summary Recent studies have shown significant progress in improving the quality of care for asthma. The most successful interventions have combined multiple elements: educational sessions that engage learners in discussing cases and practicing new skills; use of new resources, tools and practice patterns to enable quality improvement; and reinforcement of improvements through peer support, incentives or administrative review. Future research should include more randomised controlled trials to test the effectiveness of quality improvement interventions, more detailed descriptions of strategies to change health professional behaviour and studies to determine whether effective interventions can be translated to other settings, disseminated widely and sustained over time.
Human land-use-driven reduction of forest volatiles cools global climate

The global radiative effects of historical cropland expansion are typically estimated as the trade-off between reduced land carbon storage (causing warming) and increased surface albedo (causing cooling). Now research shows that the net atmospheric chemistry effect (−0.11 ± 0.17 W m−2) is of comparable magnitude and should also be taken into account.
Prediction of schema learning by linear regression

A best fitting equation, describing performance in a previous schema learning experiment, quite accurately predicted performance as a function of trials with new Ss, and new patterns having different schemata and different channel capacity. This prediction accuracy was attributed to a pattern generation procedure which permitted manipulation of the relevant population parameter characteristics without altering other characteristics of the patterns.
Retroclival epidural hematomas: a clinical series.

BACKGROUND: Retroclival epidural hematomas (REDHs) are infrequently reported.To our knowledge, only 19 case reports exist in the literature. OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to better elucidate this pathology. METHODS: We prospectively collected data for all pediatric patients diagnosed with REDH from July 2006 through June 2009. Data included mechanism of injury, Glasgow Coma Scale score, neurological examination, treatment modality, and outcome. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure REDH dimensions. RESULTS: Eight children were diagnosed with REDH, and the hematomas were secondary to motor vehicle-related trauma in all cases. The mean age of patients was 12 years (range 4-17 years).The mean REDH height (craniocaudal) was 4.0 cm, and the mean thickness (dorsoventral) was 1.0 cm. At presentation, the mean Glasgow Coma Scale score was 8 (range 3-14), and there was no correlation between hematoma size and presenting symptoms. Two patients died soon after injury, and 2 additional patients had atlanto-occipital dislocation that required surgical intervention. No patient underwent surgical evacuation of the REDH. The mean follow-up was 14 months. At most recent follow-up, 4 patients are neurologically intact, 1 patient has a complete spinal cord injury, and 1 patient has mild bilateral abducens nerve palsy. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this study of 8 pediatric patients is the largest series of patients with REDH thus far reported. Based on our study, we found that REDH is likely to be underdiagnosed, atlanto-occipital dislocation should be considered in all cases of REDH, and many patients with REDH will have minimal long-term neurological injury.
INTERACTION OF INTERNAL GRAVITY WAVES WITH THE IONOSPHERIC F2 LAYER.

Traveling ionospheric disturbances excitation in F 2 layer by passing acoustic gravity waves
Effects of Leading-Edge Vortex Flow on the Roll Damping of Slender Wings

The leading-edge suction analogy of Polhamus, which has proven useful for lift and drag predictions, has been extended in an effort to understand the vortex-flow effects on the roll damping of slender wings at subsonic speeds. Comparisons with experiment indicate that the method can be useful in the prediction of the large increase in roll damping with angle of attack associated with leading-edge vortex flow of highly swept, low-aspect-ratio wings. In addition, the newly developed forced-oscillation roll mechanism, suitable for testing at subsonic and transonic Mach numbers, has been used to obtain subsonic roll damping data on a series of 74° leading-edge sweep wing planforms. These data illustrate the effects of vortex flow on the damping-in-roll parameter of delta, arrow, and diamond planforms.
Visual alertness in neonates as evoked by maternal care

Abstract The object of this study was to explore, within the context of common maternal ministrations, the relative efficacy of contact and of vestibular stimulation, with and without the upright position, in producing visual alertness in neonates. The subjects were 40 crying and 24 sleeping 2- to 3-day-old healthy full-term newborns, equally divided into males and females, breast and bottle-fed infants. Each subject was given, in random order, six interventions which entailed singly, or in combination, contact and vestibular stimulation with or without the upright position. A six-point scale assessing levels of alertness with high interobserver reliability was devised. There were highly significant individual differences in alerting response between the infants, but no differnces due to sex or mode of feeding. In the context of soothing the infant, vestibular stimulation had a highly significant effect on alerting. Contact had little effect on evoking alertness except when combined with vestibular stimulation and the upright. The infants responded minimally when stimulated in the context of rousing. The findings imply that, at least during the neonatal period, the vestibular stimulation which attends most caretaking activities may be more crucial than contact for certain aspects of early human development.
Biochemistry and molecular genetics of cell-wall lipid biosynthesis in mycobacteria

Tuberculosis and other mycobacterial infections are the most serious infectious diseases in terms of human fatalities. The high content of unique cell-wall lipids helps these organisms to resist antimicrobial drugs and host defences. The biosynthesis of these lipids is discussed briefly. The recent advances in recombinant DNA technology have begun to help to elucidate the nature of some of the enzymes involved in this process and the genes that encode them. Gene disruption and other molecular genetic technologies are beginning to provide new approaches to test for the biological functions of these gene products and may lead to identification of new antimycobacterial drug targets.
TEMPERATURE RISE IN TISSUE MIMICKING MATERIAL DURING HIFU PROCEDURES

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) has shown considerable promise as a minimally-invasive technique for various therapeutic applications such as tumor ablation and vessel cauterization. The efficacies of these HIFU procedures depend on various operational parameters such as total acoustic power, pulse duration and transducer dimensions. In this study, the effect of total acoustic power on the tissue temperature rise is studied both experimentally and numerically. Experimentally, HIFU ablations, at different acoustic powers, were carried out in a tissue mimicking material embedded with thermocouples. Temperature rise measured from the in-vitro experiments were then validated with the numerical computations. Results show that experimental and numerical temperature rise match accurately. Our numerical model was able to predict the peak temperature rise within ∼12% of the experimental results. Results also show that the tissue temperature rise is linearly proportional to the input acoustic power. For the acoustic power levels considered in this study, the results suggest that acoustic non-linearity does not play a major role on the tumor ablation procedure.© 2007 ASME
Pulmonary hypertension impairs alveolarization and reduces lung growth in the ovine fetus

Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) is a clinical disorder characterized by abnormal vascular structure, growth, and reactivity. Disruption of vascular growth during early postnatal lung development impairs alveolarization, and newborns with lung hypoplasia often have severe pulmonary hypertension. To determine whether pulmonary hypertension can directly impair vascular growth and alveolarization in the fetus, we studied the effects of chronic intrauterine pulmonary hypertension on lung growth in fetal lambs. We performed surgery, which included partial constriction of the ductus arteriosus (DA) to induce pulmonary hypertension (PH, n = 14) or sham surgery (controls, n = 13) in fetal lambs at 112-125 days (term = 147 days). Tissues were harvested near term for measurement of right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH), radial alveolar counts (RAC), mean linear intercepts (MLI), wall thickness, and vessel density of small pulmonary arteries. Chronic DA constriction caused RVH (P < 0.0001), increased wall thickness of small pulmonary arteries (P < 0.002), and reduced small pulmonary artery density (P < 0.005). PH also reduced alveolarization, causing a 27% reduction in RAC and 20% increase in MLI. Furthermore, prolonged DA constriction (21 days) not only decreased RAC and increased MLI by 30% but also caused a 25% reduction of lung-body weight ratio. We conclude that chronic PH reduces pulmonary arterial growth, decreases alveolar complexity, and impairs lung growth. We speculate that chronic hypertension impairs vascular growth, which disrupts critical signaling pathways regulating lung vascular and alveolar development, thereby interfering with alveolarization and ultimately resulting in lung hypoplasia.
Notes on “Roux en Y Gastric Bypass Increases Ethanol Intake in the Rat” by Davis et al.

We read with great interest the article “Roux en Y Gastric Bypass Increases Ethanol Intake in the Rat” [1] from Jon Davis and colleagues, published on line in the Obesity Surgery on February 26, 2013. This study reports an impressive data set showing increased alcohol consumption in an outbred rat strain after Roux-en Y gastric bypass surgery (RYGB), a finding that has potential important clinical implications. This study supports recent clinical investigations showing increased susceptibility to alcohol abuse following RYGB [2-5] and corroborate our recent studies that reported increased alcohol taking, and increased motivation to work for alcohol reward in dietary obese rats that received RYGB [6, 7]. However we were surprised that the authors did not refer to prior publications showing similar outcomes [6, 7], which would have strengthen the conclusion of their paper. The authors also failed to cite their prior paper [8], which reported decreases in alcohol intake after RYGB in alcohol-preferring rats as well as decreased alcohol intake after RYGB in patients who regularly drank alcohol prior to undergoing surgery. The differences between their current results and their prior findings suggest that the effects of RYGB may be modulated by genetic background and should have been discussed rather than ignored. There are increasing concerns over the lack of reproducibility of findings from preclinical research [9], yet study of Davis et al. show similar findings to the ones we previously reported using a similar animal model and surgical procedure but done by an independent laboratory.
The Hall effect in ballistic junctions

Abstract In narrow high-mobility conductors the predominant source of scattering is reflection of carriers off the confining potential. We demonstrate that by changing the geometry of the intersection of the Hall probes with the conductor, the Hall resistance can be quenched, negative or enhanced. More complex junction geometries can lead to one of these phenomena for one field polarity and to another for the other field polarity. At liquid helium temperatures these results can be explained by following trajectories. In the milli-Kelvin range fluctuations are superimposed. At high fields strong resonant depressions of the Hall resistance are found which may be associated with bound states in the region of the cross.
Relationships between facial electromyography and subjective experience during affective imagery

Abstract Sixty subjects were exposed for 40 s each to 48 imagery situations designed to reflect happy, sad, angry and fearful conditions. Facial electromyographic (EMG) activity from zygomatic, corrugator, masseter and lateral frontalis muscle regions was recorded, and experienced emotion was measured on a scale tapping these four emotions. Results showed that: (1) zygomatic activity reliably differentiated happy imagery, corrugator activity reliably differentiated sad imagery, but masseter activity did not differentiate angry imagery and lateral frontalis activity did not differentiate fearful imagery; (2) different intensities of specific emotional imagery situations evoked the expected differential patterns of self-report and EMG; (3) higher correlations between self-report and EMG for ‘present’, rather than ‘future’ ratings of experienced emotion emerged for positive affect only; and (4) the use of a standardized imagery scale, rather than the self-generated, personally-relevant affective situations used in previous studies, allowed for more sensitive measurement of the relationship between facial muscle activity and subjective experience of emotion during affective imagery.
Void fractions for condensing refrigerant flow in small channels: Part I literature review

Abstract The increasing demand for miniaturization, for instance in the cooling of compact electronic components, has led to research on two-phase flow in minichannels. The present study addresses void fractions for two-phase flow of refrigerant R-134a in minichannels during condensation, which is especially important for heat rejection to the ambient. In Part I of this investigation, a review of the state-of-the-art in void fraction measurement and modeling techniques is presented. Several measurement techniques are discussed and compared including their advantages and disadvantages for use in mini and micro-channels. Particular attention is given to image analysis techniques related to those used in Part II of this study. Numerous techniques, physical and empirical bases for modeling void fraction are categorized and comparisons of the strengths, applicability, and validity are given. The need for research that motivates Part II of this study concludes this review.
The organometallic ‘molecular tinkertoy’ approach to planar grid polymers

Abstract A general approach is outlined for the synthesis of thin-layer materials of arbitrarily configured structure (‘designer solids’), based on confinement to two dimensions. The synthesis of a building module, the tetra-n-butylammonium salt of lanthanum(III)bis[5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-pyridyl)porphyrinate] (1), is described. It is shown by grazing incidence IR spectroscopy that this cross-shaped molecule adheres firmly to a mercury surface, with the porphyrin rings parallel to the surface and the pyridine rings carried by the upper porphyrin ring ready for linear coupling. The proposed surface-confined synthesis of a square grid, which would define a first layer of a designer solid, can now be tested.
1-β-d-Arabinofuranosylcytosine stimulates thymidine incorporation into the DNA of contact-inhibited cells

Abstract In rapidly proliferating cells l-β- d -arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara-C) is a potent inhibitor of DNA synthesis whose effect can be irreversible and consequently cytocidal. Whereas thymidine incorporation is greatly reduced in rapidly proliferating cells in the presence of ara-C, contact-inhibited cells, similarly treated, show increased thymidine incorporation by as much as 7-fold. This ara-C-induced stimulation appears to result from an influence on thymidine utilization rather than increased DNA synthesis.
A Quadratic Programming Model for Product Configuration Optimization

The various features of any product are differentially appealing to the various portions of the consumer population and have differential costs of production and marketing. This paper considers the problem of “overall product optimization”, or more specifically, “optimal product configuration”. Product price is, of course, a part of this configuration.
Long Term Monitoring of Cerebral Blood Flow in Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Patients Using Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy

We used diffuse correlation spectroscopy to continuously monitor cerebral blood flow changes in subarachnoid hemorrhage patients due to interventions in the clinic, and present a novel index for assessing cerebral autoregulation in these patients.
The Uniform Postacute Assessment Tool: Systematically Evaluating the Quality of Measurement Evidence

Abstract Johnston MV, Graves D, Greene M. The uniform postacute assessment tool: systematically evaluating the quality of measurement evidence. The U.S. Congress has mandated that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services develop a uniform assessment instrument that characterizes patients' needs for postacute services. What scientific criteria should be used to evaluate the evidence for such a tool? The validity of a measure can be accurately graded only if the constructs measured and their applications are clearly defined. We argue that improving postacute placement is the main purpose of the uniform postacute assessment (recently renamed the Continuity Assessment Record and Evaluation). We argue that placement itself needs to be better defined and measured in terms of transitions in the level and type of treatment and care. Domains that should be measured to provide appropriate rehabilitative placement recommendations include level of skilled medical and nursing care, therapies, routine living support, family support, ability to participate in self-care, and patient preference. Almost no research has been performed to quantify and predict the needed intensity of rehabilitative therapy, a major lacuna in evidence. Criteria and examples are provided for research that will provide minimal, probably adequate, or strong evidence for the validity of systems that recommend care transitions. A long-term program of research and systematic evidence synthesis is needed to support guidelines that improve postacute placement.
Independent validation of APACHE II severity of illness score for predicting mortality in patients with breast cancer admitted to the intensive care unit.

Background. To determine the validity and predictive accuracy of the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE 11) scoring system for severity of illness by comparing the actual hospital mortality with the predicted mortality for patients with breast cancer admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Methods. APACHE II scores were calculated based on retrospective evaluation of the medical records of 52 patients with breast cancer who received ICU care. The relationships between hospital mortality and APACHE II scores, number of sites of metastatic disease, duration of metastatic disease, number of chemotherapeutic regimens given for metastatic disease, presence of neutropenia or thrombocytopenia, age, reason for ICU admission, and length of ICU stay were assessed. Results. Twenty-two patients (42%) died during the hospital stay during in which they were admitted to the ICU. Predicted mortality based on a logistic regression model using APACHE II scores was 21 patients (40%). APACHE II specificity was 87%; sensitivity was 54%. There were significant relationships between presence of metastatic disease, number of metastatic sites, reason for ICU admission, and length of ICU stay. Patients with more than two sites of metastatic disease and those with respiratory failure had particularly poor chances of survival. Regression analysis incorporating the number of sites of metastatic disease, reason for ICU admission (whether for a pulmonary or a cardiovascular problem), and APACHE II score suggested that APACHE II could predict hospital survival. Conclusions. This retrospective study showed that APACHE II scores were associated with hospital mortality in patients with breast cancer who were admitted to ICU. The number of metastatic sites and the type of major organ system failure were also associated with outcome. Regression analysis suggested that APACHE II scores were independently associated with survival outcome. Cancer 1992; 70:497–503.
Screening Tests during Prenatal Care: Does Practice Follow the Evidence?

To examine whether the frequency of four screening tests during prenatal care conforms to evidence of effectiveness. We estimated rates of urine culture, anemia screening, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and urinalysis during prenatal care. To do this, we used national probability samples of office visits to physicians (National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey) and to hospital outpatient departments (National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey) from 2001 to 2006. We compare observed rates to recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). On average, women received a urine culture in less than half of pregnancies. Women received just over one anemia screening on average per pregnancy. From 2001-2003, women received an average of 5.6 urinalyses per pregnancy; the average dropped to 4.3 urinalyses per pregnancy in 2004-2006. On average, women received just under one OGTT per pregnancy. Minorities and older women tend to get more anemia screenings, urine cultures, and OGTTs than white women and younger women. Compared to USPSTF recommendations, too few women are receiving a urine culture during prenatal care. In contrast, women receive far too many urinalyses, but the rate appears to be falling. Anemia screening conforms closely to recommendations. The USPSTF does not recommend for or against universal diabetes screening using OGTT. Women appear to receive OGTT routinely.
411. The Metabolic Basis of Sexual Dimorphism in PKU Mice after PAH Gene Treatment

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a metabolic disorder secondary to a hepatic deficiency of phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) that predisposes affected individuals to the development of severe mental retardation. PAH is the enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of phenylalanine to tyrosine, and its deficiency leads to hyperphenylalaninemia as well as hypopigmentation in patients. We have previously reported a transgene delivery system based on phiBT1 bacteriophage integrase that result in targeted insertion of transgenes into the mammalian genome, and the use of it to transfer a CAG-driven mouse PAH cDNA expression cassett in the hepatocytes of PKU mice. While complete and permanent correction of their disease phenotypes was achieved in the treated males, only partial correction of hyperphenylalaninemia was achieved in the treated females that did not lead to a change of their fur color. This was not the result of differential transgene expression as hepatic PAH mRNA levels and enzymatic activities in the treated females were identical to those in the treated males. We hypothesize that the underlying mechanism for this sexual dimorphism is that hepatic contents of tetrahydrobiopertin (BH4), an essential co-factor for phenylalanine hydroxylation, is lower in the female mice and that it becomes the rate-limiting component in hepatocytes over-expressing PAH. To test this hypothesis, BH4 was injected daily into PAH-treated female PKU mice, which lead to the complete correction of their hyperphenylalaninemic and hypopigmentation phenotypes. We further hypothesize that the hepatic levels of BH4 is under sex hormone control. To elucidate if it is suppressed by estrogen and/or induced by testosterone, PAH-treated female and male PKU mice were subjected to gonadorectomy. Serum phenylalanine levels in the PAH-treated females were reduced to normal, while those in the PAH-treated males were unchanged. The sterile PAH-treated female and male PKU mice were then subjected to daily injections of dihydrotestosterone and estradiol, respectively. While the testosterone-treated sterile females remained normal, hyperphenylalaninemia and hypopigmentation were observed in the estradiol-treated sterile males. The results suggest that it is estrogen that suppresses the BH4 level in the livers of mice, which is the underlying mechanism for the observed sexual dimorphism in PKU mice after PAH gene treatment.
Frailty in older adults: Insights and interventions

Frailty is a state of vulnerability that carries an increased risk of poor outcomes in older adults. Common signs and symptoms are fatigue, weight loss, muscle weakness, and progressive decline in function. Frail older adults are among the most challenging for medical management. However, awareness of this syndrome and its risks can help us care for these patients more confidently and decrease their risk for adverse outcomes.
Benefit of moderate dietary protein restriction on growth in the young animal with experimental chronic renal insufficiency: importance of early growth.

ABSTRACT: Using a model of unilateral nephrectomy and contralateral heminephrectomy in weanling rats, we studied the effect of severe (6%) and moderate (14%) protein restriction on growth and renal function up to 24 wk of age. One-half the normal (N) and chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) rats underwent a cross-over protocol 6% ?% and 14% ? 6% at lOwk of age to analyze the contribution of early growth on ultimate wt and length. N or CRI fed a 6% protein diet were the smallest. Animals switched from 6% ? 14% protein diet did not catch up to their counterparts started on a 14% protein diet (N or CRI). However, N or CRI animals started on a 14% protein diet and switched to a 6% protein diet grew along a curve similar to animals fed a 14% protein diet. Creatinine clearances for CRI rats were not different among the groups. However, protein excretion was highest in those animals completing the study on a 14% protein diet. Growth failure caused by severe protein restriction occurred primarily in the early accelerated growth phase (3- 10 wk). We conclude that moderate protein restriction during the early rapid growth phase maintains growth, whereas severe protein restriction is detrimental to growth. Switching to a more restrictive protein intake after the rapid growth phase did appear to offer more renal protection (lower urinary protein excretion) at the end of 24 wk. Severe protein restriction to preserve renal function is a poor strategy for the young rapidly growing individual with chronic renal disease.
Quantitation of nerve fibres in the primary and permanent canine and incisor teeth in man.

Abstract Myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibres were counted and myelinated axons were measured in juxta-apical cross-sections of human primary and permanent canines and incisors. Fully-developed human primary canines had significantly more myelinated axons than permanent canines, but the number of unmyelinated axons was similar. Permanent incisors had significantly more myelinated nerve fibres entering the apex than did primary incisors, but the number of unmyelinated nerve fibres was similar. Primary canines and incisors lost nerve fibres early during resorption; evidence of degenerating myelinated axons was scant. A significant linear correlation existed between numbers of myelinated and unmyelinated axons for primary incisors and canines. The myelinated axon circumference was similar for primary and permanent teeth. Permanent teeth tended to have smaller groups of unmyelinated axons.
Halide and Amine Influence in the Equilibrium Formation of Palladium Tris(o-tolyl)phosphine Mono(amine) Complexes from Palladium Aryl Halide Dimers

The relative binding constants (Kb) for the coordination of amines to the palladium fragment Pd[P(o-tol)3](p-C6H4Me)Cl were determined by 1H NMR spectroscopy and decrease in the order hexylamine > benzylamine ≈ cyclohexylamine ≈ piperidine > dibutylamine ≈ diethylamine ≈ N-benzylmethylamine > morpholine > diisobutylamine > dibenzylamine ≈ tert-octylamine >> diisopropylamine > N-methylaniline. The palladium halide dimers {Pd[P(o-tol)3](p-C6H4Me)(μ-X)}2 (X = Cl (1), Br (2), I (3)) react reversibly with dibenzylamine to generate the corresponding 1:1 palladium amine adducts Pd[P(o-tol)3](p-C6H4Me)(HNBn2)X (X = Cl (12), K = 6 ± 1 × 103 M-1; X = Br (18), K= 3.5 ± 0.5 × 103 M-1; X = I (22), K = 90 ± 20 M-1), respectively. The related reaction of dibenzylamine with the iodide dimer {Pd[P(o-tol)3](p-C6H4OMe)(μ-I)}2 (21) to form Pd[P(o-tol)3](p-C6H4OMe)(HNBn2)I (24) provided the thermodynamic parameters ΔG298 K = −3.1 ± 0.1 kcal mol-1, ΔH298 K = −11.9 ± 0.1 kcal mol-1, and ΔS298 K = −30 ± 4 eu. Dimers 1−3 also rea...
Smad3: A Key Player in Pathogenetic Mechanisms Dependent on TGF‐β

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), a key player in a large variety of physiological and disease processes, signals through transmembrane receptor serine/threonine kinases to activate novel signaling intermediates called Smad proteins, which then modulate transcription of target genes. We have utilized mice with a targeted deletion of Smad3, one of two homologous proteins involved in signaling from TGF-beta/activin, to investigate the function of this particular pathway in transducing such effects of TGF-beta. The dramatic results of the absence of Smad3 on parameters of healing of cutaneous wounds, such as reepithelialization and influx of inflammatory cells, as well as on fibrosis as modeled by radiation fibrosis of skin in mice, suggest that signaling flux through Smad3 is critical for chemotactic activity of TGF-beta, inhibitory effects of TGF-beta on keratinocyte proliferation and migration, and chemoattraction and elaboration of extracellular matrix by fibroblasts in fibrotic diseases. We recently identified a novel molecule, TLP for TRAP-1-like protein, which selectively interferes with Smad3 signaling, and are currently investigating whether levels of this protein might be altered in disease to change the relative flow of information from Smad2 and Smad3.
Independent and joint effects of socioeconomic, behavioral, and neighborhood characteristics on physical inactivity and activity levels among US children and adolescents.

This study examines the independent and joint associations between several socioeconomic and behavioral characteristics and physical activity (PA) and inactivity prevalence among 68,288 US children aged 6-17 years. The 2003 National Survey of Children's Health was used to estimate PA prevalence. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate odds of activity and inactivity and adjusted prevalence, while least squares regression was used to model mean number of days of physical inactivity (PIA) in past month. The prevalence of PA varied substantially by socioeconomic and behavioral characteristics, with older, female, non-English speaking, and metropolitan children and those with lower socioeconomic status (SES) and neighborhood social capital having higher inactivity and lower activity levels. Children who watched television >or=3 h/day had 60% higher adjusted odds of PIA and 30% lower odds of PA than those who watched television or=5 nights of adequate sleep during the week. Children whose both parents were physically inactive had 147% higher odds of PIA and 46% lower odds of PA than children whose parents were both physically active. Differentials in PIA by ethnicity, SES, television viewing, and parental inactivity were greater for younger than for older children. Subgroups such as older, female adolescents, children from socially disadvantaged households and neighborhoods, and those in metropolitan areas should be targeted for the promotion of regular physical activity and reduced television viewing time.
Dimensional cross-over of electron-electron interactions in GaAs/Al1−xGaxAs heterostructures

Abstract Magnetoresistance measurements are made on the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in GaAs/Al1−xGaxAs heterostructures to study the electron-electron interactions as a function of the sample with (W) and the potential probe spacing (L). The results confirm the interaction theory in two dimensions (2D), in one dimension (1D), as well as in zero dimension (0D). The critical W of the sample for 2D to 1D cross-over is the thermal diffusion length L T ≡ π ( h D/kT) 1 2 . On the other hand, for 1D to 0D cross-over, the critical L is found to be ∼1.8LT, consistent with the interaction theory.
The effects of air pressure and water vapour content on the propagation of positive corona streamers, and their implications to lightning initiation

As a first step in the construction and testing of a theoretical model of lightning initiation, measurements have been made of the ambient electric field Eo required to support the long-range propagation of corona streamers as a function of dry air pressure pα and the partial pressure of water vapour pw. The experiments reveal that Eo falls more rapidly with pα than would be expected on the assumption that Ea/pα = const., which has been used in previous discussions of the problem of lightning initiation. Eo was found to increase linearly with pw. It appears that Eo is considerably less than the field required to initiate corona from any type of hydrometeor excepting colliding drop pairs. Arguments based on these results are presented to show that the high fields in thunderclouds are probably restricted to regions that are small in extent compared with the dimensions of the thundercloud.