cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diplopia, blepharoptosis, and ophthalmoplegia and 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitor use.

Purpose To report the association between 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) and diplopia, blepharoptosis (ptosis), and ophthalmoplegia. Design Database study. Participants Two hundred fifty-six subjects studied. Methods Spontaneous reports from the National Registry of Drug-Induced Ocular Side Effects, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Food and Drug Administration were collected on statins and ptosis, diplopia, and ophthalmoplegia. Main Outcome Measures Data garnered from the spontaneous reports include the type of statin, age, gender, adverse drug reaction (ADR), dosage, duration of therapy until onset of ADR, concomitant drugs, other systemic disease, and dechallenge and rechallenge data. Results Two hundred fifty-six case reports of ptosis, diplopia, and ophthalmoplegia associated with statins were reported, including 143 males, 91 females, and 22 case reports where the gender was not specified. The average age was 64.5±10 years. Dosage varied between the different statin drugs, with the average dosage within the range recommended in the package insert for each different statin. Average time from beginning of therapy to appearance of the ADR was 8.3±1.5 months (range, 1 day–84 months). Seven patients were taking 2 statin drugs and 5 also were taking gemfibrozil. Nine patients had diabetes mellitus. A total of 23 case reports described total ophthalmoplegia. Ptosis was reported alone 8 times and in conjunction with diplopia 18 times. There were 62 positive dechallenge and 14 positive rechallenge case reports. Conclusions According to WHO criteria, the relationship between statin therapy and diplopia, ptosis, or ophthalmoplegia is possible. This causality assessment is based on the time relationship of drug administration and ADR development, the multiple positive dechallenge and rechallenge reports, and the plausible mechanism by which diplopia, ptosis, or ophthalmoplegia may occur: myositis of the extraocular muscles, the levator palpebrae superioris muscles, or both. Financial Disclosure(s) Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.
MO‐G‐17A‐06: Kernel Based Dosimetry for 90Y Microsphere Liver Therapy Using 90Y Bremsstrahlung SPECT/CT

Purpose: 90Y microsphere therapy in liver presents a situation where beta transport is dominant and the tissue is relatively homogenous. We compare voxel-based absorbed doses from a 90Y kernel to Monte Carlo (MC) using quantitative 90Y bremsstrahlung SPECT/CT as source distribution. Methods: Liver, normal liver, and tumors were delineated by an interventional radiologist using contrast-enhanced CT registered with 90Y SPECT/CT scans for 14 therapies. Right lung was segmented via region growing. The kernel was generated with 1.04 g/cc soft tissue for 4.8 mm voxel matching the SPECT. MC simulation materials included air, lung, soft tissue, and bone with varying densities. We report percent difference between kernel and MC (%Δ(K,MC)) for mean absorbed dose, D70, and V20Gy in total liver, normal liver, tumors, and right lung. We also report %Δ(K,MC) for heterogeneity metrics: coefficient of variation (COV) and D10/D90. The impact of spatial resolution (0, 10, 20 mm FWHM) and lung shunt fraction (LSF) (1,5,10,20%) on the accuracy of MC and kernel doses near the liver-lung interface was modeled in 1D. We report the distance from the interface where errors become 10%. Conclusions: Liver and tumor voxel doses with 90Y kernel and MC agree within 7%. Large differences exist between the two methods in right lung. Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R01CA138986. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
The Chicago Outfit Alien Conspiracy or Machine Politics

This essay studies the Outfit, the traditional organized crime group in the city of Chicago. The alien conspiracy theory argues that organized crime in Chicago and other American cities descended f...
Propafenone: A New Anti arrhythmic for Treatment of Chronic Ventricular Arrhythmias

Propafenone is a new anti arrhythmic agent with primarily membrane-stabilizing action. Three U.S. controlled double-blind cross-over studies demonstrated the efficacy of propafenone in suppressing ventricular premature complexes (VPCs), including repetitive forms: 67–83% of patients had greater than 80% reduction of VPCs, 62% achieved greater than 90% reduction of couplets and 80%–100% achieved 200% abolition of ventricular tachycardia runs. Other studies showed that propafenone is effective in controlling ventricular arrhythmias refractory to conventional anti arrhythmic agents. Propafenone is at least as effective as these agents. Long-term sustained efficacy of propafenone was shown in some preliminary studies. Because of the variation in individual response to the drug, therapy should be individualized for each patient. Propafenone is well tolerated: side effects of propafenone are few and involve mostly the cardiac conduction system. Propafenone would be a significant addition to the anti arrhythmic armamentarium.
Production of hydrogen from bio-oil using CaO as a CO2 sorbent

Abstract Steam reforming of bio-oil into transportation-fuel-grade hydrogen using CaO as a CO2 sorbent is modelled using the ASPEN PLUS process simulator. The simulations predict that (1) operating the absorbing (reforming) reactor at 600–850°C and the desorbing (regeneration) reactor at ∼800°C and near ambient pressure is optimal; (2) the gas exiting the absorbing reactor contains >95% H 2 (dry gas, molar basis) versus only 67% theoretically producible without the aid of sorbents; (3) hydrogen yield from the sorbent-aided system is comparable to that predicted for catalytic steam reforming of bio-oil without the use of sorbents, ∼0.07– 0.08 kg H 2 per kg of bio-oil.
Models of F.H contacts relevant to the binding of fluoroaromatic inhibitors to carbonic anhydrase II.

Complexes formed between fluorobenzene and N-methylformamide or benzene have been used as models of the interaction of fluoroaromatic drugs with carbonic anhydrase II. These structures have been investigated via ab initio and density functional methods, including HF, B3LYP, and MP2 procedures. The results of the calculations are consistent with the hypothesis, suggested originally by experimental X-ray crystal structures of the drug−receptor complexes, that favorable fluorine−hydrogen interactions affect binding affinity.
Aortic thrombosis in a neonate with undetectable protein C.

We report a neonate with undetectable protein C and massive, fatal aortic thrombosis following umbilical artery catheter insertion.
Nonpoint sources of pollution: a federal perspective

The magnitude of the nonpoint source problem nationwide calls for the establishment of State, local, and Federal measures to control existing sources and to prevent future stream degradation from additional nonpoint sources. Under the EPA's regulations, State and local water quality management agencies have the major responsibility for the planning and implementation of nonpoint source programs. Emphasis to nonpoint source control programs will be on preventative techniques which are referred to as Best Management Practices in EPA regulations and guidelines. The EPA will provide guidance and technical assistance to the States and local designated agencies. Federal agencies will be encouraged to incorporate 208 objectives into their planning processes and provide technical assistance to other agencies. Coordinated planning and implementation of nonpoint source programs at all governmental levels should result in significant water quality improvements.
Neurohormonal regulation and improvement in blood glucose control: reduction of insulin requirement in patients with a nonpulsatile ventricular assist device.

Background: Heart failure is associated with prolonged stress and inflammation characterized by elevated levels of cortisol and circulating catecholamines. Persistent sympathetic stimulation secondary to the stress of heart failure causes an induced insulin resistance, which creates a need for higher doses of insulin to adequately manage hyperglycemia in this patient population. We hypothesized that cortisol and catecholamine levels would be elevated in end-stage heart failure patients, however, would be reduced after the implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). Insulin requirements would therefore be reduced post LVAD implant and control of diabetes improved as compared with pre-implant.Methods: Pre- and postoperative cortisol, catecholamine, glycated hemoglobin, and blood glucose levels were evaluated retrospectively in 99 LVAD patients at a single center from January 2007 through November 2011. Serum was collected before LVAD implantation and monthly after implantation for 12 months consecutively. Results were evaluated and compared to insulin requirements, if any, before and after implant. Plasma levels were measured by ELISA.Results: There were a total of 99 patients (81 men and 18 women). Two patients were implanted twice due to pump dysfunction. Mean age was 59 years, ± 10, with a median of 63 years. Of those patients, 64 had ischemic cardiomyopathy and 35 had dilated cardiomyopathy. The total patient years of LVAD support were 92.5 years. All patients received a continuous flow left ventricular assist device. Type II diabetes mellitus was diagnosed in 28 patients. Of those patients, 24 required daily insulin with an average dose of 45 units/day. Average preoperative glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels were 6.8% with fasting blood glucose measurements of 136 mg/dL. Mean cortisol levels were measured at 24.3 ?g/dL before LVAD implantation, with mean plasma catecholamine levels of 1824 ?g/mL. Post operatively, average HbA1c levels were 5.38% with fasting blood glucose measurements of 122 mg/dL. Mean cortisol levels were measured at 10.9 ?g/dL with average plasma catecholamine levels were 815 ?g/mL. There was a significant decrease in both cortisol levels post LVAD implant (P = 0.012) as well as catecholamine levels (P = 0.044). The average insulin requirements post LVAD implant were significantly reduced to 13 units/day (P = 0.001). Six patients no longer required any insulin after implant.Conclusion: Implantation of nonpulsatile LVADs has become a viable option for the treatment of end-stage heart failure, helping to improve patient quality of life by decreasing clinical symptoms associated with poor end-organ perfusion. Frequently, diabetes is a comorbid condition that exists among heart failure patients and with the reduction of the systemic inflammatory and stress response produced by the support of a nonpulsatile LVAD, many patients may benefit from a reduction in their blood glucose levels, as well as insulin requirements.
Velocity analysis of two 3-R robots manipulating a disk

Abstract This paper presents solutions to the forward and inverse velocity problems of two planar 3-R robots manipulating a single rigid payload. The payload, referred to a disk, is contrained to roll between the terminal link of each robot forming a closed-loop system with a mobility of five. The forward velocity problem is solved by using the method of kinematic coefficients and the principle of superposition which models the system as five instantaneous four-bar linkages. The kinematic coefficients, which are a function of position only, provide valuable geometric insight into the instantaneous configurations of the system. A graphical method, which utilizes the instantaneous centers of zero velocity, is presented as a check of the analytical solution. Then the inverse velocity problem is formulated in terms of a Jacobian matrix whose elements are the kinematic coefficients. In addition to the solutions for the general system of mobility five, solutions are also presented for two special systems of mobility four and three. The methods presented in this paper provide insight into the analysis and the design of multiple-degree-of-freedom planar mechanisms, such as robotic fingers, which utilize the rolling contact constraint. The results are believed to be important in the trajectory planning of two robots which are cooperating with a payload that is constrained by rolling contact. For purpose of illustration, a numerical example of the general system and the two special systems is included in the paper.
Static compliance of foundations of arbitrary shape

Abstract The calculation of the compliance matrix of foundations is an essential first step in the static or dynamic analysis of soil-foundation interaction problems. An effective numerical method is presented for accurate computation of the static compliance of rigid foundations with arbitrary shapes, which rest on an elastic half-space and are subjected to vertical and horizontal loads, as well as tilting and torsional moments. In this method the contacting area is subdivided into a finite number of ‘equivalent’ circular elements, which leads to solutions in a rather simple form that require minimal numerical computations. The results are illustrated by calculating the overall compliances of foundations of various geometries, and these are compared with results obtained by means of another, more elaborate, method.
Prevalence of harassment and discrimination among 1996 medical school graduates: a survey of eight US schools.

CONTEXT Harassing and discriminating behaviors on the part of instructors or supervisors are known to affect the quality of work performed by medical students, influence their career decisions, and have other undetermined long-term consequences. OBJECTIVE To assess the prevalence and forms of harassment and discrimination experienced by 1996 medical school graduates. DESIGN A self-administered survey of harassment and discrimination mailed to graduating medical students. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS A total of 1001 graduating medical students at 8 US medical schools (4 public and 4 private), chosen from each of the 4 regions designated by the Association of American Medical Colleges for geographic categorization. OUTCOME MEASURE The number of reported experiences of various forms of harassment and discrimination while attending medical school. RESULTS Of 1001 surveys, 548 (55%) were returned. Overall, 46% of the students reported experiencing some form of harassment and 41% some form of discrimination from instructors or supervisors while attending medical school. Nonsexual verbal harassment was reported by 41%; sexual verbal harassment was reported by 10%. Discrimination based on gender was reported by 29% of students; discrimination based on race was reported by 12%. CONCLUSIONS Harassment and discrimination of medical students by instructors and supervisors continue to occur frequently, and new approaches are needed to address these problems.
Radioactive eggs. II. Distribution of radioactivity in the yolks.

Summary(1) The distribution of radioactivity in the yolks of eggs laid by a hen fed sodium acetate-1-C14 has been determined. (2) The radioactivity appears in all fractions of all yolks in the following order of increasing specific activity: protein, glycerol, phospholipids, fatty acids, cholesterol.
WHO ARE FANS OF FACEBOOK FAN PAGES? AN ELECTRONIC WORD-OF-MOUTH COMMUNICATION PERSPECTIVE

Given its great business value and popularity, Facebook fan pages have attracted more and more attention in both industry and academia. Fans of Facebook fan pages play an important role in electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) communication. This study focused on the population of fans on Facebook fan pages and examined the differences between fans and non-fans in terms of demographics, social network sites (SNS) use, Internet use, and online shopping behaviors. The results indicated that fans used SNS more frequently than non-fans. Additionally, from the eWOM perspective, the researchers moderated product types in the model of peopleâ€™s word-of-mouth (WOM) preferences and found that people had different preferences for eWOM and traditional WOM for different products. Traditional WOM is still the most important source of information for people when shopping online. To cite this document: Xiao Hu, Louisa Ha, Simeng Mo, and Ying Xu, "Consumer switching behavior from online banking to mobile banking", International Journal of Cyber Society and Education, Vol. 7, No. 2, pp. 125-146, 2014. Permanent link to this document: http://dx.doi.org/10.7903/ijcse.1156
Ridge Functions and Orthonormal Ridgelets

Orthonormal ridgelets provide an orthonormal basis for L^2(R^2) built from special angularly-integrated ridge functions. In this paper we explore the relationship between orthonormal ridgelets and true ridge functions r(x"[email protected]+x"[email protected]). We derive a formula for the ridgelet coefficients of a ridge function in terms of the 1-D wavelet coefficients of the ridge profile r(t). The formula shows that the ridgelet coefficients of a ridge function are heavily concentrated in ridge parameter space near the underlying scale, direction, and location of the ridge function. It also shows that the rearranged weighted ridgelet coefficients of a ridge function decay at essentially the same rate as the rearranged weighted 1-D wavelet coefficients of the 1-D ridge profile r(t). In short, the full ridgelet expansion of a ridge function is in a certain sense equally as sparse as the 1-D wavelet expansion of the ridge profile. It follows that partial ridgelet expansions can give good approximations to objects which are countable superpositions of well-behaved ridge functions. We study the nonlinear approximation operator which ''kills'' coefficients below certain thresholds (depending on angular- and ridge-scale); we show that for approximating objects which are countable superpositions of ridge functions with 1-D ridge profiles in the Besov space B^1^/^p"p"," "p(R), 0
A proof of the additive identity of the components of the third-order nonlinear susceptibility tensor

Abstract The additive identity of the components of the third-order nonlinear susceptibility tensor is given by the expression χ(3)xxxx= χ(3)xxyy+χ(3)xyxy+χ(3)xyyx. A simple and straightforward proof of it, is proposed, using a CARS (coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering) polarization vector, and decomposing it in a chosen frame of reference.
Natural Killer Cells Express Estrogen Receptor-α and Estrogen Receptor-β and Can Respond to Estrogen Via a Non-Estrogen Receptor-α-Mediated Pathway

Natural killer (NK) cells play a crucial role in host defense against pathogens and immune surveillance against cancer. Given that estrogens have been reported to suppress NK cell activity, we sought to elucidate the mechanisms by which estrogen mediates this effect. We demonstrate by immunocytochemical staining with estrogen receptor-α (ERα)- and estrogen receptor-β (ERβ)-specific antibodies that both ERα and ERβ are expressed in murine NK cells. We also compared the ability of high doses of 17β-estradiol (∼800 pg/ml) to regulate NK cell activity in wild-type and estrogen receptor-α-deficient (ERαKO) mice. 17β-estradiol elicited a significant decrease in NK cell activity in both wild-type and ERαKO mice (P < 0.001). These data suggest that ERβ or possibly a novel receptor is involved in mediating estrogen action on NK cell activity and raise the potential for therapeutic modulation of NK cell activity with selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMS).
Intracoronary prostacyclin in evolving acute myocardial infarction

5. Baaeke DM, Amann AH, Kamatz NN, Wong J, Wagenknechl DM, Carter JE, Stdl RG. Adminstration set suitable for use with intravenous nltrogiycerin. Am J Hosp Pharm 1982;39:121-122. Grfggs WY, Abbot F. Glycetyl trinitrate adsorption reduced by a polyethylene infusion set. Mad J Aust 1983;1:305-306. Mutcft WAC, Culligan Jb, Cote DD, Thornsen IR. Hemodynamic effects of intravenous nitroglycerin: importance of the delivery system. Anesth Analg 1982;81:927-932. 6.
EFFECTS OF SEMEN CHARACTERISTICS ON IUI COMBINED WITH MILD OVARIAN STIMULATION

To determine the influence of sperm parameters inseminated on the outcome of intrauterine insemination (IUI) in patients undergoing ovarian stimulation with clomiphen citrat (CC) or human menopausa...
Persistence of subsoil compaction from heavy axle loads

Abstract As the persistence of subsoil compaction has a major impact on agricultural sustainability, responses of soil pore characteristics and plant roots to subsoil compaction were examined as related to heavy axle loads. A Ves clay loam was originally compacted with three axle loads of less than 4.5 (control), 9, and 18 Mg in the fall of 1981 (soil dry (D)) and in the fall of 1982 (soil wet (W)). The 9 Mg treatment was recompacted on both trials in the spring of 1988 with an 18 Mg axle load, and maize and soybean were grown in rotation. Field measurements in 1988 and 1989 included bulk density, biopore area, root number and location, ponded and negative water pressure infiltration, saturated hydraulic conductivity ( K sat ), and ped size distribution. Bulk densities measured under the row in 1989 for the W plots were increased in the 10–28 cm layer by the new 18 Mg load, whereas the original 18 Mg treatment had higher bulk densities in the 28–68 cm depth. The control had lower bulk densities than both compacted treatments for the 18–58 cm increment in 1989. The number and areas of biopores in the D control plots were at least ten times greater than in W control plots. Compaction at 35 cm reduced K sat and ponded infiltration comapred with the control. Mean ped diameter ranged from 1.3 to almost four times greater in the compacted treatments than in the control. In spite of increased soil density, a substantial reduction in root growth was not observed. Roots grew around dense clods in the compact treatments allowing continual vertical extension. There was no evidence of poor drainage hindering crop growth in the heavy axle load treatments.
Stability and competitive equilibrium in matching markets with transfers

This note surveys recent work in generalized matching theory, focusing on trading networks with transferable utility. In trading networks with a finite set of contractual opportunities, the substitutability of agents' preferences is essential for the guaranteed existence of stable outcomes and the correspondence of stable outcomes with competitive equilibria. Closely analogous results hold when venture participation is continuously adjustable, but under a concavity condition on agents' preferences which allows for some types of complementarity.
Who is enrolled in for-profit vs. nonprofit Medicare HMOs?

ABSTRACT: We compare the characteristics of enrollees in for-profit and nonprofit Medicare health plans using nationwide data from the 1996 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey. We find few differences in overall health status, limitations in activities of daily living (ADLs), or history of chronic disease. However, older Americans enrolled in for-profit plans are substantially poorer and less educated than those enrolled in nonprofit plans, are more likely to have joined their plan recently, and are more likely to have joined a plan with the expectation of reducing their out-of-pocket health care costs.
Constructing All Extremes of Contingency Tables With Given Marginals

Let M be the set of all p × q matrices with nonnegative entries and fixed marginals. A matrix in M is an extreme if it cannot be expressed as a convex combination of two distinct matrices in M. Several procedures in categorical data analysis depend on the enumeration of all extremes with given marginals. The problem can be formulated as finding all vertices of a convex polytope for which an efficient algorithm has been developed recently. Because of its general applicability, however, this algorithm does not take advantage of the special combinatorial features inherent in our problem. Here we present an efficient algorithm that does use these features. These extremes have important applications in categorical data analysis in statistics and in the study of probability measures on product spaces with given marginals in mathematics.
Plasma HDL Cholesterol, Triglycerides, and Adiposity A Quantitative Genetic Test of the Conjoint Trait Hypothesis in the San Antonio Family Heart Study

Background The conjoint trait hypothesis proposes that combined low HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) and high triglyceride (TG) levels represent a single, inherited phenotype that adiposity may influence in an unspecified manner. We conducted formal statistical genetic tests of the conjoint trait hypothesis and the relation of the conjoint trait to adiposity using data for 569 subjects in 25 pedigrees from the San Antonio Family Heart Study. Methods and Results We conducted multivariate genetic analyses to detect the effects of genes and environmental factors on variation in plasma concentrations of HDL-C and TG, fat mass (as percent body weight [FM%], determined by bioelectric impedance), and body mass index (BMI). We used maximum-likelihood methods to simultaneously estimate the phenotypic means and SDs, heritabilities (h2), effects of sex, age-by-sex, eight dietary and medical covariates, and genetic and environmental correlations. Likelihood ratio tests disclosed significant heritabilities (P<.001) for all tra...
Computation of fields in an arbitrary shaped heterogeneous dielectric or biological body by an iterative conjugate gradient method

Electromagnetic (EM) fields in a three-dimensional, arbitrarily shaped, heterogeneous dielectric or biological body illuminated by a plane wave are computed by an iterative conjugate gradient method. The method is a generalized method of moments applied to the volume integral equation. Because no matrix is explicitly involved or stored, the method is capable of computing EM fields in objects an order of magnitude larger than those that can be handled by the conventional method of moments. Excellent numerical convergence is achieved. Perfect convergence to the result of the conventional moment method using the same basis and weighted with delta functions is consistently achieved in all the cases computed, indicating that these two algorithms (direct and iterative) are equivalent. >
Origins of Cell Polarity

The authors thank Kathryn Ayscough, Ken Beck, Fred Chang, Yih-Tai Chen, Kent Grindstaff, and Jeremy Thorner for comments on the manuscript as well as colleagues who kindly provided preprints.
Identification of Phototoxic Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Sediments Through Sample Fractionation and QSAR Analysis

Abstract The toxicity of certain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can be greatly increased by simultaneous exposure of test organisms to ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths present in sunlight. This phenomenon, commonly termed photoinduced toxicity, had been evaluated extensively in laboratory settings where only one chemical of concern was present. However, more recent studies have demonstrated that complex mixtures of PAHs present, for example in sediments, also can cause phototoxicity to a variety of aquatic species when the samples are tested in simulated sunlight. Unfortunately, because these types of samples can contain thousands of substituted and unsubstituted PAHs it is difficult, if not impossible, to use conventional analytical techniques to identify those responsible for photoinduced toxicity. The objective of the present study was to link two powerful ecotoxicology tools, toxicity-based fractionation techniques and QSAR models, to identify phototoxic chemicals in a sediment contaminated with ...
Immature mouse uterine tissue in organ culture: Estrogen-induced growth, morphology and biochemical parameters.

Although estrogens have been shown to stimulate a variety of morphologic and biochemical changes in the uterus in vivo, no clear consistent demonstration of similar responses in vitro have been made; thus, a defined organ culture system using the immature mouse uterus was established to study the possibility of demonstrating estrogenic responses in vitro. Uterine tissue from immature outbred mice (17 to 24 days of age) were cut crosswise in 1-mm3 coins and cultured in a defined medium in the absence of serum, phenol red, or growth factor supplements. Diethylstilbestrol (DES), a synthetic estrogen, was added to the media at doses ranging from 1 to 100 ng/ml. The effect of DES on uterine cell proliferation was assessed by morphologic changes in uterine epithelial and stromal cells, increase in number of epithelial cells per unit basement membrane, increase in height of luminal epithelial cells, and [3H]thymidine incorporation. Functional changes were determined by measuring the amounts of the estrogen-inducible uterine protein, lactoferrin, that was localized in the epithelial cells and secreted into the media, and the localization of the estrogen receptor in the cultured tissues. Results indicate that under the described conditions of culture, estrogens like DES can induce morphologic and biochemical responses in the uterus that are similar to those seen in vivo. This organ culture system will aid in the investigation of various mechanisms involved in the hormonal regulation of growth and differentiation of estrogen target tissues.
Establishing a Functional Manual Sign in an Autistic Child

This report presents the results of a study in which positive practice overcorrection was utilized with other behavioral procedures to teach a manual sign to a low functioning autistic child. At the beginning of therapy, the subject was functionally mute, producing only grunts and squeals. Using methods employed by Hinerman, Jenson, Walker and Petersen (1982), positive practice overcorrection was utilized to teach the child manual signs. This procedure involved helping the child to make the manual sign with a full prompt on 10 trials following each inappropriate response in therapy. Throughout the intervention program the communicative function of the target behavior was carefully monitored using a communicative act framework. The results indicated that positive practice overcorrection, used with other behavioral procedures, significantly facilitated the acquisition of the manual sign “drink.”
Auditory brainstem responses in preterm neonates: Maturation and follow-up**

Seventy-five neonatal intensive care unit patients with given auditory brainstem response screening tests at 40 db and 70 db above the normal adult hearing threshold. The presence of wave V, the criterion for pass, was strongly related to postconceptual age: It appeared at 70 db in 50% of the infants tested at 32 weeks' PCA and at 40 db in 50% of the infants tested at 40 weeks' PCA. Forty-four infants failed the last test before NICU discharge (15 at 70 db and 29 at 40 db), but most infants were discharged at a PCA of less than 40 weeks. No significant correlation appeared between ABR test failure and intraventricular hemorrhage, hyaline membrane disease, perinatal asphyxia, hyperbilirubinemia, or aminoglycoside therapy. Follow-up information was obtained in 23 of the 36 "failing" infants who survived (8 died). This consisted of definitive hearing tests in ten patients and historical information supporting normal auditory function in 13 patients. One case of severe hearing loss was confirmed. Thus, most failures of the ABR screen apparently resulted from immaturity. These data raise doubts regarding the effectiveness of ABR screening in the NICU.
A Wideband Interferometric Wavelength Shift Demodulator of Fiber Bragg Grating Strain Sensor

The performance of a fiber Bragg grating strain sensor constructed with 3 $\times$ 3 coupler is investigated. A 3 $\times$ 3 coupler Mach-Zehnder (M/Z) interferometer is used as wavelength discriminator, interrogating strain-induced Bragg wavelength shifts. Two quadrature-phase-shifted intensities are synthesized from the as-coupled interferometer outputs, and digital arctangent demodulation and phase unwrapping algorithm are applied to extract the phase information proportional to strain. Due to the linear relation between the input strain and the output of quadrature signal processing, signal-fading problems eliminated. In the experiment, a fiber grating that was surface adhered on an aluminum beam was strained in different ways, and the photodetector signals were transferred and processed in a computer-controlled processing unit. A phase recovery fo 7.8 $\pi$ pk-pk excursion, which corresponds to ~650 $\mu$ strain pk-pk of applied strain, was demonstrated. The sensor system was stable over the environmental intensi쇼 perturbations because of the self-referencing effect in the demodulation process.
Quantitation of the synergistic interaction of edatrexate and cisplatin in vitro.

Cytotoxicity studies combining edatrexate (EDX) and cisplatin (Cis-Pt) were carried out in HL-60 cells in vitro as a retrospective analysis of the same combination in animal models and as a prospective study of this combination for future clinical trials. For purposes of comparison, parallel studies were carried out using methotrexate (MTX) and Cis-Pt. Dose-effect relationships were analyzed by the median-effect principle and the combination index-isobologram technique. EDX was the most cytotoxic agent of the three examined. The doses effective in 50% inhibition of the cell proliferation (ED50 values) for EDX, MTX, and Cis-Pt were 0.001, 0.0043, and 1.08 μm, respectively. Synergism occurred at effect levels corresponding to greater than 65% inhibition of cell growth by EDX+Cis-Pt, with an increase in synergism being observed at high doses. By contrast, MTX+Cis-Pt exhibited moderate synergism, with a decrease in synergism being noted at high doses. Preceding one drug by another for 4 h during the 48-h incubation period did not result in synergism greater than that produced by simultaneous exposure to both drugs for both pairs of combinations. Due to the synergism arising from these combinations, the ED90 values can be reduced by as many as 52 and 7.3 times for Cis-Pt and EDX, respectively, as compared with only 4.0 and 1.9 times for Cis-Pt and MTX, respectively. The calculation of these drug interactions was carried out automatically with the use of computer software and was also illustrated by a sample calculation performed without computer simulation.
Quantitative in vivo cytokine analysis at synthetic biomaterial implant sites.

To further elucidate the foreign body reaction, investigation of cytokines at biomaterial implant sites was carried out using a multiplex immunoassay and ELISA. Macrophage activation cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNFα), cytokines important for macrophage fusion (IL-4 and IL-13), antiinflammatory cytokines (IL-10 and TGFβ), chemokines (GRO/KC, MCP-1), and the T-cell activation cytokine IL-2 were quantified at biomaterial implant sites. Empty cages (controls) or cages containing synthetic biomedical polymer (Elasthane 80A (PEU), silicone rubber (SR), or polyethylene terephthalate (PET)) were implanted subcutaneously in Sprague-Dawley rats for 4, 7, or 14 days, and cytokines in exudate supernatants and macrophage surface adhesion and fusion were quantified. The presence of a polymer implant did not affect the levels of IL-1β, TGFβ, and MCP-1 in comparison to the control group. IL-2 was not virtually detected in any of the samples. Although the levels of IL-4, IL-13, IL-10, and GRO/KC were affected by polymer implantation, but not dependent on a specific polymer, IL-6 and TNFα were significantly greater in those animals implanted with PEU and SR, materials that do not promote fusion. The results indicate that differential material-dependent cytokine profiles are produced by surface adherent macrophages and foreign body giant cells in vivo. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2009
EFFECTS OF MEMBRANE PROTONOPHORES ON THE ATP CONTENT OF IMMUNOMAGNETIC BEADS CAPTURED ESCHERICHIA COLI O157:H7

An approach to rapidly detect the presence of viable Escherichia coli O157:H7 is described. Specific immunomagnetic beads were applied to capture the bacteria in different solutions. The captured bacteria were then lysed by commercially available reagents to release cellular ATP which was detected by firefly luciferin-luciferase induced chemiluminescence. The bioenergetic status of the bacteria was adjusted by the addition of glucose, a carbon nutrient source, and carbonyl cyanide meta-chlorophenyl hydrazone (CCCP), a membrane protonophore. The addition of glucose restored oxygen consumption and medium acidification activities and increased the ATP content of harvested bacteria after storage. On the other hand, CCCP enhanced the oxygen consumption and medium acidification but significantly decreased the ATP content. None of the glucose and CCCP effects could be detected with heat-killed and γ-ray irradiated E. coli O157:H7. Thus, immunomagnetic capture of the E. coli followed by testing the bioenergetic responses of captured bacteria would qualitatively determine the presence of viable E. coli O157:H7. When applied, the developed procedure could easily detect the presence of less than one CFU of the E. coli per gram of beef hamburg after a 6-h enrichment at 37C.
Hypernuclear weak decay and the ΔI = 12 rule

Abstract Recent measurements of the weak decay of Λ hypernuclei are reported and discussed in the context of the weak hyperon-baryon effective Hamiltonian. The results are compared to predictions of both meson exchange and quark- quark weak interaction models.
Consequences of the structure of the cytochrome b6f complex for its charge transfer pathways

Abstract At least two features of the crystal structures of the cytochrome b 6 f complex from the thermophilic cyanobacterium, Mastigocladus laminosus and a green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii , have implications for the pathways and mechanism of charge (electron/proton) transfer in the complex: (i) The narrow 11 × 12 A portal between the p -side of the quinone exchange cavity and p -side plastoquinone/quinol binding niche, through which all Q/QH 2 must pass, is smaller in the b 6 f than in the bc 1 complex because of its partial occlusion by the phytyl chain of the one bound chlorophyll a molecule in the b 6 f complex. Thus, the pathway for trans-membrane passage of the lipophilic quinone is even more labyrinthine in the b 6 f than in the bc 1 complex. (ii) A unique covalently bound heme, heme c n , in close proximity to the n -side b heme, is present in the b 6 f complex. The b 6 f structure implies that a Q cycle mechanism must be modified to include heme c n as an intermediate between heme b n and plastoquinone bound at a different site than in the bc 1 complex. In addition, it is likely that the heme b n – c n couple participates in photosytem I-linked cyclic electron transport that requires ferredoxin and the ferredoxin: NADP + reductase. This pathway through the n -side of the b 6 f complex could overlap with the n -side of the Q cycle pathway. Thus, either regulation is required at the level of the redox state of the hemes that would allow them to be shared by the two pathways, and/or the two different pathways are segregated in the membrane.
Narrative Silences Between History and Memory in Schumann's Being Present: Growing Up in Hitler's Germany

In her article "Narrative Silences Between History and Memory in Schumann's Being Present: Growing Up in Hitler's Germany" Anne Rothe analyzes Willy Schumann's 1991 memoir as an instance of a growing sub-genre among autobiographical writing on the Third Reich and the Holocaust, the Hitler Youth Generation memoir. Written in English for US-American college students, the memoir constructs a reactionary counter-memory to Holocaust discourse in order to exculpate ordinary Germans like himself not only from any responsibility for but any association with nazi crimes. In order to do so, Schumann not only largely omits the Holocaust but recasts the perpetrator/victim dichotomy via the political/personal divide into a history/memory dichotomy. Perpetrators are limited to a handful of leading nazis who inhabit the sphere of history together with "their" victims and are cast as the evil Other of decent ordinary Germans like Schumann who inhabit the realm of personal memory. Rothe explores the complex narrative strategies of silencing Schumann employs to convey his central notion of collective German innocence in what at first appears to be a naive and straight-forward but turns out to be a highly manipulative and revisionist narrative. Anne Rothe, "Between History and Memory in Schumann's Being Present: Growing Up in Hitler's Germany" page 2 of 12 CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 11.1 (2009): Thematic Issue New Work in Holocaust Studies. Ed. Louise O. Vasvari and Steven Totosy de Zepetnek
Counterpoint: the oral glucose tolerance test is superfluous.

The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) has been used in clinical medicine for nearly 90 years (1). As heretical as this may sound, it is time for it to be retired. It no longer provides unique and important clinical information that cannot be obtained by other means. The main reason for performing it is to diagnose impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or diabetes by virtue of the 2-h value (2,3). Both of these are risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) (4,5), and IGT predicts the development of diabetes (6). However, abnormal carbohydrate metabolism is only one of a number of risk factors for CVD, the combination of which is termed the insulin resistance syndrome. Clinically, the insulin resistance syndrome is diagnosed if three of the following five risk factors for CVD are present: central obesity (waist circumference >88 cm in women and >102 cm in men), elevated triglyceride concentrations (>1.7 mmol/l or 150 mg/dl), decreased HDL cholesterol levels (<1.0 mmol/l or 40 mg/dl in men, <1.3 mmol/l or 50 mg/dl in women), hypertension, and hyperglycemia (impaired fasting glucose, IGT, or diabetes) (7). Two articles in this issue of Diabetes Care demonstrate that the 2-h value on the OGTT adds nothing (8) or very little (9) for identifying CVD risk if the other risk factors are taken into account. Stern et al. (8) followed 2,662 Mexican Americans and 1,595 non-Hispanic whites who were between 25 and 64 years of age and did not have diabetes or CVD at baseline for 7–8 years. Addition of 2-h glucose values from the OGTT to models incorporating readily available CVD risk factors did not improve their power to predict CVD. More specifically, further unpublished analysis of these data revealed that if 1,000 people were screened for CVD risk factors and those …
Subnanometer replica molding of molecular steps on ionic crystals.

Replica molding with elastomeric polymers has been used routinely to replicate features less than 10 nm in size. Because the theoretical limit of this technique is set by polymer-surface interactions, atomic radii, and accessible volumes, replication at subnanometer length scales should be possible. Using polydimethylsiloxane to create a mold and polyurethane to form the replica, we demonstrate replication of elementary steps 3-5 A in height that define the minimum separation between molecular layers in the lattices of the ionic crystals potassium dihydrogen phosphate and calcite. This work establishes the operation of replica molding at the molecular scale.
Differential Item Functioning on the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire Is Minimal in Demographically Matched Meditators and Nonmeditators

A recent study of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire reported high levels of differential item functioning (DIF) for 18 of its 39 items in meditating and nonmeditating samples that were not demographically matched. In particular, meditators were more likely to endorse positively worded items whereas nonmeditators were more likely to deny negatively worded (reverse-scored) items. The present study replicated these analyses in demographically matched samples of meditators and nonmeditators (n = 115 each) and found that evidence for DIF was minimal. There was little or no evidence for differential relationships between positively and negatively worded items for meditators and nonmeditators. Findings suggest that DIF based on items’ scoring direction is not problematic when the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire is used to compare demographically similar meditators and nonmeditators.
Corpus callosum involvement as a prognostic factor for patients with high-grade astrocytoma

Purpose: To evaluate corpus callosum involvement as a prognostic factor for patients with high-grade astrocytoma. Methods: From 1986 through 1994,141 adult patients with Karnofsky performance status (KPS) 2 40 underwent primary treatment for anaplastic astrocytoma (AA) or gliohlastoma multiforme (GBM) at the University of Washington Medical Center. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging and/or computed tomography to assess corpus callosum involvement was available for 105 of these patients. Corpus callosum involvement was evaluated as a prognostic factor for survival using recursive partitioning analysis and multivariate analysis with a Cox proportional hazards model. Results: For the 105 patients evaluable for corpus callosum involvement, the median and 2-year survival were 59 weeks and 28%, respectively. On multivariate analysis, the only independent prognostic factors were KPS (p = 0.0001) and histology (p = 0.042). On recursive partitioning analysis, the first significant split occurred at KPS < 70 vs. KPS 2 70. Patients with KPS 2 70 were split by age ( < 50 years vs. 2 50 years), with those younger than 50 years further split by absence or presence of corpus callosum involvement. Among patients with KPS 2 70 and age < 50 years, median survival was 57 weeks if the corpus callosum was involved (35% 2-year survival) and 105 weeks if the corpus callosum was not involved (56% 2-year survival). Conclusion: Corpus callosum involvement based on preoperative imaging is an unfavorable prognostic factor for survival among the subgroup of young, good-performance-status patients with high-grade astrocytoma. 0 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.
Stable isotopic evidence of salinity change: Influence on the evolution of melanopsid gastropods in the late Miocene Pannonian basin

The radiation of the gastropod Melanopsis in the Pannonian basin of eastern and central Europe provides an excellent case study of the tempo and mechanisms of evolutionary diversification. We analyzed the carbon and oxygen isotopic ratios of melanopsid shells from before, during, and after the radiation in order to provide a more detailed paleoenvironmental frame-work in which to interpret the morphological changes observed. The authors samples fall into two groups: those from before and during the radiation (late Sarmatian and Pannonian stages) form a tight cluster; a second, more scattered group of points represents samples from after the radiation (Pontian Stage). The late Sarmatian-Pannonian samples have higher ratios of both isotopes (means of {minus}2.11 for {delta}{sup 18}O, and 1.27 for {delta}{sup 13}C) than do the succeeding Pontian Stage samples ({minus}4.16 for {minus}2.22, respectively). We interpret this shift as indicative of a basinwide drop in salinity, an interpretation supported by paleofaunal evidence. Our isotopic data refine the environmental scenario in two important ways. The tight cluster of late Sarmatian-Pannonian data indicates that the shallow waters of the basin were relatively uniform and relatively stable with respect to salinity, rather than locally variable or steadily changing across this time interval. The shiftmore » to fresher water in the Pontian Stage coincides with the extinction of two widespread and abundant melanopsid species, but several species go extinct earlier than the salinity drop, and two species pass through it seemingly unaffected.« less