cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development and Validation of a Model Consisting of Comorbidity Burden to Calculate Risk of Death Within 6 Months for Patients With Suspected Drug-Induced Liver Injury

Background & Aims Patients with drug-induced liver injury (DILI) frequently have comorbid conditions, but the effects of non-liver comorbidities on outcomes are not well understood. We investigated the association between comorbidity burden and outcomes of patients with DILI, and developed and validated a model to calculate risk of death within 6 months. Methods A multiple logistic regression model identified variables independently associated with death within 6 months of presenting with suspected DILI (6-month mortality) for 306 patients enrolled in the Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network prospective study at Indiana University (discovery cohort). The model was validated using data from 247 patients with suspected DILI enrolled in the same study at the University of North Carolina (validation cohort). Medical comorbidity burden was calculated using the Charlson Comorbidity Index—patients with scores higher than 2 were considered to have significant comorbidities. Results Six-month mortality was 8.5% in the discovery cohort and 4.5% in the validation cohort. In the discovery cohort, significant comorbidities (odds ratio, 5.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.1–13.8), Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score (odds ratio, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.04–1.17), and serum level of albumin at presentation (odds ratio, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.2–0.76) were independently associated with 6-month mortality. A model based on these 3 variables identified patients who died within 6 months, with c-statistic values of 0.89 (95% CI, 0.86–0.94) in the discovery cohort and 0.91 (95% CI, 0.83–0.99) in the validation cohort. We developed a web-based calculator for use in the clinic to determine risk of death within 6 months for patients with suspected DILI. Conclusions We developed and validated a model based on comorbidity burden, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score, and serum level of albumin that predicts 6-month mortality in patients with suspected DILI.
On Shapiroʼs compactness criterion for composition operators

Abstract We give an elementary and direct proof of the identity: lim sup | w | → 1 − N ψ ( w ) 1 − | w | = lim sup | a | → 1 − ( 1 − | a | 2 ) ‖ 1 / ( 1 − a ¯ ψ ) ‖ H 2 2 , for any analytic self-map ψ of { z : | z | 1 } ; where N ψ denotes the Nevanlinna counting function of ψ. We further show that one can find analytic self-maps ψ of { z : | z | 1 } , where the composition operator C ψ on the Hardy space H 2 is compact, such that ‖ ψ n ‖ H 2 tends to zero at an arbitrarily slow rate, as n → ∞ ; even in the case that ψ is univalent. Among these are new examples, where C ψ is compact on H 2 , but not in any of the Schatten classes.
Alcohol Exposure Impacts the Composition of HeLa-Derived Extracellular Vesicles.

Extracellular vesicles are nanosized vesicles that are under intense investigation for their role in intercellular communication. Extracellular vesicles have begun to be examined for their role in disease protection and their role as disease biomarkers and/or vaccine agents. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of alcohol exposure on the biogenesis and composition of extracellular vesicles derived from the cervical cancer line, HeLa. The HeLa cells were cultured in exosome-free media and were either mock-treated (control) or treated with 50 mM or 100 mM of alcohol for 24 h and 48 h. Our results demonstrated that alcohol significantly impacts HeLa cell viability and exosome biogenesis/composition. Importantly, our studies demonstrate the critical role of alcohol on HeLa cells, as well as HeLa-derived extracellular vesicle biogenesis and composition. Specifically, these results indicate that alcohol alters extracellular vesicles’ packaging of heat shock proteins and apoptotic proteins. Extracellular vesicles serve as communicators for HeLa cells, as well as biomarkers for the initiation and progression of disease.
An image processing algorithm to aid diagnosis of mesial temporal sclerosis in children: a case-control study

Mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) is an important cause of intractable epilepsy. Early and accurate diagnosis of MTS is essential to providing curative and life-changing therapy but can be challenging in children in whom the impact of diagnosis is particularly high. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays an important role in the diagnosis of MTS, and image processing of MRI is a recently studied strategy to improve its accuracy. In a retrospective case-control study, we assessed the performance of an image processing algorithm (Correlative Image Enhancement [CIE]) for detecting MTS-related hippocampal signal abnormality in children. Twenty-seven pediatric MTS cases (9 males, 18 females; mean age: 16±standard deviation [SD] 6.7 years) were identified from a pathology database of amygdylo-hippocampectomies performed in children with epilepsy. Twenty-seven children with no seizure history (9 males, 18 females; mean age: 13.8±SD 2.8 years), and with normal brain MRI, were identified for the control group. Blinded investigators processed the MRI coronal FLAIR (fluid-attenuated inversion recovery) images with CIE, saved the processed images as a separate series, and made equivalent region of interest measurements on the processed and unprocessed series to calculate contrast-to-noise ratio. Six blinded reviewers then rated the randomized series for hippocampal signal abnormality and MTS disease status. CIE increased signal intensity and contrast-to-noise ratio in 26/27 hippocampi with pathologically confirmed MTS (96.3%) with the mean (SD) contrast-to-noise ratio of cases increasing from 14.9 (11.1) to 77.7 (58.7) after processing (P<0.001). Contrast-to-noise ratio increased in 1/54 normal control hippocampi (1.9%), with no significant change in the mean contrast-to-noise ratio of the control group after processing (P=0.57). Mean (SD) reader sensitivity for detecting abnormal signal intensity increased from 83.3% (14.2) to 94.8% (3.3) after processing. Mean specificity for abnormal signal intensity increased from 94.4% (7.3) to 96.3% (0). While sensitivity improved after processing for detection of MTS disease status in 4/6 readers, the mean reader sensitivity and specificity for MTS detection increased only minimally after processing, from 79.6% to 80.7% and from 95.7% to 96.3%, respectively. The CIE image processing algorithm selectively increased the contrast-to-noise ratio of hippocampi affected by MTS, improved reader performance in detecting MTS-related hippocampal signal abnormality and could have high impact on pediatric patients undergoing work-up for seizures.
Long Term Results of Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (AHCT) for Peripheral T Cell Lymphoma: The Stanford Experience.

Abstract The peripheral T cell lymphomas (PTCL) are uncommon malignancies that typically carry a worse prognosis than the B cell non-Hodgkins lymphomas. There is no uniform standard therapy for PTCL, and AHCT is often offered at relapse or as consolidation in first remission due to the inherently poor prognoses. We conducted a retrospective review of patients who underwent AHCT for PTCL from 1989 to 2006 at Stanford, excluding mycosis fungoides and lymphoblastic lymphoma. Fifty-eight cases were identified: systemic anaplastic large cell (ALCL, n=18), PTCL unspecified (NOS, n=17), angioimmunoblastic (AITL, n=9), nasal type extranodal NK/T (nNK/T, n=7), primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell (n=5), hepatosplenic (n=2), and adult T cell lymphoma/leukemia (n=1). The median age at AHCT was 45 years (range 18–73), and 57% were male. The graft source was mobilized peripheral blood HC in 86% and bone marrow in 14%. The graft was T cell purged in 86% of cases. The conditioning regimen was high dose cyclophosphamide, carmustine, and etoposide in 83% of cases with the rest receiving total body irradiation, carmustine, and etoposide. Fifteen patients were transplanted in first complete or partial response (CR/PR1); 32 in second or beyond CR or PR (CR/PR2+); and 11 with primary refractory disease (REF). The PTCL subtypes transplanted in CR1 (n=12) and PR1 (n=3) included nNK/T (5), AITL (4), NOS (2), hepatosplenic (2), and ALCL (2). Multiple regimens were required to achieve first response in 5 patients. Only one ALK+ (anaplastic lymphoma kinase) ALCL pt was transplanted in CR/PR1 and required 3 induction regimens. The median follow up was 5 years (yr) (range 1–12). For all subjects, five yr overall survival (OS) was 49% and 5 yr progression free survival (PFS) was 24%. Disease status at AHCT had a strong impact on PFS (p=.004) and OS (p=0.06). Five yr PFS was 51%, 17%, and 0%, respectively, and the PFS curve appeared to plateau at 5 yrs. Corresponding OS at 5 yrs for the CR/PR1, CR/PR2+, and REF patients were 76%, 41%, and 36%, respectively. The number of prior regimens and achievement of CR at day +90 post AHCT were also significant factors for PFS by univariate analysis. Age, bone marrow involvement, B symptoms, stage, and histology were not significant for PFS or OS. By multivariate analysis, CR at day +90 remained a highly significant factor for both PFS and OS (p
Sacramento River Deep Water Ship Channel: Functional Planning

Channel will be 30 ft deep and 200 to 300 ft wide at bottom connected with harbor and turning basin in Washington Lake; connecting canal 13 ft deep and 120 ft wide at bottom, with 86×640 ft navigation lock between harbor and Sacramento River; description of project, functional requirements, hydraulic studies, estimates of benefits, and comparison of benefits and costs.
Effects of Estimated Community-Level Health Literacy on Treatment Initiation and Preventive Care Among Older Adults with Newly Diagnosed Diabetes

Purpose Individual measures of health literacy are not feasible for administration on a large scale, yet estimates of community-level health literacy in the US recently became available. We sought to investigate whether community-level health literacy estimates are associated with the initiation of oral antihyperglycemic agents (OHA) and the use of standard preventive care services among older adults with newly diagnosed diabetes. Patients and methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 169,758 patients, ≥65 years old with hypertension and newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes using 2007-2011 data from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Chronic Conditions Warehouse. We examined the relationship between community-level health literacy estimates and initiation of OHA, receipt of flu shots, eye exams, Hemoglobin A1c tests, and lipid tests within 12 months post diabetes diagnosis. Results Patients living in communities with above basic health literacy (vs. basic/below basic) were 15% more likely to initiate OHA (Hazard Ratio=1.15; 95% CI 1.12 to 1.18). After classifying the health literacy distribution as quintiles, the analysis revealed a dose-response relationship with OHA initiation that plateaued at the third and fourth quintiles and declined at the fifth quintile. Individuals residing in communities with higher health literacy were more likely to participate in preventive care services (relative risk ranged from 1.09 for lipid test [95% CI 1.07-1.11] to 1.43 for flu shot [95% CI 1.41-1.46]). Conclusion Community-level health literacy estimates were associated with the initiation of OHA and uptake of standard preventive care services in older adults. Community-level health literacy may help to inform targeted diabetes education and support efforts.
Toward telemedicine-compatible physical functioning assessments in kidney transplant candidates.

Frailty is associated with adverse kidney transplant outcomes and can be assessed by subjective and objective metrics. There is increasing recognition of the value of metrics obtainable remotely. We compared the self-reported SF-36 physical functioning subscale score (SF-36 PF) with in-person physical performance tests (6-minute walk and sit-to-stand) in a prospective cohort of kidney transplant candidates. We assessed each metric's ability to predict time to the composite outcome of waitlist removal or death, censoring at transplant. We built time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curves and calculated the area under the curve [AUC(t)] at 1 year, using bootstrapping for internal validation. In 199 patients followed for a median of 346 days, 41 reached the composite endpoint. Lower SF-36 PF scores were associated with higher risk of waitlist removal/death, with every 10-point decrease corresponding to a 16% increase in risk. All models showed an AUC(t) of 0.83-0.84 that did not contract substantially after internal validation. Among kidney transplant candidates, SF-36 PF, obtainable remotely, can help to stratify the risk of waitlist removal or death, and may be used as a screening tool for poor physical functioning in ongoing candidate evaluation, particularly where travel, increasing patient volume, or other restrictions challenge in-person assessment.
Machine Learning for Malicious URL Detection

In recent years, Web-based attacks have become one of the most common threats. Threat actors tend to use malicious URLs to intentionally deceive users and launch attacks. Several approaches such as blacklisting have been implemented to detect malicious URLs. These unreliable approaches were also accompanied with strenuous task of maintaining an up-to-date blacklist URL database. To detect malicious URLs, machine learning techniques have been explored in recent years. This method analyzes different features of a URL and trains a prediction model on an already existing dataset of both malicious and benign URLs. This paper proposes a MuD (Malicious URL Detection) model which utilizes three supervised machine learning classifiers—support vector machine, logistic regression and Naive Bayes—to effectively and accurately detect malicious URLs. The preliminary results indicate that Naive Bayes algorithm produced best results.
Lipophilic Nanocrystal Prodrug-Release Defines the Extended Pharmacokinetic Profiles of a Year-Long Cabotegravir

Abstract A single, once every eight-week cabotegravir (CAB) long-acting parenteral is more effective than daily oral emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate in preventing human immunodeficiency virus type one (HIV-1) transmission. Extending CAB dosing to a yearly injectable can advance efforts leading to the elimination of viral transmission. The current submission adds rigor, reproducibility and mechanistic insights for the extended apparent half-life of a yearlong antiretroviral injectable. Pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles of a nanoformulated fatty acid ester CAB prodrug (named NM2CAB) were affirmed at two academic and one contract research laboratory. PK profiles showed plasma CAB levels at or above the protein-adjusted 90% inhibitory concentration for up to one year after a single dose. Measures of drug biodistribution demonstrated sustained native drug at the muscle injection site and in lymphoid tissues (spleen and lymph nodes). The results paralleled NM2CAB uptake and retention in human macrophages. NM2CAB nanocrystals were stable in blood, tissue and liver homogenates. The long apparent drug half-life followed pH-dependent slow prodrug release in weeks from the nanocrystal. In contrast, solubilized prodrug was hydrolyzed in hours in plasma and tissues recorded from multiple mammalian species at basic pH. No measurable toxicities were recorded. These results, taken together, affirm the pharmacological mechanistic properties of a year-long nanoformulated CAB prodrug supporting the established protocol design for formulation safety, rigor and reproducibility.
A Kierkegaardian Anti-Luck Epistemology

We can address the issue of epistemic luck, the possibility that the world interferes with the activity of believing so as to keep that activity from achieving its aim, by rethinking the aim of that activity. So, if we give up truth, for example, as the aim of belief, and if we embrace a different aim—the aim of believing as my ideal self would have me believe—we can eliminate the possibility of luck and leave the world no room to interfere in the affairs of the activity of believing. All this while at the same time preserving the epistemic’s responsiveness to the world. This way of seeing the epistemic is culled from the work of Kierkegaard’s pseudonyms.
The Grounds and Demands of Public Recognition: How Religious Exemptions Corrode Civic Self-Respect

I investigate the normative and conceptual account of the relationship between public recognition and dignitarian, or egalitarian, commitments. I do so through addressing the normative dispute, sparked by legal cases such as Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission (2018) and Fulton v. City of Philadelphia (2020), as to whether there are dignitarian grounds for rejecting religious exemptions to antidiscrimination laws. I argue that there are such grounds. Specifically, I argue that, if granted, such exemptions would inflict dignitary harms against LGBTQ individuals by denying them the public recognition necessary for reliably sustaining civic self-respect. Such exemptions would deny this recognition in two distinct ways. First, such exemptions would institutionalize humiliation of LGBTQ individuals as market actors. Second, such exemptions would condition market access for LGBTQ individuals on unequal terms. Through making this argument, I hope to make three primary, and related, contributions: (1) I introduce a concept of civic self-respect; (2) I argue that the normative import of public recognition is grounded in the good of civic self-respect; and (3) I rely on this normative framework to show how religious exemptions to public accommodations laws inflict dignitary harms. My argument is relevant to both political philosophers and legal scholars grappling with questions of why public recognition matters and what it demands.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Children and Adolescents

Children experience traumatic events at rates similar to those of adults (Boney-McCoy & Finkelhor, 1995; Copeland, Keeler, Angold, & Costello, 2007; Kilpatrick et al., 2003). In contrast to the considerable literature on trauma exposure as well as the development, maintenance, and treatment of PTSD in adults, relatively little is known about the onset and course of this disorder in children and adolescents. In a large longitudinal study, about two-thirds (67.8 %) of children reported experiencing a traumatic event by the age of 16, and over 13 % of these children reported some posttraumatic stress symptoms (Copeland et al., 2007). Moreover, over half of the trauma-exposed children reported exposure to 2 or more traumatic events (Copeland et al., 2007). Hearing about or being confronted with traumatic news, witnessing a traumatic event (e.g., witnessing parental violence), and experiencing violence (e.g., physical abuse) appear to be the most common traumatic events reported by children and adolescents (e.g., Copeland et al., 2007; Luthra et al., 2009). Childhood sexual abuse appears to be less common, with a national survey estimate suggesting that 13.5 % of females and 2.5 % of males report being sexually abused before the age of 18 (Molnar, Buka, & Kessler, 2001). Despite high rates of trauma exposure, in a national sample of children and adolescents aged 12–17 years old, 3.7 % of males and 6.3 % of females met criteria for a DSM-IV diagnosis of PTSD (Kilpatrick et al., 2003). Thus, trauma exposure, often exposure to multiple events, is common among individuals of all ages, and a small subset of these individuals develops PTSD.
Effects of Pre-Plant and In-Season Nitrogen Management Practices on Tuber Yield and Quality of Two Potato Cultivars

ABSTRACT A good balance in pre-plant and in-season nitrogen (N) application is important for optimal production of high quality potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers in coarse texture soils, to improve N uptake efficiency, and minimize N losses. Field experiments were conducted in a Quincy fine sand (mixed, mesic Xeric Torripsamments) in the Columbia Basin region in the Pacific Northwest under center pivot irrigation. In the first year (2000), ‘Russet Burbank’ and ‘Umatilla Russet’ cultivars were grown with 112 kg·ha− of N as pre-plant soil application. In-season fertigation was done with 224 kg·ha− of N in either 2, 5, 10, or 20 doses starting three weeks after emergence. In-season N frequency had no significant effects on the tuber yield (60 Mg-ha−) or quality of both the cultivars. The second year (2001) ‘Ranger Russet’ and ‘Umatilla Russet’ cultivars were grown with either 56, 112, or 168 kg·ha− pre-plant N treatment (including the soil residual N content). The total N over the entire growing period wa...
Distributed control methods

The distributed system is becoming increasingly popular, and this produces the need for more sophisticated distributed control techniques. The authors present a method for distributed control using simple finite state automata. Each of the distributed entities is 'controlled' by its associated automaton, in the sense that the entity examines the state of the automaton to determine its behavior. The result of the collective behavior of all of the entities is fed back to the automata, which change their state as a result of this feedback. They give a new method of analysis which derives the steady state behavior of this system as a whole, by decomposing it into two parts: describing and solving an imbedding auxiliary Markov chain, and analyzing the behavior of the system within each of the states of this auxiliary chain. >
Chapter 10 Transcriptional response to hyperosmotic stress

This chapter discusses the cellular response to hyperosmotic stress on a transcriptional level, signaling events in response to hyperosmotic stress and the mode of adaptation to hyperosmotic conditions. Signal transduction in response to hyperosmotic stress is complex. There appear to be both general mechanisms that all cells possess as well as cell type specific responses. Known members of the jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p38, and extracellular-signal related kinases (ERK) protein families appear to be involved in the signaling process leading to transcriptional activation. However, the data may also indicate that the signaling mechanisms involve cross-regulatory pathways. To date no one has identified the mammalian osmosensor that physically detects changes in tonicity that eventually results in the activation of cis -acting elements in the promoter regions of the osmotically regulated genes. Unlike yeast, which maintain a relatively simple osmosensing mechanism, the mammalian osmosensing pathway appears to be more complex, involving multiple kinase family members and may vary according to the cell type and gene regulation.
What's Harry Potter Doing in the Library? Depictions of Young Adult Information Seeking Behavior in Contemporary Fantasy Fiction

This paper uses qualitative, textual analysis of selected prominent contemporary young adult fantasy stories. These books – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Artemis Fowl, and Garth Nix's Lirael – in addition to creating captivating magical worlds, also depict a part of our every day world in their use of libraries as settings (in the case of Harry Potter and Lirael) and the use of computers for information seeking (as seen in Artemis Fowl). These images are examined for their portrayal of library use and other information seeking behaviors. Text "'I don't know about no book. . . . You want book, go to library.'" – Artemis Fowl (Colfer, 2001)
Divination and Prediction in Early China and Ancient Greece

Divination was an important and distinctive aspect of religion in both ancient China and ancient Greece, and this book will provide the first systematic account and analysis of the two side by side. Who practised divination in these cultures and who consulted it? What kind of questions did they ask, and what methods were used to answer those questions? As well as these practical aspects, Lisa Raphals also examines divination as a subject of rhetorical and political narratives, and its role in the development of systematic philosophical and scientific inquiry. She explores too the important similarities, differences and synergies between Greek and Chinese divinatory systems, providing important comparative evidence to reassess Greek oracular divination.
Characteristics of the East Asian Winter Climate Associated with the Westerly Jet Stream and Enso

In this study, the influences of the East Asian jet stream (EAJS) and El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on the interannual variability of the East Asian winter climate are examined with a focus on the relative climate impacts of the two phenomena. Although the variations of the East Asian winter monsoon and the temperature and precipitation of China, Japan, and Korea are emphasized, the associated changes in the broad-scale atmospheric circulation patterns over Asia and the Pacific and in the extratropical North Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) are also investigated. It is demonstrated that there is no apparent relationship between ENSO and the interannual variability of EAJS core. The EAJS and ENSO are associated with distinctly different patterns of atmospheric circulation and SST in the Asian-Pacific regions. While ENSO causes major climate signals in the Tropics and over the North Pacific east of the dateline, the EAJS produces significant changes in the atmospheric circulation over East Asia and western Pacific. In particular, the EAJS explains larger variance of the interannual signals of the East Asian trough, the Asian continental high, the Aleutian low, and the East Asian winter monsoon. When the EAJS is strong, all these atmospheric systems intensify significantly. The response of surface temperature and precipitation to EAJS variability and ENSO is more complex. In general, the East Asian winter climate is cold (warm) and dry (wet) when the EAJS is strong (weak) and it is warm during El Nino years. However, different climate signals are found during different La Nina years. In terms of linear correlation, both the temperature and precipitation of northern China, Korea, and central Japan are more significantly associated with the EAJS than with ENSO.
The D1CT-7 mouse model of Tourette syndrome displays sensorimotor gating deficits in response to spatial confinement.

Background and purpose The D1CT-7 mouse is one of the best known animal models of Tourette syndrome (TS), featuring spontaneous tic-like behaviours sensitive to standard TS therapies; these characteristics ensure a high face and predictive validity of this model, yet its construct validity remains elusive. To address this issue, we studied the responses of D1CT-7 mice to two critical components of TS pathophysiology: the exacerbation of tic-like behaviours in response to stress and the presence of sensorimotor gating deficits, which are thought to reflect the perceptual alterations causing the tics. Experimental approach D1CT-7 and wild-type (WT) littermates were subjected to a 20 min session of spatial confinement (SC) within an inescapable, 10 cm wide cylindrical enclosure. Changes in plasma corticosterone levels, tic-like behaviours and other spontaneous responses were measured. SC-exposed mice were also tested for the prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the startle response (a sensorimotor gating index) and other TS-related behaviours, including open-field locomotion, novel object exploration and social interaction and compared with non-confined counterparts. Key results SC produced a marked increase in corticosterone concentrations in both D1CT-7 and WT mice. In D1CT-7, but not WT mice, SC exacerbated tic-like and digging behaviours, and triggered PPI deficits and aggressive responses. Conversely, SC did not modify locomotor activity or novel object exploration in D1CT-7 mice. Both tic-like behaviours and PPI impairments in SC-exposed D1CT-7 mice were inhibited by standard TS therapies and D1 dopamine receptor antagonism. Conclusions and implications These findings collectively support the translational and construct validity of D1CT-7 mice with respect to TS. Linked articles This article is part of a themed section on Updating Neuropathology and Neuropharmacology of Monoaminergic Systems. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v173.13/issuetoc.
Not there yet: the classification of communication in cerebral palsy.

Creating and validating a simple, reliable system to classify the communication skills of individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) continues to elude us. The Surveillance of Cerebral Palsy in Europe (SCPE) network has adopted functional grading systems for motor development, cognitive development, vision, hearing, and epilepsy that can be reliably administered by researchers, health professionals, and caregivers. 1 These domain-specific rating scales are designed to provide epidemiological and etiological data, facilitate research, and help with planning services for children with CP. However, there remains one glaring gap in the SCPE network-adopted classification systems, and that is in the area of classifying communication. The Viking Speech Scale (VSS) is an attempt to fill this communication classification gap. 2 The VSS is relatively simple, user-friendly, and adequately reliable as compared to previous systems. Unfortunately, its sole focus on speech intelligibility neglects other key elements of communication, such as the child’s ability to comprehend language or communicate using means other than speech. Too often there is an assumption that a lack of speech means a lack of communication. However, there is a wide range of communicative abilities within the nearly 30% of children with CP who are non-verbal. Using the VSS, all non-verbal children would be classified as level IV, which indicates their verbal skill level but provides no data on what the child is able to understand or communicate using alternative methods.
A faculty-driven quality initiative at the Colorado School of Mines

Although a small group of faculty at the Colorado School of Mines has been actively concerned about quality and continuous improvement issues for years, our involvement increased when we recently received a TQM curriculum implementation grant from Procter and Gamble (PG given the opportunity, faculty will be interested in ways to improve teaching and learning; faculty and students are best qualified to judge the effectiveness of their courses and effect changes; assessment is an essential part of the quality process. When we received the P&G grant, we decided to make our quality efforts curriculum centered and grassroots organized. The paper highlights what we have done and what we have learned over the past three years (1992-5) in the hope that our experience may prove valuable to others, especially teaching faculty, who are interested in incorporating TQM concepts into their classrooms but who have little previous experience.
ENDOGENOUS SUBSTRATES FOR cAMP-DEPENDENT PHOSPHORYLATION IN DISPERSED BOVINE PARATHYROID CELLS

Agonists that increase intracellular cAMP in bovine parathyroid cells ((l)-isoproterenol (ISO), dopatnine, prostaglandin E2) as well as cAMP analogs (dibutyryl cAMP and 8-bromo-cAMP) stimulated the phosphorylation of 2 endogenous proteins with apparent molecular weights of 19K and 15K. The time course and concentration-dependence of ISO-stimulated phosphorylation in these cells correlated well with known effects of ISO on intracellular cAMP and PTH release. ISO-stimulated phosphorylation of these two proteins was rapidly reversed by (l)-propranolol. Although 2 mM extracellular calcium inhibited ISO-stimulated PTH secretion, it did not significantly affect the phosphorylation of the 19K and 15K bands. These results are consistent with a physiologic role for the phosphorylation of these proteins in agonist-stimulated PTH secretion in bovine parathyroid cells.
Hyper-raman spectra of methane, ethane and ethylene in gas phase

Abstract We report here observations of laser-induced non-linear light scattering, both elastic and inelastic (hyper-Raman), from methane, ethane and ethylene. Observations on several other molecules, mainly substituted methanes and ethanes, will be reported elsewhere.
Lack of Genic Diversity Within and Among Populations of an Endangered Plant, Howellia aquatilis

: Howellia aquatilis (Campanulaceae) is a rare aquatic plant considered endangered throughout its range in the Pacific Northwest. Howellia appears to have a narrow ecological amplitude, occurring only in temporary ponds suwounded by trees. Anatomical observations of developing flowers indicate a restrictive breeding system approaching obligate self-fertilization. We used protein electrophoresis to examine the genetic structure of four populations from throughout the range of species. Eight enzymes encoded by 18 putative loci showed no variation, either within or among populations. Howellia's small ecological amplitude and lack of genetic variability lead us to believe that the species is prone to extinction A conservation strategy for this species should include protection of ponds that are currently inhabited by Howellia as well as ponds that will become appropriate habitat in the future. To insure against large-scale environmental perturbations, multiple pond clusters throughout the range of the species should be protected. Resumen: La Howellia Aquatilis (Campanulaceae) es una planta acuatica poco comun, considerada en peligro de extincion a lo largo de su rango en el noroeste del Pacifico. La Howellia parece tener una estrecha amplitud ecologica encontrandose solamente en pozas temporales rodeadas de arboles. Observaciones anatomicas sobre el proceso del desarrollo de las flores indican un sistema restringido de reproduceon cercano a una auto fertilizacion autogama obligada Hemos usado electroforesis proteica para exarninar la estructura genetica de cuatro poblaciones a lo largo del rango de la especie. Ocho enzimas codificadas por medico de dieciocho loci putativos no presentaron variacion, tanto dentro como entre poblaciones. La reducida amplitud ecologica y la falta de variabilidad genetica nos hace creer que estas especies son propensas a su extincion La estrategia a seguir para la conservacion de estas especies debe incluir la proteccion de las pozas que esten actualmente habitadas por Howellias y tambien de aquellas pozas que puedan ser habitat adecuado en un futuro. Para prevenirse contra perturb baciones medio ambientales de gran escala, numerosas agrupaciones de pozas a lo largo de su rango deberian ser protegidas.
The Use of Impregnated Filters to Collect Traces Of Gases in the Atmosphere I. Suitability of Membrane Filters

Abstract The value, significance and advantages of the use of impregnated membrane filters as collectors for traces of gases in the atmosphere are described. An experimental test set-up for evaluating flow rates was used to show that the Adzumi flow equation describes the flow of gas through a membrane filter. Equations are developed to describe the flow rate as a function of the pressure drop across the filter and to describe the porosity as a function of pore size. Considerations of the theoretical molecular collisions with the wall are shown to indicate practicability of the use of membrane filters as efficient gas collectors.
Adiabatic invariance with first integrals of motion

The construction of a microthermodynamic formalism for isolated systems based on the concept of adiabatic invariance is an old but seldom appreciated effort in the literature, dating back at least to P. Hertz [Ann. Phys. (Leipzig) 33, 225 (1910)]. An apparently independent extension of such formalism for systems bearing additional first integrals of motion was recently proposed by Hans H. Rugh [Phys. Rev. E 64, 055101 (2001)], establishing the concept of adiabatic invariance even in such singular cases. After some remarks in connection with the formalism pioneered by Hertz, it will be suggested that such an extension can incidentally explain the success of a dynamical method for computing the entropy of classical interacting fluids, at least in some potential applications where the presence of additional first integrals cannot be ignored.
Heat (Mass) Transfer for Circular Jet Impingement on a Confined Disk With Annular Collection of the Spent Air

Heat (mass) transfer experiments have been performed for a single circular jet impinging perpendicular to a confined disk, with the spent air being collected in an annulus which surrounds the jet delivery tube. This configuration provides precise control of the surface area affected by the impinging jet and also assures complete collection of the spent air. During the course of the experiments, parametric variations were made of the dimensionless separation distance between the jet origin and the impingement disk, of the ratio of disk diameter to the jet diameter, and of the Reynolds number. It was found that the heat (mass) transfer coefficient at the impingement surface increased substantially with a decrease in the jet diameter. Furthermore, for the smaller diameter jet, there was an optimum separation distance at which a maximum value of the heat (mass) transfer coefficient was achieved. For a jet of larger diameter, the transfer coefficient decreased monotonically as the separation distance increased.
Clinical Experience with Cefotaxime in the Treatment of Patients with Bacteremia

Seventy-three of 129 patients with bacteremia were observed for their responses to cefotaxime therapy. The clinical response to treatment with cefotaxime was satisfactory in 68 (93%) of the 73 patients. The bacteriologic response was satisfactory in 64 (92.7%) of the 69 patients with bacteriologic evidence of bacteremia. One hundred twenty-nine patients were observed for adverse reactions. Four patients had adverse reactions serious enough to warrant discontinuation of therapy, and three patients developed superinfections.
Grazing by 35 to 202 μm micro-zooplankton in Long Island Sound

Micro-zooplankton abundance in Long Island Sound varied from 103 to 104 animals l-1 at the station studied and consisted almost entirely of tintinnids. The micro-zooplankton were found to sometimes remove a significant portion of the chlorophyll a standing stock, with an upper limit of 41% of the standing stock being ingested per day. Observed ingestion rates ranged from 0.001 to 0.17 ng chlorophyll a removed animal-1 h-1 and from 0.06 to 87 cells removed animal-1 h-1, depending on season and type of cell being ingested. Filtering rates varied from 1.03 to 84.7 μl animal-1 h-1. As a community, the micro-zooplankton exhibited the same order of magnitude ingestion and filtering rates as those noted for copepods.
Role of transthyretin in the transport of thyroxine from the blood to the choroid plexus, the cerebrospinal fluid, and the brain.

T4 is bound to transthyretin (TTR; 75%) and albumin (Alb; 25%) in rat serum and only to TTR in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In addition to the liver, TTR is synthesized in large amounts in the choroid plexus and then secreted into the CSF, suggesting that serum T4 could be transported to the CSF and brain via the choroid plexus. We determined whether serum T4 bound to TTR is transported into the choroid plexus and CSF. N-Bromoacetyl-L-[125I]T4, a derivative of T4 that binds covalently to TTR, was used as the affinity label for the T4-binding site on TTR. Rats were injected with [125I]T4, acetyl-[125I]T4 covalently bound to human TTR ([125I]T4Ac.human hTTR), or acetyl-[125I]T4 covalently bound to human Alb ([125I]T4Ac.hAlb). The quantities of [125I]T4Ac.hTTR and [125I]T4Ac.hAlb present in the choroid plexus, CSF, and brain 90 min later were barely detectable. In contrast, [125I]T4 injected as the unbound form accumulated in the choroid plexus and CSF to levels 6-11 times higher than with [125I]T4Ac.hTTR (P less than 0.005). We then used a synthetic flavonoid (EMD) that competitively inhibits binding of T4 to serum TTR and transiently increases serum free T4 to determine the role of choroid plexus TTR and CSF TTR in the transport of T4 from serum to brain. Rats were given 110 microCi [125I]T4 15 min after the injection of vehicle, a low (0.3 mumol/100 g BW) or high dose of EMD (2.0 mumol/100 g BW). Rats were killed 60 min later. In serum, the percentage of [125I]T4 bound to TTR decreased and free T4 increased similarly in the low and high dose EMD-treated rats. In contrast, the percentage of [125I]T4 bound to TTR in choroid plexus and, subsequently, CSF was significantly decreased in rats given the high dose of EMD, but was not affected by the low dose of EMD, suggesting that in high doses, EMD crossed from serum to choroid plexus and CSF and occupied TTR-binding sites for T4. There was a significant decrease (P less than 0.05) in the percentage of injected [125I]T4 in the high dose vs. the low dose EMD-treated rats in total choroid plexus (61%), 1 ml CSF (94%), and 1 g cerebral cortex (46%) and cerebellum (46%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Detecting density variations and nanovoids

A combination of simulated and experimental data has been used to investigate the size range of nanovoids that can be detected in atom probe tomography data. Simulated atom probe tomography data have revealed that nanovoids as small as 1 nm in diameter can be detected in atom probe tomography data with the use of iso-density surfaces. Iso-density surfaces may be used to quantify the size, morphology and number density of nanovoids and other variations in density in atom probe tomography data. Experimental data from an aluminum-yttrium-iron metallic glass ribbon have revealed the effectiveness of this approach. Combining iso-density surfaces with atom maps also permits the segregation of solute to the nanovoids to be investigated. Field ion microscopy and thin section atom maps have also been used to detect pores and larger voids.
Thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidinedione derivatives as antibacterial agents

Several thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidinediones have been synthesized and examined for antibacterial activity against a range of gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens. Two compounds displayed potent activity (2-16 mg/L) against multi-drug resistant gram-positive organisms, including methicillin resistant, vancomycin-intermediate, vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA, VISA, VRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). Only one of these agents possessed moderate activity (16-32 mg/L) against gram-negative strains. An examination of the cytotoxicity of these agents revealed that they displayed low toxicity (40-50 mg/L) against mammalian cells and very low hemolytic activity (2-7%). Taken together, these studies suggest that thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidinediones are interesting scaffolds for the development of novel gram-positive antibacterial agents.
Direct method for imaging elemental distribution profiles with long-period x-ray standing waves

A model-independent Fourier-inversion method for imaging elemental profiles from multilayer and total-external reflection x-ray standing wave (XSW) data is developed for the purpose of understanding the assembly of atoms, ions, and molecules at well-defined interfaces in complex environments. The direct-method formalism is derived for the case of a long-period XSW generated by low-angle specular reflection in an attenuating overlayer medium. It is validated through comparison with simulated and experimental data to directly obtain an elemental distribution contained within the overlayer. We demonstrate this formalism by extracting the one-dimensional profile of Ti normal to the surface for a ${\text{TiO}}_{2}/\text{Si}/\text{Mo}$ trilayer deposited on a Si substrate using the $\text{Ti}\text{ }K\ensuremath{\alpha}$ fluorescence yield measured in air and under an aqueous electrolyte. The model-independent results demonstrate reduced coherent fractions for the in situ results associated with an incoherency of the x-ray beam (which are attributed to fluorescence excitation by diffusely or incoherently scattered x-rays). The uniqueness and limitations of the approach are discussed.
Identification and Characterization of Adolescents’ Sexual Boundaries

Purpose Adolescents’ decisions to have sex may be based on a priori boundaries placed on sex. This study addresses: (1) to what extent adolescents set vaginal sexual boundaries; (2) the types of sexual boundaries most and least likely to be endorsed; and (3) to what extent sexual boundaries vary by sex, race/ethnicity, and sexual experience.
Experiences developing tools for developers (invited talk)

Software Engineers are horrible customers for software tools. If they don't like your tools, they will just write their own. If your tool wastes a few minutes of a developer's day, good luck getting them to ever try your tool again. And if, after years of effort, you manage to develop tools they actually like, you are really in trouble. This is when they start building systems on top of your tools. No API? No problem! They will hack and scrape as needed to get their job done. In this talk I'll go through a number of examples of successes, non-successes and over-successes from the past 8 years of evolving the developer infrastructure at Google. I'll highlight the challenges we faced, our attempts to address the challenges and share our lessons learned.
CO desorption and adsorption on Pt(111)

Abstract The kinetics of the desorption of CO from a Pt(111) crystal between 419 and 505 K is reported using a Low-Energy Molecular-Beam-Scattering (LEMS) technique with a helium probe beam and a CO dosing beam. The resulting first-order Arrhenius rate constant is k = 2.7 × 10 13 exp(−31.1 kcal mole · RT) s −1 . We also report a study of the equilibriumadsorbed CO between 400 and 600 K using LEMS. These results, fitted to a Temkin isotherm model, indicate that the adsorption energy decreases linearly with surface coverage with the average value equal to 31.1 + 1.2 kcal mole over the coverage range 0
Some Problems of Tradeoff When the Standby Units and Operating Units of a Redundant System Have Different Probabilities of Success

This note considers a redundant system in which the standby units may have a different probability of success than the operating units for a given mission profile. A model is developed so that one can calculate the system reliability for the mission. Furthermore, for the case where reliabilities (probabilities of mission success) of the standby units can be related to the cost of these units, a tradeoff study is made in a few special cases to determine the optimum number of standby components (in the sense of maximizing system reliability) to be installed when there is a fixed sum of money available for the installation of standby units.
Dry-bed training: rapid elimination of childhood enuresis.

Abstract Enuresis has been treated with moderate effectiveness by the urine-alarm method which requires many weeks of training. The present procedure used a urine-alarm apparatus but added such features as training in inhibiting urination, positive reinforcement for correct urinations, training in rapid awakening, increased fluid intake, increased social motivation to be nonenuretic, self-correction of accidents, and practice in toileting. After one all-night training session, the 24 enuretic children averaged only two bedwettings before achieving fourteen consecutive dry nights and had no major relapses. Little or no reduction in bedwetting occurred within the first two weeks for matched-control enuretics who were given the standard urine-alarm training. The results of a control-procedure showed that the new procedure did not involve Pavlovian conditioning. The new method appears to be a more rapid, effective and different type of treatment for enuresis.