cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Health Care Disparities Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors in Resident Physicians.

Purpose Health care disparities are an important but sometimes underrepresented topic in graduate medical education. In this study we measured the impact of educational and behavioral interventions on resident knowledge about and attitudes toward health care disparities. Methods Faculty from 6 residency programs designed and presented an hour-long educational intervention to emphasize the importance of and increase resident knowledge about health care disparities. Selected residents then helped design a month-long behavioral intervention to engage their peers in conversations about disparities with patients. Surveys were administered pre- and post-educational intervention as well as post-behavioral intervention in order to measure the impact each intervention had on resident knowledge and attitudes. Results Paired-samples t-tests showed that residents were more knowledgeable about health care disparities issues following didactic teaching (P<0.001) and felt such issues were more important (P<0.001). Furthermore, presence of these feelings significantly predicted the frequency of engaging in the behavioral intervention (r=0.44, P<0.01). Conclusions Two brief, simple interventions produced significant changes in resident knowledge, attitudes and behaviors regarding health care disparities. The educational intervention was most effective at increasing knowledge of disparities in general and encouraging participation in the behavioral intervention, while the behavioral intervention was useful in increasing knowledge of specific patients' barriers to care.
A data-driven approach for extracting "the most specific term" for ontology development.

We present a data-driven approach to extract the “most specific” terms relevant to an ontology of functioning, disability and health. The algorithm is a combination of statistical and linguistic approaches. The statistical filter is based on the frequency of the content words in a given text string; the linguistic heuristic is an extension of existing algorithms but goes beyond noun phrases and is formulated as a “complete syntactic node”. Thus, it can be applied to any syntactic node of interest in the particular domain. Two test sets were marked by three experts. Test set 1 is a well-constructed text from pain abstracts; test set 2 is actual medical reports. Results are reported as recall, precision, F-score and rate of valid terms in false positives. A limitation of the current research is the relatively small test set.
Subtropical hydroclimate during Termination V (∼430-422 ka): Annual records of extreme precipitation, drought, and interannual variability from Santa Barbara Basin

Abstract Hydroclimate extremes are expected to become more frequent and intense with anthropogenic climate forcing, but future El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) behavior is unclear. Understanding of extreme hydroclimate variability and magnitude prior to human-influences is limited by short instrumental records, however, continuous sedimentary archives of past hydroclimate variability can complement and extend these records. Laminated Santa Barbara Basin (SBB) sediment cores MV0508-33JPC, −21JPC, and −29JPC preserve annually-resolved, multi-centennial-scale precipitation records from Termination V (T V ), the transition from glacial Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 12 to interglacial MIS 11 at 424 ka. These records provide insights into the subtropical hydroclimate response to warming. Foraminiferal δ 18 O variations indicate rapid warming and/or salinity changes, and were used to verify the T V age assignment. A paleoprecipitation proxy was developed using the first principal component of scanning XRF elemental counts (PC1), which has high loadings for siliciclastic sediment-associated elements K, Ti, and Si. Sedimentary laminae couplets identified in PC1 were annually-tuned to investigate T V paleoprecipitation variability, as modern SBB laminae represent annual deposits. Extreme flooding and decadal-to-centennial droughts were identified, with magnitudes exceeding modern observations. ENSO-like (2–7 year) paleoprecipitation periodicities coincide with wetter intervals, but ENSO variability is reduced during droughts. A 1500-year arid interval may be related to poleward shifting of general atmospheric circulation as ice sheets melted, such that the subtropical dry zone intersected California. Southern California paleoprecipitation reconstructions from past warm climates provide insight into precipitation variability and magnitude on interannual timescales, and can reduce uncertainties in predictions of interannual climate, including ENSO.
P-HYDROXYBENZOATE ETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE COPOLYESTER - STRUCTURE OF HIGH-MELTING CRYSTALS FORMED DURING PARTIALLY MOLTEN STATE ANNEALING

Abstract A liquid crystalline poly(ethylene terephthalate)/4-hydroxybenzoic acid (PET/HBA) copolyester forms high-melting crystals (recrystallizes) when annealed in the partially molten state above its nominal melting temperature (d.s.c. peak). The dynamic mechanical moduli increase by one order of magnitude within 3 h. The new melting temperature appears ∼ 20 K above the recrystallization temperature. An additional equatorial WAXS reflection appears at d ∼ 3.77 A and is typical for a HBA-rich ordered phase. During recrystallization, the long HBA sequences in the copolymer chains are believed to match the unmolten highly ordered HBA crystallites which act as nuclei, and thus, crystal growting is induced. Partial melting provides for the presence of residual highly ordered crystallites and molecular mobility and is a necessary condition for the formation of high-melting crystals. If residual crystallites are eliminated by preheating to a higher temperature, isothermal annealing at the same temperature does not lead to recrystallization. The formation of the high-melting crystals can be thermally reversed by temporarily heating the samples to 300°C for ∼ 1 min. This suggests that the observed phenomena are of a physical nature, and if chemical changes did occur, they had no noticeable effect on rheology, WAXS or d.s.c.
Optical and Optoelectronic Interconnection Networks

Several interconnection networks that are either wholly optical or combine optical and elctronic interconnect technology have been proposed recently for use in parallel computers. The more popular of these newly proposed interconnection networks may be classified as (1) networks that employ static pipelined optical buses, (2) networks that employ dynamically reconfigurable optical buses, (3) networks that employ the passive star network, and (4) optoelectronic interconnection networks that employ the optical transpose interconnect system. In this chapter, we provide the topology and properties of these networks. We also provide a few basic algorithms for parallel computers that employ these interconnection networks.
Mining Aspect-Specific Opinions from Online Reviews Using a Latent Embedding Structured Topic Model

Online reviews often contain user’s specific opinions on aspects (features) of items. These opinions are very useful to merchants and customers, but manually extracting them is time-consuming. Several topic models have been proposed to simultaneously extract item aspects and user’s opinions on the aspects, as well as to detect sentiment associated with the opinions. However, existing models tend to find poor aspect-opinion associations when limited examples of the required word co-occurrences are available in corpus. These models often also assign incorrect sentiment to words. In this paper, we propose a Latent embedding structured Opinion mining Topic model, called the LOT, which can simultaneously discover relevant aspect-level specific opinions from small or large numbers of reviews and to assign accurate sentiment to words. Experimental results for topic coherence, document sentiment classification, and a human evaluation all show that our proposed model achieves significant improvements over several state-of-the-art baselines.
Systematic Framework for Implementation of Material Traceability into Continuous Pharmaceutical Tablet Manufacturing Process

With the applications of more advanced manufacturing technologies being applied to the pharmaceutical industry, continuous processes are at the forefront of innovation. One area that is highly desired to be systematically investigated is material traceability in continuous manufacturing systems. By following federal guidelines already in place, the goal was to address the issue of material traceability in a continuous direct compression tablet manufacturing process. The residence time distribution (RTD) method has been used for material traceability in continuous pharmaceutical tablet manufacturing process. Utilizing the minimum and maximum residence times for the continuous line pre-production, raw material batch changes that occur during feeder refill can be traced at the outlet of the process. MATLAB programing was used to develop software prototype to trace material components. Developed framework for implementation of material traceability into continuous manufacturing pilot-plant. To demonstrate the application of this framework, a software prototype was developed, which allows the operator to input residence time attributes for each component in the formulation. Using the minimum and maximum residence time values for that component, the lot number is incremented when the change in material batch is predicted to be present in the tablets at the outlet. The tablet lot number is recorded by the control system in real-time. Developed framework and corresponding software allows the material traceability to be fully accounted for during a continuous drug product manufacturing process. A proof of concept was created to demonstrate feasibility of such a system, which has a wide range of applications.
Vitamin D Binding Protein and Complement Factor C5a Influence Neutrophil Chemotaxis Following HSCT

Background Vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) is an abundant protein in human serum, related to albumin and alpha-fetoprotein. The VDBP gene is polymorphic, with three major alleles (Gc1F, Gc1S and Gc2) and four frequent genotypes. These genotype differences effect the glycosylation state of the molecule. VDBP has many diverse functions in addition to transporting vitamin D, and only about 4% of VDBP is bound to vitamin D at any one time. Acute inflammation leading to graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) may involve chemotaxis of leukocytes into damaged tissue mediated by chemotactic factors. Complement activation peptide C5a is a potent chemoattractant and together with VDBP has been shown to markedly enhance the motility of leukocytes. In previous work, we have shown that VDBP levels are significantly lower in those with acute GVHD (p=0.026), and 1-year NRM (p=0.03). Here we have reproduced these data analyzing serum from Day 100 post-HSCT with a new 110 patient cohort. Acute GVHD was reduced in those with VDBP levels above the median at Day 100 (0.03 v 0.18, p=0.037). 1-year NRM cumulative incidence (0.02 vs 0.2, p=0.002) was similarly reduced in those with VDBP levels above the median at Day 100, in agreement with our previous findings. In an effort to identify mechanisms whereby VDBP improves survival, we hypothesized that higher levels of VDBP will have a beneficial effect on neutrophil chemotaxis following HSCT. Previous VDBP animal model studies show chemotaxis of neutrophils to lung injuries can exacerbate pulmonary inflammation, but too little chemotaxis and the animals can succumb to infection. Here we observe a similar paradoxical effect with VDBP and chemotaxis. Methods VDBP was measured in serum at Day 100 in 110 transplant recipients using a polyclonal VDBP ELISA. Genotypes were determined by Taqman allele discrimination. Neutrophils from whole blood were negatively enriched from a normal adult donor and incubated in 10% patient serum in HBSS for 1 hr. For modified Transwell assay, put 4 × 105 cells in a 3-um-pore, 12-mm-diameter Transwell and place on top of 20 nM C5a in HBSS in a fibrinogen coated 12-well plate. Allow neutrophils to migrate for 2 hrs then count cells by hemocytometer. Results VDBP levels above the median at Day 100 were associated with significantly lower cumulative incidence of both NRM and GVHD 1-year post transplant (Fig 1 & 2). High levels of VDBP in patients with GcS1/GcS1 genotype decelerate chemotaxis towards a C5a bait. However, VDBP of a similar level but different genotype gives contrasting results; high VDBP levels with a GcS1/Gc2 genotype increase chemotaxis (Fig 3). Conclusions Our data demonstrate that VDBP-containing serum from children post-BMT modifies chemotaxis, potentially in a genotype dependent manner. We are extending our studies to test additional samples and genotypes. Moreover, we are exploring the effect of VDBP genotype on other transplant outcomes.
Radar and Lidar Sensing of Aerosols, Clouds, and Precipitation

Radars and lidars estimate characteristics of atmospheric particles, namely, aerosol, clouds and precipitation at various temporal and spatial scales. Radars and lidars are active remote sensing instruments. The sensitivity of these instruments for detecting atmospheric particles is proportional to the concentration and average size of the particles.
A semi-automated pipeline for fulfillment of resource requests from a longitudinal Alzheimer's disease registry.

Objective Managing registries with continual data collection poses challenges, such as following reproducible research protocols and guaranteeing data accessibility. The University of Kansas (KU) Alzheimer's Disease Center (ADC) maintains one such registry: Curated Clinical Cohort Phenotypes and Observations (C3PO). We created an automated and reproducible process by which investigators have access to C3PO data. Materials and methods Data was input into Research Electronic Data Capture. Monthly, data part of the Uniform Data Set (UDS), that is data also collected at other ADCs, was uploaded to the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC). Quarterly, NACC cleaned, curated, and returned the UDS to the KU Data Management and Statistics (DMS) Core, where it was stored in C3PO with other quarterly curated site-specific data. Investigators seeking to utilize C3PO submitted a research proposal and requested variables via the publicly accessible and searchable data dictionary. The DMS Core used this variable list and an automated SAS program to create a subset of C3PO. Results C3PO contained 1913 variables stored in 15 datasets. From 2017 to 2018, 38 data requests were completed for several KU departments and other research institutions. Completing data requests became more efficient; C3PO subsets were produced in under 10 seconds. Discussion The data management strategy outlined above facilitated reproducible research practices, which is fundamental to the future of research as it allows replication and verification to occur. Conclusion We created a transparent, automated, and efficient process of extracting subsets of data from a registry where data was changing daily.
A novel experimental method in connecting the trans- and gauche-states of Ethanol to high accuracy using synchrotron radiation spectrum through torsionally excited state transitions

Abstract In this report the initial results of a breakthrough and novel method to energetically connect the lowest-lying trans- (e0) and the gauche- (e1 and o1) states of Ethyl Alcohol. It is well known that the transitions between the trans- and gauche states in the ground internal rotational levels for OH torsion are forbidden due to symmetry considerations. This presented a considerable challenge to model the Hamiltonian for this molecule on a global basis and the most successful model required these two states to be treated separately as if the trans- and gauche- states represent two different molecules. The present communication reports for the very first time the method to energetically connect the trans- sub-states and the gauche sub-states with experimental accuracy. This would open a new vista to theoretical spectroscopists for a global model with both types of symmetry. The novel method has been conceived recently with the availability of high-resolution far-infrared (FIR) with very little noise. The spectroscopic idea behind the approach is presented here using a few representative states in the form of a rapid publication. The details are in progress and will be commutated in a future report.
Prefrontal-motor and somatosensory-motor cortical network interactions during reactive balance are associated with distinct aspects of balance behavior in older adults

Abstract Heightened reliance on the cerebral cortex for postural stability with aging is well-known, yet the cortical dynamics of balance control, particularly in relationship to balance function, is unclear. Here we aimed to investigate motor cortical activity in relationship to the level of balance challenge presented during reactive balance recovery, and identify circuit-specific interactions between motor cortex and prefrontal or somatosensory regions to metrics of balance function that predict fall risk. Using electroencephalography, we assessed motor cortical beta power, and beta coherence during balance reactions to perturbations in older adults. We found that individuals with greater somatosensory-motor beta coherence at baseline and lower beta power evoked over motor regions following perturbations demonstrated higher general clinical balance function. At the group-level, beta coherence between prefrontal-motor regions reduced during balance reactions. Older adults with the highest post-perturbation prefrontal-motor coherence showed greater cognitive dual-task interference and elicited stepping reactions at lower perturbation magnitudes. Our results support motor cortical beta activity as a potential biomarker for individual level of balance challenge and implicate prefrontal-and somatosensory-motor cortical networks in different aspects of balance control in older adults. Cortical network activity during balance may provide a neural target for precision-medicine efforts aimed at fall-prevention with aging.
Immunofluorescence studies for myosin, α-actinin and tropomyosin in developing hearts of normal and cardiac lethal mutant Mexican axolotls, Ambystoma mexicanum

Recessive mutant gene c in axolotl embryos results in an absence of normal heart function. Immunofluorescence studies were done to determine the distributions of myosin, tropomyosin and alpha-actinin in the hearts of normal and mutant siblings. Anti-myosin specifically stains the A bands of myofibrils in normal hearts and reveals a progressive increase in myofibril organization with development. Mutant hearts display less staining for myosin than normal and localization is mainly in amorphous collections. Anti-alpha-actinin stains the Z lines of myofibrils in normal myocytes. Mutant cells also have significant staining for alpha-actinin but show no striations. Antitropomyosin intensely stains the I bands of myofibrils in normal cells; however, there is very little staining for tropomyosin in mutant hearts. Thus, mutant myocardial cells have reduced but significant amounts of actin (Lemanski, Mooseker, Peachey & Iyengar, 1976) and myosin, even though non-filamentous, and substantial amounts of alpha-actinin. The cells appear to contain little tropomyosin.
The limitless applications of single-cell metabolomics

Single-cell metabolomics (SCM) is currently one of the most powerful tools for performing high-throughput metabolic analysis at the cellular level. The power of single-cell metabolomics to determine the metabolic profiles of individual cells makes it very suitable for decoding cell heterogeneity. SCM bears great potential in cell type identification and differentiation within cell colonies. With the development of various equipment and techniques, SCM analysis has become possible for a wide range of biological samples. Many fields have incorporated this cutting-edge analytic tool to generate fruitful findings. This review article pays close attention to the prevalent techniques utilized in SCM and the exciting new findings and applications developed by studies in phytology, neurology, and oncology using SCM.
Claiming membership: boundaries, positionality, US citizenship, and what it means to be American

How do immigrant-origin residents claim membership in the United States? Chinese, Vietnamese and Mexican-origin parents and their citizen teenagers were asked what it means to be a good citizen and...
Positive Serum Screening for Fetal Down Syndrome Does Not Predict Adverse Pregnancy Outcome in Absence of Fetal Aneuploidy

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine whether false-positive maternal serum screening for fetal Down syndrome is predictive of poor pregnancy outcome. METHODS The pregnancy outcomes of 99 women having positive serum screening for fetal Down syndrome (study group)--based upon maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP), unconjugated estriol (uE3), hCG, and maternal age--were compared to the outcomes of matched control patients having negative serum screening results (control group). The outcome indices analyzed were fetal death, intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), preeclampsia, and fetal anomalies. RESULTS Between the study group and the control group, there were no statistically significant differences in pregnancy outcome with respect to fetal death, IUGR, preeclampsia, or fetal anomalies. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate no apparent increase in the adverse perinatal outcomes analyzed in women having unexplained positive serum screening for fetal Down syndrome. Although further investigation is needed, these results provide no evidence to support increased antepartum surveillance in such patients.
A PROTOTYPE FOUR INCH SHORT HYDRIDE (FISH) BED AS A REPLACEMENT TRITIUM STORAGE BED

The Savannah River Site (SRS) tritium facilities have used 1st generation (Gen1) metal hydride storage bed assemblies with process vessels (PVs) fabricated from 3 inch nominal pipe size (NPS) pipe to hold up to 12.6 kg of LaNi{sub 4.25}Al{sub 0.75} metal hydride for tritium gas absorption, storage, and desorption for over 15 years. The 2nd generation (Gen2) of the bed design used the same NPS for the PV, but the added internal components produced a bed nominally 1.2 m long, and presented a significant challenge for heater cartridge replacement in a footprint limited glove-box. A prototype 3rd generation (Gen3) metal hydride storage bed has been designed and fabricated as a replacement candidate for the Gen2 storage bed. The prototype Gen3 bed uses a PV pipe diameter of 4 inch NPS so the bed length can be reduced below 0.7 m to facilitate heater cartridge replacement. For the Gen3 prototype bed, modeling results show increased absorption rates when using hydrides with lower absorption pressures. To improve absorption performance compared to the Gen2 beds, a LaNi{sub 4.15}Al{sub 0.85} material was procured and processed to obtain the desired pressure-composition-temperature (PCT) properties. Other bed design improvements are also presented.
The man born of a tree: a mixtec origin myth

El investigador presenta un mito cosmogonico transcrito en Santa Cruz Mixtepec, Distrito de Juxtlahuaca, Oaxaca. Un hombre, despues de haber tenido relaciones sexuales con un arbol, nota que el arbol se va abultando. Depues nace del arbol sagrado un hombrecito llamado Catorce Fuerza. Este mito se relaciona con la escena del nacimiento del pueblo mixteco pintada en el folio 37 del Codice Vindobonense .
Identification of the vaccinia virus mRNA guanyltransferase active site lysine.

The vaccinia virus mRNA capping enzyme is a heterodimeric protein containing subunits of 97 and 33 kDa, the products of genes D1R and D12L, respectively. The enzyme catalyzes the first three reactions in the mRNA cap formation pathway: mRNA triphosphatase, guanyltransferase and (guanine-7-)methyltransferase. The guanyltransferase reaction proceeds by way of a covalent enzyme GMP (E-GMP) intermediate (Shuman, S. and Hurwitz, J. (1981) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78, 187-191) in which the GMP is linked to the large subunit through a lysine residue (Toyama, R., Mizumoto, K., Nakahara, Y., Tatsuno, T., and Kaziro, Y. (1983) Eur. J. Biochem. 2, 2195-2201; Roth, M. J., and Hurwitz, J. (1984) J. Biol Chem. 259, 13488-13494). In order to identify the map position of the guanyltransferase active site lysine residue, high specific activity [32P]E-GMP was prepared. Digestion of the E-GMP with hydroxylamine at pH 9.5 yielded a 31-kDa radioactive fragment derived from amino acids 1-273. Cleavage of E-GMP with cyanogen bromide produced a radioactive peptide of 14 kDa corresponding to amino acids 242-365. Lysine residues are found at positions 244 and 260. Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease digestion of cyanogen bromide-cleaved E-GMP yields a radioactive product of about 5 kDa in molecular mass corresponding to the peptide generated by cleavage at glutamic acid residues 253 and 297, demonstrating that lysine 260 is the site of linkage of GMP.
From Multiple Stereo Views to Multiple 3-D Surfaces

We present a framework for 3-dimensional surface reconstruction that can be used to model fully 3-D scenes from an arbitrary number of stereo views taken from vastly different viewpoints. This is a key step toward producing 3-D world-descriptions of complex scenes using stereo and is a very challenging problem: real-world scenes tend to contain many 3-D objects, they do not usually conform to the 2-1/2-D assumption made by traditional algorithms, and one cannot take it for granted that the computed 3-D points can easily be clustered into separate groups. Furthermore, stereo data is often incomplete and sometimes erroneous, which makes the problem even more difficult. By combining a particle-based representation, robust fitting, and optimization of an image-based objective function, we have been able to reconstruct surfaces without any a priori knowledge of their topology and in spite of the noisiness of the stereo data. Our current implementation goes through three steps—initializing a set of particles from the input 3-D data, optimizing their location, and finally grouping them into global surfaces. Using several complex scenes containing multiple objects, we demonstrate the competence of this method and its ability to merge information and thus to go beyond what can be done with conventional stereo alone.
Telomere Length of Transferred Lymphocytes Correlates with In Vivo Persistence and Tumor Regression in Melanoma Patients Receiving Cell Transfer Therapy

Recent studies have indicated that adoptive immunotherapy with autologous antitumor tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) following nonmyeloablative chemotherapy mediates tumor regression in ∼50% of treated patients with metastatic melanoma, and that tumor regression is correlated with the degree of persistence of adoptively transferred T cells in peripheral blood. These findings, which suggested that the proliferative potential of transferred T cells may play a role in clinical responses, led to the current studies in which telomere length as well as phenotypic markers expressed on the administered TILs were examined. TILs that were associated with objective clinical responses following adoptive transfer possessed a mean telomere length of 6.3 kb, whereas TILs that were not associated with significant clinical responses were significantly shorter, averaging 4.9 kb (p < 0.01). Furthermore, individual TIL-derived T cell clonotypes that persisted in vivo following adoptive cell transfer possessed telomeres that were longer than telomeres of T cell clonotypes that failed to persist (6.2 vs 4.5 kb, respectively; p < 0.001). Expression of the costimulatory molecule CD28 also appeared to be associated with long telomeres and T cell persistence. These results, indicating that the telomere length of transferred lymphocytes correlated with in vivo T cell persistence following adoptive transfer, and coupled with the previous observation that T cell persistence was associated with clinical responses in this adoptive immunotherapy trial, suggest that telomere length and the proliferative potential of the transferred T cells may play a significant role in mediating response to adoptive immunotherapy.
Supporting data for the characterization of PNA-DNA four-way junctions.

Holliday or DNA four-way junctions (4WJs) are cruciform/bent structures composed of four DNA duplexes. 4WJs are key intermediates in homologous genetic recombination and double-strand break repair. To investigate 4WJs in vitro, junctions are assembled using four asymmetric DNA strands. The presence of four asymmetric strands about the junction branch point eliminates branch migration, and effectively immobilizes the resulting 4WJ. The purpose of these experiments is to show that immobile 4WJs composed of DNA and peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) can be distinguished from contaminating labile nucleic acid structures. These data compare the electrophoretic mobility of hybrid PNA–DNA junctions vs. i) a classic immobile DNA 4WJ, J1 and ii) contaminating nucleic acid structures.
Hormone Levels During Prostaglandin F2α Infusions for Therapeutic Abortion

Plasma levels of unconjugated estrone, 17β-estradiol, estriol, progesterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), and human chorionic somatomammotropin (HCS) were measured in patients 7–20 weeks pregnant receiving prostaglandin F2α infusions for therapeutic abortions. The results indicate that prostaglandin F2α a does not exert a luteolytic effect in terminating pregnancy of 7 weeks or more duration. Significant progesterone changes were not seen prior to abortion, and no effect was seen on 17-hydroxyprogesterone levels. There was a gradual decline in estradiol levels during prostaglandin F2α infusion, while significant falls were seen in estriol levels preceding any changes in estradiol or progesterone. There were no significant changes in HCG levels, while HCS levels declined during the infusion. The data do not rule out the possibility of a luteolytic effect for prostaglandin F2α in the first few weeks of pregnancy.
Reduction of dark current in photodiodes by the use of a resonant cavity

The advantages of using a resonant cavity enhancement scheme to decrease the dark current of heterojunction photodiodes are considered. It is shown that the employment of very thin absorption layers, allowed by this scheme, provides a significant reduction of the generation component of the dark current. Experimental results for InGaAs/InAlAs pin photodiodes suggest that the tunnelling component of the dark current can be also suppressed in resonant cavity enhanced photodetectors.
A sensitive method for the measurement of the novel pet endectocide, selamectin (UK-124,114), in dog and cat plasma by chemical derivatisation and high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.

Abstract An analytical method has been developed for the novel pet endectocide, selamectin (USAN, UK-124, 114), in dog and cat plasma to facilitate pharmacokinetic profiling for this compound. The method involves solid phase extraction of the compound and internal standard from plasma followed by chemical derivatisation using triethylamine and trifluoroacetic anhydride. This reaction yields a highly fluorescent product and thus provides a sensitive assay. Using a sample volume of 1.0 ml for dog plasma the assay has been validated over a concentration range of 0.2–40 ng/ml. Due to smaller plasma volumes for cat plasma samples, the assay was validated over a concentration range of 1.0–200 ng/ml using a sample volume of 0.2 ml. The analyte has been shown to be stable for 48 h at room temperature and through three freeze–thaw cycles in dog plasma. The analytical method is highly specific and proved suitable for the analysis of selamectin in dog and cat plasma samples following doses of compound by parenteral and non-parenteral routes.
Long-term complications of distal radius bone grafts.

Abstract Purpose: To assess long-term results and complications of cancellous bone graft taken from the distal radius. Methods: A total of 1,670 cases of bone graft taken from the distal radius for various indications were reviewed retrospectively. The patients were evaluated for success of bone grafting and for the following complications: fracture through donor site, local infection, DeQuervain's tenosynovitis, and neuroma of the superficial radial nerve. Results: The overall complication rate including bone graft failure within a mean follow-up period of 4.5 years was 4%. Bone graft failure required regrafting with iliac bone in 38 patients (2.3%). DeQuervain's tenosynovitis was noted in 21 patients (1.3%), local soft-tissue infection was noted in 3 patients (0.2)%, fracture through donor site was noted in 2 patients (0.1%), and superficial radial nerve neuromas were noted in 2 patients (0.1%). There were no cases of osteomyelitis. Conclusions: Bone grafting from the distal radius is effective with minimal complications and is a practical adjunct to reconstructive hand procedures.
Multi-Wavelength Intensity-Based Interferometry for Flexible Head/Medium Interfaces

An intensity-based interferometer has been developed for measuring the steady-stale separation at the flexible head/medium interface using multiple wavelength interferometry. The approach differs from previous methods in that it employs a calibration technique that does not require a mechanical load/unload procedure nor a numerical fit of the calibration envelopes. In addition, the calibration technique improves upon previous methods in its ease of use, making the measurements both more repeatable and more accurate. The measurement range of the multi-wavelength interferometer is on the order of 25–125 nm which covers the minimal head/medium separation of magnetic storage devices currently of interest. For illustration, spacing measurements at the Bernoulli head/flexible disk interface and a linear head/tape interface using the present method have been obtained and compared with previously reported monochromatic light interferometry measurements. Presented as a Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engin...
Blockade of thromboxane/endoperoxide receptor-mediated responses in the pulmonary vascular bed of the cat by sulotroban.

The effects of sulotroban (BM13.177; SK & F 95587), a thromboxane (TX) A2/endoperoxide (PGH2) receptor blocking agent on responses to the TXA2/PGH2 mimics, U46619 and U44069, were investigated in the pulmonary vascular bed of the intact-chest cat under constant flow conditions. Injections of U46619 and U44069 directly into the perfused lobar artery caused dose-related increases in lobar arterial pressure without altering left atrial pressure. Following administration of sulotroban in a dose of 5 mg/kg i.v., dose-response curves for U46619 and U44069 were shifted to the right in a parallel manner. The duration of the blocking effect of sulotroban was investigated, and responses to U46619 returned to approximately 50% of control in 120 min and were not significantly different from control 240 min after administration of the receptor antagonist. Sulotroban was without significant effect on responses to prostaglandin (PG) D2 or F2 alpha or serotonin, histamine, norepinephrine, angiotensin II or BAY K8644, an agent which enhances calcium entry. Sulotroban was without effect on responses to endothelin (ET)-1, sarafotoxin (S) 6a or S6c and platelet-activating factor (PAF). Sulotroban did not alter baseline vascular pressures in the cat and responses to the PG and TXA2/PGH2 precursor, arachidonic acid, were reduced. The present data show that sulotroban selectively blocks TXA2/PGH2 receptor-mediated responses in a competitive and reversible manner in the pulmonary vascular bed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Profiling of lens protease involved in generation of αA-66-80 crystallin peptide using an internally quenched protease substrate

Proteins of lens fiber cells are prone to accumulate extensive post-translational modifications because of very little protein turnover. Lens proteins are degraded via the lens proteolytic systems into peptides, which are subsequently hydrolyzed by downstream aminopeptidases. Inefficient degradation can lead to accumulation of protein fragments and subsequent aggregation. Previously we showed that αA-66-80 peptide and its truncated products accumulate in aging and cataract human lenses. These peptides interact with crystallins, causing crystallin aggregation and precipitation. N- and C-terminal-blocked peptides that have the cleavage sites to generate the αA-66-80 fragment were used to test lens extracts for sequence-specific proteases in lens extracts. An internally quenched fluorogenic peptide substrate containing the sequence-specific site for a lens protease to generate αA-66-80 peptide was designed, synthesized and used to characterize protease(s) that are capable of generating this peptide in bovine and human lenses. We show that proteases with the potential to generate αA-66-80 peptide are present in bovine and human lenses. We also show that the αA-66-80 peptides are resistant to hydrolysis by aminopeptidases present in the lenses and they can suppress the degradation of other peptides. Failure of complete hydrolysis of these peptides in vivo can lead to their accumulation in the lens and subsequent lens protein aggregation, which may ultimately lead to the formation of cataract.
Localization error in the radiotherapy of Hodgkin's disease and malignant lymphoma with extended mantle fields

In a review of 902 treatment verification films for 99 lymphoma patients receiving radiation therapy with extended mantle fields, 330 localization errors were detected. We found that 50% of the localization errors occurred in the axillae and that the axillae were the sites of most frequent clustering and recurrence. These facts suggest that localization errors caused sufficient reduction in dose to explain the recurrence of lymphoma in the axillae of several patients. Technical modifications of the blocks in relation to the axillae are discussed. Of 10 patients with local recurrence of Hodgkin's disease or malignant lymphoma, 2 had enough documented localization errors at the site of recurrence to account for a dose reduction sufficient to explain the recurrence. For the remaining 8 cases, we lacked sufficient films to determine the incidence of localization errors and thus to make estimates of reductions in dose. We observed a reduction of localization errors from 55% to 29% over the last 2 years of the study. This gratifying result is best explained by technical refinements and by the increased use of treatment verification films. On the basis of the data gathered in this study, we feel that treatment verification films are invaluable in the detection of localization errors in the treatment of lymphoma, and that they can lead to a reduction in localization errors if they are used regularly.
Efficiency, equity and girls' education

This article analyses World Bank strategies for education in the context of gender equity. Developing countries face the challenge of expanding education with limited resources. At the same time, promoting gender equity is vital to achieving basic development goals. Appropriate governance strategies are needed to provide education in a way that is cost-effective and inclusive. Privatisation, decentralisation and citizen participation are three strategies that are promoted by the World Bank to control costs and improve transparency in education. Intended to promote efficiency, these strategies can harm equity. This study compares World Bank strategies to proven effective programs in girls' education. Empirical analysis reveals that while many World Bank projects include effective strategies for girls' education, governance reforms generally do not promote awareness of gender. Implications for expansion of girls' education are discussed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Association de l’hypertension périopératoire et de suites compliquées chez les patients ayant une thrombolyse in-situ

Rationnelle La thrombolyse peripherique est un outil indispensable dans le traitement de la pathologie vasculaire obstructive peripherique (PVOP). Cependant, l’utilisation des agents thrombolytiques intra vasculaires comporte un risque significatif de morbidite et de mortalite. Le but de cette etude est de passer en revue une serie contemporaine de patients soignes par thrombolyse guidee par catheter dans le traitement de la PVOP occlusive. Methodes Une analyse retrospective a ete executee passant en revue tous les patients qui ont eu une thrombolyse guidee par catheter pour PVOP avec l’activateur recombinant du plasminogene tissulaire (rt-PA) entre 2005 et 2008. Les donnees ont inclus des variables cliniques et demographiques potentiellement associees aux criteres de succes technique, des complications hemorragiques, et de deces. Les donnees ont ete analysees avec des mesures univariees et multivariees. La signification a ete assignee avec p Resultats sur une periode de 36 mois, 125 thrombolyses ont ete realisees. L’indication du traitement etait un thrombus occlusif sur artere native (49 cas, 37,6%), sur veine (13 cas, 10,4%), ou prothetique (63 cas, 49,6%). Vingt-trois cas (14,3%) ont employe la technique assistee par ultrason. L’âge moyen des patients etait de 57,9 ± 1,1 an. Le succes technique a ete obtenu dans 82% des cas. La dose de rt-PA moyenne etait 47,3 ± 1,4 mg (de 13,5 ± 4,5 mg avec la technique assistee par ultrason). Des complications hemorragiques se sont produites chez 22,4% des patients avec un taux de 5,6% d’AVC. La survenue d’une hemorragie intracrânienne (HIC) etait correlee avec un mauvais controle tensionnel (tension arterielle systolique >160 mmHg ; OR, 13,67 ; IC, 1,59-117,68 ; p = 0,006) et l’âge avance (>80 ans ; OR, 9,04 ; IC, 1,40-58,57, p = 0,049). Les complications hemorragiques (y compris les hematomes mineurs au point d’acces) etaient correlees avec un mauvais controle tensionnel (tension arterielle systolique >180 mmHg ; OR, 3,48 ; IC, 1,22-9,94 ; p = 0,021) et chez les patients presentant une insuffisance cardiaque congestive (OR, 3,26 ; IC, 1,09-9,76 ; p = 0,036). La mortalite globale s’est produite chez 7 patients (5,6%) dont 4 du fait de complications hemorragiques. La mortalite etaient avec le diabete de type II (OR, 8,85 ; IC, 1,62-48,26 ; p = 0,003), l’insuffisance renale terminale (OR, 15,33 ; IC, 2,07-113,39 ; p p = ,014). Le niveau de fibrinogene plasmatique, l’hypertension pre-procedurale, et le dosage de rt-PA ne se sont pas correles avec la survenue de complications hemorragiques ou le deces. Conclusion La thrombolyse peripherique par catheter a une incidence elevee de succes technique. Cependant, le procede continue a avoir un taux de complication significatif. Cette etude souligne l’importance du controle tensionnel peri-procedural et identifie des sous-groupes de patients a risque de complications. Sur la base de ces donnees, les auteurs preconisent des parametres plus stricts de tension arterielle chez les patients subissant une thrombolyse peripherique.
Blood oxygen transport in stressed striped bass ( Morone saxatilis ): role of beta-adrenergic responses

Strenuous 5-min exercise resulted in a 0.3 unit drop in the dorsal aortic pH of striped bass. The acidosis was metabolic: the blood lactate concentration increased during the exercise, whereas blood CO2 tension decreased. Dorsal aortic oxygen content was maintained despite the acidosis. This was a result of increased blood O2 tension, haemoglobin concentration and red cell volume, decreased cellular nucleoside triphosphate (NTP) concentration, and decreased proton gradient across the red cell membrane. When the fish were treated with the beta-antagonist, propranolol, before the exercise, the arterial oxygen content decreased significantly in the stress. The mean cellular haemoglobin concentration and cellular NTP concentration increased slightly, and the proton gradient across the red cell membrane decreased less than in ‘control’ exercise. These results show that the beta-adrenergic responses of striped bass red cells play an important role in maintaining the arterial O2 content in stress.
Multisensor Integration And Fusion: Issues And Approaches

Issues concerning the effective integration of multiple sensors into the operation of intelligent systems are presented, and a description of some of the general paradigms and methodologies that address this problem is given. Multisensor integration, and the related notion of multisensor fusion, are defined and distinguished. The potential advantages and problems resulting from the integration of information from multiple sensors are discussed.
Kin Selection and Virulence in the Evolution of Protocells and Parasites

The evolution of parasite virulence and the origin of cooperative genomes in primitive cells are both problems that balance cooperative and competitive interactions among symbionts. I analyse the trade-off among three correlated traits: competitiveness against other genotypes for resources within hosts (protocells), damage to the host (virulence), and rate of horizontal transmission from one host to another. All three life-history components are strongly influenced by kin selection. For example, when genetic relatedness within hosts is high, each genotype is competing for resources with closely related genotypes. This competition among relatives favours increased horizontal transmission to colonize new hosts and compete against non-relatives. My analysis shows that many aspects of parasite and protocell evolution must be studied with the theoretical tools of social evolution. I discuss extensions that are required for a general theory of symbiosis.
The clinical diagnosis of lumbar radiculopathy

Lumbar radiculopathy may be caused by, or confused with, many different conditions. The nature of the patient's pain—its quality, intensity, location, and profile over time—is an important guide in the evaluation. A careful but directed physical examination is necessary for the clinical evaluation of patients with lumbar spine disease. Evaluation involves inspection of the back and limbs, palpation, and observation of the patient. A careful neurological evaluation, examination of strength, deep tendon reflexes, sensation, and muscular function is necessary. Electromyography is often useful. The most commonly involved nerve roots are L3, L4, L5, and S1. Lesions of each produce distinct symptoms, and other conditions can mimic the radiculopathies. Specific investigation is necessary for an accurate diagnosis.
Trapping and release of cargo molecules from a micro-stamped mesoporous thin film controlled by Poly(NIPAAm-co-AAm).

Materials that utilize the micropatterned structure of a mesoporous silica film to successfully load and release cargo using a thermal sensitive polymer are presented in this paper. Films with pore sizes of ~2 and ~5 nm aligned in the pulling direction were synthesized using evaporation induced self-assembly techniques. The pores are exposed using a new method of stamping micropatterns without the use hydrofluoric acid. A well studied temperature dependent polymer [poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylamide)] was grafted onto the surface of these films to act as a temperature activated gatekeeper. Below the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) the polymer is erect and can block the pore openings, trapping cargo inside the pores. When the temperature is above the LCST the polymer collapses and unblocks the pores, allowing cargo to escape. The loading capacities as well as the reusability of these films were studied.