cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In utero exposure to alcohol alters cell fate decisions by hematopoietic progenitors in the bone marrow of offspring mice during neonatal development.

Abstract Fetal alcohol syndrome and alcohol related birth defects represent a spectrum of disorders that can result from the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy. Previous studies from this laboratory have shown that alcohol exposure in utero adversely affects hematopoietic progenitors in the bone marrow. Neonatal mice that were exposed in utero to alcohol showed a marked delay in B lymphocyte development. Recent studies have focused on an oligopotential progenitor cell, with the phenotype of HSA lo CD43 lo Lin − , which yields both B cells and myeloid lineage cells at a high frequency when cultured in vitro with stromal cells and the appropriate cytokines. However, these progenitor cells isolated from neonatal offspring of alcohol fed dams showed a significant decrease in the frequency of B cell formation following in vitro culture. In order to understand the mechanism underlying this defect we examined the expression of key transcription factors (early B cell factor, EBF, and Pax5) in this progenitor pool. Here, we report that >95% of HSA lo CD43 lo Lin − cells express EBF and 5% express Pax5. Following liquid culture in the presence of IL-7, these progenitor cells respond by up-regulating Pax5 and the surface expression of CD19 indicating that the cells have committed to the B lineage. By contrast 75% of HSA lo CD43 lo Lin − cells isolated from the bone marrow of neonatal animals exposed in utero to alcohol expressed EBF but at a level that was less than 25% the level of cells isolated from control animals. Furthermore, these alcohol-exposed progenitor cells failed to up-regulate Pax5 in response to IL-7 indicating a greatly reduced capacity to expand and differentiate to B lineage cells in liquid cultures. However, the HSA lo CD43 lo Lin − cells isolated from the alcohol exposed animals retained the capacity to differentiate to myeloid lineage cells. These results suggest that the interference with the sequential expression of transcription factors in early progenitor cells by in utero alcohol exposure is a potential mechanism for the observed decrease in B lymphocytes in neonatal mice.
Saddles, arrows, and spirals: deterministic trajectories in cyclic competition of four species.

Population dynamics in systems composed of cyclically competing species has been of increasing interest recently. Here we investigate a system with four or more species. Using mean field theory, we study in detail the trajectories in configuration space of the population fractions. We discover a variety of orbits, shaped like saddles, spirals, and straight lines. Many of their properties are found explicitly. Most remarkably, we identify a collective variable that evolves simply as an exponential: $\mathcal{Q}\ensuremath{\propto}{e}^{\ensuremath{\lambda}t}$, where $\ensuremath{\lambda}$ is a function of the reaction rates. It provides information on the state of the system for late times (as well as for $t\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\infty}$). We discuss implications of these results for the evolution of a finite, stochastic system. A generalization to an arbitrary number of cyclically competing species yields valuable insights into universal properties of such systems.
Effect of miscarriage history on maternal-infant bonding during the first year postpartum in the First Baby Study: a longitudinal cohort study

Miscarriage, the unexpected loss of pregnancy before 20 weeks gestation, may have a negative effect on a mother’s perception of herself as a capable woman and on her emotional health when she is pregnant again subsequent to the miscarriage. As such, a mother with a history of miscarriage may be at greater risk for difficulties navigating the process of becoming a mother and achieving positive maternal-infant bonding with an infant born subsequent to the loss. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of miscarriage history on maternal-infant bonding after the birth of a healthy infant to test the hypothesis that women with a history of miscarriage have decreased maternal-infant bonding compared to women without a history of miscarriage. We completed secondary analysis of the First Baby Study, a longitudinal cohort study, to examine the effect of a history of miscarriage on maternal-infant bonding at 1 month, 6 months, and 12 months after women experienced the birth of their first live-born baby. In a sample of 2798 women living in Pennsylvania, USA, we tested our hypothesis using linear regression analysis of Shortened Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (S-PBQ) scores, followed by longitudinal analysis using a generalized estimating equations model with repeated measures. We found that women with a history of miscarriage had similar S-PBQ scores as women without a history of miscarriage at each of the three postpartum time points. Likewise, longitudinal analysis revealed no difference in the pattern of maternal-infant bonding scores between women with and without a history of miscarriage. Women in the First Baby Study with a history of miscarriage did not differ from women without a history of miscarriage in their reported level of bonding with their subsequently born infants. It is important for clinicians to recognize that even though some women may experience impaired bonding related to a history of miscarriage, the majority of women form a healthy bond with their infant despite this history.
γ-Preprotachykinin-(72-92)-peptide amide potentiates substance P-induced salivation

Abstract The effects of γ-preprotachykinin-(72–92)-peptide amide [γ-PPT-(72–92)-NH2] on salivation in the rat were investigated and were compared with salivation responses elicited by a variety of other tachykinin and related peptides. On intravenous injection or continuous infusion, γ-PPT-(72–92)-NH2, a naturally occurring N-terminally extended derivative of neurokinin A (NKA), potently stimulated salivation. The rank order of potency of peptides that stimulated salivation was: NPK >γ-PPT-(72–92)-NH2 > substance P > NKA = Asp-Ala-NKA. Moreover, γ-PPT-(72–92)-NH2, like NPK, potentiated the effects of substance P on salivary secretion. These results indicate that the actions of γ-PPT-(72–92)-NH2 may be pharmacologically or physiologically relevant in the actions of tachykinin peptides.
Biodegradation and bioresorption of calcium phosphate ceramics.

The use of several calcium phosphate (Ca-P) materials for bone repair, augmentation, substitution and as coatings on metal implants has gained clinical acceptance in many dental and medical applications. These Ca-P materials may be of synthetic or natural origin, available in different physical forms (dense or macroporous, particles or blocks) and are used in bulk as coatings for metallic and non-metallic substrates or as components in composites, cements and bioactive glasses. Biodegradation or bioresorption of calcium phosphate materials implies cell-mediated degradation in vitro or in vivo. Cellular activity during biodegradation or bioresorption occurs in acid media; thus the factors affecting the solubility or the extent of dissolution (which in turn depends on the physicochemical properties) of the Ca-P materials are important. Enrichment of the microenvironment due to the release of calcium and phosphate ions from the dissolving CaP materials affects the proliferation and activities of the cells. The increase in the concentrations of the calcium and phosphate ions promotes the formation of carbonate apatite which are similar to the bone apatite. The purpose of this invited paper is to discuss the processes of biodegradation or bioresorption of Ca-P materials in terms of the physico-chemical properties of these materials and the phenomena involved including the formation of carbonate apatite on the surfaces and in the vicinity of these materials. This phenomenon appears to be related to the bioactivity of the material and the ability of such materials to directly attach to bone and to form a uniquely strong material-bone interface.
Obesity: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals

1. Behavioral Treatment of Obesity (Wadden, Crerand and Brock) 2. Medical Evaluation of the Obese Individual (Kushner and Roth) 3. Physical Activity Recommendations in the Treatment of Obesity (Jakicic and Otto) 4. Obesity and Eating Disorders (Allison and Stunkard) 5. Surgical Treatment of Obesity (Pender and Pories) 6. Drug treatmentof Obesity (Bray) 7. Obesity: Overview of an Epidemic (Hill, Catenacci and Wyatt) 8. The Reguation of Energy Balance by the CNS (Proulx and Seeley) 9. Body Image and Obesity in Adulthood (Sarwer, Thompson and Cash) 10. Public Policy and Obesity: The Need to Marry Sciences with Advocacy (Wang and Brownell) 11. Obesity and Psychiatric Status (Berkowitz) 12. Dietary Approaches for Weight Control (Foster) 13. Commercial and Self-Help Programs for Obesity (Tsai) 14. Behavioral Assessment and Treatment Overview (Mitchell and Myers) Special Articles Section 15. Neuroleptic-induced Movement Disorders: An Overview (Sachdev) 16. Huntington's Disease and Related Disorders (Anderson)
From Simple Rules Repeated

In this autobiography, Mandelbrot sketches the mathematical, historical, and personal contexts of his accomplishments.
Least‐absolute‐value estimators for one‐way and two‐way tables

Abstract : This paper concerns itself with the problem of estimating the parameters in a one-way and two-way classification model by minimizing the sum of the absolute deviations of the regression function from the observed points. The one-way model reduces to obtaining a set of medians from which optimal parameters can be obtained by simple arithmetic manipulations. The two-way model is transformed into a specially structured linear programming problem and two algorithms are presented to solve this problem. The occurrence of alternative optimal solutions in both models is discussed, and numerical examples are presented. (Author)
Quantum nondemolition measurements of harmonic oscillators

The complex amplitude X1+iX2≡(x+ip / mω)e^(iωt) of a harmonic oscillator is constant in the absence of driving forces. Although the uncertainty principle forbids precise measurements of X1 and X2 simultaneously (ΔX1ΔX2>~ℏ / 2mω), X1 alone can be measured precisely and continuously ("quantum nondemolition measurement"). Examples are given of measuring systems that do this job. Such systems might play a crucial role in gravitational-wave detection and elsewhere.
Roller Chopping Effectively Reduces Shrub Cover and Density in Pine Flatwoods

Changes to fire regimes have resulted in excessive shrub growth and declines in the species rich herbaceous ground layer of pyric savanna and grassland systems worldwide, including the pine flatwoods of the Southern Coastal Plain of the United States. Prescribed burning and roller chopping during growing (April–October) and dormant (November–March) seasons are management practices promoted to reduce shrub invasion and increase herbaceous plant growth in flatwoods. However, relatively little is known about the seasonal effects these activities have on shrubs and herbaceous vegetation. We assessed the effects of prescribed burning and roller chopping on herbaceous and shrub characteristics in pine flatwoods and explored how grazing may mediate these treatments. We used a paired design, with comparison made between sampling locations randomly located within treated (e.g. burned) and adjacent untreated areas. Growing season burning was more effective at reducing shrub cover and height than dormant season burning. However, shrub re-growth occurred the second year post-burn. Roller chopping and roller chopping/burning combinations led to decreases in shrub cover and height for 2 years post-treatment. Decreases in shrub density were seen on sites subject to growing season roller chopping and grazing. Decreases in herbaceous vegetation were observed following all treatments, possibly the result of grazing. If reductions in shrub density are required, growing season roller chopping in combination with grazing may be the only effective treatment. However, initial deferment from grazing following burning and roller chopping treatments may be necessary to permit re-establishment and growth of forbs and graminoids.
Effects of respiratory muscle unloading on exercise-induced diaphragm fatigue

We previously compared the effects of increased respiratory muscle work during whole body exercise and at rest on diaphragmatic fatigue and showed that the amount of diaphragmatic force output required to cause fatigue was reduced significantly during exercise (Babcock et al., J Appl Physiol 78: 1710, 1995). In this study, we use positive-pressure proportional assist ventilation (PAV) to unload the respiratory muscles during exercise to determine the effects of respiratory muscle work, per se, on exercise-induced diaphragmatic fatigue. After 8-13 min of exercise to exhaustion under control conditions at 80-85% maximal oxygen consumption, bilateral phrenic nerve stimulation using single-twitch stimuli (1 Hz) and paired stimuli (10-100 Hz) showed that diaphragmatic pressure was reduced by 20-30% for up to 60 min after exercise. Usage of PAV during heavy exercise reduced the work of breathing by 40-50% and oxygen consumption by 10-15% below control. PAV prevented exercise-induced diaphragmatic fatigue as determined by bilateral phrenic nerve stimulation at all frequencies and times postexercise. Our study has confirmed that high- and low-frequency diaphragmatic fatigue result from heavy-intensity whole body exercise to exhaustion; furthermore, the data show that the workload endured by the respiratory muscles is a critical determinant of this exercise-induced diaphragmatic fatigue.
Study of Cu(II) complexes of saturated cyclic tetra amines

Abstract Cu(II) complexes of 13, 14, 15 and 16 membered saturated cyclic tetra amines were synthesised with PF6− as counter ion. Analysis, conductance, spectral and electrochemical properties of the compounds were studied. It is observed that Cu(II) being a bigger ion, 13 membered ring cannot encompass it in a planar way.
Anthocyanins and betalains: evolution of the mutually exclusive pathways

Abstract The curious fact that the anthocyanidin and the betalain pathways, each leading to both yellow and red pigments, have never been found in the same plant is examined from a genetic and evolutionary point of view. The betalain products, alkaloids called betacyanins and betaxanthins, are found only in one group of Angiosperms, the Caryophyllales, while anthocyanins are widely distributed. However, their distribution within the plant and both their vegetative and reproductive functions are essentially identical. Whereas the functions in pollination and seed dispersal of both pigments are well known, their vegetative functions are ill-defined. The structural and many of the regulatory genes of the anthocyanin pathway are now well known, but our knowledge of the betalain pathway is severely restricted. Future needs in physiological and molecular genetic studies of the evolutionary mechanism of the mutual exclusion of these two pathways, as well as the vegetative functions of the two groups, are emphasized in this review.
A computational model for the indentation and phase transformation of a martensitic thin film

Abstract We propose a computational model for a stress-induced martensitic phase transformation of a single-crystal thin film by indentation and its reverse transformation to austenite by heating. Our model utilizes a surface energy that allows sharp interfaces with finite energy and a penalty that forces the film to lie above the indenter and undergo a stress-induced austenite-to-martensite phase transformation. We introduce a method to nucleate the martensite-to-austenite phase transformation since in our model the film would otherwise remain in the martensitic phase in a local minimum of the energy.
Goodman and His Critics.

Abstract This discussion examines four recent criticisms of the ideas of Kenneth Goodman on reading and on the use of oral reading for diagnostic purposes. It concludes that three of these critiques have more value for the purpose of making a critical judgment of the validity of Goodman's ideas than the remaining one does.
The motivational and emotional consequences of considering positive or negative possibilities for an upcoming event.

The hypothesis that attention to negative possibilities for an upcoming event can have advantages for performance in comparison with a more optimistic approach was examined in 2 studies. Focus of attention to positive or negative possibilities for a social interaction was manipulated for Ss previously identified as optimists or defensive pessimists in the social domain. In Study 1, negatively focused defensive pessimists performed better in their conversations than positively focused defensive pessimists on several dimensions (e.g., talk time, perceived effort, and sociability). Optimists' behavior was unaffected by the focus manipulation. However, all negatively focused Ss felt worse after their conversations than did positively focused subjects. Study 2 examined the cognitive process by which a negative focus may lead to positive behaviors. Some pessimists may benefit from an initial negative focus that is not accompanied by lowered expectations and that actually facilitates positive thoughts about the self.
Degradation of uric acid and 3-ribosyluric acid during treatment with charcoal

Abstract Uric acid and 3-ribosyluric acid at a concentration of 1.5 × 10 −4 M were quantitatively adsorbed to charcoal, but were not recovered when the charcoal was washed with ethanol:water:NH 4 OH (60:36:4), a solvent which readily eluted a number of other bases and nucleosides. With [2- 14 C]uric acid it was shown that the radioactivity was adsorbed to the charcoal and that [ 14 C]allantoin was the primary product recovered after elution. Incubation of uric acid or 3-ribosyluric acid in the ethanol:water:NH 4 OH did not result in any degradation. The elution of uric acid from charcoal with other eluents such as 7% phenol, 0.1 M NaOH, or ethanol:water:pyridine (50:40:10) also resulted in the conversion of uric acid to allantoin. It was concluded that when uric acid and 3-ribosyluric acid are adsorbed to charcoal and then eluted, there is a substantial conversion of these compounds to the corresponding allantoin.
Studies in the mouse of the pharmacology of 5-iododeoxyuridine, an analogue of thymidine

Abstract 5-Iododeoxyuridine labeled with I 131 or tritium was administered to normal and tumor-bearing mice, and a study was made of its metabolism, tissue distribution and excretion. The main pathway for degradation of IUdR involved a cleavage to 5-iodouracil and subsequent dehalogenation with the formation of uracil and inorganic iodide. Considerable iodination of non-nucleic acid derivatives was observed in the protein fractions of cells. The occurrence of iodinated derivatives of acyclic products of iodouracil catabolism was not demonstrated, although these probably were formed as a result of direct degradation. The acute LD 50 of IUdR in mice was 2–5 g/kg. The LD 50 for IUdR upon chronic administration intraperitoneally for 13 days was 318 mg/kg; this toxicity could be prevented completely by the prior administration of thymidine.
A Broadband Current Preamplifier Configuration for Obtaining Htgh Resolutton Energy and Time Information from Nuclear Radiation Detectors

A broadband current preamplifier was developed to complement nuclear spectroscopy systems requiring linear gating. The preamplifier stage configuration consists of an FET input, a broadband interstage current gain section, and a high-impedance feedback network. The preamplifier produces a noise line width comparable to charge-sensitive designs having similar parameters. Because of large bandwidths and low-noise performance, the preamplifier, connected directly to a fast leading-edge discriminator, generates very accurate timing data. A preamplifier consisting of three gain stages was built and subsequently tested with Ge(Li) detectors. This preamplifier had a current gain of 10,000, a rise time of 8 nsec with a 10 pF detector capacitance, and a 0-pF noise line width, using an RC-RC ungated filter, of 1.4 keV (fwhm Ge). With the preamplifier operating from a 10 cc Ge(Li) coaxial detector, timing experiments utilizing the 60Co gamma cascade indicated resolutions as low as 1.15 nsec fwhm.
mTOR kinase inhibitor sensitizes T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia for chemotherapy-induced DNA damage via suppressing FANCD2 expression.

mTOR kinase inhibitor sensitizes T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia for chemotherapy-induced DNA damage via suppressing FANCD2 expression
The functional responses of two benthic algivorous ciliated protozoa with differing feeding strategies.

Surface-associated algivorous ciliated protozoa are common in the benthos of streams, but little is known about the feeding ecology of these organisms. We compared the functional responses of two algivorous ciliated protozoa, Oxytricha fallax (a filter feeder) and Trithigmostoma cucullulus (an encounter feeder). The ciliates were fed 14C-labeled Navicula cryptocephala in laboratory feeding experiments to determine their potential to consume significant amounts of algal prey. Logistic regression, and plots of the proportion of N. cryptocephala ingested vs. the total number offered, indicated functional responses of a typical rectangular hyperbolic (type II) form for both ciliates. Ingestion rates were estimated from regressions of the number of 14C-labeled N. cryptocephala cells ingested per ciliate vs. time. Maximum feeding rates and half-saturation concentrations were estimated by fitting the observed ingestion rates and experimental algal densities to a function of the Michaelis-Menten enzyme kinetics form using nonlinear regression. For O. fallax, the maximum feeding rate was estimated to be 1.07 N. cryptocephala cells per minute, and the half-saturation concentration was 3.9 × 102 N. cryptocephala per square centimeter. For T. cucullulus the maximum feeding rate was estimated to be 0.2 N. cryptocephala per minute, and the half-saturation concentration was 5.4 × 103N. cryptocephala per square centimeter. The data were also fitted using only the number of cells ingested at 60 and 120 min, by converting the endpoint consumption to rates. For O. fallax, the estimated maximum feeding rates were 1.3 and 1.0 N. cryptocephala per minute for 60 and 120 min, respectively, and estimated half-saturation concentrations were 5.1 × 102 and 3.5 × 102N. cryptocephala per square centimeter. For T. cucullulus, estimated maximum feeding rates were 0.6 and 0.4 N. cryptocephala per minute for 60 and 120 min, respectively, and estimated half-saturation concentrations were 1.5 × 104 and 1.1 × 104 N. cryptocephala per square centimeter. These results suggest that kinetic methods for estimating ingestion rates are more accurate than endpoint determinations. Based on field observations of periphyton densities, these ciliates potentially are consuming 4.8% of the total available standing crop of diatom biomass per day and this could represent up to 16% of total available daily primary production.
“You’re Not Good Enough”: Teaching Undergraduate Students about the Sexualization of Girls and Women

Sociologists have developed compelling pedagogical strategies to focus the undergraduate gaze on problems of gender and sexuality. Nested within the social construction of gender norms, the sexualization of girls and women negatively impacts individual, interpersonal, and societal levels of social interaction. Nevertheless, this important issue remains under-explored in the sociology of teaching and learning. This article reports on a pedagogical module that utilizes a multimedia presentation to define and illustrate the sexualization of girls and women. Lesson impacts were assessed through an online survey. Results indicate a critical gap between the social importance of this topic and educational exposure. Students unanimously recommended this module be taught in introductory sociology courses and offered specific examples of individual and interpersonal impacts. Our findings suggest an ongoing need to address the sexualization of girls and women inside, and outside, of the classroom.
Primate vocalizations during social separation and aggression : effects of alcohol and benzodiazepines

The most common group of squirrel monkey vocalizations, peeps, are emitted during different social situations including social separation, affiliative interactions, feeding and aggressive confrontations. The present experiments investigated whether peeps and other vocalizations emitted during different social contexts are pharmacologically altered in a similar manner. First, vocalizations were characterized during (1) social separation in juveniles, and (2) “resident-intruder” aggressive confrontations between dominant monkeys from different social groups. Then, the effects of alcohol (EtOH) and the benzodiazepine chlordiazepoxide (CDP) on vocalizations during social separation and during aggression were examined. Isolated juveniles emitted only one type of call, the isolation peep. Resident monkeys primarily emitted peeps, but also emitted cackles, chucks, noisy calls and pulsed calls. Aggressive peeps were similar in structure and frequency (kHz) to isolation peeps, but were shorter in duration. At the same doses, both CDP (0.3–3 mg/kg) and EtOH (0.1–1.0 g/kg)reduced explosive motor behaviors and isolation peeps in juvenile monkeys during social separation andincreased threat displays and aggression peeps in resident monkeys during confrontations with an intruder monkey from a different social group. Thus, similarly structured vocalizations that were emitted during social separation and aggression were very sensitive to EtOH and CDP, but the social context determined the direction and magnitude of effects.
Designer Glycopeptides for Cytotoxic T Cell–based Elimination of Carcinomas

Tumors express embryonic carbohydrate antigens called tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens (TACA). TACA-containing glycopeptides are appealing cytotoxic T cell (CTL)-based vaccines to prevent or treat cancer because the same sugar moieties are expressed in a variety of tumors, rendering a vaccination strategy applicable in a large population. Here we demonstrate that by using glycopeptides with high affinity for the major histocompatibility complex and glycosylated in a position corresponding to a critical T cell receptor (TcR) contact, it is possible to induce anti-TACA CTL in vivo. In the current study we show that designer glycopeptides containing the Thomsen-Freidenreich (TF) antigen (β-Gal-[1→3]-α-GalNAc- O -serine) are immunogenic in vivo and generate TF-specific CTL capable of recognizing a variety of tumor cells in vitro including a MUC1-expressing tumor. The fine specificity of the TF-specific CTL repertoire indicates that the TcR recognize the glycosylated amino acid residue together with TF in a conventional major histocompatibility complex class I–restricted fashion. These results have high potential for immunotherapy against a broad range of tumors.
Regulation of KiSS-1 Metastasis Suppressor Gene Expression in Breast Cancer Cells by Direct Interaction of Transcription Factors Activator Protein-2α and Specificity Protein-1

KiSS-1 has been shown to function as a tumor metastasis suppressor gene and reduce the number of metastases in different cancers. The expression of KiSS-1 or KiSS1, like other tumor suppressor, is commonly reduced or completely ablated in a variety of cancers via an unknown mechanism. Here we show that the loss of KiSS-1 expression in highly metastatic breast cancer cell lines correlates directly with the expression levels of two transcription factors, activator protein-2alpha (AP-2alpha) and specificity protein 1 (Sp1), which synergistically activate the transcriptional regulation of KiSS-1 in breast cancer cells. Although the KiSS-1 promoter contains multiple AP-2alpha binding elements, AP-2alpha-mediated regulation occurs indirectly through Sp1 sites, as determined by deletion and mutation analysis. Overexpression of AP-2alpha into highly metastatic breast cell lines did not alter KiSS-1 promoter-driven luciferase gene activity. However, co-transfection of AP-2alpha wild-type or the dominant negative form of AP-2 lacking its C-terminal DNA-binding domain, AP-2B, together with Sp1, increased KiSS-1 promoter activity dramatically, suggesting that AP-2alpha regulation of KiSS-1 transcription does not require direct binding to the KiSS-1 promoter. Furthermore, we demonstrated that AP-2alpha directly interacted with Sp1 to form transcription complexes at two tandem Sp1-binding sites of the promoter to activate KiSS-1 transcription. Together, our results indicate that AP-2alpha and Sp1 are strong transcriptional regulators of KiSS-1 and that loss or decreased expression of AP-2alpha in breast cancer may account for the loss of tumor metastasis suppressor KiSS-1 expression and thus increased cancer metastasis.
Bias in estimating accuracy of a binary screening test with differential disease verification.

Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value are typically used to quantify the accuracy of a binary screening test. In some studies it may not be ethical or feasible to obtain definitive disease ascertainment for all subjects using a gold standard test. When a gold standard test cannot be used an imperfect reference test that is less than 100% sensitive and specific may be used instead. In breast cancer screening, for example, follow-up for cancer diagnosis is used as an imperfect reference test for women where it is not possible to obtain gold standard results. This incomplete ascertainment of true disease, or differential disease verification, can result in biased estimates of accuracy. In this paper, we derive the apparent accuracy values for studies subject to differential verification. We determine how the bias is affected by the accuracy of the imperfect reference test, the percent who receive the imperfect reference standard test not receiving the gold standard, the prevalence of the disease, and the correlation between the results for the screening test and the imperfect reference test. It is shown that designs with differential disease verification can yield biased estimates of accuracy. Estimates of sensitivity in cancer screening trials may be substantially biased. However, careful design decisions, including selection of the imperfect reference test, can help to minimize bias. A hypothetical breast cancer screening study is used to illustrate the problem.
Favorable response of metastatic osteogenic sarcoma to pulse high-dose methotrexate with citrovorum rescue and radiation therapy.

Ten patients with metastatic osteogenic sarcoma were treated with 6-hour infusions of methotrexate in high dosage. Citrovorum factor was injected 2 hours later and repeated at 6-hour intervals for 12 doses. Methotrexate infusions were repeated at intervals of 2 to 3 weeks. Dosage was escalated until response or toxicity occurred. Doses between 100 and 200 mg/kg of methotrexate resulted in disappearance of pulmonary metastases in two patients and partial regression in pulmonary or bone metastases in two others. Between courses, radiation therapy was administered to five patients, all of whom achieved a partial response. Two patients who relapsed after initial response to chemotherapy alone, responded to subsequent radiotherapy. Toxicity and side effects were unpredictable. Of 57 treatments 30% were followed by stomatitis, 23% by myelosuppression, and 7% by renal abnormalities.
Enhancement of the sticking coefficient of H2 chemisorption on a stepped Ni(1 0 0) surface

Abstract Based on the presently known calculated electronic structure of the flat Ni(1 0 0) surface, it is inferred that if a step is present in this surface, the edge-site atoms may have more low-energy-costing d-holes available. The availability of these low-energy-costing d-holes will greatly reduce the activation barrier for H2 chemisorption. This results in an enhanced sticking coefficient.
In-vivo effects of clindamycin on neutrophil function

Neutrophil functions were evaluated in 13 normal subjects who had received 300 mg of clindamycin orally four times each day for two days. The mean serum concentration of clindamycin was 1.6 mg/l. Intracellular killing of a clindamycin-resistant strain of Staphylococcus aureus increased from 38% to 45%, P less than 0.005, during clindamycin therapy. In contrast, clindamycin therapy did not significantly alter chemotaxis, phagocytosis, chemiluminescence of neutrophils, or the ability of serum to generate chemotactic factor and opsonize particles of yeast. The potentially synergistic relationship between clindamycin and neutrophils may prove to be valuable for the treatment of staphylococcal infections in patients with defects in oxygen-dependent mechanism of neutrophil-mediated bacterial killing such as in chronic granulomatous disease.
Gallstone obstruction of the second portion of the duodenum

Gallstone obstruction of the duodenum, resulting from a cholecystoduodenal fistula and impaction of a large stone in the second portion of the duodenum, is described. This is the second case in which the descending portion of the duodenum is reported as the site of impaction of the stone. The diagnostic problems associated with this condition are discussed.
Intralipid adversely affects reticuloendothelial bacterial clearance.

Abstract Lipid emulsion is a major caloric source in patients receiving total parenteral nutrition. Cleared by the Kuppfer cells of the reticuloendothelial system (RES), lipid emulsion may adversely affect the RES function by decreasing its ability to remove blood-borne bacteria. This study evaluates and compares the blood clearance and organ localization of viable radiolabeled [ 36 S] Escherichia coli following slow intraperitoneal (IP) and more rapid intravenous (IV) administration of a 20% fat emulsion (FE). Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 150 g were placed in 6 experimental groups (10 rats per group). Group I received IP normal saline (3 mL/d for 3 days); group II received IP FE (20%) (4 g/kg/d for 3 days); and group III received normal saline IV (3 mL/d for 3 days). The remaining animals received a slow (15-minute) IV infusion of FE (4 g/kg/dose) prior to bacterial challenge: group IV at 4 hours; group V at 24 hours; and group IV 4 at and 24 hours. E coli (10 6 /mL) were injected via the tail vein. Blood samples were obtained for clearance study. At 10 minutes, tissue samples (50 to 100 mg) of liver, spleen, kidney, and lung were obtained and processed for liquid scintillation counting. Although rapid bacterial blood clearance was found in all the groups, there was a significant change in organ localization of bacteria. Normal distribution of bacteria in group I was as follows: liver 70.1% ± 6.2%, spleen 5.2% ± 1.2%, kidney 0.2% ± 0.04%, and lung 1.6% ± 0.6%. There was a slight increase in lung localization of bacteria in rats receiving IP FE (3.7% ± 1.5%; P E coli , and may result in increased susceptibility to infection. These observations suggest that FE emulsion should be cautiously administered in regard to dose and rate in septic patients.
Comparisons of Amylolytic Enzyme Activities and beta-Amylases with Differing Bmy1 Intron III Alleles to Sugar Production During Congress Mashing With North American Barley Cultivars

This study was conducted to determine the relationships between patterns of activity of malt amylolytic enzymes (α-amylase, β-amylase, and limit dextrinase) and sugar production in two- and six-row...
Contributions of neural tone to in vivo passive muscle--tendon unit biomechanical properties in a rat rotator cuff animal model.

Passive viscoelastic properties of muscle–tendon units are key determinants of intra- and post-operative success. Atrophied, retracted, and stiff muscle–tendon units are technically challenging to manipulate and perform poorly after surgical repair. This study employs botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNT-A)-mediated inhibition of presynaptic acetylcholine release to examine in vivo neural contributions to soft-tissue biomechanical properties. In vivo load-relaxation and active muscle contractile force testing protocols were performed in the rat rotator cuff model. The passive properties were assessed using linear regression analysis and Fung’s quasi-linear viscoelastic (QLV) model. BoNT-A injected muscle–tendon units had a significant reduction in force of contraction (p = 0.001). When compared to saline injected controls, the BoNT-A significantly decreased parameter ‘A’ of the QLV model, which represents the linear elastic response (p = 0.032). The viscous properties in the BoNT-A treatment group were not significantly different from saline injected controls, as determined by comparison of QLV model parameters ‘C,’ ‘τ1,’ and ‘τ2.’ In conclusion, neural tone contributes significantly to muscle–tendon unit passive biomechanical properties. Pre-surgical treatment with BoNT-A may improve the rehabilitation of muscle by altering its passive elastic properties. Accordingly, pharmacological modulation of skeletal muscle stiffness with BoNT-A increases flexibility, potentially improving function. Chemical denervation with BoNT-A may also improve the manipulation of stiff and difficult to mobilize muscles during surgical procedures.
Cyst of Canal of Nuck

A cyst of the canal of Nuck is a rare condition that occurs when the processus vaginalis fails to obliterate during embryologic development. When a nonreducible groin mass is seen in women and girls, a cyst of the canal of Nuck should be considered in the differential diagnosis. Sonography has shown to be accurate and reliable at diagnosing these cysts and should be the primary imaging modality used to image groin masses.
A performance study of BitTorrent-like peer-to-peer systems

This paper presents a performance study of BitTorrent-like P2P systems by modeling, based on extensive measurements and trace analysis. Existing studies on BitTorrent systems are single-torrent based and usually assume the process of request arrivals to a torrent is Poisson-like. However, in reality, most BitTorrent peers participate in multiple torrents and file popularity changes over time. Our study of representative BitTorrent traffic provides insights into the evolution of single-torrent systems and several new findings regarding the limitations of BitTorrent systems: (1) Due to the exponentially decreasing peer arrival rate in a torrent, the service availability of the corresponding file becomes poor quickly, and eventually it is hard to locate and download this file. (2) Client performance in the BitTorrent-like system is unstable, and fluctuates significantly with the changes of the number of online peers. (3) Existing systems could provide unfair services to peers, where a peer with a higher downloading speed tends to download more and upload less. Motivated by the analysis and modeling results, we have further proposed a graph based model to study interactions among multiple torrents. Our model quantitatively demonstrates that inter-torrent collaboration is much more effective than stimulating seeds to serve longer for addressing the service unavailability in BitTorrent systems. An architecture for inter-torrent collaboration under an exchange based instant incentive mechanism is also discussed and evaluated by simulations
Trends in Imaging Use During the Emergency Department Evaluation of Flank Pain

Purpose: Patients with acute flank pain or kidney pain are most commonly evaluated in the emergency department with computerized tomography. Currently our understanding of radiographic practice patterns in emergency imaging for flank pain is limited. We characterized the use of conventional radiography (x-ray), ultrasound and computerized tomography in the emergency department evaluation of patients with acute flank pain.Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of emergency department visits using data on 2000 to 2008 from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. Specific visits for a complaint of flank or kidney pain were further analyzed.Results: During the study period there was a significant increase in computerized tomography use (p <0.0001) and a significant decrease in x-ray use (p = 0.035) while ultrasound use remained stable (p = 0.803). During that period the proportion of patients with flank pain who were diagnosed with a kidney stone remained s...
Two‐phase, steam‐water critical flow

Two-phase critical flow of steam-water mixtures has been investigated oyer a pressure range from 4 to 43 lb./sq. in. abs. and a quality range from saturated vapor to 1% (weight) vapor. Discharges were measured from 1/4-, 1/2-, 3/4-, and 1-in. pipes and from annuli of intermediate crosssectional areas. The experimental mass flow rates are always greater than the values calculated on the basis of a homogeneous fiow model. Several empirical methods for correlating the data were determined, and comparisons are presented of the predictions of several analytical flow models. (auth)
Ethical Issues in Informed Consent and ECT

topic. Ethical concerns of nurses involved with electroconvulsive therapy source. The principles of autonomy and beneficence are explored in light of a client situation purpose. To equip psychiatric nurses with the knowledge needed to make ethical decisions conclusion. Greater emphasis must be placed on ethical principles that guide the practice of psychiatric nursing
Fast Track Initiation of a Congenital Heart Disease Screening Program

Poster Presentation Purpose for the Program Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a common newborn heart defect that is often asymptomatic. These newborns are discharged home as seemingly healthy newborns. CHD symptoms may develop days or weeks after discharge and a newborn may quickly decompensate, which results in devastating sequelae. A simple pulse oximetry reading performed 24 hours after birth may identify newborns in need of further cardiac evaluation. Proposed Change To develop and implement a pulse oximetry screening program for all newborns in a suburban hospital. Traditionally, a process such as this takes 6 months to a year to fully integrate into practice. Because of the seriousness of undiagnosed CHD and the potential Connecticut State mandate for CHD screening, the hospital's department of pediatrics felt an urgent need to put this process into place. The proposed practice change would include all newborns in well nursery and the neonatal intensive care unit. Implementation, Outcomes, and Evaluation Nursing management was charged with creating a program to educate families, screen newborns, and create an algorithm that would ensure 100% compliance. Additionally, the program would include physician notification, further evaluation, and follow‐up when indicated. Within 7 weeks from idea conception, the program was created, all staff educated, and competency was ensured. The results of this successful program were reported to the state legislature as part of the testimony supporting the Connecticut General Assembly Bill #56. Implications for Nursing Practice Nursing can be effective in developing and implementing evidence‐based practice in a rapid time frame to improve quality of care. This process can be duplicated in other hospitals and with other projects.
Developmental psychopathology and public health: Past, present, and future

Children’s healthy mental development has never been the focus of long-term, committed public health policy in the way that early physical health and development have been. We discuss four types of societal response to illness—cure, care, control, and prevention—and trace the history of public health in terms of its special responsibility to control and prevent disease. We identify four periods in the history of public health: the Sanitarian era (up to 1850), the Bacterial era (1850–1950), the Behavioral era (1950–present), and the Communitarian era (the next century). Looking at this history from the viewpoint of the developmental psychopathology of the first 2 decades of life, we trace progress in public health responses to children with mental illness, from a philosophy of control by isolation toward one of preventive intervention. We examine primary, or universal, prevention strategies that have been tried, and we suggest some that might be worth reconsidering. Children’s mental health and development tions, and argue that in the new century we shall need to attack the problem using both
The Nineteenth-Century Spiral Nebula Whodunit

The discovery of the first spiral nebula was a milestone in the history of astronomy, but the initial observations of it are shrouded in mystery. The discovery came within months of the commissioning of the Third Earl of Rosse’s very large 72-inch optical telescope at Birr Castle in the center of Ireland. Unfortunately, no observing records have survived, and while there is no doubt that the observations took place in the spring of 1845, there is some uncertainty as to whom was actually present when the discovery was made. The construction of the Earl’s telescope (the Leviathan) was a magnificent achievement, since it was entirely of his design, built with his own funds, and constructed by his own workers who were literally taken “from the plough” on his estate. The summer of 1845 saw the first appearance of the Irish Potato Famine of 1845–1848, which would seriously curtail astronomical activity when Lord Rosse’s 72-inch telescope was in prime condition.
Writing in Community: A Response to Harry Wolcott

Harry Wolcott's writing has had an enormous positive effect on my own career, both in substance and in style, and every year, I assign my doctoral students something of his to read. Inevitably, to a man and woman, they come away from these assignments saying that he writes beautifully, and that they hope to be able to write as he does someday. That is perhaps the ultimate compliment for a scholar, because we trade in words. Our worlds revolve about rhetoric: the persuasiveness of our arguments, our ability to marshal evidence that others find commanding, our expertise at embedding a logic in our narratives that is at once subtle and transparent, our flair at telling a good story, an invitational saga. Harry has done it again. Excavating old reviewer's notes, he recounts a "writing story" (Richardson 1997, 2000) that, at its public level, is about taking account of a trusted reviewer. At its more private level, however, it is a true "confessional tale" (Van Maanen 1988), a laconic bildungsroman on becoming a writer, and finding voice. "A 'Natural' Writer" tells several tales, in fact, of both learning to write and living in a writing community. Because Harry's experience with writing parallels that of many scholars, I would like to partition and extend his arguments into my own observations and understandings about the writer's life. First, whoever it was that said ethnography was a matter of "writing down" fieldnotes, then "writing up" the case study got it all too simple and all too wrong. As Harry's account demonstrates clearly, fieldnotes are only the beginning. There are multiple steps between fieldnotes and finished product, probably better characterized by D. Jean Clandinin and F. Michael Connelly's (1994) notion of a succession of "field texts"texts that include transcriptions from fieldnotes, research memos to oneself or to a project team, successive drafts of tentative writing, probably for multiple (and not necessarily interchangeable) audiences, and final drafts. The notion of writing up, then writing down, assumes a linearity and a directness to the process that simply does not exist. Rather, as Harry's story makes clear, it is a process recursively discursive, often taken up in fits and starts, heavily dependent on several unknowns-an