cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Peer-Reviewed Literature on Undergraduate Education for Public Health in the United States, 2004–2014

The education of undergraduate college students in the field of public health has burgeoned over the past decade. Professional literature in peer-reviewed journals is one indicator of the status of a field of study and its related body of knowledge. It is also a mechanism for sharing information among professionals about challenges, issues, experiences and best practices. The purpose of the literature review conducted here was to describe the status of the peer reviewed literature over the past decade pertaining to the education of undergraduates about the field of public health in the U.S. A literature search was conducted of three data bases: PubMed, Scopus and ERIC. Inclusion criteria were publication date from January 1, 2004 through July 31, 2014; written in the English language; pertaining to undergraduate education in the U.S.; and a focus on public health as the primary discipline. Public health was searched as an overarching discipline; articles focused on sub-disciplines or other health professions disciplines were excluded. The search resulted in 158 articles. Each of the authors reviewed the abstracts for all articles and read full articles when necessary. The result was 23 articles that were then considered in depth. The articles were categorized according to their primary theme: curriculum, courses, learning objectives (N=14); evaluation of teaching method (N=3); case study (N=3); career path and advising (N=2); accreditation (N=1). Year of publication and journal were also examined. The results of the literature search lead to several observations about how the peer reviewed literature has been used to date and how it could be used to advance the emerging field of undergraduate education for public health.
X-ray-induced morphological differentiation of mouse neuroblastoma cells in vitro.

THE high radiosensitivity of undifferentiated human neuroblastoma is well known, but the nature of changes induced by irradiation is uncertain. Two ideas have emerged from the observations of radiobiologists and radiotherapists: (a) neuroblastoma cells are destroyed or (b) they are induced to differentiate or “mature” into ganglioneuroma by ionizing radiation. Experimental evidence to support the hypothesis of radiation-induced differentiation is lacking. The availability of mouse neuroblastoma cell culture provides an opportunity to study the nature of cellular alterations produced by ionizing radiation. This paper shows that X-irradiation induced morphological differentiation of neuroblastoma cells which in the presence of serum undergo morphological maturation.
Synthesis of starch acetate: Statistical designed experiments to optimize the reaction conditions

The synthesis conditions for Durabond A corn starch acetate (SA) were varied by using statistical designed experiments with the aim to optimize the yield and solubility, and to minimize the color. The thirty experiments in the design vary the: (1) Percentage water in the starch (0, 3, 6); (2) catalyst concentration (0.25, 0.60, 0.95 wt%); (3) total amount of acetic anhydride (1.0, 1.25, 1.5 mol times the number of hydroxyl groups on the starch); (4) starch concentration (15, 25, 35 wt%); (5) reaction time (1, 2.5, or 4 h); and (6) reaction temperature (60, 80 or 100°C). The major factors controlling the acetyl value (AV), yield and the solubility are the reaction temperature (T) and the T squared. Some two factor interactions that effect the process are: (1) water percentage with T, (2) the reaction time with T, and (3) the catalyst concentration with starch concentration. The optimal conditions are: (1) a T range from 84°C to 92°C; (2) a sulfuric acid catalyst concentration of 0.25 wt% with respect to the starch concentration, (3) an acetic anhydride ratio of 1.0; (4) a 35 wt% starch concentration; (5) a 4 h reaction time, and (6) a percentage water in the starch of (0–6%). There is a strong correlation between the 10% and 20% SA solution solubility in acetone:water (96:4) with the AV. If the AV is > 55 then > 90% of the SA at a concentration of 10% is soluble in acetone:water (96:4).
The Correlation Between Bedrock Uranium and Dissolved Radon in Ground Water of a Fractured Carbonate Aquifer in Southwestern Ohio

Two hypotheses have previously been proposed for the source of elevated radon in ground water of southwestern Ohio: (1) penecontemporaneous uranium at the Silurian-Ordovician unconformity, and/or (2) parent radionuclides transported from fragments of uranium-rich Ohio Shale within the glacial drift above the aquifer. To further test the first hypothesis, vertical profiles of dissolved radon in ground water and uranium in rock cores were obtained at two locations immediately underlain by the Silurian/Ordovician unconformity. Radon concentrations exceeding 1,000 pCi/l occurred in zones where the bedrock had uranium concentrations greater than 1.5 ppm. Radon concentrations of less than 500 pCi/l occurred in zones where the rock had uranium concentrations below 0.25 ppm. A log-linear regression model between uranium and radon had a correlation coefficient of 0.82. Three aspects of the results support the hypothesis that the source is transported, although not necessarily from fragments of Ohio Shale. First, the high uranium-radon zones did not occur consistently or exclusively at the Silurian/Ordovician unconformity. Second, the high uranium-radon zones are correlated to fracture zones having a higher hydraulic conductivity and thus appear to be related to the zones of greater flow and transport. Third, the amount of uranium-radon disequilibrium increases exponentially with increasing hydraulicmore » conductivity. The hypothesis of a penecontemporaneous source, not supported by their study, arose when previous investigators conducted regional surveys of domestic wells and springs and found a correspondence between elevated radon and the location of the Silurian-Ordovician unconformity.« less
Photosensory transduction in the flagellated alga, Euglena gracilis. III. Induction of Ca2+-dependent responses by monovalent cation ionophores

Abstract (1) The effects of monovalent cation ionophores (valinomycin and gramicidin), a protonophore (nigericin) and extracellular pH change on the motility and blue light-induced photobehavior (step-down photophobic response) of Euglena were investigated. (2) Monovalent cation ionophores, but not the protonophore, can both partially suppress photobehavior and, under appropriate conditions, induce a change in flagellar activity (and thus cell movement) that appears identical to that associated with the photobehavior. (3) Valinomycin, at low extracellular KCl, delays the induction of photobehavior and also induces a light-independent elevation in the frequency of directional changes in the cells' swimming path. Both effects are suppressed by elevation in extracellular KCl. (4) Gramicidin, in the presence of the anion tetraphenylborate, suppresses photobehavior. The same combination, if applied in the presence of elevated extracellular NaCl, induces a light-independent cell tumbling and elevation in the frequency of directional changes in the cells' swimming path. The induced behavior is dependent on the extracellular Na concentration, requires the presence of extracellular Ca 2+ and is blocked by La 3+ . (5) Photobehavior is observed over the pH range 3.5–8.2 and fluence/response relationships for photobehavior are not significantly different over the pH range 5.5–8.2. (6) The results provide a link between the previously reported effects of Ca 2+ ionophores, and the effects of monovalent cations and monovalent cation-transport inhibitor on motility and photobehavior.
Overview - Laser Applications To Industrial Chemistry

Periodic assessments of the potential for exploiting lasers in the chemical industry are merited, as are continued explorations of photochemical systems which might be scaled to industrial operations. k brief review will be presented of photochemical processes in current use, so that benchmark levels of material costs, of levels of through-put, and of competing conventional sources of radiation, be available. For contrast, one should consider trends in the development of moderate to high-power lasers, to estimate efficiencies and relative costs which may be attained in the not too distance future. In particular, using optimistic design parameters, what can be forseen with respect to the construction and use of a free-electron laser system, continuously tunable in the vicinity of 3pm, with an output of 90 Kw? If a choice must be made between the use of excimer lasers for single-photon processing, or the use of IR lasers for multiphoton absorptions, how does one balance the advantages of high frequencies and high laser powers (and very short pulse durations), against the disadvantages of injecting too much energy per molecule and the possible further decomposition of the desired photofragments due to their own absorptions? In previous reviews attention was called to the types of reactions which are of industrial interest, and also may satisfy the limiting criteria imposed by laser costs. Has progress in the development of laser systems altered these assessments?
Religion and Modern Society: Citizenship, Secularisation and the State

Religion and Modern Society: Citizenship, Secularisation and the State BRYAN S. TURNER, 2011 Cambridge & New York: Cambridge University Press 344 pp., £60.00, US$99.00 (hb), £19.99, US$32.99 (pb) I...
The Mechanism of ‘Knock’ Suppression

THE letter by Messrs. Egerton and Gates in the issue of Mar. 19, p. 427, concerning the mechanism of ‘knock’ suppressors such as lead tetra-ethyl, prompts me to add certain points of view material to the discussion.
Induced magnetic form factor of the mixed valence material Sm0.76Y0.24S

Abstract Using the polarized neutron technique, we have measured the induced magnetic form factor of Sm 0.76 Y 0.24 S. Our results can be interpreted in terms of a model in which the mixed-valence ground state is a linear combination of (4f 6 ) and (4f 5 5d) configurations with parallel spins. By fitting this model to the observed form factor we conclude that the valence of Sm is 2.09∓0.01, which is much smaller than obtained by interpreting lattice constant measurements.
Robust Bayesian Graphical Modeling Using Dirichlet $t$-Distributions

Bayesian graphical modeling provides an appealing way to obtain uncertainty estimates when inferring network structures, and much recent progress has been made for Gaussian models. For more robust inferences, it is natural to consider extensions to t-distribution models. We argue that the classical multivariate t-distribution, defined using a single latent Gamma random variable to rescale a Gaussian random vector, is of little use in more highly multivariate settings, and propose other, more flexible t-distributions. Using an independent Gamma-divisor for each component of the random vector defines what we term the alternative t-distribution. The associated model allows one to extract information from highly multivariate data even when most experiments contain outliers for some of their measurements. However, the use of this alternative model comes at increased computational cost and imposes constraints on the achievable correlation structures, raising the need for a compromise between the classical and alternative models. To this end we propose the use of Dirichlet processes for adaptive clustering of the latent Gamma-scalars, each of which may then divide a group of latent Gaussian variables. The resulting Dirichlet t-distribution interpolates naturally between the two extreme cases of the classical and alternative t-distributions and combines more appealing modeling of the multivariate dependence structure with favorable computational properties. This paper was invited by the Editor-in-Chief of Bayesian Analysis to be presented as the 2014 Best Bayesian Analysis Paper at the Twelfth World Meeting of the International Society for Bayesian Analysis (ISBA2014), held in Cancun, Mexico, on July 14–18, 2014, with invited discussions by Babak Shahbaba and Francois Caron.
Dexmedetomidine-Induced Fever

Objective: To report a case of a patient who developed high fever shortly after dexmedetomidine was started and resolved rapidly after discontinuation. This appears to be a rare adverse event that ...
Behavioral differentiation of benzodiazepine ligands after repeated administration in baboons.

Baboons received repeated daily administration of saline, 5.6 mg/kg midazolam, 5.0 mg/kg flumazenil (Ro15-1788), 3.2 mg/kg 3-carboethoxy-beta-carboline hydrochloride (beta CCE) or 10 mg/kg beta CCE for 5 days. Behavioral signs of sedation and excitation were scored for 1 h after i.m. injections. Daily administration of these benzodiazepine-receptor ligands differentiated their behavioral effects; repeated midazolam resulted in tolerance to the sedative and ataxic effects; repeated beta CCE resulted in sensitization to its convulsant properties; and repeated flumazenil or saline produced no changes in behavior. In a second study, baboons received repeated injections of midazolam (5.6, 11.2 or 20 mg/kg per day) for 6 days. All three groups became tolerant to the sedative and ataxic effects of midazolam. Acute injections of flumazenil (5.0 mg/kg) on day 5 produced a dose-dependent withdrawal syndrome. This flumazenil treatment produced a slight attenuation in the degree of tolerance to midazolam on day 6, suggesting that receptor sensitivity to the benzodiazepine agonist may have partially reset.
Incorporating Stochastic Variables in Crop Response Models: Implications for Fertilization Decisions

Most crop-decision models focus on output variation in response to nonstochastic inputs. Little attention has been given to the effects of stochastic factors on the input-use decision. A crop-decision model is developed to examine the impact of soil moisture on the nitrogen fertilization decision. The model is applied to 15 different soil and weather conditions for corn production in Indiana. Based on estimated response functions, the profit maximizing nitrogen application rate varies from 156 to 185 pounds of actual nitrogen (N) per acre. We evaluate the expected economic losses arising from applying to one set of conditions a rate deemed optimal for another.
Multiwall carbon nanotubes grown by thermocatalytic carbonization of polyacrylonitrile

Abstract A method is reported for the growth of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) using polyacrylonitrile as a solid carbon source and nanosized SiO2 particles as catalyst. The nanotubes were grown either on a Si substrate or as a freestanding film at temperatures as low as 800 °C. The smallest measured inner diameter of the resultant MWCNTs is about 0.6 nm and therefore this method provides a new direction to prepare MWCNTs with very small inner diameter from solid carbon source.
Clinical and laboratory assessment of the subjective experience of drug craving.

Abstract Measures of subjective drug craving — often defined as the experience of an intense or compelling urge or desire — may be used to predict relapse, evaluate psychological and pharmacological treatments, and test theories of addiction and craving. This review summarizes both direct self-report questionnaires and indirect behavioral, physiological and reaction time measures designed to assess craving for alcohol, amphetamines, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and tobacco. Multi-item questionnaires have typically been based on one of four underlying conceptualizations of addiction or craving (obsessive–compulsive, approach-avoidance, multi-dimensional, intensity–frequency–duration). Most multi-item self-report questionnaires have high internal consistency, correlate significantly with single-item craving ratings, and demonstrate several aspects of construct validity. Proposed indirect or proxy measures of craving include drug dreams, speed of drug consumption, willingness to work for drug access, selection of monetary rewards over drug access, psychophysiological reactivity, and attentional bias to drug cues. These proxy measures of craving are presumed to obviate self-report biases, to be less subject to conscious self-control, and to reflect craving which the person may not be able to articulate; however, there have been too few demonstrations of their validity and they have too many practical limitations to supplant self-report measures of craving at this time.
Distention of the Immature Left Ventricle Triggers Development of Endocardial Fibroelastosis: An Animal Model of Endocardial Fibroelastosis Introducing Morphopathological Features of Evolving Fetal Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome

Background. Endocardial fibroelastosis (EFE), characterized by a diffuse endocardial thickening through collagen and elastin fibers, develops in the human fetal heart restricting growth of the left ventricle (LV). Recent advances in fetal imaging indicate that EFE development is directly associated with a distended, poorly contractile LV in evolving hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). In this study, we developed an animal model of EFE by introducing this human fetal LV morphopathology to an immature rat heart. Methods and Results. A neonatal donor heart, in which aortic regurgitation (AR) was created, was heterotopically transplanted into a recipient adult rat. AR successfully induced the LV morphology of evolving HLHS in the transplanted donor hearts, which resulted in the development of significant EFE covering the entire LV cavity within two weeks postoperatively. In contrast, posttransplants with a competent aortic valve displayed unloaded LVs with a trace of EFE. Conclusions. We could show that distention of the immature LV in combination with stagnant flow triggers EFE development in this animal model. This model would serve as a robust tool to develop therapeutic strategies to treat EFE while providing insight into its pathogenesis.
Studies of naloxone-induced secretion of β-endorphin immunoreactivity in dogs

Abstract The stimulating effect of naloxone on plasma β-endorphin immunoreactivity (βEI) was examined in dogs. Intravenous naloxone at 5, 1, or 0.1 mg/kg caused a significant increase in βEI while doses of 0.01 or 0.001 mg/kg had no effect. The peak plasma βEI levels occurred at 25 mins after naloxone. The neurotransmitter and antagonists metergoline, atropine, diphenhydramine and phentolamine all failed to significantly alter basal βEI secretion; further, they all failed to prevent the increase in βEI resulting from naloxone administration. Dexamethasone prevented the naloxone-induced rise in βEI. Our results suggest naloxone's effect on βEI is not mediated through several neurotransmitter systems known to affect ACTH secretion. Additionally, βEI secreted in response to naloxone appears to originate mainly from the anterior lobe of the pituitary.
Robust Crossover Assurance and Regulated Interhomolog Access Maintain Meiotic Crossover Number

Most organisms rely on interhomolog crossovers (COs) to ensure proper meiotic chromosome segregation but make few COs per chromosome pair. By monitoring repair events at a defined double-strand break (DSB) site during Caenorhabditis elegans meiosis, we reveal mechanisms that ensure formation of the obligate CO while limiting CO number. We find that CO is the preferred DSB repair outcome in the absence of inhibitory effects of other (nascent) recombination events. Thus, a single DSB per chromosome pair is largely sufficient to ensure CO formation. Further, we show that access to the homolog as a repair template is regulated, shutting down simultaneously for both CO and noncrossover (NCO) pathways. We propose that regulation of interhomolog access limits CO number and contributes to CO interference.
Pregnancy and stroke risk in women

Stroke, the sudden onset of brain dysfunction from a vascular cause, is one of the most common causes of long-term disability. Although rare during childbearing years, stroke is even more devastating when it occurs in a young woman trying to start a family. Pregnancy and the postpartum period are associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage, although the incidence estimates have varied. There are several causes of stroke that are in fact unique to pregnancy and the postpartum period, such as preeclampsia and eclampsia, amniotic fluid embolus, postpartum angiopathy and postpartum cardiomyopathy. Data regarding these individual entities are scant. Most concerning is the lack of data regarding both prevention and acute management of pregnancy-related stroke. The purpose of this article is to summarize existing data regarding incidence, risk factors and potential etiologies, as well as treatment strategies for stroke in pregnancy.
Medetera aldrichii larval feeding behavior and prey consumption [Dipt.: Dolichopodidae]

Predatory behavior ofMedetera aldrichii Wheeler (Dolichopodidae) larvae was observed in bark-Lucite sandwiches infested with immature broods of the bark beetle preyDendroctonus pseudotsugae Hopkins (Scolytidae). Predator larvae could not penetrate unmined phloem or prey galleries tightly packed with frass, but moved through loose frass and bark-Lucite interspaces formed when the mined inner bark dried. At high prey densities interspace formation and gallerly contiguity enabled the predator to move freely and attack several prey in rapid succession. At low prey densities the predator was frequently isolated from prey by impenetrable strips of phloem. Predator larvae maintained singly in small plastic arenas consumed an average of 14.7 immature prey, but required only 6.2 prey when reared exclusively on large prey.
Idiopathic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy involving the right ventricle

Abstract A 16 year old boy has been followed up since 1952. Though he now experiences slight exertional dyspnea, his cardiac status has not changed during this 14 year period. The clinical and catheterization data indicate that this patient represents a case of idiopathic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that involves the septum and has produced narrowing of the apex of the right ventricle. Marked blood oxygen desaturation and elevated pressures were found at the right ventricular apex and are believed to be due to systolic obliteration and isolation of the apex by muscular contraction. No obstruction to pulmonary flow was found, and there was no gradient across the left ventricular outflow tract at rest. Our findings are similar to some observations made by others in patients with idiopathic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and different from reported cases of double-chambered right ventricle. They indicate that idiopathic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy represents a wide spectrum of manifestations and may involve predominantly the right ventricle.
Identification of Myoglobin in Human Smooth Muscle

Myoglobin (Mb) has been believed to be absent generally from mammalian smooth muscle tissue. Examination of human rectal, uterine, bladder, colon, small intestine, arterial, and venous smooth muscle by immunohistochemical techniques shows that each of these tissues is immunopositive for both smooth muscle myosin and human Mb. Mb-specific primers were used for the polymerase chain reaction to generate cDNA from smooth muscle tissues. Southern hybridization with a Mb-specific probe gave a very strong signal with the cDNA from rectum, weaker signals from small intestine and uterus, a faint signal from colon, and no signal from bladder tissue. High performance liquid chromatography analysis coupled with sequence determination has shown that contaminating heme-binding serum albumin as well as hemoglobin in extracts of smooth muscle seriously compromise any heme-based or spectrophotometric assay of Mb. Combined affinity and size exclusion chromatography, however, provide the necessary resolution. The cDNA-derived amino acid sequence of human smooth muscle Mb was found to be identical to that of Mb from striated muscle.
Uncertainty Analysis of Surface Ablation

*† ‡ An uncertainty analysis is performed on a recently developed surface ablation model. The primary focus is on the investigation of uncertainty from the finite-rate chemistry that account for the reactions between the pyrolysis gases (from decomposition of the ablative material) and the char, as the gases flow through the ablative shield. For this aspect, the effect of initial pyrolysis gas composition, its flow rate, as well as the kinetic model utilized is studied. Uncertainties arising out of material properties of the ablative shield as well as the prescribed heat flux at the surface of the heat shield are also investigated in detail here, in regards to how they influence the response of the ablative TPS shield. All studies are carried out on a low-density Nylon-Phenolic resin based ablative shield, due to availability of data (both numerical and experimental) that focuses on the chemistry between pyrolysis gases and the char left behind by the decomposing ablative shield. A detailed discussion on the results obtained, as well as the means to expand the scope of this work for obtaining deeper insight into the influence of each of these parameters or aspects of surface ablation are also presented.
Surgery in Primary Hyperparathyroidism: Extensive Personal Experience

Parathyroidectomy is the optimal treatment for primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) and provides a cure in the vast majority of cases. Over the last 2 decades, improvements in preoperative localization and the development of intraoperative parathyroid hormone monitoring have opened the door for new surgical approaches to parathyroidectomy. Minimally invasive parathyroidectomy is performed under regional or local anesthesia. It requires less surgical dissection resulting in decreased trauma to tissues and is more effective and less costly than traditional bilateral cervical exploration. This article reviews our approach reflecting advances in preoperative localization, anesthetic techniques, and intraoperative management of patients undergoing parathyroidectomy for the treatment of PHPT.
Normal ultrasonic size and characteristics of the fetal adrenal glands

Utilizing real-time ultrasound we define the normal fetal adrenal glands from the 20th week of gestational age. The normal acoustic characteristics of the adrenals are described. Potential applications of the nomogram derived from this study are suggested.
Using culturally sensitive frameworks to study Asian American leaders in higher education

Asian and Asian American cultural perspectives can add valuable insight to the process of designing and executing inquiries of the lived experiences.
XML Schemas Based Flexible Distributed Code Generation Framework

To leverage the strengths of different distributed systems, a user may want to develop an application that spans multiple frameworks. Currently, in such cases a user needs to use a different code generator for each one of the distributed frameworks that the application incorporates. Learning the details of the interface specification and code generation tool for each one of these distributed frameworks is tedious and error-prone Instead, it is desirable to present the user with a flexible code generation framework that leverages the wide variety of available XML-based tools and is capable of generating code for all distributed systems. Our work involves the design and implementation of an XML schema based toolkit that can serve as the universal code generation toolkit for distributed frameworks.
Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Produce Natural Killer Cells That Mediate Anti-HIV-1 Activity by Utilizing Diverse Cellular Mechanisms

Cell-based therapies against HIV/AIDS have been gaining increased interest. Natural killer (NK) cells are a key component of the innate immune system with the ability to kill diverse tumor cells and virus-infected cells. While NK cells have been shown to play an important role in the control of HIV-1 replication, their functional activities are often compromised in HIV-1-infected individuals. We have previously demonstrated the derivation of NK cells from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) with the ability to potently kill multiple types of tumor cells both in vitro and in vivo. We now demonstrate the derivation of functional NK cells from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). More importantly, both hESC- and iPSC-derived NK cells are able to inhibit HIV-1 NL4-3 infection of CEM-GFP cells. Additional studies using HIV-1-infected human primary CD4(+) T cells illustrated that hESC- and iPSC-derived NK cells suppress HIV-1 infection by at least three distinct cellular mechanisms: killing of infected targets through direct lysis, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, and production of chemokines and cytokines. Our results establish the potential to utilize hESC- and iPSC-derived NK cells to better understand anti-HIV-1 immunity and provide a novel cellular immunotherapeutic approach to treat HIV/AIDS.
Financial Regulation and Cost-Benefit Analysis: A Comment

Many regulators have concluded that cost-benefit analysis is the best available method for capturing the welfare effects of regulations. It is therefore understandable that in recent years, some people have been interested in requiring financial regulators to engage in careful cost-benefit analysis of their regulations, and to proceed only if the benefits justify the costs. Ideas of this sort have played a significant role in judicial review of agency action, especially in cases involving the Securities and Exchange Commission. But it is important to distinguish the question whether courts should require cost-benefit analyses, and review them for arbitrariness, from the separate question whether financial regulators should produce such analyses. It is also important to understand that in some cases, cost-benefit analysis presents serious challenges for financial regulators. When agencies lack relevant information, and cannot project benefits (or costs), they can invoke established techniques to discipline the question whether and how to proceed. In particular, breakeven analysis plays a valuable role. Of course it remains possible that in rare cases, agencies have so little information that they cannot even use breakeven analysis. In such cases, it is not helpful to refer to the precautionary principle or to “expert judgment.” In such rare cases, the best that agencies may be able to do is to rely on some version of maximin, while also seeking to fill informational gaps over time.
Breast cancer treatment beliefs and influences among surgeons in areas of scientific uncertainty

Abstract Background Breast cancer treatment beliefs in areas of scientific uncertainty may contribute to widely variable practices. We sought to better describe surgeons' beliefs and to identify the relative importance of different information sources on surgeons' decision-making. Methods A total of 2,188 American College of Surgeons (ACoS) members were surveyed on their treatment beliefs in 4 controversial areas and on the perceived influence of various information sources on their decision-making. Responses were analyzed by sex, practice type, oncology training, professional society membership, and breast cancer patient volume. Results Nine hundred twenty-three responses were received, with 459 eligible for analysis. Responses diverged most regarding significance of positive sentinel lymph node biopsy (SNLB) and role of post-lumpectomy radiation for low-risk ductal carcinoma-in-situ (DCIS). Overall, expert opinion ranked as the most influential information source. Conclusions Axillary dissection after positive SLNB and post-lumpectomy radiation in low-risk DCIS denoted areas of greater uncertainty. Breast cancer opinion leaders have substantial influence when standard practice is uncertain.
Treatment of Hypoxemia with an Oxygen Enricher

An oxygen enricher (concentrator) was evaluated by performing studies of the inhalation of oxygen and arterial blood gas levels over a period of 30 minutes to 40 hours in ten patients, each with acute or chronic hypoxemia (or both) and in two normal volunteers. One other patient was followed at home up to 2,000 hours. The final concentration of oxygen in the Inhaled gas (FIo 2 ) was checked by analysis of oxygen within the oropharynx when using the nasal cannulae and within the mask and in-line when using Venturi masks of oxygen concentrations of 24 to 40 percent. We demonstrated that oxygen could be supplied dependably via the machine, but only according to specific guidelines. The characteristics of this type of machine, as a result of its flow-dependent ability to concentrate oxygen, are such that (1) the FIo 2 within the oropharynx achieved with the nasal cannula encompasses a range of 22 to 44 percent, depending on the machine’s flow rate and the patient’s minute ventilation; (2) individually labelled Venturi masks must be used at a specific flow as ascertained by this study, using flows of 2 to 4 L/min for a 24 percent mask, 4 L/min for a 28 percent mask, 5 L/min for a 31 percent mask, 4 L/min for a 35 percent mask, and 4 L/min for a 40 percent mask in order to achieve the FIo 2 as labelled; and (3) arterial blood gas levels should be monitored from time to time because changes may occur (albeit rarely) if the patient’s minute ventilation exceeds the volume flow of the Venturi mask.
A bounded delay race model

In order to detect potential timing problems caused by small deviations of the internal delays in a VLSI circuit, a delay model is proposed in which the sizes of the delays are bounded by lower and upper bounds. He then introduces a race model, called the extended bounded delay (XBD) model, is presented, which can be used to predict the behavior of a circuit when the circuit is started in a stable state and some inputs change. The XBD race model is continuous and computationally intractable. A description is also given of an efficient algorithm, called the ternary bounded delay (TBD) algorithm, and it is shown that the results of this algorithm exactly summarize the behavior of the network according to the XBD race model. The author has implemented the TBD algorithm in the COSMOS switch-level simulator, and early results show that the overhead is small compared with standard unit delay simulation. >
Iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis: aggressive therapy with catheter-directed thrombolysis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of catheter-directed thrombolysis with urokinase in treating symptomatic iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis (DVT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-one consecutive patients with iliofemoral DVT underwent treatment for 27 affected limbs (acute DVT, n = 20; chronic DVT, n = 7). The average urokinase dose was 4.9 million IU (range, 1.4 million to 16.0 million IU) infused over an average of 30 hours (range, 15-74 hours). RESULTS: Lysis was complete in 18 (72%), partial in five (20%), and not achieved in two (8%) of 25 treated limbs. Two chronically occluded iliac veins could not be crossed with a guide wire and did not receive urokinase. Sixteen limbs had underlying venous stenoses (> 50%) that were treated with angioplasty (n = 2) or angioplasty and stent placement (n = 14). There were no major complications or clinically detectable pulmonary emboli. The technical and clinical success rates were 85%. CONCLUSION: This initial experience suggests that catheter-directed thrombolys...
Multilingual natural language processing environments

The authors describe the need for multilingual natural language processing and review previous work relating to the field. They present a proposal for a multilingual natural language processing environment, providing an overview of the total plan and describing specific components that have been implemented or are nearing the final design stage. Examples of several application areas are included in which this approach would be an effective tool for research and development. >
Bioterrorism: US public health and a secular apocalypse

This analysis was prepared for the ‘Bioterrorism: Historical contexts, long-term consequences’ conference held at the Department of Anthropology, History, and Social Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, on 8 May 2002. A revised version was presented at the panel ‘A plagued future? Emerging diseases, bioweapons, and other anticipated microbial horrors’ at the 2002 American Anthropological Association Meetings, 23 November. I thank meeting participants for their comments, as well as Nick King, Joe Masco and the anonymous referees for AT. I am indebted to colleagues D.A. Henderson, Tara O'Toole, Tom Inglesby and Michael Mair for their reflections on the humanitarian and public policy dilemmas posed by bioweapons, and to Onora Lien and Ari Schuler for research assistance.
Diagnosis and management of common bile duct stones in patients with sickle hemoglobinopathies

Nine of 35 patients with sickle hemoglobinopathies and cholelithiasis were found to have concomitant common bile duct (CBD) stones. We describe the diagnosis and management of these patients with CBD stones. Historical information, physical examination, and routine laboratory tests were unable to identify accurately the patients with CBD stones. Similarly, ultrasonography of the hepatobiliary system was an insensitive method for detecting CBD stones, as only 3 of 8 patients were correctly identified. In contrast, both an intraoperative cholangiogram and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography were sensitive procedures for detection of CBD stones. We conclude that CBD stones are relatively common in patients with sickle cell disease and cholelithiasis, and clinicians should have a high index of suspicion for their presence.
13C Natural Abundance in Serum Retinol Acts as a Biomarker for Increases in Dietary Provitamin A

The natural isotopic composition of 13C and 12C in tissues is largely determined by the diet. Sources of provitamin A carotenoids (e.g., vegetables) typically have a lower 13C to 12C ratio (13C:12C) than preformed vitamin A sources (i.e., dairy and meat) from corn-fed animals, which are prevalent in the US. The 13C:12C of serum retinol (13C:12C-retinol) was evaluated as a biomarker for vegetable intake in a 3-mo dietary intervention designed to promote weight-loss by increased vegetable consumption or reduced calorie and fat intake. Subjects were 21–50 y of age with a BMI between 30–40 kg/m2 and were enrolled from one geographic area in the US. The high vegetable group (n = 20) was encouraged to increase daily vegetable and fruit consumption to 0.95 liter vegetables and 0.24–0.35 liter fruits. The caloric reduction group (n = 17) was encouraged to lower caloric intake by 500 kcal and consume ≤25% kcal from fat daily. Provided meals supplied 75–100% vegetable and fruit goals and 50–67% kcal and fat g per d...
Examining barriers to self-reporting of elder physical abuse in community-dwelling older adults

One out of 10 older adults experiences elder abuse in their lifetime, though less than one third of these cases ever get reported. The purpose of this study was to describe older adults' perceptions of physical abuse (PA) as a type of elder abuse including reasons why they may or may not self-report. An author developed vignette scale was used to present three types of PA and three barriers to reporting for each of three living situations. Older adults (n = 76) rated perceptions of whether or not the situation is abusive, likelihood of reporting and likelihood of reporting when presented with each of three barriers. The study participants had a consistent perception of PA; however the barriers affected their likelihood of reporting, which varied across types and situations. The results provide further evidence that reporting abuse is multifactorial and have implications for educational interventions.
INFLUENCE OF SURFACE HARDENING BY LASER IRRADIATION ON THE LOSS FACTOR OF CAST IRON

Surface hardening by laser irradiation was examined regarding the loss factor, which is the parameter of the vibration-damping characteristics, for flake graphite cast irons and spherical graphite cast irons. The surface of the samples was quenched by changing speed of beam, gas pressure, and beam frequency. It was found that the depth of the hardening region was from 0.12 mm to 1.11 mm, and the hardness of the boundary between the hardening and the nonhardening regions changed suddenly. It was confirmed that the loss factor of the laser hardened specimens increased considerably as compared with that of the as-cast specimens. The internal friction at the vicinity of the boundary between the hardening and the nonhardening regions may be responsible for this result.
On the fluid dynamics of evolving stars

The problem addressed is that of following the secular evolution of the velocity field and distribution of matter of a model star endowed with an arbitrary amount of angular momentum. A novel feature of the fluid dynamical formulation is the introduction and systematic use of material functions. These functions both facilitate the treatment of the free boun­dary of the star and enable one to use the circulation about certain contours as a priori constants of the motion. The equations governing the evolution of the material functions are adjoined to the Euler equations of fluid dynamics and are to be solved simultaneously with them. No special symmetry assumptions need to be imposed in formulating the equations. This makes it possible to apply them not only in the case of axisymmetric rotating stars, but also in the case of bar-shaped figures that may evolve toward double stars. The formulation is well adapted to the perturbation analysis needed in investigating bifurcation from families of slowly evolving fluid masses. The classes of model stars covered by the formulation include time dependent barotropic models, but are applicable to a significantly wider class of models as well. Even in the context of this wider, non-barotropic class of models, a restricted version of Kelvin’s circulation theorem holds, and plays a major role in rendering determinate the equations of secular evolution.
Extended enoxaparin monotherapy for acute symptomatic pulmonary embolism

We investigated the efficacy and safety of extended enoxaparin monother- apy in symptomatic patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). We randomized 40 patients in a 1:1 allocation to enoxaparin monotherapy (1 mg/kg twice daily for 10-18 days, and then 1.5 mg/kg once daily until day 90) (n 20) or to enoxaparin 1.0 mg/kg twice daily as a bridge to warfarin with a target international normalized ratio of 2.0-3.0 for 90 days (at least 10 doses of enoxaparin overlapping with warfarin for at least 4 days) (n 20). All patients underwent echocardiography, cardiac troponin I (TnI), and brain natriuretic peptide testing to identify patients with an increased likelihood of adverse clinical outcomes. The end-points were newly diag- nosed deep venous thrombosis (DVT) or PE and bleeding events through day 90. In 15 patients on extended enoxaparin therapy, we used repeated measure analysis of variance (ANOVA) to investigate differences in anti-Xa levels obtained at 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks. The patients' mean age was 52 17 years; the most common comorbidi- ties were obesity (58%), hypertension (30%), concomitant DVT (30%) and cancer (15%). Twelve (30%) patients had elevated cardiac TnI 0.1 mg/l and 11 (28%) had moderate or severe right ventricular dysfunction on echocardiography. Ten (25%) patients received thrombolysis with a continuous infusion of 100 mg alteplase prior to randomization. During a 90-day follow-up, one patient from the enoxaparin monotherapy group suffered symptomatic distal DVT; one from the warfarin group had recurrent symptomatic PE (p 1.0). None of the study patients had major hemorrhage; two warfarin group patients had minor bleeding compared with none in the enoxaparin monotherapy group (p 0.49). Repeated measure ANOVA did not reveal significant differences in anti-Xa levels over time (p 0.217). In patients with acute symptomatic PE, extended enoxaparin monotherapy is feasible and warrants further investigation in a large clinical trial.
Organic Molecules in Interstellar Space

Today’s topic, “Organic Molecules in Interstellar Space” has recently emerged as something of interest as well as potential relevance to the question of the origin of life. This morning we will talk about how potential or direct the relevance is. Our discussion leader, Toby Owen, will introduce Dave Buhl from Greenbank and other conferees knowledgeable in this area. So I suggest we just get going.
Occurrence and Survival of Apothecia of the Eyespot Pathogens Oculimacula Acuformis and O. Yallundae on Wheat Stubble in the U.S. Pacific Northwest

Eyespot is a chronic disease of wheat caused by Oculimacula yallundae and O. acuformis that results in premature ripening of grain, lodging, and reduced grain yield. Discovery of the sexual stage of these Oculimacula spp. in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) of the United States is relatively recent and the role of apothecia in the epidemiology of eyespot is unclear. Our goals were to determine whether and when apothecia of these Oculimacula spp. are found in the PNW, and monitor their ability to survive over summer and over winter. Seventy-three harvested commercial wheat fields in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington were surveyed for apothecia during spring and fall 2012 and spring 2013. Apothecia of both species were found in both spring and fall in 19% of fields. Apothecia survived on straw placed on the soil surface over the summer but not the winter. This is the first report of O. yallundae apothecia in commercial wheat fields in the PNW. Occurrence of apothecia in spring and fall demonstrates that sexual reproduction of both species occurs regularly in the PNW and at a time when ascospores could serve as primary inoculum for infection of winter wheat. Results of this study are consistent with previous population genetic studies that found high genotypic diversity of both eyespot pathogens in winter wheat fields and provides a baseline for understanding the influence of sexual reproduction on population dynamics and genetics of both pathogens.
EFFECTS OF ACCULTURATION AND SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS ON OBESITY AND DIABETES IN MEXICAN AMERICANS THE SAN ANTONIO HEART STUDY

The authors hypothesized that increased socioeconomic status and acculturation of Mexican Americans to mainstream US society would be accompanied by a progressive lessening of obesity and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. This hypothesis was tested in 1979-1982 in the San Antonio Heart Study, a population-based study of 1,288 Mexican Americans and 929 non-Hispanic whites, aged 25-64 years, randomly selected from three San Antonio neighborhoods: a low-income barrio, a middle-income transitional neighborhood, and a high-income suburb. Socioeconomic status was assessed by the Duncan Socioeconomic Index, a global measure of socioeconomic status based on occupational prestige. Acculturation was assessed by three scales which measure functional integration with mainstream society, value placed on preserving Mexican cultural origin, and attitude toward traditional family structure and sex-role organization. In Mexican-American men, increased acculturation was accompanied by a statistically significant, linear decline in both obesity and diabetes, while socioeconomic status had no significant effect on either outcome. In Mexican-American women, on the other hand, increased acculturation and increased socioeconomic status were accompanied by statistically significant, linear declines in both outcomes. However, the effects of acculturation on obesity and diabetes prevalence in women were stronger than the effects of socioeconomic status. In women, obesity also appeared to be a more important mediator of the relation between socioeconomic status and diabetes than of the relation between acculturation and diabetes. The results of this study suggest that culturally mediated factors exert a more pervasive influence on obesity and diabetes in Mexican Americans than do socioeconomically mediated factors. The influence of socioeconomic status in women, however, cannot be ignored, particularly with regard to obesity.