cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metastatic retinoblastoma presenting as a left shoulder soft tissue mass: FNA findings and review of the literature

Retinoblastoma is a relatively rare malignant pediatric tumor accounting for approximately 3% of childhood cancers and 1% of all cancer deaths in children under 15 years of age. During the clinical course of the disease, a metastasis usually occurs within the first year of diagnosis and is seen in 2% of retinoblastoma patients. Metastases to the intracranial region are common and account for approximately 50% of the metastatic cases. Metastasis to the soft tissue is very rare. Herein, we report a case of metastatic retinoblastoma presenting as a left shoulder soft tissue mass in a 14-year-old female with a 14-year history of familial bilateral retinoblastoma status post radiation therapy. In our case, the FNA cytology shows some features of the small round blue cell tumor group with inconspicuous Flexner-Wintersteiner or Homer-Right rosette formation. The unusual clinical presentation and morphology give rise to a diagnostic dilemma, with the differential diagnosis centering on the small round blue cell tumors such as lymphoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, nephroblastoma (Wilms' tumor), Ewing's sarcoma/PNET, and desmoplastic small round cell tumor. It also prompts concern for the development of a second primary tumor. The purpose of our study is to discuss the FNA cytology of metastatic retinoblastoma, its differential diagnoses, and the utility of immunohistochemistry. An accurate diagnosis is imperative due to the differences in prognosis and treatment implications for the various diseases.
Stemming the tide: laptop support without a mandate

This paper shares the evolution of the laptop support organization at Tulane University, a school that does not have a laptop mandate. The absence of a mandate has forced us to be creative in managing the demands for laptop support. We will review the history of our laptop support structure and discuss the changes implemented in response to increasing security threats to laptops, beginning with the emergence of the Blaster worm.First, we will discuss the physical layout of our Laptop Station and how we have managed demand with this layout. Second, we will discuss the changing tools that we have employed as the demand and the complexities of the problems we face have increased. Finally, we will describe the policies and procedures we have put in place. We will share our policies, procedures, checklists, training regimens, and evaluate our success.
Predation on the Lone Star Tick by the Imported Fire Ant

In tests conducted at Baton Rouge and Pine Grove, Louisiana, various stages of the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (L.), were released in areas infested with the imported fire ant, Solenopsis saevissima richteri Forel, and in areas where mirex bait was applied to suppress ant populations. A significant ( P <0.01) greater survival of tick eggs and engorged tick larvae occurred in the mirex-treatcd area after 24, 48, and 72 hours of exposure to fire ant predation. About 75% of the ticks released in the mirextreated plot in August and September 1970 as nymphs were recovered as adults in March 1971. No ticks were recovered in the ant-infested plot. Engorged female ticks confined in hardware-cloth cages had a much higher survival rate in the mirex-treated plots.
Reliability estimation in interaction analysis

Interaction analysts use a variety of nominal, ordinal, and interval level tests to assess coding reliability. This paper evaluates approaches to measuring reliability in interaction analysis by: (1) presenting criteria for a sound reliability estimate, (2) evaluating currently used tests against these criteria, and (3) discussing application of appropriate tests to interaction data.
Lack of a role for formaldehyde in methanol poisoning in the monkey.

Abstract Methanol was administered either to untreated cynomolgus monkeys or to a folate-deficient cynomolgus monkey which exhibits exceptional sensitivity to the toxic effects of methanol. Marked formic acid accumulation in the blood and in body fluids and tissues was observed. No formaldehyde accumulation was observed in the blood and no formaldehyde was detected in the urine, cerebrospinal fluid, vitreous humor, liver, kidney, optic nerve, and brain in these monkeys at a time when marked metabolic acidosis and other characteristics of methanol poisoning were observed. Following intravenous infusion into the monkey, formaldehyde was rapidly eliminated from the blood with a half-life of about 1.5 min and formic acid levels promptly increased in the blood. Since formic acid accumulation accounted for the metabolic acidosis and since ocular toxicity essentially identical to that produced in methanol poisoning has been described after formate treatment, the predominant role of formic acid as the major metabolic agent for methanol toxicity is certified. Also, results suggest that formaldehyde is not a major factor in the toxic syndrome produced by methanol in the monkey.
Synthesis and Characterization of Metallo and Metal-Free Octaalkylphthalocyanines and Uranyl Decaalkylsuperphthalocyanines

A straightforward, efficient, and generalizable synthesis of symmetrically substituted 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octaalkyl-phthalocyanines and uranyl 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24,30,31-decaalkylsuperphthalocyaninates from o-dialkylbenzenes is described. For phthalocyanines, the approach is illustrated for methyl and n-butyl substituents, and both metal-free and nickel complexes are reported. Uranyl superphthalocyanines have been prepared with methyl and n-butyl substituents. The new complexes have been characterized by a variety of chemical and physicochemical methods. Quantitative determination of the solubilities of substituted and unsubstituted phthalocyanine and superphthalocyanine complexes in both 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene and toluene demonstrates decreasing solubility in the order (4,5-Bu/sub 2/)/sub 5/SPcUO/sub 2/ > (4-Me)/sub 5/SPcUO/sub 2/ > (4,5-Me/sub 2/)/sub 5/SPcUO/sub 2/ > SPcUO/sub 2/ > (4-Me)/sub 4/PcH/sub 2/ > Ni(4,5-Bu/sub 2/)Pc > Ni(4,5-Me/sub 2/)/sub 4/Pc > NiPc. Attempts to displace the uranyl ion from (4,5-R/sub 2/)/sub 5/SPcUO/sub 2/ with acids or Cu(OAc)/sub 2/ lead to the formation of (4,5-R/sub 2/)/sub 4/PcH/sub 2/ or Cu(4,5-R/sub 2/)/sub 4/Pc, respectively.
Telephoning the patient’s pharmacy to assess adherence with asthma medications by measuring refill rate for prescriptions

Abstract Objective: To determine whether a prescription refill history obtained by telephoning patients' pharmacies identifies poor adherence with asthma medications more frequently than physician assessment. Methods: The study population consisted of 116 children with persistent asthma who were Medicaid recipients; patients who received medication samples were excluded. During a clinic visit pulmonologists interviewed patients, caretakers, or both and estimated adherence on a checklist. A nurse asked the caretakers where they obtained medications and telephoned 66 identified pharmacies for refill histories. The maximum possible adherence was calculated as the number of doses refilled/number of doses prescribed × 100 for a mean duration of 163 days (range, 63 to 365 days). The accuracy of the refill information was determined from Medicaid reimbursement records. Results: Information provided by pharmacies was 92% accurate. The mean (95% CI) of maximum potential adherence was 72% (65%,77%) for theophylline, 61% (55%,68%) for inhaled corticosteroids, and 38% (23%,53%) for cromolyn; only cromolyn and theophylline were significantly different. Physicians were able to identify 21 (49%) of 43 patients who refilled ≤50% of prescribed doses of long-term symptom controllers and only 3 (27%) of 11 patients who used albuterol excessively. Conclusions: Physicians often were unable to identify patients with very poor adherence. Checking prescription refills is an accurate and practical method of identifying such patients. (J Pediatr 2000;136:532-6)
Party Membership in France: Measures and Data-Collection

French political parties occupy a curious place on the political landscape. On the one hand, they are associations that are governed as any other by the law of 1901 (the primary regime in France for what today would be called ‘not-for-profit groups’), without any special dispositions. On the other, they are subject to a special regime that governs financing and campaigning, which has developed considerably since the first steps in the late 1980s. Parties are now required to keep transparent financial records, to report campaign expenditures to a special commission (the Commission nationale des comptes de campagne et des financements politiques, CCFP), and even to conform to rules governing the designation of candidates. However, in France, parties are not obliged to declare accurate membership statistics. The purpose of this essay is to examine the way in which researchers on French political parties have attempted to overcome this problem; it will examine different methods of data gathering and show the variance, which exists across membership figures, that have been used by scholars of the French political system to draw conclusions that are sometimes at odds.
Photofragment spectroscopy of nitrosobenzene

Abstract The rotational state distribution of NO produced by dissociation of nitrosobenzene near 225 nm has been obtained by [1+1] resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization. The results are compared with a modified statistical model of photodissociation.
Role of vacancy and metal doping on combustive oxidation of Zr/ZrO2 core-shell particles

Abstract We studied self-propagated combustion synthesis of transition-metal-doped tetragonal ZrO2 (t-ZrO2) with first principles-based one-dimensional diffusion reaction model. The optimal reaction condition for the combustion process was investigated by calculating energetic stability and surface reactivity of oxygen vacancy defects on (101) surface termination of t-ZrO2 using first-principles density functional methods. In the first-principles model, the surface was doped with 14 different metal impurities in the 4th and 5th row of the periodic table to examine the role of transition-metal doping on the combustion process. Results indicate that there are clear trends in the defect stability and reactivity depending upon the type of metal impurity and their relative location with respect to the oxygen vacancy. Surface density of states and charge density information also show that there is a trade-off between the vacancy stability and chemical activity of the surface defect states. Based on the thermodynamic information obtained from first principles, we analyze the combustion process of a Zr metal particle by using a one-dimensional diffusion-reaction model. The competition between the vacancy-assisted chemisorption and the vacancy diffusion results in an optimal point for rate of combustion reaction with respect to the vacancy stability. From this, we suggest a plausible screening strategy for metal-doping which can be applied at different temperatures and pressures, as well as with different particle sizes. Our analysis indicates that first-principles calculation provides key information that can be subsequently used for an optimization of the reaction rate for a self-sustained combustion process. An explicit inclusion of rates of defect and ionic transport will be introduced into our model in future work.
Useful understanding of postoperative atrial fibrillation

To the Editor: Hogue et al1 concluded: “In the hour before AF [atrial fibrillation] after CABG surgery, higher heart rate and lower heart rate complexity compared with values in control patients were independent predictors of AF.” Their careful study and stochastic analyses showed that this was statistically significant, but their observations were not clinically significant …
Understanding Fundamentalism: Christian, Islamic, and Jewish Movements

Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 The Complexity of Scripturalism Chapter 3 The Past in the Present: "Traditioning", the Proof-text, and the Covenant Chapter 4 Three Strategies in the Quest for Purity Chapter 5 Activism and Totalism Chapter 6 Selective Modernization and Controlled Acculturation Chapter 7 Transnational Religion Before and After 9/11: Muslims in Western Europe and Afghanistan Chapter 8 Glossary Chapter 9 Suggestions for Further Reading
Gender, Natural Capital, and Migration in the Southern Ecuadorian Andes:

This paper investigates the roles of gender and natural capital (defined as land and associated environmental services) in out-migration from a rural study area in the southern Ecuadorian Andes. Drawing on original household survey data, I construct and compare multivariate event history models of individual-level, household-level, and community-level influences on the migration of men and women. The results undermine common assumptions that landlessness and environmental degradation universally contribute to out-migration. Instead, men access land resources to facilitate international migration and women are less likely to depart from environmentally marginal communities relative to other areas. These results reflect a significantly gendered migration system in which natural capital plays an important but unexpected role.
Timing of postvitellogenic ovarian changes in the ridgeback prawn Sicyonia ingentis (Penaeidae) determined by ovarian biopsy

Abstract The relative timing of postvitellogenic oocyte changes in the ridgeback prawn (Sicyonia ingentis) was studied using a simple ovarian biopsy technique. Prawn ovaries were biopsied by puncturing the dorsal body wall and ovary with a needle attached to a syringe containing crustacean Ringers. Oocytes were removed and staged microscopically. The technique had no significant effect on survival, number of spawns, time of spawning or egg quality compared with unsampled controls. The timing of the cortical specialization (CS) stage, the germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) stage and ovulation were studied using repeated ovarian biopsies. The mean (± SD) time from the initiation of the cortical specialization stage to spawning was 97 ± 53 h and 84 ± 22 h in two groups of animals subjected to repeated ovarian biopsies. Ovulation required less than a few hours. It was concluded that the frequency of cortical specialization stage oocytes was an accurate index of spawning activity.
Flurbiprofen (Ansaid) Cross-Sensitivity in an Aspirin-Sensitive Asthmatic Patient

Flurbiprofen (Ansaid) is a newly released nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is a potent inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis. We report the first case (to our knowledge) of a flurbiprofen-induced asthmatic reaction confirmed by single-blind oral challenges. Cross-sensitivity and cross-desensitization between aspirin (ASA) and flurbiprofen were also demonstrated in this patient with rhinosinusitis and asthma, thus reinforcing the observation that NSAIDs capable of cyclooxygenase inhibition cross-react with ASA in producing characteristic respiratory reactions.
Mobile Technology: Implications for Privacy and Librarianship

As use of mobile devices continues to expand and users take advantage of new technologies available on these platforms, it becomes necessary to examine how these technologies will affect user privacy, and in turn, how librarianship will respond to these challenges. This paper addresses the history and expectations of privacy in our society, the relationship of libraries to privacy, current and emerging mobile technologies, and how librarianship can address new challenges to user privacy.
Effects of Headgroup Structure on the Incorporation of Anions into Sulfobetaine Micelles. Kinetic and Physical Evidence

Zwitterionic micelles of (tetradecyldialkylammonio) propane-, butane- and pentanesulfonate increase the rate of reaction of Br- with methyl naphthalene-2-sulfonate, MeONs, but this reaction is largely suppressed by addition of NaClO4. The NMR line width of 35Cl in ClO4- increases very sharply on incorporation into micelles of tetradecyldimethylammonio propanesulfonate, SB3-14. The 14N line width of SB3-14 also increases significantly under these conditions, but there is no evidence for strong interactions with 23Na+. Aggregation numbers, Nagg, of SB3-14 increase modestly with increasing [SB3-14], but not with the other surfactants. The increase is greater with added NaClO4, but NaOH, NaCl, and NaNO3 have little effect on Nagg. Interactions of the anions with the micelles are treated with equations of the form of the Langmuir isotherm, and binding parameters estimated kinetically and conductometrically agree. Second-order rate constants of the reaction of Br- with MeONs at micellar surfaces are similar in ...
Analysis of non-covalent interactions between the nanoparticulate fillers and the matrix polymer as applied to shape memory performance

Non-covalent interactions between filler particles and polyurethanes were investigated using fluorescence emission spectroscopy. The results were used in the analysis of shape memory (SM) performance of polyurethanes. Composites of shape memory polyurethane (SMPU) and carbon nanofiber (CNF), oxidized carbon nanofiber (ox-CNF), organoclay, silicon carbide, and carbon black were prepared from diphenylmethane diisocyanate, 1,4-butanediol, and poly(caprolactone)diol. It was revealed by fluorescence emission spectroscopy that primarily the urethane groups located in the hard segments of SMPU interacted with the polar functional groups on filler particles. A close correlation between the extent of non-covalent filler–matrix interactions, soft segment crystallinity, and SM properties of polyurethane composites was discussed. It was observed that weak non-covalent interactions of polymer chains with CNF and SiC particles caused significant reductions in soft segment crystallinity of SMPU and hence the shape memory properties of the composites.
Simulation of human renal system.

The goal of this study is to develop a synthesisable computersimulated model that mimics the function of a simplified renal system. Hardware description language has been used to simulate the model. In future phase of this study, the model will be realised on an electronic chip such as ‘Field Programmable Gate Arrays’. The simulated model introduces a dynamic representation of the human body fluid balance under normal conditions and displays the change of urine flow with the amount of ingested water. The inputs of the model are average values of parameters extracted from the renal system. Some of these parameters and variables are: arterial pressure, daily ingested fluid volume, daily ingested sodium, daily ingested potassium, extracellular fluid volume, intracellular fluid volume, renin concentration, angiotensin II concentration, and aldosterone concentration. Our results show that the output of the model is in agreement with those of the literatures.
Molecular cloning of the bovine blood-brain barrier glucose transporter cDNA and demonstration of phylogenetic conservation of the 5'-untranslated region.

Abstract The brain-type glucose transporter (GLUT-1) is a blood-brain barrier (BBB)-specific gene. The isolation of BBB-specific genes from total brain cDNA libraries is difficult because the brain capillary endothelium, which makes up the BBB in vivo , constitutes
Protection against a lethal influenza virus challenge by immunization with a haemagglutinin-expressing plasmid DNA

Direct DNA inoculations have been used to demonstrate that in vivo transfections can be used to elicit protective immune responses. The direct inoculation of an H7 haemagglutinin-expressing DNA protected chickens against lethal challenge with an H7N7 influenza virus. Three-week-old chickens were vaccinated by inoculating 100 μg of plasmid DNA by each of three routes (intravenous, intraperitoneal and subcutaneous). One month later, chickens were boosted with 100 μg of DNA by each of the three routes. At 1–2 weeks postboost, chickens were challenged via the nares with 100 lethal doses of an H7N7 virus. Low to undetectable levels of H7-specific antibodies were present postvaccination and boost. High titres of H7-specific antibodies appeared within 1 week of challenge. In a series of four experiments, 50% (2856) of the DNA-vaccinated and <2% (167) of the control chickens survived the challenge. This exceptionally simple method of immunization holds high promise for the development of subunit vaccines.
A Psychometric Study of Incarcerated Presidential Threateners

Because of the difficulties associated with studying actual presidential assailants, “proxies” have been used to help us understand those who have a pathological fixation on the presidency. The literature describing two groups of proxies, White House visitors who behave irrationally and people who threaten the president, was reviewed. MMPIs were collected on 45 presidential threateners and 45 nonthreateners evaluated at mental health facilities for federal prisoners. The threateners' characteristics resembled reports of other proxy groups in certain respects, but their criminal histories suggested more antisocial behavior and violence than previously indicated. Their MMPI profiles and classifications on Megargee et al.'s MMPI-based offender classification system were significantly more deviant than those of the nonthreateners. Overall, both samples of mental health patients had more elevated MMPIs and were classified into more pathological types on the MMPI-based typology than offenders previously tested ...
Watershed Management in the Pacific Slope Buffer Zone of the La Amistad Biosphere Reserve, Costa Rica

Abstract An analysis of watershed management in the Pacific slope of the Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica, was conducted as part of a larger analysis of Conservation International's Amistad Conservation and Development (AMISCONDE) Initiative. General impacts of land use conversion are described with particular reference to tropical montane regions under conditions like those found on the Pacific slope of the Talamanca range. The quality of watershed management across the region and within the San Jeronimo-Zapotal watershed, one of the AMISCONDE Initiative sites, is evaluated. Significant problems are indicated regarding soil erosion, sedimentation, and agrochemical delivery to streams. These problems are likely due in part to the clearing of forest for cultivation on steep, highly erodable lands with little control over the location and construction of fields and associated infrastructure; a shift in land use from pasture to coffee cultivation and attendant increases in pesticide use; and unsafe pestic...
Preconditioning for incompressible flows with free-surfaces and two-fluid interfaces

We investigate preconditioners for solving steady or implicit-unsteady arbitrary-Lagrangian-Eulerian moving-mesh formulations of incompressible free-surface and interfacial flow problems. The solution for the flow is obtained using the artificial compressibility method combined with a multigrid cycle. To find the surface positions in a free-surface problem, we use an iteration that is quasi-physical with the position of the free-surface driven by the kinematic condition. By modifying the fluxes through the free-surface and also using an iterative free-surface time step that is different from the flow time-step, we are able to obtain convergence rates that are almost indistinguishable from those of a flow without a free-surface. This is true in the limits of both large and small surface stresses such as gravity or surface tension and also for all flow conditions (high or low Reynolds number or small implicit Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy number). For interfacial flows, the free-surface preconditioner is extended by using a mass averaging technique. The iterative flow time-step at the interface is a mass average of the time step for the flow conditions on either side of the interface and the iterative time step for the kinematic condition is also based on mass-average quantities. We verify that this technique produces the correct results in the limits of identical fluids or a free-surface flow. We also verify that it produces well-conditioned results when the characteristic time scales of the two fluids are very different.
Bureaucracy, monopoly, and the demand for municipal services☆

Abstract A model of municipal budget allocation is constructed. It is assumed that municipalities elect mayors whose preferences reflect those of their constituents and that the bureaucrats heading the public agencies are private-wealth maximizers. Following Niskanen it is argued that bureaucrats exploit their mayors in order to maximize their salaries which implies that the price-elasticity for municipal services will be unitary. A price index is constructed, and the implication is tested on a sample of 81 U.S. cities over the period 1951–1973. The time-series estimates of price, population, and income elasticities are compared with those of Bergstrom and Goodman and Borcherding and Deacon.
Trends in Graphic Display Design

This paper discusses progress in the design of graphic displays, as seen from the viewpoint of the graphics system designer. In the first of three parts, the paper outlines the development of line-drawing displays, and explains why attention is presently focused on buffered transformation processors. The second part discusses raster-scan CRT displays, and compares several solutions to the problems of scan conversion and storage for refresh. The third part reviews some issues in the design of new display devices, and relates these to the functional characteristics of the graphic display.
Treatment alternatives for axillary-subclavian vein thrombosis: long-term follow-up.

Abstract Sponteneous axillary-subclavian vein thrombosis in young patients produces long-term disability. Patients with secondary axillary-subclavian vein thrombosis usually require prolonged venous catheterization for chemotherapy or pacemaking. This study aimed to compare the early and late results of lytic versus anticoagulant therapy in the treatment of axillary-subclavian vein thrombosis, both spontaneous and secondary to central venous cannulation. Nine patients underwent conventional treatment (heparin and warfarin) (group 1), and 10 had initial lytic therapy followed by heparin and warfarin (group 2). Three patients had cervical or first rib resection. Thirteen patients had spontaneous thrombosis and six were secondary to central venous catheterization. The mean follow-up was 36 months. Two of nine patients (22%) in group 1 and eight of 10 patients (80%) in group 2 had total venous recanalization and symptom resolution (P = 0.018). In the spontaneous axillary-subclavian vein thrombosis.subset, one of six patients (17%) in group 1 and five of seven patients (71%) in group 2 had total venous recanalization and symptom resolution (P = 0.078). The average difference in cost per patient between groups 1 and 2 was $19 039. In conclusion, lytic therapy appears superior to anticoagulation in the treatment of axillary-subclavian vein thrombosis. However, such treatment is more expensive and its benefits should be carefully weighed against the cost in each case. Copyright © 1996 The International Society for Cardiovascular Surgery.
Small Intestinal Mucosal Injury and Protection

The clinical consequences of mucosal injury and protection of the stomach have been extensively explored. However, similar studies in the small intestine are only just beginning. It appears that drug-induced injury to the small intestinal mucosa is much more common than originally thought. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), alcohol and bile acids all cause intestinal injury, ranging from hyperpermeability to intestinal perforation. Whether such injury leads to intestinal diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease or sprue has yet to be resolved. Investigations in animals and humans suggest that, as with the stomach, prostaglandins may be major mediators in protection of the intestinal mucosa from injury. However, the mechanisms and clinical application of protection have yet to be fully explored.
Group Calls for More Focus on Potentially Hazardous Asteroids

A group of astronauts, scientists, business leaders, and artists are calling for a dramatic increase in detecting and monitoring asteroids that could potentially strike the Earth catastrophically. They have announced that 30 June 2015 will be a global asteroid awareness day.
Research on Tl-based superconductors at the university of Arkansas

Abstract We discovered the Tl-Ba-Cu-O system in October 1987 and the Tl-Ba-Ca-Cu-O system in February 1988. The latter still holds the record of the highest reproducible Tc of 125 K. Thereafter, we discovered a number of new Tl-based superconductors, and developed several new processes for the Tl-based superconductors. A number of related patents have been granted.
Thermoluminescence of SrSO4:Dy and BaSO4:Dy (dosimetric properties)

The thermoluminescence of SrSO4 and BaSO4 doped with dysprosium and thulium was studied. The phosphors were crystallized from H2SO4 solution by evaporation. SrSO4:Dy and SrSO4:Tm exhibit the same glow curve, both having a major glow peak at 140 degrees C. BaSO4:Dy and BaSO4:Tm also exhibit identical glow peaks at 130 degrees C which are similar to the SrSO4 peaks except for the small shift in temperature. The sensitivities of SrSO4:Dy and BaSO4:Dy relative to CaSO4:Dy are 90 and 27%, respectively, for 60Co irradiation. The following dosimetric properties of these phosphors were also measured: fading, linearity with dose and response versus photon energy. SrSO4:Dy appears most suitable for dosimetry; particularly as a quality indicator for personnel dosimetry. Its behaviour from 100 mR to 1R is, however, somewhat nonlinear.
Posterior Distribution of Infarcts in Strokes Related to Cardiac Operations

Abstract Background . Stroke complicates cardiac surgical procedures in a substantial number of patients. The mechanism of stroke is predominantly embolic, although hypoperfusion may play a role. The aim of this study was to determine whether radiologic appearances in this population were consistent with an embolic cause. Methods . We reviewed computed tomographic scans and medical records in 24 patients who suffered stroke after cardiac operation. Stroke was evident at 24 hours in 19 patients (79%). Infarcts were multiple in 16 and single in 3 patients (group 1). The remaining 5 patients suffered stroke beyond 24 hours and had single infarcts on computed tomographic scan (group 2). Results . In group 1, 15 patients (79%) had bilateral cerebellar infarcts, 4 (74%) had posterior cerebral artery infarcts, 10 (53%) had posterior watershed infarcts, and 11 patients (58%) had middle cerebral artery branch infarcts. The mean number of vascular territories involved was 5.1 (range, 1 to 10). Mobile atheromatous plaque was present in the ascending aorta or arch in 5 of 9 patients (56%) in group 1. In group 2, stroke occurred in close association with atrial or ventricular fibrillation in 3 of 5 patients (60%). Conclusions . In patients with radiologic evidence of infarction, perioperative strokes after cardiac operation are typically multiple, and involve the posterior parts of the brain, consistent with atheroembolization. Delayed strokes may be attributable to cardiogenic embolism.
The chicken, the egg and Salmonella enteritidis

Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis is the cause of the food-borne salmonellosis pandemic in humans, in part because it has the unique ability to contaminate eggs without causing discernible illness in the birds infected. The infection route to humans involves colonization, survival and multiplication of the pathogen in the hen house environment, the bird and, finally, the egg. This review highlights the stages of transmission and discusses evidence that altered bacterial growth patterns and specific cell surface characteristics contribute to the adaptation of S. enteritidis to these diverse environments.
Mode of payment, practice characteristics, and physician support for patient self care.

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of payment mode and practice characteristics on physicians’ attitudes toward and support of self-care among their patients. It is a common practice for health plans and health insurance companies to distribute and make available various self-care services and products to members. These self-care products are generally part of a larger demand-management strategy. The adoption and dissemination of self-care products by both fee-for-service and capitated systems of care suggest an implicit assumption that there is no connection between physician payment mode and the support of self-care products by physicians for their patients. This study empirically examines this assumption. Methods: Physicians from three Northwest communities were sampled and face-to-face interviews were conducted (N=448). Results: The findings show that younger, primary care, and female physicians are more supportive of self care for their patients. Physicians with more income from capitation or salary are also more supportive of self care for their patients. After controlling for other factors, physician mode of payment is the only statistically significant predictor of support for self care. Research and policy implications are discussed. Conclusion: The findings suggest that physicians who are paid on a capitation basis have more motivation to have patients be less reliant on the formal care structure. It is unclear whether the payment mode generates this support, or if physicians supportive of patient self care self-select themselves into capitated systems of care.
Gel Filtration Chromatography

Abstract The technique of gel filtration chromatography is described, with a guide to relevant literature on methods, theory, and applications, especially the use of GFC in analysis of molecular interactions, both macromolecular and small molecule-macromolecule aggregation.
Alteration of plankton communities and biogeochemical cycles by harmful Cochlodinium polykrikoides (Dinophyceae) blooms

Abstract Cochlodinium polykrikoides is a globally distributed, ichthyotoxic, bloom-forming dinoflagellate. Blooms of C. polykrikoides manifest themselves as large (many km 2 ) and distinct patches with cell densities exceeding 10 3 ml −1 while water adjacent to these patches can have low cell densities ( −1 ). While the effect of these blooms on fish and shellfish is well-known, their impacts on microbial communities and biogeochemical cycles are poorly understood. Here, we investigated plankton communities and the cycling of carbon, nitrogen, and B-vitamins within blooms of C. polykrikoides and compared them to areas in close proximity ( C. polykrikoides densities. Within blooms, C. polykrikoides represented more than 90% of microplankton (>20 μm) cells, and there were significantly more heterotrophic bacteria and picoeukaryotic phytoplankton but fewer Synechococcus . Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of 16S and 18S rRNA genes revealed significant differences in community composition between bloom and non-bloom samples. Inside the bloom patches, concentrations of vitamin B 12 were significantly lower while concentrations of dissolved oxygen were significantly higher. Carbon fixation and nitrogen uptake rates were up to ten times higher within C. polykrikoides bloom patches. Ammonium was a more important source of nitrogen, relative to nitrate and urea, for microplankton within bloom patches compared to non-bloom communities. While uptake rates of vitamin B 1 were similar in bloom and non-bloom samples, vitamin B 12 was taken up at rates five-fold higher (>100 pmol −1 L −1 d −1 ) in bloom samples, resulting in turn-over times of hours during blooms. This high vitamin demand likely led to the vitamin B 12 limitation of C. polykrikoides observed during nutrient amendment experiments conducted with bloom water. Collectively, this study revealed that C. polykrikoides blooms fundamentally change microbial communities and accelerate the cycling of carbon, some nutrients, and vitamin B 12 .
Ab initio Calculation of van der Waals Bonded Molecular Crystals

Intermolecular interactions in the van der Waals bonded benzene crystal are studied from first principles, by combining exact exchange energies with correlation energies defined by the adiabatic connection fluctuation-dissipation theorem, within the random phase approximation. Correlation energies are evaluated using an iterative procedure to compute the eigenvalues of dielectric matrices, which eliminates the computation of unoccupied electronic states. Our results for the structural and binding properties of solid benzene are in very good agreement with experimental results and show that the framework adopted here is a very promising one to investigate molecular crystals and other condensed systems bound by dispersion forces.
A nonhemolytic phospholipase C produced by Pseudomonas cepacia

Pseudomonas cepacia Pc224c, a nonhemolytic strain originally isolated from the sputum of a cystic fibrosis patient, produced an extracellular, heat-labile phospholipase C activity, which was measured quantitatively on the synthetic substratep-nitrophenylphophorylcholine. Cell-free supernatants from cultures grown to late log phase in MOPS-minimal salts-Tryptose medium contained specific activity at least 38 times greater than that from cultures grown in Tryptose minimal medium, Tryptic Soy broth, or peptone medium. Production was inhibited by the presence of inorganic phosphate in the medium and enhanced by aeration of the culture. The PLC ofP. cepacia is nonhemolytic and does not exhibit lecithinase activity on egg-yolk agar.
A Markov chain model of the evolution of complex neuronal network structures in the presence of plasticity

We consider neuronal network models with plasticity and randomness; we show that complicated global structures can evolve even in the presence of simple local update rules. Our models are discrete in time and our analysis uses tools from the theory of Markov chains. Specifically, we propose a discrete-time model of the evolution of a neuronal network capable of learning with multiple input neurons (whose spiking consists of Poisson processes), one output integrate-and-fire neuron, and a network with conductances between them. Along with the input firing, the stochasticity of the output neuron's state is modulated by the conductances in the network, that evolve according to synaptic plasticity in the form of long-term potentiation. The aggregate system evolves according to discrete-state, multi-dimensional Markov chain. We demonstrate that the network is capable of rich properties (e.g. bifurcation, various forms of stability, etc) that depend on maximum possible values of conductance, the rates of the Poisson processes, and the number of levels in the integrate-and-fire output neuron model. Most importantly, we believe that this approach provides a well-positioned balance between neuro-biological relevance and ability to be analyzed theoretically. In the future, we plan to apply principles from Lyapunov exponents (for sensitivity to initial conditions) and information theory (using the KL divergence for model order reduction and employing feedback information theoretic principles using the directed information to elucidate information dynamics) so that the key emerging principles underlying the complex behaviors can be illustrated in a provably good manner.
EMG activity of low back extensor muscles during cyclic flexion/extension

Cyclic trunk flexion/extension is known to be a risk factor for low back pain or disorders. Changes in the in vivo low back musculature associated with cyclic flexion/extension have not been adequately examined. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of cyclic flexion/extension on muscle activity of the low back extensors by quantifying changes in activation timing and mean amplitude of electromyography (EMG). Trunk flexion angle and EMG were recorded during 30 cyclic flexion/extension movements over a 5 min period, and during isometric extension performed before and after the 5 min period. Mean EMG in isometric extension increased (30% increase in average) significantly after cyclic flexion/extension, confirming a transfer of extension moment from viscoelastic passive tissues to the extensor muscles in isometric extension. However, in the extension phase of cyclic flexion/extension, a significant delay in the re-activation and a decrease in the mean amplitude of EMG were observed. The results of this study, together with findings in previous research, suggest that the biomechanical effects and potential risk associated with cyclic flexion/extension may be sensitive to the task demands. Further research is needed to investigate how different moment generating components function together to compensate for the loss of tissue stiffness under varying task conditions.
Deglaciation events in the western Catskill Mountains, New York

The upper Delaware River basin in New York is characterized by three widely different modes of deglaciation. Ice in the West Branch Delaware River basin stagnated in a series of six zones, each ranging in length from 16 to 24 km. Each zone contains three or four outwash-kame–moraine-kame terrace morphologic sequences. The location of the sequences within a zone was controlled by deposition from tributary streams. In contrast, the East Branch Delaware River was the site of three successive glacial-lake levels, each controlled by a till dam. Deposition into these lakes was in the form of kame deltas. Deglaciation to the south in the valleys of the Beaver Kill and Willowemoc Creek was by mass stagnation. These highly contrasting styles of deglaciation help to account for the problems in tracing ice margins across the Catskill Mountains.
Residual magnetism in an MRI suite after field-rampdown: what are the issues and experiences?

Purpose To investigate residual magnetization at different locations in the MRI suite at several time points prior, during and after field-rampdown with the goal to determine if the MRI suites could be reused in a clinical environment after the field-rampdown of MR scanners of different field strengths. Materials and Methods Residual magnetism was measured with two gaussmeters in the MRI suites of an 8 Tesla (T) and a 0.7T whole body magnet at several time points prior, during and after field-rampdown. Results Residual magnetism, in the MRI suite after controlled rampdown of an 8T superconducting magnet, was not significantly elevated compared with magnetic fields in the environment. Through 40 days, no significant changes in magnetism could be seen compared with initial measurements directly after rampdown, as both gaussmeters consistently measured. Similar findings were also observed after the quenched shutdown of a 0.7T system but a remanence was observed. Conclusion A controlled rampdown of even an ultrahigh field MR system does not lead to retained magnetic contamination, while forced quenched rampdown of a mid-field system revealed temporary remanence. There is no need to degauss an MRI suite when an appropriate steel composition has been used in the iron shield. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2010;31:1272–1276. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A time-dependent semiclassical wavepacket method using a fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm

Abstract A new semiclassical propagator based on a local expansion of the potential up the wavepacket is proposed. Formulas for the propagator are derived and the implementation using grid and fast Fourier transform (FFT) methods is discussed. The semiclassical propagator can be improved up to the exact quantum mechanical limit by including anharmonic corrections using a split operator approach. Preliminary applications to the CH 3 I photodissociation problem show the applicability and accuracy of the proposed method.
A Field Test of Two Methods for Assessing Infantry Situation Awareness

Two methods for assessing situation awareness (SA) were field tested during infantry exercises. Eight platoons of U.S. Military Academy cadets executed an infantry mission during summer field train...
The preimplantation mammalian embryo: characterization of intercellular junctions and their appearance during development.

Abstract Junctions in developing mammalian embryos were investigated with lanthanum tracer and freeze-fracture methods. The outermost blastomeres of mouse morulae possess focal tight junctions which become zonular and exclude lanthanum, thereby separating the “inner” cells from the maternal environment. This compartmentalization, creating a microenvironment inside the embryo, may be required for cell determination and for the accumulation of fluid during blastocoel expansion. Desmosomes appear for the first time at the blastocyst stage in the trophoblast junctional complex which also is characterized by gap junctions and a zonula occludens with underlying microfilament-like material and microtubules. Both gap and tight junctions have been visualized in freeze-fracture replicas of rabbit blastocysts. The zonula occludens forms a permeability barrier which is consistent with the high transtrophoblast electrical resistance. Mouse presumptive and mature inner cell mass (ICM) cells were associated by frequent gap junctions whereas junctional complexes were absent. Trophoblast gap and adhering junctions and cytoplasmic processes appeared to fix the ICM to one pole of the embryo and partially isolate it from the blastocoel. These findings support the idea that the ICM and trophoblast communicate upon implantation and require that the intercellular junctions between them be dissembled if the ICM is to migrate to a mesometrial position.
ASSOCIATION BETWEEN CANCER-FREE SURVIVAL AND TELOMERE DNA CONTENT IN PROSTATE TUMORS

ABSTRACT Purpose: We evaluated the hypothesis that telomere DNA content (TC) in prostate tumor tissue is associated with time to prostate cancer recurrence. Materials and Methods: The cohort was comprised of 77 men who underwent prostatectomy between 1982 and 1995. Slot blot assay was used to measure TC in DNA extracted from paraffin embedded tumor and nearby, histologically normal prostate (NHN) tissues. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis was done to relate TC, patient age at diagnosis, Gleason sum and pelvic node involvement to time of prostate cancer recurrence. Regression analysis was done to relate TC in paired tumor and NHN tissues. Nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis analysis was done to relate TC in tumor and NHN tissues with 72-month disease-free survival. Results: TC was a predictor of time to prostate cancer recurrence when controlling for age at diagnosis, Gleason sum and pelvic node involvement (RH = 5.02, 95% CI 1.40 to 17.96, p=0.0132). TC in tumor tissue was associated with TC in NHN tissue (R = 0.601, p Conclusions: Decreased TC in prostate tissues obtained by radical prostatectomy predicts prostate cancer recurrence independent of age at diagnosis, Gleason sum and pelvic node involvement. TC in tumor tissue is also associated with TC in NHN prostate tissue. Thus, mechanisms known to generate genomic instability are operative in fields of cells beyond the tumor margins prior to histological changes.