cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protecting America's secrets while maintaining academic freedom.

Abstract The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and the subsequent anthrax mail attacks, have had a profound impact on Americans’ personal and professional lives and have sparked an active debate regarding the delicate balance between the need for national security and the pursuit of academic freedom. Although academic freedom can be defined in many ways, there are four primary tenets of freedom in an academic environment: freedom to research, freedom to publish, freedom to teach, and freedom to speak. Each of these tenets has come under attack in the wake of September 11, 2001. In this report the author further defines academic freedom and reflects upon recent events that have had a real or perceived impact on this freedom, including (1) attempts to categorize and restrict some research as “sensitive,” (2) implementation of export control laws and select agent regulations, (3) limitations on the publication of research findings, (4) prohibition of certain foreign nationals from collaborating with U.S. researchers and receiving education and training in U.S. colleges and universities, and (5) restraint of faculty free speech. The author offers some suggestions as to how academia might achieve a proper balance between protecting our national security while promoting and maintaining academic freedom.
Cimetidine disposition in patients with Laennec's cirrhosis during multiple dosing therapy

The disposition of cimetidine after oral and intravenous administration during multiple dosing was studied in 11 patients with Laennec's cirrhosis. The average metabolic clearance of cimetidine in these patients was 151/h, similar to values reported for normal subjects. However, in 4 subjects with plasma prothrombin times above normal, the metabolic clearance was significantly decreased and ranged between 4.3 and 13.01/h. The renal clearance of cimetidine was proportional to the creatinine clearance in all subjects, regardless of the severity of the liver disease. The clearance of cimetidine in patients with Laennec's cirrhosis, therefore, appears to be predictabable from creatinine clearance and prothrombin time.
Development and feasibility of a home-based education model for families of children with sickle cell disease

Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) commonly have cognitive deficits, even among toddlers. Much medical literature emphasizes disease-based factors to account for these deficits. However, the social environment plays a large role in child development. To address the specific needs of early childhood, a monthly hospital-based education program was initiated to educate parents about child development. Education sessions were poorly attended (20-25%) and deemed unsuccessful. This study describes the development and implementation of a home-based education service to teach parents about SCD, developmental milestones and positive parenting techniques. This was a prospective, single-arm intervention to study the feasibility of a home-based caregiver education program for families with infants and toddlers with SCD. Parents of children aged 0-3 years with SCD from one Midwestern hospital were approached to participate in a home-based program. The program followed the Born to Learn™ curriculum provided through the Parents as Teachers™ National Center. Reminder calls or texts were provided the day before each visit. Results of the first twenty-six months of the program are presented. A total of 62% (56 of 91) of families approached agreed to participate; all were African American. The majority of caregivers were single mothers with a high school education or less and whose children had Medicaid for health coverage. The phenotypes of SCD represented in this sample were similar to those in the general SCD population. Over 26 months, 39 families received at least one home visit. Parents of infants (younger than 8 months) were more likely to participate in the home-based education program than parents of older children, (Fisher’s exact test, p < .001). For participating families, home-based visits were a feasible method for reinforcing clinic education. About 43% of eligible families participated in the education, a two-fold increase in the poor attendance (20%) for a previous hospital-based program. A home visitation program for parents of infants with SCD could offer an effective approach to helping these children overcome adverse environmental conditions that are compounded by the complexities of a chronic health condition.
Expectations and Life Changes Associated with Surgery for Intractable Epilepsy

Abstract This longitudinal study examined the impact of epilepsy surgery on 32 patients and 17 of their significant others. Subjects were assessed prior to surgery and 1 year postsurgery with a semistructured interview that assessed subjects' presurgery expectations and postsurgery reports of relationship changes, positive life changes, and negative life changes associated with seizure elimination and reduction. Prior to surgery, subjects anticipated that patients would experience a number of changes, including more friendships (49%), greater independence (47%), and the ability to engage in activities such as driving (71%) and working (65%). Most subjects (61%) did not anticipate that the patient would experience any difficulties associated with seizure elimination or reduction. Following surgery, subjects in the seizure-free group were more likely than subjects in the continued seizures group to report relationship changes and positive life changes. Some positive changes, such as reduction in anxiety and fatigue, that were reported at follow-up had not been predicted prior to surgery. It is possible that these benefits of seizure elimination become apparent only once the symptoms are eliminated. Few subjects reported negative changes associated with seizure elimination. The clinical implications of these findings are presented.
Crystallographic structure of the nuclease domain of 3'hExo, a DEDDh family member, bound to rAMP.

A human 3′-5′-exoribonuclease (3′hExo) has recently been identified and shown to be responsible for histone mRNA degradation. Functionally, 3′hExo and a stem–loop binding protein (SLBP) target opposite faces of a unique highly conserved stem–loop RNA scaffold towards the 3′ end of histone mRNA, which is composed of a 6 bp stem and a 4 nt loop, followed by an ACCCA sequence. Its Caenorhabditis elegans homologue, ERI-1, has been shown to degrade small interfering RNA in vitro and to function as a negative regulator of RNA interference in neuronal cells. We have determined the structure of the nuclease domain (Nuc) of 3′hExo complexed with rAMP in the presence of Mg2+ at 1.6 A resolution. The Nuc domain adopts an α/β globular fold, with four acidic residues coordinating a binuclear metal cluster within the active site, whose topology is related to DEDDh exonuclease family members, despite a very low level of primary sequence identity. The two magnesium cations in the Nuc active site are coordinated to D134, E136, D234 and D298, and together with H293, which can potentially act as a general base, provide a platform for hydrolytic cleavage of bound RNA in the 3′→5′ direction. The bound rAMP is positioned within a deep active-site pocket, with its purine ring close-packed with the hydrophobic F185 and L189 side-chains and its sugar 2′-OH and 3′-OH groups hydrogen bonded to backbone atoms of Nuc. There are striking similarities between the active sites of Nuc and e186, an Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III proofreading domain, providing a common hydrolytic cleavage mechanism for RNA degradation and DNA editing, respectively.
First Observations of Partially Neutralized and Quasineutral Plasmas in the Columbia Non-Neutral Torus

The Columbia Non-neutral Torus (CNT) is a stellarator designed to study pure electron, partially neutralized and positron-electron plasmas. CNT usually operates with electron rich plasmas (with negligible ion density) [1]. The accumulation of ions alters the equilibrium of electron plasmas in CNT and a global instability has been observed when the ion fraction exceeds 10%. A characterization of this instability is presented in [2], analyzing its parameter dependence and spatial structure (non-resonant with rational surfaces). A segmented conducting mesh has been installed to impose the electrostatic boundary condition at the plasma edge. Results after the installation of the conducting boundary confirm the presence of an instability in electron rich plasmas with a finite ion content. A new set of experiments is currently underway studying plasmas of arbitrary degree of neutralization, ranging from pure electron to quasineutral plasmas. Basic observations show that the plasma potential decouples from the emitter bias when we increase the degree of neutralization of our plasmas. Partially neutralized plasmas are also characterized by multiple mode behavior with dominant frequencies between 20 and 200 kHz. When the plasma becomes quasineutral, it reverts to single mode behavior (2 - 18 kHz). The first results on partially neutralized and quasineutral plasmas in CNT are reported on here (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Measurement of DL-α-difluoromethylornithine concentration using ornithine decarboxylase

The inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, DL-α-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), shows considerable potential in the chemotherapeutic control of lethal protozoal infections. It is also valuable in studies of the metabolism of polyamines. This paper describes a method for the accurate assay of the concentration of this material in aqueous tissue extracts by determining the degree to which a yeast ornithine decarboxylase, expressed on a high-copy-number Escherichia coli plasmid, is inhibited. By relating the degree of inhibition to that achieved with standard amounts of DFMO, the concentration present in unknown samples may be determined. The method has been applied to an examination of the conversion by transformed root cultures of Datura stramonium of DL-α-difluoromethylarginine to DFMO.
Does talking about their relationship affect couples’ marital and psychological adjustment to lung cancer?

Introduction Relationship talk refers to talking with a partner about the relationship, what one needs from one’s partner, and/or the relationship implications of a shared stressor. This prospective study examined the effects of relationship talk on couples’ psychosocial adaptation to lung cancer.
Application of open-shell coupled cluster theory to the ground state of GaAs

Theoretical calculations at the coupled cluster level of theory including all single, double and perturbative triple excitations, CCSD(T), are carried out for the3Σ− ground state of GaAs. Employing a (7s5p3d1f) basis set, the theoretical predictions forre (2.560 A), ω e (217 cm−1),De (1.84 eV), and IP (7.80 eV), are in good agreement with recent experimental results. The importance of includingf-type polarization functions in the basis set and the effect of correlating 3d electrons are discussed in detail.
Biology's built-in Faraday cages

Biological fluids are water-based, ionic conductors. As such, they have both high relative dielectric constants and substantial conductivities, meaning they are lossy dielectrics. These fluids contain charged molecules (free charges), whose movements play roles in essentially all cellular processes from metabolism to communication with other cells. Using the problem of a point source in air above a biological fluid of semi-infinite extent, the bound charges in the fluid are shown to perform the function of a fast-acting Faraday cage, which protects the interior of the fluid from external electric fields. Free charges replace bound charges in accordance with the fluid's relaxation time, thereby providing a smooth transition between the initial protection provided by the bound charges and the steady state protection provided by the free charges. The electric fields within the biological fluid are thus small for all times just as they would be inside a classical Faraday cage.
Confucius and Capitalism: Views of Confucianism in Works on Confucianism and Economic Development

(1992). Confucius and Capitalism: Views of Confucianism in Works on Confucianism and Economic Development. Journal of Chinese Religions: Vol. 20, No. 1, pp. 135-171.
Hypothyroidism and acquired von Willebrand disease

A 15-year-old female with acquired von Willebrand disease associated with hypothyroidism is presented and discussed. The patient was initially seen for right lower quadrant abdominal pain and menorrhagia. Once hypothyroidism was diagnosed and treated her coagulation abnormality resolved.
Epigenetics across the human lifespan

Epigenetics has the potential to explain various biological phenomena that have heretofore defied complete explication. This review describes the various types of endogenous human developmental milestones such as birth, puberty, and menopause, as well as the diverse exogenous environmental factors that influence human health, in a chronological epigenetic context. We describe the entire course of human life from periconception to death and chronologically note all of the potential internal timepoints and external factors that influence the human epigenome. Ultimately, the environment presents these various factors to the individual that influence the epigenome, and the unique epigenetic and genetic profile of each individual also modulates the specific response to these factors. During the course of human life, we are exposed to an environment that abounds with a potent and dynamic milieu capable of triggering chemical changes that activate or silence genes. There is constant interaction between the external and internal environments that is required for normal development and health maintenance as well as for influencing disease load and resistance. For example, exposure to pharmaceutical and toxic chemicals, diet, stress, exercise, and other environmental factors are capable of eliciting positive or negative epigenetic modifications with lasting effects on development, metabolism and health. These can impact the body so profoundly as to permanently alter the epigenetic profile of an individual. We also present a comprehensive new hypothesis of how these diverse environmental factors cause both direct and indirect epigenetic changes and how this knowledge can ultimately be used to improve personalized medicine.
Fluorescence Spectroscopy Studies of Silica Film Polarity Gradients Prepared by Infusion-Withdrawal Dip-Coating

The preparation of sol−gel-derived silica films incorporating macroscopic polarity gradients is reported for the first time. Such materials are likely to find broad applications in chemical separat...
Toward Objective Selection of Representative Microscope Images

Abstract Scientists wishing to communicate the essential characteristics of a pattern (such as an immunofluorescence distribution) currently must make a subjective choice of one or two images to publish. We therefore developed methods for objectively choosing a typical image from a set, with emphasis on images from cell biology. The methods involve calculation of numerical features to describe each image, calculation of similarity between images as a distance in feature space, and ranking of images by distance from the center of the feature distribution. Two types of features were explored, image texture measures and Zernike polynomial moments, and various distance measures were utilized. Criteria for evaluating methods for assigning typicality were proposed and applied to sets of images containing more than one pattern. The results indicate the importance of using distance measures that are insensitive to the presence of outliers. For collections of images of the distributions of a lysosomal protein, a Golgi protein, and nuclear DNA, the images chosen as most typical were in good agreement with the conventional understanding of organelle morphologies. The methods described here have been implemented in a web server (http://murphylab.web.cmu.edu/services/TypIC).
The Youth Movement in Humanistic Psychology

Eugene Taylor (1999) made some suggestions as to what Humanistic Psychology needed to do, in his opinion, to create an intellectual renaissance. He suggested that we, first, concentrate our researc...
Carrier mediated transport of choline in rat lens

Abstract Choline accumulation was studied in rat lenses incubated in TC-199 medium containing radiolabeled choline. Choline entered the lens and was rapidly phosphorylated. Phosphorylcholine did not readily escape the lens and continued to accumulate throughout 24 hr of incubation. Accumulation of choline displayed saturation kinetics and this saturability appeared to be a property of transport rather than a reflection of the properties of choline kinase. Countertransport of labeled choline from lenses preloaded with radiolabeled choline indicates that choline transport in rat lens is carrier mediated. The existence of a choline carrier would also be consistent with the kinetic data. Ethanolamine competed for the choline carrier, however a component of ethanolamine uptake was non-saturable at concentrations of ethanolamine or choline up to 5 m m . Choline and ethanolamine appeared to be phosphorylated by separate kinases in lens.
Does water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) compensate for simulated defoliation? Implications for effective biocontrol.

Abstract Biocontrol agents of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), one of the most ubiquitous invasive aquatic species in the world, were introduced in the waterways of Florida, USA, more than 30 years ago but have not been as successful as expected. The high nutrient, high light, warm year-round temperatures and lack of natural predators provide an optimal growth environment for the plant. The current study was designed to test if a compensatory response by the water hyacinth plants to low levels of biomass removal was one of the reasons for the ineffectiveness of biocontrol agents in the successful control of water hyacinth. The plants were exposed to two levels of nutrient (high and low) and three levels (0%, 10% and 80%) of simulated herbivory treatment. The effect of the nutrient and repeated (i.e., chronic) defoliation treatments was determined after 6 weeks. Plants with 10% defoliation did not show any significant difference from control plants in biomass allocation or relative growth rate (RGR) in either nutrient concentration, while 80% defoliation caused a significant decrease in the final RGR under high and low nutrient treatments. High nutrient treatment resulted in higher RGR and allocation to asexual reproduction resulting in higher biomass accumulation compared to the low nutrient treatment, which had higher root growth and allocation to sexual reproduction. Results from this study indicate that water hyacinth can fully compensate for low levels of continuous defoliation regardless of the nutrient concentration, which has implications and important considerations for biocontrol strategies.
Epidemiology of intracranial aneurysms of Mississippi: a 10-year (1997-2007) retrospective study.

Background Despite massive efforts, progress so far has been modest in isolating the genetic determinants for intracranial aneurysm (IA). More detailed epidemiology data might be essential for successful genome-wide association study. Here, we aimed to investigate epidemiology and identify the key risk factors associated with the pathogenesis of IA in a large specific population. Methods We investigated the epidemiology and analyzed the risk factors of IA pathogenesis by using an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision database search of the patients treated at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, within the past 10-year period (1998-2007). All recruited patients were interviewed to assess multiple risk factors and comorbidities (hypertension, tobacco abuse, females sex, diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, coronary obstructive pulmonary disease, alcohol abuse, stroke, hyperlipidemia, illicit drug use, and family history). Result In this retrospective study, we identified several significant risk factors among well-defined human subjects. The 3 major risk factors identified for our IA population are hypertension, tobacco abuse, and female sex. However, African American race was not a significant risk factor in our study. Furthermore, top two risk factors (hypertension, tobacco abuse) were found to be highly associated with familial cases. Conclusions In this study, using a specific and well-defined large population, we reported that some key risk factors were further confirmed to be strongly associated with the pathogenesis of IA whereas further investigation into racial factors is apparently needed. Our finding of the confounding effects of top risks with familial cases further complicated the genetic analysis of IA.
A Preliminary Examination of Determinants of Ceo Cash Compensation in the U.S. Restaurant Industry from an Agency Theory Perspective

A managerial compensation structure based on the pay-for-performance principle has been proposed as a better solution to the agency problem. Within the agency-theory framework, this study examined the determinants of cash compensation for chief executive officers (CEOs) of restaurant firms. After examining the financial data for 73 U.S. restaurant firms for 2002, the study found that restaurant CEO cash compensation was positively correlated with firm size and operating efficiency. Growth, debt leverage, profitability, and stock performance played no role in determining compensation. Large restaurant firms efficiently using assets tended to offer high cash compensation to their CEOs. Our findings have revealed that pay-for-performance was only partially practiced in the restaurant industry. To minimize the agency problem and enhance firm value, the industry should further tie CEO compensation to profitability and stock performance.
Features of sarcoidosis associated with chronic disease.

Background: The clinical outcome of sarcoidosis is variable. Several features have been proposed as predictive of chronic sarcoidosis. Objectives: To examine the predictive role of clinical features on the clinical outcome score (COS) of sarcoidosis patients five years after initial diagnosis. Methods: A cohort of newly diagnosed sarcoidosis patients seen at one clinic were re-evaluated five years after initial diagnosis. The COS was determined at this five year time point and compared to initial age, race, sex, forced vital capacity (FVC) and chest roentgenogram. We also compared COS to whether patients had Lofgrens syndrome, lupus pernio, or cardiac disease and what treatment they received during the five years of observation. Patients with neurologic disease were divided into those with seventh cranial nerve paralysis alone versus those with other neurologic disease (CNS). Results: Of the 335 newly diagnosed patients seen over a three year period, 213 (64%) were evaluated five years after initial diagnosis. Of these patients 168 (79%) were still requiring systemic therapy at five years (COS 7, 8, or 9). Seven features were associated with chronic disease: CNS alone (Odds Ratio (OR)=19.24, p 0.05). Conclusion: In our study, the majority of sarcoidosis patients were receiving systemic therapy five years after initial diagnosis. Patients with reduced lung function, neurologic disease, lupus pernio, and cardiac disease were more likely to require prolonged treatment
Teratogen update: polychlorinated biphenyls.

Polychlorinated biphenyls, synthetic hydrocarbon compounds once used as hydraulicfluids and lubricants in electrical transformers and capacitors, are among the most ubiquitous and persistent environmental contaminants. Although banned in most Western nations since the 1970s, substantial residues of these compounds persist in air, water, soil, and sediment world wide (Swain, ’83) and can be detected in biological tissue in most residents of industrialized countries (Jensen, ’87). Because they are hydrophobic and lipophilic, PCBs become increasingly concentrated as they are transferred through the aquatic food chain. Consumption of fatty sports fish from contaminated bodies of water, such as Lake Michigan, provides a major source of human exposure. Transplacental passage has been documented in humans (Kodama and Ota, ’77; J. Jacobson et al., ’84a), although relatively small quantities reach the fetus. Much larger quantities are transferred postnatally via maternal milk due to its high lipid content (Masuda et al., ’78; J. Jacobson et al., ’89). Polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and dibenzo-pdioxins (PCDDs) are highly toxic by-products in the manufacture and combustion of PCBs that accumulate in biological tissue and the environment in a manner similar to the parent compounds, albeit at considerably lower levels (Kubiak et al., ’89). The PCBs used for industrial purposes were complex mixtures of various congeners, each with its own unique molecular structure and potentially different toxicological effects. The non-ortho coplanar PCB congeners, which are structural analogs of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD; ‘‘dioxin’’), are known to be highly toxic in several organ systems (Safe, ’90), but little is known about the relative neurotoxicity of the PCB congeners. Two dioxin-like congeners (Nos. 77 and 126) have been shown to be neurotoxic in experiments with laboratory animals (Tilson et al., ’79; Eriksson et al., ’91; Holene et al., ’95). However, certain di-orthosubstituted congeners, such as No. 17, lead to reduced dopamine levels in the caudate nucleus, hypothalamus, and substantia nigra in laboratory monkeys (Seegal et al., ’90), suggesting that neurodevelopmental disruption may also be caused by nondioxin-like congeners.
Registration of the maize germplasm CRW3(S1)C6 with resistance to western corn rootworm

Journal of Plant Registrations, Vol. 1, No. 2, September 2007 151 Maize (Zea mays L.) germplasm CRW3(S1)C6 (Reg. No. GP553, PI 644060) was developed with resistance to western corn rootworm (WCR; Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) by the USDA-ARS Plant Genetics Research Unit in cooperation with the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of Missouri-Columbia, and was released in February 2007. Development of CRW3 began in the 1996–1997 winter nursery when crosses for a diallel of nine parents were made for the purpose of evaluating combining ability for WCR resistance (Hibbard et al., 1999). The parents included a number of inbred lines and populations that showed less root pruning damage by WCR. The diallel crosses and their parents were evaluated for WCR damage in replicated trials in summer 1997. The six most resistant diallel crosses, which included only four of the nine original parents, were crossed as a second diallel in the 1997–1998 winter nursery. Parental materials of the second diallel included NGSDCRW1(S2)C4-15-2S2 × PI340839, TL92A-PAR1779 60-4 × PI340839, TL93A-PAR1774 28-1 × NGSDCRW1(S2)C4-15-2S2, TL92A-PAR1779 60-4 × NGSDCRW1(S2)C4-15-2S2, TL92A-PAR1779 60-4 × TL93APAR1774 28-1, and TL93A-PAR1774 28-1 × PI340839. NGSDCRW resulted from interplanting hybrid R802/R109B with open-pollinated SDCRW1SYN population and subsequent selection for large root size and root-pulling resistance. Lines beginning with TL are from the CIMMYT tropical breeding program. PI340839 is a Supergold popcorn from the J.C. Eldridge popcorn collection at Iowa State University. Other pedigree information for these parental materials can be found in Hibbard et al. (1999). A balanced bulk was created and recombined in the summer of 1998 to form CRW3 C0. For the fi rst cycle of selection, approxiRegistration of the Maize Germplasm CRW3(S1)C6 with Resistance to Western Corn Rootworm
Weatherizing the homes of low-income home energy assistance program clients: a programmatic assessment

The purpose of this project was to assess the relationships between two United States (US) federal-level programs that support low-income households, the Weatherization Assistance Program and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The study area for this project was Boston, Massachusetts, which is a representative of large northern urban areas in the US. Data were collected for three groups of households that received both weatherization and LIHEAP assistance and for one control group that only received LIHEAP assistance. The clearest impact of weatherization assistance on changes in LIHEAP assistance is shown in decreases in eligibility for high-energy benefits post-weatherization. A further statistical test also suggests that weatherization has a significant impact in reducing the overall needs for LIHEAP subsidies. However, it cannot be concluded that weatherization reduced the need for standard LIHEAP subsidies. Households in the sample that did drop out of the LIHEAP program had relatively higher incomes, younger household heads, and fewer years in home than those who stayed in the program. These demographics suggest that the households that dropped out of the program were more likely to experience income increases to make them ineligible for the program and were more likely to move out of the study area. Additionally, for no group for no time period did LIHEAP benefits cover all primary heating fuel bills. Thus, the overall conclusions of this study are that weatherization decreased the need for high-energy benefits but did not lead to low-income households relinquishing the need for standard LIHEAP benefits.
Identifying components for interoperable process models using concept lattice and semantic reference system

The development of interoperable environmental process models is widely supported by both the research community and government agencies. This paper discusses a conceptual framework to guide the delineation of process components, the basic unit of interoperable models. The concepts of semantic reference system and dual hierarchy are explored to establish the conceptual framework. Based on this discussion, the Formal Concept Analysis is used as an analytical approach to decompose and fuse existing environmental process models in order to identify environmental process components. For purposes of discussion, a hydrological process, surface runoff, is used throughout the paper as an example of an environmental process to support the conceptual discussion and to illustrate the application of the conceptual framework and analytical approach.
Management of tachyarrhythmias with dual-chamber pacemakers.

Des stimulaleurs multiprogrammables AV sequentiels de type “double-demande” (DVI, MN) ont ete implantes chez 23 patienls porteurs ?anomalies variees de tachycardies supraventriculaires. De plus, des stimuloteurs AV sequenfiels a paire “nonobligee” (DVI, MN e(DDD, M) ont ete utilises pour le traitement de lachyarhythmies ventriculaires. Nous avons observe que ľexperience avec ee type de stimulateur multiprogrammable est favorable chez les patients sans fibrillation auriculaire chronique, qui ont besoin ?un stimutafeur et qui necessitent un froilement anti-tachycardique. Ľevolution des stimulateurs du type DDD contribuera sans doute a un traitement encore plus efficace. Multi-programmable dual-demand AV sequential (DVI, MN) pacemakers were implanted in twenty-three potients (in one of them a DVI, MN unit was used as a VVI, MN with the aid of an atrial plug) with suproventricular tachycardias after electrophysiological studies revealed a great voriety of AV reentry circuits. The latter included tachycardios involving accessory pathways of the Kent type, manifest or concealed Wolff-Parkinson-White syndromes, nodo-ventricular (Mahaim) tracts, “enhanced” AV node for extra AV nodal) pothwaysand dual AV pathways. In addition, multiprogrammable “non-committed” AV sequential (DVI, MN and DDD, M) pacemakers were permanently implonted to treat different forms of ventricular tachyarrhythmias that included: torsode de pointes in the Romano-Ward syndrome and Chagas' cardiomyopathy, ventricular tachycordia which is bradycardia-dependent (in Chagas' cardiomyopathy) and reciprocal beats indueed by, and producing severe hemodynamic derangements in a patient with a conventional VVI unit. With smallsize multiprogrammable units, arrhythmias may be treated by changing parameters non-invasively. By temporary inhibition, one may analyze the underlying rhythm and pacemaker dependency. In potients without chronic atrial flutterJfibrillation who require pacing and possibly tachyarrhythmia control, our experience with multiprogrammable “non-committed” AV sequential pacing has been very satisfactory. The evolution toward newer pacing modes which provide atrial sensing and trackmg (DDD), and thus preserve AV synchrony over a wider range of atrial rates, may contribute even further to successful patient management. This may be applicable to pediatric patients as well.
Software quality modeling: The impact of class noise on the random forest classifier

This study investigates the impact of increasing levels of simulated class noise on software quality classification. Class noise was injected into seven software engineering measurement datasets, and the performance of three learners, random forests, C4.5, and Naive Bayes, was analyzed. The random forest classifier was utilized for this study because of its strong performance relative to well-known and commonly-used classifiers such as C4.5 and Naive Bayes. Further, relatively little prior research in software quality classification has considered the random forest classifier. The experimental factors considered in this study were the level of class noise and the percent of minority instances injected with noise. The empirical results demonstrate that the random forest obtained the best and most consistent classification performance in all experiments.
Adjudicating Climate Change: Cities, Land Use, and the Global Commons: Genesis and the Urban Politics of Climate Change

This Article, which will appear in a forthcoming volume from Cambridge University Press, seeks to situate local governments in the growth of international environmental governance. After considering the seminal decision of Genesis Power Ltd. v. Franklin District Council, it proposes that models from international relations theory could be adapted and altered to explain and predict local government behavior in global governance. In contrast to the widely-held - but rarely examined - consensus view, we suggest that local government might possess strong incentives to take action in mitigating climate change, and set forth a research agenda with testable propositions to determine whether such international local government theory has validity.
Effectuation As Ineffectual? Applying the 3E Theory-Assessment Framework to a Proposed New Theory of Entrepreneurship

Effectuation is a proposed new theory of entrepreneurship, with insufficient empirical testing and critical analysis. Drawing on a new, comprehensive set of theory-building criteria—sourced from and complementing those of Robert Dubin and others—we provide the first formal assessment of effectuation as a theory. We highlight its strengths and weaknesses, leveraging the former to address the latter in five different directions that would build on the existing work to improve this theory. The assessment exercise also displays the value of our assessment framework in guiding the evaluation and development of other existing and future theories in entrepreneurship and management.
EGFR mutations in US Hispanic versus non-Hispanic white patients with lung adenocarcinoma

Context.—Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. First-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors improve progression-free survival in lung cancers with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. EGFR mutations occur predominantly in exons 19 and 21 in lung adenocarcinomas of Asians (∼30%), whites (∼15%), and African Americans (∼19%). However, minimal information exists on the prevalence or type of genetic changes that occur in lung cancers in US Hispanic patients. We investigated the EGFR mutation frequency in primary lung adenocarcinomas in US Hispanics compared with non-Hispanic whites. Objective.—To evaluate EGFR mutations in lung adenocarcinomas from US Hispanic patients compared with those from non-Hispanic white patients. Design.—DNA samples were extracted from paraffin-embedded tissue of consecutive lung adenocarcinomas from 83 patients. Samples were collected from 40 Hispanics and 43 non-Hispanic whites. Mutations in EGFR were analyzed using a custom assay. Results.—Fourte...
Calculation of ligand-nucleic acid binding free energies with the generalized-born model in DOCK.

The calculation of ligand-nucleic acid binding free energies is investigated by including solvation effects computed with the generalized-Born model. Modifications of the solvation module in DOCK, including introduction of all-atom parameters and revision of coefficients in front of different terms, are shown to improve calculations involving nucleic acids. This computing scheme is capable of calculating binding energies, with reasonable accuracy, for a wide variety of DNA-ligand complexes, RNA-ligand complexes, and even for the formation of double-stranded DNA. This implementation of GB/SA is also shown to be capable of discriminating strong ligands from poor ligands for a series of RNA aptamers without sacrificing the high efficiency of the previous implementation. These results validate this approach to screening large databases against nucleic acid targets. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 73:192–204, 2004
An Exploratory Content Analysis of Offender Concerns Before Incarceration

The time before entry into a correctional facility is stressful for most offenders. Yet, few studies have systematically considered the fears and concerns of persons entering jail or prison. This d...
Genotyping by restriction endonuclease analysis compared to phenotyping by antibiogram for typing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains colonizing patients in a nursing home.

Objectives: To assist in defining patterns of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization in a skilled nursing facility (SNF), we compared genotyping by field-inversion gel electrophoresis (FIGE) restriction endonuclease digestion analysis (REA) with phenotyping by antibiogram for defining strain relatedness among MRSA isolates from SNF patients. Design: Prospective screening culture surveillance for MRSA among patients in a community SNE Methods: Nares and stool swab cultures were obtained from newly admitted patients and from all patients quarterly. MRSA were isolated by oxacillin screening agar. Antibiograms were determined by the disk-diffusion method, and genotyping was by FIGE REA. Results: It was shown that, among isolates with the same genotypes, many had different antibiograms; among isolates with the same antibiograms, many had different genotypes; and the discriminatory indices for isolates of MRSA by FIGE REA and by antibiogram were 0.56 and 0.78, respectively. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that, in patients from one SNF, genotyping by FIGE REA identified two prevalent REA DNA types, but with variability of antibiogram patterns within each DNA type; the antibiogram also identified prevalent patterns with variability of REA DNA type within each antibiogram pattern. The discriminatory index of antibiograms alone, or of genotypes alone as determined by FIGE REA, was poor for strains of MRSA isolated from the SNF patients in our study.
Multi-coefficient Correlation Method: Comparison of Specific-Range Reaction Parameters to General Parameters for CnHxOy Compounds

We optimized the coefficients for 11 multi-coefficient correlation methods (MCCMs) against 54 atomization energies for molecules composed of C, H, and O atoms and containing 343 bonds. The methods included two scaling-all-correlation (SAC) methods, a multi-coefficients SAC (MCSAC) method, three Utah methods, two Colorado methods, MC-QCISD, MCG3, and G3S. The mean unsigned errors are (on average) 36% lower than for calculations with general parameters. The mean unsigned error per bond for the most highly recommended methods is only 0.1−0.2 kcal/mol.
Nuclear quadrupole resonances in compact vapor cells: The crossover between the NMR and the nuclear quadrupole resonance interaction regimes

We present an experimental study that maps the transformation of nuclear quadrupole resonances (NQRs) from the pure nuclear quadrupole regime to the quadrupole-perturbed Zeeman regime. The transformation presents an interesting quantum-mechanical problem since the quantization axis changes from being aligned along the axis of the electric-field gradient tensor to being aligned along the magnetic field. The large nuclear quadrupole shifts present in our system enable us to study this regime with relatively high resolution. We achieve large nuclear quadrupole shifts for $I=3∕2$ $^{131}\mathrm{Xe}$ by using a cube-shaped $1\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{mm}}^{3}$ vapor cell with walls of different materials. The enhancement of the NQR shift from the cell wall materials is an observation that opens up an additional adjustable parameter to tune and enhance the nuclear quadrupole interactions in vapor cells. As a confirmation that the interesting and complex spectra that we observe are indeed expected, we compare our data to numerical calculations and find excellent agreement.
r8s: inferring absolute rates of molecular evolution and divergence times in the absence of a molecular clock

Summary Estimating divergence times and rates of substitution from sequence data is plagued by the problem of rate variation between lineages. R8s version 1.5 is a program which uses parametric, nonparametric and semiparametric methods to relax the assumption of constant rates of evolution to obtain better estimates of rates and times. Unlike most programs for rate inference or phylogenetics, r8s permits users to convert results to absolute rates and ages by constraining one or more node times to be fixed, minimum or maximum ages (using fossil or other evidence). Version 1.5 uses truncated Newton nonlinear optimization code with bound constraints, offering superior performance over previous versions. Availability The linux executable, C source code, sample data sets and user manual are available free at http://ginger.ucdavis.edu/r8s.
Comparing the state estimates of a Kalman filter to a perfect IMM against a maneuvering target

Tracking maneuvering targets is an important problem. A study was previously performed to compare the state estimation accuracy of a Kalman filter to an interacting multiple model (IMM) for a maneuvering target. The authors defined a maneuvering index to quantify the degree of maneuvering. Their study then compared the state estimates of the two filters as a function of this index. Their results showed that an IMM provides significant improvement over a Kalman filter. That study was revisited and this paper discusses the differing results observed. Our results show that the IMM does improve overall state estimations but much less than in the previous study. This improvement is due to the smaller state estimation errors that the IMM provides over the Kalman filter during the non-maneuvering intervals, rather than the complete domination in performance of the IMM that the previous study revealed. As a result, the "0.5 rule" that the previous authors identified, should be revised.
Bar Group Rolls Up Welcome Mat (Conservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas Beset But Not Deterred by Liberal Attacks, He Says)

On July 29, 1998, Justice Clarence Thomas spoke to the National Bar Association, the nation's largest organization of black lawyers. No, he did not wander in off the street; he slipped in through the side door of competing interests, just as he slipped onto the Supreme Court seven years ago.Then, Thomas could not get a majority vote from the bar association in support of his appointment This year, he disregarded the fact that a majority (more than 80 percent) of the executive committee of the Judicial Council voted to withdraw the invitation tendered unilaterally by the chairperson. Thomas came to the luncheon meeting and quickly announced that the present Clarence Thomas is no different than the Clarence Thomas of seven years ago.In a speech that laid blame for today's racial problems on everyone but himself, Thomas charged his critics with opposing him because he is a black conservative who does not espouse their liberal ideas. He has yet to recognize that his rejection is based upon his record, not his color.
How Does Manganese Oxidize Water for Photosynthetic O2 Production

Photosynthesis catalyzes the formation of O2 from 2 H2O molecules. The chemical mechanism of this process in which chemical bonds are broken and made remains unknown. Certain pathways have insurmountable energy activation barriers and so cannot occur. For example, any one-electron oxidation sequence involving free OH· radical formation. This raises the interesting question of how is water activated for O2 formation? Evidence given here shows that water is activated by binding directly to manganese within the water oxidizing complex, followed by deprotonation to form at least one oxo (or hydroxo) atom bridging between Mn ions, as the cluster is oxidized from the S0 to S2 state. We demonstrate this chemistry with dimanganese complexes as functional models of the active site.
Effects of Gas Feed Ratios and Sequence on Ethylene Hydrogenation on Powder Pt Catalyst Studied by Sum Frequency Generation and Mass Spectrometry

The effects of reactant feed ratios and sequences on ethylene hydrogenation over pellets of Pt powder have been studied using sum frequency generation spectroscopy (SFG) and mass spectrometry (MS) at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. Ethylene hydrogenation is shown to depend not only on the feed ratio but also on the sequence of feed gas injection, which affects the competitive adsorption of reactants (H2, C2H4) and various hydrocarbonaceous intermediates on the catalyst surface. Ethane production was highest when the catalyst was pretreated with hydrogen but diminished with increasing amounts of ethylene. At >2:1 (C2H4/H2) feed ratios, ethane generation was at its lowest, and the SFG spectra of the catalyst surface indicate formation of ethylidyne, di-σ-ethylene, and ethylidene, species that block the Pt surface active sites. We demonstrate that it is possible to partially recover the active sites by flowing H2 through the reactor, although ethane generation was reduced by approximately a factor...
Evaluating effects of methylphenidate on brain activity in cocaine addiction: a machine-learning approach

The objective of this study is to investigate effects of methylphenidate on brain activity in individuals with cocaine use disorder (CUD) using functional MRI (fMRI). Methylphenidate hydrochloride (MPH) is an indirect dopamine agonist commonly used for treating attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders; it was also shown to have some positive effects on CUD subjects, such as improved stop signal reaction times associated with better control/inhibition,1 as well as normalized task-related brain activity2 and resting-state functional connectivity in specific areas.3 While prior fMRI studies of MPH in CUDs have focused on mass-univariate statistical hypothesis testing, this paper evaluates multivariate, whole-brain effects of MPH as captured by the generalization (prediction) accuracy of different classification techniques applied to features extracted from resting-state functional networks (e.g., node degrees). Our multivariate predictive results based on resting-state data from3 suggest that MPH tends to normalize network properties such as voxel degrees in CUD subjects, thus providing additional evidence for potential benefits of MPH in treating cocaine addiction.
OPTIMAL MEASUREMENT OF THE QT INTERVAL IN PATIENTS WITH TACHYCARDIA

QT prolongation is associated with death and adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Classic, exponentially-derived equations overestimate the QT interval during tachycardia and can result in misdiagnosis of prolonged QT. We evaluated two methods of correcting the QT interval (linear and exponential) and