cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Live, attenuated varicella zoster vaccination of an immunocompromised patient.

A vaccine for the prevention of herpes zoster outbreaks in adults over the age of 60 years has recently been approved. A 76-year-old white female with a history of recurrent left axillary breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy was given a Zostavax® injection by her primary care physician. Eight days later, the patient developed a rash. Given the recent administration of live, attenuated varicella zoster virus (VZV), a diagnosis of disseminated cutaneous herpes zoster was made. The patient was treated successfully with a course of famciclovir for 10 days and cephalexin for 7 days for a secondary bacterial infection. A review of the medical literature disclosed no reports of Zostavax® given to adult cancer patients immunocompromised by systemic chemotherapy. Therefore, we believe this report is the first to describe the consequences of Zostavax® administration to such a host. Clinicians should take care to review contraindications and precautions prior to administering the Zostavax® vaccine.
A novel method for the study of atomization processes in the microwave-induced plasma

Abstract The development of a new method for monitoring the atomization processes in a reduced-pressure microwave-induced plasma (MIP) is described. The method utilizes mass spectrometric detection of atomization fragments. A doubly-labelled stable isotope of carbon monoxide was added to an MIP, and the relative concentrations of recombination products were used as an index of the degree of atomization. Response-surface methodology, including analysis of the data by multi-factor least-squares methods, was used to present the data in more easily viewed forms. The dependence of atomization on the support-gas pressure, analyte concentration, and microwave power is demonstrated.
Prevalence of 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency in the acute inpatient rehabilitation population and its effect on function

Abstract Pellicane AJ, Wysocki NM, Mallinson TR, Schnitzer TJ. Prevalence of 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency in the acute inpatient rehabilitation population and its effect on function. Objectives To assess the prevalence of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) insufficiency and deficiency in the acute inpatient rehabilitation setting, identify risk factors associated with low serum 25(OH)D levels, and assess whether hypovitaminosis D affects the function of rehabilitation patients. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Academic acute rehabilitation facility. Participants Patients (N=101) admitted for acute inpatient rehabilitation between September 2008 and December 2008. Interventions Serum 25(OH)D levels drawn within 24 hours of admission. Main Outcome Measures 25(OH)D level, total/motor/cognitive FIM efficiency. Results Considering patients not receiving 25(OH)D supplementation at the time of admission, 23.0% were 25(OH)D sufficient, 68.9% were insufficient, and 8.1% were deficient. Patients receiving 25(OH)D supplementation at the time of admission had significantly higher 25(OH)D levels than patients not receiving 25(OH)D supplementation (33.4±12.8 vs 23.7±11.4ng/mL; P =.001). A total of 72.2% of patients with any fracture and 80.0% of patients with fracture due to fall were not receiving supplementation at the time of admission; 72.2% of patients with any fracture and 73.3% of patients with fracture due to fall were 25(OH)D insufficient. Unadjusted total FIM efficiency scores were statistically significantly different by 25(OH)D status (2.96±1.42 vs 2.29±1.41ng/mL; P =.039). However, 25(OH)D level was not a significant predictor of total FIM efficiency score after controlling for demographic and clinical factors. Conclusions Of acute rehabilitation patients, 77% are 25(OH)D insufficient or deficient at admission. 25(OH)D supplementation is associated with a greater 25(OH)D level in these patients; however, almost half those supplemented had 25(OH)D levels less than the reference range. Most inpatients with fracture due to fall were transferred to acute inpatient rehabilitation without 25(OH)D supplementation despite clear guidelines indicating its use in this situation.
Unknown-Attitude Recoveries Using Conventional and Terrain-Depicting Attitude Indicators: Difference Testing, Equivalence Testing, and Equivalent Level of Safety

The objectives of this study were to assess the effects of differing formats of forward-looking primary flight display (PFD; electronic attitude-direction indicator, full-color terrain, uniformly brown terrain) on general aviation (GA) pilot recoveries from unknown attitudes and to determine if recovery assistance embodied in the display could be useful. Total recovery times and control reversals were examined as indexes of performance for 40 GA pilots, and the recovery times were subjected to a comparative analysis using both a parametric difference analysis and an equivalence testing technique. Results suggest that for the specific conditions investigated, terrain-depicting PFDs supported performance that was equivalent to that observed with the standard attitude indicator. Equivalence testing is recommended for cases where it is desirable to determine if one device or system provides for performance that is equivalent to another.
Distribution of the Time of the First k -Record

We compute the first two moments and give a recursive formula for the generating function of the first k -record index for a sequence of independent and identically distributed random variables that take on a finite set of possible values. When the random variables have an infinite support, we bound the distribution of the index of the first k -record and show that its mean is infinite.
The effect of DB-67, a lipophilic camptothecin derivative, on topoisomerase I levels in non-small-cell lung cancer cells.

Purpose To determine the in vitro drug sensitivity of two non-small-cell lung cancer cell lines after treatment with the novel lipophilic camptothecin derivative, 7-tert-butyldimethylsilyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (DB-67), to determine if topoisomerase I protein levels decrease after treatment with DB-67, and to assess the duration and extent of topoisomerase I modulation after DB-67 exposure, in order to provide information about drug resistance that may be useful in determining an appropriate dosing schedule for DB-67.
Antizyme, a mediator of ubiquitin-independent proteasomal degradation

Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is among the small set of proteasome substrates that is not ubiquitinated. It is instead degraded in conjunction with the protein antizyme (AZ). ODC and AZ are participants in a regulatory circuit that restricts pools of polyamines, the downstream products of ODC enzymatic activity. Functional studies using directed mutagenesis have identified regions of ODC and AZ required for the process of ODC degradation. Within ODC, there is a region that is required for AZ binding which lies on the surface of an alpha-beta barrel forming one domain of the ODC monomer. A carboxy-terminal ODC domain is needed for both AZ-dependent and AZ-independent degradation. Within AZ, the carboxy-terminal half molecule is sufficient for binding to ODC, but an additional domain found within the AZ amino terminus must be present for stimulation of ODC degradation by the proteasome. Recently, the AZs have been found to consist of an ancient gene family. Within vertebrate species, multiple isoforms are found, with distinct functions that remain to be sorted out. Although AZ homologs have been found in some yeast species, homology searches have failed to identify an AZ homolog in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Nevertheless, the close parallel between polyamine-induced ODC degradation in S. cerevisiae and in animal cells suggests that this organism will also be found to harbor an AZ-like protein.
The microcomputer in linear algebra

Abstract Menu-driven software is used to augment the teaching and study of linear algebra. The software allows the exploration of possibilities that laborious calculations would otherwise exclude. Examples are provided to show how the software helps to understand and apply the theory.
Toxin Involvement in Toxic Shock Syndrome

Cultures for Staphylococcus and sera from 434 individuals with confirmed or probable toxic shock syndrome (TSS) were studied. Three hundred forty-eight (91.6^0) of the staphylococcal isolates produced TSS toxin-1 (TSST-1) alone or in combination with one or more staphylococcal enterotoxins. Isolates producing both staphylococcal enterotoxin C and TSST-1 had a higher association with nonmenstrual and fatal cases than did any other toxin combination. The sera of 284 patients with TSS were tested for antibodies to TSST-1, and 234 (82.4*7o) had no detectable level of antibody compared with 80 (77.7^o) of 103 healthy controls having antibody levels of ^1:800. The sera from patients with TSS also had lower levels of antibody to staphylococcal enterotoxins A, B, and C than did the controls, a result indicating that these subjects may have an immunodeficiency that inhibits the production and/or maintenance of antibodies to the staphylococcal enterotoxins and TSST-1.
Faking the MMPI-2: Utility of the Subtle-Obvious scales

We explored the effect of different subject response sets on the profile configuration of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) and the utility of traditional validity, Back F, and Subtle-Obvious scales in detecting response set. College students were administered the MMPI-2 under one of three response sets: faking good, faking bad, or standard report. Results revealed significant differences across the three response set groups on all clinical, content, validity, obvious, and two of the five subtle scales in the expected direction. Additionally, respondents in the faking conditions produced consistent T-score patterns and significant O-S differences on the Subtle-Obvious scales. Examination of these subtle-obvious patterns may offer clinicians valuable information regarding profile validity beyond that offered by the traditional validity and Back F scales.
Analytical First-Order Molecular Properties and Forces within the Adiabatic Connection Random Phase Approximation.

The random phase approximation (RPA) is an increasingly popular method for computing molecular ground-state correlation energies within the adiabatic connection fluctuation–dissipation theorem framework of density functional theory. We present an efficient analytical implementation of first-order RPA molecular properties and nuclear forces using the resolution-of-the-identity (RI) approximation and imaginary frequency integration. The centerpiece of our approach is a variational RPA energy Lagrangian invariant under unitary transformations of occupied and virtual reference orbitals, respectively. Its construction requires the solution of a single coupled-perturbed Kohn–Sham equation independent of the number of perturbations. Energy gradients with respect to nuclear displacements and other first-order properties such as one-particle densities or dipole moments are obtained from partial derivatives of the Lagrangian. Our RPA energy gradient implementation exhibits the same O(N4log⁡N) scaling with system si...
Does copper-d-penicillamine catalyze the dismutation of O2−?

Abstract It has been reported ( M. Younes and U. Weser, 1977, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 78 , 1247–1253 ; E. Lengfelder and E. F. Elstner, 1978, Hoppe-Seyler's Z. Physiol. Chem. 359 , 751–757 ) that the complex [Cu(I) 8 Cu(II) 6 ( D -penicillamine) 12 Cl] 5− -efficiently catalyzes the dismutation of O 2 − and that this activity is resistant to both EDTA and CN − . However, careful study has demonstrated that this complex is unable to catalyze the dismutation of O 2 − , but that it slowly decomposes to simpler copper complexes which are active. Moreover, the activity which is observed is suppressed by EDTA or by Chelex 100 treatment.
Plasma surface treatment on nylon fabrics by fluorocarbon compounds

Nylon fabrics were treated by low temperature fluorocarbon plasmas. All of the fluorocarbon plasmas applied altered the surface of nylon fabrics to be hydrophobic and water-repellent. The durability of hydrophobicity and water repellency was examined by measurements of the water contact angle, the water droplet rolling-off angle, and the breakthrough water pressure after plasma-treated fabrics were washed. It was found that the structure of starting fluorocarbon and the plasma energy input were important factors in the durability. After washing, surface dynamics were investigated on different drying conditions. It was found that chemical composition and water repellency were dependent on drying conditions because of rotation of hydrophobic segments on the surface of fabrics.
Cardiovascular responses to central catecholamines of sinoaortic denervated rats

Abstract The characteristic movement-related arterial pressure dips seen in sinoaortic-denervated (SAD) animals suggested they should have enhanced vasodepressor responses to central adrenergic agonists. This was tested by comparing the reductions in mean arterial pressure and heart rate of conscious sham-operated (SO) and SAD rats during injections of norepinephrine (NE) or epinephrine (E) (0.25-16 μg) into the fourth cerebral ventricle. NE produced significantly greater maximum vasodepression and, simultaneously, significantly less bradycardia in SAD than SO rats. E, like NE, produced significantly more vasodepression in SADs, but unlike NE, elicited the same magnitude of bradycardia in both groups. The pressures were reduced and the log-dose pressure response curves shifted to the left in SAD rats. These results provide indirect evidence that central sensitivity to intracerebroventricular catecholamines is altered in SAD rats and that the direction of change in sensitivity is divergent for pressure and heart rate.
Phonological areal features of some Indo-Aryan languages

Abstract This paper examines some of the areal phonological features characterizing India as a ‘linguistic area’. The focus is on those features which are of particular interest to phoneticians and phonologists in their search for phonetic explanations for sound patterns— both synchronic and diachronic. Thus, in particular, the following features are covered: retroflexion, aspiration, stress, nasalization and the development of implosives in Sindhi.
Dry etching and implantation characteristics of III-N alloys

Abstract The wide-gap nitrides GaN, AIN and InN and their ternary alloys are attracting interest for blue-UV emitters, high temperature electronics and as passivation films for other semiconductors. We review the dry etching chemistries that are found to provide smooth anisotropic pattern transfer in these materials, namely Cl 2 H 2 , BCl 3 or CH 4 H 2 for Al x Ga 1− x N alloys and CH 4 H 2 for In x Ga 1− x N alloys. Microwave enhancement of the discharge is useful for increasing the etch rate at fixed d.c. self-bias. Ar + ion milling rates for the nitrides are typically a factor of 2 lower than for conventional III-Vs such as GaAs and InP. Implant isolation of In x Ga 1− x N shows similar characteristics to GaAs, namely a several orders of magnitude increase in resistance after implantation with moderate doses of F + or O + , followed by a further increase with annealing temperature up to about 500°C as hopping conduction is decreased. Minimal diffusion of most implanted dopants is found up to annealing temperatures of 800°C. Prospects for other process modules, especially wet chemical etching and ohmic contacts, will be discussed.
Professionalism Versus Community: Themes from Recent School Reform Literature.

This first part of this issue presents the work of scholars whose research and practice embody diverse perspectives on the concepts of professionalism and community in education. Drawing on classic and contemporary scholarship on these issues, we have attempted to link theory to practice and to the current policies that govern schools, the professionals that staff them, and the contexts that support them. The second part of this discussion captured a conversation among these scholars as they debated some of the central dilemmas in the field.
Induction and maintenance of mammary growth and lactation in rats with acetylcholine or epinephrine.

Summary1. When virgin rats were injected subcutaneously for 10 days with 10 μg estradiol daily, followed by twice-daily injections of 25 mg acetylcholine iodide/kg/BW or 0.25 mg epinephrine in oil for 5 days, extensive lobule-alveolar growth and lactation occurred. Rats given estradiol or acetylcholine iodide alone showed little or no mammary growth, and no secretion. Weights of ovaries, uterus, adrenals and thymus glands were not changed by treatment with either neurohormone, nor was the estrous cycle disturbed in rats given acetylcholine iodide alone. 2. When the litters of lactating rats were removed on 4th day after parturition, and the mothers injected with acetylcholine iodide or epinephrine in oil for 10 days, mammary involution was retarded and secretion was maintained. Rats given saline during this period showed extensive disintegration of the mammary system and no secretion. These experiments suggest that the 2 neurohormones may induce release of prolactin and perhaps other factors from the pitu...
Aggressive behaviors among the institutionalized elderly

Objective: To describe the incidence and characteristics of aggressive behaviors in a group of institutionalized elderly. Design: Retrospective survey. Setting: 350-bed, urban skilled nursing facility. Patients: All nursing home residents who had an incident report completed after an aggressive behavior. Measurements: Examination of all incident reports of aggressive behavior for 1 year. Results: There were 94 reports of aggressive behaviors. Twenty-nine residents exhibited one aggressive behavior, 12 residents two, and six residents exhibited three or more aggressive behaviors. These six residents accounted for 44% of all events. The incidence of aggressive behavior was 0.27 per resident per year for the entire facility; on the Alzheimer's unit the incidence was 0.75 per resident per year. Sixty-two percent of the victims of aggressive behavior were other nursing home residents, 37% were employees, and 1% were visitors. The charts of the six residents with three or more aggressive behaviors were reviewed. These residents received trials of multiple scheduled psychotropic medications, often exhibited several additional agitated behaviors around the time of the attack, were at risk for psychiatric hospitalizations during the study period, and often were noted to have underlying acute medical illnesses near the time of the attack. Conclusion: Approximately two aggressive behaviors per week occurred in a large nursing home. Residents and staff of Alzheimer's units have a higher risk of being victims of aggressive behavior. A small number of patients account for nearly half of the behaviors, even on the Alzheimer's unit. Aggressive behaviors may be clinical indicators of underlying acute medical illnesses.
Chronic peripheral administration of somatostatin receptor subtype-4 agonist NNC 26-9100 enhances learning and memory in SAMP8 mice

Selective somatostatin receptor subtype agonists have been proposed as a means to mitigate learning and memory loss associated with Alzheimer's disease. The first aim of this study evaluated blood-to-brain transport and regional brain distribution of NNC 26-9100, a selective somatostatin subtype-4 (sst4) receptor agonist. The entry rate of (131)I-NNC 26-9100 was K(i)=0.25 μl/g min, with an ~93% association with the parenchymal component. The second goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of chronic NNC 26-9100 administration (i.p.) on learning and memory, brain Aβ(x-42) levels, and protein expression of sst4 receptor and amyloid precursor protein (APP) in the senescence-accelerated mouse p8 (SAMP8) model of Alzheimer's disease. Mice chronically treated with NNC 26-9100 showed improved learning (day 21) and memory (day 28) using the T-maze paradigm (20 and 200 μg). Ex vivo tissue analyses showed a decline in Aβ(x-42) levels at the 20 μg dose, while no alterations were observed in sst4 receptor or APP protein expression compared to vehicle controls. These findings indicate NNC 26-9100 is taken up into key brain regions associated with learning and memory. Furthermore, chronic administration of NNC 26-9100 improved learning and memory and decreased Aβ(x-42) brain levels. These results suggest sst4 receptor agonists may provide a viable therapy in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of cognitive impairment.
Assessment and treatment of geriatric depression in primary care settings.

Objective To examine primary care physicians' practices relating to the diagnosis and management of geriatric depression, attitudes regarding responsibilities for and barriers to management, self-assessments of their needs in providing this care, and physician characteristics that correlate with attitudes and practices. Design Descriptive and analytic needs assessment. Setting A midwestern city and surrounding county and the suburb of another midwestern city. Measurements A self-administered survey consisting mainly of close-ended, Likert scale questions. Participants One hundred forty-one family physicians and general internists (53.2%) responded. Respondents were 75.4% male and 50.8% general internists and ranged in age from 29 to 75 years (mean, 43 years; SD, 11 years). Results No standard test to screen for depression was used by 66.7% of respondents. The 2 most common laboratory studies ordered were thyroid studies (41.1%) and chemistry panels (37.6%). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors were most commonly prescribed for depression (53.2%). Although 98.6% of respondents agreed that treatment of depression in elderly patients was important, 29.0% reported that depressed elderly patients frustrated them, and 24.2% were too pressured for time to routinely investigate depression in the elderly. The most frequently identified needs in caring for these patients were increased time with patients (97.1%); increased reimbursement for counseling (87.8%); greater emphasis in medical training on the link between physical and mental health (85.6%); improved patient compliance with treatment (84.3%); and more training and attention to depression in residency (82.1%). In general, family physicians were more active and positive in their approach toward geriatric depression. Conclusions Potential interventions to improve the diagnosis and management of geriatric depression include the following: use of screening instruments in a more efficient and timely manner; increased reimbursement for counseling of patients; more educational programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education levels; and clinical practice guidelines specific to geriatric depression.
Kinetic effects of Alfvén wave nonlinearity. I. Ponderomotive density fluctuations

The Vlasov theory is used to study kinetic corrections to fluid descriptions of Alfven wave nonlinearity. The method is to obtain an expression for the second‐order perturbed distribution function produced by a nonlinear Alfven wave. From this distribution function a kinetically correct expression is obtained for δn, the plasma density perturbation associated with an envelope‐modulated Alfven wave. This kinetic theory result differs substantially from the fluid expression when the plasma β≳1, and the electron and ion temperatures are approximately equal. This result is of interest because density fluctuations are an observationally accessible indicator of wave nonlinearity in solar system Alfven waves. It also will assist in the determination of properties of Alfven waves in the interstellar medium. Finally, this analysis also yields a kinetically correct expression for u, the magnetic field‐aligned component of the plasma fluid velocity. For parallel‐propagating wave packets, this field‐aligned flow is a major or even predominant contributor to the wave nonlinearity. Therefore these results provide a starting point for a general discussion of kinetic effects on Alfven wave nonlinearity.
Computation of Flow Fields Induced by Water Spraying of an Unconfined Gaseous Plume

Flow fields induced by the interaction of water sprays and a gaseous plume have been studied in the context of absorbing and dispersing and accidental release of toxic gas in the air. The effectiveness of water sprays in absorbing highly water soluble gases was recently demonstrated in extended laboratory and field tests. In this paper, computer simulations are presented of the Hawk, Nevada Test Site, series of water spray/HF mitigation field tests. The model used, HFSPRAY, is a Eulerean/Lagrangian model which simulates the momentum, mass and energy interactions between a water spray and a turbulent plume of HF in air; the model can predict the flow velocities, temperature, water vapor,a nd HF concentration fields in two-dimensional large-geometries for spraying in any direction, (i.e, down-flow, inclined-down-flow, up-flow, and co-current horizontal flow). The model was validated against recent data on spraying of water on large releases of HF. It can provide a direct input to the design of water spray systems for HF mitigation.
Adhesion Energy of Single Wall Carbon Nanotube-Polyethylene Composite: Effect of Magnetic Field

In this paper, we investigate the adhesion energy at the interface between single wall carbon nanotubes and polyethylene matrix with and without an external magnetic field. The carbon nanotubes are of two different chiralities—armchair (10, 10), and zigzag (10, 0), and the external high magnetic field is of 25 Tesla intensity. The study employs molecular dynamics simulations and concludes that the magnetic field decreases the interfacial adhesion energy although it increases the individual potential energies of the nanotubes, the polyethylene, and the composite.
I — Oscillosraph tests on low-current arcs

REIGNITION OF A-C. ARCS being dependent upon the arc-voltage relations during current zero, a study based on some 200 cathode-ray oscillograms has been made of the voltage and current relationships near the cyclic current zero in arcs between metallic electrodes.
Suppression of mouse antibody producing spleen cells by various interferon preparations.

POLYRIBOINOSINIC acid: polyribocytidylic acid [poly (rI)·poly (rC)], endotoxin, polycarboxylate plastics or polysaccharides, and other polyanions induce interferon production (see reviews ref. 1 and 2). They also enhance antibody production3,4, cell-mediated immunity5, and reticuloendothelial activity4,6. It is not yet clear whether or not any of these latter effects are mediated through the action of interferon.
Workplace Spirituality and Organizational Performance

This article reviews the literature on workplace spirituality, pointing out emergent theories and examining the links between this phenomenon and organizational dynamics. It also examines workplace spirituality in a historical context and compares it to religious beliefs and to established ethical theories and moral principles. The article also looks at organizations in which an emphasis on spiritual values has had an impact on work productivity. While some corporations have institutionalized spirituality, public agencies are reluctant to follow suit for fear of violating the principle of church-state separation. Finally, the article suggests ways that managers and administrators in both the public and the private sector can use workplace spirituality to increase performance and develop ethical organizations.
Dietary fish oil inhibits cholesterol monohydrate crystal nucleation and gallstone formation in the prairie dog

Background. Epidemiologic studies suggest that populations consuming a diet rich in fish oil havelower rates of both atherosclerotic heart disease and gallstones. The mechanisms underlying this inhibitory effect on cholesterol gallstone formation remain unclear. We therefore studied the effect of dietary fish oil on bile composition and cholesterol precipitation in an animal model of gallstone disease. Methods. Adult male prairie dogs were fed a standard control diet (n=12) or a lithogenic 1.2%cholesterol diet (n=16). One half of the animals in each group had their diet supplemented with concentrated fish oil. Results. After 14 days animals receiving the cholesterol diet all developed biliary cholesterolmonohydrate crystals and gallstones. When fish oil was added to this high cholesterol diet, solid cholesterol crystal precipitation and gallstone formation were completely inhibited. This inhibition of gallstone formation was accompanied by a significant decrease in biliary calcium and total protein concentration. Microscopic cholesterol liquid crystals were evident in the bile of all of the animals fed the cholesterol plus fish oil diet. Dietary fish oil also significantly prolonged cholesterol monohydrate crystal observation time in animals receiving the lithogenic diet. Conclusions. These data suggest that dietary fish oil exerts a potent antilithogenic effect on cholesterol gallstone disease and may induce a stable liquid crystalline phase retarding nucleation
Hospital-based, acute care after ambulatory surgery center discharge.

Background As a measure of quality, ambulatory surgery centers have begun reporting rates of hospital transfer at discharge. This process, however, may underestimate the acute care needs of patients after care. We conducted this study to determine rates and evaluate variation in hospital transfer and hospital-based, acute care within 7 days among patients discharged from ambulatory surgery centers. Methods Using data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, we identified adult patients who underwent a medical or operative procedure between July 2008 and September 2009 at ambulatory surgery centers in California, Florida, and Nebraska. The primary outcomes were hospital transfer at the time of discharge and hospital-based, acute care (emergency department visits or hospital admissions) within 7-days expressed as the rate per 1,000 discharges. At the ambulatory surgery center level, rates were adjusted for age, sex, and procedure-mix. Results We studied 3,821,670 patients treated at 1,295 ambulatory surgery centers. At discharge, the hospital transfer rate was 1.1 per 1,000 discharges (95% confidence interval 1.1–1.1). Among patients discharged home, the hospital-based, acute care rate was 31.8 per 1,000 discharges (95% confidence interval 31.6–32.0). Across ambulatory surgery centers, there was little variation in adjusted hospital transfer rates (median = 1.0/1,000 discharges [25th–75th percentile = 1.0–2.0]), whereas substantial variation existed in adjusted, hospital-based, acute care rates (28.0/1,000 [21.0–39.0]). Conclusion Among adult patients undergoing ambulatory care at surgery centers, hospital transfer at time of discharge from the ambulatory care center is a rare event. In contrast, the rate of need for hospital-based, acute care in the first week afterwards is nearly 30-fold greater, varies across centers, and may be a more meaningful measure for discriminating quality.
Rapid determination of analytical aerosol size characteristics

A method in which a cascade impactor is interfaced directly to an atomic absorption system to allow measurements of the masses of analyte associated with various droplet sizes is described. Data are presented which indicate that this measurement approach conveniently provides results equivalent to those obtained by the indirect protocol used by others [see M. S. Cresser and R. F. Browner, Spectrochim, Acta 35B, 73 (1980)] when a filter is used to collect the analyte transported through the impactor. In addition to saving analysis time while providing reliable results, the method is shown to prevent positive size measurement biases due to failure to collect aerosol not trapped by an impactor.
Role of the S128, H186, and N187 triad in substrate binding and decarboxylation in the sheep liver 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase reaction.

Crystal structures of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH) from sheep liver indicate that S128 and N187 are within hydrogen-bonding distance of 6PG in the E:6PG binary complex and NADPH in the E:NADPH binary complex. In addition, HI 86 is also within hydrogen-bonding distance of NADPH in the E:NADPH binary complex, while in the E:6PG binary complex it is within hydrogen-bonding distance of S128 and close to N187. The structures suggest that this triad of residues may play a dual role during the catalytic reaction. Site-directed mutagenesis has been performed to mutate each of the three residues to alanine. All mutant enzymes exhibit a decrease in V/E t (the turnover number), ranging from 7- to 67-fold. An increase in the K m for 6PG (K 6PG ) was observed for S128A and H187A mutant enzymes, while for the H186A mutation, K 6PG is decreased by a factor of 2. K NADP remains the same as the wild type enzyme for the S128A and H186A mutant enzyme, while it increases by 6-fold in the N187A mutant enzyme. An increased K iNADPH was measured for all of the mutant enzymes. The primary kinetic 13 C-isotope effect is increased, while the primary deuterium kinetic isotope effect is decreased, indicating that the decarboxylation step has become more rate limiting under conditions where substrate is limiting. A quantitative analysis of the data suggests that the S128, H186, and N187 triad is multifunctional in the 6PGDH reaction and contributes as follows. The triad (1) participates in the precatalytic conformational change; (2) provides ground state binding affinity for 6PG and NADPH; and (3) affects the relative rates of reduction or decarboxylation of the 3-keto-6PG intermediate by anchoring the cofactor after hydride transfer, which is accompanied by the rotation of the nicotinamide ring around the N-glycosidic bond and displacement of C1 of 6PG, facilitating decarboxylation.
Studies of turbulent flow-flame interaction

Analyse de la nature et de la magnitude de la turbulence dans une flamme. Interpretation de donnees experimentales obtenues pour des flammes de diffusion ou de premelange de divers combustibles
Ethanol- and Fe+2-induced membrane lipid oxidation is not additive in developing chick brains

Abstract In order to study the effects of exogenous EtOH and/or Fe +2 on membrane lipid peroxidation, exogenous EtOH, FeCl 2 , FeCl 2 & EtOH, NaCl and NaCl & EtOH were injected into fertile chicken eggs. Controls were either shams or injected with saline. These injections were made at 0 days or 0–2 days of development and tissue removed at stage 37 (11 days of development). Embryonic exposure to exogenous EtOH and/or Fe +2 promoted decreased brain mass, decreased levels of brain membrane polyunsaturated fatty acids, elevated levels of brain lipid hydroperoxides, and elevated levels of Fe +2 within embryonic brain and liver. These alterations were more severe in triple-injected embryos (E0-2/E11) as compared to single-injected embryos (E0/E11). While exogenous treatments of either EtOH and/or FeCl 2 promoted increased levels of endogenous brain Fe +2 , the effects were not additive. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that embryonic exposure to exogenous EtOH and/or Fe +2 promotes brain membrane lipid peroxidation.
Advances in the numerical modeling of sediment failure during the development of a continental margin

Abstract The SedFlux model is modified to more realistically simulate the distributions of seafloor geotechnical parameters during the growth of a seismically active continental margin. Alternative methods are provided for the prediction of the coefficient of consolidation, remolded shear strength, internal friction angle, sediment cohesion, dynamic viscosity and excess pore pressure. The new methods improve simulations of the architecture of basin deposits through the dynamics within the slope stability and debris flow modules. The new formulation shows sediment failures to be more frequent but smaller in size, and to occur at larger water depths. However, the overall architecture is not significantly different. SedFlux is then used to examine the role of global sea level fluctuations on the location and dimensions of sediment failure, and the subsequent transport of sediment to the deep ocean. More sediment failures are predicted to occur during periods of falling or low sea level conditions, and to be confined to the upper continental slope (500±250 m water depth). The shallower failures are more characteristic of the period represented by the last two episodes of low sea level (i.e. during the Late Pleistocene), affected by the magnitude of the sea level fluctuation. Most of the predicted failures have thickness
Which Dog? Which Book? A Shaggy Dog Tale

Why does a library need reference sources concerning the various breeds of dogs? What kinds of questions are likely to be encountered which could be answered by books of this type? Some of the questions I have been asked include: “What kind of a dog is a Puli?” “Do you have a picture of an Irish Setter I can copy?” “What breed of dog is good with children and can live in an apartment?” “Do Tibetan Terriers really come from Tibet?” “I saw this dog but I don't know what it is. Can you help me identify it?”
Slimy leaves and oily seeds: Distribution and use of wild relatives of sesame in Africa

This is a cultural, ecological, economic, geographical and historical study of the close wild relatives of sesame in Africa. Medical, culinary, cosmetic and industrial use of each species is assembled along with ethnographic and linguistic data. Collectively, it presents a summary of the genetic resources of Sesamum. The relative importance of each species varies by location, however most of these taxa are used in strikingly similar ways by subsistence farmers. Comparison of usage by ethnic group reveals the social role these valuable leaf vegetables play in daily life, particularly during times of shortage and famine. Fieldwork provides firsthand data, supplementing herbarium specimens and the published literature about the distribution, uses and environmental adaptations of wild Sesamum species and their close relative, Ceratotheca sesamoides Endl.
Identification of cultured cells selectively expressing Y1-, Y2-, or Y3-type receptors for neuropeptide Y/peptide YY.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and peptide YY (PYY) are homologous 36 amino acid amidated peptides that often, but not always, exert similar actions and binding profiles. The present study of cultured cells confirms that both peptides as well as radioiodinated analogs, i.e. 125I-Bolton-Hunter-NPY (125I-BH-NPY) and 125I-peptide YY (125I-PYY), show high affinity to binding sites/receptors of the previously proposed Y1- and Y2-subtypes, selectively expressed by the human neuroblastoma cell lines, SK-N-MC and SK-N-BE(2), respectively. In contrast, bovine adrenal chromaffin cells did not bind 125I-PYY, while displaying high affinity 125I-BH-NPY sites, and may therefore represent a cell type expressing a recently proposed Y3-type of (NPY-preferring) receptors. Several non-labeled fragments/analogs have been used in displacement experiments to further characterize the structural requirements for Y1-, Y2-, and Y3-type binding. In every instance, specific binding was reduced by addition of 5′-guanylylimidodiphosphate [Gpp(NH)p], indicating that the three receptor subtypes belong to the G-protein-coupled superfamily of receptors. Moreover, in both neuroblastoma cell lines, the peptides elicited, with appropriate orders of potency, reduction of forskolin-stimulated adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) accumulation. Finally, NPY-evoked 45Ca2+ influx was observed in SK-N-MC and in chromaffin cells. A common dual coupling mechanism of NPY/PYY receptors, i.e. to reduction of cAMP and to Ca2+ elevation, is therefore suggested to exist, although both phenomena could not be demonstrated in every cell type.
An Architectural Framework for the Design, Analysis and Implementation of Interactive Systems

This article presents the Software Architecture for Immersipresence (SAI) framework for the design, analysis and implementation of interactive software systems. SAI defines an architectural style whose data and processing models capture temporal properties of computational primitives. SAI adopts an asynchronous concurrent processing model in order to allow designing for optimal system latency and throughput. The SAI style is modular to enable scalability, and to facilitate incremental system design, integration and evolution, as well as code development, testing and reuse. A graph-based notation for architectural designs aims to communicate system architectures in an intuitive and scalable manner. The open-source Modular Flow Scheduling Middleware (MFSM) provides a multi-threaded, cross-platform implementation of SAI's primitives. The SAI/MFSM framework has been used in the design and implementation of numerous interactive systems in research, education and artistic performance settings. This article illustrates the definition and use of SAI with examples from computer vision.
A comparative analysis of pedometry in measuring physical activity of children.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the step and physical activity time output features of the Walk4Life LS2505 pedometer under field physical activity conditions. Methods: Data were collected on 288 (12.62 ± 1.23 yr) participants during a school-based structured physical activity program. Participants' physical activity levels were concurrently measured via the Yamax SW701 (Yamax Corp., Japan) and Walk4Life LS2505 (Walk4Life Inc., Plainfield, IL) pedometers, and System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT) physical activity coding mechanism. Relative and absolute agreement between SW701 (criterion) and LS2505 steps per minute, and SOFIT (criterion) and LS2505 physical activity time (min) were analyzed overall, and across physical activity content themes and physical activity quartiles. Results: Physical activity measure correlations were moderately strong to strong (r = 0.85-0.98, P < 0.05); however, the LS2505 significantly underestimated steps per minute (Mdiff = 6.37 ± 5.79, P < 0.05) and overestimated physical activity time (Mdiff = -7.73 ± 3.13, P < 0.05). When LS2505 steps per minute were examined across physical activity themes and quartiles, clinically acceptable absolute error scores (= 10 ± 5%) were found when physical activity was mostly continuous, or intermittent and moderate to high. The LS2505 physical activity time measure was clinically acceptable only when physical activity was continuous. Conclusion: It is recommended that the LS2505 pedometer output of time only be employed when physical activity is continuous, or when physical activity is continuous, or intermittent and moderate to high for the output of steps.
Introduction to coronary heart disease prevention forum

A prerequisite for prcvcnting a disease is the ability to identify populations and individuals within the population especially susceptible to its development. Epidemiological studies during the past 10 or 20 years, in conjunction with clinical and experimental investigations, have placed coronary heart disease into the frontline of those disorders which can be predicted with a considerable degree of reliance well ahead of the onset of overt clinical manifestations. Thus, susceptibility toward this foremost consequcncc and complication of atherosclerotic disease can be defined so that groups and people selectively prone to this illness can be detected and, given preventive measures, protected. In these terms, a strategy for prevention involves necessarily two parallel but intersecting avenues of attack: (1) a policy of prevention, aimed at the population at large, toward the modification of those “all-pervading” environmental factors which are responsible for the overall burden presented by coronary disease in so-called developed countries, (2) a policy of massdetection aimed at identifying individuals within the population who are at especially high risk. The first approach necessitates major decisions on a national level which are concerned with changes in the mode of life, such as nutritional habits. The second approach calls for extensive and effective facilities to screen large numbers of people for the presence of what are now generally called “risk factors.” The present forum does not concern itself specifically with these broad policy questions which are now before the public and voluntary health agencies for discussion and, indeed, action. However, it is well to remember that the total community problem of coronary heart disease (CHD) cannot be solved except within the context of such broad and forceful nation-wide action. In the meantime, the practicing physician to whom this Journal and, therefore, this forum addresses itself will have to do what he can to detect and protect siisceptibles among his patients and “prepatients” who come within his reach. The contributors to this
Biochemical Characterization of Ribosome Assembly GTPase RbgA in Bacillus subtilis

The ribosome biogenesis GTPase A protein RbgA is involved in the assembly of the large ribosomal subunit in Bacillus subtilis, and homologs of RbgA are implicated in the biogenesis of mitochondrial, chloroplast, and cytoplasmic ribosomes in archaea and eukaryotes. The precise function of how RbgA contributes to ribosome assembly is not understood. Defects in RbgA give rise to a large ribosomal subunit that is immature and migrates at 45 S in sucrose density gradients. Here, we report a detailed biochemical analysis of RbgA and its interaction with the ribosome. We found that RbgA, like most other GTPases, exhibits a very slow k(cat) (14 h(-1)) and has a high K(m) (90 μM). Homology modeling of the RbgA switch I region using the K-loop GTPase MnmE as a template suggested that RbgA requires K(+) ions for GTPase activity, which was confirmed experimentally. Interaction with 50 S subunits, but not 45 S intermediates, increased GTPase activity by ∼55-fold. Stable association with 50 S subunits and 45 S intermediates was nucleotide-dependent, and GDP did not support strong interaction with either of the subunits. GTP and guanosine 5'-(β,γ-imido)triphosphate (GMPPNP) were sufficient to promote association with the 45 S intermediate, whereas only GMPPNP was able to support binding to the 50 S subunit, presumably due to the stimulation of GTP hydrolysis. These results support a model in which RbgA promotes a late step in ribosome biogenesis and that one role of GTP hydrolysis is to stimulate dissociation of RbgA from the ribosome.
Therapeutic Na+ channel blockers beneficial for pain syndromes

A variety of drugs are used to prevent or treat pain and many of them are known to inhibit the activity of the voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) required for neuronal excitability. In this overview, we consider the current status and future prospects for these drugs used in two contexts: local application for acute and prolonged blockade of impulses in peripheral nerve, and systemic administration for the relief of chronic pain of metabolic, neuropathic, or cancer origin. Drug Dev. Res. 54:154–158, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.