cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Survival outcome following isolated central nervous system relapse treated with additional chemotherapy and craniospinal irradiation in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Purpose An analysis of survival outcome following isolated central nervous system (CNS) relapse treated with craniospinal irradiation (CSI) and additional chemotherapy in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was conducted. Methods and materials Eighteen of 344 pediatric patients with ALL who attained initial complete remission on the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital "Study XI" prospective protocol (1984-1988) developed a CNS relapse as first adverse event. Median interval to isolated CNS relapse was 7.5 months (range = 2-40 months) after achieving initial complete remission. At diagnosis, 14 of the 18 children were categorized as "high risk" for subsequent leukemic relapse. Preventive cranial irradiation [PCI (18 Gy)] was delivered as planned to one of the 14 "high-risk" children. The other 13 "high-risk" patients experienced a CNS relapse during the first year of continuation therapy prior to week 52 of planned PCI. All four "low-risk" patients experienced a CNS relapse beyond the first year of continuation therapy; none were scheduled to receive PCI. Following isolated CNS relapse, all 18 patients were treated on a prospective contingency of "Study XI" trial consisting of intensified reinduction chemotherapy, weekly intrathecal methotrexate/hydrocortisone/Ara-C x 4-6 injections, craniospinal irradiation (cranium to 24.0 Gy and spine to 15.0 Gy at 1.5 Gy/fraction) and maintenance systemic therapy for a minimum of 1 year. Results Ten of 18 patients remain in continuous complete secondary remission at 17 to 50 months post-CNS relapse. Second sites of relapse in the remaining eight children were as follows: CNS in four, bone marrow in three, and bilateral testicular in one patient. Each of these eight patients died of progressive leukemia. At a median followup of 40 months post-initial CNS relapse, the 3-year secondary Kaplan-Meier survival and event-free survival are 72% and 56%, respectively. Minimal long-term neurotoxicity was associated with the treatment regimen. The most important prognostic factors predicting continuous secondary remission included white blood cell count at diagnosis (p = 0.05), and duration of initial remission (p = 0.04). Conclusion This trial demonstrates that more than one-half of patients may be successfully salvaged with intensified chemotherapy and craniospinal irradiation without significant morbidity following an isolated CNS relapse, despite previous multiagent chemotherapy though virtually no prior PCI in childhood ALL.
Making Audio Visible: The Lessons of Visual Language for the Textualization of Sound†

Mark Barraud, ‘Dog Looking at and Listening to a Phonograph’ (1898) My topic – the digitalization of the recording of poetry readings – would seem, on the face of it, remote, a stretch at best, per...
Ras-mutant Cancer Cells Display B-Raf Binding to Ras That Activates Extracellular Signal-regulated Kinase and Is Inhibited by Protein Kinase A Phosphorylation

The small G protein Ras regulates proliferation through activation of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase (ERK) cascade. The first step of Ras-dependent activation of ERK signaling is Ras binding to members of the Raf family of MAP kinase kinase kinases, C-Raf and B-Raf. Recently, it has been reported that in melanoma cells harboring oncogenic Ras mutations, B-Raf does not bind to Ras and does not contribute to basal ERK activation. For other types of Ras-mutant tumors, the relative contributions of C-Raf and B-Raf are not known. We examined non-melanoma cancer cell lines containing oncogenic Ras mutations and express both C-Raf and B-Raf isoforms, including the lung cancer cell line H1299 cells. Both B-Raf and C-Raf were constitutively bound to oncogenic Ras and contributed to Ras-dependent ERK activation. Ras binding to B-Raf and C-Raf were both subject to inhibition by the cAMP-dependent protein kinase PKA. cAMP inhibited the growth of H1299 cells and Ras-dependent ERK activation via PKA. PKA inhibited the binding of Ras to both C-Raf and B-Raf through phosphorylations of C-Raf at Ser-259 and B-Raf at Ser-365, respectively. These studies demonstrate that in non-melanocytic Ras-mutant cancer cells, Ras signaling to B-Raf is a significant contributor to ERK activation and that the B-Raf pathway, like that of C-Raf, is a target for inhibition by PKA. We suggest that cAMP and hormones coupled to cAMP may prove useful in dampening the effects of oncogenic Ras in non-melanocytic cancer cells through PKA-dependent actions on B-Raf as well as C-Raf.
Use of a digital computer in equilibrium calculations:the effects of dilution and ionic strength of the buffer index and sharpness index in the titration of a monoprotic acid with a strong base

Abstract The effects of dilution and ionic strength on weak acid-strong base titration curves and on the buffer index, β, and sharpness index, η, for these titrations have been calculated. It has been shown that the approximate equations generally used to calculate β and η are often misleading.
Survival in neonatal biventricular repair of left-sided cardiac obstructive lesions associated with hypoplastic left ventricle

Patients with left ventricular hypoplasia and left-sided heart obstructive lesions other than critical aortic stenosis may be inappropriately subjected to single ventricular repair because their assessment is based on faulty qualitative evaluations or on quantitative methods developed for critical aortic stenosis. Patients with left ventricular hypoplasia and left-sided heart obstructions other than critical aortic stenosis successfully underwent biventricular repair despite "failing" to pass established criteria for critical aortic stenosis.
Abnormal barrier function in the pathogenesis of ichthyosis: therapeutic implications for lipid metabolic disorders

Ichthyoses, including inherited disorders of lipid metabolism, display a permeability barrier abnormality in which the severity of the clinical phenotype parallels the prominence of the barrier defect. The pathogenesis of the cutaneous phenotype represents the consequences of the mutation for epidermal function, coupled with a "best attempt" by affected epidermis to generate a competent barrier in a terrestrial environment. A compromised barrier in normal epidermis triggers a vigorous set of metabolic responses that rapidly normalizes function, but ichthyotic epidermis, which is inherently compromised, only partially succeeds in this effort. Unraveling mechanisms that account for barrier dysfunction in the ichthyoses has identified multiple, subcellular, and biochemical processes that contribute to the clinical phenotype. Current treatment of the ichthyoses remains largely symptomatic: directed toward reducing scale or corrective gene therapy. Reducing scale is often minimally effective. Gene therapy is impeded by multiple pitfalls, including difficulties in transcutaneous drug delivery, high costs, and discomfort of injections. We have begun to use information about disease pathogenesis to identify novel, pathogenesis-based therapeutic strategies for the ichthyoses. The clinical phenotype often reflects not only a deficiency of pathway end product due to reduced-function mutations in key synthetic enzymes but often also accumulation of proximal, potentially toxic metabolites. As a result, depending upon the identified pathomechanism(s) for each disorder, the accompanying ichthyosis can be treated by topical provision of pathway product (eg, cholesterol), with or without a proximal enzyme inhibitor (eg, simvastatin), to block metabolite production. Among the disorders of distal cholesterol metabolism, the cutaneous phenotype in Congenital Hemidysplasia with Ichthyosiform Erythroderma and Limb Defects (CHILD syndrome) and X-linked ichthyosis reflect metabolite accumulation and deficiency of pathway product (ie, cholesterol). We validated this therapeutic approach in two CHILD syndrome patients who failed to improve with topical cholesterol alone, but cleared with dual treatment with cholesterol plus lovastatin. In theory, the ichthyoses in other inherited lipid metabolic disorders could be treated analogously. This pathogenesis (pathway)-driven approach possesses several inherent advantages: (1) it is mechanism-specific for each disorder; (2) it is inherently safe, because natural lipids and/or approved drugs often are utilized; and (3) it should be inexpensive, and therefore it could be used widely in the developing world.
Clinical application of cine-MRI in the visual assessment of mitral regurgitation compared to echocardiography and cardiac catheterization.

Background Detecting and quantifying the severity of mitral regurgitation is essential for risk stratification and clinical decision-making regarding timing of surgery. Our objective was to assess specific visual parameters by cine-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the determination of the severity of mitral regurgitation and to compare it to previously validated imaging modalities: echocardiography and cardiac ventriculography.
Reduction of chlorinated ethanes by nanosized zero-valent iron: kinetics, pathways, and effects of reaction conditions.

Dechlorination of three chlorinated methanes (CCl4, CHCl3, CH2Cl2) was investigated using a nano-sized iron synthesized by borohydride reduction of Fe3+ under anaerobic conditions. When reacted with chlorinated methanes in batch reactors, nano-sized iron rapidly transformed CCl4 and CHCl3, but showed negligible reactivity toward CH2Cl2, giving the reactivity order of CCl4 > CHCl3 >> CH2Cl2. CH4 was observed along with CH2Cl2 in the reduction of CCl4 and CHCl3, and they are presumed to be generated via concerted reductive elimination steps involving carbene and charged radical species. Pathways for CH4 production from CCl4 and CHCl3 reductions are proposed. Evidence obtained from the study of several physicochemical factors including pH, initial concentration, hydrogen concentration, and metal loading indicates reduction of chlorinated methanes occurs via a direct electron transfer reduction mechanism, rather than an indirect mechanism involving reactive hydrogen species. In a comparative experiment with t...
Noise in eukaryotic gene expression

Transcription in eukaryotic cells has been described as quantal, with pulses of messenger RNA produced in a probabilistic manner. This description reflects the inherently stochastic nature of gene expression, known to be a major factor in the heterogeneous response of individual cells within a clonal population to an inducing stimulus. Here we show in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that stochasticity (noise) arising from transcription contributes significantly to the level of heterogeneity within a eukaryotic clonal population, in contrast to observations in prokaryotes, and that such noise can be modulated at the translational level. We use a stochastic model of transcription initiation specific to eukaryotes to show that pulsatile mRNA production, through reinitiation, is crucial for the dependence of noise on transcriptional efficiency, highlighting a key difference between eukaryotic and prokaryotic sources of noise. Furthermore, we explore the propagation of noise in a gene cascade network and demonstrate experimentally that increased noise in the transcription of a regulatory protein leads to increased cell-cell variability in the target gene output, resulting in prolonged bistable expression states. This result has implications for the role of noise in phenotypic variation and cellular differentiation.
The effect of pressure and seed water content on the mutagenic action of oxygen in barley seeds.

Abstract Dormant barley seeds ( Hordeum vulgare var. Himalaya) with 3.1%, 9.3%, and 14.5% water content were treated at about 2000 lb/in 2 for seven days; and seeds with 2.1% water content, at 0, 500, 1250, and 2000 lb/in 2 oxygen and nitrogen gas pressure for four days. As measured by M 1 seedling growth, seeds with the lowest water content and those treated with the highest pressure were the most severly damaged. Seeds treated with oxygen were damaged more than those treated with nitrogen pressure. The highest frequency of chromosome aberrations yet reported for oxygen pressure were induced in very dry seeds. The ratios of chromosome bridges to fragments induced in very dry seeds were higher for oxygen pressure than for γ-radiation. Also, the frequencies of aberrations were higher in 2000 lb/in 2 oxygen-treated 2.1% water content seeds than in lower pressure treatments. Very few aberrations were induced in moist seeds by oxygen pressure or in moist or dry seeds by nitrogen pressure. Higher frequencies of chlorophyll-deficient mutations were induced in very dry seeds than have been previously attributed to oxygen-pressure treatment. Also, the mutation frequency was proportional to the amount of oxygen pressure (lb/in 2 ). Nitrogen pressure increased the mutation frequency only for very dry seeds given 2000 lb/in 2 pressure. A normal spectrum of M 2 chlorophyll-deficient mutations was obtained when dry (2.1% and 3.1% water content) seeds were treated with oxygen gas pressure. However, a spectrum with a high proportion of albina mutations (about 90% albina ) was obtained for 9.3% water content seeds subjected to oxygen pressure. Progeny tests proved the heritability of a sample of seedlings classified as mutants. Possible mechanisms for the action of oxygen pressure are discussed.
Relationship between extracellular T-wave height, T-wave alternans amplitude, and tissue action potential alternans: a 1-dimensional computer modeling study

T-wave alternans (TWA) is a useful marker of cardiac instability, but not much is known about the factors that affect its measurement, such as electrode placement. We used a 1-dimensional myocardial fiber computer model of alternans to investigate the effect of electrode position on TWA measurement. Results demonstrated that TWA amplitude and T-wave amplitude change proportionally if both recording electrodes are symmetrically moved toward or away from the tissue. However, TWA amplitude and T-wave amplitude change out of proportion to one another when one electrode is moved while the other electrode remains stationary. These disproportionate changes result from beatwise alternation in the asymmetric potential field around the tissue. In summary, nonlinear changes in tissue repolarization during alternans result in nonlinear changes in T-wave amplitude and TWA amplitude.
Coupling Simulations of Human Driven Land Use Change with Natural Vegetation Dynamics

Summary form only given: Land cover change is the result of interactions and feedbacks between processes operating at different spatial and temporal scales. As human impact on the environment becomes more pronounced, there is growing interest in understanding the effects of environmental and scocio-economic changes on landscape dynamics. Computer simulation models provide a tool for studying the causes and consequences of landscape dynamics and projecting short- and long-term landscape changes. Currently, there is a need for a model that can simulate multiple drivers of land cover change, including natural disturbances vegetation succession along with anthropogenic effects such land use transitions and land management practices. The available land cover change models typically simulate only a subset of these disturbances, which is not sufficient for realistically simulating land cover change over large heterogeneous areas. To addressing this need, we developed a novel simulator that combines two existing modeling frameworks: human-driven land use change (derived from the FORE-SCE model) with natural disturbances and vegetation dynamics (derived from the LADS model) and will incorporate novel feedbacks between human land use and natural disturbance regimes. The simulator is a raster-based, spatially explicit, stochastic computer model that combines a demand-allocation land use change model, a state-and transition for natural vegetation dynamics, and spatially explicit fire initiation and spread. The simulator is being designed to incorporate the effects of climate change, land management, and human demand on resource on land use over and natural vegetation dynamics to provide realistic, high resolution, and scenario-based land cover products. The simulator is a stand-alone program written in Visual C++ environment for use in Microsoft Windows Operating System environment, and in continuous development. This poster highlights the conceptual and technical design of the model integration.
Interstrand DNA Cross-links Induced by α,β-Unsaturated Aldehydes Derived from Lipid Peroxidation and Environmental Sources

Significant levels of the 1,N2-γ-hydroxypropano-dG adducts of the α,β-unsaturated aldehydes acrolein, crotonaldehyde, and 4-hydroxy-2E-nonenal (HNE) have been identified in human DNA, arising from both exogenous and endogenous exposures. They yield interstrand DNA cross-links between guanines in the neighboring C·G and G·C base pairs located in 5′-CpG-3′ sequences, as a result of opening of the 1,N2-γ-hydroxypropano-dG adducts to form reactive aldehydes that are positioned within the minor groove of duplex DNA. Using a combination of chemical, spectroscopic, and computational methods, we have elucidated the chemistry of cross-link formation in duplex DNA. NMR spectroscopy revealed that, at equilibrium, the acrolein and crotonaldehyde cross-links consist primarily of interstrand carbinolamine linkages between the exocyclic amines of the two guanines located in the neighboring C·G and G·C base pairs located in 5′-CpG-3′ sequences, that maintain the Watson−Crick hydrogen bonding of the cross-linked base pair...
Matt 27.51–4 Reconsidered: Its Role in the Passion Narrative, Meaning and Origin

This report of opened tombs and risen saints is conventionally deemed to mark Jesus’ death as the dawn of the new age. However, this understanding obscures Matthew's studied climax in v. 54. Defending the theory that vv. 51b–54 are a Matthean creation, it is argued here that Matthew drew his scene of risen saints from 1 Enoch 93.6, where ‘visions of the Holy Ones’ accompany the gift of the Torah. Matthew utilized this motif from the Mosaic era not to infuse Jesus’ death with eschatological significance, but to provoke the centurion's acclamation of Jesus as ‘son of God’ as the climax of the crucifixion narrative.
Managing technological development : lessons from the newly industrializing countries

This survey looks at the technological development of the newly industrializing countries to draw some important lessons for firms and governments in other developing countries. First, inventing products and processes is not at the center of the technological development needed for successful industrialization. It is at the fringe. What is at the center is acquiring the capabilities needed for efficient production and investment. Second, some countries have overemphasized the drive for technological self-sufficiency and paid a high price in poor productivity. What makes the best economic sense is to combine foreign and local technological elements--and to do this in a way that progressively develops local capabilities in areas where they can be more efficient. Third, the acquisition of technological capability does not come merely from experience, though experience is important. Fourth, the economic environment, through its influence on the technological efforts of firms, is very important in determining the productivity of a country's resources.
FIBRINOLYSIS ASSOCIATED WITH ONCOGENIC TRANSFORMATION : REQUIREMENT OF PLASMINOGEN FOR CORRELATED CHANGES IN CELLULAR MORPHOLOGY, COLONY FORMATION IN AGAR, AND CELL MIGRATION

Fetal bovine and dog serum were selectively freed of plasminogen by affinity chromatography. The resulting serum as well as native and reconstituted serum (obtained by the addition of purified plasminogen to the plasminogen-depleted serum) were used to examine the role of plasminogen in (a) growth of normal and SV-40-transformed hamster embryo fibroblasts in liquid medium, (b) growth of SV-40-transformed hamster embryo fibroblasts in soft agar, (c) aggregation — a characteristic morphological change of SV-40-transformed hamster cells, and (d) migration of SV-40-transformed and control 3T3 cells from a monolayer into a "wound." The results demonstrated that exponential growth of both normal and transformed cells in liquid medium proceeded at the same rate in the presence or absence of plasminogen. In contrast, removal of plasminogen markedly depressed the plating efficiency of transformed cells in soft agar, eliminated their characteristic aggregation, and substantially reduced the extent of migration. The role of plasminogen and its activation in oncogenic transformation is discussed.
Highly synchronous mode-locked picosecond pulses at two wavelengths.

Cross-correlation widths of 2.2 psec between picosecond pulses at two wavelengths have been observed with a double-mode-locked dye laser. This was achieved after careful optimization and stabilization of the laser. The jitter in the laser output is deduced to be about 0.3 psec. The jitter in the round-trip time was also measured and found to be about 0.3 psec. Other cases have been observed in which satellite pulses in the lasing wavelengths are clearly resolved.
The Fading out of Gains in "Successful" Compensatory Education Programs

Effective programs and pupil gains seem to `fade": in this view, schools are not the great equalizer and grand panacea.
Telecommunications for the ‘New Korea’

In terms of trade in telecommunications, South Korea is the largest of the East Asian ‘tigers’ and, in certain key sectors, has made its presence felt around the world. As with virtually all other Asian nations but Japan, its experience with modern telecommunications is a relatively recent development. The prospect of national reunification suggests that Korea—North and South—will play a unique and strong role in regional and international telecommunications. Yet Korea is, arguably, the least understood of the Asian tigers. It lacks the British colonial legacy of Singapore or Hong Kong. In contrast to them and to Taiwan it is culturally and politically distinct from China, which has historically acted as a magnet for outside attention. This article offers a corrective to the ingrained tendency to treat Korea simply as another Asian tiger, or to group it with other Asian nations. It looks at how Korea is coping with some of the major telecommunications policy issues facing other countries in the region and...
Medical Consequences of Obesity

Obesity is an epidemic disease that threatens to inundate health care resources by increasing the incidence of diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and cancer. These effects of obesity result from two factors: the increased mass of adipose tissue and the increased secretion of pathogenetic products from enlarged fat cells. This concept of the pathogenesis of obesity as a disease allows an easy division of disadvantages of obesity into those produced by the mass of fat and those produced by the metabolic effects of fat cells. In the former category are the social disabilities resulting from the stigma associated with obesity, sleep apnea that results in part from increased parapharyngeal fat deposits, and osteoarthritis resulting from the wear and tear on joints from carrying an increased mass of fat. The second category includes the metabolic factors associated with distant effects of products released from enlarged fat cells. The insulin-resistant state that is so common in obesity probably reflects the effects of increased release of fatty acids from fat cells that are then stored in the liver or muscle. When the secretory capacity of the pancreas is overwhelmed by battling insulin resistance, diabetes develops. The strong association of increased fat, especially visceral fat, with diabetes makes this consequence particularly ominous for health care costs. The release of cytokines, particularly IL-6, from the fat cell may stimulate the proinflammatory state that characterizes obesity. The increased secretion of prothrombin activator inhibitor-1 from fat cells may play a role in the procoagulant state of obesity and, along with changes in endothelial function, may be responsible for the increased risk of cardiovascular disease and hypertension. For cancer, the production of estrogens by the enlarged stromal mass plays a role in the risk for breast cancer. Increased cytokine release may play a role in other forms of proliferative growth. The combined effect of these pathogenetic consequences of increased fat stores is an increased risk of shortened life expectancy.
Discrepancies between premorbid and current IQ as a function of progressive mental deterioration

Summary The declining cognitive functioning typically found in patients with Alzheimer's disease presents an opportunity to study that decline. The changing magnitude of ever widening discrepancies between premorbid estimators of IQ and observed IQ increases as severity of the disease increases. Premorbid IQs estimated by these scores (the National Adult Reading Test-Revised, the reading tests of the Revised and Third Editions of the Wide Range Achievement Test, and a demographically based regression index for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised) had relatively similar discrepancies from obtained WAIS-R Full Scale IQs in samples of normal elderly (n = 30), and elderly patients diagnosed with mild (n = 30) and moderate Alzheimer's disease (n = 30) dementia. The discrepancies became larger, regardless of premorbid estimator, as disease severity progressed from none to mild to moderate across the samples.
Seasonal interactions between photoperiod and maternal effects determine offspring phenotype in Franklin's gull

Summary 1. When predictable seasonal changes affect offspring fitness, we expect offspring to evolve phenotypes that minimize the costs of seasonal variation in timing of breeding. For species with parental care during embryonic development, offspring receive seasonal cues of the environment from parents that are biased by their parent's fitness (which is not equivalent to offspring fitness). Therefore, mechanisms enabling offspring to detect environmental cues independent of parents should be strongly favoured. 2. We experimentally evaluated the ability of avian embryos to integrate cues of season from photoperiod and maternal environments present in eggs to produce seasonal variation in phenotypes among Franklin's gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan) hatchlings. Eggs were collected early and late in the season and some were separated into their component parts and others were incubated under short (early season) and long (late season) photoperiods. After hatching, we measured the structural size of the chicks and the amount of yolk sac reserves. 3. We found that hatchling size, a phenotype linked with fitness, is sensitive to both egg contents provided by mothers and photoperiod, and development time decreases across the season. The effects of integrating cues of season from eggs and photoperiod on offspring phenotype are complex, and when cues of season from eggs are mismatched with cues of season from photoperiod, alternate phenotypes are created. 4. We also found that seasonal variation in egg size, yolk, albumen or shell content of the eggs do not account for the seasonal maternal egg effect on hatchling size. This seasonal maternal effect could be a result of other egg constituents or reflect heritable variation in timing of breeding that is linked with offspring size. 5. Changes in breeding phenology of adults could result in a mismatch between cues from parents and photoperiod cues of season. For example, if breeding seasons advanced such that late season birds initiate breeding at an early season photoperiod, offspring would then be integrating maternal cues of late season with photoperiod cues of early season and alter their phenotypes. We expect our results to initiate new studies on how vertebrate embryos integrate environmental cues with maternal effects and offspring responses to optimize the expression of offspring phenotype.
A Critical Evaluation of Conventional Partial Discharge Measurement Techniques for Discrete Capacitors

New ircuitry for PD analysis is proposed to overcome shortcomings of conventional measurement techniques at higher voltages.
Transverse-transverse and transverse-longitudinal phase-space converters for enhanced beam applications

Emittance exchange and flat beam transform are two phase-space converting techniques being developed recently to enhance the performance of electron beams for various applications. We review these applications, the basic principles of the converters, and the status of experimental demonstration of these techniques.
Celiac disease and diffuse T-cell lymphoma of the colon.

doi:10.1067/mge.2001.112747 including oral and isolated lymphomas involving the central nervous system have been reported in association with CD. Treatment of celiac disease with a gluten-free diet is thought to reduce the chance of CD-associated malignancies.3 Colon malignancies are generally not considered to be associated with CD. However, the results of one study suggest an association between CD and right colon carcinoma compared with colon carcinoma in patients without CD, which occur most frequently in the descending colon.4 This is a case of multifocal lymphoma of the colon in association with celiac disease.
Greater Validity for Oral Reading Fluency: Can Miscues Help?:

Oral reading fluency (ORF), or number of words read correctly per minute, is well researched as a reliable and valid reading index for use in remedial and special education. However, widespread use has been limited, apparently by its lack of face validity as a measure of reading comprehension. The purpose of this study was to examine the criterion-related validity of traditional ORF and two miscue-based assessment types: (a) modified ORF, based on only meaning change miscues (ORF-M), severe meaning change miscues (ORF-S), and uncorrected miscues (ORF-U); and (b) modified oral reading accuracy (ORA), based on the same miscue types, to produce ORA-M, ORA-S, and ORA-U. Four external criteria were used to judge criterion-related validity: (a) teacher judgments of student reading ability, (b) the Analytical Reading Inventory (ARI) (Woods & Moe, 1985), (c) a maze procedure (multiple choice cloze), and (d) reading group placement (special education/Chapter 1 pull-out groups vs. lowest regular classroom reading g...
LRTG: Scheduling Distributed Real-Time Tasks in Unreliable and Untrustworthy Systems

We consider scheduling distributed real-time tasks in unreliable (e.g., those with arbitrary node and network failures) and untrustworthy systems (e.g., those with Byzantine node behaviors). We present a distributed real-time scheduling algorithm called LRTG. The algorithm makes two novel contributions. First, LRTG uses gossip for reliably propagating task scheduling parameters and for discovering task execution nodes. Second, the algorithm guards against potential disruption of message propagation due to Byzantine attacks using a mechanism called LASIRC. By doing so, the algorithm provides assurances on task timeliness behaviors, despite system unreliability and untrustworthiness. Our performance evaluation shows LRTG's effectiveness.
Shaping Public Policy: The Nurse Regulator’s Role

Nurse regulators learn the skills of politics and policy-making through mentoring, role modeling, and practice. The information in this article assists nurse regulators in developing the strategies most likely to garner success in shaping public policy. It explores the core competencies of legislative liaisons or lobbyists and provides insight into how these roles expand the nurse regulator's knowledge and practice in policy making.
Incorporation in Universal Grammar: a case study in theoretical reductionism

Over the past three decades there has been a pervasive tendency in linguistic theorizing, especially in syntactic theory, towards theoretical reductionism; that is, theorists have attempted either to reduce complex phenomena to a single unitary phenomenon or to explain phenomena in terms of a small number of unifying principles of some kind. Reduction of complex phenomena or principles to simpler, better understood ones is a natural part of scientific explanation, but the danger in this course lies in 'overreduction' to the point where the phenomena or the principles become distorted; determining the correct reduction is an important consideration in explanatory scientific theories. The reduction of linguistic phenomena can be seen first in the reduction of the scope of linguistics from language to grammar (Chomsky, I 98 i) and, second, in the assumption of the autonomy of syntax. Complex semantic and pragmatic features of natural language are either excluded from the stipulated domain of linguistics or are treated as syntactic. A good example of this is the postulation of D-structure in Government-Binding (GB) theory and the initial stratum in Relational Grammar (RG) as a 'thematically pure' representation of the semantic argument structure of a verb. That is, semantic role distinctions are represented formally in syntactic structure by either structural configurations or grammatical relations, and rules affecting these arguments apply to their syntactic representations, thereby avoiding any direct reference to their semantic representations, which are often dispensed with altogether. The opposite of this is the Generative Semantics position, which maintained that
Correlation Between Preoperative Staging Computerized Tomography and Pathological Findings After Nodal Sampling in Children with Wilms Tumor

Purpose: Guidelines for staging Wilms tumor mandate regional lymph node sampling at nephrectomy. However, the usefulness of preoperative computerized tomography in staging lymph nodes has not been rigorously investigated. Thus, we correlated preoperative computerized tomography and pathological lymph node findings to establish a radiological criterion for pathological lymph node enlargement.Materials and Methods: We reviewed the medical records of children with Wilms tumor at our institution who underwent pre-chemotherapy surgery with lymph node sampling and had preoperative computerized tomography with contrast medium available for interpretation. Computerized tomography was independently reviewed by 2 radiologists blinded to the pathological findings. We collected data on the diameter of the largest regional lymph node identified and this measurement was correlated with the pathological results.Results: A total of 52 children (25 male, 27 female) with a median age of 3.1 years (range 0.4 to 9.6) were id...
Occurence of Grasshoppers as Accidentals in the Rocky Mountains of Northern Colorado

Baker, J. R. 1938. The evolution of breeding seasons, p. 161-177. In Evolution, essays presented to E. S. Goodrich. Oxford University Press, London. Braarud, T. 1951. Salinity as an ecological factor in marine phytoplankton. Physiol. Plantarum. 4: 28-34. Carpelan, Lars H. 1957. Hydrobiology of the Alviso salt ponds. Ecology 38: 375-390. Carpelan, Lars H. 1961. Zooplankton, p. 49-60. In The ecology of the Salton Sea, California, California Dept. Fish and Game, Fish Bull. 113.
Three-Dimensional Computed Tomographic Analysis of a Rare Left Coronary Artery to Left Ventricle Fistula

A 16-month-old child with a known large coronary fistula between the left coronary artery and left ventricle was referred for computed tomographic (CT) coronary angiography to further characterize the anatomy in anticipation of transcatheter device closure. The diagnosis of this rare coronary anomaly was made initially by echocardiography in the newborn period, and over time, the left ventricle had become dilated with evidence of diastolic dysfunction. A CT coronary angiography was performed using a dual-source CT scanner (Somatom Definition; Siemens Healthcare, Forchheim, Germany) with the child under general anesthesia. Postprocessing was performed on an Aquarius 3D Workstation (TeraRecon Inc., San Mateo, CA, USA). The maximum-intensity projection image shown in Fig. 1 demonstrates the course of the fistula (yellow arrow) as it originates from a dilated left main coronary artery and drains into the left ventricle. The straightened planar reformatted image and its accompanying graph shown in Fig. 2 provide precise measurements of the cross-sectional diameter of the fistula along its course. The yellow and green boxes show cross-sections of the fistula in exact orthogonal planes and exhibit the vessel’s circumferential irregularity. Rotation of the curved planar reformatted image, as shown in Fig. 3, demonstrates the origin of the circumflex coronary artery from the dilated left main coronary artery. Several obtuse marginal branches also are appreciated. The left anterior descending coronary artery is not seen arising from either the left main coronary artery or the fistula. This observation was subsequently confirmed at catheterization, in which atresia of the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery was demonstrated. The distal left anterior descending coronary artery was supplied via collateral vessels from the right coronary artery. The volume-rendered image shown in Fig. 4 demonstrates the fistula arising from behind the main pulmonary artery and entering the anterior aspect of the left ventricle. The hollow view shown in Fig. 5 (also seen in the accompanying video) provides the most dramatic view of the three-dimensional anatomy. Using this advanced software algorithm, unique en face views of the fistula’s origin and drainage site are displayed. The internal mural surface of the coronary fistula is also demonstrated. With the aid of information provided by the CT angiogram, the child underwent successful transcatheter closure of the large coronary artery fistula. The use of advanced imaging CT software not only depicted the course of the fistula and its surrounding anatomy from a three-dimensional perspective but also provided precise anatomic measurements for optimal sizing and positioning of the occluder device. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00246-012-0552-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Pricing American options when asset prices jump

We present a transformation that helps price American options on assets that are modeled by a diffusion as well as a jump component. The presence of a jump component circumvents some shortcomings of the Black-Scholes model. The proposed transformation essentially transforms the arising free-boundary partial integro-differential equation (PIDE) into a sequence of fixed-boundary PIDEs which are much easier to solve. Finally, we provide numerical results illustrating convergence of the scheme and comparisons to other methods.
Genetic relatedness and disrupted social structure in a poached population of African elephants

We use genetic measures of relatedness and observations of female bonding to examine the demographic signature of historically heavy poaching of a population of free-ranging African elephants. We collected dung samples to obtain DNA and observed behaviour from 102 elephant families over a 25-month period in 2003-2005 in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania. Poaching reduced the population by 75% in the decade prior to the 1989 ivory trade ban; park records indicate that poaching dropped significantly in Mikumi following the ban. Using 10 microsatellite loci, DNA was genotyped in 203 elephants and pair-wise relatedness was calculated among adult females within and between groups. The Mikumi population is characterized by small group size, considerable variation in group relatedness, females with no first-order adult relatives and females that form only weak social bonds. We used gene-drop analysis and a model of a genetically intact pedigree to compare our observed Mikumi group relatedness to a simulated genetically intact unpoached expectation. The majority of groups in Mikumi contain 2 to 3 adults; of these, 45% were classified as genetically disrupted. Bonding, quantified with a pair-wise association index, was significantly correlated with relatedness; however only half of the females formed strong bonds with other females, and relatedness was substantially lower for a given bond strength as compared to an unpoached population. Female African elephants without kin demonstrated considerable behavioural plasticity in this disturbed environment, grouping with other females lacking kin, with established groups, or remaining alone, unable to form any stable adult female-bonds. We interpret these findings as the remaining effect of poaching disturbance in Mikumi, despite a drop in the level of poaching since the commercial trade in ivory was banned 15 years ago.
Polymerization of para‐xylylene derivatives (parylene polymerization). I. Deposition kinetics for parylene N and parylene C

Kinetic aspects of parylene N [unsubstituted poly(para-xylylene)] and Parylene C [monochlorosubstituted poly(para-xylylene)] were studied. The conversion of starting material (dimer of either p-xylylene or chloro-para-xylylene) to polymer is quantitative (ca. 100%). Consequently, the total polymer formed in a closed system is directly proportional to the amount of dimer charged. However, the percentage of the total amount of polymer formed which deposits on substrate surfaces, placed in the deposition chamber, as well as the polymer film growth rate are dependent on operational factors such as the temperature of the substrate, sublimation of dimer temperature, flow pattern of the reactive species, etc. Parylene C, being a heavier and more polar molecule, has the tendency to deposit easily in the deposition chamber compared to the deposition of Parylene N. Parylene C also has a higher ceiling temperature for deposition than Parylene N. This situation has been investigated from the viewpoint of excess thermal energy which hinders polymer formation (deposition) due to the exceedingly high entropy change necessary for polymer deposition to occur. The addition of a cool (i.e., room temperature) inert gas was shown to increase the deposition of Parylene N on substrate surfaces placed in the deposition chamber. The deposition increase and acceleration of deposition (film growth) rate were found to be related to the size and molecular weight of the inert gas pressure maintained in the system. The accelerating effect is explained by the increase in third-body collisions to dissipate the excess thermal energy of the reactive species.
Enhancement by Perflubron emulsion (Oxygent(R)) and carbogen breathing of the tumor growth delay of the FSaIIC fibrosarcoma after treatment with antitumor alkylating agents

Many anticancer drugs require oxygen to be cytotoxic, or are selectively cytotoxic toward cells under oxygenated conditions. The effects of the dilute perfluorochemical emulsion Fluosol-DA with a wide variety of chemotherapeutic agents have been explored; however, it has not been possible to determine the optimal level of circulating perfluorochemical emulsion with anticancer drugs because the volume of Fluosol that my be administered in limited. Using a concentrated 90% Perflubron emulsion, Oxygent®, a wide range of perfluorochemical emulsion doses have been examined in combination with melphalan, cyclophosphamide and BCNU in a murine solid tumor model. When Oxygent was administered by injection i.v. Just prior to the injection of melphalan (10 mg/kg), the greatest tumor growth delays were obtained with Oxygent levels between 4 and 12 g PFC/kg. With each of these drugs the greatest tumor growth delays were obtained when the drug was prepared in the emulsion and the combination Injected i.v. In each case,...
Badger Predation on Yellow-bellied Marmots

Badger (Taxidea taxus) activity was recorded in colonies of yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) during behavioral observations and trapping. Badgers were observed seven times in a marmot colony and extensive digging at marmot burrows was recorded five times in 40 y. When four badgers occupied a burrow at the edge of a marmot colony, the behavior of marmots and badgers was observed for 7 d and the marmots for an additional 6 d after the badgers departed. Badgers hunted at a significantly higher rate in the afternoon than in the morning. The adult female usually hunted alone, failed to capture any adult marmots, but did kill young marmots. When badgers were present, marmots had more frequent alarm calls, lower rates of foraging and higher rates of vigilance than when badgers were absent. I estimated that badgers killed 67 of 1423 individual marmots. The risk of being killed by a badger was highest for young, intermediate for yearlings and lowest for adults. Badgers probably have little impact on marmot demography except for localized, short-term increases in mortality, but may significantly affect the fitness of individual marmots.
Normal Skeletal Anatomy on Pinhole Scintigraphy

The pinhole bone scintigraphy can portray the anatomy of the skeletal system in much greater detail than ordinary planar scintigraphy. Its practical level of resolution has been shown to be reasonably comparable to that of radiography as far as the gross topography is concerned. This chapter presents a systematic review of the normal pinhole scintigraphic anatomy. It will be seen that the pinhole scan approach provides substantial improvement in recognizing important anatomy compared to conventional planar scanning (Flanagan and Maisey 1985; Merrick 1987).
Draft Whole-Genome Sequence of the Marine Bacterium Idiomarina zobellii KMM 231T

ABSTRACT Idiomarina zobellii was isolated from the northwest Pacific Ocean at a depth of 4,000 to 5,000 m in 1985. The draft whole-genome shotgun sequence of I. zobellii KMM 231T described in this paper has a predicted length of 2,602,160 bp, containing 2,570 total genes, 52 tRNAs, and a G+C content of 47.10%.
Risk and protective factors across multiple microsystems associated with internalizing symptoms and aggressive behavior in rural adolescents: modeling longitudinal trajectories from the Rural Adaptation Project

The current study examined risk and protective factors across microsystems that impact the development of internalizing symptoms and aggression over 4 years in a sample of culturally diverse, rural adolescents. We explored whether risk and protective factors across microsystems were associated with changes in rates of internalizing symptoms and aggressive behavior. Data came from the Rural Adaptation Project (RAP), a 5-year longitudinal panel study of more than 4,000 students from 26 public middle schools and 12 public high schools. Three level HLM models were estimated to predict internalizing symptoms (e.g., depression, anxiety) and aggression. Compared with other students, risk for internalizing symptoms and aggression was elevated for youth exposed to risk factors in the form of school hassles, parent-child conflict, peer rejection, and delinquent friends. Microsystem protective factors in the form of ethnic identity, religious orientation, and school satisfaction decreased risk for aggression, but were not associated with internalizing symptoms, whereas future orientation and parent support decreased risk for internalizing symptoms, but not aggression. Results indicate that risks for internalizing symptoms and aggression are similar, but that unique protective factors are related to these adolescent behavioral health outcomes. Implications and limitations were discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record