cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PHYLOGENY OF CRANES (GRUIFORMES: GRUIDAE) BASED ON CYTOCHROME-B DNA SEQUENCES

ABS?RACr.--DNA sequences spanning 1,042 nucleotide bases of the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene are reported for all 15 species and selected subspecies of cranes and an outgroup, the Limpkin (Aramus guarauna). Levels of sequence divergence coincide approximately with current taxonomic ranks at the subspecies, species, and subfamilial level, but not at the generic level within Gruinae. In particular, the two putative species of Balearica (B. pavonina and B. regulorum) are as distinct as most pairs of gruine species. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequences produced results that are strikingly congruent with previous DNADNA hybridization and behavior studies. Among gruine cranes, five major lineages are identified. Two of these comprise single species (Grus leucogeranus, G. canadensis), while the others are species groups: Anthropoides and Bugeranus; G. antigone, G. rubicunda, and G. vipio; and G. grus, G. monachus, G. nigricollis, G. americana, and G. japonensis. Within the latter group, G. monachus and G. nigricollis are sister species, and G. japonensis appears to be the sister group to the other four species. The data provide no resolution of branching order for major groups, but suggest a rapid evolutionary diversification of these lineages. Received 19 March 1993, accepted 19 August 1993. THE 15 EXTANT SPECIES of cranes comprise the nominate family (Gruidae) of the order Gruiformes, and are currently divided into two subfamilies, Balearicinae and Gruinae (Brodkorb 1967). Balearicine cranes are anatomically unspecialized relative to gruines and are represented by only two extant species in the genus Balearica (the crowned cranes of Africa). Gruines share derived anatomical features such as an anteriorly sculpted sternum (often associated with tracheal coiling inside keel) in which the furcular process is fused to the anteroventral tip of the keel. Three extant gruine genera are recognized: Grus (10 species), Anthropoides (2 species), and Bugeranus (1 species). These genera are defined on the basis of soft anatomical features, although their monophyly has not been addressed by phylogenetic analysis. Fossil balearicines are known from the lower Eocene and later deposits in Eurasia, whereas Gruines date from the late Miocene (Brodkorb 1967). Evolutionary relationships among cranes have been addressed with a variety of different approaches during the past two decades. Archibald (1976) derived the species groups shown in Table 1 on the basis of similarities in unison
Role of Bim in Regulating CD8+ T-Cell Responses during Chronic Viral Infection

Apoptosis is critical for the development and maintenance of the immune system. The proapoptotic Bcl-2 family member Bim is important for normal immune system homeostasis. Although previous experiments have shown that Bim is critical for the apoptosis of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells during acute viral infection, the role of Bim during chronic viral infection is unclear. Using lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus clone 13 infection of mice, we demonstrate a role for Bim in CD8+ T-cell apoptosis during chronic viral infection. Enumeration of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells by major histocompatibility complex class I tetramer staining revealed that CD8+ DbNP396-404+ T cells, which undergo extensive deletion in wild-type mice, exhibited almost no decrease in Bim mutant mice. This contrasts with CD8+ DbGP33-41+ and CD8+ DbGP276-286+ T cells that underwent similar decreases in numbers in both Bim mutant and wild-type mice. Increased numbers of CD8+ DbNP396-404+ T cells in Bim mutant mice were due to lack of apoptosis and could not be explained by altered proliferation, differential homing to tissues, or increased help from CD4+ T cells. When viral titers were examined, high levels were initially observed in both groups, but in Bim mutant mice, clearance from the spleen and sera was slightly accelerated. These experiments demonstrate the critical role of Bim during chronic viral infection to down-regulate CD8+ T-cell responses and have implications for designing strategies for optimizing immunotherapies during situations where antigen persists, such as chronic infection, autoimmune syndromes, and cancer.
Analyzing manufacturing test costs

We can think of the rapidly growing electronics manufacturing services (EMS) industry as an electronics manufacturing supermarket. Like their food store counterparts, EMS providers are usually geographically convenient to their major customers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). They provide a smorgasbord of goods and services ranging from circuit design through final product assembly and shipping of printed circuit boards-all on a fast-turnaround basis. And, like supermarkets, EMS companies are highly competitive and differentiate themselves primarily on intangibles such as quality of service, turnaround time, and the like. The economic model of the EMS provider is also strikingly similar to the supermarket's: profitability depends on high volumes shipped at relatively low gross margins. Historically, EMS profit has hovered in the neighborhood of 5% to 10%. Operating this close to zero or even negative profitability allows an EMS sales department little room for error in pricing and quoting jobs for customers. Most of the EMS job-pricing formula depends on tangible costs such as parts, labor, and overhead consisting of the amortized operating cost of the surface mount technology (SMT) assembly line. In circuit-board manufacturing, however, ill-defined quality criteria and an imprecise understanding of test costs often result in a gap between the job cost estimate and the actual production cost.
Notch–RBP-J signaling controls the homeostasis of CD8− dendritic cells in the spleen

Signaling through Notch receptors and their transcriptional effector RBP-J is essential for lymphocyte development and function, whereas its role in other immune cell types is unclear. We tested the function of the canonical Notch-RBP-J pathway in dendritic cell (DC) development and maintenance in vivo. Genetic inactivation of RBP-J in the bone marrow did not preclude DC lineage commitment but caused the reduction of splenic DC fraction. The inactivation of RBP-J in DCs using a novel DC-specific deleter strain caused selective loss of the splenic CD8(-) DC subset and reduced the frequency of cytokine-secreting CD8(-) DCs after challenge with Toll-like receptor ligands. In contrast, other splenic DC subsets and DCs in the lymph nodes and tissues were unaffected. The RBP-J-deficient splenic CD8(-) DCs were depleted at the postprogenitor stage, exhibited increased apoptosis, and lost the expression of the Notch target gene Deltex1. In the spleen, CD8(-) DCs were found adjacent to cells expressing the Notch ligand Delta-like 1 in the marginal zone (MZ). Thus, canonical Notch-RBP-J signaling controls the maintenance of CD8(-) DCs in the splenic MZ, revealing an unexpected role of the Notch pathway in the innate immune system.
Applications of integer programming in radio frequency management

The radio frequency communication environment, for example, in large vessels, aircraft, space vehicles, and satellites, has become increasingly complex as more and more transmitters, receivers, and corresponding communication nets are being added to perform multiple functions. This paper discusses some of the problems faced by a decision maker in managing a communication network. A particular and important problem worth investigating occurs when different frequencies are simultaneously active in a network. This may cause various types of interference creating a disturbance in communication. One interesting and important type of interference, which may be expressed mathematically, is intermodulation. A typical problem scenario is thus to assign frequencies to the different nets of the network so that intermodulation interference is within desirable limits. A second problem is to add a net to an existing network, with previously assigned frequencies, so that the new net produces an acceptable level of inter...
Psychotherapists' Knowledge About and Attitudes Toward Sexual Assault Victim Clients

The present research investigated the question of how therapists' attitudes toward sexual assault victims predict their inferences about and treatment of clients. In addition, this study asked the following questions: (a) What percentage of female psychotherapy clients have been victims of sexual assault? (b) What treatment approaches are therapists using with victims and what attitudes toward victims do these therapists hold? (c) On the average, which demographic groups of therapists hold the most positive views of victims and are the most knowledgeable about working with victims? The results of the study indicated that therapists who held negative attitudes toward victims were more likely to endorse victim-blaming themes and therapeutic treatments which blame victims for sexual assault. Of therapists' current female clients, 18.5% (n = 257) had been sexually assaulted at some point in their lives. On the average, therapists were knowledgeable about working with victims and showed positive attitudes towa...
Synthesis of N-cyanoalkyl-functionalized imidazolium nitrate and dicyanamide ionic liquids with a comparison of their thermal properties for energetic applications

The synthesis of 10 N-alkyl-N-cyanoalkyl-functionalized imidazolium (N-methyl- and N-butyl-N-((CH2)nCN)imidazolium; n = 1–4) nitrate and 11 N-alkyl-N-cyanoalkyl-functionalized imidazolium (N-methyl-N-((CH2)nCN)imidazolium; n = 1–6, N-(2-cyanoethyl)-N-((CH2)nCN)imidazolium; n = 1,3–6) dicyanamide salts was achieved via N-alkylation of substituted imidazoles with commercially available haloalkylnitriles followed by anion exchange. Based on their observed melting points, all dicyanamide salts and all but one nitrate salt (1-cyanomethyl-3-methylimidazolium nitrate) had melting points <100 °C, as did 13 of the 17 halide precursors also reported here. Differential scanning calorimetry data indicated that melting points decreased by increasing the N-alkyl or N-cyanoalkyl chain length or by exchanging with the dicyanamide anion, which produced the lowest melting points in comparison to analogous halide or nitrate salts. Thermogravimetric analyses indicated that thermal stability increased for longer N-cyanoalkyl substituent lengths and decreased significantly for nitrates and more so for dicyanamides bearing short-chain N-cyanoalkyl substituents (e.g., N-cyanomethyl, N-(1-cyanoethyl), and N-(2-cyanoethyl)) in comparison to halide precursors. Furthermore, for many of the N-cyanoalkyl-substituted salts (especially the dicyanamides), there was a significant production of thermally-stable char – presumably due to by-products formed from the reaction of either N-cyanoalkyl substituents, dicyanamide anion, or both, which resulted in thermally-stable polymers or cycles.
Efficacy of a Function-Based Intervention in Decreasing Off-Task Behavior Exhibited by a Student With ADHD

This study examined the effects of a function-based intervention implemented with a student, Shawn, who had attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, internalizing behavioral problems, and a speech...
The Mere Presence of a Cell Phone May be Distracting

Research consistently demonstrates the active use of cell phones, whether talking or texting, to be distracting and contributes to diminished performance when multitasking (e.g., distracted driving or walking). Recent research also has indicated that simply the presence of a cell phone and what it might represent (i.e., social connections, broader social network, etc.) can be similarly distracting and have negative consequences in a social interaction. Results of two studies reported here provide further evidence that the “mere presence” of a cell phone may be sufficiently distracting to produce diminished attention and deficits in task-performance, especially for tasks with greater attentional and cognitive demands. The implications for such an unintended negative consequence may be quite wide-ranging (e.g., productivity in school and the work place).
Identification of amino acid residues lining the pore of a gap junction channel

Gap junctions represent a ubiquitous and integral part of multicellular organisms, providing the only conduit for direct exchange of nutrients, messengers and ions between neighboring cells. However, at the molecular level we have limited knowledge of their endogenous permeants and selectivity features. By probing the accessibility of systematically substituted cysteine residues to thiol blockers (a technique called SCAM), we have identified the pore-lining residues of a gap junction channel composed of Cx32. Analysis of 45 sites in perfused Xenopus oocyte pairs defined M3 as the major pore-lining helix, with M2 (open state) or M1 (closed state) also contributing to the wider cytoplasmic opening of the channel. Additional mapping of a close association between M3 and M4 allowed the helices of the low resolution map (Unger et al., 1999. Science. 283:1176-1180) to be tentatively assigned to the connexin transmembrane domains. Contrary to previous conceptions of the gap junction channel, the residues lining the pore are largely hydrophobic. This indicates that the selective permeabilities of this unique channel class may result from novel mechanisms, including complex van der Waals interactions of permeants with the pore wall, rather than mechanisms involving fixed charges or chelation chemistry as reported for other ion channels.
A testis-specific regulator of complex and hybrid N-glycan synthesis

Database analyses identified 4933434I20Rik as a glycosyltransferase-like gene expressed mainly in testicular germ cells and regulated during spermatogenesis. Expression of a membrane-bound form of the protein resulted in a marked and specific reduction in N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase I (GlcNAcT-I) activity and complex and hybrid N-glycan synthesis. Thus, the novel activity was termed GlcNAcT-I inhibitory protein (GnT1IP). Membrane-bound GnT1IP localizes to the ER, the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC), and the cis-Golgi. Coexpression of membrane-anchored GnT1IP with GlcNAcT-I causes association of the two proteins, inactivation of GlcNAcT-I, and mislocalization of GlcNAcT-I from the medial-Golgi to earlier compartments. Therefore, GnT1IP is a regulator of GlcNAcT-I and complex and hybrid N-glycan production. Importantly, the formation of high mannose N-glycans resulting from inhibition of GlcNAcT-I by GnT1IP markedly increases the adhesion of CHO cells to TM4 Sertoli cells. Testicular germ cells might use GnT1IP to induce the expression of high mannose N-glycans on glycoproteins, thereby facilitating Sertoli-germ cell attachment at a particular stage of spermatogenesis.
Equilibrium and stationary state in systems involving living polymers and their monomers

Following some general considerations concerning propagation/depropagation reactions involving living polymers the results of the cationic ring-opening polymerization of 1,3,5-trioxepane are analyzed. The approach used exhibits a clear distinction between stationary state and equilibrium concentrations of the respective monomers. On this basis entropy and enthalpy for the polymerization of trioxane and dioxolane are calculated.
Trends in cigarette smoking among children in a southern community, 1976–1994: The Bogalusa Heart Study

Cigarette smoking among adolescents continues to be a major public health problem in the United States. Smoking trends from 1976–1977 to 1992–1994 were examined in the Bogalusa Heart Study, an investigation of cardiovascular disease risk factors among black and white, male and female adolescents in a semirural town in the southern United States. Age-race-sex specific χ2 tests for trends over five survey periods were conducted. In almost every age group, black boys and girls were less likely to be current smokers or to have ever smoked or tried cigarettes, as compared with white boys and girls, respectively (P < 0.01). Within age groups, few significant trends in smoking status from 1976–1977 through 1992–1994 were observed among white boys and girls. Among black males and females, however, sharp decreases were observed among all age groups in the prevalence of having ever smoked or tried cigarettes (P = 0.0001) and among the older age groups in the prevalence of being a current smoker (P = 0.0001). Thus, substantial declines in the prevalence of smoking were observed among black children but not among white children. Further research is required to understand why these ethnic differences in smoking occurred so that public health programs may target further the smoking behaviors in children.
Prevention of Cardiac Arrhythmias by n-3 Fatty Acids

The recently published DART study showed that ingesting fatty fish two or three times weekly by male subjects following a myocardial infarction was associated with a reduction in total mortality from heart attacks but not in the incidence of infarction.1 These results suggest that the beneficial effect of n-3 fatty acids maybe mediated by preventing arrhythmias ensuing during acute myocardial ischemia — the major cause of death from heart attacks. Indeed, it had been shown already in experimental myocardial infarction in rats that different dietary interventions may have dramatic effects on arrhythmias occurring during ischemia and/or reperfusion. A diet high in saturated fat was associated with an increased incidence and duration of ventricular fibrillation during ischemia as well as during post-ischemic reperfusion of the coronary arteries. A diet rich in sunflower seed oil had a moderate protective effect, whereas a diet enriched with tuna fish oil, with a high content of the long chain polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) EPA and DHA, was associated with a very significant reduction in ventricular fibrillation, especially in older animals.2
Internet Referrals for Adolescent Violence Prevention: An Innovative Mechanism for Inner-city Emergency Departments

Internet referrals provide a potential solution to limited staff time in emergency departments for health education. One hundred fifteen adolescents were surveyed and referred to a violence prevention website; 22% logged on the website. Although this study bears replication, Internet referral may be a low-intensity intervention that could compliment other violence prevention strategies among adolescents.
History and the Sciences

The apparent power of the covering-law model of scientific explanation inspired efforts to make historical explanation fit within it. After the demise of that model, many philosophers of history have proposed more liberal approaches to historical explanation, and some reflective historians have questioned the thesis that offering explanations is the business of good history. We attempt to sort through a number of conflicting ideas about historical explanation and about the historian’s commitment (or duty?) to offer the truth about the past. We suggest that histories are diverse, that historians sometimes provide explanations, that the types of explanations they offer are highly various, and that delivering the truth is often important. The picture that emerges illuminates the sciences, by reminding philosophers of the range of questions to which scientific research is directed. It also brings out affinities, not only between history and the natural sciences but also between history and anthropology and history and literature. None of these enterprises should be seen in light of a simple model of successful inquiry. None should be viewed as committed to a single monolithic aim.
A GaN differential oscillator with improved harmonic performance

The first AlGaN/GaN HEMT based differential oscillator is reported. The MMIC oscillates at a frequency of 4.16 GHz and provides 22.9 dBm of power from one side at a biasing of V/sub gs/-1 V and V/sub ds/20 V. The HEMTs each have a 0.7 /spl mu/m/spl times/200 /spl mu/m gate. The second harmonic is 45 dB below the carrier and the third harmonic is more than 70 dB below the carrier. To our knowledge, this is the best reported harmonic performance for a GaN oscillator. The oscillator efficiency is between 4% and 9.4% depending on bias. The measured phase noise is -86.3 dBc and -115.7 dBc at offsets of 100 kHz and 1 MHz respectively. The phase noise at a 1 MHz offset is similar to the noise performance of FET based differential oscillators in other technologies.
Commentary on: An Assessment of Gender Differences in Plastic Surgery Marketing in the United States: Are We Neglecting Our Male Patients?

Males have become more interested in cosmetic procedures in recent years. Given this, the authors undertook an internet query of plastic surgeon websites within the United States, searching for the promotion of male procedures.1 They identified websites to study using a Google (Mountain View, CA) search for the plastic surgery practices which appear in the top 10 positions in each of the 48 contiguous states. They then looked at the first 10 images which appear on the website for images of males and also looked for the promotion of male-specific services. While there are some potential flaws with the paper, we commend the authors for exploring the topic and attempting to quantify it. A few issues …
Drosophila myb exerts opposing effects on S phase, promoting proliferation and suppressing endoreduplication.

Drosophila melanogaster possesses a single gene, Dm myb , that is closely related to the vertebrate family of Myb genes, which encode transcription factors that are involved in regulatory decisions affecting cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. The vertebrate Myb genes have been specifically implicated in regulating the G1/S transition of the cell cycle. Dm myb is expressed in all proliferating tissues, but not at detectable levels in endoreduplicating cells. Analysis of loss-of-function mutations in Dm myb revealed a block at the G2/M transition and mitotic defects, but did not directly implicate Dm myb function in the G1/S transition. We have used the Gal4-UAS binary system of ectopic expression to further investigate the function of Dm myb . Our results demonstrate that depending upon the type of cell cycle, ectopic Dm myb activity can exert opposing effects on S phase: driving DNA replication and promoting proliferation in diploid cells, even when developmental signals normally dictate cell cycle arrest; but suppressing endoreduplication in endocycling cells, an effect that can be overcome by induction of E2F. We also show that a C-terminally truncated DMyb protein, which is similar to an oncogenic form of vertebrate Myb, has more potent effects than the full-length protein, especially in endoreduplicating tissues. This finding indicates that the C terminus acts as a negative regulatory domain, which can be differentially regulated in a tissue-specific manner. Our studies help to resolve previous discrepancies regarding myb gene function in Drosophila and vertebrates. We conclude that in proliferating cells, Dm myb has the dual function of promoting S phase and M phase, while preserving diploidy by suppressing endoreduplication.
Examining Childrens Perceptions Of Parent-Adolescent Communication Quality, Consumption Interaction, And Shopping Enjoyment

The purpose of the present study is to examine the influence of family communication patterns on parent-adolescent consumption interaction and adolescent shopping enjoyment. The present study utilizes survey responses from 263 high school students and 338 junior high school students. Results from each sample indicate that communication quality between parents and their adolescent children impacts the consumption interaction taking place between the parents and their children. Additionally, results indicate that mothers are more likely to positively influence adolescent shopping enjoyment as compared to fathers.
Voluntary physical activity prevents stress-induced behavioral depression and anti-KLH antibody suppression.

The current study addressed whether physical activity can buffer stress-induced “behavioral depression” and immunosuppression. Adult, male Sprague-Dawley rats were housed with either a mobile (phys...
Coding of odor stimulus features among secondary olfactory structures

Sensory systems must represent stimuli in manners dependent upon a wealth of factors, including stimulus intensity and duration. One way the brain might handle these complex functions is to assign ...
Postoperative Surveillance Protocols for Renal Cell Carcinoma

Patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are at risk of recurrence even after definitive surgical extirpation. Without prompt identification and treatment of recurrent disease, prognosis is poor. Literature suggests that early intervention in the form of metastasectomy and/or targeted therapy can lead to prolonged survival in those who develop recurrent or metastatic RCC. Therefore, surveillance in the postoperative setting is of paramount importance.
Evaluation of E-rosetting human lymphocytes with OKT11 and other monoclonal antibodies

Monoclonal antibody OKT11 was found to compete with sheep red blood cells for binding sites on human lymphocytes. Preincubation of lymphocytes with OKT11 eliminated E-rosette formation. In a study of 142 peripheral blood samples ranging from 1% to over 90% E-rosette- positive cells, comparison to the percent OKT11-positive cells yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.93. In normal donors, subsets of OKT11+ cells were identified using two-color immunofluorescent staining methods with OKT3, OKT4, and OKT8. On the average, approximately 13% of OKT11+ lymphocytes were OKT3- and 13% of OKT11+ lymphocytes were OKT4- and OKT8-. Based on our double antibody fluorescence intensity data, low antigen density OKT11+ lymphocytes were OKT3-. OKT4+ and OKT8+ lymphocytes in normal peripheral lymphocytes have similar OKT11 antigen density.
New treatment options for castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Purpose Published efficacy and safety data from clinical trials of three recently approved agents for the management of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) are reviewed. Summary Sipuleucel-T is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic patients with CRPC. In a placebo-controlled Phase III clinical trial, the use of sipuleucel-T was associated with an average improvement in median overall survival of 4.1 months. Abiraterone acetate and cabazitaxel are approved by FDA as second-line treatments for patients with CRPC who experience disease progression during first-line docetaxel therapy. In Phase III trials, abiraterone acetate was associated with improved overall survival relative to placebo use (14.8 months versus 10.9 months), and cabazitaxel was found to confer an overall survival advantage over mitoxantrone therapy (median survival, 15.1 months versus 12.7 months), corresponding to a 30% reduction in the relative risk of death (hazard ratio, 0.7; 95% confidence interval, 0.59–0.83; p < 0.0001). The three agents range in cost from $40,000 to $93,000 for a full course of therapy. Sipuleucel therapy entails leukapheresis procedures for the collection of autologous cells used in dose preparation, requiring careful planning and coordination of care. Conclusion Sipuleucel-T, abiraterone acetate, and cabazitaxel offer new options for the treatment of patients with CRPC, including those with disease resistant to standard first-line therapies. The agents’ varying administration requirements, as well as patient-specific factors and cost issues, are key considerations in the drug selection process.
Health Education on AIDS Prevention in Hotel,Hostel and Rest-house in Anhui Province

Objective To investigate the knowledge about prevention of AIDS and whether the condom and the pamphlet for prevention of AIDS had been dispensed to the room, and to get information for prevention of AIDS in hotel, hostel and rest-house.Methods Thirty-six hotels, hostels or rest-rooms were sampled in three city from north, middle and south area of Anhui province according to the incidence of AIDS and some question about the health education, utility of condom and pamphlet for prevention of AIDS were asked. The knowledge about and attitude towards AIDS in 612 waiters and 206 lodgers were further investigated.Result 12 of 36 hotels, hostels or rest-rooms didn't have pamphlet for prevention of AIDS. Only seventeen hotels, hostels or rest-rooms (47.2%) provided the lodgers with condom.Only 10.95% waiters and 10.19% lodgers could know the core information about AIDS. The attitude of most waiters towards health education for prevention of AIDS was positive, and many waiters thought it was very important for hotel, hostel or rest-room to provide condom for lodger.Conclusion Hotel and rest-house with health education for prevention of AIDS. In the lead of government, we should focus on AIDS prevention and encourage the boss and waiter in hotel, hostel and rest-house to learn the knowledge about prevention of AIDS and action to AIDS prevention, which will help to carry out many measures for AIDS prevention.
Evaluation of measurement uncertainty of total acid in vinegar

The uncertainty in determination of total acid in vinegar by titration with sodium hydroxide standard solution was studied.The main sources of uncertainty were analysed and quantified.The uncertainty in determination of total acid in vinegar was contributed mainly by analysed quantity sample,reproducibility of analysis,preparation of standard solution and quantities of standard solution.The expand standard uncertainty of total acid in two vinegar samples was 0.03 g/100ml,respectively.
Lack of Value of Routine Preoperative Bone and Liver Scans in Cystectomy Candidates

AbstractA retrospective review of 341 patients with bladder cancer revealed 58 candidates for cystectomy. These patients were evaluated preoperatively by radionuclide bone and/or liver scans in an attempt to increase the accuracy of clinical staging. In the face of a normal history, physical examination, liver function tests or serum alkaline phosphatase routine preoperative bone and liver scans in cystectomy candidates did not contribute significantly to clinical staging or choice of treatment. Since liver and bone scans add significantly to the cost of the illness their use should not be routine but reserved only for those special cases when they are indicated.
Ultracentrifugal subclasses of low and intermediate density lipoproteins

Low density lipoprotein (LDL) and intermediate density lipoprotein (IDL) classes have been shown to be composed of discrete metabolic entities or subclasses. Present ultracentrifugal methods are unable to precisely determine these subclasses. A new analytical micro-ultracentrifugal method was developed that facilitates the determination of IDL and LDL subclasses and their F1.21 flotation coefficient from ultracentrifugal scans. The method is based on the modification of a published equation (Fujita, H. 1956. J. Chem. Phys. 24: 1084-1090) adapted to calculate concentration gradient boundary curves for IDL and LDL that are approximately Gaussian in form. Using an extension of this modified equation, theoretical distributions of the gradient curves were calculated. By applying the theoretical distributions, IDL and LDL subclasses were resolved from absorbance scans as Gaussian concentration gradient boundary curves. Both theoretically calculated and experimentally determined boundary curves for IDL and LDL lipoproteins were plotted and found to be in excellent agreement. Three subclasses of LDL and four subclasses of IDL were determined. The mean flotation rates of the LDL subclasses were: LDL1 = 37.2 +/- 0.6, LDL2 = 31.1 +/- 0.9, and LDL3 = 26.7 +/- 0.7. The mean flotation rates of the IDL subclasses were: IDL1 = 61.6 +/- 0.9, IDL2 = 53.9 +/- 1.0, IDL3 = 50.1 +/- 0.6, and IDL4 = 45.6 +/- 1.1.
Laser diodes for audiodisk players

Digital audiodisk (DAD) technology was first reported in 1977 using conventional techniques based on optical videodisk systems. A digital audiodisk is, in all respects, more convenient than a conventional LP recording system. The adaptation of the DAD system has generated a large commercial demand for semiconductor lasers for the first time.
Some Lipid Constituents of Pollens Collected by Honeybees

SUMMARYSixteen species of bee-gathered and three species of hand-collected pollens, representing ten plant families, were saponified with ethanolic potassium hydroxide, and the saponifiable and non-saponifiable lipid content was gravimetrically determined. The saponifiable lipid in bee-gathered pollens varied from 0·7 to 10·2% and in hand-collected pollens from 1·4 to 10·8%. Values for total lipid content were 1·5–18·9% in bee-gathered pollens and 3·2–17·8% in hand-collected pollens.The non-saponifiable lipid fractions isolated from 10 species of the bee-gathered and 2 species of the hand-collected pollen were analysed for hydrocarbon and for content of sterols and similar neutral compounds, by column chromatography. Bee-gathered pollen contained 0·06–0·58%hydrocarbons and 0·36–3·4% sterol compounds; hand-collected pollen from cottonwood (Populus fremonti) had about the same percentage of hydrocarbons as that from Lombardy poplar (P. nigra), about twice as high a content of sterols and similar neutral com...
Persistent PR segment change in malignant pericardial disease

Electrocardiographic changes may manifest in patients with pericardial effusions. PR segment changes are frequently overlooked, but when present, can provide diagnostic significance. The diagnostic value of PR segment changes in determining benign versus malignant pericardial disease in cancer patients with pericardial effusions has not been investigated. We aimed to determine the relationship between PR segment changes and malignant pericardial disease in cancer patients presenting with pericardial effusions. Consecutive patients with active malignancy who underwent surgical subxiphoid pericardial window by a single thoracic surgeon between 2011 and 2014 were included in this study. A total of 104 pre- and post-operative ECGs were reviewed, and PR depression or elevation was defined by deviation of at least 0.5 millivolts from the TP segment using a magnifying glass. Pericardial fluid cytology, flow cytometry and tissue biopsy were evaluated. Baseline characteristics and co-morbidities were compared between cancer patients with benign and malignant pericardial effusions. A total of 26 patients with active malignancy and pericardial effusion who underwent pericardial window over the study period were included. Eighteen (69 %) patients had isoelectric PR segments, of whom none (0 %) had evidence of malignant pericardial disease (100 % negative predictive value). Eight (31 %) patients had significant ECG findings (PR segment depression in leads II, III and/or aVF as well as PR elevation in aVR/V1), all 8 (100 %) of whom had pathologically confirmed malignant pericardial disease (100 % positive predictive value). PR segment changes in all 8 patients persisted (up to 11 months) on post-operative serial ECGs. The PR segment changes had no relationship to heart rate or the time of atrial-ventricular conduction. In patients with active cancer presenting with pericardial effusion, the presence of PR segment changes is highly predictive of active malignant pericardial disease. When present, PR changes typically persist on serial ECGs even after pericardial window.
RIGHT TO SAFETY? DECLARATION OR NOT, IT Is TIME FOR ACTION

he Montreal Declaration is a welcome addition to the set of declarations that have emerged recently from the health field.' And yet, in many respects, it appears to be different from its counterparts: It addresses an area of health that has been relatively neglected in global decisions; it emerges from a developing country orientation; and it is the product of a largely technical audience with wider consultations. Although these features make the Declaration somewhat unique, it needs to be analyzed for its ethical and public health rationale, as well as for its content with special regard to the actions needed for people in low- and middleincome countries.
Herpes Simplex Virus Encephalitis

The difficulties in diagnosis in 6 children aged 13 days to 9 years with herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) are stressed in a report from the Departments of Child Health and Pathology, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff.
Nanomechanical Properties of Rat Skin With and Without a Common Cream Treatment

In this chapter, nanomechanical properties of rat skin with and without a common cream treatment are presented (Bhushan et al. in J Micros 240:135–144, 2010). For all tests, for skin with cream treatment, film thickness was approximately 150 nm.
Synostosis of proximal phalangeal bases for loss of distal metacarpal

A finger rendered unstable due to loss of metacarpal head can be stabilized by creating a synostosis at the base of the proximal phalanx of the affected finger with the adjacent normal finger. A cortico cancellous graft bridges the two adjacent proximal phalanges at their bases which are temporarily stabilized with an external fixator. The procedure can be done for, recurrence of giant cell tumor of metacarpal and for traumatic metacarpal loss. The procedure and long term follow up of one patient is presented who had giant cell tumor. This option should be considered before offering ray amputation. There is no micro vascular surgery involved, nor is there any donor site morbidity. The graft heals well without any absorption. The affected finger shows excellent function in the long term followup.
A Model for Branch Competition

Branching (or tip-splitting) is a ubiquitous feature of growth processes in nature. We introduce a simple model, linear in growth probabilities, of branch competition that combines tip-splitting processes, local screening, and extinction of branches whose growth has come to an end. This model admits an exact solution; which is corroborated by numerical results. An extension of the model that depends quadratically upon growth probabilities exhibits a phase transition, with non-trivial scaling in the neighborhood of that transition.
Neuroimaging of Cerebrovascular Complications in Cancer Patients

Cerebrovascular disorders represent a common cause of central nervous system symptoms in cancer patients, second only to metastases. Rarely, cerebrovascular disorder may be the presenting sign of cancer. These are mostly symptomatic and add to the mortality and morbidity in oncologic patients. With a trend toward a more aggressive approach to cancer management and use of a multimodal approach, there has been an increase in the incidence of therapy-based cerebrovascular complications. If identified early, many of these cerebrovascular disorders, like aneurysms, ischemic stroke, and infections, are treatable. Imaging plays an important role in diagnosis and management of these disorders. Our purpose here is to review the imaging features of the cerebrovascular complications associated with tumors and to highlight various cerebrovascular complications related to tumor therapy.
Critical Thinking and Writing Strategies in the Music Bibliography Classroom

Nearly every graduate program in music performance requires a research and bibliography class in music, which is generally taught by musicologists or librarians with backgrounds in music history. This class has traditionally focused on finding research materials, citing properly, and producing an annotated bibliography; however, less attention has been devoted to critical thinking and writing an article-length research paper. Performers are often tasked with a culminating project of producing a research thesis for the M.M. and D.M.A. degrees, but unlike students in the humanities, many have had few other avenues to develop their critical thinking and writing skills. I suggest a suggest a structure for a graduate bibliography class, while also presenting original pedagogical paradigms. The first half of the class focuses on critical thinking in scholarly articles: how to speed read, identify a thesis and methodology, evaluate sources, understand context and significance, recognize successful lines of argumentation, and emulate effective writing styles. The second half is devoted to students implementing skills garnered from these readings into their own writing. I divide the paper-writing process into steps: choosing a research paper topic, compiling an annotated bibliography employing primary and secondary sources (utilizing the most up-to-date internet databases), composing an abstract, making a sentence outline, writing a first draft, and editing. I have developed models for choosing successful topics, writing abstracts, and avoiding logical fallacies in argumentative writing, which are unique to my course.
Gas Dynamics and Structural Mechanics Modeling of Steady-State Ductile Crack Propagation in Gas Transmission Pipelines

Ductile crack propagation and crack arrest in gas transmission pipelines depends upon the combined influences of inelastic material behavior and resistance to fracture, structural and fluid dynamics, fluid-structure coupling, and external constraints. Current analytical modeling procedures are described which couple a gas dynamics pressure distribution calculation to an inelastic-dynamic, steady-state, fracture mechanics model.
Texting in motion: Keystroke logging and observing synchronous mobile discourse:

This study explores the efficacy of keystroke logging as a method to qualitatively investigate the synchronous processes of discursive interaction through mobile devices as individuals go about the...
Study of Linear and Non-Linear Instabilities in a Multiple Jet Flow Configuration

The linear and non-linear growth of instabilities in a two dimensional parallel three jet flow configuration is carried out using DNS. A method is presented that enables the study of growth of instability modes using a combination of LSA and DNS. The linear growth of spatial and temporal LSA modes for a single shear layer is verified using DNS. Then DNS is used to study the transition from linear growth to non-linear instabilities. In test, the growth rate of temporal modes found using DNS matches with growth rate predicted by LSA for viscous and inviscid flows. DNS of a non-parallel flow with a spatially growing viscous LSA mode is found to create absolute instability and match between DNS and LSA is not possible. In a temporal analysis, it is found for a multiple shear layer case it is found that the growth of the temporal mode increases with increasing the strength of the additional shear layer for both inviscid and viscous flows. Longer DNS runs show that presence of a stronger shear layer enhances vortex shedding and vortex pairing mechanism of a shear layer. This enhanced mixing in the non-linear region is to be linked with the growth of perturbation in the linear region.Copyright © 2017 by ASME
INITIAL DATA FROM THE US PULMONARY HYPERTENSION REGISTRY: GENETICS AND DEMOGRAPHICS IN NEWLY DIAGNOSED PULMONARY ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION (PAH)

Prior US registries PAH have demonstrated changing demographics with, increasing female preponderance but have not included genomic data or hormonal information. USPHSR is a multicenter observational study to characterize demographics(with an emphasis on hormonal history), genomics, and clinical
Insula activation is modulated by attention shifting in social anxiety disorder.

Abstract Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is characterized by exaggerated reactivity to social threat, often documented by biased attention to threatening information, and increased activation in brain regions involved in salience/threat processing. Attention training has been developed to ameliorate the attention bias documented in individuals with SAD, with mixed results. We investigated patterns of brain activation underlying acute attention modulation in 41 participants (29 with SAD and 12 health controls). We then investigated how brain activation changed over time in both groups in response to a 4-session attention training protocol (toward threat, away from threat, no-training control). Results revealed diminished pre-training deactivation in the insula in SAD participants during attention modulation. SAD participants also demonstrated an increase in insula deactivation over time, suggestive of an improvement in attention modulation of emotion, and this was associated with a decrease in symptom severity. Attention training did not, itself, lead to clinical improvement, though there was a trend level effect of training toward threat on increased insula deactivation over time. While deficits in attentional control and emotion modulation are documented in individuals with SAD, current attention training protocols are not robustly effective in ameliorating aberrant functioning. Pursuit of training protocols that have more robust impacts on the relevant neural circuitry may have some value.
Transplacental Exposure to Diethylstilbestrol

The reproductive tract anomalies and cancer arising from prenatal exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES) pose complex problems that are broadening the scope of clinical and experimental teratology. One problem basic to all others is that the full spectrum of the effects of DES in the human population may not be known for a long time. Since use of DES during pregnancy was not widespread until the 1950s, and since most cancers are not common until after age 40, it will require another 10 to 30 years to assess the full impact of prenatal DES exposure on the cancer rates of this population. A more immediate problem is whether any of the reproductive tract anomalies commonly found in women exposed prenatally to DES tend to develop into cancer. This is a practical issue, because the abnormal tissue could be removed surgically if the risk of cancer were high enough.
Solid-Phase Characteristics of Engineered Nanoparticles

The challenge associated with determining the environmental fate and risk of engineered nanomaterials lies in understanding the fundamentally associated solid-phase chemistry. The solid phase represents the most complex, most thermodynamically “powerful”, yet the least understood phase among the three phases (solid, liquid, gas) commonly present in environmental systems. This difficulty is compounded by the fact that the nanoparticle size range represents a frontier field in itself in solid-phase chemistry, being the smallest size particles, close to the solid-phase — macromolecule boundary yet the most chemically reactive fraction in solid mixtures.
The Functional Therapy of Jessie Taft and the Systematic Eclectic Therapy of Frederick Thorne

The functional school of social casework became widely known in the 1940s. At that time a schism existed in social casework practice between the “functional school,” founded by Jessie Taft and Virginia Robinson, and the majority of social casework practitioners who adhered to a “diagnostic school” based upon Freudian theory.
Putting Memory in its Place: The Politics of Commemoration in the American South

The past remains a passionately contested terrain in the American South. On the one hand, the memory of the Civil War is of vital importance in the region. Many white Southerners identify with romanticized images of the Confederacy (Hoelscher 2003). Alternately, a new historical vision of the region’s past has emerged, one that challenges the centrality of the Confederacy. Propelled largely by African Americans, this challenge is embodied in the public commemoration of the Civil Rights Movement (Alderman 2000; Dwyer 2000). The intersection of these two competing memorial narratives has made collective memory a highly charged issue in the South, one whose emotional gravity comes from the interweaving of place and history (Figure 10.1) (Lowenthal 1975; Hayden 1995; Leib 2002). There is a need to make sense of the problematic nature of southern commemoration, particularly since these debates affect the prospects of building an inclusive culture in the region (Brundage 2000).