cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of Donor Type and Melphalan Dose on Allogeneic Transplantation Outcomes for Patients with Lymphoma.

ABSTRACT We analyzed 186 patients with lymphoma who underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) with fludarabine-melphalan (FM) conditioning and different types of donors (25 haploidentical [HD], 98 matched unrelated [MUD], and 63 matched related [MRD]) at our institution between September 2009 and January 2018. Patients received fludarabine 160 mg/m2 (40 mg/m2/day for 4 days) in combination with 1 dose of melphalan 140 mg/m2 (FM140) or 100 mg/m2 (FM100). Engraftment was similar among the 3 groups (92%, 89%, and 98%, respectively; P = .7). The 6-month cumulative incidence of grade III-IV acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was 4% in the HD group, 14% in the MUD group, and 8% in the MRD group (P not significant), and the respective 3-year cumulative incidence of chronic GVHD was 5%, 16%, and 26% (P not significant). The respective 3-year nonrelapse mortality and relapse rates were 31%, 32%, and 10% (HD versus MUD, P = .9; HD versus MRD, P = .02) and 15%, 21%, and 39% (HD versus MUD, P = .4; HD versus MRD, P = .04). At 3 years, progression-free survival (PFS) was 59%, 44%, and 46% (P not significant); overall survival (OS) was 52%, 54%, and 67% (P not significant); and GVHD-free, relapse-free survival was 39%, 31%, and 24% (P not significant). No differences in the 3-year PFS (57% versus 43%; P = .3) and OS (64% versus 58%; P = .7) were seen between patients receiving FM100 and those receiving FM140. Our data demonstrate that in patients with lymphoma, ASCT with HD transplants have similar outcomes as ASCT with HLA-matched transplants, and the FM100 conditioning regimen appears to be at least as effective as the FM140 regimen.
Work experiences of Latino building cleaners: An exploratory study.

Background There are roughly 3.8 million cleaning workers in the United States. The cleaning workforce is largely composed of women, immigrants, and ethnic minorities who receive low wages and have low education levels. They are exposed to physical, chemical, biological, and psychosocial hazards. Methods Qualitative methodology was used to investigate how Latino immigrants experience work as building cleaners. A grounded theory coding approach was used to analyze focus group data from 77 participants. Results Three major themes were identified: economic vulnerability, psychosocial stressors, and health and safety effects. Although workers are aware of the safety hazards associated with their jobs, they believe their immigration status limits employment opportunities leading them to accept poor working conditions. They work through injuries and cope psychologically through minimizing negative health impacts and normalizing work-related injuries and illnesses. Conclusions The findings suggest that interventions for these workers should recognize the hostile organizational and psychosocial contexts within which immigrants often work.
Profiling the Stromal and Vascular Heterogeneity in Patient-derived Xenograft Models of Head and Neck Cancer: Impact on Therapeutic Response.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) represent a group of epithelial neoplasms that exhibit considerable heterogeneity in clinical behavior. Here, we examined the stromal and vascular heterogeneity in a panel of patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of HNSCC and the impact on therapeutic response. Tumor sections from established tumors were stained for p16 (surrogate for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection), stromal (Masson’s trichrome) and vascular (CD31) markers. All PDX models retained the HPV/p16 status of the original patient tumor. Immunohistochemical evaluation revealed the presence of multiple vessel phenotypes (tumor, stromal or mixed) in the PDX panel. Vascular phenotypes identified in the PDX models were validated in a tissue microarray of human HNSCC. Treatment with a microtubule targeted vascular disrupting agent (VDA) resulted in a heterogeneous antivascular and antitumor response in PDX models. The PDX with the tumor vessel phenotype that exhibited higher CD31+ vessel counts and leaky vasculature on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was sensitive to VDA treatment while the PDX with the stromal vessel phenotype was resistant to therapy. Collectively, our results demonstrate the phenotypic and functional vascular heterogeneity in HNSCC and highlight the impact of this heterogeneity on response to antivascular therapy in PDX models of HNSCC.
Morphomic factors associated with complete response to neoadjuvant therapy in esophageal carcinoma.

Background In patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) followed by surgery for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), patients with a pathologic complete response (pCR) have the greatest benefit. The purpose of this study was to identify morphomic factors obtained from pretreatment computed tomography scans associated with a pCR in ESCC. Methods We retrospectively analyzed patients with ESCC treated with nCRT who underwent esophagectomy between 2006 and 2016. Clinical and morphomic characteristics pre-nCRT were analyzed to identify factors associated with pCR using univariate and multivariable analyses. Results There were 183 patients with ESCC included in this study, and 45 (24.6%) patients achieved pCR. The overall survival in patients with pCR was better than that in patients without pCR (5.8 years vs 1.2 years; P Conclusions Increased age, radiation dose greater than or equal to 4000 cGy, and larger dorsal muscle group normal-density area were significantly associated with pCR. These factors may be useful in determining which patients are most likely to benefit from nCRT followed by esophagectomy.
Test and Simulation Analysis on the Electric Field Distribution Characteristics of UHVAC Composite Cross-arm Fittings

Composite cross-arm of ultra-high voltage (UHV) tower bears both electric and mechanical loads. Owing to its high operation voltage and very complex insulation structure, potential and electric field distributions of composite cross-arm are extremely uneven. It may affect long-term stable operation of transmission line. Using three dimension finite element method (FEM), this paper presented research on voltage equalizing characteristics of composite cross-arms in 1000 kV tower. Computation model was established. The potential and electric field distributions of middle phase and side phase under several design schemes were computed. The program for grading and shielding devices was designed and then optimized. The electric field computation results showed that the electric field strengths on key positions were within permitted range. Corona tests showed that no visible corona discharge was found from insulators or fittings when the applied voltage was 1.2 times of test voltage. The design of the grading and shielding devices can be applied in actual projects.
Evaluation of the caudal cervical articular process joints by using a needle arthroscope in standing horses.

Objective To determine the safety and efficacy of caudal cervical articular process joint arthroscopy by using needle arthroscopy in standing sedated horses. Study design Prospective experimental case series. Animals Six adult horses. Methods Three horses underwent exploration of bilateral C5-6 vertebral articular process joints and three bilateral C6-7 articular process joints by using a 1.2 × 65-mm needle arthroscope under standing sedation. The 16-gauge arthroscopic trocar and canula assembly was inserted in the desired articular process joint under ultrasonographic guidance without distention of the joint. Results All 12 articular process joints were successfully explored. Entering the joint on the first attempt was achieved in 10 of 12 joints. A craniodorsal approach for arthroscope insertion allowed evaluation of the most cranial aspect of the articular cartilage surface. Triangulation with a spinal needle was determined to be difficult and resulted in a limited space for movement. Conclusion Needle arthroscopy of the caudal cervical facet joints was performed safely and efficiently in standing sedated horses. Clinical significance Standing cervical articular process needle arthroscopy is a minimal morbidity technique with the potential to be an advantageous technique for the diagnosis and treatment of cervical articular process pathology.
The Effects of a Bug-in-Ear Coaching Package on Implementation of Incidental Teaching by Paraprofessionals in a K-12 School

Paraprofessionals play a critical role in the instruction of students with disabilities and yet they often receive inadequate training in using evidence-based teaching strategies. A promising avenue for improving paraprofessional training is distant bug-in-ear coaching (BIE), where a paraprofessional receives in-the-moment coaching on a teaching strategy from a coach at a different location. This study examined a BIE coaching package to support paraprofessionals in using incidental teaching for teaching self-advocacy skills to students with disabilities. The package included an initial individual didactic teaching session followed by distance BIE coaching. A multiple-baseline across participants design was used to assess the impact of the intervention on both the skills of the paraprofessionals and on student acquisition of self-advocacy statements. BIE coaching was associated with increases in both the accuracy and rate of incidental teaching trials and with use of self-advocacy statements by the students with disabilities.
Drug Overdose Deaths Among US Hispanics: Trends (2000-2017) and Recent Patterns.

The US drug overdose crisis has devastated communities across the nation, yet relatively little is known about recent impacts in diverse Hispanic populations. Purpose: This study explored demograph...
Regenerative Properties of Autologous Fat Grafting in a Complicated Radiation-Induced Wound.

INTRODUCTION Delayed wound healing and ulceration in radiated tissue is a surgical challenge. Autologous fat grafting can reverse skin changes secondary to radiation such as fibrosis, scarring, contracture, and pain. Adipose-derived stem cells are thought to contribute to the regenerative properties of fat. OBJECTIVE In this case report, the authors discuss the role of fat grafting as a means for effective wound healing in a patient with a chronic nonhealing radiation-induced skin wound. CASE REPORT The patient is a 79-year-old male with a history of medically complicated obesity who presented with a fluoroscopic radiation-induced wound that developed 11 years after non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction for which he underwent placement of 6 stents via percutaneous transluminal coronary angiography. The wound was complicated by several infections and remained refractory to multiple interventions despite topical steroid use, regular wound dressing changes, debridements, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. In consideration of the patient's body mass index of greater than 50 kg/m2 and modest weight loss attempts, surgical intervention involving wide local resection and flap closure was not thought to be a solution. Fat grafting was performed 19 months after initial presentation, with near-complete healing evident 10 months after the procedure. CONCLUSIONS Chronic nonhealing wounds can provide a tremendous burden to the patient in terms of time, costs, and morbidity. Despite enduring a prolonged 19-month course involving multiple failed interventions and several wound-related infections, the patient achieved wound healing via fat grafting. Earlier intervention with fat grafting may prove helpful to patients who do not show evidence of healing via other modalities and for whom flap surgery is not an option.
Auditory function in the dizzy patient

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews that the whisper test and tuning fork testing are two approaches that have long been used as informal evaluations of hearing. Current audiometric testing techniques easily provide considerably more information to help distinguish the type and the degree of hearing loss. Audiometric testing is used to quantify hearing loss, and to assist in the differential diagnosis of ear and balance disorders. The chapter discusses that a comprehensive audiologic test battery provides valuable information for evaluating and managing the dizzy patient, and is needed for the evaluation of any patient with unexplained symptoms or signs of a vestibular disorder. The chapter examines the major components of the audiologic test battery through clinical cases with specific attention given to the test findings associated with vestibular dysfunction. The audiologic test findings are explored through clinical case evaluations combined with medical, radiological, and vestibular evaluations provide aid to the comprehensive evaluation of the dizzy patient.
Gingival crevicular fluid alkaline phosphatase activity as a non-invasive biomarker of skeletal maturation.

To cite this article: Perinetti G, Baccetti T, Contardo L, Di Lenarda R: Gingival crevicular fluid alkaline phosphatase activity as a non-invasive biomarker of skeletal maturation Orthod Craniofac Res 2011;14:44–50 Structured Abstract Authors – Perinetti G, Baccetti T, Contardo L, Di Lenarda R Objectives – To evaluate the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in growing subjects in relation to the stages of individual skeletal maturation. Setting and Sample Population – The Department of Biomedicine, University of Trieste. Seventy-two healthy growing subjects (45 women and 27 men; range, 7.8–17.7 years). Materials and Methods – Double-blind, prospective, cross-sectional design. Samples of GCF were collected from each subject at the mesial and distal sites of both of the central incisors, in the maxilla and mandible. Skeletal maturation phase was assessed through the cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) method. Enzymatic activity was determined spectrophotometrically. Results – The relationship between GCF ALP activity and CVM stages was significant. In particular, a twofold peak in enzyme activity was seen at the CS3 and CS4 pubertal stages, compared to the pre-pubertal stages (CS1 and CS2) and post-pubertal stages (CS5 and CS6), at both the maxillary and mandibular sites. No differences were seen between the maxillary and mandibular sites, or between the sexes. Conclusions – As an adjunct to standard methods based upon radiographic parameters, the GCF ALP may be a candidate as a non-invasive clinical biomarker for the identification of the pubertal growth spurt in periodontally healthy subjects scheduled for orthodontic treatment.
Unreflective action and the argument from speed

Hubert Dreyfus has defended a novel view of agency, most notably in his debate with John McDowell. Dreyfus argues that expert actions are primarily unreflective and do not involve conceptual activity. In unreflective action, embodied know-how plays the role reflection and conceptuality play in the actions of novices. Dreyfus employs two arguments to support his conclusion: the argument from speed and the phenomenological argument. I argue that Dreyfus's argumentative strategies are not successful, since he relies on a dubious assumption about concepts and reflection. I suggest that Dreyfus is committed to a minimal view of conceptuality in action.
'Private' Environmental Certification Systems and American Law: Closer Than You May Think

Many industrial organizations are committing to achieve improved environmental performance through privately instituted environmental certification programs. Such programs typically define the environmental standards that firms must meet as well as the organizational mechanisms required to achieve and "certify" compliance. Well known examples include the chemical industry's "Responsible Care" program, the International Organization for Standardization's "ISO 14000" environmental management program, and the Forest Stewardship Council's well-managed forests program. Because of their ostensibly private and voluntary nature, environmental certification programs are often presumed to be separate and distinct from law. In fact, however, they are deeply intertwined with law, and seem likely to have a significant influence on it over time. This paper describes the main areas of law likely to be affected, including traditional "environmental" law, as well as tort, property, tax, information, financial, and trade law. It ventures that many of the change processes will be informal and barely visible, as legal agents adjust their behavior and expectations to take account of the standards and organizational mechanisms established by certification systems. Because of the potentially high degree of legal influence wielded by certification systems, the legal system is likely to try to constrain or seek to channel certification systems, so the paper also describes the primary means through which this may happen. The effects of certification systems on environmental performance and economic efficiency have dominated discussion of their desirability to date. Preliminary scholarship indicates moderate gains on both dimensions, provided certain framework conditions (particularly functional public information systems and watchdog groups) exist. This paper argues that certification systems also pose larger questions for public governance. These include a structural expansion in the power of industrial organizations, a possible redefinition of the nature of public legitimacy, and a potential reconfiguration of the legal system itself, wherein law making processes may once again be privatized.
Stereoselective pharmacokinetics and metabolism of the enantiomers of cyclophosphamide : preliminary results in humans and rabbits

Abstract [ R (+), S (−)]-Cyclophosphamide [( R , S )-CP] is an anticancer drug, containing a chiral phosphorous atom, which is prepared and used clinically as the racemic mixture. A new high-performance liquid Chromatographic assay suitable for pharmacokinetic studies of CP enantiomers in plasma has been reported recently by this laboratory (Reid et al ., Anal Chem 61: 441–446, 1989). Briefly, the assay involves ethyl acetate extraction of CP enantiomers from plasma followed by derivatization to diastereomers in a two-step process utilizing chloral and (+)-naproxen acid chloride. Chromatographic analysis was performed on a reversed phase (ODS) column with detection at 232 nm. In the present study, preliminary results on the applicability of this assay to pharmacokinetic studies are presented. Several rabbits were used to compare the influence of i.p., i.v., and oral routes of administration on the stereoselective disposition of ( R , S )-CP. Following i.p. administration, S -CP was cleared faster than R -CP. Following oral administration, only R -CP was detectable in plasma, while i.v. administration resulted in minor or no stereoselective disposition. These results indicated that there was a marked stereoselective metabolism of the S -CP enantiomer, with the i.p. and oral routes producing the greatest differences due to first-pass metabolism. Incubation of rabbit-liver microsomes with ( R , S )-CP demonstrated that the monooxygenase system can exhibit marked stereoselectivity in its metabolism of CP. The ratio of R -CP to S -CP in the incubation medium increased during the incubation period from 1:1 initially to 4.5:1 after 60 min. The results from the experiments with rabbits indicate that the first-pass metabolism of this drug is highly stereoselective; in contrast, cancer patients who had received ( R , S )-CP as an i.v. infusion showed no stereoselectivity in the elimination of the enantiomers. Pharmacokinetic studies with cancer patients, receiving ( R , R )-CP as an oral dose, are in progress in order to determine if stereoselective first-pass metabolism of this drug also occurs in humans.
Bulk Processing of Hydroxyapatite Nanopowder Using Radio Frequency Induction Plasma

Spherical hydroxyapatite (HA) nanopowder was synthesized at a rate of 20 g/h from HA sol using a 30 kW inductively coupled radio frequency plasma spray system. The HA sol was axially fed with a water-cooled steel probe in the lower temperature region of the supersonic plasma nozzle, which helped in HA phase stabilization. The HA powder was synthesized at plate power between 19 and 28 kW. Particle size, surface area, particle morphology, and phase composition of the synthesized powder were evaluated using transmission electron microscopy, BET specific average surface area, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy. The synthesized nanopowder was spherical in nature, with the particle size ranging from 30 to 70 nm. The increase in plate power resulted in a decrease in particle size. XRD results indicated HA to be the primary phase along with phase decomposition products, such as tricalcium phosphate and calcium oxide. Cytotoxicity behavior was studied using human osteoblast cells to ensure biocompatibility.
Design and development of a fast-response ionization gauge controller

A fast ionization gauge controller that can respond to pressure changes in the range from 1*10/sup -1/ to 2*10/sup -5/ torr in less than 10 ms using a Schultz-Phelps gauge assembly has been developed. The Schultz-Phelps gauge provides full coverage of the desired pressure range and is less susceptible to magnetic-field interference than other available types of ionization gauges. As designed, the gauge controller provides simultaneous readout of three decades of pressure. Major design concerns are minimizing noise induced by the gauge tube filament drive, and noise pickup by the ionization current electrometer. By using DC filament drive, a major shortcoming of available gauge controllers (i.e. 60 Hz pickup caused by filament modulation of the electron current), has been overcome. By locating the electrometer amplifier as close as the Schultz-Phelps gauge as possible, cable-induced noise pickup has been reduced to an acceptable level. Problems encountered in the design and test of the gauge controller and future improvements are discussed. >
Specifying reliability in the disk drive industry: No more MTBF's

Great strides have been made in creating a more realistic method for specifying disk drive reliability in a competitive commercial environment. Mean time between (before) failure (MTBF) is misleading and causes great conflict between drive manufacturers and drive integrators. The single most prominent cause is that the failure distribution for disk drives is not exponential during the first year of product use. To rectify this problem, drive hazard rate, in the form of a stair-step approximation to the Weibull, has been instituted as a standard way of representing reliability in the disk drive industry. Although not problem free, this method for specifying reliability is more easily correlated to field experience and can be used to more accurately calculate the expected number of returns and spares needed.
Effects of eliminating a disulfide bridge within domain II of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A.

Abstract Cysteines 265 and 287 of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (ETA) were substituted by serine, thereby eliminating a disulfide bridge within domain II, the putative membrane insertion-translocation domain. Purified mutant toxin was 80-fold less toxic for mouse L cells than was wild-type ETA while retaining the same specific activity in the ADP-ribosyltransferase reaction as did wild-type toxin. Binding of the nonionic detergent Triton X-114 by mutant ETA occurred at a slightly higher pH than did binding by wild-type ETA, suggesting that the mutant protein more readily undergoes a conformational change exposing hydrophobic regions. Data are presented supporting the notion that the mutant and wild-type toxins enter from the same intracellular compartment. The lower cytotoxicity of the mutant protein could be due to accelerated intracellular degradation or abortive, premature membrane insertion.
Prevalence and incidence of early childhood caries among African-American children in Alabama.

Objectives This study aims to assess the prevalence and incidence of early childhood caries (ECC) in African-American children. Methods A cohort of 96 African-American children approximately 1 year of age at baseline were recruited in Uniontown, Alabama, and followed for 3 years. Oral examinations were conducted annually by one of three trained/calibrated dentists using portable equipment, without radiographs, following WHO criteria. Results The prevalence of decayed/missing/filled surfaces (dmfs) was: 1.1 percent (all d) at approximately age 1 (n = 90, six children were excluded for having no erupted teeth); 12.8 percent (d = 10.5 percent & f = 4.7 percent) at age 2 (n = 86); 39.3 percent (d = 21.4 percent, m = 2.4 percent & f = 22.6 percent) at age 3 (n = 84); and 65.8 percent (d = 28.8 percent, m = 5.5 & f = 46.6 percent) at age 4 (n = 73). The percentages of incisors, canines, first molars, and second molars with dmfs were: 0.1 percent, 0.0 percent, 0.0 percent, and 0.0 percent, at age 1; 2.4 percent, 0.1 percent, 0.8 percent, and 0.6 percent at age 2; 8.2 percent, 0.8 percent, 7.6 percent, and 6.3 percent at age 3; and 10.2 percent, 2.2 percent, 12.6 percent and 16.7 percent at age 4, respectively. The three, 1-year, person-level incidence rates were 12.8 percent (age 1 to age 2), 38.6 percent (age 2 to age 3), and 56.2 percent (age 3 to age 4). From baseline, the 2-year incidence was 39.3 percent and 3-year incidence was 65.8 percent, whereas the 2-year caries incidence from age 1 to age 3 was 66.7 percent (n = 72). Conclusion The majority of children developed caries during the 3-year follow-up, which is much higher than the 32 percent prevalence of caries among African-American children under age 6 years in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2002.
Optoelectronic image processing for cervical cancer screening

Abstract Automation of the Pap-smear cervical screening method is highly desirable as it relieves tedium forthe human operators, reduces cost and should increase accuracy and provide repeatability. We presenthere th design for a high-throughput optoelectronic system which forms the first stage of a two stagesystem to automate pap-smear screening. We use a mathematical morphological technique called thehit-or-miss (HOM) transform to identify the suspicious areas on a pap-smear slide. This algorithm isimplemented using a VanderLugt architecture and a time-sequential ANDing smart pixel array. 1 Introduction Cervical cancer is a major cause of malignant death in women in the "industrial world" and the most common cause of malignant death in India and South America. As many as 7000 women die every yearin the U.S from cervical cancer. However, the disease is largely preventable by regular screening. HencePapanicolaou smears (pap-smears) are increasingly used to screen women from the age of 16 to 60 for thiscancer. A pap-smear slide is prepared by obtaining a cellular sample from the patients cervix which issmeared on to a glass slide, then fixed with an alcohol based fixative and stained using the Papanicolaoustain. This slide can now be screened for cervical cancer by examining the squamous cells on the slide.Figure 1 shows a typical 480x512 image taken from a pap-smear slide at a resolution of 0.7 im/samp1inginterval.Automating the pap-smear screening is desirable to the health care industry as it relieves humansfrom the tedious job of microscope based examinations, reduces the cost of a pap-smear examination,should increase its accuracy and make the screening process repeatable. However, automated screeningis challenging due to the large computational resources required and the low tolerance for error. A slidecover glass has dimensions of 2.5x5.0 cm and the features of interest (the cell nuclei) are on average 10 jtmin diameter. This implies processing a large area at fine resolution which translates to high space(time)-bandwidth product. For example, using a sampling resolution of 0.7 tm/sample requires a minimum of39,000 images to be processed for each slide screened. Also, among the few pap-smears slides which dodisplay abnormal cells, the actual number of abnormal cells may be as few as 10 of the 100,000 or so cellspresent on the slide. This calls for precision in pre-processing and classification of each sub-area. Focalplane processing (FPP) has the potential to offer high throughput as required in this application, and suchFPP can be implemented using optoelectronic devices. In this paper we will develop an optoelectronicallyimplementable algorithm to identify suspicious regions (also referred to as regions of interest (ROT)) on apap-smear slide and discuss its implementation.
Optical Stark effects in the stimulated Raman spectrum of molecular oxygen

Abstract High-resolution stimulated Raman spectroscopy has been used to observe optical Stark effects in pure-spin, rotational, and rotational-vibrational transitions in molecular oxygen (X3Σg−). Recorded spectra in both polarized and depolarized configurations demonstrate some striking differences in the Stark splitting of 3Σ ground state molecules from that reported previously for 1Σ molecules. An analysis of the position of a number of normal and satellite rotational-vibrational lines in both the polarized and depolarized spectra has led to a measurement of a value for the v = 1 excited state polarizability anisotropy and to a more accurate value for the band origin of the v = 1 ← 0 transition: γ1 = (α| − α|)1 = (1.36 ± 0.17) × 10−24 cm3, and ν0 = 1556.385 ± 0.001 cm−1.
A methodology for developing Bayesian networks: An application to information technology (IT) implementation

Abstract Bayesian Networks (BNs) are probabilistic inference engines that support reasoning under uncertainty. This article presents a methodology for building an information technology (IT) implementation BN from client–server survey data. The article also demonstrates how to use the BN to predict the attainment of IT benefits, given specific implementation characteristics (e.g., application complexity) and activities (e.g., reengineering). The BN is an outcome of a machine learning process that finds the network’s structure and its associated parameters, which best fit the data. The article will be of interest to academicians who want to learn more about building BNs from real data and practitioners who are interested in IT implementation models that make probabilistic statements about certain implementation decisions.
Computer-drawn faces characterizing nucleic acid sequences

Abstract A brief introduction to a rather unorthodox computer graphics characterization of DNA sequences is presented. This visual method of data reduction is accomplished by computer-drawn faces which function as multivariate representations sensitive to regularities and irregularities of the statistical properties of the sequence of bases. Various graphical methods of representing multivariate data using icons, or symbols, have been discussed previously. The system presented here is special in that it has as its primary focus the rapid characterization of a multidimensional data series using an interactive graphics system with a variety of controlling parameters.
The impact of schools self-administering substance abuse surveys: an evaluation

The literature suggests that administering drug surveys to public school students is best done by persons outside of the school system (or at least unfamiliar to the students). This is the approach used by the long-time Monitoring the Future project. Because of the increased costs that administration by outside research associates requires (both time and transportation), we decided to design an experiment that would compare it to administration by school personnel. Six school systems were split, and 3756 surveys were administered, about half by outside research associates and half by school personnel. The results indicate that there were minimal and non-significant differences between the two groups. On the basis of these results, we draw the conclusion that school personnel are able to administer survey instruments without affecting the quality of the results and, thus, that school districts may safely use such data in the evaluation of their drug education and drug prevention programs.
CD44 regulates vascular endothelial barrier integrity via a PECAM-1 dependent mechanism

Vascular integrity is a critical parameter in normal growth and development. Loss of appropriate vascular barrier function is present in various immune- and injury-mediated pathological conditions. CD44 is an adhesion molecule expressed by multiple cell types, including endothelial cells (EC). The goal of the present study was to examine how loss of CD44 affected vascular permeability. Using C57BL/6 WT and CD44-KO mice, we found no significant permeability to Evan’s Blue in either strain at baseline. However, there was significantly increased histamine-induced permeability in CD44-deficient mice compared to WT counterparts. Similar results were observed in vitro, where CD44-deficient endothelial monolayers were also impermeable to 40kD-FITC dextran in the absence of vasoactive challenge, but exhibited enhanced and prolonged permeability following histamine. However, CD44-KO monolayers have reduced baseline barrier strength by electrical resistance, which correlated with increased permeability, at baseline, to smaller molecular weight 4-kD FITC-dextran, suggesting weakly formed endothelial junctions. The CD44-KO EC displayed several characteristics consistent with impaired barrier function/dysfunctional EC junctions, including differential expression, phosphorylation, and localization of endothelial junction proteins, increased matrix metalloprotease expression, and altered cellular morphology. Reduced platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1) expression by CD44-KO EC in vivo and in vitro was also observed. Reconstitution of murine CD44 or PECAM-1 restored these defects to near WT status, suggesting CD44 regulates vascular permeability and integrity through a PECAM-1 dependent mechanism.
Depth profiling of helium concentrations in materials using the 4He(7Li, γ)11B reaction

Abstract A method for the measurement of helium concentration profiles in the near surface region of materials has been developed. The technique used the 4He(7Li, γ)11B resonant reaction at ELi = 1.68 MeV to detect helium within a few micrometers of the surface of most metals with a depth resolution of 0.03 μm. The level of detectability is less than 1 atomic percent for metals devoid of lithium, boron or carbon over the full probing range. Due to the presence of an adjacent resonance at ELi = 1.43 MeV, an unfolding procedure is employed to uniquely extract the helium concentration profile. Results of measurements made with a gas target and a sample implanted with helium are presented and the capabilities of the technique are discussed.
Measurement of left ventricular diameter in the dog by cardiac catheterization. Validation and physiologic meaningfulness of an ultrasonic technique.

A cylindrical ultrasonic transducer on a catheter tip lodged in the cleft between the free wall of the right ventricle and the interventricular septum provides an easily measured echo from the posteroinferior left ventricular epicardial surface. The sonic path represents a diameter of the left ventricle at approximately its largest cross-sectional area. Experiments in six dogs demonstrated that measurements by ultrasound agree within ±6% with simultaneous radiographic measurements of left ventricular diameter. Procedures designed to alter left ventricular volume were employed in 14 dogs to clarify the physiologic meaningfulness of the left ventricular diameter measured by ultrasound. Both end-diastolic and end-systolic diameter increased with anoxia, with sudden injections of saline into the left ventricle, after propranolol, and after inflation of a balloon in the thoracic aorta. These diameters decreased with isoproterenol, with increased heart rate, and after inflation of a balloon in the inferior vena cava. The present technique provides accurate and physiologically meaningful estimates of left ventricular diameter. Ventricular diameter measurements obtained during cardiac catheterization should permit assessment of ventricular distensibility and of ventricular function.
Hormone metabolism by the fish gill.

Abstract The fish gill, like the mammalian lung, is ideally situated to process circulating biomolecules because: 1) the gill is the only organ perfused by the entire cardiac output, 2) the in-series positioning of branchial and systemic circulations permits “conditioning” of blood immediately before systemic perfusion and 3) gill microcirculation is extensive, providing substantial endothelial/pillar cell surface in contact with plasma. In addition, two or three distinct circulatory pathways within the gill may differentially affect plasma substrates, raising the possibility of vasoactive control of hormone titers. Hormones may be activated or inactivated by the gill, the latter involving extraction (uptake) from the plasma, metabolism by enzymes on the endothelial surface without uptake or uptake plus intracellular metabolism. Over 60% of angiotensin I (ANG I) is activated to angiotensin II (ANG II) in a single transit through the gill lamellae by pillar cell angiotensin-converting enzyme, whereas both ANG I and II are inactivated by the non-lamellar filamental vasculature. Gills may accumulate and store (uptake 1) or degrade (uptake 2) catecholamines via intracellular monoamine oxidase and catechol-O-methyl transferase enzymes, and they show substrate preference for norepinephrine over epinephrine. Similar processes may exist for serotonin. Atrial natriuretic peptides are efficiently (60–90%) extracted from plasma in vivo by C-type clearance receptors. Fifty percent of an endothelin-1 bolus is removed in a single transit through the gill circulation, arginine vasotocin extraction is modest and bradykinin is virtually unaffected. Arachidonic acid is completely extracted by the gill, whereas extraction of prostaglandins I2 and E2 is only 13 and 5%, respectively. Intense cytochrome P450 immunofluorescence in the pillar cells suggests that the gill vasculature may be an important site of detoxification and production of biologically active epoxides. Thus, gills appear to be potent and selective effectors of hormonal signals.
The effects of systemic, intrastriatal, and intrapallidal injections of caffeine and systemic injections of A2A and A1 antagonists on forepaw stepping in the unilateral 6-OHDA-lesioned rat

Rationale and objectives Given that adenosine A2A antagonists appear to be therapeutic in several animal models of Parkinson’s disease (PD), we examined the extent to which caffeine and selective A2A and A1 antagonists could enhance contralateral forepaw stepping in the unilateral 6-OHDA-lesioned rat.
Ion channels in murine nuclei during early development and in fully differentiated adult cells

The nuclear envelope functions as a selective barrier between nucleus and cytoplasm. During cycles of cell division the nuclear envelope repeatedly disassembles and re-associates. Presumably, each cycle re-establishes the functional and structural integrity of the nuclear envelope. After repeated rounds of cell division, as occurs during differentiation, the selectivity and configuration of the envelope may change. We compare the ionic conductance and the nuclear pore density in four types of murine nuclei: germinal vesicles in oocytes, pronuclei in zygotes, nuclei from two-cell blastomeres, and somatic cell nuclei from the liver. A large-conductance ion channel is present in all nuclear envelopes. Liver cell nuclei have a greater number of these channels than those from earlier developmental stages, and they also have a higher density of nuclear pores. In this article we hypothesize an association between the ion channels and the nuclear pores.
Intraoperative glucose control in diabetic and nondiabetic patients during cardiac surgery

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate intraoperative glucose control. Design: Prospective unblinded study. Setting: Tertiary care center. Participants: Diabetic (n = 17) and nondiabetic (n = 23) patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. Interventions: Diabetics received a modified insulin regimen consisting of a fixed rate infusion of regular insulin, 10 U/m2/h, and a variable infusion of D10W, adjusted to maintain glucose between 101 to 140 mg/dL. Measurements and Main Results: Baseline glucose was higher in diabetics versus nondiabetics (mean ± standard error of the mean: 203 ± 27 v 117 ± 3 mg/dL, p 300 mg/dL did not achieve adequate glycemic control. Four diabetics (3 with renal failure) required injection of 50% dextrose after bypass for hypoglycemia. Conclusion: Adequate glycemic control can be achieved in most diabetics during cardiac surgery using a modified insulin clamp technique provided initial glucose is
Attitudes of Master's-Level Counseling Students toward Gay Men and Lesbians.

The authors examined variables that could be predictive of attitudes toward gay men and lesbians. A survey was conducted with 132 counselors-in-training in a program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (2001). Participants attended a medium-size, regional university in the southwestern portion of the United States. Religiosity, political views, and previous experience with lesbians were the strongest predictors of attitudes toward gay men and lesbians. Future research ideas and implications for counselor education programs are discussed.
How accurate is prenatal sonography for the diagnosis of imperforate anus and Hirschsprung's disease?

Imperforate anus (IA) and Hirschsprung's disease (HD) are the commonest causes of coloanal obstruction in the neonate. We prospectively studied 15,092 pregnancies over a 4-year period to determine the accuracy of prenatal sonography (US) in diagnosing these conditions. Based on location and appearance, 13 fetuses were thought to have colonic dilatation on prenatal US. Nine of these had dilated bowel located in the pelvis. Postnatally, 7 were normal and 2 had an IA. Four fetuses were thought to have dilated proximal colon based on the peripheral location of the bowel loops in the abdomen. All 4 had normal colons, but had small-bowel obstruction postnatally (3 meconium ileus, 1 malrotation). Neonatal or fetal pathologic follow-up was obtained for all pregnancies. Twenty-three fetuses without dilated colon on US had coloanal obstruction (20 IA, 3 HD). Other anomalies had been sonographically evident in 17 of these fetuses (all with IA).
Remarks on the nonproportionality of wave and entropic amplitudes

Abstract The propagation of an acceleration wave through a Maxwellian nonconductor is modelled, and a relationship between entropic amplitude and the amplitude of the wave is derived; for the general model introduced, it is found that these two amplitudes are not proportional, as they would be in a simple material with fading memory, and that proportionality holds if and only if a simple explicit relationship connects two of the constitutive coefficients at the wave front.
Management of the Geriatric Psittacine Patient

Abstract Aging avian patients are often presented to veterinary practices for routine physical examination or with geriatric-related diseases. The focus of this article is to review treatment modalities and therapeutic options for common disease presentations in the older psittacine patient, including heart disease, chronic hepatic disease, chronic kidney disease, neoplasia, and chronic pain. Factors involved with the decision of euthanasia are also included as a topic of discussion.
Structure and dynamics of liquid carbon.

Structural, dynamical, and electronic properties of liquid carbon are studied by molecular-dynamics simulation with the use of a well-tested tight-binding Hamiltonian. We demonstrate that tight-binding molecular dynamics has sufficient efficiency and accuracy for a realistic simulation study of complex carbon systems. Our extensive simulation results show that liquid carbon at low density is metallic and dominated by twofold and threefold atoms. On the other hand, the high-density liquid is found to exhibit considerable diamondlike tetrahedral bonding.
Review essay / empowering and restraining the police: How to accomplish both

Howard S. Cohen and Michael Feldberg, Power and Restraint: The Moral Dimension of Police Work, New York Praeger, 1991; xvii + 166 pp.
High Leg Incision Fascia Lata Harvesting

Objective: The traditional method of harvesting fascia lata has been through an incision above the lateral knee. Problems with this method include a conspicuous scar, herniation of the muscle belly, and hematoma formation. The authors describe a new method of harvesting fascia lata in the region of the hip to minimize these complications. Design: Cohort study. Participants: Twenty-three patients underwent harvesting of fascia lata by the technique described by the authors. Twenty-one patients had ptosis with poor levator function. In two patients, the fascia lata was used to wrap a hydroxyapatite implant. Intervention: The technique for harvesting fascia lata through an incision between the greater trochanter and anterior iliac crest is described. Long-term results were collected from chart reviews and patient interviews after surgery. Main Outcome Measures: The patients were evaluated to determine whether any complications resulted from the new incision site. Results: No permanent complications were noted at the incision site. Conclusions: Fascia lata can be harvested safely in the region of the iliac crest with an inconspicuous scar and with fewer complications than with the more traditional site slightly above the lateral knee.
Talking to Learn: Social and Academic Requirements for Classroom Participation

Talk is one of the primary ways people have of learning. The question that must be asked is "What is it that is being learned?" One generally accepted notion is that through talking and interacting with others, people learn about self, about others, and about the world. Recently, however, other types of learning have been identified. For example, through participating in a variety of communicative situations, people learn conversational rules for when to talk, where, with whom, in what ways, for how long, and for what purposes (Hymes, 1974). In other wors, by taking part in conversations, people acquire information about the topic of the conversation and about how to "do" conversation. This view of talk does not provide a complete picture of what is occurring, however. In any communicative event, people also make visible to others how they have "read" the requirements for responding and for participating. That is, by the content of their responses and their ways of providing information (the forms of the response), they show how they have interpreted what they heard. One important factor that influences how people interpret conversational expectations and decide how to participate is the fact that how one talks and what one talks about is culturally patterned (Gumperz, 1982). In other words, people learn to talk in ways that match the talk in their homes and communities, and different communities have different ways of speaking (e.g., ways of
Homogeneous CO Hydrogenation: Ligand Effects on the Lewis Acid-Assisted Reductive Coupling of Carbon Monoxide

Structure−function studies on the role of pendent Lewis acids in the reductive coupling of CO are reported. Cationic rhenium carbonyl complexes containing zero, one, or two phosphinoborane ligands (Ph2P(CH2)nB(C8H14), n = 1−3) react with the nucleophilic hydride [HPt(dmpe)2]+ to reduce [M−CO]+ to M−CHO; this step is relatively insensitive to the Lewis acid, as both pendent (internal) and external boranes of appropriate acid strength can be used. In contrast, whether a second hydride transfer and C−C bond forming steps occur depends strongly on the number of carbon atoms between P and B in the phosphinoborane ligands, as well as the number of pendent acids in the complex: shorter linker chain lengths favor such reductive coupling, whereas longer chains and external boranes are ineffective. A number of different species containing partially reduced CO groups, whose exact structures vary considerably with the nature and number of phosphinoborane ligands, have been crystallographically characterized. The reac...