cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Study of the Changes in the Alpha Frequency of Human Brain Potentials in Normal and Pathological Conditions

Summary Changes in the alpha frequency of the EEG over a ten year period have been examined in sixty normal cases. A comparison has been made with the corresponding changes in twenty-one pathological cases (mongols, spastics, mental deficients) and we have found a tendency to a less regular increase of the alpha frequency in the pathological cases. Resume Les variations de la frequence alpha des E.E.G. ont ete examinees durant une periode de dix ans dans soixante cas normaux. Une comparaison faite avec les variations correspondantes dans vingt et un cas pathologiques (mongoloides, spastiques, debiles mentaux) nous a montre une tendance a un accroissement moins regulier dans les cas pathologiques. Zusammenfassung Veranderungen in der Alpha-Frequenz der EEG wurden wahrend eines Zeitraumes von zehn Jahren an sechzig Normalfallen untersucht. Es wurde ein Vergleich gezogen mit den entsprechenden Veranderungen bei einundzwanzig pathologischen Fallen (Mongoloide, Spastiker, geistig Zuruckgebliebene). Wir fanden die Tendenz zu einer weniger regelmassigen Zunahme bei den pathologischen Fallen. Sumario Se ha examinado la frecuencia alpha en el electroencefalograma de 60 casos normales durante un periodo de 10 anos. Hemos realizado un estudio comparativo con los cambios correspondientes a 21 casos patologicos (mongoloides, espasticos, oligofrenias) y hemos encontrado una tendencia a un menor aumento regular en los casos patologicos.
Beautiful mirrors, unification of couplings, and collider phenomenology

The standard model provides an excellent description of the observables measured at high energy lepton and hadron colliders. However, measurements of the forward-backward asymmetry of the bottom quark at CERN LEP suggest that the effective coupling of the right-handed bottom quark to the neutral weak gauge boson is significantly different from the value predicted by the standard model. Such a large discrepancy may be the result of a mixing of the bottom quark with heavy mirror fermions with masses of the order of the weak scale. To be consistent with the precision electroweak data, the minimal extension of the standard model requires the presence of vector-like pairs of $\mathrm{SU}(2)$ doublet and singlet quarks. In this article, we show that such an extension of the standard model is consistent with the unification of gauge couplings and leads to a very rich phenomenology at the Fermilab Tevatron, the B factories and the CERN LHC. In particular, if the Higgs boson mass lies in the range $120\mathrm{GeV}\ensuremath{\lesssim}{m}_{h}\ensuremath{\lesssim}180\mathrm{GeV},$ we show that run II of the Tevatron collider with $4--8{\mathrm{fb}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ of integrated luminosity will have the potential to discover the heavy quarks, while observing $3\ensuremath{\sigma}$ evidence of the Higgs boson in most of the parameter space.
Retrolental fibroplasia: evidence for a role of the prostaglandin cascade in the pathogenesis of oxygen-induced retinopathy in the newborn beagle.

Aspirin administration, at a dosage producing plasma levels within the human therapeutic range, caused marked inhibition of production of both vascular prostacyclin (a vasodilator) and platelet thromboxane (a vasoconstrictor) in beagle puppies. In addition, aspirin-treated, oxygen-exposed puppies developed retinopathy of significantly greater severity than their unmedicated, oxygen-exposed littermates. Direct ophthalmoscopic observations indicated that whereas sustained oxygen breathing produced retinal vasoconstriction in unmedicated puppies, retinal vessels of aspirin-treated littermates became more dilated or remained unchanged. It is postulated that retinal vasoconstriction may be a normal physiologic mechanism to protect the immature retina from damaging effects of high blood oxygen levels; i.e., it may be a protective rather than a pathologic process in response to hyperoxia. Many vascular anomalies which characterize the human disease were present in the retinas of the puppies. Several of the most severely affected puppies treated with aspirin even displayed grade III cicatricial retinopathy (falciform retinal fold). Thus, a major criticism of the retrolental fibroplasia animal model has been addressed by producing cicatricial retrolental fibroplasia in puppies, and the confidence with which results from experimental animal studies might be extrapolated to the clinical situation is thereby strengthened.
Swallowing in myotonic muscular dystrophy: A videofluoroscopic study

Abstract Leonard RJ, Kendall KA, Johnson R, McKenzie S. Swallowing in myotonic muscular dystrophy: a videofluoroscopic study. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2001;82:979-85. Objectives: (1) To determine how swallow function in patients with myotonic muscular dystrophy (MD) differs from that of healthy controls, (2) to identify the contributors to and predictors of improvement, and (3) to evaluate strategies that facilitate swallowing. Design: Observational. Setting: University medical center. Participants: Eighteen adults with myotonic MD (age range, 24-58yr) and 60 healthy adult control subjects (age range, 18-73yr). Interventions: Swallow facilitation strategies. Main Outcome Measures: Between-group comparisons of mean bolus transit times, onsets of swallow gestures, and displacement measures obtained by dynamic lateral view videofluoroscopy. Results: The MD patients' bolus transit times were significantly longer, and onsets of some swallow gestures were significantly delayed. Upper esophageal sphincter opening was prolonged (myotonic MD,.61 ±.13s; control,.5 ±.11s). Hyoid displacement was significantly less in men with myotonic MD (1.9 ±.05cm) than in male controls (2.4 ±.68cm); this difference was not observed between control and myotonic women. Of particular importance was the markedly reduced pharyngeal constriction found in the MD group. Conclusions: Weakness associated with the disease, as opposed to myotonia, was the most significant contributor to impairment. Persons at risk for aspiration may be identified by a measure of pharyngeal area. Selected strategies to facilitate pharyngeal clearing are worthwhile. © 2001 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Variability of expression of the orofaciodigital syndrome type I in black females: six cases.

Orofaciodigital syndrome type I (OFD I) includes striking orodental, facial, digital, renal, and central nervous system (CNS) abnormalities. Frequently associated with mental retardation, OFD I is inherited as an X-linked dominant trait, lethal in males. Here, we report the variable expressivity of OFD I in 6 black U.S. females and review findings in 2 previously reported black patients. Only these 8 of over 160 reported cases involve blacks. Abnormalities observed in black patients are similar to those observed in whites, but with specific differences. Only 25% of the blacks had cleft palate and none was observed with midline cleft of the upper lip. Among whites, 80% have cleft palate and 45% midline cleft of the upper lip. These findings suggest that racial genetic factors may protect lip and palate development in blacks, even in the presence of the OFD I gene. CNS abnormalities, including agenesis of the corpus callosum, hydrocephaly, cystic brain lesions, seizures, and mental retardation, were present in 50% of our the cases. This figure is greater than previously reported. Polycystic kidneys were present in 3 of our patients. Including a previously reported patient, 50% of the black OFD I patients show polycystic kidneys. Hyperplastic and supernumerary frenula, with or without brachydactyly, have been shown to be strong diagnostic criteria in our patients. New findings reported here include intracranial berry aneurysm, periodontal disease, and lip pits. Clinicians treating these patients should be aware of the pleiotropic manifestations of the syndrome, which may include renal and CNS anomalies. Ultrasonic and computed tomography scan studies are indicated in patients diagnosed with OFD I.
The origin of the Nicaraguan depression

A conspicuous graben extends for 800 kilometers through El Salvador and western Nicaragua to the Caribbean Sea in northeastern Costa Rica. Like the smaller but structurally similar Semangko and Toba Depressions of northern Sumatra, the trough is clearly related to voluminous volcanic eruptions during Late Tertiary time.
Use-dependent dendritic regrowth is limited after unilateral controlled cortical impact to the forelimb sensorimotor cortex.

Abstract Compensatory neural plasticity occurs in both hemispheres following unilateral cortical damage incurred by seizures, stroke, and focal lesions. Plasticity is thought to play a role in recovery of function, and is important for the utility of rehabilitation strategies. Such effects have not been well described in models of traumatic brain injury (TBI). We examined changes in immunoreactivity for neural structural and plasticity-relevant proteins in the area surrounding a controlled cortical impact (CCI) to the forelimb sensorimotor cortex (FL-SMC), and in the contralateral homotopic cortex over time (3–28 days). CCI resulted in considerable motor deficits in the forelimb contralateral to injury, and increased reliance on the ipsilateral forelimb. The density of dendritic processes, visualized with immunostaining for microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2), were bilaterally decreased at all time points. Synaptophysin (SYN) immunoreactivity increased transiently in the injured hemisphere, but this ...
Comparing image quality of print-on-demand books and photobooks from web-based vendors

Because of the emergence of e-commerce and developments in print engines designed for economical output of very short runs, there are increased business opportunities and consumer options for print-on-demand books and photobooks. The current state of these printing modes allows for direct uploading of book files via the web, printing on nonoffset printers, and distributing by standard parcel or mail delivery services. The goal of this research is to assess the image quality of print-on-demand books and photobooks produced by various Web-based vendors and to identify correlations between psychophysical results and objective metrics. Six vendors were identified for one-off (single-copy) print-on-demand books, and seven vendors were identified for photobooks. Participants rank ordered overall quality of a subset of individual pages from each book, where the pages included text, photographs, or a combination of the two. Observers also reported overall quality ratings and price estimates for the bound books. Objective metrics of color gamut, color accuracy, accuracy of International Color Consortium profile usage, eye-weighted root mean square L * , and cascaded modulation transfer acutance were obtained and compared to the observer responses. We introduce some new methods for normalizing data as well as for strengthening the statistical significance of the results. Our approach includes the use of latent mixed-effect models. We found statistically significant correlation with overall image quality and some of the spatial metrics, but correlations between psychophysical results and other objective metrics were weak or nonexistent. Strong correlation was found between psychophysical results of overall quality assessment and estimated price associated with quality. The photobook set of vendors reached higher image-quality ratings than the set of print-on-demand vendors. However, the photobook set had higher image-quality variability.
Maximum principle and convergence of central schemes based on slope limiters

A maximum principle and convergence of second order central schemes is proven for scalar conservation laws in dimension one. It is well known that to establish a maximum principle a nonlinear piecewise linear reconstruction is needed and a typical choice is the minmod limiter. Unfortunately, this implies that the scheme uses a first order reconstruction at local extrema. The novelty here is that we allow local nonlinear reconstructions which do not reduce to first order at local extrema and still prove maximum principle and convergence.
Transitions from solid to liquid in isotactic polystyrene studied by thermal analysis and X-ray scattering

A three-phase model, comprising mobile amorphous fraction (MAF), rigid amorphous fraction (RAF) and crystalline fraction (C), has been applied to interpret the thermal transitions and structure of cold-crystallized isotactic polystyrene (iPS) from below the glass transition temperature, Tg, to above the melting point. Quenched amorphous iPS films were isothermally crystallized at different temperatures for 12 h. The fraction of crystalline phase, fc, was measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), wide angle X-ray scattering and Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy. The fraction of the mobile amorphous phase, fMAF, was obtained from the heat capacity increment at the glass transition temperature. In the three-phase model, the fraction of the rigid amorphous phase, fRAF, was found from 1KfMAFKfc. Specific heat capacity measurements by standard DSC confirm that the experimental baseline heat capacity conforms to a three-phase model for temperatures ranging from below Tg, up to the relaxation of RAF. The relaxation of RAF appears as a sigmoidal change in heat capacity accompanied by excess enthalpy, in which solid-like RAF is converted to an identical amount of liquid-like MAF. At temperatures above the relaxation of RAF, either one or two major crystal melting endotherms are observed in standard DSC, dependent upon crystallization temperature. However, using quasi-isothermal temperature modulated DSC, we always observed two reversing melting endotherms. The effects of annealing on iPS structure during the quasi-isothermal measurement were assessed using small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Combining the DSC and SAXS results, a model for the melting of iPS lamellae at low heating rates is
Some practical considerations in development of multichannel scala tympani prostheses.

There are several basic issues regarding the safety and feasibility of implanting multichannel scala tympani cochlear prostheses in humans. Physiological and technical studies have been designed to resolve some of these questions. Results of physiological investigations demonstrate that (1) nerve viability is not affected by the presence (without activation) of a multichannel array; (2) use of a highly specified bipolar electrode configuration permits discrete and predictable stimulation of sectors of the auditory nerve array, and (3) some deleterious effects (i.e., nerve damage and calcification products) may result when stimulus parameters (intensity, duration and waveform symmetry) are not well controlled over long periods of stimulation. Results of technical investigations regarding the specifications (materials and design) of multi-electrode arrays and engineering studies regarding hardware and software for safe and efficient stimulators for humans have provided devices with which 2 patients could be implanted and tested psychophysically. Some preliminary results of testing with these provide data regarding threshold, loudness discrimination and pitch perception.
Bacterial chromosome origins of replication

Bacteria regulate chromosomal replication from one specific origin. We compare the regulatory requirements, DNA structures, and biochemical properties of the prototypic Escherichia coli origin with those of evolutionarily distant Bacillus subtilis and Caulobacter crescentus origins. The ubiquitous DnaA protein is a major regulator of all three bacterial origins. Unique features of these origins, however, may reflect specific regulatory requirements placed on them.
Identifying Survivors With Traumatic Craniocervical Dissociation: A Retrospective Study

Background Traumatic craniocervical dissociation (CCD), which includes atlanto-occipital dissociation and vertical distraction between C1-C2, is often an immediately fatal injury that has increasingly been associated with survival to the hospital. Our aim was to identify survivors of CCD based on clinical presentation. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the Harborview Medical Center Trauma Registry and the King County Medical Examiners database from 2001 to 2006. Patients ≥ 12 y old were identified by ICD-9 code, radiographic diagnosis on lateral cervical spine films, and CT. We examined age, gender, mechanism of injury, presentation and prehospital and hospital interventions, and radiographic findings to distinguish survivors and non-survivors. Results Of 69 patients with CCD, 47 were diagnosed post mortem, 22 were diagnosed in hospital, and seven survived to discharge. When comparing survivors and non-survivors, age, gender, and injury severity score were not significant. Survivors had significantly higher GCS, and were more likely to be normotensive; none had cervical cord injury; 80% of non-survivors had a basion-dental interval (BDI) of ≥16 mm. Conclusions Trauma patients diagnosed with CCD in the ED, with cervical cord injury, requiring CPR, and with GCS of 3 will not survive their injury. Wider BDI is associated with mortality.
Design of an ultralow coverage metal evaporator based on a geometric factor

An ultralow coverage eight‐metal evaporator has been designed, built, tested, and put into use. Based on a geometric factor of 1:200, a metal coverage as low as 10−4 monolayer is reproducibly obtained with an error in coverage less than 20%. Various considerations during the design of the evaporator are discussed.
Aphasia and the lateralization of language.

A major interest throughout the investigative career of Norman Geschwind concerned asymmetries of the cerebral hemispheres and the significance of these anatomical asymmetries for human behavior. The most dramatic functional example is, of course, human language, a phenomenon that occupied an important part of Geschwind's efforts. In this essay some contemporary investigations are viewed against the original concepts of hemispheric specialization for language in an attempt to clarify our concepts of hemispheric asymmetries of language functions.
Use of Adsol® preservation solution for prolonged storage of low viscosity AS‐1 red blood cells

A new red cell preservation solution is described in which the red cells may be stored for 49 d with greater than 75% mean post-transfusion recovery. Blood is drawn into Anticoagulant Citrate Phosphate Dextrose Solution, centrifuged, the plasma removed and the cells resuspended in 100 ml of a solution containing saline, adenine, dextrose and mannitol (Adsol Preservation Solution, Fenwal Laboratories, Deerfield, Illinois). The final product, AS-1 Red Blood Cells, has a haematocrit of approximately 0.60 and flow properties that are similar to those of whole blood. After storage, red cell haemolysis is minimal and erythrocyte adenosine triphosphate is well preserved. This study documents that red cells may be stored in a protein-poor electrolyte medium for periods of 49 d with good post-transfusion survival.
Global Knowledge Management Strategies

In this paper we address the issue of managing knowledge within firms that span multiple countries. Through a series of semi-structured interviews with 29 senior managers, spanning three continents and 11 firms, we present insights on knowledge management approaches and strategies being undertaken. In the organizations we interviewed we found presence of three strategies for knowledge management: Headquarter Commissioned and Executed, Headquarter Commissioned and Regionally Executed, and Regionally Commissioned and Locally Executed. We also discuss challenges faced in executing global knowledge management initiatives.
THE THEME OF PREDESTINATION IN THE CANCIONERO DE BAENA

>Castilian poets of the time of Henry III were fond of discussing theological and ‘natural’ subjects, and of all such none was more dramatic for them than predestination. One recalls the lengthy pregunta on the subject by Fernan Sanchez Talavera, a work which was the occasion of no less than eight pieces written in answer, including a final respuesta by Talavera himself. If we look at the very unusual contents of the pregunta, we can see, at short range at least, why the poem attracted such attention. In it the poet casts doubt on no less a dogma than that of the justice of God. How can God be accounted good, he asks, if He creates a man He knows is going to be damned? His complicity in evil seems the greater, if we consider that it is only the free gift of grace that keeps the just man out of Hell in the first place. The most startling aspect of Talavera's argument is the scarcely hidden premise that Salvation is entirely and unconditionally God's doing and that human effort has little part in it. Good w...
Effect of epinephrine of glycogen phosphorylase-α in various preparations of rat liver

Abstract 1. 1. Glycogen phosphorylase- α , a commonly used index of cytosolic free calcium, was compared in various preparations of rat liver in the absence and presence of 0.1 μM epinephrine. 2. 2. Total phosphorylase in isolated perfused livers and freshly-isolated hepatocytes were the same as that observed in liver in situ ; however, phosphorylase- α was 50% higher in perfused liver and 80% higher in hepatocytes than activies measured in situ . Total phosphorylase was reduced approximately 50% in hepatocytes maintained in primary culture for 24 hr. 3. 3. Epinephrine increased phosphorylase- a approximately 2-fold in livers perfused for 30 min but only about 20% in hepatocytes incubated for 30 min. After 90 min of perfusion or incubation, epinephrine increased phosphorylase- α nearly 4-fold in perfused livers and only 30% in isolated hepatocytes. The results suggest that amounts of free calcium and calcium-dependent coupling of adrenergic receptors to phosphorylase- α differ markedly between the intact liver and isolated hepatocytes.
Calcineurin regulates bone formation by the osteoblast

Two of the most commonly used immunosuppressants, cyclosporine A and tacrolimus (FK506), inhibit the activity of a ubiquitously expressed Ca2+/calmodulin-sensitive phosphatase, calcineurin. Because both drugs also cause profound bone loss in humans and in animal models, we explored whether calcineurin played a role in regulating skeletal remodeling. We found that osteoblasts contained mRNA and protein for all isoforms of calcineurin A and B. TAT-assisted transduction of fusion protein TAT-calcineurin Aα into osteoblasts resulted in the enhanced expression of the osteoblast differentiation markers Runx-2, alkaline phosphatase, bone sialoprotein, and osteocalcin. This expression was associated with a dramatic enhancement of bone formation in intact calvarial cultures. Calcineurin Aα-/- mice displayed severe osteoporosis, markedly reduced mineral apposition rates, and attenuated colony formation in 10-day ex vivo stromal cell cultures. The latter was associated with significant reductions in Runx2, bone sialoprotein, and osteocalcin expression, paralleled by similar decreases in response to FK506. Together, the gain- and loss-of-function experiments indicate that calcineurin regulates bone formation through an effect on osteoblast differentiation.
Risky edges: temporal variation in brood parasitism of Northern Cardinals

Abstract Forest edges are often associated with a high risk of brood parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater), but the extent to which this vulnerability changes across the breeding season is poorly understood. We evaluated temporal variability in the relationship between distance to habitat edges and risk of brood parasitism. From 2008–2010, we monitored parasitism of 347 nests of Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) at 19 forested sites within the urbanizing landscapes of central Ohio. For each nest, we measured distance to the nearest edge (e.g., road, residential area, mowed field, agriculture, and natural area) and recorded when clutches were initiated. We found that risk of parasitism associated with edges varied with time of season. Early in the breeding season, risk of parasitism declined with increasing distance from edges. However, late in the breeding season, nests farther from edges had higher rates of parasitism. These patterns suggest that early in the season, cowbirds sear...
The (modest) utility of MCI theory

Suppose the following were the story of an existing people, an ancient village at the base of a knoll on which a solitary tree grew. One year, the usual summer rains did not come, leaving the crops...
Ensuring the continuing success of vizsec

In this position paper, I share my research findings in the security visualization research, and my thoughts on the problems and challenges we researchers face. I also outline what we need to do to ensure the continuing success of our community. It is my belief that the future of VizSec research depends on successful addressing the following tasks: 1. Generating effective and high-level visualization design guidelines and research methodologies. 2. Conducting studies to quantify effectiveness of security visualization techniques. 3. Contributing to the two parent communities, namely computer security and visualization, by integrating visualization components into existing security tools and feeding back successful visualization designs.
A data mining approach for the elucidation of the action of putative etiological agents: application to the non-genotoxic carcinogenicity of genistein.

Abstract A procedure designated “the virtual similarity index” (VSI) is described to determine the probability that two or more toxicants are related mechanistically. The approach is structure–activity relationship (SAR) based and generates the virtual toxicological profiles of the chemicals under investigation. It also determines the similarities between them. That commonality is compared to the frequency with which it is found among a population of 10,000 chemicals representing the “universe of chemicals”. The similarities between the candidate chemicals and chemicals known to act by other recognized mechanisms are also determined. If the similarities between the candidate chemicals are significantly greater than for the non-related ones, the chemicals are assumed to act by a common mechanism. In that context, the putative non-genotoxic mechanism responsible for the carcinogenicity of genistein (GEN) and its relationship to the action of diethylstilbestrol is examined.
Schistosoma mansoni: eicosanoid production by cercariae.

Abstract Cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni are stimulated to penetrate skin by certain free fatty acids. The cercariae have an active arachidonate cascade, presumably using host skin essential fatty acids as cascade precursors. Exposing cercariae to 3.3 mM linoleate for 1, 10, and 60 min resulted in production of a wide variety of eicosanoids. Using high-performance liquid chromatography, eicosanoids coeluting with prostaglandin E2, D2, and A2, leukotriene B4, and 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid standards were identified, as well as unidentified peak positions. Radioimmunoassay confirmed the presence of immunoreactive prostaglandin E1, and E2, and 5- and 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids in cercarial extracts. No eicosanoid production occurred when cercariae were exposed to 3.3 mM oleate and 1 or 330 μM linoleate. Both high-performance liquid chromatography and radioimmunoassay data indicated that cercariae regulate the production of eicosanoids through time. It is postulated that arachidonate metabolism and subsequent eicosanoid production are required for successful cercarial penetration.
Colorectal Cancer Resections in the Aging US Population: A Trend Toward Decreasing Rates and Improved Outcomes

Importance The incidence of colorectal cancer in elderly patients is likely to increase, but there is a lack of large nationwide data regarding the mortality and morbidity of colorectal cancer resections in the aging population. Objective To examine the surgical trends and outcomes of colorectal cancer treatment in the elderly. Design, Setting, and Participants A review of operative outcomes for colorectal cancer in the United States was conducted in a Nationwide Inpatient Sample from January 1, 2001, through December 31, 2010. Patients were stratified within age groups of 45 to 64, 65 to 69, 70 to 74, 75 to 79, 80 to 84, and 85 years and older. Postoperative complications and yearly trends were analyzed. A multivariate logistic regression was used to compare in-hospital mortality and morbidity between individual groups of patients 65 years and older and those aged 45 to 64 years while controlling for sex, comorbidities, procedure type, diagnosis, and hospital status. Main Outcomes and Measures In-hospital mortality and morbidity. Results Among the estimated 1 043 108 patients with colorectal cancer sampled, 63.8% of the operations were performed on those 65 years and older and 22.6% on patients 80 years and older. Patients 80 years and older were 1.7 times more likely to undergo urgent admission than those younger than 65 years. Patients younger than 65 years accounted for 46.0% of the laparoscopies performed in the elective setting compared with 14.1% for patients 80 years and older. Mortality during the 10 years decreased by a mean of 6.6%, with the most considerable decrease observed in the population 85 years and older (9.1%). Patients 80 years and older had an associated $9492 higher hospital charge and an increased 2½-day length of stay vs patients younger than 65 years. Compared with patients aged 45 to 64 years, higher risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality was observed in patients with advancing age: 65 to 69 years (odds ratio, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.18-1.49), 70 to 74 years (2.02; 1.82-2.24), 75 to 79 years (2.51; 2.28-2.76), 80 to 84 years (3.15; 2.86-3.46), and 85 years and older (4.72; 4.30-5.18) ( P P Conclusions and Relevance Most operations for colorectal cancer are performed on the aging population, with an overall decrease in the number of cases performed. Despite the overall improved mortality seen during the past 10 years, the risk-adjusted mortality and morbidity of the elderly continue to be substantially higher than that for the younger population.
Ordering an Echocardiogram for Evaluation of Left Ventricular Function: Level of Expertise Necessary for Efficient Use

This prospective study was performed to test the hypothesis that the yield of 2-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) would be higher when it is ordered by a cardiologist than by a noncardiologist. Patients referred for transthoracic 2DE for the evaluation of left ventricular systolic function for the 11-month period between July 10, 1995, and June 10, 1996, were included in the study. Demographic, historical, and clinical findings were recorded. Whether the patient was referred by a cardiologist versus a noncardiologist was used as the predictor variable in a binary logistic regression analysis. To address the possibility that the yield of 2DE may be higher for cardiologists because the prevalence of disease in patients referred to them may be higher (selection bias), the analysis was subjected to a propensity score adjustment. Of 2176 patients referred for 2DE during the study, 1033 were referred for the evaluation of left ventricular function. The test had a positive yield in 52% of patients for cardiologists versus 31% for noncardiologists (chi(2) = 45.5, P <.0001, odds ratio 2.4 [CI = 1. 9-3.1]). This difference remained highly significant even when propensity score risk adjustment was made (chi(2) = 54.2, P <.0001, odds ratio 2.0 [CI = 1.5-2.8]). We conclude that the yield of 2DE is higher for cardiologists compared with noncardiologists and that this result was not related to differences in patient populations examined by the two groups. Thus, more efficient use of 2DE may be achieved if patients are referred to cardiologists rather than directly sent for 2DE.
Evolution of gastrulation in the ray‐finned (actinopterygian) fishes

Sometime before or during the early Mesozoic era, new lineages of actinopterygian (ray-finned) fishes radically transformed their mode of gastrulation. During this evolutionary transformation, yolky endoderm was a hotspot for ontogenetic change. As holoblastic cleavage patterns were modified into meroblastic cleavage patterns, major changes in cell identity specification occurred within the mesendodermal marginal zone, as well as in the superficial epithelium of the embryo. These cellular identity changes resulted in the appearance of two novel extra-embryonic tissues within the embryos of teleostean fishes: the enveloping layer (EVL) and the yolk syncytial layer (YSL). The generation of these extra-embryonic tissues prompted major morphogenetic changes within the Organizer Region. As these evolutionary changes occurred, the outermost cell layer of the Organizer (the Organizer Epithelium) was apparently retained as a signaling center necessary for the establishment of left-right embryonic asymmetry in the embryo. Conserved and derived features of Organizer morphogenesis and gastrulation within ancient lineages of ray-finned fishes provide important insights into how the genetically encoded cell behaviors of early morphogenesis can be altered during the course of evolution. In particular, a highly divergent form of actinopterygian gastrulation, which is found in the annual fishes of South America, demonstrates that no aspect of vertebrate gastrulation is inherently immutable to evolutionary change.
Ab InitioFolding of Peptides by the Optimal-Bias Monte Carlo Minimization Procedure

Prediction of three-dimensional structures of proteins and peptides by global optimization of the free energy estimate has been attempted without much success for over thirty years. The key problems were the insufficient accuracy of the free energy estimate and the giant size of the conformational space. Global optimization of the free energy function of a peptide in internal coordinate space is a powerful method of structure prediction that outperforms both Molecular Dynamics, bound by the continuity requirement, and Monte Carlo, bound by the Boltzmann ensemble generation requirement. We demonstrate that stochastic global optimization algorithms of the first order, i.e., with local minimization after each iteration (e.g., Monte Carlo-Minimization), have a greater chance of finding the global minimum after a fixed number of function evaluations. Recently, the principle of optimal bias was mathematically justified and the Optimal-Bias Monte Carlo-Minimization algorithm (a.k.a. Biased Probability Monte Carlo-minimization) was successfully applied to theoreticalab initiofolding of several peptides, resulting in more than a 10-fold increase in efficiency compared to the Monte Carlo-Minimization method. The square-root bias is shown to be comparable in performance with the previously derived linear bias. A 23-residue peptide of beta-beta-alpha structure can be predicted from any random starting conformation.
Laser-pumped atomic clock exploiting pressure-broadened optical transitions

The alkali-vapor-cell atomic clock, of either the conventional or the coherent population trapping type, offers one of the most viable approaches to making ultraminiature and chip-scale devices. Unfortunately, this atomic clock suffers from two laser-induced noise processes: conversion of laser phase noise (PM) to amplitude noise (AM) and ac-Stark-shift fluctuations. Here we demonstrate a method for circumventing these problems in a passive and miniaturizable manner based on pressure broadening of the relevant optical transitions. For this purpose we have constructed a conventional atomic clock employing Rb^87 vapor confined with 100 Torr of N2. In this relatively high-pressure environment, both PM-to-AM conversion efficiency and the ac-Stark shift are reduced. Though we employ a phase-noisy, single-mode diode laser and lock the laser frequency to the pressure-broadened 1.6-GHz D_1 absorption line of Rb, we obtain excellent short-term frequency stability [i.e., sigma_y(tau)=1.8 × 10^−12/tau^½]. Moreover, as a single resonance cell generates locking signals for both the laser wavelength and the crystal oscillator, the atomic clock has real potential for miniaturization.
Baboon cues for eating meat

Two types of manipulations were performed with a troop of predatory baboons to elucidate the cues which individuals use in eating meat. Gazelle carcasses which had been killed, consumed and abandoned by the baboons were presented to various members of the troop. Live domestic rabbits were also placed among the troop. Gazelle carcasses were eaten by individuals who had eaten from the carcass earlier in the day or who had seen other baboons eating the carcass, and were avoided by individuals who had no prior experience with the carcass. Rabbits were investigated, groomed or rejected although one predation did occur. These data suggest a complex process of evaluation in baboon meat-eating in which social cues can be an overriding factor. The data also argue for a conservatism in baboon consumption of meat which may have an evolutionary basis. Such a conservatism could provide an inhibition to scavenging among non-human primates and has implications for models of human evolution which posit a scavenging stage. These implications are discussed.
On the problem of bias in error rate estimation for discriminant analysis

Abstract This paper examines the question of how to make a determination of success for discriminant analysis. Given that the basis for such a judgment lies in estimates of expected error rates, the problem resolves to a comparative study of error rate estimators. We compare several techniques in a setting of high true probabilities of misclassification with varying sample sizes and numbers of groups. Interpretation of the results centers on the problem of estimators which consistently underestimate the true probability of misclassification. Experimental circumstances which tend to amplify this bias are discussed. Estimators which do not suffer from this bias are also presented and discussed.
Ovarian capillary hemangioma presenting as an adnexal mass with massive ascites and elevated CA-125.

Abstract Objective. Ovarian hemangiomas are very rare with the majority being cavernous hemangiomas. We report a case of a capillary ovarian hemangioma. Methods. A case report of a woman with a capillary ovarian hemangioma with massive ascites and an elevated CA-125 is presented. Results. A 39-year-old woman presented with an enlarged ovary containing two ovarian cysts. Her CA-125 was elevated to 872 U/ml. On surgical exploration, she had 1500 cc of clear yellow ascitic fluid and a 7.9 × 6.5 × 4.5 cm left ovarian mass. Frozen section revealed marked stromal edema with luteinized cells and no evidence of malignancy. Histologically, the tumor was a cellular capillary hemangioma with an anastomosing vascular pattern. Conclusions. This is the first case, reported in the literature, of an ovarian capillary hemangioma presenting with an elevated CA-125 and massive ascites.
The Cotton Influence Index: An Examination of U.S. Cotton Subsidies

Given the lack of a bill or amendment specific to cotton, we introduce a Cotton Influence Index to capture legislators' influence in championing the cause of the cotton growers during the hearings of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002. Regression analyses reveal a relationship between Cotton Influence Index and campaign contributions, cotton farmland, party affiliation, and ideology. Tobit analysis indicates a significant relationship between different “actions and participations” by representatives to advance the interest of cotton—that is, components of this index and their future cotton political action committees' (PACs) contributions to them. Copyright 2006, Oxford University Press.
Design-phase prediction of potential cancer clinical trial accrual success using a research data mart.

Background Many cancer interventional clinical trials are not completed because the required number of eligible patients are not enrolled. Objective To assess the value of using a research data mart (RDM) during the design of cancer clinical trials as a predictor of potential patient accrual, so that less trials fail to meet enrollment requirements. Materials and methods The eligibility criteria for 90 interventional cancer trials were translated into i2b2 RDM queries and cohort sizes obtained for the 2 years prior to the trial initiation. These RDM cohort numbers were compared to the trial accrual requirements, generating predictions of accrual success. These predictions were then compared to the actual accrual performance to evaluate the ability of this methodology to predict the trials' likelihood of enrolling sufficient patients. Results Our methodology predicted successful accrual (specificity) with 0.969 (=31/32 trials) accuracy (95% CI 0.908 to 1) and predicted failed accrual (sensitivity) with 0.397 (=23/58 trials) accuracy (95% CI 0.271 to 0.522). The positive predictive value, or precision rate, is 0.958 (=23/24) (95% CI 0.878 to 1). Discussion A prediction of ‘failed accrual’ by this methodology is very reliable, whereas a prediction of accrual success is less so, as causes of accrual failure other than an insufficient eligible patient pool are not considered. Conclusions The application of this methodology to cancer clinical design would significantly improve cancer clinical research by reducing the costly efforts expended initiating trials that predictably will fail to meet accrual requirements.
The psychological impact of intragenerational social class mobility

This study revisits and extends a classic question in sociology and tests three competing hypotheses about the effects of intragenerational social class mobility on distress and psychological well-being at midlife. Prior research on this topic investigated the effects of intergenerational mobility, but did not look at how mobility during adulthood (intragenerational mobility) affects psychological distress and well-being. Previous literature is also limited by methodological problems that make it difficult to estimate the separate effects of prior social class, current social class, and social mobility. This study overcomes this methodological problem using a novel approach that breaks the linear dependence between prior class, current class, and intragenerational mobility. After accounting for prior and current class, I find that social mobility is not associated with psychological distress and self-acceptance. Instead, mobile individuals come to resemble their nonmobile
Patterns of kinase activation induced by injury in the murine femoral artery.

Background Intimal hyperplasia remains the principal lesion in the development of restenosis after vessel wall injury. Modulation of the extracellular matrix by proteases is a pivotal component of the response to injury. The aim of this study is to characterize the changes in gelatinase (MMP-2/TIMP-2 and MMP-9/TIMP-1) systems in a murine model. Methods The murine femoral wire injury model was used in which a microwire is passed through a branch of the femoral and used to denude the common femoral artery. Pluronic gel was used to apply a proteass inhibitor (GM6001) to the exterior of the vessels. Specimens were perfusion-fixed and sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and Movat's stain such that morphometry could be performed by using an ImagePro system. Additional specimens of femoral artery were also harvested and snap frozen for Western blotting and zymography to allow for the study of gelatinase expression and activation. Contralateral vessels were used as controls. Results MMP-2 activity increased significantly at day 1, peaked again at day 7, and then showed a continual decline in activity to day 56. MMP-9 activity peaked early at day 3 and declined thereafter. Protein expression for both MMP-2 and MMP-9 increased significantly after injury and both were maximal at day 14. There was an initial decrease in TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 expression and activity after injury until day 5. Both expression and activation gradually increased thereafter to level out by day 21 and correlated well with the early increases in MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity and their subsequent decline. Local application of protease inhibitor (GM6001) within a pluronic gel decreased cell proliferation, and at 14 d there was a decrease in intimal hyperplasia. Conclusions These data demonstrate that femoral wire injury in the mouse is associated with a time-dependent increase in gelatinase activity. Cell proliferation is associated with increased MMP-2/MMP-9 activity and decreased TIMP-2/TIMP-1 activity, whereas migration is associated with increased in MMP-2 activity. Modulation of proteases and their inhibitors control the vessels' response to injury.
The Allocation of Household Labor by Partners in Gay and Lesbian Couples

This study examined how full-time employed partners from 43 gay and 36 lesbian couples allocated labor for six household tasks typically performed by women in heterosexual couples. Although the relative frequency of performing household labor within the couple did not differ between gay and lesbian partners, compared to gay partners, lesbian partners reported that more tasks were done equally often by both partners. The relative frequency of performing household labor was related to interest in household labor, even with controls for skill in performing household labor. Satisfaction with the division of household labor exerted its effect on both relationship satisfaction and relationship stability through perceived equality in the relationship.
Conserved terminal organelle morphology and function in Mycoplasma penetrans and Mycoplasma iowae

Within the genus Mycoplasma are species whose cells have terminal organelles, polarized structures associated with cytadherence and gliding motility. Mycoplasma penetrans, found mostly in HIV-infected patients, and Mycoplasma iowae, an economically significant poultry pathogen, are members of the Mycoplasma muris phylogenetic cluster. Both species have terminal organelles that interact with host cells, yet the structures in these species, or any in the M. muris cluster, remain uncharacterized. Time-lapse microcinematography of two strains of M. penetrans, GTU-54-6A1 and HF-2, and two serovars of M. iowae, K and N, show that the terminal organelles of both species play a role in gliding motility, with differences in speed within and between the two species. The strains and serovars also differed in their hemadsorption abilities that positively correlated with differences in motility speeds. No morphological differences were observed between M. penetrans and M. iowae by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM and light microscopy of M. penetrans and M. iowae showed the presence of membranous filaments connecting pairs of dividing cells. Breaking of this filament during cell division was observed for M. penetrans by microcinematography, and this suggests a role for motility during division. The Triton X-100-insoluble fractions of M. penetrans and M. iowae consisted of similar structures that were unique compared to those identified in other mycoplasma species. Like other polarized mycoplasmas, M. penetrans and M. iowae have terminal organelles with cytadherence and gliding functions. The difference in function and morphology of the terminal organelles suggests that mycoplasmas have evolved terminal organelles independently of one another.
Learning About Information Technologies and Social Change: The Contribution of Social Informatics

Social informatics is the body of research that examines the design, uses, and consequences of information and communication technologies in ways that take into account their interaction with institutional and cultural contexts. This article serves as a brief introduction to social informatics. Examples such as computer networks, scientific communication via electronic journals, and public access to the Internet are used to illustrate key ideas from social informatics research. Some of the key themes include the importance of social contexts and work processes, sociotechnical networks, public access to information, and social infrastructure for computing support. The article draws upon 25 years of systematic analytical and critical research about information technology and social change.