cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Subtotal functional sialoadenectomy vs four-duct ligation for the treatment of drooling in neurologically impaired children: long-term follow-up.

OBJECTIVES The best surgical option to treat drooling in neurodisabilities is still under debate. The aim of this study was to describe the technique of subtotal functional sialoadenectomy (SFS) (ie four-duct ligation (4-DL) together with bilateral sublingual gland excision) and its long-term outcomes, in comparison with 4-DL. DESIGN Retrospective observational cohort study. SETTING Unit of Pediatric Surgery of Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital (Rome). PARTICIPANTS Seventy-five patients surgically treated for drooling between 2002 and 2012, with at least five years of follow-up, divided into two groups: 4-DL group (19 patients) underwent four-duct ligation, and SFS group (56 patients) underwent subtotal functional sialoadenectomy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Primary end points were the evaluation of drooling improvement after surgery (parameters: Drooling Severity and Frequency Scale, DSFS; no of bibs/day; no of shirts/day; no of pneumonia/year; use of antidrooling drugs) and the comparison between two different surgical techniques. RESULTS Median age at surgery was 10 years (1-35). Long-term outcomes showed significant improvement in DSFS and in no of shirts/day in both groups. Significantly better results were found in the SFS group than in the 4-DL group as far as DSFS (P value .045), no of bibs/day (P value .041), no of shirts/day (P value .032) are concerned. Reoperation rate for recurrence was 42% in the 4-DL group and 0% in the SFS group (P value < .0001). Six patients (8%; 2 in the 4-DL group and 4 in the SFS group) experienced perioperative complications, while 4 patients (5%; 2 in the 4-DL group and 2 in the SFS group) recorded long-term complications, with no difference between groups neither need for surgical treatment. No surgery-related mortality was recorded. CONCLUSIONS In our experience, subtotal functional sialoadenectomy ensured significantly greater long-term effects than four-duct ligation for drooling treatment in neurologically impaired child, with equal complication rate.
Rethinking lensing and Λ

Strong gravitational lensing has traditionally been one of the few phenomena said to oppose a large cosmological constant; many analyses of lens statistics have given upper limits on ΩΛ that are marginally inconsistent with the concordance cosmology. Those conclusions were based on models in which the predicted number counts of galaxies at moderate redshifts (z ~ 0.5-1) increased significantly with ΩΛ. I argue that the models should now be calibrated by counts of distant galaxies. When this is done, lens statistics lose most of their sensitivity to the cosmological constant.
Multi-factor-based Motion Detection for Server Rack Doors Left Open

It is crucial to ensure that server rack doors are properly closed in data centers in order to prevent serious dangers caused by the doors suddenly opening in disasters and causing accidents that hurt maintenance workers and damage facilities. In this paper, we propose multi-factor-based motion detection for server rack doors that have been left open. Our approach recognizes the status of server rack doors on the basis of maintenance workers’ motion and prevents a worker from forgetting to close the doors without using any additional devices, only smartphones, which maintenance engineers already carry for work.
Perceived Parameters of Christian Pharmacy Students' Faith-Sharing in Clinical Settings.

Our interdisciplinary team (which included professionals from nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and psychology) conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with pharmacy students (n = 14) who were presently in a clinical rotation. When conducting the phenomenological, qualitative research study, we explored how students framed their respective experiences of incorporating spirituality into their clinical work. Three themes emerged from the interviews: (1) The students reportedly viewed their main role as being more of a support person than an evangelist, (2) They framed their influence from the perspective of so-called faith flags, and (3) They perceived more opportunities for influence with their coworkers than with patients. We discuss the findings in light of published findings and also in terms of how health care workers frame the concept of “ministry.”
Simulating Vapor–Liquid Equilibria of PH3, AsH3, and SbH3 from First Principles

Because of their toxicity, flammability, and chemical instability, the vapor–liquid equilibria of the group V hydrides, phosphine, arsine, and stibine are underexplored. Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo ...
The Face of the Party: Party Leadership Selection, and the Role of Family and Faith:

Political parties in developing country democracies are often characterized by undemocratic internal party practices, including for selecting party organizational leaders. Scholars identify institu...
Impact of whey protein supplementation in a weight-loss intervention in rural dwelling adults: A feasibility study.

Summary Background & aims Weight loss in older adults enhances physical function, but may lead to sarcopenia and osteoporosis. Whey protein is a low cost rich source of essential amino acids, may improve physical function. We evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of consuming whey protein in the context of a weight-loss intervention in older adults with obesity. Methods A 12-week pilot feasibility, non-randomized weight loss study of 28 older adults was conducted, consisting of individualized, weekly dietitian visits with twice weekly physical therapist-led group strengthening classes. Half consumed whey protein, three times weekly, following exercise. Preliminary efficacy measures of body composition, sit-to-stand, 6-min walk and grip strength and subjective measures of self-reported health and function were also evaluated. Results Of the 37 enrolled, 28 completed the study (50 % in the protein group). Attendance rates for protein vs. non-protein groups were 89.9 ± 11.1 % vs. 95.6 ± 3.4 % (p = 0.08). Protein consumption was high in those attending classes (90.3 %) as was compliance at home (82.6 %). Whey was pleasant (67.3 ± 22.1, range 30–100, above average), had little aftertaste, and was neither salty or sticky. All were compliant (0.64 ± 0.84, range 0–5, low = higher compliance). Both groups lost significant weight (protein vs. no protein, −3.45 ± 2.86 vs. −5.79 ± 3.08, p = 0.47); Sit-to-stand, 6-min walk, and gait speed were no different, grip strength was improved in the protein compared to the non-protein group (−2.63 kg vs. 4.29 kg; p Conclusions Our results suggest that whey protein is a low-cost and readily available nutritional supplement that can be integrated into a weight loss intervention.
Migrating Silver-Haired Bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans) in Mississippi

Lasionycteris noctivagans (Silver-haired Bat) is relatively uncommon in the southeastern United States and is thought to only occur in Mississippi during spring and fall migration and in winter. Prior to 2020, there was only 1 confirmed record of a Silver-haired Bat Mississippi. It was a solitary female found in Jackson, Hinds County, on 19 October 1986. Thirty-four years later, 2 Silver-haired Bats were observed during migration periods in 2020. A female was collected in Harrison County on 9 March 2020, adding to the few records of Silver-haired Bats migrating to the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. On 5 October 2020, a young Silver-haired Bat was found on the ground at Mississippi State University, Oktibbeha County. This new record expands our current knowledge about this species in Mississippi and throughout the southeastern United States.
A new axiomatic approach to the impartial nomination problem

Abstract In this paper we introduce a new set of axioms that characterize uniform random dictatorship (URD) as a randomized impartial nomination rule. Unlike earlier work we use a variable population model which allows us to employ axioms that reflect consistency and proportionality–axioms that ensure that the rule behaves well with respect to the combinatorial structure of the nomination profile. Earlier work characterizing URD employed strong symmetry axioms and so it is surprising that our axioms characterize the same rule.
Clinical Perspective on Clinical Outcome Assessments in Neurosarcoidosis

Abstract Background : There are no validated clinical outcome assessments (COAs) used in neurosarcoidosis. Objective : We surveyed clinicians who treat patients with neurosarcoidosis to determine: 1) current approaches to assessment of neurologic impairment, and 2) clinicians’ needs regarding future COA development. Methods : Physician contacts from the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research and Neurosarcoidosis Consortium Group were sent an online survey. Results : For 43/143 responders, COAs were used in a minority of settings. Apart from time for administration, the biggest barriers to implementation were lack of validated, disease-specific measures. Conclusions : Lack of validated, disease-specific measures is a barrier to monitoring neurological impairment in neurosarcoidosis.
Claw-Pinching Force of Sand Fiddler Crabs in Relation to Activity and the Lunar Cycle

Abstract Male sand fiddler crabs, Uca pugilator (Ocypodidae), possess a single enlarged claw that is used in ritualized contests over breeding burrows. Ability to close the claw forcefully, which increases with claw size and stoutness, may promote success in contests. As the density of males at breeding burrows changes across the lunar cycle, the frequency of contests may also change and affect the advantage associated with a powerful claw. At an Atlantic coast salt water marsh in northern Florida, we investigated claw size, claw stoutness, and pinching force with daily samples of foraging and courting males made across three lunar cycles. Foraging and courting males constituted the vast majority of surface-active males. Foraging males occurred in dense aggregations, droves, on moist, low-elevation sediments. Courting males, recognized by claw-waving displays, were at burrows in dry, high-elevation sediments where they fed relatively little. On average, courting males had greater claw-closing force than droving males but claw length and stoutness did not vary by activity. Claw-closing force, claw length, and claw stoutness of courting males were greatest on and near the days of new or full moons, when the densities of courting males peaked. No temporal patterns were observed for droving males. Mark/recapture of males revealed that claw power declined during courtship and increased while droving. Moreover, males switched from droving to courting as claw power increased and switched from courting to droving as claw power decreased. In the laboratory, the claw-closing force of unfed males decreased over time but rebounded quickly after males were given food. We suggest that males cycle between activities in response to strength and condition. However, it appears that males with larger, stouter claws are more likely to court at new and full moons, when the number of mating-receptive females peaks.
Nondestructive Evaluation Methods for High Temperature Ceramic Coatings

Various high temperature ceramic coatings are under development for components for the hot gas path of gas turbine engines. These coatings are being developed for both metal and ceramic substrates. Regardless of the coating system, environmental barrier coatings for ceramics or thermal barrier coatings for metals, there is a need to determine the condition of the coating as well as determine physical parameters such as thickness. Two laser-based, non-contact, nondestructive methods are being developed that provide information regarding the condition or "health" of the coating, including thickness variations. The elastic optical scatter (EOS) method has been demonstrated to correlate to spall conditions for thermal barrier coatings however there has been a question about sensitivity to surface features. The laser-based optical coherence tomography (OCT) method has been demonstrated to provide thickness measurements for thermal and environmental barrier coatings. Several well-controlled sample sets hale been examined with these two NDE methods and extensive data have been acquired. The test methods, test samples, and results obtained to date showing correlations with destructive measurements are presented.
Renal-cell carcinoma complicated by pregnancy; a case report.

Abstract 1. 1. A case of renal-cell carcinoma complicated by pregnancy is presented. 2. 2. This is the eighth such case reported.
The Eumenides: The Foundation of Law in the Repression of the Feminine

In this paper, Prof. Schroeder illustrates the Lacanian paradox of how the law's attempted repression of the feminine in fact calls the feminine into being through the myth of the establishment of law as told by Aeschylus in the concluding play of the Oresteia trilogy. In order to function the masculine objectivity of law requires the repressed feminine subjectivity of freedom which is, in fact, its founding moment of violence. The symbolic order requires the real that it is its boundary, and the boundary between the symbolic and the real is caused by castration. Paradoxically, although the masculine can not function without the feminine that gives him birth, it is the repression of the feminine by the masculine that calls her into being. By repressing the feminine the masculine acts as though the feminine were possible, but forbidden. This enables the objective masculine subject surreptitiously to eat of the forbidden fruit and experience the subjective feminine freedom denied by the symbolic order of law.
1 Chemical and Biological Properties of Cytotoxic α-(N)-Heterocyclic Carboxaldehyde Thiosemicarbazones

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses chemical and biological properties of cytotoxic α-(N)-heterocyclic carboxaldehyde. Ribonucleoside diphosphate reductase is a critical enzyme in the de novo synthesis of the deoxyribonucleotide precursors of DNA and, as such, is essential for cellular replication. Thus, its presence and activity is closely correlated with cellular growth rates. It seems reasonable that a strong inhibitor of ribonucleoside diphosphate reductase would be a useful weapon in the therapeutic armamentarium against cancer. Several different classes of agents are relatively specific inhibitors of ribonucleoside diphosphate reductase. These have included α-(N)-heterocyclic carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazones (HCTs), hydroxyurea, N-hydroxy-N´-aminoguanidine derivatives and polyhydroxybenzohydroxamates. The HCTs, as a class, are among the most potent known inhibitors of ribonucleoside diphosphate reductase, being 80-5000 times more effective, depending upon the HCT, than hydroxyurea, a clinically useful anticancer agent. The primary metabolic lesion created by the HCTs is interference with the biosynthesis of DNA, an action resulting from the potent inhibition of ribonucleotide reductase activity.
Resin probe analysis: II. Amino acid coupling reactions

Abstract Resin probe analysis has been employed to evaluate the availability of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC)-activated amino acids, the relationship between coupling time and reaction yield, and the influence of triethylamine (TEA) concentration on peptide bond formation. Results are presented for five amino acids which indicate that the coupling reactions plateau within 5 min, and no significant increase in yield is observed for longer incubation times. Large decreases in coupling yield (70–90%) were observed at concentrations of TEA above 0.01 m . Inactivation appears to be dependent in part upon amino acid structural features. In the absence of TEA, DCC-activated t-butyloxycarbonyl (Boc)-glycine was stable in the activated state for hours. peptide bond formation showed little or no amino acid concentration-dependence in the range of 0.01–0.04 m . Resin probe experiments provide quantitative data on reaction progress and factors that influence the availability and reactivity of activated amino acids.
Semi-Empirical MHD Model of the Solar Wind and Its Comparison with Ulysses

We have developed a 2D semi-empirical model (Sittler and Guhathakurta 1999) of the corona and the interplanetary medium using the time independent MHD equations and assuming azimuthal symmetry, utilizing the SOHO, Spartan and Ulysses observations. The model uses as inputs (1) an empirically derived global electron density distribution using LASCO, Mark III and Spartan white light observations and in situ observations of the Ulysses spacecraft, and (2) an empirical model of the coronal magnetic field topology using SOHO/LASCO and EIT observations. The model requires an estimate of solar wind velocity as a function of latitude at 1 AU and the radial component of the magnetic field at 1 AU, for which we use Ulysses plasma and magnetic field data results respectively. The model makes estimates as a function of radial distance and latitude of various fluid parameters of the plasma such as flow velocity V, temperature T eff , and heat flux Q eff which are derived from the equations of conservation of mass, momentum and energy, respectively, in the rotating frame of the Sun. The term “effective” indicates possible wave contributions. The model can be used as a planning tool for such missions as Solar Probe and provide an empirical framework for theoretical models of the solar corona and solar wind.
Distribution of Orally Administered and Chronically Fed 95mTc in Japanese Quail Tissues and Eggs

Several studies dealing with the availability of technetium (Tc) in soils, plants, and animals have recently appeared [1–6]. Apparently the work of Wildung et al. [7 and 8], which showed a high potential for Tc mobility in terrestrial food chains, was in part an impetus for this interest. Moreover, technetium-99 is long lived (T 1/2 = 210 000 yr), is produced in quantity in nuclear reactor fuel, and can enter the environment during the recycling of spent fuel [9]. Thus, it is of interest in food chain modelling and dose assessment. Recent research, where rats and mice were injected with a single dose of Na99TcO4, has indicated that the chemical toxicity of technetium may be more important than its radiological hazard [6].
Spatial Demography Special Feature: Spatial demography

This issue of PNAS brings together a collection of seven papers representing work in emerging areas of spatial demography, with special reference to North America. The papers have been assembled through the efforts of Susan Hanson of Clark University (Worcester, MA) and W. A. V. Clark of the University of California, Los Angeles. Although place, density, and movement have always had a part in population studies, they have not often held center stage. Demographers' prime coordinates are the two time-like coordinates of time and age. The three space-like coordinates of physical location and the many-dimensional coordinates of social location have tended to play supporting roles. Today, this situation is changing, and a host of scientific questions that intermingle geography with demography and with the whole range of the social sciences are coming to the fore. Two reasons for the expansion of spatial demography are readily apparent. One is the recent availability of finegrained spatial data linking geographic coordinates and categories to demographic, social, and economic variables, suited for analysis with the new computing tools of geographical information systems. In the United States, the Census Bureau's TIGER (Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing) system of the 1990s opened up opportunities that the private sector quickly augmented, and parallel developments have proceeded around the world. A second reason, in the United States, is “adversarial legalism” (1). Political decisions regarding distributional equity across jurisdictions, involving representation, public housing, discrimination, and civil rights, are propelled into the courts, creating and funding a demand for expertise in spatial analysis. A deeper reason, perhaps, is an emotional recognition that a once-rich diversity of local particularities in customs, accents, values, legends, architecture, instincts, foods, and memories is vanishing, or retreating into less visible forms. Our technological ability to analyze differences from town to town, valley to valley, …
Intersex (Disorders of Sex Development)

“Disorders of Sex Development” (DSD) refers to medical conditions in which the development of chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomical sex is atypical. They include, but are not limited to, conditions formerly labeled “intersexuality” or “hermaphroditism.” Many different DSD conditions can be distinguished. The diverse causes of DSDs are distributed throughout the long and multifactorial process of somatic sexual differentiation and involve genes, endogenous hormone production and utilization, exogenous hormones and other chemicals, and other disturbances of pregnancy. Depending on the specific condition, DSDs may be variably associated with other somatic or physiological problems as well as with effects on brain development and subsequent cognitive functioning and gender-atypical behavior. Experience and anticipation of stigma are quite common. In addition to the condition-specific medical treatments, psychosocially relevant interventions focus on gender assignment, gender reassignment, genital surgery, sex-hormone replacement therapy, disclosure of the medical history to the patient, coping with stigma, and romantic/sexual relationships. Keywords: disorders of sex development; gender; gender assignment; gender identity; gender reassignment; hermaphroditism; intersexuality; sex
The influence of ethnicity on organizational commitment and merit pay of IT workers: the role of leader support

Projections of looming shortages in the supply of skilled IT workers, along with high employee replacement costs, make employee attraction, retention and support a pressing concern for organizations. One potential remedy for these shortages is to focus more attention on historically underrepresented groups. We explore ways organizations can support ethnic minority IT professionals to enhance their career success. Integrating affective, cognitive and social perspectives through affective events theory and social exchange theory, our objective is to explore the implications of ethnic minority status for the relationship between leader support i.e., mentoring and leader-member exchange LMX and subjective and objective indicators of career success i.e., organizational commitment and merit pay among IT workers. To test the model, we conducted a field study of 289 IT workers in a Fortune 500 company. Our results showed that LMX influenced organizational commitment for ethnic minorities, while career mentoring and LMX influenced organizational commitment for majorities. Psychosocial mentoring influenced merit pay for ethnic minorities, while neither LMX nor mentoring influenced merit pay for majorities. Our study contributes to the literature on IT personnel issues by exploring how and why these leader support mechanisms enhance organizational commitment and merit pay for IT workers. Moreover, we demonstrate that ethnicity is an important consideration for researchers studying organizational commitment, merit pay, mentoring and LMX. Our findings suggest that managers can boost organizational commitment among IT workers by focusing on LMX and career mentoring. Moreover, they may want to place particular emphasis on psychosocial mentoring and interventions to enhance LMX for their ethnic minority IT workers.
6-Phosphogluconate dehydrogenase regulates tumor cell migration in vitro by regulating receptor tyrosine kinase c-Met

6-Phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD) is the third enzyme in the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). Recently, we reported that knockdown of 6PGD inhibited lung tumor growth in vitro and in a xenograft model in mice. In this study, we continued to examine the functional role of 6PGD in cancer. We show that 6PGD expression positively correlates with advancing stage of lung carcinoma. In search of functional signals related to 6PGD, we discovered that knockdown of 6PGD significantly inhibited phosphorylation of c-Met at tyrosine residues known to be critical for activity. This downregulation of c-Met phosphorylation correlated with inhibition of cell migration in vitro. Overexpression of a constitutively active c-Met specifically rescued the migration but not proliferation phenotype of 6PGD knockdown. Therefore, 6PGD appears to be required for efficient c-Met signaling and migration of tumor cells in vitro.
Intraoperative ultrasound and prophylactic ursodiol for gallstone prevention following laparoscopic gastric bypass

Background: Previous studies have shown that ursodiol decreases gallstone formation from 32% to 2% following open gastric bypass, but no data exist on laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) using intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS) screening. Methods: LRYGB with IOUS were performed on 195 consecutive patients. Patients with gallstones underwent simultaneous cholecystectomy, and patients without gallstones were prescribed ursodiol, 300 mg twice daily, for 6 month. Follow-up survey and ultrasound. Results: Of 195 patients, 44 (23%) had had a prior cholecystectomy, 21 (11%) underwent a simultaneous cholecystectomy, 129 (66%) had gallbladders left intact, and one (0.5%) false negative IOUS was excluded. Of 69 patients with ultrasound and survey follow-up (mean, 10 months), 19 (28%) developed gallstones seven with symptoms), and 50 (72%) were gallstone free. Forty-one percent of patients were compliant with ursodiol. There was no difference in compliance between patients with and without gallstones. In patients with gallstones, all of the symptomatic patients were noncompliant, whereas none of the compliant patients developed symptoms. Medication side-effects occurred in 17 of 69 patients (25%). Conclusions: IOUS during LRYGB efficiently screens for gallstones, and selective cholecystectomy followed by prophylactic ursodiol results in low morbidity. Improvements in compliance may lower the incidence of postoperative gallstone formation.
Single-top-quark production at hadron colliders

Single-top-quark production probes the charged-current weak interaction of the top quark, and provides a direct measurement of the CKM matrix element V{sub tb}. We perform two independent analyses to quantify the accuracy with which the W-gluon fusion (gq{r_arrow}t{bar b}q) and q{bar q}{r_arrow}t{bar b} signals can be extracted from the backgrounds at both the Fermilab Tevatron and the CERN LHC. Although perturbation theory breaks down at low transverse momentum for the W-gluon fusion {bar b} differential cross section, we show how to obtain a reliable cross section integrated over low {bar b} transverse momenta up to a cutoff. We estimate the accuracy with which V{sub tb} can be measured in both analyses, including theoretical and statistical uncertainties. We also show that the polarization of the top quark in W-gluon fusion can be detected at the Fermilab Tevatron and the CERN LHC. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}
Fermionic Chern-Simons theory for the fractional quantum Hall effect in bilayers

We generalize the fermion Chern-Simons theory for the fractional Hall effect, which we developed before, to the case of bilayer systems. We study the complete dynamic rsponse of these systems and predict the experimentally accessible optical properties. In general, for the so-called (m,m,n) states, we find that the spectrum of collective excitations has a gap, and the wave function has the Jastrow-Slater form, with the exponents determined by the coefficients m and n. We also find that the (m,m,m) states, i.e., those states whose filling fraction is 1/m, have a gapless mode that may be related to the spontaneous appearance of the interlayer coherence. Our results also indicate that the gapless mode makes a contribution to the wave function of the (m,m,m) i.e., states analogous to the phonon contribution to the wave function of superfluid ${\mathrm{He}}_{4}$. We calculate the Hall conductance, and the charge and statistics of the quasiparticles. We also present an SU(2) generalization of this theory relevant to spin-unpolarized or partially polarized single layers.
Efficient representation of the North Atlantic hydrographic and chemical distributions

Abstract The large-scale temperature, salinity, oxygen and nutrient distributions of the North Atlantic Ocean are explored with the aim of identifying the minimum data set necessary to describe the general circulation and to identify the dominant physical characteristics. A form of empirical onthogonal function (principal component analysis) based upon the singular value decomposition is used. Six modes are capable of describing 92% of the variance of the full hydrographic fields. A second singular value decomposition applied to the horizontal property modes shows that there are only two independent tracers among the six used. The modal reconstruction satisfactorily reproduces the large-scale transport properties of the original data. A clear physical interpretation of the modes has not been found, but they are obviously connected to the large-scale water mass characteristics of the ocean. Much remains to be learned about how to use such descriptions.
Childbearing issues in breast carcinoma survivors

BACKGROUND The issue of the subsequent pregnancy after breast carcinoma treatment is of paramount importance to young survivors and their oncologists. Matters related to having children, whether biologic or not, are analyzed. METHODS Available evidence on the role of estrogen in the carcinogenesis and promotion of breast carcinoma is summarized. The scanty literature on pregnancy in breast carcinoma survivors is reviewed and evaluated. With reference to infertility as the result of adjuvant treatment, studies on therapy-induced amenorrhea are cited. RESULTS The survival of women with breast carcinoma is not decreased by subsequent pregnancy in any of the published series. Nevertheless, several biases may be present, making the results less than conclusive; no prospective studies exist. Theoretic concern of tumor promotion may be justified when considering the long term exposure to intense gestational hormones in the presence of established breast carcinoma with possible micrometastases. As a separate issue, the common situation of chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea may not permit pregnancy. Information for the breast carcinoma survivor on assisted conception and adoption is limited. CONCLUSIONS Further research on the safety of subsequent pregnancy after breast carcinoma treatment is needed; the authors report that they are initiating a multicenter prospective study to address these issues. Cancer 1997; 79:1271-8. © 1997 American Cancer Society.
Low vitamin D levels are associated with increased rejection and infections after lung transplantation.

Background The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in lung disease is greater than in the general population. Vitamin D deficiency may negatively affect immune and lung function. Accordingly, we hypothesized that lung transplant recipients with vitamin D deficiency are more susceptible to rejection and infections after transplantation. Methods Transplant outcomes were reviewed in a retrospective cohort of 102 lung transplant recipients who had 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels drawn during the near-transplant period (100 days pre- or post-transplant). Results In the near-transplant period, 80% of recipients were 25(OH)D-deficient and 20% were not 25(OH)D-deficient. Episodes of acute cellular rejection in the deficient group were more frequent than in the non-deficient group [mean 1.27 (0.99 to 1.55) vs 0.52 (0.12 to 0.93), p = 0.006]. The rejection rate in the deficient group was more than double that of the the non-deficient group [IRR 2.43 (1.30 to 4.52), p = 0.005]. Infectious episodes were also more frequent in the deficient group than in the non-deficient group [mean 4.01 (3.24 to 4.79) vs 2.71 (1.47 to 3.96), p = 0.04]. The mortality rate of recipients who remained 25(OH)D-deficient 1 year after transplant was almost 5-fold higher than in recipients who were not 25(OH)D-deficient [IRR 4.79 (1.06 to 21.63), p = 0.04]. Conclusions Low serum 25(OH)D levels in lung transplant recipients were associated with increased incidence of acute rejection and infection. The mortality of recipients who remained deficient 1 year post-transplant was higher than that of recipients who maintained normal vitamin D levels at 1 year post-transplant.
Characterization Of Multi-layered Fish Scales (Atractosteus spatula) Using Nanoindentation, X-ray CT, FTIR, and SEM

The hierarchical architecture of protective biological materials such as mineralized fish scales, gastropod shells, ram’s horn, antlers, and turtle shells provides unique design principles with potentials for guiding the design of protective materials and systems in the future. Understanding the structure-property relationships for these material systems at the microscale and nanoscale where failure initiates is essential. Currently, experimental techniques such as nanoindentation, X-ray CT, and SEM provide researchers with a way to correlate the mechanical behavior with hierarchical microstructures of these material systems 1-6 . However, a well-defined standard procedure for specimen preparation of mineralized biomaterials is not currently available. In this study, the methods for probing spatially correlated chemical, structural, and mechanical properties of the multilayered scale of A. spatula using nanoindentation, FTIR, SEM, with energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) microanalysis, and X-ray CT are presented.
Maternal locoweed exposure in utero and as a neonate does not disrupt taste aversion learning in lambs

Pfister, J.A., Astorga, J.B., Panter, K.E. and Molyneux, R.J., 1993. Maternal locoweed exposure in utero and as a neonate does not disrupt taste aversion learning in lambs. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 36: 159-167. Taste aversion learning has been suggested as a sensitive measure of behavioral toxicosis. The purpose of this study was to determine if maternal locowood (Oxtropis sericea) ingestion would adversely influence the ability of lambs to acquire and retain a conditioned taste aversion (CTA). Pregnant and lactating ewes were fed locoweed (300 g day-~ ) from Days 100 to 130 of gestation and/or from Days 10 to 50 of lactation. Surviving lambs were evaluated at 9 months of age. Ingestion of corn (Zea mays), a novel feed, was paired with lithium chloride. Lambs were tested for three 15-min periods in a two-choice test (corn and alfalfa pellets) immediately after aversive conditioning; persistence was tested 30 days later using the same procedures. All aversively conditioned lambs formed a strong CTA to corn; previous locoweed history did not influence either the strength or the persistence of the aversion. Even though lambs were overtly intoxicated at birth by maternal locoweed exposure, lambs showed no overt signs of intoxication when this study was conducted. Lambs exposed to locoweed do not have an impaired ability to form taste aversions, suggesting that there were no learning deficits secondary to toxicosis and that lambs are likely to have as normal diet selection patterns as adults.
A reflexing electron microwave amplifier for rf particle accelerator applications

The evolution of rf-accelerator technology toward high-power, high-current, lowemittance beams produces an ever-increasing demand for efficient, very high power microwave power sources. The present klystron technology has performed very well but is not expected to produce reliable gigawatt peak-power units in the 1- to 10-GHz regime. Further major advancements must involve other types of sources. The reflexing-electron class of sources can produce microwave powers at the gigawatt level and has demonstrated operation from 800-MHz to 40-GHz. The pulse length appears to be limited by diode closure, and reflexing-electron devices have been operated in a repetitively pulsed mode. A design is presented for a reflexing electron microwave amplifier that is frequency and phase locked. In this design, the generated microwave power can be efficiently coupled to one or several accelerator loads. Frequency and phase-locking capability may permit parallel-source operation for higher power. The low-frequency (500-MHz to 10-GHz) operation at very high power required by present and proposed microwave particle accelerators makes an amplifier, based on reflexing electron phenomena, a candidate for the development of new accelerator power sources.
Increasing Interactivity in the Online Learning Environment: Using Digital Tools to Support Students in Socially Constructed Meaning-Making.

As more and more library and LIS education migrates to the online environment, college and university faculty are called upon to expand their pedagogy. Interactivity has been cited as one factor in attracting and retaining students in online courses and programs. LIS educators can reach outside the online learning management system (LMS) to discover Web-based tools to develop more interactive learning experiences for students’ use in the virtual classroom. These activities and tools can help faculty as they enact a social constructivist teaching philosophy that increases the focus on students engaging with course content while they learn with and from one another as well as from the instructor. This paper describes one educator’s journey in stretching boundaries and using student-created Web 2.0 tools and multimedia to curate course content and support students’ collaborative learning experiences and collective meaning-making.
The structure of methyl fluoroformate from microwave spectroscopy and AB initio calculations

Abstract The microwave spectra of three isotopic species of methyl fluoroformate, CD 3 OCFO, CD 2 HOCFO and CH 3 18 OCFO have been measured and assigned. A barrier to internal rotation of 372±2 cm −1 has been obtained for three symmetric internal rotor species from internal rotation analyses. The rotational constants from five isotopic species have been used to determine an r 0 structure for the s- trans conformer (methyl group trans to fluorine). The s- cis conformation is not compatible with the experimental data as the data lead to an unrealistically large COC angle. The fully optimized structure from ab initio calculations with the 6-31G* basis set which include electron correlation at the MP2 level is compared with the experimental structure and with earlier results from RHF/6-31G* calculations.
The politics of development policy

Abstract Theories of the causes of development in the Third World are criticized for a lack of attention to policy, focus on too abstracted and too narrowly conceived variables, and an excessive concern with generalization. Two more promising current approaches—analysis of the calculations of politicians and officials when they make policy decisions, and of the implications for the politics of policy making of certain economic variables and policies—are assessed and reformulated. The merits of these approaches are then illustrated with cases from current research on the politics of development policy in Indonesia.
Progesterone-induced maturational events in oocytes of Xenopus laevis. I. Continuous necessity for diffusible calcium and magnesium.

Abstract Oocytes of Xenopus laevis were induced to undergo germinal vesicle breakdown in vitro by progesterone, administered in buffered saline media. The effect of calcium and magnesium on this complex event was studied by adding or withdrawing these ions from the medium and observing the effect on the kinetics of germinal vesicle breakdown. It was found that the initial entry or binding of progesterone is not sensitive to the presence of these ions in the medium, but subsequent events within the oocyte leading to germinal vesicle breakdown requires their continual presence. Either ion alone in the medium can support a slightly reduced and morphologically atypical response to the hormone but magnesium is more efficient and both ions together give the best result. Since graded additions of divalent cations to the medium or injected directly into oocytes do not mimic the effect that progesterone induces, it is concluded that progesterone does not act by simply raising the intracellular levels of either ion.
Tolerance of ambiguity and semantic differential ratings.

Summary.-A comparison was made of low (LTA) and high (HTA) tolerance of ambiguity Ss on mean semantic differential ratings of contradictory and noncontradictory adjecuve-noun concept-combinations. It was hypothesized rhac a group of Ss scoring lowest on a 16-item tolerance of ambiguity scale would make more extreme ratings of all concept-combinations than a group scoring highest on tolerance of ambiguity. It was also hypothesized that the HTA group would shift its racings of conrradiccory concept-combinations closer to the mean oE its original rati2gs of the single concepts comprising the combinations. It was found that the LTA group made more extreme ratings of all concept-combinations and that the HTA group shifted its ratings of contradictory combinations more toward the rcean of its original racings than did the LTA group. In addition, the HTA group made a greater number of compromises of original single concept ratings in its ratings of contradictory concept-combinations rhan did the LTA group.
CitrusSprayEx: An expert system for planning citrus spray applications

An expert system (ES) has been developed to assist citrus spray applicators in planning and evaluating their sprayer operations. The ES is partitioned into two parts: (1) spray planning (procedures and calculations for sprayer calibration as well as suitability of spraying under given weather parameters) and (2) spray evaluation (estimation of overall spray deposition, ground fallout, and drift as percentages of the total spray discharged at orchard scale). The first part is based on established procedures and the second part is built on the previously developed spray deposition model. The latter includes a ''What-If'' analysis function that gives feedback on changes in input variables and the corresponding outputs. Testing of the ES revealed that the trends in the outputs, reflecting the effects of application rate, travel speed, foliage density, and percent missing trees were in general agreement with literature. The ES was evaluated by five individuals with diverse experience in spray applications. Overall, the ES was found useful for calibration and evaluation of spray applications in citrus.
Project risk management

Purpose – The aim of this article is to develop an understanding of the issues related to risk management in digital library projects as well as techniques for mitigating risk in these projects.Design/methodology/approach – Using evidence from other research in the area, this article outlines the major risk issues within a project and then defines a model for mitigating risk within a project.Findings – The article finds that understanding the risk management entails understanding the underlying factors that contribute to project risks. These risks are often the same, regardless of the nature of the project. The first step in risk assessment is risk identification. Once risk identification is complete, risk analysis is used to identify the likelihood the risks that have been identified will happen. While there are several formal methods that can be used for risk analysis, many project managers use some type of matrix‐based decision process for analyzing and evaluating project risk. The most successful proj...
ABO blood group, other risk factors and incidence of venous thromboembolism: the Longitudinal Investigation of Thromboembolism Etiology (LITE)

Summary. Background: Numerous case–control studies have reported higher prevalence of non-O blood type among venous thromboembolism (VTE) patients than controls, but potential mechanisms or effect modifiers for the association are not fully established. Patients/methods: Using a nested case–control design combining the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities and the Cardiovascular Health Study cohort, ABO blood type and other VTE risk factors were measured on pre-event blood samples of 492 participants who subsequently developed VTE and 1008 participants who remained free of VTE. Results: A total of 64.4% of cases and 52.5% of controls had non-O blood type. Among controls, mean values of factor VIIIc (FVIIIc) and von Willebrand factor among the non-O blood type group were higher than among the O group. Compared with O blood type, the age-adjusted odds ratio (OR) of VTE for non-O blood type was 1.64 (95% CI, 1.32–2.05) and was similar for the two parent studies and race groups. Further adjustment for sex, race, body mass index, diabetes mellitus and FVIIIc reduced the OR: 1.31 (95% CI, 1.02–1.68). Factor V Leiden (FV Leiden) appeared to modify the non-O blood type association with VTE in a supra-additive fashion, with an age-, sex- and race-adjusted OR of 6.77 (95% CI, 3.65–12.6) for having both risk factors. Conclusions: Non-O blood type was independently associated with risk of VTE, and added to the risk associated with FV Leiden.
Temporal cloaking for data suppression and retrieval

Recent research on time cloaking has revealed a fascinating approach to hide temporal events from an interrogating optical field, by opening up and subsequently closing intensity gaps in a probe beam. Experiments thus far have demonstrated temporal cloaking of nonlinear interactions and high-speed optical data. Here we report a temporal cloak with the new capability not only to hide optical data, but also to concurrently transmit it along another wavelength channel for subsequent readout, masking the information from one observer while directing it to another. Additionally, the cloak succeeds in passing modulated data unscathed through a scrambling event, providing a new form of tampering resistance. Both examples launch a paradigm shift in temporal cloaking: instead of using time cloaks primarily to disrupt communication, we show how they can also improve data transmission, in turn greatly widening the range of possible applications in telecommunications.
Growth hormone is secreted by ectopic pituitary grafts and stimulates maternal behavior in rats.

Abstract The onset of maternal behavior at parturition in rats is hormonally regulated. Recently, we reported that treatment of behaviorally inexperienced, hypophysectomized (hypox), ovariectomized (ovx) rats with a sequential steroid treatment of progesterone (P) and estradiol (E2), and either ectopic anterior pituitary grafts or prolactin (PRL), stimulated maternal responsiveness toward foster young. That growth hormone (GH) has a number of PRL-like activities led us to ask whether the actions of PRL on maternal behavior were specific to PRL or might be shared by other PRL-like protein hormones, i.e., GH. In Experiment 1 we quantified plasma concentrations of GH and PRL by RIA in groups of hypox female rats that were ovariectomized and treated with a combination of ectopic pituitary grafts (Days 1–23) and Silastic capsules filled with P (Days 1–11) and E2 (Days 11–23). Blood samples were collected from Days 1 to 23 of treatment. Both plasma PRL and GH levels increased after grafting, initially rising 10- to 60-fold by Day 4 and gradually declining throughout the remainder of the 23-day sampling period. Throughout the 3-week period after grafting plasma GH levels were as high or higher than those of PRL. In Experiment 2 the behavioral effects of exogenously administered ovine (o)-GH were measured in groups of hypox, ovx rats that were treated with P and E2 as in Experiment 1. Experimental rats were injected twice daily with 0.25 mg oGH beginning on Day 1. Testing for maternal behavior toward foster young was conducted daily from Day 12 to Day 22. In steroid-treated rats, GH treatment stimulated a more rapid onset of maternal behavior (latencies of 3 vs > 10 days for vehicle-injected controls). These data indicate that GH, like PRL, is secreted by ectopic pituitary grafts and is capable of stimulating maternal behavior.