cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prognostic significance of p53 and FHIT in advanced oropharyngeal carcinoma.

Abstract Objective To determine the prognostic significance of p53 and fragile histidine triad (FHIT) expression in advanced oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Study design A retrospective collection of clinical data was correlated with the protein expression. Method The expression of p53 and FHIT in specimens from patients with previously untreated advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx was determined by immunohistochemistry. The expression of p53 and FHIT was statistically correlated with survival outcome. The primary endpoints were overall survival and disease-free survival. Results Thirty-four patients were analyzed in this study. Overexpression of p53 was observed in 41.2% (14/34) of tumors and was associated with a trend toward an improved overall survival using univariate ( P = .1088, risk ratio [RR] = 0.503) and multivariate ( P = .1533, RR = 0.470) analyses. Marked reduction or complete absence of FHIT expression was observed in 57.6% (19/33) of tumors. Patients with tumors showing no reduction in FHIT expression had a lower overall survival using univariate ( P = .04, RR = 2.27) and multivariate ( P = .013, RR = 4.41) analyses. Conclusion Overexpression of p53 predicted a trend toward an improved prognosis, whereas no reduction in FHIT expression predicted a significantly poorer outcome in patients with advanced oropharyngeal cancer.
Codominance and toxins: a path to drugs of nearly unlimited selectivity.

Abstract The effectiveness of drugs is often limited by their insufficient selectivity. I propose designs of therapeutic agents that address this problem. The key feature of these reagents, termed comtoxins (codominance-mediated toxins), is their ability to utilize codominance, a property characteristic of many signals in proteins, including degradation signals (degrons) and nuclear localization signals. A comtoxin designed to kill cells that express intracellular proteins P1 and P2 but to spare cells that lack P1 and/or P2 is a multidomain fusion containing a cytotoxic domain and two degrons placed within or near two domains P1* and P2* that bind, respectively, to P1 and P2. In a cell containing both P1 and P2, these proteins would bind to the P1* and P2* domains of the comtoxin and sterically mask the nearby (appropriately positioned) degrons, resulting in a long-lived and therefore toxic drug. By contrast, in a cell lacking P1 and/or P2, at least one of the comtoxin's degrons would be active (unobstructed), yielding a short-lived and therefore nontoxic drug. A comtoxin containing both a degron and a nuclear localization signal can be designed to kill exclusively cells that contain P1 but lack P2. Analogous strategies yield comtoxins sensitive to the presence (or absence) of more than two proteins in a cell. Also considered is a class of comtoxins in which a toxic domain is split by a flexible insert containing binding sites for the target proteins. The potentially unlimited, combinatorial selectivity of comtoxins may help solve the problem of side effects that bedevils present-day therapies, for even nonselective delivery of a comtoxin would not affect cells whose protein "signatures" differ from the targeted one.
Mechanical degradation of mica during processing with polypropylene

Mechanical degradation of reinforcing fillers during processing is a problem that has been seldom studied due to a lack of particle size determination techniques. Using phlogopite mica as an example, a method allowing a rapid and accurate characterization of flake size and aspect ratio will be described. The influence of several parameters on the mechanical degradation of mica flakes in a mica/polypropylene system has been studied using a laboratory roller blade mixer. The degradation was found to occur in two stages. The first stage takes place immediately after the addition of mica, where the average flake size decreases very rapidly by as much as 20 percent. In the second stage, the particle size remains essentially constant with the time of mixing at low concentrations (2 percent wt); at higher concentrations (40 percent wt) there is a slow reduction in the flake size. The influence of other parameters such as system viscosity, mode of mica addition, silane treatment, and the initial particle size is also discussed.
Hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome: Two cases and a review of the literature

Hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome (HIES) is a rare immunodeficiency associated with elevated serum IgE levels, eczematous skin, recurrent cutaneous infections, and distinctive musculoskeletal features. We report two cases seen at our institution and review the current literature. Patient 1 was an 18-month-old African American boy with recurrent staphylococcal cold abscesses, pneumonia, and bacteremia. He had severely eczematous skin, ultimately complicated by eczema herpeticum. After treatment of systemic infections with culture-directed antibiotics, a brief course of cyclosporine, 5 mg/kg, improved the dermatitis and allowed transition to long-term therapy with oral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Patient 2 was a 15-year-old Caucasian boy with long-standing HIES. He has been maintained on a regimen of interferon gamma injections given 3 times weekly and monthly intravenous immunoglobulin since the age of 3 years, prophylactic antibiotics, and low-dose fluconazole. He has occasional episodes of cold abscesses and sinusitis, but has had excellent control since institution of this regimen and has not experienced any adverse effects.
Tissue specific CD4+ T cell priming determines the requirement for interleukin-23 in experimental arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease with striking heterogeneity in (i) clinical presentation, (ii) autoantibody profiles and (iii) responses to treatment suggesting that distinct molecular mechanisms may underlie the disease process. Proteoglycan-induced arthritis (PGIA) is induced by two pathways either by intraperitoneal (i.p.) or subcutaneous (s.c.) exposure to PG. CD4+ T cells primed by the i.p. route are T helper (Th)1 cells expressing interferon gamma (IFN-γ) whereas CD4+ T cells primed by the s.c. route are Th17 cells expressing interleukin (IL)-17. IL-23 is necessary for maintaining the phenotype of Th17 cells; however, IL-23 is inflammatory independent of IL-17. The aim of this study was to determine if PGIA induced by different routes of immunization is dependent on IL-23. BALB/c wild type (WT), IL-12p40−/− and IL-23p19−/− littermate mice were immunized with recombinant G1 (rG1) domain of human PG in adjuvant either i.p. or s.c. and development of arthritis monitored. Joint histology was assessed. CD4+ T cell cytokines in spleen, lymph node (LN), and joint were assessed by intracellular staining and cytokine enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RNA transcripts for cytokines and transcription factors were examined. PGIA was suppressed in the p40−/− and p19−/− mice immunized by the s.c. route but only inhibited in p40−/− mice by the i.p. route. The joints of s.c. but not i.p. sensitized mice contained a population of CD4+ T cells expressing single positive IFN-γ and IL-17 and double positive IFN-γ/IL-17 which were dependent on IL-23 expression. The IFN-γ and IL-17 response in spleen and inguinal LN was inhibited in p19−/− mice and p40−/− mice after s.c. immunization, whereas in i.p. immunized p19−/− mice, IL-17 but not IFN-γ was reduced. Inguinal LN CD11c+ dendritic cells (DC) from s.c. immunized, but not spleen DC from i.p. immunized mice, produced IL-23, IL-1β, and IL-6 and activated T cells to produce IL-17. IL-23 is necessary for the activity of Th17 after s.c. immunization and does not play a role independent of IL-17 after i.p. immunization. These data demonstrate that the molecular pathways IL-23/17 and IL-12/IFN-γ may represent subtypes of arthritis determined by the mode of induction.
Finely aware and richly responsible : The Daoist imperative

Cette etude commence par une introduction a l'histoire du daoisme primitif. L'A. se tourne ensuite vers trois interpretations recentes de l'ethique daoiste de Chad Hansen, David Wong et Russell Kirkland. Dans les sections finales, il donne sa propre vision de l'ethique daoiste primitive, en remontant des sources de la normativite daoiste aux conceptions fondamentales de la realite ultime, puis en mettant en relief le role central de la conscience et de la capacite de reponse dans la vie morale du daoiste.
Effect of the interleukin-1 genotype on outcomes of regenerative periodontal therapy with bone replacement grafts.

Background: Previous studies have shown an association between a specific genotype for the inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-1 and the severity of periodontal disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the IL-1 genotype on the outcomes of periodontal surgical regenerative treatment with bone replacement grafts. Methods: Forty-four patients with interproximal intrabony defects were treated with bone replacement grafts. Probing depths (PD) and clinical attachment levels (CAL) were measured before treatment and at least 9 months post-treatment. Whole-mouth plaque index (WMPI) and bleeding index (WMBI) were recorded as well. All patients were tested for the IL-1 genotype. Results: Thirteen (29.55%) of the patients were IL-1 genotype positive. There was no statistically significant difference between the genotype-positive and genotype-negative groups regarding age, smoking status, gender, WMPI, and WMBI. There was no significant difference in PD or CAL between the genotype-positive and genotype-negative groups at baseline. Genotype-positive patients had a smaller reduction in probing depth (1.86 mm versus 2.13 mm) and a greater gain of clinical attachment (1.20 mm versus 0.65 mm). These differences were not statistically significant (P = 0.70, P = 0.40). Multivariate regression analysis showed that presurgical PD significantly influenced post-surgical PD and CAL, and only WMPI significantly influenced CAL. Conclusion: In this study, there was no evidence that the IL-1 genotype influences the clinical treatment outcomes of regenerative periodontal therapy with bone replacement grafts. J Periodontol 2004;75:1335-1342.
Theory development in a family-based therapy for adolescent drug abuse.

Family-based treatments for adolescent drug abuse and related behavior problems have been developed and evaluated with success. Empirical support exists for the efficacy of family-based treatments, and process studies have begun to identify mechanisms by which these treatments may achieve their effects. This article discusses theory and related clinical refinements in a contemporary family-based intervention, multidimensional family therapy. Expansions in the theoretical basis of the model are discussed. I highlight 2 aspects of the theory evolution process, resulting in a sharper clinical focus on intrapersonal development and on adolescents' and families' functioning vis-a-vis influential extrafamilial ecologies of development.
Playing Our Game: Why China's Rise Doesn't Threaten the West. By Edward S. Steinfeld. New York: Oxford University Press, 2010. 280p. $27.95 cloth, $21.95 paper.

Whether emerging powers embrace or instead challenge the current international order will be an important determinant of international stability in the years ahead. The material primacy of the traditional Western democracies will wane as emerging powers like China, India, and Brazil continue their ascent; that much we know. What remains unclear is how this change in the distribution of global power will affect the rules and institutions that are the infrastructure of international order.
Palliative care in lung cancer: ACCP evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (2nd edition).

Goals/objectives To review the scientific evidence on symptoms and specific complications that are associated with lung cancer, and the methods available to palliate those symptoms and complications. Methods MEDLINE literature review (through March 2006) for all studies published in the English language, including case series and case reports, since 1966 using the following medical subject heading terms: bone metastases; brain metastases; cough; dyspnea; electrocautery; hemoptysis; interventional bronchoscopy; laser; pain management; pleural effusions; spinal cord metastases; superior vena cava syndrome; and tracheoesophageal fistula. Results Pulmonary symptoms that may require palliation in patients who have lung cancer include those caused by the primary cancer itself (dyspnea, wheezing, cough, hemoptysis, chest pain), or locoregional metastases within the thorax (superior vena cava syndrome, tracheoesophageal fistula, pleural effusions, ribs, and pleura). Respiratory symptoms can also result from complications of lung cancer treatment or from comorbid conditions. Constitutional symptoms are common and require attention and care. Symptoms referable to distant extrathoracic metastases to bone, brain, spinal cord, and liver pose additional problems that require a specific response for optimal symptom control. There are excellent scientific data regarding the management of many of these issues, with lesser evidence from case series or expert opinion on other aspects of providing palliative care for lung cancer patients. Conclusions Palliation of symptoms and complications in lung cancer patients is possible, and physicians who provide such care must be knowledgeable about these issues.
Genetic architecture for the adaptive origin of annual wild rice, Oryza nivara.

The wild progenitors of cultivated rice, Oryza nivara and Oryza rufipogon, provide an experimental system for characterizing the genetic basis of adaptation. The evolution of annual O. nivara from a perennial ancestor resembling its sister species, O. rufipogon, was associated with an ecological shift from persistently wet to seasonally dry habitats. Here we report a quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis of phenotypic differentiation in life history, mating system, and flowering time between O. nivara and O. rufipogon. The exponential distribution of effect sizes of QTL fits the prediction of a recently proposed population genetic model of adaptation. More than 80% of QTL alleles of O. nivara acted in the same direction of phenotypic evolution, suggesting that they were fixed under directional selection. The loss of photoperiod sensitivity, which might be essential to the survival of the ancestral populations of O. nivara in the new environment, was controlled by QTL of relatively large effect. Mating system evolution from cross- to self-fertilization through the modification of panicle and floral morphology was controlled by QTL of small-to-moderate effect. The lack of segregation of the recessive annual habit in the F2 mapping populations suggested that the evolution of annual from perennial life form had a complex genetic basis. The study captured the genetic architecture for the adaptive origin of O. nivara and provides a foundation for rigorous experimental tests of population genetic theories of adaptation.
Inflammation and Increased Aromatase Expression Occur in the Breast Tissue of Obese Women with Breast Cancer

Obesity is a risk factor for the development of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women and has been associated with an increased risk of recurrence and reduced survival. In humans, obesity causes subclinical inflammation in visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue, characterized by necrotic adipocytes surrounded by macrophages forming crown-like structures (CLS). Recently, we found increased numbers of CLS, activation of the NF-κB transcription factor, and elevated aromatase levels and activity in the mammary glands of obese mice. These preclinical findings raised the possibility that the obesity → inflammation axis is important for the development and progression of breast cancer. Here, our main objective was to determine if the findings in mouse models of obesity translated to women. Breast tissue was obtained from 30 women who underwent breast surgery. CLS of the breast (CLS-B) was found in nearly 50% (14 of 30) of patient samples. The severity of breast inflammation, defined as the CLS-B index, correlated with both body mass index (P < 0.001) and adipocyte size (P = 0.01). Increased NF-κB binding activity and elevated aromatase expression and activity were found in the inflamed breast tissue of overweight and obese women. Collectively, our results suggest that the obesity → inflammation → aromatase axis is present in the breast tissue of most overweight and obese women. The presence of CLS-B may be a biomarker of increased breast cancer risk or poor prognosis.
Laboratory Evaluation of 3-(5-Tetrazolyl)Penam, a New Semisynthetic Beta-Lactam Antibacterial Agent with Extended Broad-Spectrum Activity

Abstract In the new agent 3-(5-tetrazolyl)penam, hereafter referred to as CP-35,587, the carboxyl function at C3 in the penicillin nucleus has been replaced with the 5-tetrazolyl moiety. Marked changes in spectrum and resistance to gram-negative β-lactamases, particularly with regard to Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates, were conferred by this modification. The anti-Klebsiella activity clearly distinguishes the antibacterial spectrum of CP-35,587 from any known broad-spectrum penicillin. Compared to orally active cephalosporins, the spectrum advantage of CP-35,587 encompasses Enterobacter, Serratia marcescens, Citrobacter, Providencia, Haemophilus influenzae, and Streptococcus faecalis, both in vitro and in murine infections produced by many of the above-named microorganisms. Thus, CP-35,587 combines and extends the antibacterial activity of broad-spectrum penicillins and orally active cephalosporins.
Ionic composition and transport mechanisms in microbial desalination cells

Microbial desalination cell (MDC) offers a new and sustainable approach to desalinate saltwater by directly utilizing the electrical power generated by bacteria during organic matter oxidation. The successful MDC development relies on the fundamental understanding of the interactions and removal mechanisms of different ion species present in saline water or wastewater, but there is limited understanding of ion transport mechanisms in MDCs and potential membrane fouling/scaling during treatment of wastewater and saline water. In this study, we investigated the transport behavior of multiple ions in MDCs and the effects of ionic composition on system performance and membrane scaling and fouling. The results showed that the presence of sparingly soluble cations in saltwater negatively affected MDC power generation and desalination. Membrane characterization revealed that the majority of such ions precipitated on the ion exchange membrane surface and caused membrane scaling. Anions such as Br− and SO42− with Na+ as counter-ion did not show significant effects on system performance. Sharp pH changes were observed during MDC operation, which resulted in the inhibited MDC anode microbial activity and the accelerated formation of alkaline precipitations on both sides of the cation exchange membrane. An anode–cathode recirculation approach was proved to be effective to solve such problems and improved the desalination rate by 152% and the electron harvest rate by 98%.
Lethal mutagenesis of bacteria.

Lethal mutagenesis, the killing of a microbial pathogen with a chemical mutagen, is a potential broad-spectrum antiviral treatment. It operates by raising the genomic mutation rate to the point that the deleterious load causes the population to decline. Its use has been limited to RNA viruses because of their high intrinsic mutation rates. Microbes with DNA genomes, which include many viruses and bacteria, have not been considered for this type of treatment because their low intrinsic mutation rates seem difficult to elevate enough to cause extinction. Surprisingly, models of lethal mutagenesis indicate that bacteria may be candidates for lethal mutagenesis. In contrast to viruses, bacteria reproduce by binary fission, and this property ensures their extinction if subjected to a mutation rate >0.69 deleterious mutations per generation. The extinction threshold is further lowered when bacteria die from environmental causes, such as washout or host clearance. In practice, mutagenesis can require many generations before extinction is achieved, allowing the bacterial population to grow to large absolute numbers before the load of deleterious mutations causes the decline. Therefore, if effective treatment requires rapid population decline, mutation rates ≫0.69 may be necessary to achieve treatment success. Implications for the treatment of bacteria with mutagens, for the evolution of mutator strains in bacterial populations, and also for the evolution of mutation rate in cancer are discussed.
Pulmonary hyperplasia in the Fraser cryptophthalmos syndrome.

We report on 2 sibs with the Fraser cryptophthalmos syndrome who had pulmonary hyperplasia and laryngeal stenosis. A third unrelated patient with Fraser syndrome had laryngeal stenosis, renal agenesis, and normal lung development, rather than the expected pulmonary hypoplasia. Three additional cases of pulmonary hyperplasia in the Fraser syndrome were ascertained from a review. In all of these cases the likely mechanism for pulmonary hyperplasia is retention of fetal lung fluid by laryngeal or tracheal obstruction. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
An outcomes research perspective on medical education: the predominance of trainee assessment and satisfaction

Context A fundamental premise of medical education is that faculty should educate trainees, that is, students and residents, to provide high quality patient care. Yet, there is little research on the effect of medical education on patient outcomes. Objective A content analysis of leading medical education journals was performed to determine the primary foci of medical education research, using a three- dimensional outcomes research framework based on the paradigm of health services outcomes research. Data sources All articles in three medical education journals (Academic Medicine, Medical Education, and Teaching and Learning in Medicine) from 1996 to 1998 were reviewed. Papers presented at the Research in Medical Education conference at the Association of American Medical Colleges annual meeting during the same period, and published as Academic Medicine supplements, were also analysed. Study selection Only data-driven articles were selected for analysis; thus editorials and abstracts were excluded. Data extraction Each article was categorized according to primary participant (i.e. trainee, faculty, provider and patient), outcome (performance, satisfaction, professionalism and cost), and level of analysis (geographic, system, institution and individual(s)). Data synthesis A total of 599 articles were analysed. Trainees were the most frequent participants studied (68·9%), followed by faculty (19·4%), providers (8·1%) and patients (3·5%). Performance was the most common outcome measured (49·4%), followed by satisfaction (34·1%). Cost was the focus of only 2·3% of articles and patient outcomes accounted for only 0·7% of articles. Conclusions Medical education research is dominated by assessment of trainee performance followed by trainee satisfaction. Leading journals in medical education contain little information concerning the cost and products of medical education, that is, provider performance and patient outcomes. The study of these medical education outcomes represents an important challenge to medical education researchers.
Critical education, speaking the truth, and acting back

Professor Apple describes his past experiences in South Korea, in order to highlight the importance and risks of being a critical educator. He also points out that if the theory and practice of critical education are simply understood as a specialized academic area, widely used for purposes of conversion in order to gain mobility in the social field of the academic power (Bordieu, 1984), they lose their value and power. On the contrary, their power and potential are magnified when they are intimately connected with the social movements and struggles that give life to them.
Effect of acrylamide on rotarod performance and sciatic nerve β-glucuronidase activity of rats

Abstract This investigation was undertaken to determine the usefulness of the rotarod technique as an objective means of evaluating neurologic deficit in acrylamide-treated rats. A rotarod (electrorod) was constructed containing an electrode floor programmed to administer continuous shocks which discouraged the rats from voluntary jumping. When acrylamide was given ip to adult male rats at the rate of 50 mg/kg/day, the mean time for onset of toxicity was 5.5 ± 0.27 days, and the mean time for recovery was 13.6 ± 0.59 days. Adult rats were more susceptible to acrylamide induced neuropathy than young rats. The mean times for failure on the electrorod for 11 and 5 wk old rats given 50 mg/kg/day of acrylamide were 5.3 ± 0.19 and 7.3 ± 0.22 days, respectively. Administration of 50 mg/kg/day of acrylamide for 8 days resulted in significantly increased sciatic nerve β-glucuronidase activity within 2 wk and a maximum increase to 340% of control activity after 30 days. At this time, the rats had regained the ability to perform normally on the electrorod but were more susceptible to retreatment with acrylamide than previously untreated rats. The mean times for failure for retreated and previously untreated male rats given acrylamide at the same dose rate were 2.5 ± 0.22 and 4.0 ± 0.17 days, respectively. Return of β-glucuronidase activity to near normal at 90 days was associated with a return to normal resistance to acrylamide.
Electromagnetic scattering from short branching vegetation

A polarimetric coherent electromagnetic scattering model for short branching vegetation is developed. With the realistic structures that reasonably describe the relative positions of the particles, this model is able to consider the coherent effect due to the phase difference between the scattered fields from different particles, and account for the second-order, near-field interaction between particles, to which the relative positions and orientation of the particles are essential. The model validation with measurements is also presented, and excellent agreement is obtained. The polarimetric radar backscatter measurements for soybean plants using truck-mounted scatterometers were conducted at L-band and C-band under different soil-moisture conditions. Through an extensive ground truth, the important plant and rough surface parameters such as the soil moisture and surface roughness, vegetation dielectric constant, and geometry of the soybean plants, were characterized for model verification. It is found that the second-order near-field scattering is significant at C-band for fully grown soybeans due to the high vegetation particle density, and at L-band, the contribution from the second-order near field is negligible. The coherence effect is shown to be important at L-band and to a much lesser extent at C-band. This model is then used to demonstrate its ability for estimating the physical parameters of a soybean field, including soil moisture from a polarimetric set of AIRSAR images.
A Study of Coalitions among HIV/AIDS Service Organizations

This is a study of 89 community-based nonprofit organizations in northern California that provide prevention and care services to persons at risk of or infected by HIV. Executive directors responded to a telephone and mail survey concerning community HIV consortia mandated by the Title II provisions of the Ryan White CARE Act Mandated coalitions are hypothesized to increase the power of the mandating agency over the member organizations; increase interorganizational awareness, interdependence, domain consensus, and cooperation; provide benefits for consortium members; address gaps in community services; influence the division of labor; encourage interorganizational standardization; and stabilize resource exchanges. Although the hypotheses regarding power and stability are not supported, HIV consortia appear to increase organizational interdependence and service-system efficiency. Implications of these findings for theory, research, and policy development are discussed.
Lesions in Lambs Experimentally Infected with Ovine Adenovirus Serotype 6 and Pasteurella Haemolytica

Twenty-five colostrum-deprived lambs reared in isolation were inoculated with a US variant of ovine adenovirus serotype 6 (OAV-6) strain RTS-151, Pasteurella haemolytica, or a combination of the 2 agents. Although severe pulmonary lesions were caused by each agent, the lesions were more severe and lasted longer with the combined infection. Lesions induced by OAV-6 alone developed 6-9 days after inoculation and lasted for 15 days, the length of the experiment. The lesions were characterized by suppurative inflammation at the junction of the terminal bronchioles and alveoli. Air spaces were filled with neutrophils and sloughed epithelial cells, which often contained large intranuclear inclusions. Lesions induced by P. haemolytica alone developed within 1 day and persisted for no more than 10 days and were characterized by severe pulmonary edema with variable amounts of fibrin. Lesions induced by the combined infection had aspects of each infection alone and resulted in severe disease in 4 of 8 lambs that were permitted to live more than 1 day after inoculation with bacteria. Early pulmonary lesions included edema, limited fibrin deposition, and slight purulent bronchiolitis and alveolitis. Later lesions included necrosis and more fibrin. For lambs inoculated with both pathogens, resolution was incomplete 15 days after inoculation of virus (10 days after inoculation of P. haemolytica). The results presented here corroborate previous findings indicating that the RTS-151 variant of OAV-6 is common in lambs and acts in concert with P. haemolytica to cause severe and often fatal pneumonia.
Issues Concerning the Early Identification of Handicapped Children.

Abstract Despite the awareness that early identification promotes early intervention, most handicaps go undetected until children become school age. Recently some states have initiated statewide early identification projects, many of which are modifications of traditional procedures. However, there is evidence which suggests that conventional methods are ineffective in detecting children with less apparent handicaps. To discover effective and efficient child find procedures, several variables must be examined: (1) population to be screened, (2) massive campaign vs. specific contact, (3) agency effort vs. community-based effort, and (4) referral mode vs. screening mode.
Incorporating Forgetting in a Category Learning Model

We present a computational model of human category learning that learns the essential structures of the categories by forgetting information that is not useful for the given task. The model shifts attention to salient information and learns associations between items and categories. Attention and association strengths are adjusted according to the degree of prediction errors the model makes. The attention and association weights are interpreted as memory strengths in the model and decay over time, allowing the model to focus on the salient structures. Using memory decay mechanisms, our model simultaneously explained human recognition and classification performances that previous models could not.
Power and Social Structure in Community Elites

Although there has been considerable theoretical interest in the relationship between pouver and position in a social structure, few researchers have explored this issue empirically. This paper develops a quantitative measure of an individual's structural capacity for "brokerage" in a social network to test hypotheses about the effect of structural position on power in community elites. Data on two community elites are used to show that (1) position in a social network has an effect on perceived influence independent of other influence resources, and (2) power derived from structure and power derived from resources undermine rather than enhance each other. Moreover, this relationship between power and structural position is dependent on the degree of factionalization and opposition in the elite. Following a series of empirical studies (e.g., Galaskiewicz 1979; Laumann & Pappi 1976) which revealed a connection between position in a social structure and various forms of power or perceived influence, a number of theorists have attempted to explicate the exact nature of this connection. In particular, sociologists have devoted considerable attention to the process by which structural position in exchange networks can become a source of power. Cook et al. (1983) conducted experiments which demonstrated that strategically located individuals in negatively connected networks are able to exploit those who are dependent on them for the exchange of resources. In a similar vein, Marsden (1982, 1983) has developed sophisticated mathematical models which predict the emergence of price-making and brokerage behavior in networks with restricted access. *This material is based on work supported under a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship. I thank Peter S. Bearman, Roberto M. Fernandez, Neil Fligstein, Harrison C. White, and two anonymous referees for their helpful comments and suggestions. In addition, I would like to thank Edward 0. Laumann for permission to use his data, and Ronald L. Breiger for providing it. Direct correspondence to the author, Department of Sociology, William James Hall, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138. X The University of North Carolina Press Social Forces, December 1989, 68(2):531-552
In vivo phosphorus nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in status epilepticus.

Bicuculline-induced status epilepticus was studied in paralyzed rabbits ventilated with an oxygen and nitrous oxide mixture. An Oxford Instruments TMR 32–200 spectrometer was used to record phosphorus 31 nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of the in vivo brain. An array of conventional physiological variables including the electroencephalogram was simultaneously recorded. Several features were consistently observed during status epilepticus: (1) Phosphocreatine levels fell to about two-thirds of their control values and remained at that level despite a gradual decline in seizure activity: (2) intracellular pH declined and then remained constant, whereas seizure discharges declined; (3) adenosine triphosphate levels remained constant at their control values. These new, lower levels of brain phosphocreatine and intracellular pH were largely unaffected by increases in seizure activity brought about by elevation of blood pressure from levels too low to support adequate cerebral perfusion, by waning of anticonvulsant drug effect, or by repeated doses of bicuculline.
Three Scenarios for the World Economy

Nineteen eighty-seven was a year of financial paradox. During the 1980s there was the strong perception that the Americans, the Europeans, and the Japanese were living well, contrasting with the accounting data that suggested the house of cards was about to fall. Three factors dominated the financial economy of 1987: the 25-percent drop in equity prices in mid-October, the apparent collapse of the U.S. dollar in the foreign exchange market, and the formal recognition by the major international banks that their losses on developing country loans would amount to at least $250 billion. The key question at the end of that year was whether the world economy was moving into a period of inflation or deflation. This essay identifies three possible scenarios. First, the decline in the foreign-exchange value of the U.S. dollar would lead to a rapid increase in U.S. net exports, an excessively large increase in demand for U.S. goods, and a run on the U.S. dollar, which would prompt more contractive monetary policies from the Federal Reserve and an increase in interest rates on U.S. dollars. Second, an increase in U.S. net exports would offset the decline in domestic spending from the smaller fiscal deficit and the less rapid growth of consumer spending. Interest rates on U.S. dollar assets would fall, which in turn would facilitate the expansion of income, and the U.S. fiscal deficit would automatically decline. Or, third, a second stock market meltdown might cause consumer and investment spending to decline more than the increase in net exports, resulting in a recession and a decline in the inflation rate and interest rates.
Fluorescence-Guided Surgery Allows for More Complete Resection of Pancreatic Cancer, Resulting in Longer Disease-Free Survival Compared with Standard Surgery in Orthotopic Mouse Models

Background Negative surgical margins are vital to achieve cure and prolong survival in patients with pancreatic cancer. We inquired if fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) could improve surgical outcomes and reduce recurrence rates in orthotopic mouse models of human pancreatic cancer. Study Design A randomized active-control preclinical trial comparing bright light surgery (BLS) to FGS was used. Orthotopic mouse models of human pancreatic cancer were established using the BxPC-3 pancreatic cancer cell line expressing red fluorescent protein (RFP). Two weeks after orthotopic implantation, tumors were resected with BLS or FGS. Pre- and postoperative images were obtained with the OV-100 Small Animal Imaging System to assess completeness of surgical resection in real time. Postoperatively, noninvasive whole body imaging was done to assess recurrence and follow tumor progression. Six weeks postoperatively, mice were sacrificed to evaluate primary pancreatic and metastatic tumor burden at autopsy. Results A more complete resection of pancreatic cancer was achieved using FGS compared with BLS: 98.9% vs 77.1%, p=0.005. The majority of mice undergoing BLS (63.2%) had evidence of gross disease with no complete resections; 20% of mice undergoing FGS had complete resection and an additional 75% had only minimal residual disease (p = 0.0001). The mean postoperative tumor burden was significantly less with FGS compared with BLS: 0.08 ± 0.06 mm 2 vs 2.64 ± 0.63 mm 2 , p=0.001. The primary tumor burden at termination was significantly less with FGS compared with BLS: 19.3 ± 5.3 mm 2 vs 6.2 ± 3.6 mm 2 , p=0.048. FGS resulted in significantly longer disease-free survival than BLS (p = 0.02, hazard ratio=0.39, 95% CI 0.17, 0.88). Conclusions Surgical outcomes were improved in pancreatic cancer using fluorescence-guidance. This novel approach has significant potential to improve surgical treatment of cancer.
Cytokine expression by neutrophils of adult horses stimulated with virulent and avirulent Rhodococcus equi in vitro

Rhodococcus equi is an intracellular pathogen of macrophages that causes rhodococcal pneumonia in foals and immunocompromised people. Evidence exists that neutrophils play a vital role in resistance to infection with R. equi; however, the means by which neutrophils exert their effects have not been clearly defined. In addition to directly killing bacteria, neutrophils also may exert a protective effect by linking innate and adaptive immune responses. In the present study we evaluated the cytokine expression profiles of adult equine neutrophils in response to stimulation with isogenic strains of virulent and avirulent R. equi in vitro. After 2 and 4 h incubation with virulent or avirulent R. equi, adult equine neutrophils expressed significantly (P < 0.05) greater tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF a), interleukin (IL)-12p40, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-23p19 mRNA, but not interferon gamma (IFNg) or IL-12p35 mRNA than unstimulated neutrophils. Furthermore, virulent R. equi induced significantly greater IL-23p19 mRNA than avirulent R. equi. These results demonstrate that R. equi-stimulated neutrophils are a source of many proinflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, these results suggest that IL-23 may be preferentially expressed over IL-12 in response to exposure with R. equi, and that this response may be more strongly induced by virulent R. equi than avirulent R. equi. Collectively, the data presented herein suggest a non-phagocytic role for neutrophils that may influence the type of adaptive immune response to R. equi.
The Evaluation of Pancreatic Function by Use of I131 Labeled Fat

Summary A study using an I 131 labeled fat meal has been carried out on 30 patients with proven pancreatic disease. Measurements were made of the per cent of blood radioactivity at four, five, and six hours following the test meal, and on a subsequent 48-hour collection of feces. The test yielded information of diagnostic value in 10 of 12 patients found to have chronic relapsing pancreatitis, in 17 of 18 patients with pancreatic carcinoma. In the absence of small bowel disease, pyloric obstruction, or gastric surgery, an impairment of fat absorption using this technique is strongly suggestive of pancreatic disease. The method can further be used as a laboratory aid in evaluating substitution therapy in patients with pancreatic insufficiency.
SERUM LIPIDS IN CHOLINE-DEFICIENT MALE AND FEMALE RATS.

Serum lipids from normal and choline-deficient male and female rats were fractionated on silicic acid. Total cholesterol, phosphorus, and fatty acid compositions were determined on serum cholesterol esters, triglycerides, phospholipids, and a small mixed fraction. Choline deficiency reduced the concentration of all classes of lipids in both sexes. Decreases in the phospholipid fractions of both sexes, and in cholesterol ester fractions of female rats, were largely due to preferential decreases in their arachidonic acid components, but the fatty acids in triglycerides decreased uniformly in both sexes.
Profitability of beef and biomass production from native warm-season grasses in Tennessee.

Native warm-season grasses (NWSGs) have demonstrated potential to reduce summer forage variability, and furthermore, there has been growing interest in the use of NWSGs as lignocellulosic biomass crops. Th e objective of this research was to determine if there was a diff erence in net returns for full-season summer grazing beef steers (Bos taurus) on three NWSGs. Additionally, the expected price for biomass that a beef producer would need to break even between using the dual-purpose early-season grazing and biomass system and the full-season grazing system was calculated for these three NWSGs. Weaned beef steers grazed switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) (SG), a big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi Vitman) and indiangrass [Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash] mixture (BBIG), and eastern gamagrass [Tripsacum dactyloides (L.) L.] at Grand Junction (AP) and Highland Rim (HR), TN, from 2010 to 2012. Th e dual-purpose grazing occurred for 30 d beginning in early May, with subsequent growth harvested as biomass post-dormancy, and full-season grazing occurred for 90 d beginning in early May. Budgets were developed for each NWSG to calculate net returns, and mixed models were used to determine diff erences in beef yield and net returns across each NWSG and location. Expected yield and net returns to full-season grazing were not diff erent among NWSGs at AP. However, net returns to full-season grazing were higher for BBIG than SG at HR. A profi t-maximizing, risk-neutral individual would increase net returns by grazing any of the NWSGs over marketing calves at weaning. Th e breakeven biomass prices ranged between US$10 and US$98 Mg–1 depending on the NWSG and location.
Screening for Major Depressive Disorder in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

Background Major depressive disorder (MDD) is common among children and adolescents and is associated with functional impairment and suicide. Purpose To update the 2009 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) systematic review on screening for and treatment of MDD in children and adolescents in primary care settings. Data sources Several electronic searches (May 2007 to February 2015) and searches of reference lists of published literature. Study selection Trials and recent systematic reviews of treatment, test-retest studies of screening, and trials and large cohort studies for harms. Data extraction Data were abstracted by 1 investigator and checked by another; 2 investigators independently assessed study quality. Data synthesis Limited evidence from 5 studies showed that such tools as the Beck Depression Inventory and Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents had reasonable accuracy for identifying MDD among adolescents in primary care settings. Six trials evaluated treatment. Several individual fair- and good-quality studies of fluoxetine, combined fluoxetine and cognitive behavioral therapy, escitalopram, and collaborative care demonstrated benefits of treatment among adolescents, with no associated harms. Limitation The review included only English-language studies, narrow inclusion criteria focused only on MDD, high thresholds for quality, potential publication bias, limited data on harms, and sparse evidence on long-term outcomes of screening and treatment among children younger than 12 years. Conclusion No evidence was found of a direct link between screening children and adolescents for MDD in primary care or similar settings and depression or other health-related outcomes. Evidence showed that some screening tools are accurate and some treatments are beneficial among adolescents (but not younger children), with no evidence of associated harms. Primary funding source Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
“Together or Apart”? On Joint versus Separate Electoral Accountability

Democratic constitutions assign competing policy-making responsibilities across multiple elected agents. One agent initiates policies (the proposer) and the other scrutinizes and either passes or rejects them (the veto player). A fundamental distinction lies in whether both offices are subject to direct elections (“separate appointments”), or whether voters instead are forced to make a single decision that determines the electoral fate of both agents (“joint appointments”). Why should voters benefit from a relatively coarse electoral instrument? A career-concerned veto player builds reputation through rejection of the proposer’s policies. A system that commits voters to bind the electoral fate of both agents reduces the veto player’s incentives to engage in spurious obstruction of the proposer’s initiatives. This can improve voters’ retrospective assessment of politicians, and their ability to select competent politicians through elections.
Anisotropic Thermal Conductivity of Superconducting Lanthanum Cuprate

The thermal conductivities of superconducting, Sr-doped lanthanum copper oxide single crystals have been measured from room temperature to below 100 mK parallel and perpendicular to the copper oxide planes. While the results indicate that the heat conduction is strongly anisotropic, the data have been analyzed in terms of a modified Bardeen-Rickhayzen-Tewordt theory of lattice thermal conductivity. It is shown that while electron scattering plays an important role in limiting the in-plane heat conductivity, this scattering channel is masked by other mechanisms for heat transport across the planes.
Assessing the Growth Potential and Economic Impact of the U.S. Maple Syrup Industry

This paper addresses the growth potential of the U.S. maple syrup industry. It outlines the number of potentially tappable maple trees and the economic impact of utilizing more of these trees for syrup production. U.S. producers currently tap 0.4% of all potentially tappable maple trees, with the highest percentage tapped in Vermont, at 2.94%. Two scenarios are analyzed for how production and consumption could grow together: (1) if each state tapped 2.94% of its available trees and consumed all of the syrup locally among its residents; and (2) the number of taps needed in each state to provide 2.6 ounces (76.9 ml) per person from "local" sources. Based on these analyses, states with the greatest potential to increase local production and consumption of pure maple syrup include Connecticut, Michigan, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Strategic marketing efforts are necessary to help maple producers take advantage of the growing demand for local, healthy, and organic food.