cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chronic constipation--is the work-up worth the cost?

BACKGROUND: Chronic constipation can be a disabling condition that may require colectomy. Evaluation has been included as a way to select appropriate patients for colectomy and may also be extensive, unrevealing, and costly. AIMS: This study was undertaken to determine the cost and use of evaluation and outcome of patients with chronic constipation. METHODS: Patients with chronic constipation were reviewed for severity of symptoms, diagnostic studies performed, treatment, and outcome. The costs of the diagnostic studies were determined at our institution. Fifty-one patients were identified with chronic constipation; all were referred by other physicians. Mean age was 54 (range, 21–81) years; 59 percent were females. Average number of bowel movements per week was two (range, 0–4), and average duration of symptoms was five years (range, 1–20). Forty-three of 51 (84 percent) colonoscopies or barium enemas were normal. Thirteen of 51 (25 percent) colonic transit studies were abnormal. Twenty-six of 51 (51 percent) patients underwent defecography; 12 (46 percent) were abnormal. Thirty-seven of 51 (74 percent) underwent anal manometry; 5 (14 percent) were abnormal. One of 18 (6 percent) rectal biopsies demonstrated Hirschsprung's disease. Overall, 8 patients (16 percent) were diagnosed with outlet obstruction, 12 (24 percent) with colonic inertia, and 31 (61 percent) with constipation of unclear etiology. Overall mean cost of diagnosis was $2,752 (range, $1,150–$4,792). Fiber, cathartics, or biofeedback therapy was successful in 33 of 51 (65 percent) patients. Among the remaining 18 patients, 12 underwent surgery, of which 10 were successful. The remaining eight patients were constipated, despite treatment. CONCLUSION: A cost of $140,369 was expended on extensive diagnostic tests, from which 12 of 51 (23 percent) patients benefited. Exhaustive diagnostic evaluation of constipation is costly, and its benefits are unclear.
Improved asymptotic bounds for error-correcting codes

The author has previously developed a new upper bound on nonsystematic binary error-correcting codes, using a sphere-packing approach and combinatorial analysis. A significant refinement is now added; together with a detailed study of the asymptotic behavior of the upper bound, this enables one to show that any large code must {\em correct} almost all sequences with a larger number of errors than the code was designed for. This excess is expressed numerically as a fraction of the designed error-correcting capability of the code. The fraction is a function of the ratio of the sequence length and the designed error-correcting capability. A possible application might be in the use of a larger code giving almost certain error correction rather than a smaller one with certain correction capability.
The orderly use of experience: Pragmatism and the development of hospital industry self‐regulation

This article focuses on the origins and the development of American hospital industry self-regulation. Drawing on extensive archival research, this article suggests that the American College of Surgeon’s Hospital Standardization Program was closely linked to the American pragmatist tradition. So understood, the Program represents a major milestone in the history of American regulation, perhaps the first self-regulatory system steeped in pragmatist principles of social ordering, a Progressive-era model of governance that long ago foreshadowed some of today’s most significant regulatory innovations.
Keynote address: How will big pictures emerge from a sea of […] biological data?

Every year since the article “How Will Big Pictures Emerge From a Sea of Biological Data?” appeared in Science, the question becomes more compelling. We are now accumulating information about biological sequences, structures, and interactions faster than we have the power to make sense of them. For hundreds of years prior to this, practical considerations coerced biological research into reductionism. There are simply too many components in a biological system for a biologist to examine the whole picture with the tools formerly available. Over the past decade this has rapidly changed as biological information has become cheap and plentiful due to the advent of high-throughput tools, making it possible for the frst time to ask questions on time and length scales that were previously intractable. The relaxation of the practical limitations on systems-level analysis has also brought a change in the philosophy of how we regard biology, moving towards a holistic method of research and interpretation. This places systems biology in stark contrast to traditional biological research, and for good reason. In the words of Denis Noble, “Systems biology is about putting together rather than taking apart, integration rather than reduction. It starts with what we have learned from the reductionist approach; and then it goes further.” This shift from reductionism is essential, for as we know from studying complex systems, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. With this new approach we are able to explore scientifc territory that has previously been untouched due to physical impossibility and philosophical differences. The complexity of the tangled web of nonlinear interactions between genes, proteins, and the environment necessitates the development of simplifed models to illuminate biological functions. Merely generating networks of interactions is not enough, providing us with far too much information in a single view without emphasizing the important features of the map. When we use Google maps and look at a picture of the United States it doesn't show us every city, we would never see Evanston, Illinois being shown at that level of detail. Only large and recognizable cities are shown to help us orient the map. Once we zoom in other smaller cities and features become visible, giving us more relevant information in a manner that is usable. Simply generating networks without any type of analysis or visualization is akin to showing a map of the United States with every state, city, and town marked on it. In my talk, I will describe the advances we have made in developing new visualization methods and the challenges still remaining.
MANAGEMENT OF POSTTRANSPLANT LYMPHOPROLIFERATIVE DISEASE IN PEDIATRIC LIVER TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS RECEIVING PRIMARY TACROLIMUS (FK506) THERAPY

Background. Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) after pediatric liver transplantation has been associated with high mortality rates. Methods. The present study examined 282 consecutive pediatric liver transplant recipients from October 1989 to June 1996 who received primary tacrolimus immunosuppression. The aim was to determine the incidence of PTLD, management strategies, and patient outcome. Results. The incidence of PTLD was 13% (36/282) with a mean age of 5.5±0.7 years (range 0.6 to 15) at diagnosis. The average time from transplantation to PTLD was 10.1±2.1 months. Initial treatment of PTLD consisted of reduction (3 patients) or discontinuation (33 patients) of tacrolimus and initiation of antiviral therapy (intravenous ganciclovir, 14 patients; intravenous acyclovir, 22 patients; or both, 5 patients). α-Interferon was used in four patients (two successfully). One patient also received y-interferon, chemotherapy, and radiation for a central nervous system lesion. Chemotherapy was also used in one patient with Burkitt's, whereas one patient with a pulmonary lesion received additional radiation therapy. Three patients received supportive surgery for gastrointestinal involvement, and one patient had a splenectomy for hemolysis. Overall mortality was 22% (8/36) with 5 (14%) PTLD-related deaths (disseminated disease, 4 patients; bowel perforation, 1 patient). Of 31 survivors, 23 had acute rejection at a median time of 24 days after PTLD, with 2 patients developing chronic rejection. One patient required retransplantation. Present immunosuppression consists of tacrolimus monotherapy in 14 patients, tacrolimus/prednisone in 8 patients, and none in 6 patients. Conclusion. In summary, PTLD can be successfully treated with reduction of immunosuppression and administration of antiviral agents in most patients. The management of rejection after PTLD requires reassessment of disease status and judicious reintroduction of immunosuppression therapy.
Review of the materials-chemistry models in the VICTORIA code

Abstract Recently a Peer Review Committee established by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued its report on VICTORIA, a detailed mechanistic computer code that addresses the release of fission products from degraded reactor fuel and the ex-core behavior of the released material. The present paper summarizes the findings of the report relevant to the materials-chemistry aspects of the code that apply chiefly to the high-temperature, steam–hydrogen environment of the degrading fuel and cladding. In addition to reviewing the theoretical foundation of the mechanisms used in the code, the assessment utilizes the `test problem' technique. In this method, the code (or its methods) are applied to very simple fuel and cladding systems with variations of input conditions, code flags, and material properties. The output is judged against expected behavior for each change. The topics treated include the thermochemical database, the code's method of treating interphase equilibria, the model of fission product release, and the treatment of cladding oxidation and hydrogen production.
Association of plasma apolipoproteins D with RBC membrane arachidonic acid levels in schizophrenia

Apolipoprotein D (apoD) is a member of the lipocalin superfamily of transporter proteins that bind small hydrophobic molecules, including arachidonic acid (AA). The ability of apoD to bind AA implicates it in pathways associated with membrane phospholipid signal transduction and metabolism. Recent findings of an increased expression of apoD in the mouse brain after clozapine treatment suggested a role for apoD in the pharmacological action of clozapine. Moreover, clozapine has been shown to increase membrane AA levels in RBC phospholipids from schizophrenic patients. ApoD levels have also been shown to be elevated in the CNS of subjects with chronic schizophrenia, a disorder associated with AA dysfunction. In this study, we examined whether plasma apoD levels are related to red blood cell membrane AA contents in the first-episode neuroleptic-naive schizophrenic (FENNS) patients. Plasma apoD levels as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were not significantly different (F=0.51, df=2,86, p=0.60) among healthy controls (n=36), FENNS patients (n=33) and patients with other psychiatric disorders (n=19). However, plasma apoD levels were significantly correlated with RBC-AA (p=0.0022) and docosapentaenoic acid (p=0.0008) in FENNS patients. There are several known mechanisms that can lead to the type of membrane fatty acid defects that have been identified in schizophrenia. Whether plasma apoD alone is a major determinant of reduced RBC membrane AA levels in FENNS patients remains to be determined, although these preliminary data appear not to support this premise. Taken together with other in vitro studies, however, the present data support the view that an increased expression of apoD such as induced by atypical neuroleptic drug, may facilitate incorporation of AA into membrane phospholipids by its selective binding to AA.
A new species of mealybug in the genus Paracoccus Ezzat & McConnell from North America (Insecta: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae)

A probably adventive mealybug species, Paracoccus gillianae sp. n. is described from North America. Its entry into the United States was likely to have been via the horticultural trade of Agave spp. (Liliales: Agavaceae) and other host plants in the family Agavaceae. Illustrations of the adult female and male, and diagnosis from congeners in the New World and from other Paracoccus species known to feed on Agavaceae, are provided.
I 2 L: Coexistence with NMOS

Fairchild has applied dielectric-isolation techniques to I2L and come up with a speed- and density-enhancing version called Isoplanar integrated-injection logic, or I3L. This paper describes this latest development and compares it to the traditional I2L.
Higher order coiling of DNA in chromatin

Abstract Electron microscopic examination of the histone H1-depleted, folded genomes of Drosophila melanogaster reveals that they are composed of long cylindrical cables of about 100 A diameter. Limited single-strand nicking with DNAase I relaxes the 100 A fibers to a "beads-on-a-string" structure, showing the nucleosomes and internucleosome DNA. Based on these results and other available data, we have constructed a detailed space-filling model for the higher order DNA coiling in chromatin, starting with the symmetrical nucleosome core previously described (Weintraub, Worcel and Alberts, 1976). The model defines the path of the DNA helix and the nucleosome arrangement along the DNA coil for both the 100 A and the 200–300 A fibers. Following Sobell et al. (1976), we believe that the DNA is coiled in the 100 A nucleofilament in a uniform left-handed supercoil of about 90 base pairs (bp) per turn and 47 A pitch; the 140 bp symmetrical nucleosome cores align themselves along this uniform DNA superhelix so that the isologous outer surfaces of adjacent nucleosomes touch and the internucleosome spacer DNA coils between them. A few single-strand discontinuities [about one nick per 85 kilobases (kb); Benyajati and Worcel, 1976] in the H1-depleted 100 A fiber can thus relax the negatively supercoiled internucleosome DNA generating the "beads-on -a-string" appearance. We propose that histone H1 binds to the 100 A diameter superhelix and coils it into tightly packed, 110 A pitch super-superhelices ("solenoids;" Finch and Klug, 1976) of variable diameter (between 200–300 A). In our model, the "thick" 200–300 A fiber is stabilized at metaphase by histone H1-H1 heterologous interactions between adjacent helical turns of the nucleofilament, and the internucleosome spacer DNA is located on the outside. Symmetry considerations demand that changes in the length of the repeat should lead to variations in the number of nucleosomes per helical turn and in the handedness of these turns in the 200–300 A metaphase fiber.
Population niche structure : Differential response of Abutilon theophrasti progeny to resource gradients.

The response of twenty maternal families of the annual Abutilon theophrasti to two resource gradients, nutrient and light, was investigated. The structure of the population niche for both biomass and reproductive output was found to be quite different on the two gradients. On the light gradient there was a great diversity of responses among the families while on the nutrient gradient the families responded in a similar manner. On both gradients the plants showed a significant genotype/environment interaction. Three strategies for the production of seed variation have been proposed-all offspring are adapted to the same restricted environment, each offspring of an individual is adapted to a particular environment somewhat different thant that of its siblings, and all the offspring are able to grow in a wide range of environments. We found evidence for all three of these strategies amongst the families. The range of responses seen amongst families (of the same species) in this study was as broad as that found in previous studies among species of the old field annual community to which Abutilon theophrasti belongs. This has significant implications to the nature of competitive interactions and to the evolution of differential resource use in plant populations.
The surface activity of phenothiazine derivatives at the air-solution interface.

The surface activity of triflupromazine, chlorpromazine, promazine, pro- methazine, and chlorpromazine sulfoxide has been determined at the air-solution interface by the drop-volume method to measure surface tension. Differences in the abilities of the various phenothiazines employed to affect surface pressure development seem correlated with their relative nonpolarities. Anionic buffer ingredients appear to have an affect on surface activity at pH 5.0. Increasing concentrations of phthalate, citrate, and succinate buffers tend to increase surface activity, while increasing the concentration of the acetate buffer has the opposite effect. Raising the pH greatly increases surface activity of chlorpromazine and its sulfoxide, but the low solubility of the un-ionized form of chlorpromazine prevents it from exhibiting surface activity unless a significant amount of protonated form is also present. The un-ionized form of chlorpromazine sulfoxide is more soluble than chlorpromazine, and it exhibits marked surface activity at high pH. ACCUMULATION at various biological membranes of chlorpromazine and other pharmacologically active phenothiazines has been demonstrated by a number of studies in vitro recently reviewed by Guth and Spirtes.r Guth et al2 have also shown that chlorpromazine acts at rat liver membranes in vivo as well as in vitro. In addition, studies with lipid monomolecular films to simulate the oriented structure of mem- branes have demonstrated that phenothiazine derivativesa- and other psychoactive drugs,5 in relatively low concentration, accumulate at the monolayer-solution interface. Whatever receptor surface or membrane may be involved in the action of the phenothiazines, it may be assumed that their widespread activity at membranes is dependent partially on their marked ability to "leave" an aqueous phase for a more nonpolar environment. The tendency of drugs to do this has often been correlated qualitatively with drug action by means of physical chemical measurements such as lipid solubility, p&, surface activity, and the ability to interact or complex with other molecules in solution. Measuring the adsorption of drugs at the air-solution interface offers many advantages for studying their escaping tendency from aqueous solution. Surface-tension measurements are extremely sensitive to factors which influence the properties of molecules in solution;6 and, since no chemically specific receptors are present, factors governing surface activity will be dependent on the relationship between solvent and drug. Thus, although the air-solution interface does not approach
Pathogenesis of slipped capital femoral epiphysis: current concepts.

Since Ambrose Pare in 1572 initially described what is believed to be the first case of slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE), a virtual plethora of unproven theories has evolved in the ensuing years. The most currently popular theories embrace a framework of biomechanical events versus biochemical events having impact at the time of puberty. The zone of slipping always occurs primarily through the zone of hypertrophy in a corrugated undulating fashion. All investigative studies show that the growth plate at the time of puberty is weakened in SCFE. The final common pathway appears to be a mechanical failure of the growth plate, due to a weakened state, to resist displacement. The commonly encountered large body mass coupled with an increasingly oblique physis lying in a relative degree of retroversion creates a mechanical environment that, coupled with delicate alterations in the hormonal balance of thyroid hormone, growth hormone, testosterone, and estrogen, render the plate intrinsically suspectible to displacement by rather innocuous forces occurring in a shear plane. Ultrastructure studies of SCFE demonstrate a significant alteration in anatomy and physiology in all active metabolic areas of the growth plate. It is the author's concept that SCFE is a generalized metabolic disorder of puberty resulting from a series of pubertal mishaps with a multifactorial basis ordinarily caused by a relative imbalance of hormones, coupled with biomechanical events.
Cost analysis of the LIBRIS II automated acquisitions system at the university of Texas at Dallas library

The costs of using the LIBRIS automated acquisitions system at the University of Texas at Dallas Library are analyzed for three fiscal years during the mid-1980s. Expenditures are tabulated for the monthly fee, equipment rental, unit charges, communications and supplies, while the division between fixed and variable costs is calculated. The top-down method is used to determine the average cost per order. The paper concludes that because the incremental costs of additional orders is always less than the average cost per order, LIBRIS becomes more cost effective at higher levels of ordering.
Mesoporous Thin Films of “Molecular Squares” as Sensors for Volatile Organic Compounds

Mesoporous thin films of rhenium-based “molecular squares”, [Re(CO)3Cl(L)]4 (L = pyrazine, 4,4‘- bipyridine), have been utilized as sensors for volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The sensing was conducted using a quartz crystal microbalance with the target compounds present in the gas phase at concentrations ranging from 0.05 to 1 mM. Quartz crystal microbalance studies with these materials allowed for distinction between the following VOCs: (1) small aromatic versus aliphatic molecules of almost identical size and volatility and (2) an array of benzene molecules derivatized with electron donating/withdrawing substituents. The experiments suggest that the mesoporous host materials interact with VOC guest molecules through both van der Waals and weak charge-transfer interactions. In addition, size selectivity is shown by exposure of the molecular squares to cyclic ethers of differing size.
Coadministration of oral levofloxacin with agents that impair its absorption: potential impact on emergence of resistance.

Abstract Coadministration of fluoroquinolones (FQs) with divalent or trivalent cation-containing compounds (DTCCs) inhibits FQ absorption. In a case–control study of 46 inpatients receiving oral levofloxacin and DTCCs, patients with a levofloxacin-resistant isolate had been previously exposed to nearly twice as many days of levofloxacin/DTCC coadministration ( P = 0.04). There remained a borderline significant independent association between the number of days of coadministration and levofloxacin-resistant culture [adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 1.26 (0.98, 1.63); P = 0.07], even after controlling for the length of the levofloxacin course and the duration of hospitalisation prior to initiation of levofloxacin. Efforts should be directed at modifying hospital policies for dosing of levofloxacin and DTCCs to prevent coadministration.
Self-organization in sensor networks

In an effort to better guide research into self-confguring wireless sensor networks, we discuss a technical defnition of the term self-organization. We define a self-organizing system as one where a collection of units coordinate with each other to form a system that adapts to achieve a goal more efficiently. We then lay out some conditions that must hold for a system to meet this definition and discuss some examples of self-organizing systems. Finally, we explore some of the ways this definition applies to wireless sensor networks.
Relaxation Oscillations in Stimulated Ruman and Brillouin Scattering

The equations describing the transfer of intensity from a pump beam simultaneously to forward and backward stimulated scattered beams in an infinite medium are shown to lead to pulsations similar to relaxation oscillations in the scattered intensities. The period of the pulsations is simply related to the gain length for the forward-scattered beam, and may be much longer than the ordinary transient time (related to the damping of material excitations) usually associated with stimulated scattering. Similar oscillations occur for backward scattering alone (stimulated Brillouin scattering) if the scattering medium is finite. In this case the period equals the photon round-trip time in the medium if the latter exceeds the backward gain length. Both phenomena should be observable in scattering from gases such as ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ and ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ at high pressure, and may also play a role in determining the temporal structure of light scattered from the region of a self-focus in liquids.
Responding to child sexual abuse in the United States and Kenya: Child protection and children's rights

Abstract Child welfare policies and practices vary widely across nations, but most comparative studies have focused on differences between North American and European countries in how they address the abuse and exploitation of children. Using a comparative case-study approach to examine differences and similarities in how the United States and Kenya have responded to the sexual abuse of children, this article illustrates why it is important to examine and compare child welfare policies and practices in a wider range of countries. The dominant strategy for addressing child sexual abuse in the United States is the formal child protection system, while Kenya focuses more on locally-based efforts for empowering children and communities to resist and interrupt exploitation and abuse. Since both approaches have strengths and weaknesses, there is a great deal that the two countries could learn from and teach each other. The authors suggest that it is important to acknowledge children's strengths, agency, and rights, as well as their vulnerabilities, and conclude that responses to child sexual abuse and other types of maltreatment may be strengthened by a clearer understanding of how history, culture, politics, and economics influence the development and effectiveness of child protective policies and practices.
Influence of pH, nitrogen and phosphorus sources on the production of hepatitis B virus pre-S2 antigen by Hansenula polymorpha.

Experimental design techniques were used to study the influence of the composition of the culture medium on the production of hepatitis B virus pre-S2 antigen by the methylotrophic yeast Hansenula polymorpha. pH, phosphoric acid, ammonium chloride and yeast extract concentrations were selected as experimental factors and their influence was investigated using Central Composite design techniques. The results indicated that antigen yield was maximized at high pH and in a culture medium containing both ammonium chloride and yeast extract. Phosphoric acid was found to have a detrimental effect on antigen production. This study allowed a 50% increase in antigen production in a medium in which the yeast extract cocentration was decreased to 32 g/1. These optimal conditions have been confirmed with an octagonal design experiment. Moreover, it was shown that the antigen produced was very stable up to at least 8 days after induction and that the yeast extract concentration could be lowered to 22 g/1 without apprciable effect on antigen yield. The increase in antigen production was not due to an increase in cell biomass, since no correlation could be found between these two parameters. The newly defined culture medium should allow a greatly increased antigen production at the fermentor level, at a lower cost and with minimal operational problems.
DYNAMICS OF ELECTRON TRANSFER BETWEEN TWO ADJACENT CHANNELS AS CALCULATED BY AN ENSEMBLE MONTE CARLO METHOD

The dynamical characteristics of electron transfer between two channels are elucidated by using a many‐particle Monte Carlo model with self‐consistent electric fields. The study has been performed to assess switching speeds associated with various novel devices such as velocity modulation transistors and dual channel high electron mobility transistors. Typical time constants for a one micrometer device (0.4 µm gate length) are 3.5 psec for the longitudinal (source‐to‐drain) and 0.2 psec for the transport perpendicular to the interfaces between the two channels.
Dysgerminoma of the Ovary Associated with Hypercalcemia

Abstract A 19-year-old female presented with a 3-week history of abdominal swelling, polydipsia, and polyuria. Ultrasound examination disclosed a right adnexal mass. Preoperative workup showed that the serum calcium level was elevated to 12.2 mg/dl. Laporotomy disclosed a right ovarian tumor and a right salpingo-oophorectomy was performed. The serum calcium level fell to within the normal range postoperatively. The ovarian tumor was a typical dysgerminoma on both gross and microscopic examination. The majority of ovarian tumors associated with paraneoplastic hypercalcemia in young females are small cell carcinomas of hypercalcemic type. It is important, however, for pathologists to be aware that the dysgerminoma is the second most common ovarian neoplasm associated with hypercalcemia in this age group, as diagnostic confusion between these two tumors may rarely occur on microscopic examination. The literature on ovarian tumors associated with hypercalcemia is briefly reviewed.
The association state of a detergent-solubilized membrane protein measured during crystal nucleation and growth by small-angle neutron scattering

Reaction centers (RCs) from Rhodobacter sphaeroides R-26 were used as a model for membrane protein macromolecular organization and crystallization. Small-angle neutron-scattering measurements were made during pre-saturation, nucleation, and crystal growth phases of crystallization, using polyethylene glycol, PEG, as the precipitant, and with fully deuterated reaction center protein. Solution 2H2O/1H2O ratios were adjusted to match the average scattering length density of the detergent, and allow the scattering from the deuterated reaction center to be selectively detected within the detergent and PEG containing mixtures. Neutron-scattering profiles for the detergent-solubilized reaction center in PEG-containing solutions were found not to deviate detectably from that expected for mono-dispersed, noninteracting particles. Analysis of the scattering in terms of discrete aggregates suggests that the reaction center exists predominately in the monomeric form throughout the crystallization process. The absence of detectable (<5%) accumulation of small, soluble aggregates entering into the supersaturated state suggests that the initial crystal nuclei must be kinetically transient, thermodynamically unstable intermediates, and that a reaction center monomer is most likely to serve as the crystal growth unit. These results contrast markedly with analogous neutron scattering studies of lysozyme.
Surface analysis of commercially made mirrors

Abstract Most commercially made mirrors, consisting of a multilayer stack of glass/Ag/Cu/paint, are made using a wet electroless process. AES, XPS and SIMS have been used for compositional analysis during profiling to reach the Ag/glass, Ag/Cu, and Cu/paint interfaces as well as to analyze for impurities present in each layer of the mirror. A five-ligand coordinated tin complex is proposed as the initial configuration of tin on the glass surface prior to silver plating. This model is consistent with data from this work as well as from the literature. Surface analysis results from studies of complete mirror stacks and of partially made mirrors prepared in our laboratory reveal that some sensitizer and Ag reducer solution components are trapped during mirror formation at the Ag/glass interface and Cu reducer solution components are trapped at the Cu/paint interface. After real-time and accelerated life testing of completed mirrors, chloride was identified in copious amounts at the Cu/paint interface, and most probably originates from the paint over-layer. Results from samples aged for six months and one year suggest that iron from the glass segregates to the Ag/glass interface, Cu penetrates into the Ag layer, and oxygen penetrates into the Cu layer from the Cu/paint interface and/or Cu/air interface. Emphasis in the discussion is placed upon the chemistry at the Ag/glass interface and possible corrosion induced by impurities trapped at the Ag/glass and Cu/paint interfaces during mirror fabrication.
A Cautionary Tale: The Acts-Consequence ‘Construct’:

In 1955 Klaus Koch asserted that the Old Testament, particularly its wisdom literature, has no concept of divine retribution and that humanity simply receives the appropriate fruit of the good or bad deeds we sow. This notion, the so-called acts—consequence construct, has become an important element in a paradigmatic approach to the wisdom books; one which attacks the sages of Proverbs as—strangely enough in view of Koch’s argument—invoking divine retribution to support their, supposedly, self-serving teachings. This article offers some critique of Koch’s original argument but focuses on the misleading way it was appropriated by English-speaking scholars.
Characteristics, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Alcoholism in Elderly Patients

The purpose of this study is to examine the ability of physicians to diagnose alcoholism in the elderly patient and to define characteristics specific to the elderly patient with alcoholism. During a 3-month period, all new admissions to the medical service of The Johns Hopkins Hospital were screened for alcoholism with two screening tests (the CAGE questionnaire and Short Michigan Alcohol Screening Test). The prevalence of screen-positive alcoholism was 27% in patients under 60 years of age and 21% in patients 60 years and older. Elderly patients with alcoholism were more likely to be black (P less than .01), but did not differ significantly in any other way from elderly patients who did not have alcoholism. Although 60% of screen-positive young patients with alcoholism were identified by their houseofficers, only 37% of elderly patients with screen-positive alcoholism were so identified (P less than .05). The elderly patients with alcoholism were significantly less likely to be diagnosed by their houseofficer if they were white, female, or had completed high school (P less than .01). Even when diagnosed, elderly patients with alcoholism were less likely than younger patients with alcoholism to have treatment recommended by their houseofficers (P less than .05) and, if treatment were recommended, it was less likely to be initiated (P less than .05). These data suggest that current medical education is deficient in providing physicians with the skills to detect and treat elderly patients with alcoholism.
Domains of eIF1A that mediate binding to eIF2, eIF3 and eIF5B and promote ternary complex recruitment in vivo

Translation initiation factor 1A (eIF1A) is predicted to bind in the decoding site of the 40S ribosome and has been implicated in recruitment of the eIF2–GTP–Met-tRNAiMet ternary complex (TC) and ribosomal scanning. We show that the unstructured C-terminus of eIF1A interacts with the C-terminus of eIF5B, a factor that stimulates 40S–60S subunit joining, and removal of this domain of eIF1A diminishes translation initiation in vivo. These findings support the idea that eIF1A–eIF5B association is instrumental in releasing eIF1A from the ribosome after subunit joining. A larger C-terminal truncation that removes a 310 helix in eIF1A deregulates GCN4 translation in a manner suppressed by overexpressing TC, implicating eIF1A in TC binding to 40S ribosomes in vivo. The unstructured N-terminus of eIF1A interacts with eIF2 and eIF3 and is required at low temperatures for a step following TC recruitment. We propose a modular organization for eIF1A wherein a core ribosome-binding domain is flanked by flexible segments that mediate interactions with other factors involved in recruitment of TC and release of eIF1A at subunit joining.
Pulsed LIDAR-assisted Controllers for Turbine Power Capture Enhancement and Fatigue Load Mitigation Below Rated

Both turbine power capture enhancement and fatigue load mitigation are investigated in this paper using a previewed wind measurement provided by a pulsed light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system. When the wind turbine is operating below rated wind speed, three LIDAR-assisted control strategies are proposed: the disturbance tracking control (DTC) augmented with LIDAR, the preview control, and the optimally tracking rotor (OTR) control augmented with LIDAR. The DTC with LIDAR and preview controller are combined with a linear quadratic regulator (LQR) in the feedback path, while OTR is a strategy adapted from the baseline quadratic k 2 torque law feedback. These control strategies are simulated in 93 turbulent wind les and their performance is compared against with the baseline control k 2 .
Trace elements as quantitative probes of differentiation processes in planetary interiors

The characteristic trace element signature that each mineral in the source region imparts on the magma constitutes the conceptual basis for trace element modeling. It is shown that abundances of trace elements in extrusive igneous rocks may be used as petrological and geochemical probes of the source regions of the rocks if differentiation processes, partition coefficients, phase equilibria, and initial concentrations in the source region are known. Although compatible and incompatible trace elements are useful in modeling, the present review focuses primarily on examples involving the rare-earth elements.
M center reorientation in CaF2

The reorientation efficiency of M centers in CaF2 is found to be directly proportional to the M+ center concentration. The wavelength dependence of the efficiency for optically induced reorientation is also found to agree with the M absorption rather than the MF. We propose that the M centers in CaF2 reorient under ultraviolet excitation by first photoionizing, i.e., becoming an M+ center; this M+ center then absorbs light in the same spectral range and reorients during a nonradiative transition from the excited state. This agrees with the mechanism found previously in the alkali halides. Es wird gefunden, das die Umorientierungsrate von M-Zentren in CaF2 proportional zur Konzentration der M+-Zentren ist. Weiterhin wird gefunden, das die Wellenlangenabhan-gigkeit der Umorientierungsrate mit der M-Absorption, aber nicht mit der MF-Absorption ubereinstimmt. Es wird vorgeschlagen, das die Umorientierung von M-Zentren in CaF2 unter ultravioletter Anregung in zwei Etappen verlauft, zuerst werden die M-Zentren ionisiert, die dann M+-Zentren bilden. Die M+-Zentren absorbieren dann Licht im selben Spek-tralbereich und orientieren sich wahrend eines strahhmgslosen Ubergangs vom angeregten Zustand um. Das stimmt mit dem in den Alkalihalogeniden gefundenen Mechanismus uberein.
VISAR: LINE-IMAGING INTERFEROMETER

This paper describes a Velocity Interferometer System for Any Reflector (VISAR) technique that extends velocity measurements from single points to a line. Single-frequency argon laser light was focused through a cylindrical lens to illuminate a line on a surface. The initially stationary flat surface was accelerated unevenly during the experiment. Motion produced a Doppler-shift of light reflected from the surface that was proportional to the velocity at each point. The Dopplershifted image of the illuminated line was focused from the surface through a pushpull VISAR interferometer where the light was split into four quadrature-coded images. When the surface accelerated the Doppler-shift caused the interference for each point on each line image to oscillate sinusoidally. Coherent fiber optic bundles transmitted images from the interferometer to an electronic streak camera for sweeping in time and recording on film. Data reduction combined the images to yield a continuous velocity and displacement history for all points on the surface that reflected sufficient light. The technique was demonsirated in an experiment where most of the surface was rapidly driven to a saddle shape by an exploding foil. Computer graphics were used to display the measured velocity history and to aid visualization of the surface motion. 1.
Alternative Regimens for the Prophylaxis of Mycobacterium avium Complex in Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)

Azithromycin, clarithromycin, and rifabutin are all FDA-approved for prophylaxis against Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) in patients with advanced HIV infection. Recently, results of two large, randomized, controlled trials were reported that may alter the way these compounds are used in preventing MAC. Results have shown that both azithromycin (1,200 mg once weekly) and clarithromycin (500 mg twice daily) are more efficacious than rifabutin in preventing MAC. Combination prophylaxis with a macrolide and rifabutin improves the efficacy of azithromycin but not that of clarithromycin. Additionally, combination therapy has been associated with increased toxicity, resulting in more adverse events. While both azithromycin and clarithromycin are very effective, the once-weekly administration and fewer drug interactions offer an advantage to azithromycin prophylaxis over clarithromycin in most settings.
Efficacy of algal metrics for assessing nutrient and organic enrichment in flowing waters

SUMMARY 1. Algal-community metrics were calculated for periphyton samples collected from 976 streams and rivers by the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Programme during 1993–2001 to evaluate national and regional relations with water chemistry and to compare whether algal-metric values differ significantly among undeveloped and developed land-use classifications. 2. Algal metrics with significant positive correlations with nutrient concentrations included indicators of trophic condition, organic enrichment, salinity, motility and taxa richness. The relative abundance of nitrogen-fixing algae was negatively correlated with nitrogen concentrations, and the abundance of diatom species associated with high dissolved oxygen concentrations was negatively correlated with both nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations. Median algal-metric values and nutrient concentrations were significantly lower at undeveloped sites than those draining agricultural or urban catchments. 3. Total algal biovolume did not differ significantly among major river catchments or landuse classifications, and was only weakly correlated with nitrate (positive) and suspendedsediment (negative) concentrations. Estimates of periphyton chlorophyll a indicated an oligotrophic–mesotrophic boundary of about 21 mg m )2 and a mesotrophic–eutrophic boundary of about 55 mg m )2 based on upper and lower quartiles of the biovolume data
Teaching Active Learning Strategies to Graduate Students

This paper examines the value of training graduate students in active learning techniques, including Team-Based Learning (TBL). Given the realities of the academic job market and what institutions of higher education are looking for in new faculty, graduate students should be exposed to a variety of teaching methods so they can quickly adjust to the teaching demands of faculty positions. Receiving such instruction early in their academic careers allows graduate students to gain experience with new methods before they even enter the job market. Based on a small-scale graduate student survey conducted in one department, there are reasons to suggest that graduate students who have access to such education will use more active methods and demonstrate an understanding of what works in their own classrooms. It is evident that an enthusiastic audience for innovative teaching strategies exists, and a model of a peer mentoring program focused on teaching is presented as one option to enhance the training graduate students receive without overburdening departmental resources.
New hydroxylated metabolites of 4-monochlorobiphenyl in whole poplar plants

Two new monohydroxy metabolites of 4-monochlorobiphenyl (CB3) were positively identified using three newly synthesized monohydroxy compounds of CB3: 2-hydroxy-4-chlorobiphenyl (2OH-CB3), 3-hydroxy-4-chlorobiphenyl (3OH-CB3) and 4-hydroxy-3-chlorobiphenyl (4OH-CB2). New metabolites of CB3, including 2OH-CB3 and 3OH-CB3, were confirmed in whole poplars (Populus deltoides × nigra, DN34), a model plant in the application of phytoremediation. Furthermore, the concentrations and masses of 2OH-CB3 and 3OH-CB3 formed in various tissues of whole poplar plants and controls were measured. Results showed that 2OH-CB3 was the major product in these two OH-CB3s with chlorine and hydroxyl moieties in the same phenyl ring of CB3. Masses of 2OH-CB3 and 3OH-CB3 in tissues of whole poplar plants were much higher than those in the hydroponic solution, strongly indicating that the poplar plant itself metabolizes CB3 to both 2OH-CB3 and 3OH-CB3. The total yield of 2OH-CB3 and 3OH-CB3, with chlorine and hydroxyl in the same phenyl ring of CB3, was less than that of three previously found OH-CB3s with chlorine and hydroxyl in the opposite phenyl rings of CB3 (2'OH-CB3, 3'OH-CB3, and 4'OH-CB3). Finally, these two newly detected OH-CB3s from CB3 in this work also suggests that the metabolic pathway was via epoxide intermediates. These five OH-CB3s clearly showed the complete metabolism profile from CB3 to monohydroxylated CB3. More importantly, it's the first report and confirmation of 2OH-CB3 and 3OH-CB3 (new metabolites of CB3) in a living organism.
The Intrinsic Shape Distribution of a Sample of Elliptical Galaxies

We apply the dynamical modeling approach of Statler to 13 elliptical galaxies from the Davies & Birkinshaw sample of radio galaxies to derive constraints on their intrinsic shapes and orientations. We develop an iterative Bayesian algorithm to combine these results to estimate the parent shape distribution from which the sample was drawn, under the assumption that this parent distribution has no preferred orientation. In the process we obtain improved estimates for the shapes of individual objects. The parent shape distribution shows a tendency toward bimodality, with peaks at the oblate and prolate limits. Under minimal assumptions about the galaxies' internal dynamics, 35% of the objects would be strongly triaxial (0.2 < T < 0.8). However, the parent distribution is sensitive to the assumed orbit populations in the galaxies. Dynamical configurations in which all galaxies rotate purely about either their long or short axes can be ruled out because they would require the sample to have a strong orientation bias. Configurations in which the mean motion about the short or long axis is either "disklike"—dropping off away from the symmetry planes—or "spheroid-like"—remaining roughly constant at a given radius—are equally viable. Spheroid-like rotation in the long-axis or short-axis tube orbits significantly lowers the abundance of prolate or oblate galaxies, respectively. If rotation in ellipticals is generally disklike, then triaxiality is rare; if spheroid-like, triaxiality is common.
Flexing Muscle: Corporate Political Expenditures as Signals to the Bureaucracy

When corporations and their employees spend money in the political arena, to what extent are they purchasing special treatment? Complaints about the deleterious effects of corporate money in politics are ubiquitous in American political discourse. However, in order to pinpoint the place of these expenditures in American democracy, and to appreciate fully the consequences of various reform proposals,itiscriticaltoidentifytheprecisemechanism through which any preferential treatment might occur. In this spirit, scholars have suggested that corporations make political expenditures because they hope to influence government behavior, through either explicit quid pro quos with legislators for constituency service or favorable votes (Baron 1989; Grossman and Helpman 1994, 2001), improved access to legislators (Hall and Wayman 1990; Langbein 1986), or enhancement of the electoral prospects of sympathetic incumbents(PooleandRomer1985).Empiricalevidenceverifying a definitive relationship between expenditures and specific policy change, unfortunately, has proven elusive. In a recent review essay, Ansolabehere, de Figueiredo, and Snyder (2003, 116) conclude, “Contributions explain a miniscule fraction of the variation in voting behavior in the U.S. Congress.” They suggest thatcontributionsarebetterthoughtofasconsumption goods that fulfill a desire to participate in politics than as investment in a political marketplace.