cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The impact of July hospital admission on outcome after surgery for spinal metastases at academic medical centers in the United States, 2005 to 2008

BACKGROUND: Despite widespread belief that patients admitted to teaching hospitals in July—the beginning of the academic year—have inferior outcomes, there has been little evidence to support the existence of the July phenomenon. Moreover, the impact of July admission on the outcomes after surgery for spinal metastases has not been investigated. METHODS: Data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2005-2008) were retrospectively extracted. Patients who underwent surgery for metastatic spinal disease and were admitted to a teaching hospital were included. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to calculate the odds of in-hospital death, the occurrence of an intraoperative complication, and the development of a postoperative complication depending on whether admission was in July or between August and June. All analyses were adjusted for differences in patient age, sex, comorbidities, primary tumor histology, visceral metastases, myelopathy, insurance status, hospital volume, and admission type. RESULTS: A total of 2920 admissions were evaluated. In-hospital mortality was higher in July compared with between August and June—7.5% versus 4.2%. The adjusted odds of in-hospital death were significantly higher for patients admitted in July (odds ratio [OR], 1.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-2.91; P = .01). Patients admitted in July were significantly more likely to develop an intraoperative complication (OR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.41-3.17; P < .001), but not a postoperative complication (OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.81-1.45; P = .60). CONCLUSIONS: In this nationwide study based on an administrative database, patients undergoing surgery for metastatic spinal disease at teaching hospitals in July had higher rates of in-hospital mortality and intraoperative complications. Cancer 2012;. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Comparison of two types of models for concave force-deformation curves presentation

Compressive force-deformation curves of solid foods with upward and downward concavities are described by a power law and two, two-parameter mathematical models that can be transformed into linear equations by rearrangement. The fit of the latter to experimental data was comparable to or better than that of a two-parameter power law model. These two models can simplify the procedure and shorten the time of data processing in certain applications of computer interfaced testing machines. Their main advantage over the power law model, however, is that they can facilitate the analysis of the compressive behavior of double-layered arrays of objects in general and that of finger(s)-food system in particular.
Neurosecretory material from the nucleus lateralis tuberis in the hypophysis of the eastern brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis

The distribution of neurosecretory material from the nucleus lateralis tuberis of the hypothalamus was investigated in the eastern brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis.
Licensing of the ES-3100 Type B Shipping Container: Replacement of the DOT 6M Container

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is shipping bulk quantities of fissile materials for disposition purposes, primarily highly enriched uranium (HEU), over the next 15 to 20 years. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) specification 6M container has been the workhorse for NNSA and many other shippers of radioactive material. However, the 6M does not conform to the safety requirements in the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR 71[1]) and, for that reason, is being phased out for use in the secure transportation system of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in early 2006. BWXT Y-12 is currently developing the replacement for the DOT 6M container for NNSA and other users. The new package is based on state-of-the-art, proven, and patented technologies that have been successfully applied in the design of other packages. The new package will have a 50% greater capacity for HEU than the 6M, and it will be easier to use with a state-of-the-art closure system on the containment vessel. This new package is extremely important to the future of fissile, radioactive material transportation. An application for license was submitted to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in February 2005. This paper reviews the license submittal, the licensing process, and the proposed contents of this new state-of-the-art shipping container.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Amino acid sequence similarity between rabies virus glycoprotein and snake venom curaremimetic neurotoxins

Evidence was presented earlier that a host-cell receptor for the highly neurotropic rabies virus might be the acetylcholine receptor. The amino acid sequence of the glycoprotein of rabies virus was compared by computer analysis with that of snake venom curaremimetic neurotoxins, potent ligands of the acetylcholine receptor. A statistically significant sequence relation was found between a segment of the rabies glycoprotein and the entire sequence of long neurotoxins. The greatest identity occurs with residues considered most important in neurotoxicity, including those interacting with the acetylcholine binding site of the acetylcholine receptor. Because of the similarity between the glycoprotein and the receptor-binding region of the neurotoxins, this region of the viral glycoprotein may function as a recognition site for the acetylcholine receptor. Direct binding of the rabies virus glycoprotein to the acetylcholine receptor could contribute to the neurotropism of this virus.
Perfusion and diffusion tensor imaging in a patient with locked-in syndrome after neurosurgical vascular bypass and endovascular embolization of a basilar artery aneurysm: case report.

Objective and importance Locked-in syndrome is a state of preserved consciousness in the setting of quadriplegia, anarthria, and usually also includes lateral gaze palsy. It is most commonly associated with upper brainstem infarction variably sparing the third cranial nerve nucleus. There are likely many etiologies that contribute to this clinical syndrome. These are incompletely understood, and the syndrome remains a rare but devastating complication that can occur after neurosurgical and neurovascular interventions. Advanced magnetic resonance imaging techniques such as perfusion and diffusion tensor imaging may help to elucidate the mechanism behind locked-in syndrome. To the authors' knowledge, there are no reports in the literature of perfusion and diffusion tensor findings in patients with this syndrome. A postprocedural case of locked-in syndrome is described with abnormalities on perfusion and diffusion tensor imaging in the absence of any changes in conventional magnetic resonance imaging. Clinical presentation A 57-year-old man who presented with acute onset headache, ataxia, and other nonspecific symptoms was found on imaging to have a giant fusiform basilar artery aneurysm. Intervention A saphenous vein graft bypass between the proximal right external carotid artery and P2 segment of the right posterior cerebral artery followed immediately by endovascular embolization of the aneurysm sac and distal left vertebral artery was performed. Conclusion Postprocedural angiography demonstrated patency of the bypass graft, and diffusion weighted imaging showed no evidence for acute brainstem infarction. Nevertheless, despite technically successful procedures and the absence of abnormalities on conventional magnetic resonance imaging, the patient developed quadriplegia and anarthria and remained in a locked-in state until he expired. Abnormalities were, however, seen on both perfusion and diffusion tensor imaging, where hypoperfusion, increased mean diffusivity, and decreased fractional anisotropy were observed in the ventral brainstem. The findings suggested a disruption of pontine white matter tracts. Advanced imaging techniques may allow us to image important microstructural changes that were previously not discernable and assist in the evaluation of patients with complex neurological sequelae such as locked-in syndrome.
Cognitive Behavioral Model of Test Anxiety in a High-Stakes Context: An Exploratory Study

A cognitive behavioral model of test anxiety among school-aged children has yet to be empirically evaluated. The present study evaluates a cognitive behavioral model of test anxiety occurring in a high-stakes context using structural equation modeling. A sample of 1,248 high school students in six high schools completed measures of test anxiety, self-efficacy, school climate, perceived test importance, and demographic information to evaluate a proposed test anxiety model that includes cognitive processes, learning experiences, demographic characteristics, social context, and environmental contingencies as predictors. The resulting model suggests a dynamic interplay among variables and significantly advances our understanding of the factors related to the manifestation of test anxiety in a high-stakes context. Implications for assessment, treatment, and research with test anxiety are considered.
Effect of probucol on cholesterol metabolism in the rat

The effects of probucol treatment on cholesterol metabolism were examined in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups: one group was given 0.25% probucol containing chow diet, one group was given 0.25% clofibrate containing chow diet, and the third group was fed chow diet alone. All groups of rats were maintained on these regimens for 4 weeks before killing. Probucol treatment resulted in a decrease in plasma cholesterol and cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity. Clofibrate treatment resulted in a reduction of plasma cholesterol, hepatic HMG-CoA reductase and cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activities. The fecal excretion of neutral and acidic sterols were decreased significantly in the probucol or clofibrate-treated rats. In the bile there was a decrease in the concentration of total bile acids. These results suggest the mechanism for hypocholesterolemic action of probucol to be different from that of clofibrate.
Chronic low back pain: an outcome analysis of a mind—body intervention

Summary These data report the findings of a preliminary outcomes analysis ( n = 52) of the mind—body intervention arm of a three-pronged study of chronic back pain patients ( n = 180). Participants were screened on inclusion—exclusion criteria prior to baseline measures that included a pain visual analog scale, McGill Pain Measure, Beck Depression Scale, Coping Strategies Questionnaire, demographic data, Health Locus of Control Scale and others. Patients were then given a ten-week two-and-a-half hour mind—body intervention that included an educationl component, relaxation response training, and Qi Gong movement therapy. Data indicate that patients scored significantly different on all McGill Pain subscales and all Visual Analog Scale measures, eight Beck Depression Subscales, and some Coping Strategies Questions, and several of the Health Locus of Control Scales at end of treatment. Data indicate usefulness of a multiple-content intervention emphasizing cognitive changes toward the pain through an educational component, instruction in relaxation technique, and a movement therapy to facilitate restoration of function. Additional inter-group analyses are forthcoming.
Development and optimization of an integrated Faraday modulator and compensator design for optical polarimetry

In the past, Faraday based optical polarimetry approaches have shown considerable potential for the measurement of optical activity with application towards the noninvasive measurement of physiological glucose concentration. To date, most reported closed-loop systems incorporate separate Faraday components for modulation and compensation requiring two optical crystals. These systems have demonstrated significant stability and sub-millidegree rotational sensitivities; however, the main drawbacks to this approach are the optical materials (e.g., terbium gallium garnet) can be quite expensive and often custom fabricated induction coils are required. In this investigation, we propose a new design for the Faraday components capable of achieving both modulation and compensation in a single crystal device. The design is more compact and is capable of achieving similar performance with low cost commercially available inductive components. To facilitate prototype optimization, our group has developed a finite element model (FEM) that can simulate various physical parameters such as geometry, inductance, and orientation with respect to the optical rod in order to minimize power consumption and size while maintaining appropriate field strength. Performance is comparable to existing nonintegrated approaches and is capable of achieving modulation depths < 1° under similar operating conditions while attaining sub-millidegree linear polarization sensitivity. There is also excellent correlation between the FEM and experimental prototype with operational performance shown to be within 1.8%. The use of FEM simulations allows for the analysis of a vast range of parameters before prototypes are fabricated and can facilitate custom designs as related to development time, anticipated performance, and cost reduction.
Accelerated appearance of chemically induced mammary carcinomas in obese yellow (avy/a) (balb/c x vy)f1 hybrid mice.

Latent periods and cumulative incidence of mammary carcinomas (MT) up to 50 wk after initial gavage with 7.12‐dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) were determined in virgin yellow (Avy/A) and agouti (A/a) (BALB/cStCrlfC3Hf/Nctr X VY/WffC3Hf/ Nctr‐Avy) F 1 hybrid female mice. When subcutaneous masses reached 5–10 mm in diameter, the mice were killed and necropsied, and the tissues examined histologically. No MT were found in control mice. Cumulative MT incidence in the 1.5‐mg DMBA group (A) was 43% (41/95) among yellow mice, and 33% (32/96) among agoutis. In the 6.0‐mg DMBA group (B), corresponding MT incidences were 86% (83/96) and 71% (67/95). In group A, the first percentile of MT detection was 13.0 wk after initial carcinogen treatment in yellow mice; it was 18.0 wk in agoutis. Corresponding latent periods for the 20th percentile were 34.3 and 47.0 wk. In group B, latencies for the first percentile were 8.3 and 9.0 wk. Corresponding latencies for the 20th percentile were 15.3 and 16.0 wk. Within genotypes ...
The radiolysis of dodecane-tributylphosphate solutions II. Liquid products

Abstract The yield of degradation liquid products from dodecane is reduced in the presence of tributylphosphate, an electron scavenger. The presence of nitrous oxide as a second scavenger in TBP-dodecane solutions decreased the extent of the sensitized decomposition of tributylphosphate.
Hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) of fluorocarbon and organosilicon thin films

HWCVD affords the capability to synthesize fluorocarbon and organosilicon thin films. These two classes of materials are of interest for a wide range of applications, including low dielectric constant coatings for microelectronic interconnection, ‘dry’ photoresists, directly patternable dielectrics for lithographic production of integrated circuits, insulating biomaterials for implantable devices with complex topologies and small dimensions, low friction coatings, and semipermeable membranes. HWCVD from hexafluoropropylene oxide ( CFO ) dramatically reduces cross-link and defect concentrations in fluorocarbon coatings, producing 36 films which are spectroscopically indistinguishable from bulk polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, Teflon). Organosilicon films can be deposited from cyclic precursors such as octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D ) at extremely high rates ()2 mmymin) by 4 HWCVD. The bonding structure of HWCVD organosilicon films is substantially different from both their plasma enhanced CVD (PECVD) counterparts and bulk siloxane polymers, such as poly(dimethysiloxane )( PDMS). 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
CHLORIDE-TRANSPORT STIMULATORY FACTOR IN URINE OF CHRONICALLY SODIUM-CHLORIDE LOADED MAN

Urinary extracts (in methylene dichloride) of subjects on high sodium-chloride (NaCl) intake produce net Cl- efflux (active transport) in isolated short-circuited frog skin. Activity is not found in the urine of NaCl-deprived normal subjects or NaCl-loaded subjects with adrenal insufficiency. These findings suggest that presence of an adrenocortical steriod which participates in adaptation to high salt intake. We describe here a lipid-soluble factor extracted from urine of chronically salt-loaded subjects which stimulates active Cl- transport in isolated frog skin. Our findings indicate that the factor is of adrenal origin and that it induces active ion transport in the direction opposite to that stimulated by the adrenal hormone, aldosterone. Aldosterone produces NaCl conservation in states of salt deprivation. We expect this new factor to produce NaCl excretion in states of excess salt ingestion.
Cytological characterization of persistent paranasal sinus secretions after endoscopic sinus surgery.

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to characterize the cellular composition of persisting sinus secretions after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS).MethodsConsecutive adult patients with persisting abnormal sinus secretions post-ESS were prospectively evaluated. Sinus secretions were aspirated and submitted for cytological analysis. Semiquantitative cell counts were obtained for epithelial cells (graded as present or absent), eosinophils (graded on a 4-point Likert severity scale), and neutrophils (3-point Likert scale). Prior operative histopathology from ESS and Lund CT scores were reviewed. Statistical analyses were conducted to determine the relationships between preoperative Lund score, operative histopathology, and subsequent cellular infiltrate in sinus secretions.ResultsForty-three patients (mean age, 49 years) were enrolled. Epithelial cells were present in 13 (30.2%) of these individuals. Cytological eosinophilia was rated as absent in 14 (32.6%) cases, mild in 5 (11.6%) cases, moderate in 18 (41.9...
Innovative approaches of clinical photodynamic therapy combined with immunotherapy

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a clinically approved new treatment modality. It has been used for treatment of non-malignant and malignant diseases. Over the last decade its clinical application has gained increasing acceptance around the world after regulatory approvals. PDT offers various treatment options in cancer management and has been used primarily for localized superficial or endoluminal malignant and premalignant conditions. Recently, its application has also been expanded to solid tumors. However, its efficacy for the treatment of malignant tumors remains debatable and its acceptance still variable. Pre-clinical studies demonstrate that, in addition to the direct local cytotoxicity, PDT can induce host immune responses, which may further enhance the therapeutic effects on primary tumor as well as metastasis. Therefore, PDT-induced antitumor immune response might play an important role in successful control of malignant diseases. Furthermore, the antitumor efficacy of PDT might also be enhanced through an effective immunoadjuvant to further expand its usefulness for a possible control of distant metastases. Recent clinical data also indicate that improved clinical outcomes are seen in the combination of PDT and immunomodulation therapy for non-malignant disease. This review will summarize recent progress in developing innovative approaches of PDT combined with immunotherapy for non-malignant and malignant diseases.
Chemically induced premature mitosis: differential response in rodent and human cells and the relationship to cyclin B synthesis and p34cdc2/cyclin B complex formation.

Abstract Normal eukaryotic cells do not initiate mitosis until DNA replication has been completed. This requirement can be bypassed by exposing cells to certain chemicals. We report here that chemically induced premature mitosis is not readily achieved in all mammalian species. Although hamster cells underwent premature mitosis following treatment with caffeine, the protein phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid, and the protein kinase inhibitors 2-aminopurine and 6-dimethyl-aminopurine, the mouse and human cells examined in this study displayed little or no response to any of these compounds. Differences in cell permeability or metabolism could not account for the species specificity of these drugs, because other biochemical and mitosis-promoting activities were apparent in human cells. Cell-type specificity can be explained, however, by the timing of cyclin B synthesis and p34cdc2/cyclin B complex formation during the cell cycle. Synthesis of cyclin B and formation of a p34cdc2/cyclin B complex, both of which are required for initiation of mitosis, were prevalent in hamster cells arrested in S phase but were absent or barely detectable in arrested human cells. In hamster cells, the hyperphosphorylated form of p34cdc2 was complexed with cyclin B and underwent tyrosine dephosphorylation during caffeine-induced premature mitosis. These findings indicate that the onset of mitosis is regulated somewhat differently among mammalian cell types and that these differences affect the vulnerability of cells to drug-induced mitotic aberrations and cytogenetic damage.
Environment and integrated agricultural systems

Modern agriculture has done an excellent job producing food, feed and fiber for the world's growing population, but there are concerns regarding its continued ability to do so, especially with the world's limited resources. To adapt to these challenges, future agricultural systems will need to be diverse, complex and integrated. Integrated agricultural systems have many of these properties, but how they are shaped by the environment and how they shape the environment is still unclear. In this paper, we used commonly available county-level data and literature review to answer two basic questions. First, are there environmental limitations to the adoption of integrated agricultural systems? Second, do integrated agricultural systems have a lower environmental impact than more specialized systems? We focused on the Great Plains to answer these questions. Because of a lack of farm-level data, we used county-level surrogate indicators. The indicators selected were percent land base in pasture and crop diversity along a precipitation gradient in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas. Evaluated over the four-state region, neither indicator had a strong relationship with precipitation. In the Dakotas, both percent pasture land and crop diversity suggested greater potential for agricultural integration at the mid-point of the precipitation gradient, but there was no clear trend for Kansas and Nebraska. Integrated agricultural systems have potential to reduce the impact of agriculture on the environment despite concerns with nutrient management. Despite advantages, current adoption of integrated agricultural systems appears to be limited. Future integrated agricultural systems need to work with environmental limitations rather than overcoming them and be capable of enhancing environmental quality.
Segmental mobility in the equilibrium liquid below the glass transition

Emploi de la theorie de Robertson, Simha et Curro sur la cinetique du vieillissement de polymeres vitreux. Application a l'acetate polyvinylique
EFFECTS OF IONIZING RADIATION ON ENZYME LEVELS IN COW MAMMARY GLANDS.

Abstract The effect of Co 60 irradiation of the udders of heifers during late pregnancy and early lactation upon enzyme levels in mammary glands was investigated. The results indicated that enzyme levels in mammary tissue were relatively unaffected by doses of irradiation up to 2,000 r .
Structural and functional alterations in rhodamine-123- and doxycycline-photosensitized cells

In order to elucidate the mechanisms of photosensitized injury to mitochondria, two photosensitizers have been compared. Both doxycycline (DOTC) and rhodamine-l23 (R123) localize preferentially within the mitochondria of MGH-IJ1 bladder carcinoma cells j1 vitro, and both sensitize phototoxic injury that is selective for mitochondria. Mitochondria of cells pretreated with DOTC and irradiated with UVA (1 J/cm2, 320-400 rim) undergo massive swelling that begins by 10 mm after irradiation, is maximal by 1 h, and is partially repaired by 4 h; damage caused by exposure to a higher UVA dose (6 J/cm2), however, is not repaired. In contrast, cells pretreated with R123 and irradiated with an argon-ion laser (10 J/cm2, 514.5 rim) undergo a different type of mitochondrial injury, characterized by the delayed (4 h) onset of moderate mitochondrial swelling and striking mitochondrial distortion and fragmentation, which is not repaired by 48 h after irradiation. These differences indicate that the reactions underlying cellular phototoxicity can be distinguished even on an ultrastructural level. Probably both the primary photochemistry and the submitochondrial targets of these reactions differ with the two photosensitizers.
Symposium on health care reform.

The papers in this symposium focus on two major issues of health economics in the context of President Clinton's Health Security Act: cost containment and labor market effects of financing insurance. The act proposes to limit public and private spending; a key issue is the extent to which, without a limit but with a standardized basic plan, supplementary insurance will exist to allow scope for individual choice. The act's financing will have an ambiguous effect on labor supply but will encourage formation of small, low-wage firms. Several features, including community rating and standardization of dependent coverage, imply substantial redistribution.
Transgene expression in Xenopus rods.

The photoreceptors of the vertebrate retina express a large number of proteins that are involved in the process of light transduction. These genes appear to be coordinately regulated at the level of transcription, with rod- and cone-specific isoforms (J. Hurley (1992) J. Bioenerg. Biomembr. 24, 219–226). The mechanisms that regulate gene expression in a rod/cone-specific fashion have been difficult to address using traditional approaches and remain unknown. Regulation of the phototransduction proteins is medically important, since mutations in several of them cause retinal degeneration (P. Rosenfeld and T. Dryja (1995) in: Molecular Genetics of Ocular Disease (J.L. Wiggs, Ed.), pp. 99–126, Wiley-Liss Inc.). An experimental system for rapidly producing retinas expressing a desired mutant would greatly facilitate investigations of retinal degeneration. We report here that transgenic frog embryos (K. Kroll and E. Amaya (1996) Development 122, 3173–3183) can be used to study cell-specific expression in the retina. We have used a 5.5 kb 5′ upstream fragment from the Xenopus principal rod opsin gene (S. Batni et al. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 3179–3186) controlling a reporter gene, green fluorescent protein (GFP), to produce numerous independent transgenic Xenopus. We find that this construct drives expression only in the retina and pineal, which is apparent by 4 days post-nuclear injection. These are the first results using transgenic Xenopus for retinal promoter analysis and the potential for the expression in rod photoreceptors of proteins with dominant phenotypes.
Energy analysis of time-dependent wave functions: Application to above-threshold ionization

We present an alternative method for calculating energy-resolved properties from time-dependent wave functions. As a first application of the method, we calculate above-threshold ionization (ATI) spectra and energy-resolved angular distributions from hydrogen ionized by an intense, short-pulse laser at 532 nm. Below saturation the ATI peaks decrease according to an (intensity-dependent) power law. At the onset of saturation a plateau forms in the spectrum, reminiscent of plateaus seen experimentally in harmonic spectra observed during multiphoton ionization.
On energy conservation and transfer in mitochondria

Structural and functional features of energy conservation and transfer in mitochondria have been examined in the light of recent developments, and hypothetical schemes for energy coupling and transfer have been presented.
The outpatient milieu.

As clinical practice evolves toward ambulatory settings, we increasingly will have to design and implement a comprehensive plan that augments verbal therapies and medication. These treatment plans will attempt to integrate the child's day-to-day life into an overall therapeutic effort thereby creating an "outpatient milieu." Developing an outpatient milieu requires clinical judgments, largely unproved and hard to prove, that initially define reasonable expectations and then examine the major areas of the child's development and daily functioning. Increasingly, a number of factors are constraining what we teach and how we use our potentially broad clinical skills. The desirabiliry of a scientific approach, increasing subspecialization, and the dictates of managed care support a model of child and adolescent psychiatric practice emphasizing strictly defined diagnoses, treatment protocols, and a narrower approach to disorders. Tidy packages of diagnosis, treatment directed at symptom reduction, and a pharmacological/short-term approach are congruent with both fundable, focused research studies and managing the costs of care. Although "clinical judgment" has been misused to justify arbitrary and self-serving decisions (i.e., inappropriately lengthy hospitalizations) or to avoid questioning strongly held beliefs, gathering and integrating the broad range of information necessary to address the subtleties and complexities of a child's and family's life is increasingly at risk for being minimized or devalued. Clinical judgments, techniques, and pearls are learned by apprenticeship (such as in medicine and surgery) and thus require considerable time, experience, and supervision. How does the traditional (and fading) concept of inpatient milieu
Classical versus Bayesian Inference: A Classroom Illustration.

Summary This article describes an illustration of Bayesian inference that has proved popular with students.
An unusual anesthetic course in a patient susceptible to malignant hyperthermia.

Femme de 30 ans ayant des antecedents familiaux d'hyperthermie maligne, qui, lors d'une anesthesie generale pour soins dentaires, a developpe des symptomes d'hyperthermie maligne bien qu'aient ete evitees les substances connues pour declencher l'hyperthermie maligne
Morphometric, Histomorphometric, and Microcomputed Tomographic Analysis of Periodontal Inflammatory Lesions in a Murine Model

Background: Porphyromonas gingivalis is recognized as one of the major periodontal pathogens in chronic periodontitis, a common infectious disease characterized by inflammation and destruction of periodontal tissues. Several animal models with P. gingivalis have been used in periodontitis studies. Additionally, multiple approaches have also been applied to measuring alveolar bone loss in periodontitis models, including histomorphometry, morphometry, and radiography. The aims of this study were to assess periodontal inflammatory lesions after P. gingivalis–induced periodontitis and use this model to compare three approaches for assessing alveolar bone loss.Methods: Twelve-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were divided into two groups: 48 P. gingivalis–infected and 52 untreated control mice. Periodontitis was induced by wrapping P. gingivalis–soaked ligatures around the left maxillary second molar and changing the ligatures every other day. Mice were euthanized on days 0, 3, 7, and 10 after ligature placement, for...
Torque ripple analysis of a PM brushless DC motor using finite element method

Three-phase permanent magnet brushless DC motors are widely used. As a function of the rotor position, the torque produced by these machines has a pulsating component in addition to the DC component. This pulsating torque has a fundamental frequency corresponding to six pulses per electrical revolution of the motor. The shape of the torque waveform and, thus, the frequency content of the waveform can be influenced by several factors in the motor design and construction. This paper addresses the various factors that influence the torque waveshape. It is shown that in addition to the basic induced electromotive force (EMF) waveshape, the magnetic saturation in the stator core, and the accuracy in the skewing are also key factors in determining the torque waveshape. Computer simulation using finite element technique has been conducted to study the torque waveform. Simulation results successfully duplicated the torque waveforms measured in experiments under different excitation currents.
Striking deficiency in top-down perceptual reorganization of two-tone images in preschool children

Two-tone images (black and white transformations of gray-scale photographs) can be difficult for adult observers to recognize. However, following a brief presentation of the original photograph from which the two-tone image was created, adults experience rapid and long-lasting perceptual reorganization, such that after the initial presentation, the two-tone image becomes immediately and easily recognizable. Following a previously reported observation [1], we present evidence that, in contrast to the effortless recognition seen in adults, preschool-aged children are generally unable to recognize two-tone images even when the photograph is simultaneously available. When asked to draw corresponding parts of the photo and two-tone images, children often marked correct regions of the photo and nonsensical regions of the two-tone image. A control experiment showed that children are fully able to mark corresponding parts of two identical photographs. These results point to a dramatic lack of cue-driven perceptual reorganization in young children under conditions that trigger instant recognition in adults. We suggest that this robust phenomenon may provide a window into the development of top-down mechanisms of perceptual learning and consider interventions (e.g., |2-4]) that may improve young children's ability to use one image to reorganize another.
Electronic structure of smoothly deformed crystals: Cauchy-born rule for the nonlinear tight-binding model

The electronic structure of a smoothly deformed crystal is analyzed using a minimalist model in quantum many-body theory, the nonlinear tight-binding model. An extension of the classical Cauchy-Born rule for crystal lattices is established for the electronic structure under sharp stability conditions. A nonlinear elasticity model is rigorously derived. The onset of instability is briefly examined. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Caregiver Attitudes and Hospitalization Risk in Michigan Residents Receiving Home- and Community-Based Care

OBJECTIVES: To study a cohort of participants in homeand community-based services (HCBS) in Michigan to evaluate the relationship between (1) caregiver attitudes and participant characteristics and (2) the risk of hospitalization. DESIGN: A population-based study. SETTING: HCBS programs funded by Medicaid or state/ local funds in Michigan. PARTICIPANTS: Five hundred twenty-seven individuals eligible for HCBS in Michigan were studied. These HCBS participants were randomly selected clients of all agencies providing publicly funded HCBS in Michigan from November 1996 to October 1997. MEASUREMENTS: Data for this study were collected using the Minimum Data Set for Home Care. Assessments were collected longitudinally, and the baseline (initial admission assessment) and 90-day follow-up assessments were used. Key measures were caregiver attitudes (distress, dissatisfaction, and decreased caregiving ability) and HCBS participant characteristics (cognition, functioning, diseases, symptoms, nutritional status, medications, and disease stability). Multinomial logistic regression was used to evaluate how these characteristics were associated with the competing risks of hospitalization and death within 90 days of admission to HCBS. RESULTS: We found a strong association between caregiver dissatisfaction (caregiver dissatisfied with the level of care the home care participant was currently receiving) and an increased likelihood of hospitalization. HCBS participant cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pain, and flare-up of a chronic condition were also associated with increased hospitalization. Poor food intake and prior hospitalization were associated with hospitalization and death. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that, within a cohort of people receiving HCBS who are chronically ill, highly disabled, and at high risk for hospitalization and death, interventions addressing caregiver dissatisfaction, pain control, and medical monitoring should be evaluated for their potential to decrease hospitalization. J Am Geriatr Soc 50: 1079‐1085, 2002.
THE EFFECTS OF GAME COMPLEXITY ON THE ACQUISITION OF BUSINESS POLICY KNOWLEDGE

Certain cognitive and affective results obtained by three increasingly complex business games were examined. All simulations taught facts and concepts but the most complex simulation produced the greatest effect. More game complexity also brought about heightened challenge, lesser monotony, and greater decision-making comprehensiveness. Motivational and learning levels, however, were not linearly positive with increasing complexity. The intermediate game was as motivating as the complex one although it was inferior to the simple game as a teaching device. The complex game also experienced higher student mortality.
Src mediates cigarette smoke-induced resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors in NSCLC cells.

The EGF Receptor (EGFR) is a proto-oncogene commonly dysregulated in several cancers including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and, thus, is targeted for treatment using tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) such as Erlotinib. However, despite the efficacy observed in NSCLC patients harboring oncogenic variants of the EGFR, general ineffectiveness of TKIs in NSCLC patients who are current and former smokers necessitates identification of novel mechanisms to overcome this phenomenon. Previously, we showed that NSCLC cells harboring either wild-type (WT) EGFR or oncogenic mutant (MT) L858R EGFR become resistant to the effects of TKIs when exposed to cigarette smoke (CS), evidenced by their auto-phosphorylation and prolonged downstream signaling. Here, we present Src as a target mediating CS-induced resistance to TKIs in both WT EGFR and L858R MT EGFR expressing NSCLC cells. First, we show that CS exposure of A549 cells leads to time-dependent activation of Src which then abnormally binds to the WT EGFR causing TKI resistance, contrasting previous observations of constitutive binding between inactive Src and TKI-sensitive L858R MT EGFR. Next, we demonstrate that Src inhibition restores TKI sensitivity in CS-exposed NSCLC cells, preventing EGFR auto-phosphorylation in the presence of Erlotinib. Furthermore, we show that over-expression of a dominant-negative Src (Y527F/K295R) restores TKI sensitivity to A549 exposed to CS. Importantly, the TKI resistance that emerges even in CS-exposed L858R EGFR expressing NSCLC cells could be eliminated with Src inhibition. Together, these findings offer new rationale for using Src inhibitors for treating TKI-resistant NSCLC commonly observed in smokers.
How have fisheries affected parasite communities

To understand how fisheries affect parasites, we conducted a meta-analysis of studies that contrasted parasite assemblages in fished and unfished areas. Parasite diversity was lower in hosts from fished areas. Larger hosts had a greater abundance of parasites, suggesting that fishing might reduce the abundance of parasites by selectively removing the largest, most heavily parasitized individuals. After controlling for size, the effect of fishing on parasite abundance varied according to whether the host was fished and the parasite's life cycle. Parasites of unfished hosts were more likely to increase in abundance in response to fishing than were parasites of fished hosts, possibly due to compensatory increases in the abundance of unfished hosts. While complex life cycle parasites tended to decline in abundance in response to fishing, directly transmitted parasites tended to increase. Among complex life cycle parasites, those with fished hosts tended to decline in abundance in response to fishing, while those with unfished hosts tended to increase. However, among directly transmitted parasites, responses did not differ between parasites with and without fished hosts. This work suggests that parasite assemblages are likely to change substantially in composition in increasingly fished ecosystems, and that parasite life history and fishing status of the host are important in predicting the response of individual parasite species or groups to fishing.
The metallographic cooling rate method revised: Application to iron meteorites and mesosiderites

A major revision of the current Saikumar and Goldstein (1988) cooling rate computer model for kamacite growth is presented. This revision incorporates a better fit to the ala + y phase boundary and to the yla + y phase boundary particularly below the monotectoid temperature of 400 "C. A reevaluation of the latest diffusivities for the Fe-Ni system as a function of Ni and P content and temperature is made, particularly for kamacite diffusivity below the paramagnetic to ferromagnetic transition. The revised simulation model is applied to several iron meteorites and several mesosiderites. For the mesosiderites we obtain a cooling rate of 0.2 "ClMa, about lox higher than the most recent measured cooling rates. The cooling rate curves Erom the current model do not accurately predict the central nickel content of taenite halfwidths smaller than -10 pm. This result calls into question the use of conventional kamacite growth models to explain the microstructure of the mesosiderites. Kamacite regions in mesosiderites may have formed by the same process as decomposed duplex plessite in iron meteorites.
Impassable YscP Substrates and Their Impact on the Yersinia enterocolitica Type III Secretion Pathway

Yersinia type III machines secrete protein substrates across the bacterial envelope and, following assembly of their secretion needles, transport effector Yops into host cells. According to their destination during type III secretion, early, middle, and late secretion substrates can be distinguished; however, the signals and mechanisms whereby these proteins are recognized and transported by the secretion machine are not understood. Here, we examine several hybrids between secretion substrates and the impassable reporter protein glutathione S-transferase (GST). YscP-GST and YopR-GST blocked type III secretion; however, YscF-, YopD-, YopN-, and LcrV-GST did not. Unlike YopR-GST, which can block type III machines only during their assembly, expression of YscP-GST led to an immediate and complete block of all secretion. The secretion signal of YscP was mapped to its first 10 codons or amino acids; however, YscP(Delta 2-15)-GST, lacking this secretion signal, imposed a partial blockade. YscP-GST copurified with the type III ATPase complex (YscN, YscL, and YscQ) and with YscO, suggesting that the association of specific machine components with the impassable substrate may cause the block in type III secretion.
On the Conflict Potential of Inherited Boundaries in Africa

The consequences that flow from the collapse of empires have never been easily predicted. Seldom, however, has the demise of an imperial system been accompanied by as many systematic analyses and projections as has the current period of decolonization. Much of the recent discussion concerning the newer members of the international system has made reference to their so-called artificial political boundaries. It has been predicted, among other things, that the political boundaries of Asia and Africa, by virtue of their presumed artificiality, harbor the seeds of “many a troublesome irredenta in the future.” Frequent references are made, in the growing literature on nation-building and political modernization, to the “natural” or “unnatural” qualities of these boundaries, and the absence of careful general studies of this topic has been noted. This article proposes to examine the dominant characteristics of African political boundaries and the circumstances under which disputes over their location have so far been generated, and to deduce some general propositions about their conflict potential. The thrust of the argument to be presented is that there is a low conflict potential in contemporary African boundaries and that earlier predictions of instability are not likely to be borne out.
Differential effects of ouabain on human cell-mediated cytotoxicity: II. Stimulation of monocyte-mediated, spontaneous cytotoxicity against chicken red cell targets

Abstract We have previously shown that ouabain inhibits mitogen-induced cellular cytotoxicity (MICC) and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) against chicken red cell (CRC) targets. We now report that ouabain increases spontaneous killing of CRC targets in the absence of mitogen or antibody. Spontaneous cytotoxicity by fresh mononuclear leukocytes (MNL) was enhanced by ouabain in a dose-dependent fashion and was maximal at a ouabain concentration of 5 × 10 −5 M . Removal of phagocytic cells from the MNL effector cell population abrogated ouabain-induced spontaneous cytotoxicity, suggesting that the effector cell activated by ouabain was a monocyte. Ouabain-induced spontaneous cytotoxicity was relatively inefficient compared to MICC or ADCC and was only demonstrated consistently at effector:target cell ratios higher than those routinely employed for MICC and ADCC. Very low concentrations of ouabain (5 × 10 −9 M ) also enhanced spontaneous cytotoxicity of MNL precultured for 7 days, when added at either Day 0 or Day 6 of preculture. The cell effecting spontaneous cytotoxicity after 7 days of culture has been previously shown to be a monocyte. Thus, ouabain has opposing effects on cell-mediated cytotoxic functions: it inhibits MICC and ADCC against CRC targets, but stimulates spontaneous, monocyte-mediated cytotoxicity against the same targets.
Connectionist learning control systems: submarine depth control

Control system design for vehicles with highly nonlinear, time-varying, or poorly modeled dynamics is considered. The use of connectionist systems as learning controllers is proposed. The ability of connectionist systems to approximate arbitrary continuous functions (e.g., control laws) overcomes the usual memory-intensive nature of learning systems. The backpropagation algorithm is extended to allow the connectionist system to learn to function as a closed-loop controller and to force the dynamics of the closed-loop system to match the prespecified dynamics of a reference system. An example of the application of this algorithm to the depth control of an autonomous underwater vehicle is included. >
An argument and plan for promoting the teaching and learning of neglected tropical diseases.

Neglected tropical diseases constitute a significant public health burden, affecting over one billion people globally, yet this group of diseases is underrepresented in the appropriation of both monetary and intellectual capital for developing improved therapies and public health campaigns. The topic of neglected tropical diseases has been similarly marginalized in the biology classrooms of our nation’s high schools and colleges, despite offering an opportunity to teach and learn about a diverse area of microbiology with far-reaching public health, social, and economic implications. Discussed herein is an argument for increasing the representation of neglected tropical diseases in microbiology education as a means to generate increased interest in these diseases among the generation of future researchers and policy-makers, and to promote interdisciplinary learning, civic engagement, and critical thinking.