cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Self-Harm, Suicidal Ideation, and Attempted Suicide in Older Adults: A National Study of Emergency Department Visits and Follow-up Care

Abstract Objective Emergency department visits for self-harm and suicidal ideation have increased for US older adults. The purpose of this study was to examine discharge disposition, clinical recognition of mental disorder, and 30-day follow-up mental health outpatient care of older adults treated in emergency departments for suicide attempt (SA), suicidal ideation (SI), or deliberate self-harm (DSH). Methods Retrospective cohort analysis using 2015 Medicare claims for adults ≥65 years of age with suicide-related emergency encounters (N = 52,383). Demographic, clinical, and service use characteristics from claims were merged with county-level Area Health Resource File data. Rates and adjusted risk ratios were assessed for discharge to the community, mental health diagnosis in the emergency department, and outpatient mental health visits with 30 days after the emergency encounter. Results Encounters for SA (7.8%) and SI (17.2%) were less likely than those for DSH (29.1%) to be discharged to the community. Among community discharges, SA (95.6%) and SI (95.1%) encounters were more likely than DSH (52.3%) encounters to be diagnosed with a mental disorder in the emergency department. Encounters for SA (52.1%) and SI (59.9%) were also more likely than DSH (31.3%) encounters to receive follow-up mental care. Conclusions Although most older adults treated in EDs for suicide-related reasons are hospitalized, a substantial proportion of patients discharged back to the community do not receive follow-up mental healthcare within 30 days.
How Much Volume Should Healthcare Ethics Consult Services Have

Background No standard method exists to assess how many consults a healthcare ethics consultation (HCEC) service should perform. To address this, we developed a method to estimate the volume of HCEC services based on a mixed-methods approach that included a systematic review and survey data on the volume of consult services requested. Methods Our investigation included a systematic review of studies that reported the volume of HCEC services that were requested from 2000 to 2017, institutional surveys, and statistical analyses that estimated the volume of HCEC services that were adjusted to the size of the hospitals in the survey and to population acuity. Results We contacted the authors of 19 studies that met our inclusion criteria; 17 authors responded to the institutional survey and five provided annualized data points. We found that standard methods of reporting the volume of HCEC services led to inaccuracies in estimating the growth of HCEC services over time. To rectify this, we proposed two means to estimate volume based on either the service goals of HCEC services or hospital size and acuity. Discussion The statistical limitations of our study highlight the need to standardize the sharing and reporting of data in clinical ethics. Future work should further standardize methods of HCEC quality assessment using measures similar to those we describe.
Prepregnancy handling of antineoplastic drugs and risk of miscarriage in female nurses.

Abstract Purpose To examine the association betweenantineoplastic drug (AD) handling and risk of miscarriage. Methods Nurses’ Health Study-3 participants self-reported AD administration and engineering controls (ECs) and personal protective equipment (PPE) use at baseline. We estimated the hazard ratio (HR) of miscarriage in relation to baseline AD handling using multivariable Cox proportional regression. Results Overall, 2440 nurses reported 3327 pregnancies, with 550 (17%) ended in miscarriages. Twelve percent of nurses self-reported currently handling AD and 28% previously handling AD. Compared with nurses who never handled AD, nurses who handled AD at baseline had an adjusted HR of miscarriage of 1.26 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97–1.64). This association was stronger after 12-weeks gestation (HR=2.39 [95% CI, 1.13–5.07]). Nurses who did not always use gloves had HR of 1.51 (95% CI, 0.91–2.51) compared with 1.19 (95% CI, 0.89–1.60) for those always using gloves; nurses who did not always use gowns had HR of 1.32 (95% CI, 0.95–1.83) compared with 1.19 (95% CI, 0.81–1.75) for nurses always using gowns. Conclusions We observed a suggestive association between AD handling and miscarriage, particularly among nurses who did not consistently use PPE and EC with stronger associations for second trimester losses.
"Fanonizing," and "Foucaulding" State B/orders: What is it that we fear?

A state border is ideally inelastic, 'incapable' of expanding or contracting to increase or decrease the geographic territory of each. Yet a state border relies on individuals' conformity to legal rules and, to a larger extend, unwritten rules or norms to become enforceable and visualized. Frantz Fanon, Michel Foucault both show how power plays occur. The ability of the power wielder to alter the individuals' behavior creates binding power. In Fanon's "Black skins white masks," the individual conformity to another's norms and practices creates Foucault's de-individualization. Foucault also shows how Panopticon or surveillance shapes the surveilled's behavior, where the policed become the police. Both Fanon and Foucault show the power shifts as a result of a subjective norm, informing the processes that shape an objective behavior. In analyzing behavior and a snippet of the Kenya-Somalia and the US-Mexican borders, the study attempts to answer Van Houtum's question, what is it that we fear? The research shows individuals change substantial cultural differences in adherence, and eagerness to please the orders at the border. The state fears losing sovereignty through individuals' disobedience while the latter fear losing freedom through state punishment by imprisonment as a result of flouting border rules. The research incorporates field findings at the Kenya-Somalia and US-Mexican (Tijuana) border. Amina's border experience and performances in navigating the border fears are teased out as an answer to Van Houtum's question, unmask Fanon's subjects, and locate the de-individualization posed by Foucault's Panopticon.
Achieving Enrollment Outcomes by Aligning Applicant Recruitment and Selection with Unique Organizational Niches.

Several Doctor of Pharmacy programs have rescinded their requirement for applicants to complete the Pharmacy College Admissions Test, modified their requirements for prerequisite coursework, and reduced the minimum grade point average required for admission. As schools and colleges of pharmacy begin to use these and other more holistic approaches to recruitment and admission, the quantity and quality of students in the applicant pool will continue to shift. In alignment with their unique mission, values, and vision statements, pharmacy programs have also expanded aspects of their application and review process to increasingly focus on applicants’ leadership skills, community service, teamwork, collaboration skills, and paid and volunteer work. These aspects allow them to look beyond a candidate’s academic performance and instead emphasize skills and affective domain areas that are aligned with the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education standards and Center for the Advancement of Pharmacy Education outcomes. Ways in which pharmacy schools and colleges can refine their recruitment and admissions processes to better align with their unique curricular and programmatic niche areas are discussed.
Arundhati Roy’s The Ministry of Utmost Happiness as New Urban Gothic

Slavin looks at the way in which Arundhati Roy demarcates the cities into areas—the colonial and the postcolonial. Arguing that she deliberately writes her protagonists as ‘out of place’, Slavin follows Roy’s protagonists as they reinvent Gothic tropes for the twenty-first century. Questioning ideas of home, Slavin argues that the novel is an example of the urban Gothic trope that enables contemporary Indian urban issues such as inequality and violence to be explored. With an unusually optimistic tone, Slavin argues that The Ministry of Utmost Happiness uses the new urban Gothic sites of Delhi and Srinagar to translate colonial and Gothic conventions for productive, justice-oriented purposes in contemporary South Asian cities.
Designed improvement to T-cell immunotherapy by multidimensional single cell profiling.

Background Adoptive cell therapy based on the infusion of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells has shown remarkable efficacy for the treatment of hematologic malignancies. The primary mechanism of action of these infused T cells is the direct killing of tumor cells expressing the cognate antigen. However, understanding why only some T cells are capable of killing, and identifying mechanisms that can improve killing has remained elusive. Methods To identify molecular and cellular mechanisms that can improve T-cell killing, we utilized integrated high-throughput single-cell functional profiling by microscopy, followed by robotic retrieval and transcriptional profiling. Results With the aid of mathematical modeling we demonstrate that non-killer CAR T cells comprise a heterogeneous population that arise from failure in each of the discrete steps leading to the killing. Differential transcriptional single-cell profiling of killers and non-killers identified CD137 as an inducible costimulatory molecule upregulated on killer T cells. Our single-cell profiling results directly demonstrate that inducible CD137 is feature of killer (and serial killer) T cells and this marks a different subset compared with the CD107apos (degranulating) subset of CAR T cells. Ligation of the induced CD137 with CD137 ligand (CD137L) leads to younger CD19 CAR T cells with sustained killing and lower exhaustion. We genetically modified CAR T cells to co-express CD137L, in trans, and this lead to a profound improvement in anti-tumor efficacy in leukemia and refractory ovarian cancer models in mice. Conclusions Broadly, our results illustrate that while non-killer T cells are reflective of population heterogeneity, integrated single-cell profiling can enable identification of mechanisms that can enhance the function/proliferation of killer T cells leading to direct anti-tumor benefit.
COVID-19 and dermatological personal protective equipment considerations

Cutaneous injury and irritation among health care workers has substantially risen during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a field already laden with skin-induced injury and irritation due to high levels of handwashing and glove wearing, increases have been reported in handwashing-induced xerosis, irritant dermatitis, and contact dermatitis from N95 respirators and other surgical masks. Masks, goggles, face shields, and gloves all potentially create abrasions from long hours of use, leading to itching, pain, and aggravation of underlying skin conditions. Personal protective equipment (PPE)-related skin injury can be serious, and the American Academy of Dermatology has released recommendations on preventing and treating occupationally induced dermatologic conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. These are reviewed and discussed in conjunction with overarching guidelines for mitigating the spread of the virus.
Clinical Applications for Doppler Ultrasonography in Obstetrics

Doppler ultrasonography is routinely utilized in the management of pregnancies affected by or at risk for fetal growth restriction. As clinicians increasingly rely on such technology to aid in assessing fetal wellbeing and determine need for delivery, it is important for those performing prenatal ultrasound to understand the utility and limitations of specific Doppler studies. While umbilical artery Doppler indices remain essential in identifying fetuses at risk for poor outcomes in the setting of growth restriction, recent studies have shown the potential for improving clinical management by evaluating Doppler flow in additional maternal and fetal vessels. This article provides background, clinical context, and updated practical guidance for the use of targeted Doppler ultrasonography in pregnancy. Specific Doppler indices used in the screening, diagnosis, and management of maternal and fetal complications are reviewed.
The enzymatic function of the honorary enzyme: S-nitrosylation of hemoglobin in physiology and medicine

Abstract The allosteric transition within tetrameric hemoglobin (Hb) that allows both full binding to four oxygen molecules in the lung and full release of four oxygens in hypoxic tissues would earn Hb the moniker of ‘honorary enzyme’. However, the allosteric model for oxygen binding in hemoglobin overlooked the essential role of blood flow in tissue oxygenation that is essential for life (aka autoregulation of blood flow). That is, blood flow, not oxygen content of blood, is the principal determinant of oxygen delivery under most conditions. With the discovery that hemoglobin carries a third biologic gas, nitric oxide (NO) in the form of S-nitrosothiol (SNO) at β-globin Cys93 (βCys93), and that formation and export of SNO to dilate blood vessels are linked to hemoglobin allostery through enzymatic activity, this title is honorary no more. This chapter reviews evidence that hemoglobin formation and release of SNO is a critical mediator of hypoxic autoregulation of blood flow in tissues leading to oxygen delivery, considers the physiological implications of a 3-gas respiratory cycle (O2/NO/CO2) and the pathophysiological consequences of its dysfunction. Opportunities for therapeutic intervention to optimize oxygen delivery at the level of tissue blood flow are highlighted.
Sex differences in autoimmune disease

Autoimmune diseases are more prevalent in women than men. A new interest in understanding the biology of this difference as well as funding opportunities have focused attention on research priorities in sex differences.
Enhancement of Graft-Versus-Tumor Activity and Graft-Versus-Host Disease by Pretransplant Immunization of Allogeneic Bone Marrow Donors with a Recipient-derived Tumor Cell Vaccine

Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) can be accompanied by a beneficial T cell-mediated antitumor immune response known as graft-versus-tumor (GVT) activity. However, BMT donor T cells are not exposed to target antigens of GVT activity until transfer to the host, where tumor antigen presentation may be suboptimal. This study tested in a murine model the hypothesis that immunization of MHC-matched allogeneic donors with a recipient-derived tumor cell vaccine would substantially increase GVT activity and extend survival of BMT recipients with preexisting micrometastatic tumor. C3H.SW and C57BL/10 mice were immunized against a C57BL/6-derived fibrosarcoma or leukemia, and they were used as BMT donors. Recipients were H-2-matched, minor histocompatibility antigen-mismatched C57BL/6 mice with previously established micrometastatic tumors. Donor immunization led to a significant increase in GVT activity that was T cell dependent and cell dose dependent. In some settings, donor immunization also prolonged survival of recipients with preexisting micrometastatic tumors. However, donor immunization significantly increased the incidence of fatal graft-versus-host disease such that long-term survival was uncommon. In vitro cytotoxicity assays indicated that donor immunization induced both tumor-selective and alloreactive cytolytic T-cell populations. In vivo cross-protection assays showed that a substantial portion of the GVT effect was mediated by alloreactive cells not specific for the immunizing tumor. In conclusion, immunization of allogeneic BMT donors with a recipient-derived whole tumor cell vaccine substantially increases GVT activity but also exacerbates graft-versus-host disease.
Customer value propositions in declining industries: differences between industry representative and high-growth firms

Using institutional theory and a business model perspective, we develop a framework and use content analysis of company Web sites to examine differences in customer value propositions among a sample of high-growth firms paired with two comparison samples of industry representative firms in 18 declining industries in the United States. Our results indicate that high-growth firms develop value propositions that differ substantially from industry representative firms. In addition, high-growth firms communicate their value propositions more clearly and aggressively than do industry representative firms. Copyright © 2014 Strategic Management Society.
Gastric gel mucus thickness: effect of distention, 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin e2, and carbenoxolone.

Abstract We made direct measurements of the thickness of the layer of insoluble geJ mucus lying on the gastric mucosa by using a slit lamp and an image-splitting system known as a pachymeter. Under nonstimulated conditions, the thickness (mean ± SE) of the gastric gel mucus on fundic mucosa was 166 ± 10 μm in the rat, 234 ± 9 μm in the guinea pig, 429 ± 17 μm in the dog, and 576 ± 81 μm in human stomach. Using a pylorus-ligation rat model, the effects of distention and of topical application of acid, 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E 2 and carbenoxolone, on mucus gel thickness were studied. Distention of the stomach produced an increase in gel mucus thickness that was correlated with the degree of distention. This distention effect was not affected by pretreatment with methscopolamine or indomethacin. Topical application of 0.1 M HCl had no demonstrable effect on gel mucus thickness when compared with phosphate buffer, pH 7.4. 16,16-Dimethyl prostaglandin E 2 applied to the mucosa in concentrations of 1 μg · ml −1 and 10 μg · ml −1 caused an increase in gel mucus thickness of 81% and 140%, respectively, and carbenoxolone, 2.5 mg · ml −1 , an increase of 78%. These studies suggest that thickness of gel mucus overlying the gastric mucosa is dynamic, being subject to increase or decrease under certain physiologic and drug-treatment conditions.
Discussion of Some Challenges Concerning Biomedical Ontologies

According to F.P. Brooks, werewolves are the most terrifying of all monsters because they are common people who are transformed into nightmares. Likewise, nothing can be more concerning than having a semantic system that produces inaccurate results due to unidentified problems in the ontology. Inaccurate medical information can have catastrophic consequences. This paper will briefly discuss some issues with existing biomedical ontologies. For instance, the part-of and has-part dilemma may lead to alternative interpretations and incompatibility among ontologies. Challenges concerning biomedical ontologies can cause inadequate mappings between data elements and contents. Therefore, causing major problems that can corrupt biomedical ontologies for large multiscale and multidomain integration. Moreover, this can result in problems with current methods used to manage biomedical ontology, and ambiguous and inconsistent relation definitions between terms.
Electron spin relaxation times and rapid scan EPR imaging of pH‐sensitive amino‐substituted trityl radicals

Carboxy-substituted trityl (triarylmethyl) radicals are valuable in vivo probes because of their stability, narrow lines, and sensitivity of their spectroscopic properties to oxygen. Amino-substituted trityl radicals have the potential to monitor pH in vivo, and the suitability for this application depends on spectral properties. Electron spin relaxation times T1 and T2 were measured at X-band for the protonated and deprotonated forms of two amino-substituted triarylmethyl radicals. Comparison with relaxation times for carboxy-substituted triarylmethyl radicals shows that T1 exhibits little dependence on protonation or the nature of the substituent, which makes it useful for measuring O2 concentration, independent of pH. Insensitivity of T1 to changes in substituents is consistent with the assignment of the dominant contribution to spin lattice relaxation as a local mode that involves primarily atoms in the carbon and sulfur core. Values of T2 vary substantially with pH and the nature of the aryl group substituent, reflecting a range of dynamic processes. The narrow spectral widths for the amino-substituted triarylmethyl radicals facilitate spectral-spatial rapid scan electron paramagnetic resonance imaging, which was demonstrated with a phantom. The dependence of hyperfine splittings patterns on pH is revealed in spectral slices through the image.
The present state of institutional economics

After articulating the institutionalist paradigm and its principal facets, the article examines the present status, converging interests, and possible future of institutional economics. Emphasis is on related schools of thought and, especially, European (and other) developments along evolutionary and holistic lines of analysis, and on a new generation of U.S. and, especially, European authors. Among more specific themes are the importance of power, technology, social change, social control, organizations, and institutions in governing economic performance. The work of European authors is expected to become increasingly important owing to their concern with subject matter and policy issues, rather than sectarian questions. (c) 1995 Academic Press, Ltd. Copyright 1995 by Oxford University Press.
Techniques in least-intrusive computer system performance monitoring

The paper discusses four techniques for computer system performance monitoring, and then compares the experimental data to show their relative intrusiveness. However, while other techniques are well known and understood and can be implemented relatively easily, the technique using a built-in performance counter is deemed difficult because of ambiguous proprietary information. To this end, the paper also attempts to make these difficult-to-get information and techniques available to educators and researchers working in the area of performance monitoring.
Hyperfine fields and structure in amorphous Tm−Ag

Mossbauer effect measurements have been made on amorphous Tm0.41Ag0.59, using the169Tm resonance, over a temperature range of 1.2 K to room temperature. The sample was prepared by sputtering from a composite target. The spectra are very similar to those seen for a-Tm1−x Cu x . They consist of a magnetically split component and a non-magnetic central doublet. Hyperfine parameter distributions are more consistent with a short range order model than with a dense random packing of ions model.
Addendum to "Optimum Golomb Rulers"

The optimum Golomb ruler1 with 13 marks has been found. This shortest ruler as well as another new ruler is reported.
Tyrosine Hydroxylase in the Stalk-Median Eminence and Posterior Pituitary Is Inactivated Only during the Plateau Phase of the Preovulatory Prolactin Surge

Abstract This study examined changes in the activity of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the stalk-median eminence (SME) and posterior pituitary (PP) during the preovulatory PRL surge. Immature female rats were injected with PMSG on day 28. Blood PRL levels were low on the morning of day 30, rose to a peak from 1400–1600 h, remained at a lower plateau from 1800–2400 h, and declined to basal levels on the morning of day 31. SME, PP, and striatum were removed from PMSG-treated rats at selected times during the periovulatory period and from agematched control rats. TH activity was determined in tissue homogenates by a coupled hydroxylation-decarboxylation assay. Apparent Km and maximum velocity values with respect to 6-methyl tetrahydropterine were estimated from substrate saturation curves. The kinetic parameters for TH in either the SME or the PP of control rats were similar at 1100 and 1800 h on day 30. However, the apparent Km in both tissues was significantly lower than that in the striatum. The affinity of...
Application of dynamic scaling to the surface properties of organic thin films: Energetic materials

Abstract The surface evolution of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) organic films, formed by room-temperature thermal evaporation on 16-mercaptohexadecanoic acid self-assembly monolayer, has been investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Results are analyzed using dynamic scaling theory. High values are obtained for dynamic scaling coefficients β = 0.56 ± 0.02 and 1/z = 0.35 ± 0.01, where β is the growth exponent and 1/z is the dynamic exponent. Using mound height and in-plane correlation length the dependence of mound slope m on PETN thickness is obtained. Two thickness regimes are identified. For thickness between 40 and 300 nm, m grows rapidly due to high bulk surface diffusion with smooth PETN morphology. For thickness from 300 to 800 nm, m continues to grow but at a reduced rate. Facets are evident and crevices form in this thickness range. The surface evolution behavior is attributed to bulk surface diffusion and the presence of an Ehrlich–Schwoebel barrier, which preferentially enhances step-up diffusion.
Evidence of a central role for p38 map kinase induction of tumor necrosis factor α in pancreatitis-associated pulmonary injury

Abstract Background: Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) has been implicated as an important mediator in acute pancreatitis-associated adult respiratory distress syndrome, but the precise pathogenesis remains unclear. The purpose of this work was to clarify the role of TNFα that is produced within the lung parenchyma in the inducement of pancreatitis-related pulmonary injury and to examine 1 of the potential pathways leading to the production of pulmonary TNFα. Methods: Bile salt pancreatitis was induced in rats (n = 40) that were randomized to receive a p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase inhibitor or vehicle. A separate group (n = 16) underwent sham operation. Pulmonary capillary permeability was determined with fluorescein isothiocyanate–labeled albumin and Evans blue dye, and lung histologic analysis was performed. TNFα protein was measured in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and p38 MAP kinase was activity determined by Western blot analysis. Results: The induction of pancreatitis resulted in increased pulmonary capillary leakage and worsened histologic condition (P
Critical Issues and Application Potentials in Nanofluids Research

Development of many industrial and new technologies is limited by existing thermal management, and need for high-performance cooling. Nanofluids, stable colloidal mixtures of nanoparticles (including nanofibers and functional nanocomposites) in common fluids, have a potential to meet these and many other challenges. Colloidal nano-mixtures with functionally-stable and active-like nanostructures that may self-adjust to the process conditions, require systematic surface-chemistry study and enhancements (coatings with functional layers, surfactants, etc), in addition to investigation of thermo-physical characteristics and phenomena. A comprehensive, systematic and interdisciplinary experimental research program is necessary to study, understand and resolve critical issues in nanofluids research to date. The research must focus on both synthesis and a careful exploration of thermo-physical characteristics. Development of new-hybrid, drag-reducing nanofluids may lead to enhanced flow and heat transfer characteristics. The nanoparticles in these fluids yield increased heat-transfer while the long-chain polymers are expected to enhance flow properties, including active and functional interactions with nanoparticles, thus providing potential for many applications yet to be developed and optimized.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Thyroid Stimulation Does Not Require Antibodies with Identical Epitopes But Does Involve Recognition of a Critical Conformation at the N Terminus of the Thyrotropin Receptor A-Subunit

Whether monoclonal antibodies with thyroid-stimulating activity [thyroid-stimulating antibody/antibodies (TSAb)] from immunized animals are identical to human autoantibodies in Graves’ disease is unknown. Here, we compared properties of a monoclonal hamster TSAb (MS-1) with human autoantibodies. The epitopes of neither MS-1 nor human autoantibodies can be determined by peptide scanning, indicating their conformational nature. A property of human TSAb is that their epitope is partially obscured on the TSH holoreceptor on the cell surface relative to the TSH receptor (TSHR) ectodomain tethered to the membrane by a glycosylphosphatidyl inositol anchor. On flow cytometry, as for human autoantibodies, MS-1 preferentially recognized the glycosylphosphatidyl inositol-anchored ectodomain vs. the TSH holoreceptor on Chinese hamster ovary cells. Also, as with human autoantibodies, only A-subunits with the active (but not the inactive) conformation adsorbed MS-1 binding activity. This difference localizes antibody b...
The rapid determination of erythrocyte porphyrins using reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography.

Abstract The extraction, separation and quantification of free acid erythrocyte porphyrins are described. The porphyrins are extracted from whole blood using 3:1 ethyl acetate/acetic acid (v/v) and separated using the reversed-phase mode of high performance liquid chromatography (RPLC). The compounds are detected on-line spectrofluorometrically using an excitation wavelength of 404 nm and an emission cut-off filter of 550 nm. Excellent resolution of the porphyrin free acids is achieved in 90% with relative standard deviations for day-to-day analysis under 6%.
Accidental and planned weather modification in illinois

Weather modification, both planned by humans and accidentally produced by humans, is the focus of an Illinois study. Populations in Illinois and the Midwest are living in a climate that is now modified inadvertently from its natural state. State atmospheric scientists have tackled weather modification through a series of interrelated studies, experimental design studies, experimental field studies to verify changes and their causes, and socioeconomic and environmental studies to measure the impacts of weather modification. Studies at St. Louis show that the city acts as a trigger of summer clouds and rainfall leading to four to six summer days with 3 cm or more rain somewhere just east of the city. Power plants and jet aircraft also accidentally produce climatic changes. The effects of large industries, power plants, and land-area changes on weather are discussed. A focus of planned weather modification has been on the design of needed midwestern experiments in rainfall enhancement and hail suppression, including their societal and environmental impacts. (1 map)
The impact of real-time quantity information on residential water demand

Abstract Real-time information, through smart metering, has become an increasingly popular method to promote conservation. It is often the case that water is priced according to “penalty,” or increasing block rate, pricing structures and payment occurs after consumption has already taken place. The question addressed here is: how does providing consumers real time information impact water consumption behavior for households? We make use of a unique water consumption data combined with the discrete/continuous choice model to better understand the role of information in non-linear pricing systems together with a program that allows households real-time information about consumption. Our results suggest that the combination of increasing block rates together with real-time information increases water consumption but makes households more price sensitive.
Reflex fluorescent in situ hybridization testing for unsuccessful product of conception cultures: A retrospective analysis of 5555 samples attempted by conventional cytogenetics and fluorescent in situ hybridization

Introduction: The use of chromosome analysis on products of conception from spontaneous abortions is recommended to identify a genetic etiology. However, 20% of products of conception cultures are unsuccessful due to microbial contamination or lack of viable dividing cells. Our laboratory implemented a reflex fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) assay to detect numeric chromosome abnormalities for unsuccessful cultures. Materials and Methods: All products of conception samples were simultaneously processed for both chromosome analysis and FISH analysis. If the chromosome analysis was unsuccessful, interphase FISH was performed for chromosomes 13, 16, 18, 21, 22, X, and Y. To assess the performance of the FISH assay, a 3-year retrospective comparative analysis of the FISH results versus chromosome results was performed. Results: Of 5555 total specimens, 4189 (75%) represented chorionic villi/fetal tissue and 1366 (25%) represented tissue of unidentified origin. Of the 1189 tissues of unidentified origin with chromosome or FISH results, 1096 (92%) were XX, indicating that the majority of these tissues are likely maternal in origin. Of the 3361 successful chromosome studies on the chorionic villi/fetal tissue specimens, 1734 (52%) samples had a chromosome abnormality. Of the 762 successful FISH studies on chorionic villi/fetal tissue specimens that were unsuccessful by chromosome studies, 181 (25%) had an abnormal result with the targeted FISH panel. Overall, the FISH panel detected approximately 70% of the chromosome abnormalities in products of conception detectable by karyotype. When the FISH panel results were combined with chromosome analysis for the 4189 chorionic villi/fetal tissue specimens, the overall abnormality rate is 47%. Conclusions: Our reflex FISH assay proved useful for the detection of common chromosome aneuploidies in products of conception samples that failed conventional chromosome analysis. Because of its limited view of the genome, cautious interpretation of FISH results is required for all samples, in particular, trisomy of an acrocentric chromosome, which may represent a Robertsonian translocation. An algorithmic approach to the genetic evaluation of products of conception specimens, with the potential for initial evaluation by a FISH panel, may be warranted.
Estradiol regulation of nucleotidases in female reproductive tract epithelial cells and fibroblasts.

The use of topical and oral adenosine derivatives in HIV prevention that need to be maintained in tissues and cells at effective levels to prevent transmission prompted us to ask whether estradiol could influence the regulation of catabolic nucleotidase enzymes in epithelial cells and fibroblasts from the upper and lower female reproductive tract (FRT) as these might affect cellular TFV-DP levels. Epithelial cells and fibroblasts were isolated from endometrium (EM), endocervix (CX) and ectocervix (ECX) tissues from hysterectomy patients, grown to confluence and treated with or without estradiol prior to RNA isolation. The expression of nucleotidase (NT) genes was measurable by RT-PCR in epithelial cells and fibroblasts from all FRT tissues. To determine if sex hormones have the potential to regulate NT, we evaluated NT gene expression and NT biological activity in FRT cells following hormone treatment. Estradiol increased expression of Cytosolic 5′-nucleotidase after 2 or 4 h in endometrial epithelial cells but not epithelial cells or fibroblasts from other sites. In studies using a modified 5′-Nucleotidase biological assay for nucleotidases, estradiol increased NT activity in epithelial cells and fibroblasts from the EM, CX and ECX at 24 and 48 h. In related studies, HUVEC primary cells and a HUVEC cell line were unresponsive to estradiol in terms of nucleotidase expression or biological activity. Our findings of an increase in nucleotidase expression and biological activity induced by estradiol do not directly assess changes in microbicide metabolism. However, they do suggest that when estradiol levels are elevated during the menstrual cycle, FRT epithelial cells and fibroblasts from the EM, CX and ECX have the potential to influence microbicide levels that could enhance protection of HIV-target cells (CD4+T cells, macrophages and dendritic cells) throughout the FRT.
Theoretical relationship of lung deposition to the fine particle fraction of inhalation aerosols

Pharmaceutical inhalation aerosols intended to deliver drugs to the lungs may be sampled by inertial devices, that divide particle distributions into pre-calibrated diameters. A characteristic particle diameter (D50) is prescribed, below which the aerosol mass is designated the 'respirable fraction'. The following studies compare designated respirable fractions with predicted lower lung deposition. Designated respirable fractions (% of particulate matter < 6.4 microns or alternatively < 9.8 microns) of 30, 40 and 50% were selected to represent typical inhalation aerosols. The compendial inertial samplers used to aerodynamically characterize the particle size of pharmaceutical aerosols operate at approximately 30 or 60 l/min. These values were selected as the volumetric flow rates (Qv) for a mathematical model of lung deposition. The model was employed to predict the lung deposition of particle size distributions giving rise to each designated respirable fraction. Nominal tidal volumes (Tv) of 500 and 1622 ml were adopted at appropriate breathing frequencies to accommodate the designated Qv. Predicted lung depositions (+/- range due to particle size) of 1.4 +/- 0.6%, at a respirable fraction of 30% (Qv = 60 l/min, Tv = 500 ml, D50 = 9.8 microns), and 20.9 +/- 3.6%, at a respirable fraction of 50% (Qv = 30 l/min., Tv = 1622 ml, D50 = 6.4 microns) illustrate the range of results obtained. Under well defined conditions there appeared to be a qualitative correlation between respirable fraction and predicted lower lung deposition. However, this was influenced by the aerosol particle size distribution and breathing parameters.
Occluded infrainguinal bypass graft: potential source of limb-threatening emboli

Surgical bypass represents one of the chief treatment modalities for peripheral arterial occlusive disease. Despite improving techniques, graft occlusion accounts for the majority of these bypass failures. Once occluded, however, these grafts are thought to rarely pose a threat for future ischemic events. This report describes two patients with previously thrombosed grafts who subsequently presented with limb-threatening ischemia owing to peripheral embolization from the graft. Two patients with occluded grafts presented with ipsilateral limb-threatening acute ischemia. Both of these patients developed severe acute limb-threatening ischemia weeks to months after known graft thrombosis. Arteriography revealed peripheral embolization in each case. Both patients were operated on for disconnection of the thrombosed graft from the native circulation and have been free of recurrent symptoms. The occluded graft, although generally innocuous, can be a source of peripheral emboli, resulting in peripheral embolization and acute limb ischemia. Both patients in this report developed limb-threatening ischemia owing to embolization from the cul-de-sac of occluded prosthetic grafts. Due to the rarity of the condition and its associated morbidity and mortality, awareness and recognition of this phenomenon are critical. Operative disconnection is recommended if the embolism occurs downstream of the graft and no other embolic source can be identified.
The Role of Proof in Mathematics Education

To many–perhaps most–mathematicians, the idea of proof is the very essence of mathematics. In fact, discovering and proving theorems is as good a description as any of what mathematicians do. It is therefore not surprising that efforts to reform mathematics education, such as the “new math,” heavily emphasized a more “rigorous” treatment of the subject, especially when these efforts were strongly influenced by professional mathematicians. It is equally unsurprising that such efforts, for the most part, were total failures. The fact is, the world of mathematics as viewed by the professional mathematician is a far different world than that seen by the neophyte. Yet the idea of proof is, perhaps, the quintessential theme of mathematics. The question is, how does the teacher bridge the gap between the professional mathematician and, if you will, “finished” mathematics, and the learner who sees, at best, a small part of it? What follows provides partial answers to this question. It contains, among other things, some suggestions about basic rules of inference (which, surprisingly, are often ignored, even in “rigorous” mathematics texts), and a few elementary examples of simple proofs using these rules.
Statistical modeling in manufacturing: adapting a diagnostic tool to real-time applications

This paper describes a process for constructing a statistical model to automate the analysis of data from complex diagnostic tools. The method is demonstrated on data taken from an optical emission spectrometer (OES), one of the most powerful tools used in semiconductor manufacturing for detecting the chemical composition and impurity levels in plasma processes. The analysis of OES data currently requires hours of manual effort by an expert spectroscopist, rendering it ineffective for real-time monitoring and control. However, through the use of statistical modeling, the analysis can be performed automatically on a personal computer in a matter of seconds. The process of model construction is examined in general, and methods are developed for demonstrating how information from an expert can be combined with information from the data in order to provide a statistical basis for analysis. The effectiveness of the model is demonstrated on data from typical plasma processes.
Vapor Flow to Horizontal Wells in Unsaturated Zones

We have solved the linearized vapor-flow equation in a transient, three dimensional form for a horizontal-well sink in an unsaturated zone. This is done by solving the vapor flow to a point sink first, then superposing the point-sink solution along a finite length of the horizontal-well axis to obtain the solution of flow to a horizontal-well sink. Vapor-pressure distributions near a horizontal well are provided for both covered and uncovered ground surface cases. A computer program VF3D (available from our website) is used to calculate the vapor pressure and to generate the type curves of vapor-pumping tests. The derived solution is used to calculate the specific vapor flux and the total vapor-mass flux across the uncovered ground surface. The type curves at early time for a covered surface case are influenced by the locations of the monitoring wells and vertical anisotropy of the unsaturated zone. These type curves converge to the vertical-well Theis curve at late time. The type curves for an uncovered surface case are significantly different from the Theis curve during the entire pumping time, and are similar to the type curves of leaky aquifers. The steady-state contour maps of mass fluxes across the uncovered surfaces are plotted. The transient total mass flux rate converges exponentially to the horizontal-well pumping rate, independent of the horizontal-well elevation. The derived analytical and numerical solutions are useful for assessing the performance of soil-vapor extraction, bioventing, enhanced bioremediation, air sparging, and for interpreting vapor-pumping tests.
Estrogen increases apoptosis in the arterial wall in a murine atherosclerosis model

Result(s): Mice treated with E2 displayed a delay in atherosclerotic plaque formation, associated with an increase in DNA strand breaks in the arterial wall indicative of increased apoptosis, compared to placebo-treated mice. The two groups did not differ in mitotic activity. Conclusion(s): In female LDL-R � /� mice fed a high cholesterol diet, ovariectomy is associated with increased atherogenesis. The effect of ovariectomy on atherogenesis is reversed by E2 treatment. In addition to delayed atherogenesis, E2 treatment of ovariectomized LDL-R � /� mice results in an increase in apoptosis in the aortic wall without an effect on the mitotic activity. Our findings suggest that vascular effects of E may be in part mediated by a proapoptotic activity. (Fertil Steril� 2007;88(Suppl 2):1190‐6. � 2007 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.)
Frequency domain analysis for fluorescence recovery after photobleaching.

Fourier transformation is evaluated as a means of improving precision in the analysis of fluorescence-recovery-after-photobleaching (FRAP) data. Simulations of FRAP data of 2m points, where m is an integer, are Fourier transformed to obtain the frequency domain data. Analogous to frequency domain techniques in nanosecond spectroscopy, frequency domain analysis of FRAP data is shown to provide more precise results. For a single exponential decay acquired over a time window of five decay constants, frequency domain analysis increases the precision by six fold without requiring that any more data be acquired. For a double exponential decay with decay constants that differ by a factor of two and noise of 5% relative standard deviation, time domain analysis is unable to distinguish this from a single exponential decay (χ2 = 1.1), whereas frequency domain analysis reveals that it does not fit to a single exponential decay (χ2 = 2.5). For a double exponential decay with five-fold differing decay constants, improved precision is obtained in the frequency domain for both of the decay constants, as well as the fractional amount of each. In contrast to nanosecond spectroscopy, the FRAP analysis described here combines the higher precision of the frequency domain with the direct observation in the time domain to facilitate the assessment of artifacts.
PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS OF A GIRL WITH MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY CAUSED BY DE NOVO t|[lpar]|X;4|[rpar]| |[lpar]|p21;q35|[rpar]|

In May, 1983 we obtained amniotic fluid for chromosome studies from a couple who were both 31 years old. The indication was parental anxiety because the mother worked closely with mentally retarded adults. The amniotic fluid cell karyotype was female with a balanced translocation: 46,X,t(X;4)(p21;q35) with the normal X preferentially inactivated. Alpha fetoprotein and detailed ultrasound examinations were normal. Chromosome studies of the parents were normal, so the translocation apparently arose as a new mutation.
HARNESSING RESEARCH TO CONTROL AIDS

The Office of AIDS Research, a relatively small but Influential unit within the US National Institutes of Health, is responsible for "coordinating the scientific, budgetary, legislative, and policy elements of the NIH AIDS research program". Here the new director, Neal Nathanson, presents his vision of how the nations $1 .7 billion AIDS research effort should be used to respond to the challenge of AIDS
Stochastic Branching Models of Fault Surfaces and Estimated Fractal Dimensions

We discuss simulations of nonplanar fault structures for a variant of the geometric stochastic branching model of Kagan (1982) and perform fractal analyses with 2-D and 3-D box-counting methods on the simulated structures. One goal is to clarify the assumptions associated with the geometric stochastic branching model and the conditions for which it may provide a useful tool in the context of earthquake faults. The primary purpose is to determine whether typical fractal analyses of observed earthquake data are likely to provide an adequate description of the underlying geometrical properties of the structure. The results suggest that stochastic branching structures are more complicated and quite distinct from the mathematical objects that have been used to develop fractal theory. The two families of geometrical structures do not share all of the same generalizations, and observations related to one cannot be used directly to make inferences on the other as has frequently been assumed. The fractal analyses indicate that it is incorrect to infer the fractal dimension of a complex volumetric fault structure from a cross-section such as a fault trace, from projections such as epicenters, or from a sparse number of representative points such as hypocenter distributions.