cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Two-phase computerized planning of cryosurgery using bubble-packing and force-field analogy.

Background : Cryosurgery is the destruction of undesired tissues by freezing, as in prostate cryosurgery, for example. Minimally invasive cryosurgery is currently performed by means of an array of cryoprobes, each in the shape of a long hypodermic needle. The optimal arrangement of the cryoprobes, which is known to have a dramatic effect on the quality of the cryoprocedure, remains an art held by the cryosurgeon, based on the cryosurgeon’s experience and “rules of thumb.” An automated computerized technique for cryosurgery planning is the subject matter of the current paper, in an effort to improve the quality of cryosurgery. Method of Approach : A two-phase optimization method is proposed for this purpose, based on two previous and independent developments by this research team. Phase I is based on a bubble-packing method, previously used as an efficient method for finite element meshing. Phase II is based on a force-field analogy method, which has proven to be robust at the expense of a typically long runtime. Results : As a proof-of-concept, results are demonstrated on a two-dimensional case of a prostate cross section. The major contribution of this study is to affirm that in many instances cryosurgery planning can be performed without extremely expensive simulations of bioheat transfer, achieved in Phase I. Conclusions : This new method of planning has proven to reduce planning runtime from hours to minutes, making automated planning practical in a clinical time frame.
Deafferentation studies on the glutamic acid decar☐ylase content of the supraoptic nucleus of the rat

Abstract The localization of the GABAergic neurons which send efferent fibers to the supraoptic nucleus was investigated. For this purpose the activity of glutamic acid decar☐ylase, a specific marker for GABAergic neurons, was determined in the supraoptic nucleus after a variety of lesions. The severance of fibers from the mesencephalon and the mediobasal hypothalamus, as well as from the hippocampus, had no effect. However, lesions rostral to the nucleus reduced its activity in glutamic acid decar☐ylase by about 40%, as did the infusion of kainic acid into the nucleus accumbens. Thus, the neurons in the supraoptic nucleus seem to receive a large part of their GABAergic afferents from the n. accumbens. In addition to that, GABAergic neurons intrinsic or adjacent to the supraoptic nucleus seem to contribute to the regulation of the release of vasopressin and/or oxytocin.
Political Skill Dimensionality and Impression Management Choice and Effective Use

The purpose of this study was to test a moderated mediation model of the dimensionality of political skill on influence tactic choice and performance ratings. Dyadic data were analyzed using a mixed-method approach to account for any leader-level effects, as well as bootstrapping methods to account for the modest sample size (n = 116). Social astuteness best predicted positive impression management (IM) over negative IM. Apparent sincerity interacted with positive impression management tactics to predict higher performance ratings, whereas interpersonal influence did not. The findings support that socially astute individuals use more positive influence tactics in the workplace. This could impact the broader work environment, making it more pleasant than one with individuals using negative influence tactics. Thus, it might be the interest of organizations to train individuals to enhance their social astuteness. However, confirming prior research, performance evaluations made by managers are impacted by more than objective performance (e.g., political skill). Thus, organizations need to ensure the proper training of managers to lessen these types of biases. This research empirically validates components of the metatheoretical framework of political skill (Ferris et al. Journal of Management 33:290–320, 2007) by examining the impact that dimensions of political skill have on interpersonal processes and outcomes in the workplace.
Measuring interstate variations in drug problems

This article describes the Drug Problem Index (DPI), a composite index measuring the interstate severity of drug abuse problems. The DPI's components (drug-coded mortality, drug-defined arrest, and drug-treatment client rates) were selected because they were linked closely with drug abuse, data were available for all states, and there was published evidence of their validity. The variables were reliable, and their convergent validity was estimated in a multi-trait, multi-method matrix. We found evidence consistent with the DPI's construct validity in its relations with other consequences of drug abuse. The DPI correlated significantly with the Block Grant drug need index but not with model estimates of drug dependence based on the National Household Survey.
Cellular adhesion to collagen.

Abstract BALB/3T3 cells were released from tissue culture plates with EGTA, and their rates of attachment to collagen gels polymerized on Millipore filters; were measured. Cell attachment in serum-free medium was 20–50% of that which occurred in medium containing 10% fetal calf serum (FCS). Cell attachment to gels pretreated with FCS and assayed in serum-free medium was identical with that of gels in FCS-containing medium. Thus, it seems there are two separate mechanisms of attachment to collagen; one involving direct attachment and a second mediated by a serum component(s) which binds to collagen.
Two-year results of conductive keratoplasty for the correction of low to moderate hyperopia.

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the 2-year postoperative safety, efficacy, predictability, and stability results of conductive keratoplasty (CK) to correct low to moderate hyperopia. Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, California, USA. Methods: In a prospective nonrandomized noncontrolled trial, 25 eyes of 14 patients with +0.75 to +3.00 diopters (D) of hyperopia and ≤0.75 D of cylinder were treated with CK. Low-energy, radio-frequency current was applied to the peripheral corneal stroma through a probe inserted at 8 to 32 treatment spots. An early nomogram was used in 2 eyes, and a current nomogram was used in 23 eyes; the intended refraction was plano. The 23 eyes treated with the current nomogram were analyzed for efficacy, predictability, and stability. All 25 eyes were included in the safety and patient-satisfaction analyses. Results: Preoperatively, the mean manifest refraction spherical equivalent (MRSE) in the 23 current-nomogram eyes was +1.55 D. At 2 years, the uncorrected visual acuity was 20/20 or better in 64% of eyes and 20/40 or better in 95%. The MRSE was within ±0.50 D in 64% of eyes, within ±1.00 D in 91%, and within ±2.00 D in 100%. No eye lost more than 1 line of best spectacle-corrected visual acuity or had an induced cylinder greater than 0.75 D. The mean MRSE of the cohort with all follow-ups was +0.48 D, which reflected a 29% regression from the intended plano and 43% regression from the 1-month postoperative overcorrection. The rate of regression appeared to be low and decreasing, +0.024 D per month between 12 and 24 months. A patient survey revealed improved quality of vision and a high level of satisfaction. Conclusions: Conductive keratoplasty appeared to be safe, effective, and predictable for correcting low to moderate hyperopia. Mild hyperopic regression was observed; however, the rate of regression indicated by the mean change in MRSE per month was low and decreased over the 2-year follow-up. Longer follow-up may be necessary to further characterize the refractive stability of CK.
Persistent parvovirus B19 infections in humans.

Persistent B19 infection may be frequent in man and responsible for a variety of chronic diseases. Clinical and in vitro observations suggest that persistence is the result of a balance over time among virus, target cells, and the immune system. Practically, the diagnosis of persistent infection will require molecular rather than immunologic studies, since inability to produce antibody to virus may be the fundamental defect leading to chronicity
Molecular mechanisms determining conserved properties of short-term synaptic depression revealed in NSF and SNAP-25 conditional mutants

Current models of synaptic vesicle trafficking implicate a core complex of proteins comprised of N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor (NSF), soluble NSF attachment proteins (SNAPs), and SNAREs in synaptic vesicle fusion and neurotransmitter release. Despite this progress, major challenges remain in establishing the in vivo functions of these proteins and their roles in determining the physiological properties of synapses. The present study employs glutamatergic adult neuromuscular synapses of Drosophila, which exhibit conserved properties of short-term synaptic plasticity with respect to mammalian glutamatergic synapses, to address these issues through genetic analysis. Our findings establish an in vivo role for SNAP-25 in synaptic vesicle priming, and support a zippering model of SNARE function in this process. Moreover, these studies define the contribution of SNAP-25-dependent vesicle priming to the detailed properties of short-term depression elicited by paired-pulse (PP) and train stimulation. In contrast, NSF is shown here not to be required for WT PP depression, but to be critical for maintaining neurotransmitter release during sustained stimulation. In keeping with this role, disruption of NSF function results in activity-dependent redistribution of the t-SNARE proteins, SYNTAXIN and SNAP-25, away from neurotransmitter release sites (active zones). These findings support a role for NSF in replenishing active zone t-SNAREs for subsequent vesicle priming, and provide new insight into the spatial organization of SNARE protein cycling during synaptic activity. Together, the results reported here establish in vivo contributions of SNAP-25 and NSF to synaptic vesicle trafficking and define molecular mechanisms determining conserved functional properties of short-term depression.
Parallel searching in generalized Monge arrays with applications

This paper investigates the parallel time and processor complexities of several searching problems involving Monge and Monge-composite arrays. We present array-searching algorithms for concurrent-readconcurrent-write (CRCW) PRAMS, concurrent-readexclusive-write (CREW) PRAMS, hypercubes, cubeconnected-cycles, and shuffle-exchange networks. All these algorithms run in optimal time, and their processor-time products are all within an O(lg n) factor of the worst-case sequential bounds. Several applications of these algorithms are also given. Two applications improve previous results substantially, and the others provide novel parallel algorithms for problems not previously considered.
Application of the E-C Approach to Understanding the Bond Energies Thermodynamics of Late-Metal Amido, Aryloxo and Alkoxo Complexes: An Alternative to pπ/dπ Repulsion

Abstract The concept of pπ/dπ repulsion in alkoxo and amido complexes of the late transition metals has been critically examined, especially as it relates to recent work by the authors on a series of nickel complexes. The thermodynamic preferences of late-metal M-X bonds (X=NR2, OR) can be explained by an alternative model which uses bond polarity as a starting point and E-C theory for quantification. In this model, the greater electrostatic character of the M-X bond (relative to the H-X bond) is sufficient to explain observed thermodynamic trends in ligand exchange reactions, without the inclusion of π-effects. The implications of adopting the polar bonding model have been examined, including discussion of metal alkyl complexes as well as oxo and imido complexes. In general, this polar model appears to lead to greater consistency with observation and deeper understanding, although more data are necessary to clearly determine the best way of describing bonds between late metals and X ligands.
The insertion and extrusion of heterosulfur bridges. X. Conversions in the triphenylene-triphenylo[4,5-bcd] thiophene system

Sulfur bridging of triphenylene (3) to form triphenylo[4,5-bcd]thiophene (4) is effected in 18% yield by means of hydrogen sulfide and a molybdena catalyst (CMA-1) at 500°. Compound 4 is purified through its sulfoxide, converted into its sulfone (6), and desulfurized (by means of CMA-1 plus methanol-benzene) back to 3. The ultraviolet absorption spectrum of 4 resembles closely that of benzo[e]pyrene. On electron impact 4 shows little skeletal fragmentation, while 6 readily evolves sulfur monoxide and the formyl group.
Family therapy workshop interviews: For whose benefit?

Abstract Live demonstration interviews are a popular feature of many family therapy workshops. This paper examines advantages and disadvantages of four demonstration interview formats for the four groups: mental health professionals as observers; the families; their therapists; and the consultant (e.g. workshop “leader”). The formats include same-room, closed-circuit, prevideotaped, and simulated interviews. The benefits of each format for all four groups can be balanced and optimized through careful selection of families, matching the interview format to their situation, and the workshop coordinator's facilitation of essential communication between the consultant, therapist, and family.
Materials for holographic digital data storage

The high density and data rate performance demonstrated for holographic data storage continues to fuel research and development efforts, even in the face of continued rapid improvement in performance and decrease in cost of conventional technologies. A major remaining technical challenge for a commercially viable system is the development of a suitable storage medium, especially for rewriteable storage. At IBM, we have tested a variety of potential holographic storage materials for both thin 'disk' applications and bulk crystal stationary media applications. Here, we review the materials requirements for both geometries and assess the performance of some of the best materials candidates.
Aging and renal responsiveness to parathyroid hormone in healthy men.

To determine whether aging impairs renal responsiveness to PTH, we studied the ability of the kidney to respond to infusion of human PTH-(1-34) for 24 h in 16 healthy men, 9 young (39 +/- 1 yr) and 7 elderly (70 +/- 1 yr), free of any conditions known to influence mineral metabolism and in whom the glomerular filtration rate was greater than 1.17 mL/s.1.73 m2. Basal concentrations of blood ionized calcium, serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25-(OH)2D], and urinary calcium and phosphorus were similar in both age groups, but basal serum PTH (+148%), plasma cAMP (+44%), nephrogenous cAMP (+56%), and fractional excretion of phosphorus (+44%) were higher in the elderly. PTH infusion increased serum 1,25-(OH)2D to the same maximum level in the young (113 +/- 10 pmol/L) and the elderly (106 +/- 11 pmol/L) men, but the response in the elderly was delayed. Urinary cAMP, nephrogenous cAMP, and fractional excretion of phosphorus increased, and neither the time course nor the increment was significantly different betwe...
Codes over Zm

In a previous paper (Codes over certain rings, Inform. Contr. 20, 396–404) Blake defined codes over Zm, the integers modulo m, if m is the product of distinct primes, and remarked that no codes were available over Zpn if n > 1, since Zpn is not a semisimple ring. We show that codes over Zpn can be described in terms of codes over Zp and thus are able to describe the codes over Zm for any positive m.
Nuclear cytochemical changes in rat adrenal glands stimulated by adrenocorticotrophic hormone

Abstract Various cytochemical parameters were studied cytophotometrically in nuclei isolated from rat adrenal glands stimulated by exogenous ACTH. Acridine orange dye binding was found to increase in response to the administered dose, reaching a maximum increase of 30% over controls at 16 h after treatment. Parallel measurements of Feulgen dye binding showed no increase in the relative DNA content of the cells and no mitotic activity was evident in histological sections. Chromatin thermal stability, determined by acridine orange microfluorimetry, exhibited a decrease proportional to the enhanced acridine orange binding in the same dose range, reaching a minimum within 8 h after injection of ACTH. Ratios of specific picric acid and alkaline bromphenol blue dye binding by lysine and arginine residues respectively in histone were found to be significantly and consistently lower in nuclei from treated glands.
Long-term survival of a patient with invasive cranial base rhinocerebral mucormycosis treated with combined endovascular, surgical, and medical therapies: case report.

Objective Rhinocerebral mucormycosis is a clinical syndrome resulting from an opportunistic infection caused by a fungus of the order Mucorales. The prognosis of rhinocerebral mucormycosis, once considered uniformly fatal, remains poor. Even with early diagnosis and aggressive surgical and medical therapy, the mortality rate is high. We present a patient with rhinocerebral mucormycosis involving the paranasal sinuses and cranial base who experienced long-term survival after multimodality treatment. Clinical characteristics of the disease are discussed, and the literature is reviewed. Clinical presentation A 24-year-old diabetic man presented with invasive rhinocerebral mucormycosis involving the paranasal sinuses, right middle fossa, and right cavernous sinus. Intervention The patient underwent endovascular sacrifice of the involved carotid artery and radical resection of the cranial base, including exenteration of the cavernous sinus. Reconstruction with a local muscle flap was performed. He continued to receive intravenous and intrathecal administration of antibiotics. Conclusion Long-term survival with invasive rhinocerebral mucormycosis is rare, but possible, with aggressive multimodality treatment, including carotid sacrifice for en bloc resection of the pathology, when indicated.
Effects of Nosema pyrausta on pupa and adult stages of the European corn borer Ostrinia nubilalis

Abstract Larvae of the European corn borer Ostrinia nubilalis were collected from field corn and overwintered in the laboratory. Observations made on pupal weight, adult longevity, oviposition, fecundity, and fertility of normal corn borers were compared with similar observations on corn borers infected with Nosema pyrausta. Of 65 pupae with obvious deformities, 66% were infected with N. pyrausta. Of 537 moths, 53% of the females and 55% of the males were infected with N. pyrausta and levels of infection averaged 38.9 and 25.4 million spores/moth, respectively. Adult longevity, oviposition, fecundity and fertility were adversely affected by infection with N. pyrausta. Reproduction of infected moths was 39.3% lower than that of moths with no detectable infection, and heavily infected moths had 52.0% lower reproduction.
Transport of potassium and sodium with citrate across the mitochondrial membrane.

Abstract Citrate is accumulated by rat liver mitochondria by an energy-dependent reaction in which the trivalent anion enters with an equal equivalence of Na + or K + . This uptake is in addition to the incorporation by exchange that takes place in the respiratory-inhibited state. The energy-dependent reaction has the following characterteristics: Accumulation of citrate and the cations occurs in the absence of ionophores. The rate is slower than that of the exchange reaction, but in 6–10 min (at 20°C) the quantity taken up (15–30 μmoleds/g mitochondrial protein) may exceed that taken in by exchange (10–15 μmoles/g protein). The energy-dependent reaction is relatively specific for citrate. 50% as much K + or Na + is gianed with cis -aconitate but only 10–25% as much with isocitrate and other Krebs-cycle intermediates. In contrast to results obtained with acetate, the energy-dependent accumulations of citrate occur (1) with Na + as the cation, (2) from low concentrations of external organic anion (2–4 mM), (3) with relative independence of changes in the pH of the media.
Role of heavy-meson exchange in pion production near threshold

Recent calculations of s-wave pion production have severely underestimated the accurately known pp → pp� 0 total cross section near threshold. In these calculations, only the single-nucleon axial-charge operator is considered. We have calculated, in addition to the one-body term, the two-body contributions to this reaction that arise from the exchange of mesons. We find that the inclusion of the scalar �-meson exchange current (and lesser contributions from other mesons) increases the cross section by about a factor of five, and leads to excellent agreement with the data. The results are neither very sensitive to changes in the distorting potential that generates the NN wave function, nor to different choices for the meson-nucleon form factors. We argue that pp → pp� 0 data provide direct experimental evidence for meson
Potent and selective small-molecule inhibitors of cIAP1/2 proteins reveal that the binding of smac mimetics to XIAP BIR3 is not required for their effective induction of cell death in tumor cells

Cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein 1 and 2 (cIAP1/2) and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) are key apoptosis regulators and promising new cancer therapeutic targets. This study describes a set of non-peptide, small-molecule Smac (second mitochondria-derived activator of caspases) mimetics that are selective inhibitors of cIAP1/2 over XIAP. The most potent and most selective compounds bind to cIAP1/2 with affinities in the low nanomolar range and show >1,000-fold selectivity for cIAP1 over XIAP. These selective cIAP inhibitors effectively induce degradation of the cIAP1 protein in cancer cells at low nanomolar concentrations and do not antagonize XIAP in a cell-free functional assay. They potently inhibit cell growth and effectively induce apoptosis at low nanomolar concentrations in cancer cells with a mechanism of action similar to that of other known Smac mimetics. Our study shows that binding of Smac mimetics to XIAP BIR3 is not required for effective induction of apoptosis in tumor c...
CERAMIC GLAZE ANALYSIS BY SIMULTANEOUS IN-BEAM PGAA AND XRFS

Twenty-one ready-to-use hobby glazes, of which 18 were labeled “safe for food containers” (SFFC), were analyzed for Al, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Gd, Hf, K, Mn, Na, Pb, Si, Sm, Sr, Ti, Zn, and Zr by neutron capture prompt γ-ray activation analysis (PGAA). Simultaneously, Pb was also determined by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRFS) using Pb K X-rays induced by the γ-ray component of the neutron beam. The XRFS limits of detection were 200–400 μg Pb·g−1 (dry weight), a factor of ∼ 100 better than those for PGAA. Pb concentrations (by dry weight; with weight losses ranging from 28 to 49% after air-drying) found were 0.16–27.2% in the SFFC glazes and 0.86–32% in the other glazes. The SFFC glazes contained from <0.6 to 202 μg Cd·g−1, and Co, Cr, and Cu (elements which may enhance Pb leaching from fired glazes) were found in concentrations up to 1.2, 2.7, and 5.6%, respectively. Method accuracy was demonstrated with the analysis of soil, fly ash, and glass standard reference materials.
NMR evidence for spin fluctuations in the bilayer nickelate La 3 Ni 2 O 6

We report nuclear magnetic resonance data in the bilayer nickelate La${}_{3}$Ni${}_{2}$O${}_{6}$. This material belongs to a family of low valence nickel oxides with square planar coordination of the Ni ions and is isoelectronic to the high temperature superconducting cuprates. Although the three layer nickelate compound exhibits a spin-state transition accompanied by antiferromagnetic order, the bilayer material shows no phase transition. The NMR data in the bilayer La${}_{3}$Ni${}_{2}$O${}_{6}$ reveal the presence of antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations down to 5 K that are surprisingly similar to those present in the magnetically ordered trilayer La${}_{4}$Ni${}_{3}$O${}_{8}$, suggesting a similar electronic structure in the paramagnetic phase of both compounds.
EFFECT OF X-IRRADIATION AND POST IRRADIATION STORAGE OF PEANUT SEED ON NUCLEIC ACID METABOLISM IN COTYLEDONS.

Abstract Exposure of peanut seeds to 250 and 500 kR of X-rays reduced germination by 30 and 50 percent respectively. The same X-ray dosages inhibited seedling growth by as much as 60 percent. Radiation levels of 750 kR and higher completely inhibited seed germination. Nucleic acid synthesis of cotyledons was stimulated by X-irradiation if the seeds were germinated and analysed immediately after irradiation exposures of 250 and 500 kR. Storage of the seeds for 2 or 4 weeks after irradiation reduced the X-ray enhanced nucleic acid synthesis. After 4 weeks of storage all irradiation exposures inhibited nucleic acid synthesis. Fractionation of nucleic acids on methylated albumin columns revealed that all RNA fractions were affected the same way at each radiation exposure and at different times of storage.
Intelligent query answering in deductive and object-oriented databases

In the near future, we believe that we will need much more sophisticated answer-finding schemes in an object-oriented database in order to satisfy the needs of truly intelligent information system. In this paper, we introduce a method to apply the intensional query processing techniques of deductive databases to object-oriented databases. So, we can generate intensional answers to represent answer-set abstractly for a given query in object-oriented databases.Our approach consists of four steps: rule generation, pre-resolution, resolution, and post-resolution. In rule generation, we generate a set of deductive rules based on an object-oriented database schema. In pre-resolution, rule transformation is done to get unique intensional literals and extended term-restricted rules. In resolution, we identify rules that are potentially relevant to a query. In post-resolution, we find relevant resolvents as candidates for intensional answers among potentially relevant resolvents. We also use the notion of potentially relevant resolvents and relevant resolvents to avoid generating certain meaningless intensional answers.
CYCLOPENTACORANNULENE : PI -FACIAL STEREOSELECTIVE DEUTEROGENATION AND DETERMINATION OF THE BOWL-TO-BOWL INVERSION BARRIER FOR A CONSTRAINED BUCKYBOWL

Attachment of an ethane or ethylene unit to the rim of corannulene produced relatively rigid bowls of dihydrocyclopenta- and cyclopentacorannulene, respectively. In contrast to the parent corannulenes, their inversion barriers are too high to be determined by the NMR coalescence methods. Due to the significant curvature of cyclopentacorannulene, deuterogenation is π-facial specific; both heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis lead exclusively to exo-dideuteriocyclopentacorannulene 2a. Equilibration of the endo- and exo-isotopomers allowed the determination of ΔG‡ at 27.61−27.67 kcal/mol over the temperature range 52.1−99.3 °C and the estimation of ΔH‡ (27.3 ± 0.7 kcal/mol) and ΔS‡ (−1.1 ± 0.2 eu) for the bowl-to-bowl inversion. The inversion barrier calculated at the HF/6-31G*//3-21G level (25.9 kcal/mol) compares well with the experimental result.
An Expanded View of Infantile Esotropia: Bottoms Up!

A recent editorial in the Archives assigned the primary pathogenesis of infantile esotropia to the visual cortex. This analysis addresses the limitations of this timeworn view and advances the perspective that infantile esotropia is a cortico-mesencephalic-cerebellar disorder wherein binocular cortical maldevelopment permits atavistic subcortical visual pathways to remain operational. This integrated neuroanatomical model predicts that primary neurodevelopmental disorders involving the accessory optic system or its connections to the cerebellum can also give rise to infantile esotropia.
A RESOURCE FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS

Encyclopedia of English Studies and Language Arts: A Project of the National Council of Teachers of English. Edited by Alan C. Purves, with Linda Papa and Sarah Jordan.
The Accommodation of Conflict in the Merger of Two Religious Denominations

On October 1, 1963, two major Protestant denominations were consolidated and incorporated under the laws of the state of Ohio. That consolidation was a unique one in the annals of American church union in that it brought together for the first time two major Protestant denominations with quite divergent historic, cultural, theological, and organizational backgrounds: the Congregational Christian Churches and the Evangelical and Reformed Church.1 The union of these two religious bodies in Ohio followed by five years the consolidation of the two denominations at the national level. The General Council of the Congregational-Christian Churches and the General Synod of the Evangelical and Reformed Church were legally consolidated and incorporated under the laws of the state of New York in July of 1957. The consolidation was quite different from the vast majority of denominational mergers in the United States which have brought together religious organizations with similar theological beliefs and organizational structures, e.g., the Methodist and Evangelical United Brethren Churches. While this consolidation officially united the two denomina tions, insofar as the Congregational-Christian Churches were con cerned it was binding only at the national level. The autonomous nature of the local congregations in Congregationalism necessitated a vote on the consolidation by every local church. A 75-per cent majority vote was deemed necessary before the consolidation could become effective. By contrast, the local congregations of the Evangelical and Reformed Church were included in the consolidation by the General Synod (the national governing body) of that denomination. Moreover, the consolidation of these two denomina tions at the national level did not superimpose mandatory procedures by which new state and local denominational structures could be organized. This fact meant that nearly every major judicatory of the two separate denominations in the country had to develop new organizational and institutional forms with few generally accepted guidelines. In sections of the country where one denomination or the other had an overwhelming majority (as in Massachusetts, where there were over 500 Congregational Christian churches and fewer 43
Cutaneous Tape Stripping to Accelerate the Anesthetic Effects of EMLA Cream: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

Most medications are not absorbed topi- cally due to the stratum corneum barrier. While ef- fective as a topical anesthetic, EMLA cream is ab- sorbed slowly, delaying its effects for up to one hour, thereby limiting its usefulness. Objective: To deter- mine whether removal of the cornified layer of the skin by tape stripping (TS) would allow more rapid onset of anesthesia after topical application of EMLA cream prior to IV catheterization (IVC). Methods: This was a prospective, randomized, controlled trial comparing the levels of pain of IVC 15 minutes after topical application of EMLA cream in patients who had TS vs patients who did not. The setting was a suburban university-affiliated ED. A convenience sample of 68 alert adult patients requiring IVC were enrolled. The primary outcomes measured were pain of IVC and pain of TS using a previously validated 100-mm visual analog scale as well as the IVC suc- cess rate. Results: The pain of IVC was less for TS vs control patients (29.7 mm (95% CI = 20.4 to 39.0 mm) vs 15.9 mm (95% CI = 9.1 to 22.6 mm), p = 0.0171. The mean pain of TS was 4.8 2 7.4 mm. The IVC success rate for TS vs control patients was 91% vs 74% (p = 0.056). There were no adverse events af- ter TS. Conclusions: Removal of the cornified layer of the skin resulted in a more rapid anesthetic effect of EMLA cream as evidenced by lower IVC pain scores after TS. The effectiveness of TS for enhanced absorption of other medications should be investi- gated. Key words: tape stripping; permeability; ab- sorption; drug delivery; stratum corneum; cutaneous tape stripping. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDI- CINE 1998; 5:1051-1056
Concentrations of trace elements in eggs and blood of spectacled and common eiders on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska, USA.

We examined the relations among nesting success, egg viability, and blood and egg concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, Hg, and Se in a threatened population of spectacled eiders (Somateria fischeri) and a sympatric population of common eiders (S. mollissima) on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska, USA, during 1995 and 1996. During the early breeding season, males and females had mean Se concentrations in their blood of 19.2 μg/g and 12.8 μg/g wet weight, respectively. Blood Se concentrations of females were correlated with egg concentrations. During brood rearing, blood Se levels were higher in adult females than in ducklings. Blood concentrations of Pb in spectacled eider females were higher than in common eider females captured at hatching, but blood concentrations of Se were similar. Trace element concentrations were not related to nest success or egg viability. We submit that nest success and egg viability of spectacled eiders are not related to concentrations of the trace elements we measured. Because blood Se concentrations declined rapidly through the breeding season and were not related to nest success or egg viability, we suggest that spectacled eiders are exposed to high concentrations of Se during winter that pose little threat to this population.
Specialized industrial cities in the United States 1860–1930

Abstract There is a general view among geographers, historians and economists that a high level of industrial specialization is likely to inhibit the growth of a city. The arguments in support of this position emphasize the importance of diversity in the generation of new work. This position is more reasonable for a large geographic region than for an individual city in a regional system. Empirical data on the growth of American cities in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries fail to support the proposition that specialization retards population growth. Specialized cities of a given region and age grew at about the same rate as their regional contemporaries. These data are consistent with the notion that flows of capital, entrepreneurship and labor among cities in a regional system render specialization of little importance to long run population growth.
Is Near Infrared Fluorescence Imaging Using Indocyanine Green Dye Useful in Robotic Partial Nephrectomy: A Prospective Comparative Study of 94 Patients

Objective To compare a consecutive prospective cohort of patients who underwent robotic partial nephrectomy (RPN) with near infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging with indocyanine green dye (ICG) with a previous consecutive patient cohort. Methods A total of 47 consecutive patients with renal masses suspicious for malignancy undergoing RPN were given 5-7.5 mg of ICG before hilar clamping or tumor excision. This cohort of patients was compared with 47 immediate previous consecutive patients who had undergone RPN without NIRF real-time imaging using ICG. The intraoperative, perioperative, and postoperative parameters were collected in an institutional review board-approved prospective database. Results The preoperative demographics and tumor complexity according to the nephrometry or preoperative aspects and dimensions used for an anatomic (PADUA) scores were similar. The mean warm ischemia time was significantly decreased in the ICG group (15 vs 17 minutes, P = .01). The median hospital stay was 2 days in both groups. No significant difference was seen in the positive margin rate (ICG, 6% vs control, 8.5%; P = .69) or observed Clavien grade III-IV complications in these 2 cohorts (ICG, 4% vs control, 15%; P = .07). No adverse events were associated with ICG dye administration. Differential ICG uptake was observed with selective clamping or in patients with cystic tumors, hypofluorescent tumors with exophytic components, and angiomyelolipomas, but these benefits could not be quantified. NIRF-ICG was transiently helpful to identify the vascular anatomy and not helpful at all for endophytic tumors. Conclusion RPN using NIRF-ICG can be performed safely and effectively. A decreased warm ischemia time in the ICG cohort was observed without specific measured advantages. Differential ICG uptake by different tumors did not lead to significant differences in the positive margin rate.
Uncertainty quantification for chaotic computational fluid dynamics

We seek error models for simulations that model chaotic flow. Stable statistics for the solution and for the error are obtained after suitable averaging procedures.
Adolescent health at the crossroads: where do we go from here?

Accepting the presidency of the Society for Adolescent Medicine is a privilege. Adolescent Medicine is fifty and becoming the thirty-third President of SAM is a daunting task. Beginning my Presidency of SAM in Boston reminds me of watching one of my favorite films, Wild Strawberries by Ingmar Bergman. The film chronicles the life of Dr. Isak Borg, a family practitioner who travels from his place of retirement to the city of Lund where he will receive the highest honor of his profession. His journey to accept this award depicts the eight stages of man as described by Erik Erickson [1]. As Dr. Borg reflects on his life through his dreams and his journey to accept the award, the viewer becomes increasingly aware of the importance of history and how maturity enables us to better approach the future [2]. Accepting the presidency in 2002 carries an additional burden — it has been a difficult year for the world and the United States — after September 11, 2001, the United States has had to realize that we are as vulnerable as the rest of the world. We are not an island protected from violence. For the first time since 1941, the youth and adults of the United States have had to recognize that we are as vulnerable as the youth of Bosnia, the Middle East, Columbia, Northern Ireland, China, Afghanistan, Korea and many of the African countries. We are all dependent on each other in a way that many of us in the United States had forgotten. SAM needs to continue to reach out to our international colleagues and play a larger role in improving and advocating for all youth.
Acceptability of injera with stewed chicken

The Ethiopian traditional bread (injera) is normally consumed with stew (wot). Tef (Eragrostis tef) is the favourite and most expensive grain used for making injera. Injera made from tef, maize, sorghum and barley was evaluated for sensory panel responses with and without stewed chicken (doro-wot) by preference and difference tests, respectively. Fresh sorghum injera and maize injera were not significantly different in flavour or preference from tef injera. However, tef injera was clearly preferred over other injera types.
On some computations with dense structured matrices

We reduce several computations with Hilbert and Vandermonde type matrices to matrix computations of the Hankel-Toeplitz type (and vice versa). This unifies various known algorithms for computations with dense structured matrices and enables us to extend any progress in computations with matrices of one class to the computations with other classes of matrices. In particular, this enables us to compute the inverses and the determinants of nXn matrices of Vandermonde and Hilbert types for the cost of O(n log2n) arithmetic operations. (Previously, such results were only known for the more narrow class of Vandermonde and generalized Hilbert matrices.)
The growth of government in the United States: An economic historian's perspective

Abstract This paper first outlines the salient features of the growth of government in American history. Secondly, it offers a neoclassical explanation of that history in which increasing specialization and division of labor brought on by the scientific/technological revolution of the nineteenth century drastically altered the demand for and supply of government. Finally, it argues that institutions matter and describes the way the particular structure of governments was important in the timing and pace of its growth.
Anoretic effects of neuropeptide FF are mediated via central mu and kappa subtypes of opioid receptors and receptor ligands

Abstract Recently, we demonstrated that neuropeptide FF (NPFF) causes anorexigenic effects in chicks that were associated with the hypothalamus. The present study was designed to better understand some of the central mechanisms that mediate these effects. Co-injection of NPFF and beta-funaltrexamine (FNA, a mu opioid receptor antagonist) did not suppress food intake more than when NPFF and FNA were injected alone. However, co-injection of NPFF and ICI-174,864 (ICI, a delta opioid receptor antagonist) caused a greater reduction in food intake than when NPFF and ICI were injected alone. Co-injection of NPFF and nor-binaltorphimine (BNI, a kappa opioid receptor antagonist) did not cause a greater suppression of food intake than when NPFF and BNI were injected alone. Hyperphagia induced by neuropeptide Y and β-endorphin (both ligands of opioid receptors) was reversed by NPFF. These results suggest that NPFF-induced satiety has a relationship with mu and kappa but not delta subtypes of opioid receptors, and since NPFF does not bind opioid receptors itself NPFF-associated satiety is likely mediated by effects on opioid receptor ligands such as NPY and β-endorphin. Thus, NPFF induced satiety may be mediated via modulation of the chick’s innate opioid-associated orexigenic system.
Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Should Be Offered to Young Males: Counterpoint

The science of the newly approved prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines is clear: vaccination of young women prevents genital type-specific infection with HPV 16 and 18, thereby preventing the development of CIN2/3, the lesion that precedes cervical cancer. Although there exist several
Characterization of Hemodynamic Performance and Degree of Flow Redirection in the Left Ventricle Dependent on the Mitral Mechanical Heart Valve Orientation

Recent groundbreaking work by Kilner et al. [1] demonstrated that a healthy functioning heart redirects the flow through the left ventricle (LV) in an asymmetric manner, which results in an energy conserving mechanism. Heart valve replacement alters the physiological operation of the heart significantly affecting its hemodynamic performance. As a result, orientation and valve design could play a significant role in the energy efficient operation of the heart; therefore, orienting MHVs so that flow disturbances are minimized enhances the hemodynamic performance of the LV.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Future risk from a hypothesized RCRA site disposing of carcinogenic metals should a loss of societal memory occur

Abstract The future risk of a hypothesized Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) site disposing of carcinogenic metals, arsenic, chromium, nickel, cadmium, and beryllium in the U.S. is assessed. Societal memory is assumed to be lost regarding the site. A human intrusion scenario on the site and a residential scenario one kilometer down-gradient of the groundwater flow direction from the site are assumed, starting at 1000 years after the site's closure. For the human intrusion scenario, the exposure pathways considered are fruit and vegetable intake, soil ingestion, and dermal contact with soil. The quantitative results obtained for the three pathways are as follows: lifetime excess cancer risk due to fruit and vegetable intake is 0.18; isk due to dermal contact with the soil is 0.12; and risk due to soil ingestion is 2.6 x 10 ṫ . For the residential scenario, only qualitative discussion of exposure via groundwater is presented due to the large uncertainties. The U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) attention to and requirements concerning long-term risk from RCRA sites containing metal carcinogens, which never change due to radioactive decay, stand in sharp contrast to the stringent requirements over 10,000 years posed by EPA for geologic disposal of high level radioactive wastes, and the long-term requirements posed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for low level radioactive waste disposal sites.
In vivo transcranial cavitation threshold detection during ultrasound-induced blood-brain barrier opening in mice

The in vivo cavitation response associated with blood-brain barrier (BBB) opening as induced by transcranial focused ultrasound (FUS) in conjunction with microbubbles was studied in order to better identify the underlying mechanism in its noninvasive application. A cylindrically focused hydrophone, confocal with the FUS transducer, was used as a passive cavitation detector (PCD) to identify the threshold of inertial cavitation (IC) in the presence of Definity® microbubbles (mean diameter range: 1.1-3.3 µm, Lantheus Medical Imaging, MA, USA). A vessel phantom was first used to determine the reliability of the PCD prior to in vivo use. A cerebral blood vessel was simulated by generating a cylindrical channel of 610 µm in diameter inside a polyacrylamide gel and by saturating its volume with microbubbles. The microbubbles were sonicated through an excised mouse skull. Second, the same PCD setup was employed for in vivo noninvasive (i.e. transdermal and transcranial) cavitation detection during BBB opening. After the intravenous administration of Definity® microbubbles, pulsed FUS was applied (frequency: 1.525 or 1.5 MHz, peak-rarefactional pressure: 0.15-0.60 MPa, duty cycle: 20%, PRF: 10 Hz, duration: 1 min with a 30 s interval) to the right hippocampus of twenty-six (n = 26) mice in vivo through intact scalp and skull. T1 and T2-weighted MR images were used to verify the BBB opening. A spectrogram was generated at each pressure in order to detect the IC onset and duration. The threshold of BBB opening was found to be at a 0.30 MPa peak-rarefactional pressure in vivo. Both the phantom and in vivo studies indicated that the IC pressure threshold had a peak-rarefactional amplitude of 0.45 MPa. This indicated that BBB opening may not require IC at or near the threshold. Histological analysis showed that BBB opening could be induced without any cellular damage at 0.30 and 0.45 MPa. In conclusion, the cavitation response could be detected without craniotomy in mice and IC may not be required for BBB opening at relatively low pressures.
Aristotle's Mimesis and Abstract Art

Does non-representational art itself constitute a refutation of any theory of art based upon mimesis or imitation? Our intuitions regarding this question seem to support an affirmative answer: it appears impossible to account for abstract and non-representational art in terms of imitation, because, to put the problem simply, if nothing is copied in a work of art then there can be nothing essentially imitative about it. The very notion of abstract imitative art seems self-contradictory.
Heroism and history in Merleau-Ponty’s existential phenomenology

Whereas Phenomenology of Perception concludes with a puzzling turn to “heroism,” this article examines the short essay “Man, the Hero” as a source of insight into Merleau-Ponty’s thought in the early postwar period. In this essay, Merleau-Ponty presented a conception of heroism through which he expressed the attitude toward post-Hegelian philosophy of history that underwrote his efforts to reform Marxism along existential lines. Analyzing this conception of heroism by unpacking the implicit contrasts with Kojeve, Aron, Caillois, and Bataille, I show that its philosophical rationale was to supply experiential evidence attesting to the latent presence of human universality. It is a mythic device intended to animate the faith necessary for Marxist politics by showing that universal sociality is possible, and that the historically transformative praxis needed to realize it does not imply sacrifice. This sheds considerable light on Merleau-Ponty’s early postwar political thought. But inasmuch as the latter cannot be severed from his broader philosophical concerns, the prospect is raised that his entire phenomenological project in the early postwar period rested on a myth. Not necessarily a bad myth, but a myth nonetheless.