cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intravenous PEG Asparaginase during Remission Induction for Childhood ALL.

BACKGROUND: E.coli L-asparaginase (E.coli-ASP) is an important component of multiagent chemotherapy for childhood ALL, but is associated with multiple toxicities, including allergy in 25–30% of patients. Pegaspargase (PEG), the polyethylene glycol conjugate of E.coli ASP, has a longer circulating half-life and potentially decreased immunogenicity. All ASP preparations, including PEG, have generally been given intramuscularly (IM) in North America, although limited data suggests that PEG ASP may be safely given intravenously (IV). METHODS: On DFCI ALL Consortium Protocol 05-01 (open since May 2005), all patients (pts) with newly diagnosed ALL (ages 1–18 years) receive a single dose of IV PEG (2500 units/m2) on Day 7 of a 32-day multiagent induction regimen. Serum ASP enzyme levels (measured by validated biochemical assay) are assayed 4, 11, 18 and 25 days after the PEG dose. Lower limit of quantitation of the assay is 0.025 IU/mL. ASP levels >=0.1 IU/mL have previously been correlated with asparagine depletion. RESULTS: Between May 2005–April 2006, 66 eligible pts were enrolled and received a single dose of IV PEG during remission induction. Median age was 5 years (range 1–16 years), median WBC was 11.3K/microliter, 60% were male and 16% had T-cell phenotype. 58% were considered standard risk and 42% high risk. ASP-related toxicities occurred in 3 (4.5%) pts. Toxicities included hypersensitivity during PEG infusion (N=1), deep venous thrombosis (N=1, 24 days after PEG), and mild pancreatitis (N=1, 20 days after PEG). 1 patient died of Bacillus sepsis (14 days after PEG). Serum ASP enzyme levels were obtained in 62 patients (Table 1). There was no significant difference in serum ASP levels at any timepoint (using Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test) when comparing pts =10 years old (Table 2), or when comparing male and female pts. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that IV administration of PEG is feasible and tolerable in children with ALL. Most pts have potentially therapeutic serum ASP levels (>=0.10 IU/mL) for up to 18 days after a single dose. Serum ASP levels after IV PEG are similar to those seen after IM administration. In order to determine toxicity, efficacy and pharmacodynamics of repeated doses of IV PEG, we are currently randomizing children with ALL to receive 30 weeks of either IV PEG (given every 2 weeks) or IM E.coli (given weekly) during post-induction consolidation.
Sums of Independent Random Variables

The theory of decoupling aims at reducing the level of dependence in certain problems by means of inequalities that compare the original sequence to one involving independent random variables. It is therefore important to have information on results dealing with functionals of independent random variables.
Probabilistic Analysis of Wear of Polymer Material used in Medical Implants

Probabilistic methods are applied to the study of fatigue wear of sliding surfaces. A variance of time to failure (to occurrence of maximum allowable wear depth) is evaluated as a function of a mean wear rate of normal wear and a size of wear particles. A method of estimating probability of failure-free work during a certain time interval (reliability) is presented. An effect of the bedding-in phase of wear on the reliability is taken into account. Experimental data for Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) cups of artificial hip implants is used to make numerical calculations.
A Possible-Worlds Solution to the Puzzle of Petitionary Prayer

If the thing he prays for doesn’t happen, then that is one more proof that petitionary prayers don’t work; if it does happen, he will, of course, be able to see some of the physical causes which led up to it, and `therefore it would have happened anyway’, and thus a granted prayer becomes just as good a proof as a denied one that prayers are ineffective. -- CS Lewis, The Screwtape Letters
Reproduction and Growth

Hypoxia, as well as other environmental and social factors, shapes reproduction and fetal/infant growth at high altitude. Although fertility and early fetal loss differ little from patterns observed at lower altitude, placental development does differ and the medical complications of pre-eclampsia and post-partum hemorrhage pose greater risks at altitude. Reduction in birth weight with increasing altitude of gestation occurs across high-altitude regions, resulting in an increased proportion of low-birth-weight infants (<2,500 g). However, the magnitude of reduction in fetal growth varies among population groups, depending on maternal ventilation, plasma volume expansion, blood flow to the uteroplacental circulation, and nutrient transport. Neonatal, infant, and child mortality are increased at high altitude. Respiratory problems account for the majority of neonatal and infant deaths. Exposure to hypoxia during the fetal and neonatal periods may have consequences that extend into adult life and span generations.
Multi-Task Learning for Document Ranking and Query Suggestion

We propose a multi-task learning framework to jointly learn document ranking and query suggestion for web search. It consists of two major components, a document ranker, and a query recommender. Document ranker combines current query and session information and compares the combined representation with document representation to rank the documents. Query recommender tracks users' query reformulation sequence considering all previous in-session queries using a sequence to sequence approach. As both tasks are driven by the users' underlying search intent, we perform joint learning of these two components through session recurrence, which encodes search context and intent. Extensive comparisons against state-of-the-art document ranking and query suggestion algorithms are performed on the public AOL search log, and the promising results endorse the effectiveness of the joint learning framework.
Learning localized features in 3D CAD models for manufacturability analysis of drilled holes

Abstract We present a novel feature identification framework to recognize difficult-to-manufacture drilled holes in a complex CAD geometry using deep learning. Deep learning algorithms have been successfully used in object recognition, video analytics, image segmentation, etc. Specifically, 3D Convolutional Neural Networks (3D-CNNs) have been used for object recognition from 3D voxel data based on the external shape of an object. On the other hand, manufacturability of a component depends on local features more than the external shape. Learning these local features from a boundary representation (B-Rep) CAD model is challenging due to lack of volumetric information. In this paper, we learn local features from a voxelized representation of a CAD model and classify its manufacturability. Further, to enable effective learning of localized features, we augment the voxel data with surface normals of the object boundary. We train a 3D-CNN with this augmented data to identify local features and classify the manufacturability. However, this classification does not provide information about the source of non-manufacturability in a complex component. Therefore, we have developed a 3D-CNN based gradient-weighted class activation mapping (3D-GradCAM) method that can provide visual explanations of the local geometric features of interest within an object. Using 3D-GradCAM, our framework can identify difficult-to-manufacture features, which allows a designer to modify the component based on its manufacturability and thus improve the design process. We extend this framework to identify difficult-to-manufacture features in a realistic CAD model with multiple drilled holes, which can ultimately enable development of a real-time manufacturability decision support system.
Oscillatory rhythm of reward: anticipation and processing of rewards in children with and without autism.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition, and multiple theories have emerged concerning core social deficits. While the social motivation hypothesis proposes that deficits in the social reward system cause individuals with ASD to engage less in social interaction, the overly intense world hypothesis (sensory over-responsivity) proposes that individuals with ASD find stimuli to be too intense and may have hypersensitivity to social interaction, leading them to avoid these interactions. EEG was recorded during reward anticipation and reward processing. Reward anticipation was measured using alpha asymmetry, and post-feedback theta was utilized to measure reward processing. Additionally, we calculated post-feedback alpha suppression to measure attention and salience. Participants were 6- to 8-year-olds with (N = 20) and without (N = 23) ASD. Children with ASD showed more left-dominant alpha suppression when anticipating rewards accompanied by nonsocial stimuli compared to social stimuli. During reward processing, children with ASD had less theta activity than typically developing (TD) children. Alpha activity after feedback showed the opposite pattern: children with ASD had greater alpha suppression than TD children. Significant correlations were observed between behavioral measures of autism severity and EEG activity in both the reward anticipation and reward processing time periods. The findings provide evidence that children with ASD have greater approach motivation prior to nonsocial (compared to social) stimuli. Results after feedback suggest that children with ASD evidence less robust activity thought to reflect evaluation and processing of rewards (e.g., theta) compared to TD children. However, children with ASD evidence greater alpha suppression after feedback compared to TD children. We hypothesize that post-feedback alpha suppression reflects general cognitive engagement—which suggests that children with ASD may experience feedback as overly intense. Taken together, these results suggest that aspects of both the social motivation hypothesis and the overly intense world hypothesis may be occurring simultaneously.
New Roles of University Extension

Factors related to finances, tradition, and institutional inertia prevent a full-scale university commitment to the nonagricultural problems of a community
Ticagrelor Reduces Thromboinflammatory Markers in Patients With Pneumonia.

Despite treatment advances for sepsis and pneumonia, significant improvements in outcome have not been realized. Antiplatelet therapy may improve outcome in pneumonia and sepsis. In this study, the authors show that ticagrelor reduced leukocytes with attached platelets as well as the inflammatory biomarker interleukin (IL)-6. Pneumonia patients receiving ticagrelor required less supplemental oxygen and lung function tests trended toward improvement. Disruption of the P2Y12 receptor in a murine model protected against inflammatory response, lung permeability, and mortality. Results indicate a mechanistic link between platelets, leukocytes, and lung injury in settings of pneumonia and sepsis, and suggest possible therapeutic approaches to reduce complications.(Targeting Platelet-Leukocyte Aggregates in Pneumonia With Ticagrelor [XANTHIPPE]; NCT01883869).
Decision-making under clinical uncertainty: An in-depth examination of provider perspectives on adjuvant chemotherapy for stage II colon cancer.

Abstract Objective Decision-making about adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) for stage II colon cancer is complex, particularly in light of clinical uncertainty regarding treatment benefits. Little is known about provider communication and factors influencing decision-making and recommendations in this setting. Methods We recruited providers from six US cancer centers and hospitals who care for stage II colon cancer patients. Providers participated in a 30–45 minute interview. Transcripts of interviews were coded for qualitative analysis. Results We interviewed 42 providers (Oncologists: 52%; surgeons: 24%; nurses: 14%). Though most providers were aware of stage II colon cancer treatment guidelines, their use and communication of recommended guidelines was limited. Most reported tailoring delivery and content of their communication, often based on perceived patient education level, but patient involvement in decision-making varied. Findings highlight the complexity of, ACT decision-making, including the central role of providers and family members. Conclusions Providers are not consistently following recommended guidelines for communicating about ACT among stage II colon cancer patients or eliciting patient preferences for involvement in treatment decisions. Practice Implications Given clinical uncertainty surrounding use of ACT for stage II colon cancer, efforts are needed to enhance guideline implementation, provider education, and communication to facilitate decision-making.
The Effect of Censorship on Collection Development in School Libraries

Parents and educators sometimes feel the need to censor children’s books from school libraries - if the book in question contains material they feel is unsuitable for their children to read. Objectionable material can include (but is not limited) to graphic violence, language, LGBTQIA themes, drug use and sexual content. By asking the librarians to remove these books from the shelves, parents exert control over the library collection. Librarians sometimes feel the need to censor themselves in order to avoid being challenged by concerned parents. This paper will review research to-date related to censorship of children’s books in school libraries. Librarians sometimes feel the need to censor themselves in order to avoid being challenged by concerned parents.
Correlations of neck ultrasound and pathology in cervical lymph node of papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Background: High-resolution sonography is becoming a method of choice for the detection and diagnosis of cervical lymph node metastasis in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). The purpo...
The other dual of MacMahon's theorem on plane partitions ☆

Abstract In this paper we introduce a counterpart structure to the shamrocks studied in the paper A dual of Macmahon's theorem on plane partitions by M. Ciucu and C. Krattenthaler (2013) [5] , which, just like the latter, can be included at the center of a lattice hexagon on the triangular lattice so that the region obtained from the hexagon by removing it has its number of lozenge tilings given by a simple product formula. The new structure, called a fern, consists of an arbitrary number of equilateral triangles of alternating orientations lined up along a lattice line. The shamrock and the fern seem to be the only such connected structures with this property. It would be interesting to understand the reason for this.
Livelihoods, precarity, and disaster vulnerability: Nicaragua and Hurricane Mitch

How livelihoods determine vulnerability to disasters is a recent topic of inquiry. Few quantitative works have been produced to date. The empirical analysis that follows draws on household-level data available for Nicaragua, preceding and following Hurricane Mitch, a devastating Category 5 storm that made landfall in Central America in October 1998, to examine differentials in disaster recovery outcomes vis-a-vis household livelihood profiles. Livelihoods are distinguished according to economic sector along with ownership of productive means, a central mechanism of vulnerability under sociological labour frameworks. The findings indicate uneven recovery outcomes in relation to livelihoods. During the year immediately following the event, agricultural wage earners and agricultural owner-producers experienced marked losses owing to the disaster, whereas business owners saw an improvement in condition. Analysis of long-term recovery reveals that households reliant on agricultural wage employment exhibit lagged recovery relative to other livelihood profiles. The findings are discussed with respect to the dynamic pressures posed by contemporary developmental processes.
BLOCKCHAIN IN FINANCIAL SERVICES

The financial services industry is among the areas predicted to benefit the most from blockchain in the years to come. A key reason is that its ‘core functions of verifying and transferring financial information and assets very closely align with blockchain’s core transformative impact’ and it relies heavily ‘on multiple ledgers to maintain transactional information and balances.’ Blockchain’s promise for the industry lies in its potential to increase the efficiency of existing processes in the short term (dispensing with intermediaries and time-consuming administrative processes ), and to transform existing business models in the longer term.
Mobility and Cognitive Improvements Resulted from Overground Robotic Exoskeleton Gait-Training in Persons with MS

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a non-traumatic, immune-mediated neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS), affecting more than 2 million individuals globally and approximately one million in the United States [1], [2]. This autoimmune inflammatory disease of the CNS featuring both neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative aspects [3], often results in mobility and cognitive impairment. Rehabilitation has been suggested as the best [4], and perhaps, one of few methods for restoring function in MS [5]. The goal of the present investigation is to examine the effects of 4 weeks of supervised, over-ground gait training using a robotic exoskeleton (RE) compared with a control condition (conventional gait therapy, CGT) in persons with MS with ambulatory and cognition disabilities. Four subjects (mean age=50 years, three females) with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) participated in this study and completed a total of eight sessions (1-hour/session) gait training in a standard therapy gym either using a RE supervised by an RE training physical therapist (PT) or with the CGT supervised by a PT. Outcome measures (walking speed and temporal-spatial parameters) were measured on a level surface without RE using an instrumented walkway, for both groups, pre- and post-intervention. The two participants in the RE group were also tested in the same testing environment, while wearing a RE pre- and post-intervention. Cognitive processing speed was assessed using the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) pre- and post-intervention. Subjects in the RE group tested without a RE increased average walking speed, stride length, and step length with decreased stride width and step time bilaterally after the 8-session of RE training. The two participants in the CGT group only had modest improvements in walking performance. Furthermore, while the CGT group had no improvements in the processing speed (SDMT scores), an average of 80% improvement in the processing speed was noted in the RE group.
[HS1335] Weeds as Reservoirs of Plant Pathogens Affecting Economically Important Crops

Weeds are a major contributor to yield loss and reduction in yield quality in an agricultural setting, competing with the crop for resources like light, water, and nutrients. This competition along with the cost of weed management strategies like tillage and herbicides, are responsible for the economic impact of weeds, which can reach into the billions. In addition to the damage caused by direct competition, weeds can also harm crop plants by acting as reservoirs for destructive plant pathogens, the insect vectors that move these pathogens from plant to plant, or both. The objective of this publication is to summarize previously published weed-pathogen associations to help growers scout and monitor pathogens in weeds near production areas.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1335
FROM ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORD INTEGRATION TO REIMBURSEMENT: PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS OF CHRONIC CARE MANAGEMENT THROUGH A REMOTE PATIENT MONITORING (CPT 99091) CARDIOVASCULAR PROGRAM

In 2018, CMS introduced and chronic disease management through remote patient monitoring (RPM) as a reimbursable service (CPT 99091), and moreover was added to the 2019 Medicare Physician Fee schedule. This virtual care and telemedicine program enables the use of digital health devices by patients
Visual Speech Recognition: Improving Speech Perception in Noise through Artificial Intelligence:

ObjectivesTo compare speech perception (SP) in noise for normal-hearing (NH) individuals and individuals with hearing loss (IWHL) and to demonstrate improvements in SP with use of a visual speech r...
Machine learning study of magnetism in uranium-based compounds

Actinide and lanthanide-based materials display exotic properties that originate from the presence of itinerant or localized $f$ electrons and include unconventional superconductivity and magnetism, hidden order, and heavy-fermion behavior. Due to the strongly correlated nature of the $5f$ electrons, magnetic properties of these compounds depend sensitively on applied magnetic field and pressure, as well as on chemical doping. However, precise connection between the structure and magnetism in actinide-based materials is currently unclear. In this investigation, we established such structure-property links by assembling and mining two datasets that aggregate, respectively, the results of high-throughput density functional theory simulations and experimental measurements for the families of uranium- and neptunium-based binary compounds. Various regression algorithms were utilized to identify correlations among accessible attributes (features or descriptors) of the material systems and predict their cation magnetic moments and general forms of magnetic ordering. Descriptors representing compound structural parameters and cation $f$-subshell occupation numbers were identified as most important for accurate predictions. The best machine learning model developed employs the random forest regression algorithm. It can predict both spin and orbit moment size with root-mean-square error of $0.17{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{\mathrm{B}}$ and $0.19{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{\mathrm{B}}$, respectively. The random forest classification algorithm is used to predict the ordering (paramagnetic, ferromagnetic, and antiferromagnetic) of such systems with 76% accuracy.
Accelerated computational micromechanics and its application to polydomain liquid crystal elastomers

Abstract We present an approach to solving problems in computational micromechanics that is amenable to massively parallel calculations through the use of graphical processing units (GPUs) and other accelerators. We apply it to study microstructure evolution in polydomain liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs). LCEs are rubber-like solids where rod-like nematic molecules are incorporated into the main or a side polymer chain. They undergo isotropic to nematic phase transition accompanied by spontaneous deformation which can be exploited for actuation. Further, they display a soft behavior at low temperatures due to the reorientation of the nematic directors. The problem of understanding nematic reorientation in the presence of realistic defects (non-ideality) is computationally expensive, and we address this by efficiently exploiting GPUs. The approach is broadly applicable to various phenomena including crystal plasticity and phase transitions that are described by internal variable theories. We verify the approach against previous calculations and establish its performance by studying long wavelength instability of finite elasticity. Our numerical studies of LCEs provide insights into the director distribution and reorientation in polydomain specimens, and how these lead to soft behavior under multiaxial loading. The results show good agreement with experimental observations.
Creativity or extinction? Extinction can be avoided

Above and beyond money, economics is how you organise enjoyment: ‘the customs of the house’. And ecology is the logic of that, ‘the logic of the house’: who lives in the house, how they are related...
The Impact of a Telehealth Intervention on Activity Profiles in Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Pilot Study

Background: Physical inactivity during the COVID-19 pandemic is a public health concern for older adults. Telehealth presents a safe platform for conducting health-related interventions that may have additional benefits such as widespread reach. Our pilot study sought to examine how a telehealth intervention changed activity profiles in older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: There were n = 13 adults aged 70.6 ± 4.5 years that participated in a 6 week telehealth intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic. The didactic intervention contents were shared online, and participants worked with trained interviewers over the telephone to discuss physical activity. At baseline and post-intervention, the Multimedia Activity Recall for Children and Adults examined activity profiles, while accelerometry estimated time spent sedentary and in physical activity. Results: Relative to the baseline measures, there was an 88 min/day (95% confidence interval (CI): 39, 137) increase in computer time and 36 min/day (CI: 10, 62) reduction in time spent in active transport at post-intervention. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity participation also increased by an estimated 2 min/day (CI: −21, 26) and 12 min/week (CI: −154, 180), but this trend was not statistically significant. Conclusion: We recommend that support be provided to older adults transitioning to telehealth, especially as migration to telehealth progresses.
A Reconfigurable and Compact Spin-Based Analog Block for Generalizable n th Power and Root Computation

While square and square root are critical for vector operations, several challenges exist in their computation in the digital domain including power, area, and delay overheads. While selective computation in the analog domain is a longstanding alternative, tradeoffs of increased noise and reduced accuracy are prominent challenges. Herein, we propose a reconfigurable analog circuit which is capable of performing any nth-power and nth-root function and may be implemented within an analog or mixed-signal field programmable array. The resulting analog block of Magnetic Tunnel Junctions (MTJs) along with FET-based sensing and amplification circuits are circuit-switched-configurable with terminal-level control. Herein the design is configured to rapidly evaluate various arithmetic operations within acceptable error tolerances for selected applications. When compared to a state-of-the-art approximate digital multiplier, our design yields 97% reduction in transistor count and stable output within a period comparable to single-cycle execution. When compared to an alternative recently proposed analog multiplier, the proposed design yields improvement in error and versatility to perform generalized operations.
Social workers’ attitudes toward reparations for African American descendants:

SummaryReparations for African Americans in its most basic form amounts to a concerted effort to repair damages from hundreds of years of exploitation and mistreatment toward people of African ance...
AN ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS RESEARCHER AND COLLABORATION RANKINGS

This paper investigates a career database with a ranking of researchers, over the time period 1960–2019 based on a composite measure of Scopus citations, using the H-index, H-M-index and other metr...
Risk Factors for Mortality in Patients with Ventral Hernia Admitted Emergently: An Analysis of 48,539 Adult Patients

BACKGROUND More than 400,000 cases of ventral hernia (VH) are repaired each year in the U.S. This condition is a major problem with significant morbidly and mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate independent predictors of in-hospital mortality for patients with a primary diagnosis of VH who were admitted emergently. METHODS Non-elderly adults (age 18-64 years) with ventral hernias that required emergency admission were analyzed using the National Inpatient Sample database, 2005-2014. Demographics, clinical data, and outcomes were collected. The relationships between mortality and predictors were assessed using a multivariable logistic regression model. RESULTS Overall, 48,539 patients were identified. The mean (SD) age for both males and females was 50 (9.6). Overall mortality was low (316 or 0.7%). Males accounted for 35% of the total sample and 45% of all mortalities (p <0.001). The mean (SD) hospital length of stay (HLOS) was 4.9 (6.3) and 12.3 (20.6) days in surviving and deceased patients (p <0.001), respectively. Approximately 1.1% of surviving and 6% of deceased patients had gangrene (p <0.001). Intestinal obstruction was observed in 70% of surviving and 83% of deceased patients (p <0.001). While a vast majority of the patients (40,602) were operated on, 8,023 patients were not; 0.7% and 0.4% died, respectively. The mean (SD) HLOS was 5.30 (6.99) days in patients who underwent an operation and 2.97 (2.96) days in those who did not (P <0.0001). Time to operation was 0.81 (1.92) days in surviving and 1.34 (2.42) days in deceased patients (p <0.001). In the final multivariable regression model for patients who underwent an operation, age, male sex, presence of gangrene or obstruction, and longer time to operation were the main risk factors for mortality. For patients who did not undergo an operation, only HLOS and presence of obstruction were the main risk factors for mortality. CONCLUSION Male sex, presence of gangrene or obstruction at the presentation, and delayed operation were shown to be risk factors for mortality in adult patients with ventral hernia admitted emergently.
Reduction of Nucleic Acid Content in Candida Yeast Cells by Bovine Pancreatic Ribonuclease A Treatment

Yeast as a source of protein for human consumption is limited by its relatively high nucleic acid content. In this study, we developed an enzymatic method of decreasing the nucleic acid content. Candida utilis cells, heat-shocked at 80 C for 30 sec, were treated with bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A. Maximum leakage of nucleic acid was observed when the incubation temperature was between 55 and 65 C, the pH of the system from 6.75 to 8.0, and the enzyme-to-cell ratio 1:10,000 on a weight-by-weight basis. Other factors, such as yeast strain, age of cells, and method of propagation, did not influence the susceptibility of the yeast cells to the action of ribonuclease. Buffers and monovalent cations had no inhibiting effects. Magnesium and calcium ions at concentrations greater than 0.001 m showed marked inhibition on the rate of nucleic acid leakage. This enzymatic method reduced the nucleic acid content of yeast cells from 7.5 to 9.0% to 1.5 to 2.0% with no significant concomitant loss of protein.
The tracks of the α-particles of thorium and its products

The tracks of the α-particles from members of the thorium series have been recorded in a photographic emulsion, by the use of a technique previously developed. Radiothorium atoms introduced into the emulsion disintegratein situ, emitting five α-particles in succession. In this way “stars” are produced, consisting of five tracks radiating from a point, of which a discussion is given. Photomicrographs of two “stars” are reproduced.
Species Differences in the Formation of Benzo(a)pyrene-DNA Adducts in Rodent and Human Endometrium

The formation of adducts of benzo(a)pyrene metabolites on DNA was investigated in endometrial tissue from humans, hamsters, mice, and rats. anti-Benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide was the predominant adduct identified in all the species studied. The amount of (+)-anti-benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide bound to DNA from human endometrium was approximately 3 times higher than to DNA from hamster tissue. Among the three animal species examined, the level of this adduct was highest in hamsters and lowest in rats. The high pressure liquid chromatography profiles of adducts formed in endometrium from humans and hamsters were similar, but the specific activity (pmol/mg DNA) of each adduct formed was different. syn-7,8-Dihydroxy-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo(a)pyrene adduct was present in humans, hamsters, and rats but was not detected in mouse endometrium. There was an unidentified adduct present only in rat tissue. Rats had the lowest level of total DNA-bound radioactivity and the largest percentage of this total eluted as an uncharacterized radioactive peak that eluted with water (53%). These results demonstrate that endometrial tissues from humans and three rodent species differ with regard to the quantities and proportions of benzo(a)pyrene-DNA adducts formed from benzo(a)pyrene.
Isolation and study of the chemical structure of a disaccharide from Micrococcus lysodeikticus cell walls.

A large scale isolation of a disaccharide from a dialyzable fraction of Micrococcus lysodeikticus cell wall is described. This fraction was obtained by degradation of isolated walls with egg white lysozyme. After purification by chromatography on charcoal-Celite and Dowex 1, the compound was characterized by a crystalline heptaacetyl methyl ester. Comparison with synthetic O-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β- d -glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-2-acetamido-3-O-( d -1-carboxyethyl)-2-deoxy- d -glucose and with synthetic 2-acetamido-1,4-di-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-3-O-[ d -1-(methyl carboxylate)ethyl]-6-O-(2-acetamido-3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-β- d -glucopyranosyl)-α- d -glucopyranose, respectively, showed these compounds to be not identical, and a (1→4) linkage is proposed for the natural disaccharide.
Cancer family syndrome: Marker studies

Abstract Individuals from kindreds with the cancer family syndrome (CFS) have an increased hereditary risk for the development of adenocarcinoma of the colon in childhood and early adulthood. Previous studies have suggested that this high occurrence of adenocarcinoma may be due to a genetic defect in the control of colonic epithelial proliferation. Others have suggested that these families may have an underlying abnormality in immunologic tumor surveillance. We have investigated these possibilities in 15 cancer-free, at-risk individuals (10 children, ages 3–15 yr, and 5 adults) from two unrelated CFS kindreds. Colonic mucosal proliferative activity was studied by in vitro autoradiography after tritiated thymidine labeling in 7 subjects. The mean labeling index (12.7 ± 0.9%) was comparable to that in controls, as was the distribution of thymidine labeling. Immunologic evaluation revealed depressed lymphocyte culture responses to stimulation by microbial antigens, but not to that by mitogens. Mixed lymphocyte culture responses were depressed in 4 of 8 subjects, but became normal in 2 of these after filtration through a Sephadex G10 column. Natural killer cell cytotoxicity was significantly depressed in 5 of 13 subjects, and borderline normal in another 3 subjects. These data suggest that many cancer-free members of CFS kindreds have a spectrum of in vitro cell-mediated immunologic defects that might interfere in vivo with the recognition or killing of incipient tumor cells.
A Journey Called Aging: Challenges and Opportunities in Older Adulthood by James C. Fischer and Henry C. Simmons

A Journey Called Aging: Challenges and Opportunities in Older Adulthood is a well-written scholarly piece of work especially useful to those individuals who will be working with or serving the agin...
Discriminating Right from Wrong

The cell has devised numerous quality controls to ensure the fidelity of protein synthesis. In his Perspective, [Ibba][1] describes a new form of quality control in the unlikely guise of elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu), the protein that delivers amino-acyl tRNAs to the ribosome. EF-Tu binds to all amino-acyl tRNAs over a wide range of affinities, whether the tRNAs are carrying the correct amino acid or not. But EF-Tu is able to discriminate between correctly charged and mischarged amino-acyl tRNAs through thermodynamic compensation (i.e., by detecting whether the separate amino acid and tRNA moieties of each amino-acyl tRNA have a strong and weak binding component that compensate for each other). [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/294/5540/70
Increased Risk of Infection Associated with Polyurethane Dialysis Grafts

Conventional polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) dialysis grafts cannot be cannulated for 2-3 weeks following their creation. Polyurethane grafts, made of a self-sealing material, can be cannulated within 24 hours of implantation, representing a potential advantage in patients with limited catheter options. However, early cannulation may increase the risk of graft infection. We retrospectively queried a prospective, computerized access database to identify 31 patients receiving a polyurethane graft, and 56 date-matched controls with a PTFE graft. Survival techniques were used to plot graft survival. Thrombosis-free graft survival (from creation to first thrombosis or failure) was similar for polyurethane and PTFE grafts (1-year survival, 28%, vs. 32%, p = 0.98). Cumulative graft survival (from creation to permanent failure) was also similar (1-year survival 42% vs. 52%, p = 0.40). Finally, the cumulative risk of graft infection was 37.5% for polyurethane thigh grafts, 23% for polyurethane upper extremity grafts, 21% for PTFE thigh grafts, and 5% for PTFE upper extremity grafts (p = 0.06 for polyurethane vs. PTFE grafts). The likelihood of thrombosis and failure is similar for polyurethane and PTFE grafts. However, polyurethane grafts may have a higher risk of infection, particularly when they are placed in the thigh. In patients with an access emergency, implantation of a polyurethane graft incurs a tradeoff between earlier cannulation and a higher risk of infection.
Cancer Mortality Among Nuns: Role of Marital Status in Etiology of Neoplastic Disease in Women

To clarify the role of marital status in human carcinogenesis a 1968 Cancer Institute study analyzed the cancer mortality experience of 31658 white Catholic nuns from 41 religious orders in the U.S. from 1900-1954. The national white female population was used for cause-specific comparison and both groups were assigned cohorts depending upon the year of birth. When examined by 10-year age groups rates for cancer at all sites was generally lower for nuns than for controls aged 59 or 69 but were substantially higher at older ages. Postmenopausal nuns (aged 69 and over) displayed a higher rate (38.6%) of cancer of the large intestine than did controls (22.6%) but had a lower proportion of deaths from cancer of the biliary passages and liver (13.0% vs. 22.6%). Nuns displayed a striking excess in breast cancer mortality over the age span of 40-74 years and had consistently higher rates than controls for each age group above 39 years. Lower cervical cancer rates for nuns (10.8%) than for controls (56.6%) seemed related to coital factors. Cancer of the uterus accounted for 63% of the genital cancer deaths among sisters. Overall the genital cancer mortality rates for nuns were consistent with high mortality rates for the single white female population of the U.S. The increased risk of breast cancer and cancers of the corpus uteri and ovary would seem to reflect an established link with infertility. Combination of these factors with the excess incidence of cancer of the large intestine among postmenopausal nuns suggests a common pathogenic mechanism of a hormonal nature operating in some women.
Cooking and disgust sensitivity influence preference for attending insect-based food events.

Insects are energy-efficient and sustainable sources of animal protein in a world with insufficient food resources to feed an ever-increasing population. However, much of the western world refuses to eat insects because they perceive them as disgusting. This research finds that both animal reminder disgust and core disgust reduced people's willingness to attend a program called "Bug Appetit" in which insects were served as food. Additionally, people who were low in sensitivity to animal reminder disgust were more willing to attend this program after having been primed to think about cooking. Cooking is a process by which raw ingredients are transformed into finished products, reducing the "animalness" of meat products that renders them disgusting. Sensitivity to core disgust did not interact with cooking to influence willingness to attend the program. While prior research has emphasized that direct education campaigns about the benefits of entomophagy (the consumption of insects) can increase willingness to attend events at which insect-based food is served, this is the first demonstration that indirect priming can have a similar effect among a subset of the population.
Multiple bolus technique for lidocaine administration in acute ischemic heart disease. II. Treatment of refractory ventricular arrhythmias and the pharmacokinetic significance of severe left ventricular failure.

A study of the efficacy, toxicity and pharmacokinetics of lidocaine was performed to determine 1) the maximal number of bolus injections that can be given every 5 minutes to suppress complex ventricular arrhythmias in apparently refractory patients, 2) the influence of left ventricular failure on the time course of lidocaine plasma concentrations, and 3) the relation of plasma drug concentration during bolus loading and observed effects. Twenty-one patients participated in this study (15 with acute myocardial infarction and 6 with prolonged coronary insufficiency). Nine patients had severe left ventricular failure (pulmonary edema or shock, or both) and two had moderate failure. All patients received an initial 75 mg bolus dose (all doses were infused at 50 mg/min) followed at 5 minute intervals by 50 mg supplementary bolus doses until complex arrhythmias were abolished or signs of toxicity were observed. Nineteen of 21 patients who failed to respond (abolition of all complex arrhythmias and reduction of total ectopic beats to The data suggest that a total loading dose of 375 mg may be given if necessary over 31 minutes to patients refractory to conventional doses, including patients with severe left ventricular failure, and that many “lidocaine resistant” patients have a quantitative, not qualitative, difference in the sensitivity of their arrhythmia to this drug.
The ‘New Materialism’ and the Fragility of Things:

The ‘new materialism’ is the most common name given to a series of movements in several fields that criticise anthropocentrism, rethink subjectivity by playing up the role of inhuman forces within the human, emphasize the self-organizing powers of several nonhuman processes, explore dissonant relations between those processes and cultural practice, rethink the sources of ethics, and commend the need to fold a planetary dimension more actively and regularly into studies of global, interstate and state politics. After reviewing several key tenets of this diverse movement in philosophy, biology and the human sciences, we focus on how it casts light on the dissonant relations between the drives of neoliberal capitalism and boomerang effects from nonhuman forces. Exploration of such relations both dramatises the fragility of things today and helps to explain why many constituencies refuse to acknowledge and address it. After presenting a few capital–force-field conjunctions that illustrate the fragility of thi...
Plant virus location in leaf tissue by press blotting.

A method, termed press blotting, is described which allows localization of plant virus in infected leaf tissue. Press blotting should have broad applicability to identifiying the distribution and location of proteins expressed in plants.
Headache Evaluation and Treatment by Primary Care Physicians in an Emergency Department in the Era of Triptans

Background Despite advances in treatment, patients with migraine have been underdiagnosed and undertreated. Methods Documentation of visits by patients with headache to an urgent care department staffed by primary care physicians was reviewed. Patients were also sent a brief headache screen, and those who replied were interviewed by telephone. "Repeaters" (patients who made 3 or more visits in 6 months) were excluded from chart review. Results Over 6 months, 518 patients made 1004 visits to the emergency department for primary headache complaints: 464 patients (90%) made 1 or 2 visits (total visits, 502). A review of 174 charts documenting a diagnosis of migraine found that (1) the need for prophylaxis was determined in only 40 (31%) of the patients who were not already undergoing prophylaxis and (2) treatment in the emergency department was migraine specific in 46 patients (26%) or otherwise appropriate in 45 (25%). A review of 90 charts documenting nonmigraine diagnoses found that 30 patients (33%) had adequate history documented to exclude migraine as the diagnosis. Eighty-six patients (17%) were interviewed. An emergency department diagnosis of migraine (n = 59) corresponded to a final diagnosis of migraine with (n = 21) or without (n = 18) medication overuse or chronic daily headache and/or transformed migraine with (n = 18) or without (n = 2) medication overuse. Discharge diagnoses that were not migraine (n = 27) had final diagnoses of migraine with (n = 9) or without (n = 9) medication overuse or chronic daily headache/transformed migraine with (n = 7) or without (n = 2) medication overuse. Conclusions In this emergency department population, many patients with migraine, chronic daily headache, or medication overuse are not accurately diagnosed. The need for prophylaxis is not usually assessed. Treatment is migraine specific in the minority of patients. Tension-type headache is rarely an accurate diagnosis in this emergency department population.
The water structure in the Brownson Deep

Temperature and salinity observations were made in the Brownson Deep. The water below the sill depth is nearly homogeneous, showing a barely perceptible decrease in potential temperature and salinity with depth. The source of this deep water is shown to be modified Antarctic Bottom Water from the South Atlantic which enters the Deep from the east.
Impurity Gettering in (112)B HgCdTe/CdTe/Alternate Substrates

The crystalline structure and impurity profiles of HgCdTe/CdTe/alternate substrate (AS; Si and GaAs are possibilities) and CdTe/AS were analyzed by secondary-ion mass spectrometry, atomic force microscopy, etch pit density analysis, and scanning transmission electron microscopy. Impurities (Li, Na, and K) were shown to getter in as-grown CdTe/Si epilayers at in situ Te-stabilized thermal anneal (~500°C) interfaces. In HgCdTe/CdTe/Si epilayers, indium accumulation was observed at Te-stabilized thermal anneal interfaces. Impurity accumulation was measured at HgCdTe/CdTe and CdTe/ZnTe interfaces. Processing anneals were found to nearly eliminate the gettering effect at the in situ Te-stabilized thermal anneal interfaces. Impurities were found to redistribute to the front HgCdTe/CdTe/Si surface and p–n junction interfaces during annealing steps. We also investigated altering the in situ Te-stabilized thermal anneal process to enhance the gettering effect.
Governance and the Impact of Public Employee Unions on Organizational Performance

Research has long suggested that public employee unions may influence public organization performance by changing the allocation of resources and the management of personnel. Other elements of the governance context, such as the characteristics and behaviors of those who design public policies and run public programs, have less often been considered by researchers, an omission that helps to explain the mixed findings and conflicting conclusions regarding the influence of unions on outcomes. This study develops arguments regarding the impact of governance strategies on the relationship between collective bargaining and organizational performance and tests them in a sample of educational organizations. The results suggest that there is an association between strong teachers' unions and lower student performance, but that the relationship can sometimes be moderated by school boards and superintendents.