cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variability among four refractometers for the measurement of urine specific gravity and comparison with urine osmolality in dogs

Background Refractometry is often used in clinical veterinary medicine to estimate urine concentration. Variability among commonly-used refractometers has not been critically evaluated. Objective This study aimed to evaluate the variability of urine specific gravity (USG) among four refractometers and compare results of USG measurements with those of urine osmolality (Uosm ), the gold standard for determining urine concentrations. Methods USG was determined in 100 dogs using three optical refractometers, the American Optical Abbe refractometer 10450, Reichert TS 400 refractometer, and Heska Veterinary refractometer 2737-E02, and one digital refractometer, the Misco Palm Abbe Digital refractometer #PA203. Results were compared between each pair of refractometers and between each refractometer and urine osmolality determined by freezing point depression using a Multi-Osmette 2430E osmometer. Results were analyzed with Bland-Altman plots and Passing-Bablok regression analysis. Results The Reichert, Heska, and Misco refractometers provide USG measurements that can be used interchangeably based on small differences, consistently less than 0.002, between the USG measurements. The AO refractometer measured USG values with much larger differences, which were deemed clinically significant by the study parameters. None of the refractometers were able to accurately predict Uosm or vice versa within a clinically acceptable range. Conclusions Varying degrees of differences were seen in the USG measurements among the different refractometers. These differences were refractometer-dependent, and the results from one instrument could affect clinical decisions.
Development of a Score to Predict Positive Colonic Histology in Chronic Diarrhea Assessed in Open-access Colonoscopy.

GOALS To evaluate the diagnostic yield of colonoscopy and esophagogastroduodenoscopy with biopsies and to identify predictors of positive colonic histology in patients with chronic diarrhea. BACKGROUND Colonoscopy with biopsies is performed in chronic diarrhea with negative initial work-up. STUDY We reviewed electronic medical records of 1022 consecutive patients with chronic diarrhea referred for a first colonoscopy (including 25% open-access referrals). Predictors of positive colonic histology were investigated using logistic regression. RESULTS Four hundred thirteen patients with macroscopically normal colon were divided into derivation (n=275) and validation (n=138) cohorts. All patients underwent colonoscopy; 369 had ileoscopy (biopsies in 43%), and 289 underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy (duodenal biopsies in 93%). In patients with endoscopically normal colon, histology was positive in 13.3%: 10.6% microscopic colitis; 1.5% other colitides. Among 358 patients with negative histology, the recorded diagnoses were: 48% unexplained, 25% irritable bowel syndrome, 5.6% small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, and 4.7% bile acid diarrhea. The rates of diagnoses based on positive histologies were 4% for ileal and 5% for duodenal biopsies. Older age [odds ratio (OR)=1.05] was a positive predictor, whereas body mass index (OR=0.93) and duration of diarrhea (OR=0.98) were negative predictors of positive histology. A clinical diagnostic scoring system could correctly predict 41% to 54% of patients with normal colonic histology, with a false-negative rate of 0.8% to 2.6% and a negative predictive value of 95% to 98%. CONCLUSIONS Positive colonic biopsies were detected in <15% of patients with chronic diarrhea with normal colonoscopy; a clinical score correctly predicts likelihood of normal histology in about half the patients.
Sleep, emotional supportiveness, and socially straining behavior: A multidimensional approach.

Abstract Objective To determine the associations of emotional supportiveness toward others and engagement in socially straining (negative) behavior toward others across close relationships with multiple dimensions of sleep health. Design Cross-sectional. Setting Community sample from the Midlife in the United States study (MIDUS). Participants Four-hundred and thirty-five participants from the MIDUS II Biomarker Project aged 35–85. Measurements Self-report assessments of being emotionally supportive and engaging in socially straining behavior toward friends, family, and romantic partners; self-report assessments of demographic and other psychological and health variables; 7 nights of wrist actigraphy and sleep diary. Results Being emotionally supportive and engagement in socially straining behavior were associated with multiple dimensions of sleep health. The inclusion of demographic, health, and psychological covariates reduced but did not eliminate these associations. Based on analyses adjusting for these covariates, being more emotionally supportive toward close others was most robustly related to higher daytime alertness, and engaging in more socially straining behavior was most robustly related to less sleep regularity, quality, and efficiency. Conclusions These findings implicate sleep health as a substantive correlate of being emotionally supportive toward and imposing social strain on others. They show that both daytime and nighttime dimensions of sleep health are important for social functioning across close relationships and highlight the need to examine both positive and negative aspects of relationships in relation to sleep.
The Rise of State Constitutional Law–Equality and Liberty

As the U.S. Supreme Court became increasingly antipathetic to the recognition of individual rights, a different story was transpiring at the state level where a number of state courts had broken free of federal dominance of constitutional law and were turning to their state constitutions to protect individual rights and liberties. The reawakening of state constitutional law has had its greatest impact in the area of basic human rights: equality and liberty. State courts have re-invigorated constitutional law by developing new doctrine and new lines of analysis to fulfill the promise afforded by the state constitutions across the nation. This paper discusses a number of the more important state constitutional decisions protecting individual rights. The most recent of these cases is "League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," in which the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania ruled that a voter redistricting plan adopted by the state General Assembly amounted to an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander in violation of the Free and Equal Elections Clause of the Pennsylvania Constitution. This stands in stark contrast to decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court refusing constitutional review of gerrymandering plans and thereby leaving state courts as the sole judicial avenue to challenge partisan gerrymandering. The paper concludes that state courts have surpassed the federal courts as the guardians of equality and liberty and that the renaissance of state constitutional law has been truly historic.
Experimenting during the shift to virtual team work: Learnings from how teams adapted their activities during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Past research has focused on understanding the characteristics of work that are fully virtual or fully collocated. The present study seeks to expand our understanding of team work by studying knowledge workers' experiences as they were suddenly forced to transition to a fully virtual environment. During the height of the US lockdown from April to June 2020, we interviewed 51 knowledge workers employed on teams at the same professional services firm. Drawing from in situ reflections about teams' lived experiences, this paper explores how the shift to virtual work brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic illuminated the fundamental activities that team work requires, facilitated and undermined the performance of team activities, and prompted employees to adapt and reflect on their use of digital technology to perform these activities. Using the shift to virtual work as a unique learning opportunity, our findings demonstrate that team work entails several core activities (task, process, and relationship interactions) that require additional adjustments to successfully enact in the virtual (vs. collocated) environment.
National Trends in Disease Activity for COVID-19 Among Children in the US

Ongoing monitoring of COVID-19 disease burden in children will help inform mitigation strategies and guide pediatric vaccination programs. Leveraging a national, comprehensive dataset, we sought to quantify and compare disease burden and trends in hospitalizations for children and adults in the US.
Memory mapped parallel BAM file access API for high throughput sequence analysis informatics

In precision medicine, genomic data needs to be processed as fast as possible to arrive at treatment decisions in a timely fashion. We developed mmbam, a library to allow sequence analysis informatics software to access raw sequencing data stored in BAM files extremely fast. Taking advantage of memory mapped file access and parallel data processing, we demonstrate that analysis software ported to mmbam consistently outperforms their stock versions. Open source and freely available, we envision that mmbam will enable a new generation of high performance informatics tools for precision medicine.
Performance Portability for Advanced Architectures

The papers in this special section focus on performance portability for advanced architectures. This is a very timely topic as we continue our journey to exascale computers. The leader on the Top 500 list today is the Fujitsu Fugaku computer in Japan, using a modified ARM architecture and 512-bit scalable vector extension (SVE) instructions. In the USA, the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) has just dedicated Perlmutter, named for the Berkeley Nobel Laureate Saul Perlmutter. Perlmutter, built by Cray/HPE, contains both CPU-only and CPU/GPU nodes. The CPUs are produced by AMD and the GPUs come from NVIDIA. Frontier at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and El Capitan at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory will contain new AMD GPUs, and Aurora at Argonne National Laboratory will feature new GPUs from Intel. Los Alamos National Laboratory’s next-generation machine Crossroads will use Intel CPUs with high-bandwidth memory and AVX-512 vector instructions. Optimizing code for three different GPUs is a daunting challenge for application programmers. Further, there are still many computers that do not feature GPUs, and most computational scientists would not be eager to totally abandon such machines.
Estimating the Size of an Effect from a Before-After-Control-Impact Paired Series Design: The Predictive Approach Applied to a Power Plant Study

Publisher Summary This chapter applies the Before–After-Control-Impact Paired Series (BACIPS) design to the data derived from the study of the impacts of a nuclear power plant. It explores an alternative “predictive” approach where the Control value is treated explicitly as a predictor of the impact value. This helps in including other predictors and allows to explicitly model effects whose size can vary with environmental conditions. The predictive approach has its own assumptions and limitations and is often hard to choose between the model used in the standard BACIPS approach and a predictive regression model. An application of a variety of different possible models can provide some indication of model uncertainty. The BACIPS design can help in natural differences between the Control and Impact sites and in the temporal variability operation that occurs on a large spatial scale, that influences both sites similarly. By sampling at both Control and Impact on repeated surveys during the Before and After periods, the design “controls” for such natural variation.
Virus induced aplastic crisis in mice.

is erythropoiesis has also been observed in individuals without an underlying hematologic disorder. In these patients, erythropoiesis is basically normal; thus, the acute aplastic crisis is not associated with significant anemia and is rarely recognized.2 The etiology of the aplastic crisis in people with hemolytic disease and in patients without a hematobogic disorder is usually unknown. Since the changes are frequently preceded by non-specific infections thought to be viral, the (lueStiOn arises as to the role of viral agents in the pathogenesis of the aplastic crisis. An experimental animal model would add support to this viral hypothesis and could result in an understanding of the pathogenesis of the aplastic crisis. For this purpose we have studied two inbred strains of mice, NZB/ Bi with genetically determined autoimmune hemolytic anemia3 and CBA/T6 animals without hematologic disorders. Both strains have been investigated, following infection with various enteroviruses. One of the agents used, Coxsackie B virus, type 4, caused changes in peripheral blood and bone marrow similar to those described in humans with aplastic crisis. The findings indicate that viral infection can be etiologically related to the depression of red cell production in mice and may be similarly involved in the aplastic crisis observed in man.
Michael Manley, equality and the jamaican labour movement

From his inauspicious start in 1952 when he became a part of the National Workers Union's (NWU) negotiating team for the Ariguanbo Mills' workers, Michael Manley remained deeply attached to the Jamaican labour movement. Twenty years of active trade unionism profoundly influenced his political thought and practices. As well his trade union experiences shaped his political communication skills, his style of political rhetoric and the political relationship between himself and ordinary Jamaicans. In the last months of his life he was involved with two labour orientated projects. Firstly, he attempted to reduce the union rivalry between the two major unions in the bauxite industry, the National Workers Union (NWU) and the University and Allied Workers Union (UAWU). Secondly his last major public appearance was to chair a conference with the island's leading trade unionists and sections of the island's management elite group in an effort to develop modalities of Employee Share Ownership Schemes (ESOP) in Jamaican enterprises. Both projects mark continuities in the labour and political practices of Manley.
A Probabilistic Proof of the Boundary Harnack Principle

The boundary Harnack principle may be stated as follows (cf. Jerison and Kenig (1982a), Theorem 5.25).
Estimating the number of signals by chi-square statistics

An examination is made of the use of hypothesis testing on the problem of estimating the number of signals. The asymptotic distribution of the likelihood ratio test (LRT) statistics is derived for when the underlying distribution of the observation vectors is complex multivariate normal. An algorithm is proposed using the P-value (observed significance level) of the LRT. This algorithm does not need a subjective threshold selection as required by the traditional hypothesis testing approach. Results of computer simulation are included to demonstrate the capability of this algorithm. >
Signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT‐1) plays a critical role in control of Trypanosoma cruzi infection

The control of Trypanosoma cruzi infection is related to interferon-γ (IFN-γ) activation leading to intracellular clearance of parasites. The transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT-1) is a key mediator of IFN-γ intracellular signalling and knockout of this protein leads to susceptibility to several intracellular microbes. To determine the role of STAT-1 in host susceptibility to T. cruzi infection we compared the survival, parasite loads and balance of IFN-γ and interleukin-10 (IL-10) responses between wild-type and STAT-1 knockout mice. We found that the lack of STAT-1 resulted in a more robust infection, leading to higher levels of blood and tissue parasites and markedly reduced survival. In addition, infected STAT-1 knockout mice had higher systemic levels of both IFN-γ and IL-10, suggesting that the absence of STAT-1 leads to a disequilibrium of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Analysis of spleen cells indicates that CD4, CD8 cells generate IFN-γ and natural killer cells express IL-13 in STAT-1 knockout animals. The production of IL-17 is particularly enhanced in the absence STAT-1 expression but did not reduce mortality. Overall these results indicate that STAT-1 is important for the control of T. cruzi infection in mice.
Design of a versatile three-phase AC line conditioner

This paper describes the design of a line conditioner for three phase AC-AC power conditioning. It is based on a three phase PWM AC-AC buck-boost power converter. It has several advantages in terms of size, weight, efficiency and performance over state-of-the-art line conditioners. Design specifications and relationships are presented. Analytical formulae for determining the efficiency of the line conditioner are presented. A controller design which features fast transient response is developed. Operation of the line conditioner in the presence of voltage sags and surges, load addition and rejection is illustrated by means of simulation. Experimental results verifying the operation of the power circuit are also presented.
Laser Spectroscopy Relevant to Stratospheric Photochemistry

Due to the recent advances in high resolution laser spectroscopy which have been discussed elsewhere in this conference, it seems almost old-fashioned to state that we have been doing Doppler-limited spectroscopy in studies of certain stratospheric molecules. However, there is a good reason to study Doppler-limited spectra in this case: that is, these molecules as they exist in the stratosphere have linewidths which are Doppler-broadened at the least, and the application of these spectral studies to the measurements of stratospheric species by remote sensing infrared techniques can be made almost directly.
Simulation of small semiconductor devices using a coupled Monte Carlo-Poisson approach

A numerical model for electronic transport in semiconductor devices is summarized and a recently published model-based comparison of idealized submicron MOSFETs which are nominally the same except for differing substrate material is reviewed. Five substrate materials-Ge, Si, GaAs, InP, and In/sub 0.53/Ga/sub 0.47/As are considered, and the logic switching performance of the devices is compared. These simulations were performed with the program DAMOCLES (device analysis using Monte Carlo et Poisson solver), implementing a solid physical basis within a flexible device modeling framework. In addition, an analysis utilizing a GaAs SISFET is performed. >
A decentralized approach to control civil structures

The mathematical modeling of civil structures is addressed. The decentralization of the structure to smaller components as well as the system control design using pole placement and neural networks are performed.
Large platelet aggregates in endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration of the pancreas and peripancreatic region: a clue for the diagnosis of intrapancreatic or accessory spleen.

Intrapancreatic and intraabdominal accessory spleens (IPIASs) are rarely encountered in endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) biopsies. However, as incidentally discovered IPIAS can mimic a benign or malignant pancreatic neoplasm on imaging studies, a definitive diagnosis made by EUS-FNA can avert an unnecessary surgical intervention or additional radiologic follow-up. We report five cases of intrapancreatic splenules and one case of accessory spleen (AS) in which a definitive diagnosis was made on EUS-FNA. Previously recognized FNA cytomorphologic features of splenic tissue, including ASs and splenosis, are endothelial cells and polymorphous lymphocytes admixed with neutrophils, eosinophils, plasma cells, histiocytes, and lymphoglandular bodies. We describe the additional finding of abundant large platelet aggregates as another distinguishing feature of splenic tissue on FNA. In all six cases, large platelet aggregates were identified along with polymorphous lymphoid cells, lymphoglandular bodies, loose aggregates of endothelial cells and scattered or aggregated bland spindle cells. A review of 10 consecutive cases of EUS-FNA-sampled benign intraabdominal lymph nodes showed that the presence of large platelet aggregates, three-dimensional aggregates of lymphoid cells and of bland slender spindle cells and the absence of follicular germinal cell components (tingible body macrophages and lymphohistiocytic aggregates) are useful in differentiating IPIASs from reactive lymph nodes. Immunoperoxidase stains were useful to confirm a suspected IPIASs by showing CD31-positive acellular flocculent material, consistent with large platelet aggregates and a rich CD8-positive endothelial cell network between CD45-positive lymphoid cells and CD68-positive histiocytes in all six cases. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2013;41:661–672. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Experience with Transtrapezium Approach for Transverse Carpal Ligament Release in Patients with Coexisted Trapeziometacarpal Joint Osteoarthritis and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

An experience with transtrapezium approach for carpal tunnel release is reported. This technique seems to be successful in cases when carpal tunnel syndrome and first carpometacarpal joint osteoarthritis coexist and surgical treatment is indicated for both conditions. The transtrapezium approach to carpal tunnel release allows for complete carpal tunnel release without increasing the risk of surgical complications.
Reversible addition of bisulfite buffer to the cytidine ring system

Abstract The rate constants for the reversible addition of protons and sulfite to the 5,6 double bond of cytidine and 3-methylcytidine have been spectrophotometrically measured under conditions (25°C, μ = 1.0 m ) where the deamination of 5,6-dihydrocytidine-6-sulfonate is minimal. Both the addition and the elimination of sulfite from the ring system are subject to general catalysis of proton transfer. For the reaction in either direction, plots of the pseudo-firstorder rate constants against increasing buffer concentration are biphasic and indicative of at least a two-step reaction pathway with both steps being subject to general acid-base catalysis. Kinetic hydrogen-deuterium isotope effects were measured for both buffer-catalyzed steps of sulfite elimination from 3-methyl-5,6-dihydrocytidine-6-sulfonate and sulfite addition to 3-methylcytidine. Both H2O and D2O were used as solvent. For both the addition and the elimination of SO32− values of k 2 H k 2 D were 6.3–7.1 and 2.3–2.6 at low and high imidazole buffer concentration, respectively. The large isotope effects values in the range of 6–7 can be attributed to rate-determining proton transfer to carbon-5 of the cytidine ring system. The smaller values are more likely caused by proton transfer to a electronegative atom such as the oxygen on carbon-2 of the cytidine ring. The equilibrium constants for bisulfite buffer addition to 3-methylcytidine and cytidine at 25°C, μ = 1.0 m , pH 7.2, are 10.2 and 1.3 m −1, respectively.
The relationship between physical activity and thermal protective clothing on functional balance in firefighters

We investigated the relationship between baseline physical training and the use of firefighting thermal protective clothing (TPC) with breathing apparatus on functional balance. Twenty-three male firefighters performed a functional balance test under four gear/clothing conditions. Participants were divided into groups by physical training status, and task performance was analyzed. There was an effect of equipment and training status on performance with the group reporting both aerobic and resistance training performing better than the group reporting no physical training. In conclusion, firefighters walk more slowly as a strategy to maintain balance when wearing TPC, which may be suboptimal given the emergent nature of fire suppression. This result was most prominent in the group reporting no physical training.
Review of high-power excimer lasers

High power and high energy excimer lasers have been developed for various potential directed energy applications and for laser fusion. Depending on the application, high peak power, high average power or high pulse energy are required. Rare gas halide lasers pumped by electron beam or discharge and operating in the UV produce the highest output power and pulse energy. Raman beam combining in an excimer laser-pumped Raman amplifier has been used to produce very high beam quality and has made it possible to develop 'Raman Lookthrough' techniques. Properties of various excimer laser devices developed in the U.S. will be discussed from an historical point of view.
Kuhn, Popper, and the Superconducting Supercollider

Abstract The demise of the Superconducting Supercollider (SSC) is often explained in terms of the strain that it placed on the federal budget of the United States, and change in national security interests with the end of the Cold War. Recent work by Steve Fuller provides a framework to re-examine this episode in epistemological terms using the work of Kuhn and Popper. Using this framework, it is tempting to explain the demise as resulting from the overly Kuhnian character of its proponents, who supposedly argued for its construction by appealing to the importance of testing the predictions of a specific paradigm (i.e. the Standard Model). On this reading, the SSC case appears as an example of how Kuhn’s paradigm-driven view of science was invoked to keep science closed and autonomous from society. I argue that the SSC episode should not be viewed as giving support to the displacement of Kuhn’s view of science for Popper’s, and that such a displacement is detrimental to the project of integrating discussion on science into the public sphere. Drawing upon Rouse and Wimsatt, I argue that understanding paradigms as practices blunts some criticisms against Kuhn’s model, and that his model should play an important epistemological role in the aforementioned project.
Pillars and towers of quadratic transformations

Infinite pillars of quadratic transformations are used to describe residue fields of subrings of finitely generated ring extensions of the ring of integers. Towers whose underlying quadratic transformations are finite pillars or nonpillars are employed for the construction of basic dicritical divisors.
What Affects Demand for “The Greatest Snow On Earth?”

Utah has world-class ski resorts, seven located within an hour's drive from the Salt Lake City International Airport. Such close proximity of resorts suggests a highly competitive market. This article empirically estimates how price, income, price at other ski resorts, weather, cost of transportation, and days of the week affect the number of visits for different groups of skiers at one resort. Skiers are responsive to changes in transportation costs and days of the week. The estimates are used to calculate the price elasticity of demand as well as the cross price elasticity of competing ski resorts. Results show that half-day skiers and college students are more price sensitive and hence more likely to select other ski resorts when own resort ticket prices increase.
Observations on serum and urine alkaline ribonuclease activity and urate after burn injury in man

Abstract In an investigation into the disturbances of body function associated with bum injury we have measured the activity of alkaline ribobuclease (EC 3.1.4.22) and the level of urate in the serum and urine of patients sustaining burn injury. Ribonuclease activity was elevated in all patients. The degree of elevation can be related to the percentage of the body surface area burned and to a predictive index of burn mortality. Increased serum ribonuclease activity was accompanied by increased urine ribonuclease output. The relationship between serum urea and ribonuclease activity has been investigated. A significant correlation between these two parameters was observed during the first week post burn. We suggest that this correlation shows as a result of increased protein catabolism and renal dysfunction. After the first week a significant correlation between serum urea and ribonuclease activity was not observed. It is possible that, at this stage, increased ribonuclease activity is perhaps a result of tissue repair. Serum urate was found to be decreased in all patients after burn injury. Serum urate decrease expressed as a percentage of initial value, correlated very strongly with the predictive index of burn mortality. In severely burned patients the decrease in serum urate was accompanied by increased urine urate output and may indicate a change in renal handling of urate after burn injury.
Catabolism of adenosine 5′-phosphate by hog eye ciliary process☆

Abstract 1. 1. In the presence of cell-free preparation of hog eye ciliary process, adenosine 5′-phosphate was first dephosphorylated to adenosine, which was subsequently deaminated to inosine. 2. 2. Catabolisms of adenosine 5′-phosphate and other purine compounds are discussed.
Non-invasive modalities for predicting lymph node spread in early stage endometrial cancer?

Abstract Background Lymph node status in EC determines the staging and has important prognostic and therapeutic implications. Objectives We have examined the diagnostic value of preoperative and intraoperative non-invasive methods to determine the lymph node status in endometrial cancer, or, indirectly, for identification of patients at increased risk of lymph node involvement. Search strategy We conducted a literature search to identify all relevant reports that evaluated lymph node spread in EC. Selection criteria Articles were only considered when data of investigational modalities were compared with histopathological findings of the surgical specimens, considered as the gold standard. Data collection and analysis When numerous relevant articles were identified for one investigational modality, only series including more than 50 patients were considered. Main results Sensitivity of CT and MRI for diagnosis metastatic lymph node is limited. TVS performs as well as MRI in predicting deep myometrial invasion. It is unclear whether intraoperative gross visual examination and frozen section perform better than preoperative methods to predict deep myometrial invasion. There is a limited sensitivity of intraoperative frozen section for predicting poorly differentiated EC. Conclusion Accurate non-invasive assessment of lymph node status in patients with EC remains challenging. Synopsis Despite imaging advances in the past 20 years, accurate non-invasive assessment of lymph node status in patients with EC remains challenging.
Laparoscopic repair of parastomal hernias: early results.

Background: Open repair of parastomal hernias is associated with high rates of morbidity and recurrence. Laparoscopic repair with mesh has been described, and good results have been reported in small case series with short-term follow-up. The purpose of this study was to review our institution’s experience with the laparoscopic repair of parastomal hernias. Methods: Nine patients with symptomatic parastomal hernias (five ileal conduits, two ileostomies, and two sigmoid colostomies) underwent laparoscopic repair with mesh between April 1998 and September 2001. Demographics, operative details, postoperative complications, and hernia recurrences were recorded retroprospectively. Results: All of the patients were men; their average age was 66 years (range, 53–77). A single piece of Gore-Tex Dual Mesh with a slit to accommodate the stoma was used in seven of nine repairs; in the other two patients, two pieces of mesh were used. Concurrent incisional hernias were repaired in three of nine patients (33.3%). The average operating time was 243 min (range, 136–360). The average postoperative length of stay was 4.7 days (range, 2–7). Immediate postoperative complications occurred in three patients (33.3%) (one ileus, one urinary retention, and one ulnar neuropathy). Recurrences developed in four patients (44.4%), and in one patient (11.1%) the stoma prolapsed; all of these failures occurred within 6 months of the operation. One patient died 10 months postoperatively, without evidence of hernia recurrence. Three patients are without evidence of recurrence after 18, 21, and 33 months (average, 24) of follow-up, respectively. Conclusion: In this series, laparoscopic repair of parastomal hernia failed in 56% of patients, all within 6 months of the operation. Although the laparoscopic approach has potential advantages compared to the conventional open methods, the initial results are disappointing. Advances in the technique may improve the early results, and further prospective studies are needed to determine the efficacy of this approach.
Chamber evaluation of a personal, bioaerosol cyclone sampler.

A personal cyclone sampler (cyclone) was operated in a 0.9-m3 chamber, side by side with a 25-mm filter sampler (filter) and either a slit impactor (Air-O-Cell) or a single-stage, multiple-hole, agar impactor (N6). Aerosols of two fungal spores were collected for 5 min to 5 hr—Aspergillus versicolor: 10, 20, 40, 80, 160, and 320 min; concentration: 102–105 spore m−3; Scopulariopsis brevicaulis: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30-min; concentration: 103–105 spore m−3 (six replicates for each sampling time). For each fungus, air concentrations were determined by a 15-channel optical particle counter (particle m−3; N = 36), microscopy (spore m−3; cyclone and filter, N = 36; Air-O-Cell, N = 18), culture (colony forming unit m−3; cyclone and filter, N = 36; N6, N = 18), and polymerase chain reaction (cell equivalent m−3; cyclone and filter, N = 36). Samplers were significantly correlated with each other as were the three analyses (correlation coefficients = 0.79–1.00 and 0.87–0.98, respectively). Ratios were calculated...
The Design and Implementation of a Smart e-Receptionist

A smart e-Receptionist is a computer application that is capable of sensing approaching visitors, orally greeting them, picking up their voice and understanding their questions, and then talking back to them appropriately. It may also have a limited self-learning capability of accumulating “knowledge” through its interactions with visitors. In this article, we present the recently developed smart e-Receptionist that integrates video-based motion detection (for sensing a nearby visitor), natural speech recognition (for understanding a visitor's language), a question-answer (Q-A) knowledge database (for storing and managing information), and text-to-speech (TTS) (for a machine talking back to visitors). This e-Receptionist system can be easily converted into various information kiosks with slight modifications and configurations.
Hydrogen and deuterium site separation in fcc-based mixed-isotope rare-earth hydrides

The structural arrangements and optic-vibrational densities of states of H and D in various fcc-based, mixed-isotope, rare-earth hydrides as measured by neutron powder diffraction and neutron vibrational spectroscopy clearly indicate preferential isotopic occupation of H in the octahedral interstices and D in the tetrahedral interstices. Although lessened by entropic contributions at high temperature, the degree of isotopic separation increases with decreasing temperature, presumably driven by the differences in the zero-point energies of H and D in the different interstitial sites. Decreasing the temperature below \ensuremath{\approx}150 K leads to a ``freezing in'' of the H and D lattice configuration prevalent near this temperature, kinetically precluding the complete isotopic site separation expected at temperatures approaching 0 K.
Social competence in the schools: Toward an integrative developmental model for intervention

Abstract The promotion of social problem-solving skills in school-age children has been only partially successful in improving their social adjustment. The design and evaluation of training programs has been hindered by the inadequacies of most current models of social competence and its relation to social cognition. In this paper, we delineate the necessary components of a coherent model and review the shortcomings of previous approaches. We then describe a model of the development of a specific form of social competence—namely, interpersonal negotiation strategies (INS)—and its social-cognitive underpinnings. The INS model embodies several conceptual advances compared to previous models linking social cognition to social behavior: It integrates functional (information-processing) and structural (cognitive-developmental) approaches, specifies a linkage between social cognition and action within a particular domain of social interaction, and provides for developmental, individual, and contextual variations in the expression of behavior in that domain. The implications of the INS model for social problem-solving training in the schools are reviewed, together with an example of the implementation of the model in a specific educational context. The INS model may help provide a more coherent basis for the school-based delivery of developmentally appropriate interventions designed to foster children's social skills.
Prospective evaluation of impact of using the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology: an institutional experience.

Introduction The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytology (BSRTC) refines the definition of and provides specific diagnostic criteria for fine-needle aspiration (FNA) assessment of thyroid lesions. This study was conducted to prospectively evaluate the diagnostic and clinical impact of using BSRTC for management of thyroid lesions and to compare diagnostic performance of post-BSRTC period with that of pre-BSRTC period. Materials and methods The study included FNA specimens obtained in our institution 2.5 years prior to and 2.5 years after implementing BSRTC. Nondiagnostic rate, distribution of the diagnostic categories, rate of surgical follow-up, cytohistologic concordant rate, and risk of malignancy were calculated and compared between pre- and post-BSRTC periods. Results In comparison to the pre-BSRTC period, the post-BSRTC period generated a lower nondiagnostic rate (19.9% versus 15.8%), a greater proportion of benign (65.3% versus 69.2%) and atypia of undetermined significance or follicular lesion of undetermined significance (4.4% versus 7.4%) in contrast with a decreased proportion of follicular neoplasm or suspicious for follicular neoplasm categories (5.6% versus 2.2%). Rate of surgical follow-up decreased for benign (13.8% versus 7.6%) and atypia of undetermined significance or follicular lesion of undetermined significance (61.5% versus 42.1%) categories, and overall surgical rate reduced (24.2% versus 18.1%). Implementation of BSRTC did not affect overall rate of cytohistologic concordance (78.4% versus 80.5%) or the overall rate of histologically proven malignancy (30.6 versus 36.9%), whereas the individual cytohistologic concordant rate and the malignant rate for each of the diagnostic categories did not differ between pre- and post-BSRTC. Conclusions The implementation of BSRTC resulted in a decreased overall surgical rate, particularly for benign and follicular lesion of undetermined significance categories, without affecting overall cytohistologic concordance and rate of malignancy.
Multiple roles of arginine 181 in binding and catalysis in the NAD-malic enzyme from Ascaris suum.

The NAD-malic enzyme catalyzes the oxidative decarboxylation of l-malate. Structures of the enzyme indicate that arginine 181 (R181) is within hydrogen bonding distance of the 1-carboxylate of malate in the active site of the enzyme and interacts with the carboxamide side chain of the nicotinamide ring of NADH, but not with NAD+. Data suggested R181 might play a central role in binding and catalysis in malic enzyme, and it was thus changed to lysine and glutamine to probe its potential function. A nearly 100-fold increase in the Km for malate and a 30-fold increase in the Ki for oxalate, an analogue of the enolpyruvate intermediate, in the R181Q and R181K mutants are consistent with a role for R181 in binding substrates. The mutant enzymes also exhibit a >10-fold increase in KiNADH, but only a slight or no change in KNAD, consistent with rotation of the nicotinamide ring into the malate binding site upon reduction of NAD+ to NADH. The activity of the R181Q mutant can be rescued by ammonium ion likely by b...
Phylogeny of Acetate-Utilizing Microorganisms in Soils along a Nutrient Gradient in the Florida Everglades

The consumption of acetate in soils taken from a nutrient gradient in the northern Florida Everglades was studied by stable isotope probing. Bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA gene clone libraries from eutrophic and oligotrophic soil microcosms strongly suggest that a significant amount of acetate is consumed by syntrophic acetate oxidation in nutrient-enriched soil.
Segregation of anionic lipophiles in bilayers monitored by binding of cationic dye NK-529.

Abstract Fluorescence emission properties of a cationic indodicarbocyanine dye, NK-529, bound to anionic and zwitterionic vesicles, are examined under a variety of conditions to monitor lateral distribution of anionic amphiphiles in bilayers as a function of their phase properties. The change in the fluorescence properties of NK-529 arises from the binding of the dye to the bilayer that is dominated by ionic interactions when possible, as well as from the self-quenching of the dye bound to bilayers when the surface density of the dye is high. The binding affinity of the dye to anionic interfaces is more than 100-fold higher compared to that in zwitterionic bilayers. The limiting phospholipid/dye ratio in anionic bilayers at low vesicle concentrations is about 3. Thus the density of the bound dye in anionic bilayers can be more than 40-fold higher than that in zwitterionic bilayers, and therefore under such conditions the bound dye is completely self-quenched in vesicles or micelles of anionic phospholipids. The change in the fluorescence emission intensity on incorporation of anionic amphiphiles in zwitterionic bilayers is used to monitor segregation of the anionic amphiphiles. The organizational features of bilayers that cause a change in the fluorescence properties of bound NK-529 show that the lateral distribution of anionic amphiphiles is appreciably influenced not only by the mole fraction of the amphiphile but also in the presence of other additives, and by the gel-fluid thermotropic transition. As shown in the following paper, the fluorescence changes related to self-quenching in anionic bilayers containing NK-529 can be used to understand the organizational changes that occur during the course of interfacial catalysis by phospholipase A 2 on switterionic bilayers.
Heterotylenchus autumnalis, a Parasite of the Face Fly

Heterotyplenchus autumnalis Nickle, a parasite of the face fly, Musca autumnalis Dc Geer, was found in face flies in Nebraska late in 1965. Surveys in 1966 showed that the parasite was present when the flies first appeared in the field in June. The nematode was active through-out the season and was present in flies entering hibernation in the fall of 1966. About 30% of face flies produced on 2 farms during the season were infected. H. autumnalis was not found in at least 10 other species of flies collected from cattle manure.
Pedogenic origin of dolomite in a basaltic weathering profile, Kohala peninsula, Hawaii

We document stoichiometric dolomite occurring in a nonsaline Quaternary soil on the Kohala peninsula, northwestern Hawaii. Geologic constraints and geochemical and isotopic data confirm that this dolomite is not the result of marine influence or wind-blown dust. The strontium isotopic composition of the dolomite (87Sr/87Sr = 0.7045–0.7048) is indicative of its derivation primarily from the weathering of basaltic parent material rather than from meteoric water or seawater. Infiltration of soil waters with elevated Mg/Ca (>1) derived from alteration of ferromagnesian minerals such as olivine likely led to dolomitization of early-precipitated soil calcite and/or to direct dolomite precipitation in the profile. This demonstrates that well-ordered dolomite can form in a nonmarine environment at temperatures <100 °C without undergoing burial diagenesis.
Microcosm studies on the degradation of o,p'- and p,p'-DDT, DDE, and DDD in a muck soil

The muck soils of the north shore of Lake Apopka, near Orlando, Florida, USA are high in organic matter, inorganic nutrients, and water content. Ideally suited for agriculture, these soils have been exposed to a wide variety of agrochemicals. Some of the more recalcitrant organochlorine pesticides, such as DDT and its degradation products DDD and DDE, have persisted in the soil for over 30 years. Using the extracellular enzymes from wood rot fungi, it was demonstrated that it is possible to substantially reduce the amount of the o,p′ and p,p′ isomers of DDT, DDD, and DDE in this soil by more than 60% in 3 weeks. A fungal species with 99% DNA homology to Nectria mariannaeae was isolated from this muck soil and identified by nucleotide sequencing. When grown under nitrogen-limited conditions, this Nectria sp. has been shown to be comparable to Phanerochaete chrysosporium (ATCC 24725) in producing extracellular factors (or agents) that are capable of degrading these recalcitrant chlorinated chemicals.
Addendum to 'An innovation and policy agenda for commercially competitive plug-in hybrid electric vehicles'

This addendum adds to the analysis of 'An innovation and policy agenda for commercially competitive plug-in hybrid electric vehicles' (D M Lemoine et al 2008 Environ. Res. Lett. 3 014003) to the case of all-electric vehicles (EVs). We pay particular attention to grid impacts, break-even battery costs, and the three ways in which EVs could dramatically change the results we obtained for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).
mitotic cycling of radial glial cells of the fetal murine cerebral wall: a combined autoradiographic and immunohistochemical study.

Abstract Radial glial cells of the embryonic murine cerebral wall are selectively labeled by staining with antibody RC1. In order to study the mitotic cycling of these cells, we combined RC1 immunohistochemistry and autoradiographic analysis following [3H]thymidine injection at 1, 2, 6, 48 h prior to sacrifice. Many radial glial cells, i.e. RC1-positive cells, incorporate the DNA tracer and hence must be mitotically active. Other proliferative cells of the ventricular zone do not stain with RC1. With the transition from S to M phase, the nuclei of the radial glial cells participate in the interkinetic ‘to-and-fro’ nuclear translocation characteristic of the non-radial glial cells of the ventricular zone. The density of radioactive grains over nuclei of both RC1-positive and negative cells of the ventricular zone becomes similarly reduced in the 48 h following the [3H]thymidine incorporation. Thus, the subpopulation of radial glia with nuclei within the ventricular zone which have incorporated the DNA tracer does not appear to become arrested in a prolonged G1 phase. The results suggest that the ventricular zone includes at least two subpopulations of stem cells, neuronal and radial glial. Radial glial cells. i.e. RC1-positive cells, are inferred to serve initially as a progenitor population for new radial glial cells. Later in development, they probably become a source of other cells of astroglial lineage.