cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring objective functions and cross-terms in the optimization of an energy function for protein design

Nature possesses a secret formula for the energy as a function of the structure of a protein. In protein design, approximations are made to both the structural representation of the molecule and to the form of the energy equation, such that the existence of a general energy function for proteins is by no means guaranteed. Here we present new insights towards the application of machine learning to the problem of finding a general energy function for protein design. Machine learning requires the definition of an objective function, which carries with it the implied definition of success in protein design. We explored four functions, consisting of two functional forms, each with two criteria for success. Optimization was carried out by a Monte Carlo search through the space of all variable parameters. Cross-validation of the optimized energy function against a test set gave significantly different results depending on the choice of objective function, pointing to relative correctness of the built-in assumptions. Novel energy cross-terms correct for the observed non-additivity of energy terms and an imbalance in the distribution of predicted amino acids.
Calciphylaxis: is there a role for parathyroidectomy?

Objective: Calciphylaxis, a rare disorder typically affecting renal failure patients, results in vascular calcification with subsequent skin necrosis, gangrene, and often death from sepsis. Parathyroid hormone is thought to act as a tissue sensitizer leading to these soft tissue changes. As such, parathyroidectomy is often advocated to control this complicated condition. A discussion of calciphylaxis does not exist in the otolaryngology literature, and head and neck surgeons performing parathyroidectomy should be aware of this phenomenon. This study evaluates the success of parathyroidectomy in reversing the ill effects of calciphylaxis in both our patient population and the literature. Study Design: Retrospective study and review of the literature. Methods: Five patients with calciphylaxis treated at our institution were evaluated for mortality, surgical and perioperative complications, wound healing, and predictors of patient outcomes. Results: Two patients died from sepsis and infectious complications of their calciphylaxis shortly after surgery. Of the three survivors, two later died (15 and 18 mo after surgery) from causes not directly related to calciphylaxis. The other long-term survivor required partial amputation of a leg for osteomyelitis. There was one operative complication-a wound infection requiring antibiotic therapy, drainage, and packing. Postoperative hypocalcemia required treatment in two patients. Immediate perioperative survival was more likely in patients with leukocyte counts less than 20,000 cells/mL. Conclusions: Calciphylaxis is a serious disease and patients often succumb to sepsis and infectious complications. Patients with extremely high leukocyte counts from coexistent infections may have a worse prognosis. Although a conclusive effective therapy does not exist, parathyroidectomy can be safely performed and may benefit some patients with what is often an otherwise fatal disease. The literature to date generally confirms our findings.
The genome and the intracellular RNAs of avian myeloblastosis virus

Abstract Avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) is an acute leukemia virus which causes a myeloblastic leukemia in birds and transforms myeloid hematopoietic cells in vitro. We have analyzed RNA from AMV virions and from AMV-transformed producer and nonproducer cells by gel electrophoresis followed by transfer to chemically activated paper and hybridization to several complementary DNA (cDNA) probes. Using a cDNA probe specific for AMV, we identified two RNA species of 7.2 and 2.3 kb, which were present in all AMV-transformed cells and in all AMV virion preparations examined. The 7.2 kb species, which is presumably the genome of AMV, appears to contain the entire retroviral gag gene and at least part of the pol gene, but lacks much (or all) of the env gene. Thus AMV differs from other acute leukemia viruses described to date, since the latter have genomes of 5.5 to 5.6 kb, have only part of the gag gene and lack pol sequences. The smaller RNA does not contain gag-, pol- or env -specific nucleotide sequences but does carry nucleotide sequences from both the 5′ and 3′ termini of the genome, suggesting that it may be a subgenomic mRNA. Both the 7.2 and 2.3 kb species were associated with the 70S RNA complex in virions. These results suggest that AMV, unlike other acute leukemia viruses, does not express its transforming gene via a gag -related "fusion" protein but rather as a (so far unidentified) protein translated from a subgenomic mRNA.
A Linear Format for Resolution With Merging and a New Technique for Establishing Completeness

A new technique is given for establishing the completeness of resolution-based deductive systems for first-order logic (with or without equality) and several new completeness results are proved using this technique. The technique leads to very simple and clear completeness proofs and can be used to establish the completeness of most resolution-based deductive systems reported in the literature. The main new result obtained by means of this technique is that a linear format for resolution with merging and set of support and with several further restrictions is a complete deductive system for the first-order predicate calculus.
An Energy-Efficient L2 Cache Architecture Using Way Tag Information Under Write-Through Policy

Many high-performance microprocessors employ cache write-through policy for performance improvement and at the same time achieving good tolerance to soft errors in on-chip caches. However, write-through policy also incurs large energy overhead due to the increased accesses to caches at the lower level (e.g., L2 caches) during write operations. In this paper, we propose a new cache architecture referred to as way-tagged cache to improve the energy efficiency of write-through caches. By maintaining the way tags of L2 cache in the L1 cache during read operations, the proposed technique enables L2 cache to work in an equivalent direct-mapping manner during write hits, which account for the majority of L2 cache accesses. This leads to significant energy reduction without performance degradation. Simulation results on the SPEC CPU2000 benchmarks demonstrate that the proposed technique achieves 65.4% energy savings in L2 caches on average with only 0.02% area overhead and no performance degradation. Similar results are also obtained under different L1 and L2 cache configurations. Furthermore, the idea of way tagging can be applied to existing low-power cache design techniques to further improve energy efficiency.
Adsorption of Isolated, Flexible Polymers onto a Strongly Attracting Surface

We investigate by lattice Monte Carlo simulation the kinetics of adsorption of isolated linear homopolymers onto a flat surface with a strong, short-ranged attraction for the segments. We focus on limiting cases corresponding to strong physisorption and chemisorption. Initially, the polymer has a conformation representative of the bulk (dilute) solution, but with a few peripheral segments in contact with the surface. Subsequent adsorption is tracked by monitoring a number of mechanical variables. By averaging over initial configurations, and over appropriately selected time windows along individual trajectories, we determine the adsorption kinetics and find the effects of chain length and segment/surface interactions on the characteristic time for adsorption, τ ads . For all situations investigated, τ ads increases algebraically with the number of segments N; i.e., τ ads ∼ N α , with a being considerably smaller than that for scaling of the bulk relaxation time of the chain, τ R . We find that a depends on the details of the short-ranged surface/segment interaction potential. The results are rationalized with scaling-level analysis.
DIURETICS WITHIN 24 HOURS OF DISCHARGE

Intravenous loop diuretics (IVLD) are the most commonly used medication for hospitalized congestive heart failure (CHF) patients; however, many questions remain regarding their best use. Our objective was to determine if there was any difference in the 30 day readmission rates between patients
environment and choice in rapid social change1

Drawing on contemporary ecological and decision-making theories, we develop a model synthesizing the concepts of environmental structure and individual choice. This approach avoids a static/dynamic dichotomy and therefore can explain behavioral processes in stable adaptation, gradual change, and rapid transformation. The application of the model is illustrated in two situations of rapid economic changeone in Yugoslavia, the other in Newfoundland—involving abrupt, widespread transformation in subsistence patterns through shifts from farming and fishing to industrial wage labor.
Functional web analysis: Detecting the structure of population dynamicsfrom multi-species time series

Summary The dynamics of animal populations are determined, to a greater or lesser extent, by interactions with other organisms in the ecological web within which they are embedded what is called the functional web. I propose a methodology for determining the structure of the functional web from a series of observations on the densities of constituent populations made over time a multi-species time series. The approach is based on analysis of the R-function for each species; i.e., the relationship between the per-capita rate of change of each population and (1) the density of the population at different times in the past, providing clues to the order of population regulation, and (2) the densities of all potentially interacting species, providing clues to the inter-specific associations involved in population regulation. The application of the methodology is illustrated by application to a series of observations on Tengmalms owls and three small mammals in Finland and, in a more cursory way, on spruce needleminers interacting with a guild of parasitoids in a Danish spruce plantation. Die Dynamik von Tierpopulationen wird in unterschiedlichem Mase durch Interaktionen mit anderen Organismen bestimmt, die in dem gleichen okologischen Netz eingebettet sind — dieses wird das funktionelle Netz genannt. Ich schlage eine Methode zur Bestimmung der Struktur eines funktionellen Netzes vor, die auf einer Zeitreihe von Dichtebeobachtungen der Einzelpopulationen beruht — eine “multi-species”-Zeitreihe. Der Ansatz basiert auf der Analyse der R-Funktion einer jeden Art, d.h. auf die Beziehung zwischen der Pro-Kopf-Anderungsrate jeder Population und (1) der Dichte der Population zu bestimmten Zeitpunkten der Vergangenheit, um Hinweise auf die Grosenordnung der Populationsregulation zu bekommen, und (2) der Dichte aller potenziell interagierenden Arten, um Hinweise auf die interspezifischen Assoziationen zu bekommen, die an der Populationsregulation beteiligt sind. Die Methode wird durch die Anwendung auf eine Reihe von Beobachtungen des Rauhfuskauzes und drei Kleinsaugern in Finnland erlautert; zudem in etwas oberflachlicherer Weise an Fichtennadelminierern, die mit einer Gilde von Parasitoiden in danischen Fichtenpflanzungen interagieren.
Living longer: The effect of the Mexican conditional cash transfer program on elderly mortality

Abstract With both an aging population and a transition from communicable to chronic diseases, the health of the elderly is a growing issue in many developing countries. Conditional cash transfer programs are usually thought to benefit young people, but may also benefit other age groups since some programs require that all household members have regular preventive health check-ups. This paper exploits the phasing-in of the Mexican conditional cash transfer program, Progresa, between 1997 and 2000, and shows a 4% decline in average, municipality-level mortality for people aged 65 and older. The program not only reduced deaths due to more traditional infectious diseases, but also diabetes related deaths. Given that diabetes deaths are a leading cause of death in Mexico, and in the top 10 causes of death in many high- and middle-income countries, this is an important finding.
Natural experiments and meta‐analyses in comparative phylogeography

Aim The challenge for phylogeography, like other observational sciences, is to extract general relationships representing causes and effects from complex natural data. I describe comparisons of synchronously diverging co-distributed (SDC) taxa, including sympatric sister species, to help meet this challenge. Location Global. Methods As an example, using narrative and best evidence synthesis, I re-evaluate ad hoc aggregate analyses relating population genetic structure (FST) to dispersal potential. I deconstruct an aggregate global analysis to generate a regional subset of data which I compare with datasets describing co-distributed taxa, SDC species and sympatric sister species. Results A weak negative relationship between FST and dispersal potential is implied by aggregate global analysis (0.1 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.29). In contrast, regional datasets of co-distributed species show strong correlation between FST and dispersal potential (0.78 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.85). Comparisons between SDC and sympatric sister species consistently evince higher gene flow in species with higher dispersal potential. Main conclusions Ad hoc aggregate analyses can be compromised by multiple sources of error. Comparisons of SDC taxa, including sympatric sister species, adapt the experimental scientific method to natural situations, providing robust and repeatable tests of phylogeographic hypotheses and accurate estimates of effect sizes. To make strong inferences about phylogeography we should seek out the hidden wealth of natural experiments that provide particularly clear opportunities to study the factors that influence patterns of biodiversity. The SDC framework enables independent tests of existing hypotheses, integration of independent studies in meta-analyses across taxa and regions, and identification of general trends versus location- or taxon-specific phenomena. Coupled with advances in statistical phylogeography, species distribution modelling and palaeoecology, the SDC framework bridges the long-standing gap between observational and experimental sciences.
Extramedullary hematopoiesis in cerebellar hemangioblastoma

Extramedullary hematopoiesis and paraneoplastic erythrocytosis are uncommon in cerebellar hemangioblastoma, and their concomitant occurrence has not been reported. In a study of 26 cases of hemangioblastoma, we found extramedullary hematopoiesis in 4 tumors; one was associated with erythrocytosis. The significance of this association and the possible histogenetic origin of extramedullary hematopoiesis in cerebellar hemangioblastoma are discussed.
Loss of prostasin (PRSS8) in human bladder transitional cell carcinoma cell lines is associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)

The glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored epithelial extracellular membrane serine protease prostasin (PRSS8) is expressed abundantly in normal epithelia and essential for terminal epithelial differentiation, but down-regulated in human prostate, breast, and gastric cancers and invasive cancer cell lines. Prostasin is involved in the extracellular proteolytic modulation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and is an invasion suppressor. The aim of this study was to evaluate prostasin expression states in the transitional cell carcinomas (TCC) of the human bladder and in human TCC cell lines. Normal human bladder tissues and TCC on a bladder cancer tissue microarray (TMA) were evaluated for prostasin expression by means of immunohistochemistry. A panel of 16 urothelial and TCC cell lines were evaluated for prostasin and E-cadherin expression by western blot and quantitative PCR, and for prostasin gene promoter region CpG methylation by methylation-specific PCR (MSP). Prostasin is expressed in the normal human urothelium and in a normal human urothelial cell line, but is significantly down-regulated in high-grade TCC and lost in 9 (of 15) TCC cell lines. Loss of prostasin expression in the TCC cell lines correlated with loss of or reduced E-cadherin expression, loss of epithelial morphology, and promoter DNA hypermethylation. Prostasin expression could be reactivated by demethylation or inhibition of histone deacetylase. Re-expression of prostasin or a serine protease-inactive variant resulted in transcriptional up-regulation of E-cadherin. Loss of prostasin expression in bladder transitional cell carcinomas is associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and may have functional implications in tumor invasion and resistance to chemotherapy.
Roll plane analysis of a hydro-pneumatic suspension with twin-gas-chamber struts

A hydro-pneumatic strut comprising two gas chambers is proposed to realise nearly symmetric vertical stiffness properties in compression and rebound, and progressively hardening roll stiffness. The fundamental properties of the proposed struts are derived in terms of suspension rate and roll stiffness through formulations of strut forces in the roll plane of a vehicle. Dynamic responses are investigated under excitations arising from vehicle-road interactions and a steady centrifugal acceleration. The results demonstrate that the suspension with proposed struts could reduce ride height drift, and improve suspension topping, tyre deflection and roll response characteristics, with negligible influence on vertical and roll ride.
CHILDREN NOT SEVERELY DAMAGED BY INCEST WITH A PARENT

Often referrals to child guidance clinics are made by courts when they suspect that a child has been subjected to incest by a parent; in most cases it has been found that the children were seriously affected by incestual relations with either parent. More often than not these children show defects in their ego functioning. Apparently in our culture the incest taboo is so strong that when parent-child incest occurs, it is psychologically traumatic to the child involved in the act; therefore, it is not surprising to find that either boys or girls may become psychotic after they have had incestual relations. A study by Fleck et al. (1959) on the intrafamilial environment of the schizophrenic patient provides evidence that parent-child incestual acts and fantasies playa much greater role in the development of schizophrenia than had hitherto been assumed. Rascovsky and Rascovsky (1950) reported that it was common to find family disorganization, alcoholism, depression, and sexual maladjustment between parents in the families where incest was consummated between father and daughter. Usually the child escaped into homosexuality as a characteristic outcome of incestuous relations. In cases of father-daughter incest, the psychopathology of the daughters ranged from severe personality disorder and sexual maladjustment to manifest psychosis. In the cases of mother-son incest, the sons, according to various reports, were found to be seriously emotionally disturbed. Wahl (1960)
Clinical pharmacology and efficacy of fluoroquinolones in fish

Abstract The fluoroquinolones are a relatively new group of man-made antibacterial compounds that are highly effective against a wide variety of gram-negative and gram-positive organisms. They have been evaluated for several years for human and veterinary medical applications and more recently they have been evaluated for use in fish. Studies in fish have included minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) evaluations of the drugs against bacteria found to be pathogenic to fish, pharmacokinetic studies, laboratory efficacy studies, and field trials. The data collected to date encourage further evaluations of fluoroquinolones in fish.
Feeding Behavior and Growth of the Wireworms Melanotus depressus and Limonius dubitans: Effect of Host Plants, Temperature, Photoperiod, and Artificial Diets

The effect of food type, photoperiod, and temperature on the behavior and growth of the wireworms, Melanotus depressus (Melsheimer) and Limonius dubitans LeConte, was examined. Germinating seeds from several potential host plants were evaluated. After 6 months in the treatments, previously starved M. depressus larvae had the highest growth rates when fed germinating field corn, wheat, or sorghum kernels. After 1 month's observation of larvae preconditioned to wheat only, those which continued on the same regimen showed a significant weight gain. L. dubitans larvae which had been preconditioned to wheat kernels, however, showed a significant weight gain over a 3-month period when held on germinating wheat, soybean or corn kernels. Temperature and photoperiodic studies with M. depressus larvae employed combinations of 2 temperatures (21°C and 27°C), 2 photoperiods (12L:12D, 14L:10D), and 6 diets (germinating wheat kernels in soil or on fibrous cotton, and 4 artificial diets on fibrous cotton). The effect of these conditions on larval feeding response, ecdyses, growth, and mortality is presented. None of the artificial media substituted adequately for the wheat-loam substrate. Similar experiments employing L. dubitans could not be completed because of exceptionally high mortality.
Electrical and optical properties of semiconductor doping superlattices

A short, elementary introduction into the physics of n-i-p-i doping superlattices is presented. Their electrical and optical properties which result from the unique tunability of their bandstructures are discussed. Examples of GaAs based n-i-p-i and hetero-n-i-p-i superlattices illustrate the novel phenomena that have been predicted and experimentally observed. The device potential of these engineered semiconductor materials is also discussed.
The lower confidence limit for the mean of positive random variables

Abstract This paper presents a simple method to obtain a strictly positive lower confidence limit for the mean of a positive random variable. Although this method involves some approximations, it is shown empirically that it works well for a large number of cases.
Hilbert–Schmidt Hankel Operators over Complete Reinhardt Domains

Let \({\mathcal{R}}\) be an arbitrary bounded complete Reinhardt domain in \({\mathbb{C}^n}\). We show that for \({n \geq 2}\), if a Hankel operator with an anti-holomorphic symbol is Hilbert–Schmidt on the Bergman space \({A^2(\mathcal{R})}\), then it must equal zero. This fact has previously been proved only for strongly pseudoconvex domains and for a certain class of pseudoconvex domains.
Evolution of microstructure and magnetic properties in Co-Pt alloys bracketing the eutectoid composition

Abstract This work correlates the evolution of magnetic properties with microstructure for aging of Co–Pt alloys with compositions bracketing the A1→L1 0 +L1 2 eutectoid at about 60 at% Pt. The magnetic properties of Co 41.7 Pt 58.3 were observed to vary intricately with annealing time and temperature, corresponding to changes in microstructural lengthscales, phase fractions, and degree of ordering. This alloy exhibited a maximum coercivity of 4 kOe and a maximum remanence ratio of 0.8, occurring at an early stage of transformation when strained L1 0 nanoparticles are embedded in the A1 matrix. For particle sizes below 40 nm, robust exchange coupling is observed. Although the L1 0 nanoparticles are rigorously below the single-domain critical size for zero applied field, we argue that a form of domain wall pinning controls magnetization reversal in the peak coercivity sample. After extended aging that completely consumes the A1 phase, quantitative x-ray analysis indicates that the L1 2 phase is also present, suggesting that two-phase region is broader than expected. Samples with composition Co 37.6 Pt 62.4 formed only soft ferromagnetic L1 2 upon aging.
Internal transmigrants: A Dagomba diaspora

In this article, I focus on a tiny elite community of Dagomba from Ghana's Northern Region. These men (and a handful of women) were among the first to attend secondary school once it was established in the North. Highly visible professionals, these Dagomba are internal migrants, whose new world in Accra is socially and spatially vastly different from the old in the hometown area of Dagbon. Members of this diaspora are cosmopolitans, intermingling with new kinds of people and transforming ideas and practices, but, at the same time, they maintain complex social relationships with their home communities, serving as a bridge between home and host societies.
Ultrasound and color Doppler ultrasound of acute and subacute Achilles tendon ruptures

Acute rupture of the Achilles tendon is one of many foot and ankle injuries that may present to the emergency department. Using ultrasound and color Doppler ultrasound, the radiologist can determine which acutely injured patients require operative management and which can be treated nonoperatively. Nonoperative management can be used in those patients with closely apposed tendon ends. This article reviews the use of gray-scale ultrasound in evaluating the appearance of the torn Achilles tendon. The use of color Doppler ultrasound for distinguishing torn tendon ends from hematoma and granulation tissue is discussed.
Acquisition of the two-way avoidance response in chicken compared to rat and cat

Three groups of White Leghorn chickens acquired a two-way avoidance response as quickly as rats and slightly more slowly than cats.
Particle Deposition in Human Nasal Airway Replicas Manufactured by Different Methods. Part II: Ultrafine Particles

Information on the deposition efficiency of aerosol particles in the nasal airways is used for optimizing the delivery of therapeutic aerosols into the nose and for risk assessment of toxic airborne pollutants inhaled through the nose into the respiratory system. Nasal particle deposition is often studied using plastic replicas of nasal airways. Deposition efficiency in a nasal replica manufactured by stereolithography has not been reported to date. We determined the inertial particle deposition efficiency of two replicas of the same nasal airways manufactured by different stereolithography machines and compared results with deposition efficiencies reported for models manufactured by other techniques from the same magnetic resonance imaging scans. Deposition in the replicas was measured for particles of aerodynamic diameter between 1 and 10 μm and constant inspiratory flow rates ranging from 20–40 Ipm. Deposition efficiency of the replicas increased from nearly 0–100% with increasing particle inertia. For...
Interferometric radar measurement of ocean surface currents

A new method of measuring surface currents using an interferometric synthetic aperture radar is presented. An airborne implementation has been tested over San Francisco Bay near the time of maximum tidal flow, resulting in a map of the east-west component of the current. Only the line-of-sight component of velocity is measured by this technique. Where the SNR ratio was strongest, statistical fluctuations of less than 4 cm/s were observed for ocean patches of 60 x 60 m.
Phosphate bonding with several calcined aluminas

Abstract Reactivities of several calcined aluminas with orthophosphoric acid at fairly low curing temperatures were studied. Studies showed that compressive strengths were inversely proportional to the surface area of the calcined alumina used in the bond, due to the formation of crystalline AIPO 4 phase. A glassy phase and possibly an aluminum metaphosphate phase are effective bonding phases.
Teams need a process

This paper begins with a discussion of the importance of software development and the problems encountered by those trying to work effectively on software project teams. It is argued that for students to be effective in working on teams they need the discipline and organization offered by a rigorous team software process. The author describes his experiences in using the Team Software Process (TSP) to teach an introductory course in software engineering. The structure and key elements of the process are presented, along with techniques used in selecting and forming teams. The paper examines the TSP quality assurance features and finishes with a discussion of the techniques used to acquire feedback and to evaluate the affect of the TSP on student learning.
Ergotism and Its Effects on Society and Religion

Abstract Ergotism is caused by the toxic alkaloid, ergotamine [Chem. Reg. #113-15-3], which is produced by the Claviceps purpurea fungus, which grows on rye and to a lesser extent on other cereal grain. Substitution on the amide nitrogen of the Lysergamide produces a variety of toxins and drugs. LSD, N, N-diethyl-D-lysergamide, is the best known derivative. Ergotism is a form of food poisoning and may have been a common malady in Northern Europe, European Russia and Colonial America. Ergotism may cause sterility and death through dry gangrene and is usually accompanied by hallucinations and visions but has rarely been considered as the cause of many social and religious upheavals. Ergotamine is more toxic than LSD but less hallucinogenic. However, many of the documented visions of the holy people may have been due to ergotism, e.g., Joan of Arc and St. John, the Evangelist.
Laser Destruction of Experimental Tumors: State of the Art and Protection of Personnel

Abstract Experiments with high energy neodymium pulsed laser to destroy tumors in mice, rabbits and monkeys, have been conducted at the National Cancer Institute since 1964. These studies indicate that the rapid and precise destruction of localized tumors is possible. When combined with other anticancer modalities a 3 to 4 fold improvement in the cure rate of tumor has occurred. These encouraging results have been overshadowed by secondary effects associated with the laser-tissue interaction. These effects of pressure and varying degrees of cellular damage result in the dissemination of viable tumor into the air and tissue planes resulting in lethal secondary tumor growths. During the course of these studies, protection of laser personnel has been a prime consideration. For the safe operation of equipment, warning beacons, door interlocks, remote operation facilities and special environment conditions are all necessary. Various devices for the containment of the particles in the laser plume have been deve...
Results of 102 cases of complete repair of congenital heart defects in patients weighing 700 to 2500 grams

Abstract Background: Published data suggest that low birth weight is a risk factor for poor outcome in corrective surgery for many cardiac defects. Congenital heart defects in low birth weight infants are typically managed with supportive therapy or palliative operations, with definitive repair delayed. The morbidity associated with such approaches is high. Methods: Since 1990 complete repair of congenital heart defects (other than patent ductus arteriosus) has been performed in 102 infants no larger than 2500 g (median 2100 g, range 700-2500 g), including 16 no larger than 1500 g. Defects included ventricular septal defect (n = 22), tetralogy of Fallot complexes (n = 20), transposition complexes (n = 13), aortic coarctation (n = 12), interrupted arch (n = 10), truncus arteriosus (n = 8), atrioventricular septal defect (n = 6), total anomalous pulmonary venous return (n = 5), and other (n = 6). Results: Preoperative morbidity was more common among patients referred late for surgical correction. There were 10 early deaths (10%) attributable to cardiac failure (n = 4), arrhythmia (n = 1), multiorgan failure (n = 1), sepsis (n = 1), idiopathic coronary artery intimal necrosis (n = 1), foot gangrene (n = 1), and pulmonary hemorrhage (n = 1). No patient had postbypass intracerebral hemorrhage. At follow-up (median 36 months) there were 8 late deaths, and 8 patients underwent 10 reinterventions. There was no evidence of neurologic sequelae attributable to the operation. Conclusions: In general, delaying repair of congenital heart defects in low birth weight infants does not confer a benefit and is associated with higher preoperative morbidity. Complete repair of both simple and complex lesions can be achieved in such cases with good results. Growth after repair approximates the normal curve for low birth weight infants without heart disease. It is recommended that such infants, especially when they have symptoms, undergo early surgical repair rather than prolonged medical management or other forms of palliation. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1999;117:324-31)
Comparison of morbidity of outpatient general anesthesia administered by the intravenous or inhalation route

Purpose: This study compares the morbidity between subjects receiving general anesthesia either by an intravenous or inhalation route for the extraction of impacted third molars in an outpatient setting. Patients and Materials: Forty ASA Class I subjects, 21 females and 19 males (age range, 17 to 43 years), who presented for the extraction of four impacted third molars, were studied. Subjects were alternately assigned to receive general anesthesia either by the intravenous route (group I) or the inhalation route via an endotracheal tube (group II). The parameters for comparison included psychomotor recovery, cardiovascular changes 20% above or below baseline, the frequency of nausea and vomiting perioperatively and at 48 hours, occurrence of laryngospasm and bronchospasm, the frequency of sore throat both perioperatively and at 48 hours, procedure time, and recovery time. The Trieger dot test was administered to patients at three different intervals to evaluate psychomotor recovery. All parameters were recorded for each subject and compared both within and between groups. Results: There was no statistical difference found between groups I and II with regard to psychomotor recovery, the frequency of nausea and vomiting, bronchospasm, laryngospasm, or median recovery time (P < .05). However, there was greater variability in both elevation and depression of blood pressure from baseline in the intubated subjects (P < .05). These deviations were both expected and easily managed. The probability of sore throat was greater in the intubated subjects (P < .05) than the nonintubated subjects. Procedure time, although a weak association, was nonetheless found to be significantly greater for the intubated group than for the intravenous group (P < .05). The results show greater cardiovascular variability, increased probability of sore throat, and slightly lengthened procedure time with the administration of general anesthesia by an inhalational route via an endotracheal intubation. However, there was no difference with regard to psychomotor recovery, recovery time, the probability of nausea and vomiting, or incidence of laryngospasm or bronchospasm.
Scientifically rigorous reptile and amphibian osseous pathology: Lessons for forensic herpetology from comparative and paleo-pathology

As the study of bone disease in recent and fossil amphibians and reptiles has evolved from observational speculation to analysis of testable hypotheses, so too has recognition of its contribution to our understanding of diseases and organisms. Given the development of a 'library' of macroscopic osseous manifestations of a variety of diseases, the power of such examination of skeletons for identification of the etiology of pathology has greatly reduced the need for destructive analysis. High frequency of malformations in amphibians or of spondyloarthropathy in reptiles should stimulate evaluation for environmental causal factors. Notation of previously unrecognized/undescribed pathology affords unique opportunities. Scientific approach, validated database and phylogeny-independent pathology recognition form the basis for this review of the current knowledge of contemporary and extinct amphibian and reptile osseous pathology. This provides baseline data for forensic herpetologists and others attempting to identify and interpret osseous lesions, disease and trauma in a forensic context.
Muon cooling via ionization energy loss in a crystal channel

Abstract A possible method for high energy muon cooling via ionization energy loss in a focusing crystal channel is outlined here. We show that starting with an initially ‘cool’ muon beam, e.g. coming from a 25 GeV photo-production source, with the normalized emittance of ϵ N = 10 −5 mrad, one can decrease the transverse emittance to less than ϵ N = 10 −7 mrad by passing muons through total of 280 m of the crystal absorber. For a practical implementation, we suggest a storage ring configuration, where sections of crystal absorber are alternated with a conventional high gradient re-acceleration (20 MeV/m) inserts. The necessary circular confinement (bending) would be provided by additional sections of bent crystals — employing powerful steering features of bent silicon crystal demonstrated by recent experiments. Required cooling length of 280 m constitutes only about 2 × 10 −3 of the muon lifetime in the laboratory frame (about 120 turns in our model ‘cooling ring‘). Dominant heating process (due to multiple scattering on electron gas inside a crystal channel) limits the minimum achievable emittance to about ϵ N = 10 −9 , while the characteristic ionization cooling damping length is about 62.5 m. Feasibility of effective ionization cooling rests on the ultra high fundamental crystal fields available in a solid state environment.
Facilitation of baroreflex-induced bradycardia by stimulation of specific hypothalamic sites in the rat

Hypothalamic stimulation generally inhibits baroreflex-induced bradycardia. However, we have noted discrete areas of the rat hypothalamus which facilitate reflex bradycardia. The effects of hypothalamic stimulation on baroreflex-induced changes in heart rate were investigated in urethane-anesthetized rats (1.2 g/kg, i.p.; n= 6) instrumented with femoral arterial and venous catheters. Bipolar electrodes (250 μm diameter) were implanted stereotaxically in the hypothalamus. Baroreflex-induced bradycardia was elicited by phenylephrine (PE) injection (8–20 μg/kg). Responses to stimulation (STIM) (50–150 μA, 80 Hz, 0.5 ms), PE, and Stim + PE were studied for 1 min. In the ventral medial and anterior hypothalamus. STIM caused transient increases in blood pressure and no changes in heart rate. Peak blood pressure was lower during STIM + PE than during PE (144 ± 5vs164 ± 3mm Hg; P < 0.05). However, STIM + PE resulted in a lower heart rate compared to PE (194 ± 22vs270 ± 17bpm; P < 0.05). At 1 min, the heart rate in STIM + PE rats remained lower than in PE rats (205 ± 37vs319 ± 16bpm; P < 0.05). Atropine administration indicated that the facilitation was primarily parasympathetic in nature. These results identify specific hypothalamic regions which facilitate baroreflex-induced bradycardia by parasympathetic mechanisms.
Translating research into everyday clinical practice: lessons learned from a USA dental practice-based research network.

Abstract Objectives This paper discusses practice-based research (PBR) as a means to speed up the translation of research findings to clinical practice. It also reviews repair versus replacement of defective restorations as one example of the delay in the application of research findings to clinical practice. Methods Despite the existence of clinical studies, a significant delay exists between the generation of new knowledge and its application into the medical/dental community and their patients. One example is the repair of defective dental restorations. About 75% of practitioners in general dental practices do not consider the repair of dental restorations as a viable alternative to the replacement of defective restorations. Engaging and partnering with health practitioners in the field on studies addressing everyday clinical research questions may offer a solution to speed up the translation of the research findings. Results Practice-based research (PBR) offers a unique opportunity for practitioners to be involved in the research process, formulating clinical research questions. Additionally, PBR generates evidence-based knowledge with a broader spectrum that can be more readily generalized to the public. With PBR, clinicians are involved in the entire research process from its inception to its dissemination. Significance Early practitioner interaction in the research process may result in ideas being more readily incorporated into practice. Clinical studies are of paramount importance for testing and translation of the research findings to the community.
An Evaluation of the Conditional Probability Strategy and Rule-Analysis Methodology in Judgments of Covariation:

Summary.-The current study mvestigated whether college students specifically have the prerequisite knowledge ro use reciprocal information in their reasoning abour covariation. Primacy effects on sequenrval processing tasks provided an opportunity to compare the use of single-cell information versus the use of reciprocal information in judgments about covariation. To investigate these issues, 72 students sequentially processed 25 slides containing dichoromous information about mo variables pertaining to the performance of an imaginary tennis player, time of season and quahty of performance. Participants received blocks OF information (consisting of eirher identical or reciprocal information) either at the beginning or at the end of [he slide sequence. Judgments about covariation, assessed using a conditional statement pocedure as opposed to the traditional "rule analysis" methodology were not significantly different berween identical and reciprocal conditions. In addiuon, Frequency estimates provided lor reciprocal cells were highly correlated. Although the primacy block was more powerhl than the recency block, judgments benveen identical and reciprocal groups were sirmlar despite the primacy bias. Results further substantiate the claim that people are capable of using reciprocal information in judgments about covariation.
The effect of performance appraisal salience on recall and ratings

Abstract Although models of performance appraisal implicitly assume that the rating task is highly salient to raters, it is unlikely that raters have evaluation as their main objective when performance information is first encountered. Two studies investigated the effect of appraisal salience on information processing and ratings. High appraisal salience was related to on-line information processing, while low appraisal salience was related to memory-based information processing. Results from Study 1 indicated that when appraisal salience was low, performance information was less accessible to raters and ratings showed marginally less discriminability than when salience was high unless raters were required to recall information prior to rating. Results from Study 2 related low appraisal salience to greater distortions in ratings but found that certain organization strategies used during encoding were able to improve accuracy. Implications for processing models of performance appraisal are discussed.
Thrombocytes respond to lipopolysaccharide through Toll-like receptor-4, and MAP kinase and NF-κB pathways leading to expression of interleukin-6 and cyclooxygenase-2 with production of prostaglandin E2

Abstract Chicken thrombocytes are equivalent in hemostatic function to mammalian platelets. Platelets are enucleated components of mammalian blood, while thrombocytes are nucleated blood leukocytes of chickens. Platelets and thrombocytes share characteristics that contribute to innate immunity. Experiments were conducted to determine if thrombocytes could respond in vitro to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Salmonella minnesota through Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4). The aim was to activate the signal pathways leading to expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and inducible cyclooxygenase (COX-2) and to production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Chicken thrombocytes were found to express TLR4, and LPS-induced an increase in thrombocyte mRNA expression of IL-6 and COX-2 with release of PGE2 into culture media. An increase of COX-2 and PGE2 due to LPS stimulation was inhibited by MEK1 inhibitor PD98059, but IL-6 expression was unaffected by PD98059. The IKK-2 inhibitor BMS345541 inhibited IL-6 and COX-2 with reduction of PGE2 concentrations. Therefore, the MAP kinase (MAPK) pathway activates expression of COX-2 and ultimately PGE2 production, but this pathway has little or no influence on IL-6 expression in thrombocytes. The NF-κB pathway also influences COX-2 expression and PGE2 production, and it is a primary activation signaling cascade for IL-6 gene expression in chicken thrombocytes. Thrombocytes represent a major component of the innate immune system of chickens in response to LPS and possibly other microbial products.
Student Attitudes and Calculus Reform

This paper compares the attitudes about mathematics of students from traditionally taught calculus classes and those from a “reformed” calculus course. The paper is based on three studies, which together present a consistent picture of student attitudes about calculus reform. The reformed course appeared to violate students' deeply held beliefs about the nature of mathematics and how it should be learned. Although during their first months in the reformed course most students disliked it, their attitudes gradually changed. One and 2 years after, reform students felt significantly more than the traditionally taught students that they better understood how math was used and that they had been required to understand math rather than memorize formulas.
Plasticity of Hatching in Green Frogs (Rana clamitans) to Both Egg and Tadpole Predators

Abstract We examined whether embryos of the green frog (Rana clamitans) would adaptively alter hatching times in the presence of both egg predators (the crayfish Procambarus nigrocinctus) and tadpole predators (the dragon nymph Anax junius). Under laboratory conditions, we exposed eggs with developing embryos to four experimental treatments that varied in the type of caged predator: egg predator only, tadpole predator only, both predators together, or no predator. As predicted, the presence of an egg predator caused a significant reduction in time to hatching. However, contrary to our prediction, eggs also hatched sooner in the presence of a tadpole predator. Moreover, there was no significant interaction between the effects of the two predators and thus no evidence that R. clamitans embryos can distinguish between predator types. We also found significantly lower hatching success in the presence of an egg predator, despite the fact that the predator did not have direct contact with the eggs. These result...
Integral transforms, data compression, and automatic analysis of seismic sections

It is shown that seismic sections contain 10/sup 5/ times more data than is needed to fully describe a completely interpreted section. Three ways of reducing the size of a data set are suggested: mapping into subsets of smaller dimension; normalization providing a reduction factor of four or more; and conversion into zero crossings, further reducing the data by a factor of 20. If combined, these methods can reduce the data set by a factor of 100 or more and may also improve the S/N (signal/noise) of the data and their effective dynamic range. In implementing these methods, two families of transforms that are designed to extract the information from the data (integral and morphological transforms) are introduced. Interpretation by visual inspection is more of a pattern classification rather than quantified analysis of the data. Ways to identify such patterns using clustering algorithms are suggested. >
Fatigue in HIV and AIDS: An Analysis of Evidence

HIV-related fatigue continues to be the most common complaint of infected people. No physiological factors have been consistent predictors for fatigue; psychosocial factors, particularly depression, have emerged more consistently in studies. While clinicians would want to rule out common causes of fatigue such as hypothyroidism, hypogonadism, or anemia, there is scant research for most interventions, which makes it difficult to make definitive recommendations for their use. Modafinil has the strongest research evidence to date, with multiple studies finding it effective in relieving fatigue. However, researchers must continue to pursue ways to ameliorate fatigue in HIV infection, given the high financial, personal, and social costs suffered by people experiencing it.