cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High frequency microsatellite instability in mucinous adenocarcinoma of the prostate

True mucinous adenocarcinoma of the prostate is a rare morphological variant, accounting for approximately 0.4% of the prostatic adenocarcinomas. Although amounts of mucin confined in the lumina can be demonstrated in a great number of prostatic carcinomas, only those with at least 25% of the resected tumor composed of lakes of extracellular mucin should be classified as true mucinous.1 The impact of the mucinous growth pattern on the clinical course is unclear. Whereas many investigators have suggested that the mucinous variant is less aggressive than the nonmucin producing adenocarcinoma of the prostate, others have observed no difference in clinical symptoms and metastatic behavior.2 For colonic carcinoma it has been demonstrated that extracellular mucin production is an outstanding feature of those tumors revealing microsatellite instability.3 Despite a strong tendency for poor differentiation, microsatellite instability positive colonic carcinomas seem to have a relatively favorable clinical outcome with a reduced likelihood of metastases. To our knowledge no data on molecular changes in the phenotypically related mucinous tumors of the prostate gland are available yet. We report a case of a mucinous adenocarcinoma of the prostate with poor clinical outcome. Molecular analyses revealed high frequency microsatellite instability, indicating a defective mismatch repair to be related to the development of the mucinous prostatic tumor type. CASE REPORT
Production of Napiergrass as a Bioenergy Feedstock Under Organic Versus Inorganic Fertilization in the Southeast USA

Napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) is a high-yielding perennial biomass crop that is well adapted to the Southeast USA where poultry litter is readily available. This research was conducted to compare biomass production and nutrient utilization of napiergrass fertilized with either poultry litter or inorganic fertilizer. Each spring, approximately 100 kg ha−1 of N, 40 kg ha−1 P, and 90 kg ha−1 K were applied as poultry litter or equivalent inorganic fertilizer. Biomass was harvested each winter after senescence. For the first 2 years, dry matter yield did not differ among treatments, but in the third and fourth years, yields declined in all treatments and were lowest in the unfertilized treatment. Biomass N concentration and N removal were greatest in the inorganic treatment. In general, N removal exceeded the amount applied, suggesting that higher application rates may be necessary to maintain yields. Biomass P concentration and total P uptake were greatest in the litter fertilized treatment, demonstrating that napiergrass can remove some of the excess P from applied litter. Soil cores were taken periodically to assess changes in soil properties. After 2 years of production, soil pH in the surface layer (0–15 cm) was lower in the inorganic treatment than in the other treatments. After 4 years, total soil C had increased by an average of 3,180 kg ha−1 though fertilizer treatments did not differ. Yield declined in all treatments after 4 years and N supplementation is recommended for production in upland fields.
The application of droop-control in distributed energy resources to extend the voltage collapse margin

The growth in distributed energy resources has the potential to reduce system stresses caused by transmission grid congestion by supplying power and voltage regulation closer to load centers. However, the additional voltage regulation provided by these resources can mask the onset of voltage collapse. Local voltage support flattens the slope in the upper region of the power-voltage nose curve. Coordinating voltage-regulation behavior with the droop-control scheme in distributed resources improves the observation of voltage collapse margins. Incorporating distributed resource models in the continuation power flow analysis, allows the exploration of the power transfer gains by the application of distributed resources. The analysis provides insight to the impact of droop control on the behavior of the power-voltage curve and voltage collapse. The analysis is applied to a fixed speed induction generator wind farm with separate reactive compensation and the interconnection to the local power system. Results reveal that coordinating the droop control strategy allows the distributed resource to significantly increase the voltage collapse margin without hiding the threat of voltage stability problems.
Rhabdomyolysis Secondary to a Drug Interaction between Simvastatin and Clarithromycin

OBJECTIVE:To report a case of rhabdomyolysis resulting from concomitant use of clarithromycin and simvastatin.CASE SUMMARY:A 64-year-old African-American man was admitted to the hospital for worsening renal failure, elevated creatine phosphokinase, diffuse muscle pain, and severe muscle weakness. About three weeks prior to admission, the patient was started on clarithromycin for sinusitis. The patient had been receiving simvastatin for approximately six months. He was treated aggressively with intravenous hydration, sodium bicarbonate, and hemodialysis. A muscle biopsy revealed necrotizing myopathy secondary to a toxin. The patient continued to receive intermittent hemodialysis until his death from infectious complications that occurred three months after admission. There were several factors that could have increased his risk for developing rhabdomyolysis, including chronic renal failure.DISCUSSION:Clarithromycin is a potent inhibitor of CYP3A4, the major enzyme responsible for simvastatin metabolism. Th...
Outcomes of Swallowing Rehabilitation in Chronic Brainstem Dysphagia: A Retrospective Evaluation

This study examines the functional and physiologic outcomes of treatment in a group of 10 patients with chronic dysphagia subsequent to a single brainstem injury. All patients participated in a structured swallowing treatment program at a metropolitan teaching hospital. This program differs from more traditional swallowing treatment by the inclusion of surface electromyography biofeedback as a treatment modality and the completion of 10 hr of direct treatment in the first week of intervention. A retrospective analysis of medical records and patient questionnaires was used to gain information regarding medical history, site of lesion, prior interventions, and patient perception of swallowing recovery. Physiologic change in swallowing treatment, as measured by severity ratings of videofluoroscopic swallowing studies, was demonstrated in nine of 10 patients after 1 week or 10 sessions of treatment. Functional change was measured by diet level tolerance after 1 week of treatment, at 6 months, and again at 1 year posttreatment. Eight of the 10 patients were able to return to full oral intake with termination of gastrostomy tube feedings, whereas two demonstrated no long-term change in functional swallowing. Of the eight who returned to full oral intake, the average duration of tube feedings following treatment until discontinuation was 5.3 months, with a range of 1–12 months. Six patients who returned to oral intake maintained gains in swallowing function, and two patients returned to nonoral nutrition as the result of a new unrelated medical condition.
Building biases in infancy: the influence of race on face and voice emotion matching

Early in the first year of life infants exhibit equivalent performance distinguishing among people within their own race and within other races. However, with development and experience, their face recognition skills become tuned to groups of people they interact with the most. This developmental tuning is hypothesized to be the origin of adult face processing biases including the other-race bias. In adults the other-race bias has also been associated with impairments in facial emotion processing for otherrace faces. The present investigation aimed to show perceptual narrowing for other-race faces during infancy and to determine whether the race of a face influences infants’ ability to match emotional sounds with emotional facial expressions. Behavioral (visual-paired comparison; VPC) and electrophysiological (event-related potentials; ERPs) measures were recorded in 5month-old and 9-month-old infants. Behaviorally, 5-month-olds distinguished faces within their own race and within another race, whereas 9-month-olds only distinguish faces within their own race. ERPs were recorded while an emotion sound (laughing or crying) was presented prior to viewing an image of a static African American or Caucasian face expressing either a happy or a sad emotion. Consistent with behavioral findings, ERPs revealed race-specific perceptual processing of faces and emotion ⁄ sound face congruency at 9 months but not 5 months of age. In addition, from 5 to 9 months, the neural networks activated for sound ⁄ face congruency were found to shift from an anterior ERP component (Nc) related to attention to posterior ERP components (N290, P400) related to perception.
A Role for Partial Endothelial–Mesenchymal Transitions in Angiogenesis?

The contribution of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transitions (EMT) in both developmental and pathological conditions has been widely recognized and studied. In a parallel process, governed by a similar set of signaling and transcription factors, endothelial-to-mesenchymal transitions (EndoMT) contribute to heart valve formation and the generation of cancer-associated fibroblasts. During angiogenic sprouting, endothelial cells express many of the same genes and break down basement membrane; however, they retain intercellular junctions and migrate as a connected train of cells rather than as individual cells. This has been termed a partial endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition. A key regulatory check-point determines whether cells undergo a full or a partial epithelial-to-mesenchymal transitions/endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition; however, very little is known about how this switch is controlled. Here we discuss these developmental/pathological pathways, with a particular focus on their role in vascular biology.
Remission of angina pectoris: correlation with the stress thallium-201 test.

Chez un homme de 54 ans ayant des symptomes angineux, l'epreuve d'effort au thallium avait montre de grandes zones de perfusion defectueuse. Ce malade est devenu asymptomatique, le test d'effort au thallium ne montrait plus d'anomalie
Psychomotor testing predicts rate of skill acquisition for proficiency-based laparoscopic skills training

Background.Laparoscopic simulator training translates into improved operative performance. Proficiency-based curricula maximize efficiency by tailoring training to meet the needs of each individual; however, because rates of skill acquisition vary widely, such curricula may be difficult to implement. We hypothesized that psychomotor testing would predict baseline performance and training duration in a proficiency-based laparoscopic simulator curriculum. Methods.Residents (R1, n!20) were enrolled in an IRB-approved prospective study at the beginning of the academic year. All completed the following: a background information survey, a battery of 12 innate ability measures (5 motor, and 7 visual-spatial), and baseline testing on 3 validated simulators (5 videotrainer [VT] tasks, 12 virtual reality [minimally invasive surgical trainer‐ virtual reality, MIST-VR] tasks, and 2 laparoscopic camera navigation [LCN] tasks). Participants trained to proficiency, and training duration and number of repetitions were recorded. Baseline test scores were correlated to skill acquisition rate. Cutoff scores for each predictive test were calculated based on a receiver operator curve, and their sensitivity and specificity were determined in identifying slow learners. Results:Only the Cards Rotation test correlated with baseline simulator ability on VT and LCN. Curriculum implementation required 347 man-hours (6-person team) and $795,000 of capital equipment. With an attendance rate of 75%, 19 of 20 residents (95%) completed the curriculum by the end of the academic year. To complete training, a median of 12 hours (range, 5.5-21), and 325 repetitions (range, 171-782) were required. Simulator score improvement was 50%. Training duration and repetitions correlated with prior video game and billiard exposure, grooved pegboard, finger tap, map planning, Rey Figure Immediate Recall score, and baseline performance on VT and LCN. The map planning cutoff score proved most specific in identifying slow learners. Conclusions:Proficiency-based laparoscopic simulator training provides improvement in performance and can be effectively implemented as a routine part of resident education, but may require significant resources. Although psychomotor testing may be of limited value in the prediction of baseline laparoscopic performance, its importance may lie in the prediction of the rapidity of skill acquisition. These tests may be useful in optimizing curricular design by allowing the tailoring of training to individual needs. (Surgery 2006;140:252-62.)
Named entity recognition from Conversational Telephone Speech leveraging Word Confusion Networks for training and recognition

Named Entity (NE) recognition from the results of Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) is challenging because of ASR errors. To detect NEs, one of the options is to use a statistical NE model that is usually trained with ASR one-best results. In order to make NE recognition more robust to ASR errors, we propose using Word Confusion Networks (WCNs), sequences of bundled words, for both NE modeling and recognition by regarding the word bundles as units instead of the independent words. This is done by clustering similar word bundles that may originate from the same word. We trained the NE models with the maximum entropy principle and evaluated the performance using real-life call-center data. The results showed that by using the WCNs, the error of NE recognition was relatively reduced by up to 33.0%.
The Relationship of Prenatal and Perinatal Complications to Cognitive Functioning at Age 7 in the New England Cohorts of the National Collaborative Perinatal Project

Previous literature shows that children who later develop schizophrenia have elevated rates of prenatal and perinatal complications (PPCs) and neuropsychological deficits in childhood. However, little is known about the relationship of these risk factors to each other. We evaluated the relationship between PPCs and neuropsychological functioning at age 7 in a large epidemiological study of pregnancy, birth, and development: the National Collaborative Perinatal Project (NCPP). Thirteen standardized measures of cognitive abilities were acquired on 11,889 children at approximately age 7. Principal components analysis was used to create three neuropsychological measures: academic achievement skills, verbal-conceptual abilities, and perceptual-motor abilities. We measured the relationship between these factors and three measures of PPCs: low birth weight (LBW), probable hypoxicischemic complications, and chronic hypoxia. All three measures of PPCs were significantly associated with lower neuropsychological performance, after controlling for various confounders. LBW had the strongest association with neuropsychological performance, followed by an index of presumed hypoxic insults. The effect sizes between PPCs and cognitive factors at age 7 were consistently largest with perceptual-motor abilities, followed by academic achievement skills and verbal-conceptual abilities. Future studies will evaluate the effects of specific PPCs and genetic risk factors for psychosis on cognitive functioning in childhood.
Outcomes of Acute Chest Syndrome in Adult Patients with Sickle Cell Disease: Predictors of Mortality

Adults with sickle cell disease(SCD) are a growing population. Recent national estimates of outcomes in acute chest syndrome(ACS) among adults with SCD are lacking. We describe the incidence, outcomes and predictors of mortality in ACS in adults. We hypothesize that any need for mechanical ventilation is an independent predictor of mortality.
Differential effects of cigarette smoke on oxidative stress and proinflammatory cytokine release in primary human airway epithelial cells and in a variety of transformed alveolar epithelial cells

Cigarette smoke mediated oxidative stress and inflammatory events in the airway and alveolar epithelium are important processes in the pathogenesis of smoking related pulmonary diseases. Previously, individual cell lines were used to assess the oxidative and proinflammatory effects of cigarette smoke with confounding results. In this study, a panel of human and rodent transformed epithelial cell lines were used to determine the effects of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) on oxidative stress markers, cell toxicity and proinflammatory cytokine release and compared the effects with that of primary human small airway epithelial cells (SAEC). Primary human SAEC, transformed human (A549, H1299, H441), and rodent (murine MLE-15, rat L2) alveolar epithelial cells were treated with different concentrations of CSE (0.2–10%) ranging from 20 min to 24 hr. Cytotoxicity was assessed by lactate dehydrogenase release assay, trypan blue exclusion method and double staining with acridine orange and ethidium bromide. Glutathione concentration was measured by enzymatic recycling assay and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal levels by using lipid peroxidation assay kit. The levels of proinflammatory cytokines (e.g. IL-8 and IL-6) were measured by ELISA. Nuclear translocation of the transcription factor, NF-κB was assessed by immunocytochemistry and immunoblotting. Cigarette smoke extract dose-dependently depleted glutathione concentration, increased 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE) levels, and caused necrosis in the transformed cell lines as well as in SAEC. None of the transformed cell lines showed any significant release of cytokines in response to CSE. CSE, however, induced IL-8 and IL-6 release in primary cell lines in a dose-dependent manner, which was associated with the nuclear translocation of NF-κB in SAEC. This study suggests that primary, but not transformed, lung epithelial cells are an appropriate model to study the inflammatory mechanisms in response to cigarette smoke.
A genome-scale analysis of the cis-regulatory circuitry underlying sonic hedgehog-mediated patterning of the mammalian limb.

Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signals via Gli transcription factors to direct digit number and identity in the vertebrate limb. We characterized the Gli-dependent cis-regulatory network through a combination of whole-genome chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-on-chip and transcriptional profiling of the developing mouse limb. These analyses identified ∼5000 high-quality Gli3-binding sites, including all known Gli-dependent enhancers. Discrete binding regions exhibit a higher-order clustering, highlighting the complexity of cis-regulatory interactions. Further, Gli3 binds inertly to previously identified neural-specific Gli enhancers, demonstrating the accessibility of their cis-regulatory elements. Intersection of DNA binding data with gene expression profiles predicted 205 putative limb target genes. A subset of putative cis-regulatory regions were analyzed in transgenic embryos, establishing Blimp1 as a direct Gli target and identifying Gli activator signaling in a direct, long-range regulation of the BMP antagonist Gremlin. In contrast, a long-range silencer cassette downstream from Hand2 likely mediates Gli3 repression in the anterior limb. These studies provide the first comprehensive characterization of the transcriptional output of a Shh-patterning process in the mammalian embryo and a framework for elaborating regulatory networks in the developing limb.
Surviving Graduate School: What Happens in Session, Stays in Session

With nearly 100 students attending, there was no better way to kick off Celebrating Women in Statistics than with a panel titled, “Surviving Graduate School.” Panelists K. Nicole Meyer, Kaitlin Woo...
Remarks on validation of uncertainty models using frequency response data

Uncertainty validation using frequency response data has been studied by several authors. If the uncertainty is assumed to be stable, then the problem amounts to one of boundary interpolation. It is shown in this paper that for more general uncertainty models, an additional constraint is needed in order for the results of Boulet et al. (1998) and Chen (1997) to be applicable. Boundary interpolation, together with the proposed constraint, gives a satisfactory answer to the validation problem for uncertainty models.
Identification and classification of Oxalobacter formigenes strains by using oligonucleotide probes and primers

Genomic DNAs of various strains of Oxalobacter formigenes were subjected to restriction endonuclease fragment length polymorphism- and PCR-based amplification analyses with DNA probes and primers complementary to sequences within either the oxc gene, encoding oxalyl coenzyme A (oxalyl-CoA) decarboxylase, or the frc gene, encoding formyl-CoA transferase. Oligonucleotide probes based on nonconserved sequences of oxc or frc were able to divide O. formigenes strains into at least two groups, consistent with the current separation of O. formigenes strains into groups I and II on the basis of 16S rRNA sequence similarities and lipid content. In contrast, an oligonucleotide probe based on the conserved 5' end of oxc appeared to bind all group I and the majority of group II strains. PCR amplification of the oxc gene showed even greater sensitivity in detecting O. formigenes and provided support for further division of the strains into subgroups. In addition, these oligonucleotides failed to hybridize to or amplify PCR products from whole fecal DNA isolated from fresh stool samples from an individual not colonized with O. formigenes, indicating unique specificity. Thus, these DNA analyses permit both detection as well as classification of O. formigenes strains.
On the angular radiance closure of tropical cumulus congestus clouds observed by the Multiangle Imaging Spectroradiometer

over a (2.2 km) 2 area, and (5) a vertical-mean b retrieved using off-nadir reflectances. An asymmetry about nadir in the observed reflectance means and skewnesses is not reproduced by any Monte Carlo simulation. The lack of symmetry can be related to differing proportions of unobscured sunlit and shadowed cloudy areas within the different views, even for these cases with viewing angles close to the perpendicular plane. The Monte Carlo simulations do not appear to capture the observed fraction of unobscured sunlit and shadowed cloudy areas, suggesting that radiatively significant cloud variability is occurring at scales smaller than the height field resolution of ±550 m. Results from the Monte Carlo simulation done at a higher vertical resolution are consistent with this. The cases examined also contain a nadir maximum in the observed reflectance skewnesses and a relative maximum for the observed nadir reflectances, attributed to the solar illumination of some optically thick cloud surfaces and to specular reflection pervading through the optically thin cloudy regions. This contrasts with previous modeling results that assume a Lambertian surface. INDEX TERMS: 3359 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Radiative processes; 3360 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Remote sensing; 3374 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Tropical meteorology; 3394 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Instruments and techniques; KEYWORDS: 3-D radiative transfer, cumulus congestus, MISR
Toxicity studies with methyl N-[[(methylamino)carbonyl]oxy]-ethanimidothioate.

Abstract Methomyl exhibited a low order of chronic oral toxicity even though it exhibited high acute oral toxicity. When applied dermally to rabbits, aqueous suspensions of methomyl exhibited low acute toxicity. Subacute oral tests in rats indicated no cumulative oral toxicity, and plasma cholinesterase activity for test rats was similar to that of the controls. Also, when methomyl was applied to intact skin of rabbits, 15 daily treatments produced no cumulative effects. Fish residue studies showed no build-up of methomyl in the tissues and no signs of a compound-related effect were noted in a 30-day feeding study in Japanese quail. Methomyl fed to pregnant New Zealand white rabbits on Days 8–16 of gestation at dietary levels of 0, 50, and 100 ppm was not teratogenic. In a 3-generation, 6-litter reproduction study with rats, at the same dietary levels, methomyl had no adverse effects upon reproduction and lactation performance; no pathologic changes were observed in weanling pups of the F3b generation. The oral administration of 28 mg/kg to adult hens did not result in demyelination of the sciatic nerve. Rats of both sexes were fed nutritionally complete diets containing 0, 10, 50, 125–500, and 250 ppm of methomyl in a 90-day feeding study and 0, 50, 100, 200, and 400 ppm of methomyl in a 22-month feeding study. The weight gain for the high-level males was significantly lower than that of the controls. No clinical, hematological, biochemical, urinary, or pathologic evidence of toxicity was observed at 90 days. However, in the 22-month study, decreased hemoglobin values were noted in the two higher level female test groups. A significantly higher testis/body weight ratio was observed in the high-level males. Histopathologic alterations were observed in the kidneys of male and female rats receiving 400 ppm and the spleens of the female rats receiving 200 and 400 ppm of methomyl. Beagle dogs of both sexes, fed nutritionally complete diets containing 0, 50, 100, and 400 ppm of methomyl in 90-day and 2-year feeding studies, showed no nutritional, clinical, urinary, or biochemical evidence of toxicity; in the latter study, an additional dietary level of 1000 ppm caused some clinical signs of toxicity and mortality. Similar to the findings in the 22-month feeding study in rats, histopathologic changes were observed after 2 years in the kidney and spleen as well as in the liver at the two higher feeding levels. In addition, dogs receiving the high-level diet showed a compound-related anemia. There was no evidence of carcinogenicity at any levels in either rats or dogs. Based on the results of the long-term studies, the “no-effect” level was determined for rats and dogs to be 100 ppm.
ISAAC - a case of highly-reusable, highly-capable computing and control platform for radar applications

ISAAC is a highly capable, highly reusable, modular, and integrated FPGA-based common instrument control and computing platform for a wide range of instrument needs as defined in the Earth Science National Research Council (NRC) Decadal Survey Report. This paper presents its motivation, technical approach, and the infrastructure elements. It also describes the first prototype, ISAAC I, and its application in the design of SMAP L-band radar digital filter.
Effects of some epidemiological factors on levels of disease caused by Dactylaria higginsii on Cyperus rotundus.

Abstract The objective of this study was to identify some epidemiological conditions that affect the pathogenicity and weed control efficacy of the fungal pathogen Dactylaria higginsii on Cyperus rotundus. In controlled environments, the fungus required a minimum dew period of 12 h and a temperature of 25 C during the dew period to produce severe disease on four- and six-leaf-stage plants inoculated with 106 conidia ml−1. Under these conditions, 75% disease (percent leaf area damaged) and excellent weed control (nearly 100% plant mortality) were achieved. In experiments to test the interaction among dew period temperature, dew period duration, and plant growth stages, younger plants (four- to six-leaf) were more susceptible to D. higginsii than older (eight-leaf-stage) plants. At the dew period duration of 24 h and dew period temperature of 30 C, the number of days to obtain 50% disease severity on four- to six-leaf-stage plants was significantly less (10 d) compared with older plants (16 d). To achieve e...
Localism's Ecology: Protecting and Restoring Wildlife Habitat in the Suburban Nation

There is wide agreement among conservation activists and scientists alike that loss and alteration of habitat are the leading threats to biodiversity in America. Suburbs and exurbs, though, are only beginning to acknowledge that they are the problem in the struggle to stem the tide of sprawl and other economic processes producing ecosystem-wide habitat degradation today. A recent resurgence in academic and activist attention to local governments in America is reconsidering them as viable solutions to this problem. But most of this dialogue is being based upon a mistaken conception of local governance. Much of the legal scholarship on local environmentalism has ignored the reality of our localism and its role in the creation of the ever-expanding built landscape in America. This paper argues that this lack of realism in the current debate about local environmental law renders it blind to the vices of local governments and some of their sham conservation measures, but also to their counterintuitive virtues and possibilities for real conservation progress. Local government's deep connection to private property entrepreneurialism is what has made it so practically powerful in resisting so many state and federal environmental initiatives. But it may well be this dimension of our localism that renders it uniquely fit to the tasks of real habitat protection and restoration in the twenty-first century.
Enthalpies of mixing for disordered alkali feldspars at high temperature; a test of regular solution thermodynamic models and a comparison of hydrofluoric acid and lead borate solution calorimetric techniques

Enthalpies of solution have been measured for an II-member analbite-sanidine series at 704 DCin molten lead borate. Enthalpies ofK-Na mixing determined from the data are statistically equivalent to those determined by HF solution calorimetry at 50 DC(Hovis, 1988). This indicates that regular solution thermodynamic models, which assume enthalpies of mixing to be independent of temperature, are valid for the disordered alkali feldspars. The experiments also demonstrate the consistency of the HF and lead borate solution calorimetric techniques. Volumes of K-Na mixing at room temperature also are reported.
The Process of Reform in the United Nations — A Case Study on Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Evaluation

U.N. programmes and budgets are today an object of controversy. The U.S. government and the other large contributors contend that the level of the U.N. budget is too high, and that it finances too many activities that are obsolete or of marginal usefulness, while developing countries believe that a lack of resources keeps programmes from reaching their threshold of efficiency.
Kinetics of the Antibody Response to Anaplasma Marginale Infection

A pattern of sequential synthesis of particular molecular species of immunoglobulins has been described in the response of several animal species to nonviable antigens such as proteins, polysaccharides, and inactivated bacteria. With few exceptions early, exclusive 7M globulin antibody synthesis is augmented or replaced by 7G antibody after periods ranging from days to months (Fahey, 1962a). There have been, however, few studies relating the sequential appearance of immunoglobulin classes to the course of infectious
A Hexokinase Inhibitor in Nerve.

Summary1. Nerve homogenates, but not those of muscle or liver, inhibit brain glycolysis, the inhibition being a linear function of the amount of nerve. 2. Two thirds of the inhibitor activity is in a protein and lipid fraction precipitated at pH 5.3 to pH 5.5. From 200 mg of fresh nerve, 3 mg of protein and a like amount of lipid are obtained. Even this semi—purified fraction loses activity slowly in the cold, almost at once on heating. 3. The inhibition is specific for brain hexokinase. The enzyme from yeast or liver is not inhibited; glycolysis of hexose phosphates by brain is not inhibited. Fructose loss is inhibited half as strongly as that of glucose. 4. Crystalline insulin can counteract the nerve inhibitor. This and its other properties are similar to those of the inhibitor from the anterior pituitary.
Graphical Constructions for a Function of a Function and for a Function Given by a Pair of Parametric Equations

Let us now suppose the planes 7iri xOu and W3 UOY to be revolved around the axes of x and y respectively until they coincide with the plane 712yOx, and in such a way that the revolved positions of the positive u-axis coincide with the negative portions of the unrevolved axes of x and y (see Fig. 2). If a general point of space be denoted by P, let its orthographic projections on rl, 1T2, and 73 be denoted by 'P, P" and "'P respectively. During the revolutions just made the point P" remains unchanged, but the points 'P and "'P assume the new positions P' and P"' respectively (see Fig. 2). The plane T2, which now also contains the revolved positions of the planes w7r and 73, is the drawing plane of Mongean Descriptive Geometry and the unrevolved axes of x and y are called the first and second ground lines respectively (see Fig. 3). The internal bisector of the right angle formed by the positive portions of these ground lines is called the line b. From the method of obtaining the points P', P", P"' of the drawing plane it follows that: (1) P' and P" lie on the same perpendicular to the first ground line,
XPL: An extended probabilistic logic for probabilistic transition systems

Generalized Probabilistic Logic (GPL) is a temporal logic, based on the modal mu-calculus, for specifying properties of reactive probabilistic systems. We explore XPL, an extension to GPL allowing the semantics of nondeterminism present in Markov decision processes (MDPs). XPL is expressive enough that a number of independently studied problems--- such as termination of Recursive MDPs (RMDPs), PCTL* model checking of MDPs, and reachability for Branching MDPs--- can all be cast as model checking over XPL. Termination of multi-exit RMDPs is undecidable; thus, model checking in XPL is undecidable in general. We define a subclass, called separable XPL, for which model checking is decidable. Decidable problems such as termination of 1-exit RMDPs, PCTL* model checking of MDPs, and reachability for Branching MDPs can be reduced to model checking separable XPL. Thus, XPL forms a uniform framework for studying problems involving systems with non-deterministic and probabilistic behaviors, while separable XPL provides a way to solve decidable fragments of these problems.
A Rasch Perspective on Firm Financial Performance in the Pharmaceutical Industry

The metrics that are relevant for ranking firms by their financial performance may vary with conditions across different industries. For the pharmaceutical industry, we explore an approach that lets the Rasch model determine the performance metrics that are most important. Using an initial set of ratios spanning multiple dimensions of firm financial performance, we select the ratios that are compatible with the requirements of the Rasch model for this industry during 2002–2011. We identify the metrics, for which positive results were most difficult to achieve, and the firms that most frequently ranked among the top five performers. Our approach offers a new perspective or research method on the valuation of managers and their firms. Interestingly, our results suggest that the variables most relevant for a Rasch financial performance ranking of firms in this industry are not necessarily the variables that directly measure increases in investor wealth or returns.
Undecidability and Incompleteness

Our main objectives are to show (I) Q(N) is incomplete, i.e. there is a closed A such that neither ⊢ Q A nor ⊢ Q -A. (II) Q(N) is undecidable, i.e. there is no effective way of deciding whether ⊢ Q A. Using (II) for Q we can establish (III) Functional calculus is undecidable. (I) and (II) would only show that Q and N are inadequate formalizations of our intuitive concepts if we could not also show (IV) Any consistent effective extension of Q is incomplete. (V) Any consistent effective extension of Q is undecidable.
Kuhn and Relativism: Is He or Isn’t He?

Thomas S. Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions is perhaps the single most influential work in the “new” , i.e. post-positivist, philosophy of science. Kuhn is widely regarded as having offered a relativistic conception of scientific knowledge. Yet he has disavowed relativism, and has made several attempts to clarify his position regarding relativism and related issues. As we shall see, relativism is for Kuhn bound up with a host of such issues, especially those concerning the rationality and objectivity of science, and the “incommensurability” of rival scientific theories. Consequently, we must consider the entire Kuhnian conception of science in order to come to grips with Kuhn’s commitment to relativism. Thus Kuhn’s general portrayal of science constitutes the focus of this chapter. Our tasks are to determine the extent of Kuhn’s commitment to a relativistic epistemology of science, to sort out the complex tangle of charge and counter-charge between Kuhn and his critics, and to assess the power of the broad Kuhnian picture of science, especially regarding relativism, the objectivity of scientific knowledge, and the rationality of scientific methodology. We begin with an exposition of Kuhn’s book.
Conditional Models for Three-Dimensional Human Pose Estimation.

Human 3d pose estimation from monocular sequence is a challenging problem, owing to highly articulated structure of human body, varied anthropometry, self occlusion, depth ambiguities and large variability in the appearance and background in which humans may appear. Conventional vision based approaches to human 3d pose estimation mostly employed “top-down methods”, which used a complete 3d human model, in a hypothesized pose, to explain the configuration of the humans in the observed 2d image. In this thesis, we work with “bottom-up methods” for human pose estimation, that use low level image features to directly predict 3d pose. The research draws on recent innovations in statistical learning, observation-driven modeling, stable image encodings, semi-supervised learning and learning perceptual representations. We address the problems of (a) modeling pose ambiguities due to 3d-to-2d projection and self occlusion, (b) lack of sufficient labeled data for training discriminative models and (c) high dimensionality of human 3d pose state space. In order to resolve 3d pose ambiguities, we use multi-valued functions to predict multiple plausible 3d poses for an image observation. We incorporate unlabeled data in a semi-supervised learning framework to constrain and improve the training of discriminative models. We also propose generic probabilistic Spectral Latent Variable Models to efficiently learn low dimensional representations of high dimensional observation data and apply it to the problem of human 3d pose inference.
An Introduction to Several Solid State Techniques for the Study of Ion Implanted Materials

The study of ion-implanted materials requires methods which are sensitive to the local structure and chemistry of the implanted atoms. Optical spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy have proven to be among the most useful solid state methods. For the study of materials implanted to very high fluences, the use of surface analysis methods may also provide some unique information. The characteristics of these methods will be reviewed and examples presented which show how the techniques can be used to analyze implanted materials.
Posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity is associated with left hippocampal volume reduction: a meta-analytic study.

Objective Many studies have reported hippocampal volume reductions associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), while others have not. Here we provide an updated meta-analysis of such reductions associated with PTSD and evaluate the association between symptom severity and hippocampal volume. Methods A total of 37 studies met the criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Mean effect sizes (Hedges’ g) and 95% confidence intervals (CI 95%) were computed for each study and then averaged to obtain an overall mean effect size across studies. Meta-regression was employed to examine the relationship between PTSD symptom severity and hippocampal volume. Results Results showed that PTSD is associated with significant bilateral reduction of the hippocampus (left hippocampus effect size=–0.400, p<0.001, 5.24% reduction; right hippocampus effect size=–0.462, p<0.001, 5.23% reduction). Symptom severity, as measured by the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), was significantly associated with decreased left, but not right, hippocampal volume. Conclusions PTSD was associated with significant bilateral volume reduction of the hippocampus. Increased symptom severity was significantly associated with reduced left hippocampal volume. This finding is consistent with the hypothesis that PTSD is more neurotoxic to the left hippocampus than to the right. However, whether the association between PTSD and lower hippocampal volume reflects a consequence of or a predisposition to PTSD remains unclear. More prospective studies are needed in this area.
The importance of clinical research skills according to PharmD students, first-year residents, and residency directors

Abstract Purpose Research has a prominent role within the field of pharmacy practice. However, no studies have assessed the importance of research methods in pharmacy education from the perspective of students, residents, or residency directors. Methods Questionnaires were administered online in spring 2014 to four respondent groups: University of Colorado fourth year PharmD (P4) students, post graduate year 1 (PGY1) residents, and PGY1 and post-graduate year 2 (PGY2) residency directors. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize respondents; t -tests and chi-square tests were used to compare groups of respondents. Results Respondents included 255 PGY1 residency directors, 155 PGY2 residency directors, 35 PGY1 residents, and 87 P4 students. Response rates ranged from 26% (residency directors) to nearly 60% (P4 students and PGY1 residents). PGY1 residents and PGY1/PGY2 residency directors ranked research experience lowest among ten characteristics with respect to their importance when competing for a residency or being a successful resident. Among six specific clinical research skills, PGY1 residents and PGY1/PGY2 residency directors ranked "identifying and writing a research question" as the most important for successfully completing a residency research project or when selecting a PGY1/PGY2 resident. Conclusions Perceived importance of clinical research skills by P4 students, current residents, and residency program directors is low. This is in opposition to opinions from several national organizations that proclaim the importance of clinical research skills in doctor of pharmacy curricula. Pharmacy programs must continue to further develop clinical research skills and abilities of future graduates while being cognizant of these perception barriers when developing strategies to enhance research experiences within their curricular programs.
Necessity of early recognition of popliteal entrapment syndrome

Popliteal Entrapment Syndrome (PES) is a rare cause of claudication in the young population. Diagnosis is often difficult, especially if providers are not familiar with the disease and the diagnosis. Delays in diagnosis of PES are frequent and unfortunately are associated with significant limb threatening complications. Early diagnosis is key to successful treatment of PES and allows for optimal surgical treatmentresection of the compressive muscle, most frequently the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle, instead of bypass when irreversible arterial trauma has occurred. This paper describes the history of PES as well as examples of the wide spectrum of clinical presentations of PES and discusses the diagnosis, appropriate workup, options for surgical treatment based on findings, and the latest advances in ensuring adequate resection and optimal recovery. Citation: Causey MW, Singh N, Miller S, Andersen C (2015) Prog Science 2(4):e29 | doi: 10.14721/pscience.2015.e29 Original Published: J Surg Radiol. 2011 April 1;2(2) | Republished: 04/08/2015 Copyright: © 2015 Causey MW. et al. Published by TranScience. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited. Funding: none Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. E-mail: mwcausey@msn.com CASE 1 The first case is a 43 year old active male with an 8 month history of left calf pain. He presented secondary to an acute episode of pain that occurred while running on a treadmill that caused him to immediately stop. Over the next 8 months, his calf pain continued to worsen with activity and he was evaluated by numerous specialties, primary care, neurology, and orthopedics, including several radiologic studies and even an EMG. After a lengthy diagnostic process, he was referred to a vascular surgeon for evaluation. His history was significant for classic symptoms of claudication, worse when walking uphill, and had progressed so that he was unable to walk a quarter mile. Physical examination revealed palpable pulses in his right foot that decreased when standing on his toes and strongly palpable pulses on the left foot through all ranges of motion. Duplex ultrasonography demonstrated a patent right popliteal artery that occluded with plantar flexion and an ankle brachial index (ABI) of 1.08 that decreased to 0.6 after exercise in the right foot. He underwent myectomy of the medial head of the gastrocnemius and an accessory muscle slip (Figure 1) and postoperatively the patient recovered and returned to his previous functional status. doi: 10.14721/pscience.2015.e29
Increasing use of endovascular therapy in pediatric arterial trauma.

Abstract Background Endovascular therapy has been increasingly used for critically injured adults. However, little is known about the epidemiology and outcomes of endovascularly managed arterial injuries in children. We therefore aimed to evaluate recent trends in the endovascular management of pediatric arterial injuries and its association with early survival. Methods An 8-year analysis of the National Trauma Databank (2007-2014) was performed to extract all pediatric trauma patients (aged ≤16 years) with arterial injuries. Demographics, clinical data, interventions (endovascular vs open), and outcomes (in-hospital mortality and length of stay) were extracted. Patients undergoing endovascular or open procedures were compared for differences in clinical characteristics using bivariate analysis. Multivariable logistic regression analysis quantified the association between endovascular therapy and survival in the context of other variables predictive of survival on univariate analysis, with α ≤ .05. Results There were 35,771 pediatric patients available for analysis. Overall, there was a significant increase in the use of endovascular procedures (from 7.8% in 2007 to 12.9% in 2014; P P P P = .778). A logistic regression model identified Glasgow Coma Scale score ≤8, ISS ≥16, positive result of ethanol or drug screen, and systolic blood pressure Conclusions The use of endovascular therapy in pediatric vascular arterial trauma has significantly increased, especially among severely injured blunt trauma patients. Despite this successful integration into care, there was no in-hospital survival advantage conferred by endovascular therapy compared with traditional open therapy. Approximately 10% of children with arterial injuries died during initial trauma assessment before therapy could be offered. Glasgow Coma Scale score ≤8, ISS ≥16, positive result of ethanol or drug screen, and systolic blood pressure