cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kinetic analysis of gastric pouch emptying after bariatric surgery

1360 Objectives Sustained weight loss after bariatric surgery reflects a complex neurohormonal process that includes hormones that affect gastric emptying. It is postulated that these also affect the emptying of the pouch created by gastric bypass surgery, and are critical to weight loss. We report the kinetics of gastric pouch in a cohort of patients that underwent Rous-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, but failed to sustain weight loss. Methods A review of the institutional database (2008-2009) found 13 cases of gastric pouch emptying scintigraphy. We reviewed the clinical records and imaging findings of these cases and performed detailed kinetic analysis in a cohort of 7 representative cases. Gastric pouch emptying studies were performed with a radiolabeled egg-substitute, and a 2-hour dynamic scan. Results The cohort included women age 27-58 years old that had gastric bypass but unexpectedly failed to sustain weight loss. Except for two cases that were adequately controlled on medication, none were diabetics. None had untreated thyroid disease, or took medications with significant impact on gastric motility. They had no reflux, and endoscopy and UGI exams failed to explain the weight gain. The patterns of pouch emptying in scintigraphy were different from gastric emptying and very variable in our cohort. Some curves followed a linear model, but others were fitted best to complex exponential models that accounted for lags or dumping. In one case oscillations were noted in a background of steady linear emptying that could not be explained by breathing motion or reflux. The half time for pouch emptying ranged from 6 minutes to 625 minutes. Conclusions In our cohort pouch-emptying kinetics was complex and different from gastric emptying. The kinetics varied widely between subjects, although in some instances pouch emptying was so prolonged as to be clearly abnormal. The pouch emptying of a solid test meal is likely nonlinear and different from the linear kinetics of gastric emptying. Research Support Faculty Career Development Award BURA 2008-200
The Design and Development of an Evaluation System for Online Instruction

This paper describes the conceptualization and development of an evaluation system that can be used to monitor and evaluate online instructional efforts. The evaluation system addresses concerns of both program administrators and course instructors. Computer technology is used to provide partial automation to reduce respondent burden and to efficiently use evaluation resources. The activities of the project reflect major efforts to obtain information, design components of the ,evaluation system, and test and revise the evaluation system. The specific activities described in the paper are to: (1) develop a conceptual model for online evaluation; (2) identify specific vital signs for an online program and determine appropriate measures; (3) automate the collection and analysis of evaluation data using knowledge engineering; (4) create an electronic performance support system to assist in program evaluation; and (5) conduct a field test of the evaluation system. (Contains 31 references.) (MES) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. The Design and Development of an Evaluation System for Online Instruction PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL BEEN GRANTED BY
Hypocrisy and the Politics of Politeness: Hypocrisy and the novel I: Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded

In a letter of 20 October 1755, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu writes with disapproval of Richardson's latest heroine that Harriet Byron “follows the Maxim of Clarissa, of declaring all she thinks to all the people she sees, without refflecting [sic] that in this Mortal state of Imperfection Fig leaves are as necessary for our Minds as our Bodies, and tis as indecent to shew all we think as all we have.” Montagu's objection to Sir Charles Grandison hinges on the question of whether it is wise to promote a rhetoric of transparency when decency in social interactions depends on concealment. Is the openness of Richardson's (usually female) first-person narrators sincere and principled, as Richardson and his supporters assert, or obscene and manipulative, as his detractors charge? Both Clarissa (1747–48) and Grandison (1753–54) were written in part to refute the accusations of readers who had singled out in Richardson's first novel Pamela (1740–41) what they perceived as technical and moral crudities, identifying Pamela herself as a hypocrite, and the Pamela controversy of the early 1740s offers eighteenth-century Britain's most fully worked-out debate on the problem of hypocrisy. Many of Richardson's readers found it impossible to separate their doubts about Pamela's sexual integrity from those about her rhetorical integrity, and I will approach Pamela as an experiment in which Richardson explores the rhetorical risks and payoffs of writing an epistolary fiction in which the personal safety of the primary letter-writer depends on her being able to persuade readers within the world of the novel that she is not a hypocrite.
The Commerce Power and Congressional Mandates

In National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, a five-Justice majority concluded that the commerce power did not support enactment of the so-called “individual mandate,” which imposes a penalty on many persons who fail to buy health insurance. That ruling is sure to spark challenges to other federal laws on the theory that they likewise mandate individuals or entities to take certain actions. Federal laws founded on the commerce power, for example, require mine operators to provide workers with safety helmets and (at least as a practical matter) require mine workers to wear them. Some analysts will say that laws of this kind are distinguishable from the health care mandate because they reach only actors who have injected themselves into commerce by engaging in mining. There is a problem with this distinction, however, because the health care mandate itself does not apply to everyone. Instead, it takes aim only at citizens who inject themselves into commerce to such an extent that they generate a minimum annual income.In this Article, I seek to untangle the Court’s new anti-mandate principle. I suggest that future cases implicating this principle will present two central questions. First, courts will have to decide whether the challenged law embodies a mandate. Second, if it does, they will have to determine whether that mandate is sustainable under the commerce power, notwithstanding the limits laid down in the health care case. I argue that answering this second question will require consideration of four analytical touchstones — what I call (1) escapability, (2) relatedness, (3) invasiveness, and (4) policy sensitivity. The operation of these four factors — each of which presents its own analytical complexities — signals the difficulties that courts will face in future mandate cases. And the presence of these difficulties highlights the need for the sort of structured analysis I offer here.
Emerson—Nietzsche's Voluptuary?

This article reflects on the complex nature of Nietzsche's enduring appreciation of Emerson. Rather than rely on merely coincidental similarities between the two thinkers, the essay discerns a more difficult relationship—that of friendship—which somehow, perhaps through character, unites the two without making them the same.
Visiting Women in Prison

ABSTRACT This article provides a descriptive analysis of visitation at a maximum security prison for women. Prisons throughout the country now hold over 87,000 women, a 100% increase over the past ten years. Women inmates, including those in this study, are young, single, unemployed, and undereducated. This study collected and examined visitation data on 222 women who averaged 22 months of incarceration. During their incarceration, 79% of the women received at least one visit from a friend or family member. Of the women who received visits, the most frequent visitors were friends (evenly divided among males and females), not family members. For all visitors, the major impediment to visitation was the distance that they, especially children, had to travel to reach the prison. Perhaps as a result, 61% of the women who were mothers did not receive any visits from their children. The study concluded that visitation and the separation that ensues when visits are terminated can be a harrowing experience for wom...
The primate erythrocyte complement receptor (CR1) as a privileged site : Binding of immunoglobulin G to erythrocyte CR1 does not target erythrocytes for phagocytosis

The primate erythrocyte (E) complement receptor, CR1, is a transmembrane glycoprotein located in clusters on the surface of E. In vivo studies have demonstrated that during processing and clearance of complement-opsonized immune complexes, large amounts of immunoglobulin G (IgG) can be bound to primate E via CR1 with no E loss or lysis. However, when comparable amounts of IgG are bound to other sites on E, in many cases the E are cleared from the circulation by the mononuclear phagocytic system. Therefore, due to its role in immune complex processing, CR1 may represent a privileged site on the primate E. To delineate further this property of E CR1, we performed in vitro phagocytosis assays in the absence of complement and examined the ingestion of E, opsonized at various sites with IgG, by peripheral blood monocytes. When either human or rhesus monkey E were opsonized at sites other than CR1, with between 1,000 and 15,000 IgG per E, substantial phagocytosis of E was evident. However, when comparable amounts of IgG were bound exclusively via CR1, little, if any, phagocytosis was observed. The key to the low phagocytic level of E opsonized via CR1 may be related to the requirements of a "zipper mechanism" for phagocytosis first annunciated by Griffin et al. Based on their findings, we suggest that due to the presence of preexisting clusters of CR1 on the E membrane, large amounts of IgG can be bound to E under conditions that preclude circumferential engagement (and phagocytosis) of the entire E by Fc receptors on the monocyte.
Review: Brief screening tests for dementia have pooled sensitivity of 76% to 92% and specificity of 81% to 91%

Source Citation Tsoi KK, Chan JY, Hirai HW, Wong SY, Kwok TC.Cognitive tests to detect dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Intern Med. 2015;Jun 8. [Epub ahead of print]. 26052687
Switchgrass growth and morphological changes under established pine-grass agroforestry systems in the lower coastal plain of North Carolina, United States.

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) intercropped with Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) has been proposed as a potential biomass feedstock for biofuel production in the southeastern United States. This study investigated effects of treatments (intercropping vs. grass only) on biomass increment processes and morphological properties of switchgrass at two experimental plots (Lenoir1) located in the coastal plain of North Carolina. We also evaluated effects of trimming lower tree branches of pine trees on switchgrass growth at another watershed-scale site (Carteret7) in the same region. Results showed that biomass yield of intercropped switchgrass was reduced by adjacent trees and negatively affected by relative position of grass to trees at the 6th year after planting at Lenoir1. Relative grass-to-tree position was also found to be a significant (p < 0.001) factor affecting grass growth at Carteret7 site with tree age of 5 years old, which is irrespective to the trimming practice. Trimming lower tree branches did not significantly (p = 0.57) improve biomass yield of switchgrass at Carteret7. We also observed intercropped switchgrass typically had higher specific leaf area and grew taller compared to grass-only plots. Stem-to-leaf ratios of switchgrass were significantly (p = 0.02) affected by trees at Lenoir1, but not by trimming lower branches in Carteret7 and relative position of grass to trees at both study sites. Findings from this study are important for evaluating the viability of producing biofuel feedstocks using this proposed intercropping system in the southeastern United States.
Religious professionals and institutions: untapped resources for clinical care

In the vast majority of situations, religious professionals and institutions are competent, caring, and respectful of child and adolescent psychiatrists and mental health workers and welcome the opportunity to collaborate to meet the religious/spiritual, medical, physical, and emotional needs of children, adolescents, and families. Clinicians are well advised to familiarize themselves with the religious professionals, institutions, and resources in the geographic areas in which they practice.
Abstract 4874: Bisphenol A exposure negates tamoxifen-mediated chemoprevention in MMTV-erbB2 transgenic mice.

Bisphenol A (BPA), the building block of polycarbonate plastics with estrogenic activity, is one of the most common chemicals people are exposed to in daily life. Increasing reports suggest a link between BPA exposure and increased breast cancer risk. Although the effect of early BPA exposure and breast cancer risk later in life has been extensively studied, whether this xenoestrogen interferes with hormonal therapeutic agents, such as tamoxifen, has hardly been documented. In this study, we tested the effect of BPA exposure on mammary tumor development and tamoxifen-mediated chemoprevention in MMTV-erbB2 transgenic mice. BPA (500 ng/kg in sesame oil) was administered daily by subcutaneous injection for 8 weeks, starting from 8 weeks of age. Citrate tamoxifen at a dose of 1 mg/kg/day was administered by oral gavage alone or in combination with BPA. Based on tumor latency, we found that BPA alone accelerated mammary tumor development whereas tamoxifen treatment profoundly delayed the tumorigenesis. A combination of tamoxifen-treatment and BPA exposure, however, significantly (p Citation Format: XiaoHe Yang, Zhikun Ma, Yunbo Jiang. Bisphenol A exposure negates tamoxifen-mediated chemoprevention in MMTV-erbB2 transgenic mice. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4874. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-4874
Childhood adversity, attachment security, and adult relationships: A preliminary study

Abstract Several evolutionary theorists have linked early rearing context to later reproductive strategy, hypothesizing that strategies differentiate during development as functional responses to ecological characteristics, by individuals or through parental manipulation. Attachment security has been proposed as a mediator. In this study, 40 young adults were given a multidimensional assessment, including the Hazen and Shaver Adult Attachment Questionnaire. Twenty-four subjects were classified as having secure attachment styles, 16 as nonsecure. The magnitude and predictability of parental investment during childhood was classified as lower if there was a brief intersibling interval, parental divorce, fewer economic resources, or less nurturing parents (i.e., more childhood adversity). Several such indicators were present for 17 people, 12 of whom were nonsecure, compared to only 4 of the 23 others. The nonsecurely attached subjects were less likely to have attained enduring marriages. The 6/16 nonsecure who had a marriage or cohabitation began them at a younger age and after a shorter courtship period than did the 15/24 secure with such relationships. Separations or divorces had already occurred in the relationships of 4/6 nonsecure versus 5/15 secure. Attachment security was associated with childhood adversity and adult relationships for both men and women, when analyzed separately. A retrospective study cannot address cause and effect, because poor adult relationship outcomes might bias recall of parental behavior. However, results are consistent with theories that unpredictable early environments foster short-term rather than long-term mating strategies, possibly through affecting attachment styles.
In-situ characterization of visible and near-infrared Raman throughput from fiber optics in a high intensity gamma radiation environment

The use of fiber-optic-based Raman spectroscopy as a diagnostic in waste tanks and streams has been suggested both as a safety measure and a process chemistry control. The chief advantages of Raman for these applications are its ability to provide highly resolved, distinctive spectroscopic signatures of neutral and ionic molecular species in complex matrices with fairly rapid data acquisition (often less than one minute) from remote distances, easily in excess of 100 meters. Disadvantages include the rather insensitive nature of the Raman measurement, the possibility of optical interferences, especially from stray light or photoluminescence, and the problematic application of Raman for quantitative determination of analytes. Other considerations include the small sampling volume, costs of instrumentation and facilities requirements.
Develop a compiler in Java for a compiler design course

The authors' Compiler Design course at Bridgewater State College implemented a translator for a small language using Java. The project was broken into five assignments that included a language definition, extension of this language, a lexical analyzer, a recursive descent parser, and finally a code generator that generated Jasmin assembly language code for the JVM (Java Virtual Machine).
Investigation of Modulation of the Alpha-2 Receptor in Tetrahydropalmatine (THP) Analgesia in Male Sprague-Dawley Rats

The increased use of nutraceuticals over the past 20 years makes it essential to know the effects these may have with anesthetics and analgesics (Kaye et al., 2000). Tetrahydropalmatine (THP), a derivative of the herb corydalis, may have analgesic properties (Hu & Jin, 2000a; Wei, Zou, Young, Dubner, & Ren, 1999); however, the mechanism of action is unclear. We proposed that THP may modulate alpha-2 receptors and interact with dexmedetomidine, a known alpha-2-receptor agonist, used for sedation. Fifty-five male Sprague-Dawley rats, divided into five groups, were administered the following by intraperitoneal injection: (1) vehicle, (2) dexmedetomidine, (3) THP, (4) THP and yohimbine, and (5) THP and dexmedetomidine. A baseline measurement of hot-plate latency was recorded, followed by an injection of appropriate compound(s). Testing occurred at 5, 10, 30, and 60 min after injections. Repeated measures ANOVA suggested a significant difference among groups (f = 8.09; p = 0.00). Post hoc Bonferroni suggested that THP significantly prolonged reaction time on the hot plate compared to vehicle (p =. 037). Rats injected with THP and yohimbine did not have significantly shorter latency times compared to those injected with THP alone suggesting that THP does not modulate alpha-2 receptors. Finally, rats injected with THP and dexmedetomidine did not demonstrate a significantly increased latency time compared to THP alone, suggesting no additive effect of THP.
Transport of chemical vapors through soil: A landfill cover simulation experiment

Abstract Experimental simulation studies of the transport of volatile organic chemical vapors by both diffusion and convection through soil covers, as in landfi
Analysis of hospital energy audits

Abstract Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) staff conducted energy audits at 48 hospitals in four states between 1978 and 1980. The energy audits show an average potential energy saving of almost 100 kBtu/ ft 2 (1.1 GJ/m 2 ), a 20% reduction. The variation among hospitals is large; the range is from 6% to 49% of baseline energy use. The cost to implement all these conservation practices and measures is quite low, only 25 ¢/ft 2 ($2.65/m 2 ), which implies an average payback period of only one year. Analysis of the audit results shows that the potential energy saving increases with baseline energy use and decreases with fuel price. This suggests that large energy savings will be found at hospitals that are particularly energy-intensive and that have low fuel prices.
Constraining the Lifetime of Circumstellar Disks in the Terrestrial Planet Zone: A Mid-Infrared Survey of the 30 Myr old Tucana-Horologium Association

We have conducted an N-band survey of 14 young stars in the ~30 Myr old Tucana-Horologium association to search for evidence of warm, circumstellar dust disks. Using the MIRAC-BLINC camera on the Magellan I (Baade) 6.5 m telescope, we find that none of the stars have a statistically significant N-band excess compared to the predicted stellar photospheric flux. Using three different sets of assumptions, this null result rules out the existence of the following around these post-T Tauri stars: (1) optically thick disks with inner hole radii of 0.1 AU, (2) optically thin disks with masses of less than 10-6 M⊕ (in ~1 μm sized grains) within 10 AU of these stars, and (3) scaled-up analogs of the solar system zodiacal dust cloud with more than 4000 times the emitting area. Our survey was sensitive to dust disks in the terrestrial planet zone with fractional luminosity of log(Ldust/L*) ~ 10-2.9, yet none were found. Combined with results from previous surveys, these data suggest that circumstellar dust disks become so optically thin as to be undetectable at N band before age ~20 Myr. We also present N-band photometry for several members of other young associations and a subsample of targets that will be observed with the Spitzer Space Telescope by the Formation and Evolution of Planetary Systems Legacy Science Program. Finally, we present an absolute calibration of MIRAC-BLINC for four filters (L, N, 11.6, and Qs) on the Cohen-Walker-Witteborn system.
Perceived Group Variables as Moderators of the Task Characteristics-Individual Performance Relationship

A sample of scientists and engineers from 15 R&D organizations participated in a study designed to assess the moderating influences of facets of perceived cohesiveness and collaborative problem solving on the task characteristics-individual performance relationship. It was found that two facets of collaborative problem solving moderated the relationship between task difficulty and individual performance. Two facets of group cohesiveness also moderated the task difficulty-individual performance relationship. None of the dimensions of collaborative problem solving or cohesiveness dependably moderated the relationship between task variability and performance. These findings are discussed relative to the group dynamics literature and the management of task groups.
Hepatozoon griseisciuri infection in gray squirrels of the southeastern United States.

Blood films and selected tissue sections from 270 gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) from 18 sites in 11 southeastern states were examined for Hepatozoon griseisciuri. This parasite was found in 110 (41%) squirrels from 17 of the 18 sites. Data suggested transmission of the parasite apparently occurs throughout the year and increases from spring to late summer. The infection was more prevalent in subadults and adults than in juveniles. Schizogonic stages were found only in the lungs, suggesting this organ is a major site of schizogony. Pathologic changes associated with H. griseisciuri infection were thickening of alveolar walls, eosinophil infiltration, pulmonary congestion and atelectasis.
Science discipline knowledge in primary teacher education: Responses to the discipline review of teacher education in mathematics and science

This paper describes a study of primary teacher educators reaction to those aspects of theDiscipline Review of Teacher Education in Mathematics and Science dealing with early childhood and primary pre-service teacher education. Interviews with two of the authors of the Review are also reported.
Adventures in SAR processing

The image formation process associated with coherent imaging sensor is particularly sensitive to and is often corrupted by non-stationary processes. In the case of SAR, non- stationary processes result from motion within the scene, variable radar cross section, multi-path, topographic variations, sensor anomalies, and deficiencies in the image formation processing chain. Conversely, stationary processes result in image signatures that appear literal to the eye, e.g., urban infrastructure, vegetation, and natural terrain. In analyzing SAR signal history two objectives unfold. One is to obtain a well-focused image devoid of distortions and non-literal artifacts. The second objective is the detection and value-added exploitation of the non-stationary signatures. Note that the roles of signal and clutter are reversed for these two objectives. The notion that joint time-frequency (JTF) techniques may prove useful in accomplishing these objectives has spurred limited investigations into the field of coherent radar imaging systems. This paper addresses SAR image formation processing, the complex response function for a point source, and SAR JTF image formation implementations. Each of these topics is described within the context of applying JTF processing to all aspects of SAR image formation and analysis.
Cyclic GMP response in vivo to cholinergic stimulation of gastric mucosa.

INTEREST in cyclic guanosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cGMP) has been stimulated by the demonstration that its sister nucleotide, cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cAMP), is an intracellular mediator or ‘second messenger’ for many hormones, including noradrenaline, the neurohormone of the sympathetic nervous system1. Reports concerning the possible implication of cAMP in gastric secretion in mammals are conflicting. The infusion of histamine increases cAMP in canine gastric juice2 but does not stimulate adenylate cyclase activity of canine gastric mucosa3. A review of the subject has led to no consensus of opinion4.
Symmetric synchronous stream encryption using images

In this paper, a symmetric synchronous stream encryption technique is suggested. The proposed technique utilizes a selected block from the parity bit plane of a public image as a nonlinear function to confuse the relation between the ciphered bits and the key stream. Using the proposed technique, any sort of message like text or image can be encrypted as well as decrypted bit by bit. Simulation results showed that ciphered gray scale images have flat histogram with entropy almost equal to eight and a correlation between pixels in all directions which is almost equal to zero. The technique is highly sensitive to any change in the starting pixel of the selected block or the initial condition of the pseudo-random generator.
Shape‐shifting neoliberalism and World Bank education policy: a response to Steven Klees

I am pleased to be part of this symposium on Steven J. Klees’ ‘A Quarter Century of Neoliberal Thinking in Education: Misleading Analyses and Failed Policies’. In this article, Klees provides a ric...
Abstract Ability in the Process-Reactive Classification of Schizophrenia

(1962). Abstract Ability in the Process-Reactive Classification of Schizophrenia. The Journal of General Psychology: Vol. 67, No. 1, pp. 147-154.
Developments in Laser-Beam Control With Holographic Diffraction Gratings

Binary holographic diffraction gratings were developed to shape laser-beam profiles and to generate multi-beam wavefronts for use in active infrared laser radar systems. The use of detector arrays in such systems requires amplitude and phase matching of multi-beam local oscillators to signal wavefronts in order to maximize the system's signal-to-noise ratio and resolution and to minimize the heat generated on the focal plane. In addition, a beam shaper in the transmit beam of the laser radar must shape the centro-symmetric Gaussian profile of the laser beam into a stretched profile that efficiently and uniformly illuminates the far-field footprint of the detector array. Potential applications include synthetic optical elements, high-energy laser-beam samplers, and uses in laser-beam annealing and optical communication.
Complexes of polypyrazolylborate ligands. IV. Boron-hydrogen-molybdenum bridge bonding in the so-called sixteen electron complex [dihydrobis-(3,5-dimethyl-1-pyrazolyl)boratel-(trihaptocycloheptatrienyl)dicarbonylmolybdenum in the crystal

Abstract The crystal and molecular structure of [bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl) dihydroborate] (h3-cycloheptatrienyl) dicarbonylmolybdenum has been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The asymmetric unit contains two molecules which are virtually mirror images of each other. The cycloheptatriene ring is found as a trihapto species, and the pyrazolylborate ligand is bidentate. The MNNBNN ring has a pronounced boat conformation with one of the hydrogen atoms on the boron atom approaching the molybdenum atom closely, forming a BHMo 3-center, 2-electron bond. The average HB (terminal), BH (bridge) and HMo distances in the two independent molecules are 1.05 A, 1.26 A, and 2.14 A; each individual distance to a hydrogen atom has an esd of 0.06 A and the members of each equivalent pair differ by less than this. The molybdenum atom achieves an effective 18-electron configuration when the two electrons of the BHMo bond are counted. The puzzling stability of “16-electron” configurations is thus explained. The crystal data are: space group P∼1(Ci1, no. 2), a = 10.354(4) A, b = 19.783(8) A, c = 10.318(5) A, α = 96.83(2)°, β = 86.93(2)° and γ = 107.16(1)°; the density (by flotation): 1.47±01 g/ cm3; (calculated for Z = 4) 1.477 g/cm3. The intensities of 4121 reflections collected with MoKα radiation on a counter diffractometer were used to solve and refine the structure. The structure was solved by conventional Patterson and Fourier methods and refined by full-matrix least-squares methods to final unweighted and weighted residuals, 0.044 and 0.059, respectively. When hydrogen atoms were included in the calculated structure factors, R1 and R2 were reduced to 0.032 and 0.045, respectively.
Assessing bias of multicenter trials with incomplete treatment allocation

Abstract Some multicenter randomized controlled trials (e.g. for rare diseases or with slow recruitment) involve many centers with few patients in each. Under within-center randomization, some centers might not assign each treatment to at least one patient; hence, such centers have no within-center treatment effect estimates and the center-stratified treatment effect estimate can be inefficient, perhaps to an extent with statistical and ethical implications. Recently, combining complete and incomplete centers with a priori weights has been suggested. However, a concern is whether using the incomplete centers increases bias. To study this concern, an approach with randomization models for a finite population was used to evaluate bias of the usual complete center estimator, the simple center-ignoring estimator, and the weighted estimator combining complete and incomplete centers. The situation with two treatments and many centers, each with either one or two patients, was evaluated. Various patient accrual mechanisms were considered, including one involving selection bias. The usual complete center estimator and the weighted estimator were unbiased under the overall null hypothesis, even with selection bias. An actual dermatology clinical trial motivates and illustrates these methods.
Transposon mutagenesis identifies genes essential for Plasmodium falciparum gametocytogenesis

Gametocytes are essential for Plasmodium transmission, but little is known about the mechanisms that lead to their formation. Using piggyBac transposon-mediated insertional mutagenesis, we screened for parasites that no longer form mature gametocytes, which led to the isolation of 29 clones (insertional gametocyte-deficient mutants) that fail to form mature gametocytes. Additional analysis revealed 16 genes putatively responsible for the loss of gametocytogenesis, none of which has been previously implicated in gametocytogenesis. Transcriptional profiling and detection of an early stage gametocyte antigen determined that a subset of these mutants arrests development at stage I or in early stage II gametocytes, likely representing genes involved in gametocyte maturation. The remaining mutants seem to arrest before formation of stage I gametocytes and may represent genes involved in commitment to the gametocyte lineage.
Existence of Transdominant and Potentiating Mutants of UL9, the Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Origin-Binding Protein, Suggests that Levels of UL9 Protein May Be Regulated during Infection

UL9 is a multifunctional protein required for herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) replication in vivo. UL9 is a member of the superfamily II helicases and exhibits helicase and origin-binding activities. We have previously shown that mutations in the conserved helicase motifs of UL9 can have either a transdominant or potentiating effect on the plaque-forming ability of infectious DNA from wild-type virus (A. J. Malik and S. K. Weller, J. Virol. 70:7859-7866, 1996). In this paper, the mechanisms of transdominance and potentiation are explored. We show that the motif V mutant protein containing a G to A substitution at residue 354 is unstable when expressed by transfection and is either processed to a 38-kDa N-terminal fragment or degraded completely. The overexpression of the MV mutant protein is able to influence the steady-state protein levels of wild-type UL9 and to override the inhibitory effects of wild-type UL9. Potentiation correlates with the ability of the UL9 variants containing the G354A mutation to be processed or degraded to the 38-kDa form. We propose that the MV mutant protein is able to interact with full-length UL9 and that this interaction results in a decrease in the steady-state levels of UL9, which in turn leads to enhanced viral infection. Furthermore, we demonstrate that inhibition of HSV-1 infection can be obtained by overexpression of full-length UL9, the C-terminal third of the protein containing the origin-binding domain, or the N-terminal two-thirds of UL9 containing the conserved helicase motifs and the putative dimerization domain. Our results suggest that transdominance can be mediated by overexpression, origin-binding activity, and dimerization, whereas potentiation is most likely caused by the ability of the UL9 MV mutant to influence the steady-state levels of wild-type UL9. Taken together, the results presented in this paper suggest that the regulation of steady-state levels of UL9 may play an important role in controlling viral infection.
Collisionless space-charge limited currents in semiconductors with nonparabolic bands

The current-voltage relation for space-charge limited collisionless flow is computed for a model semiconductor with a hyperbolic band structure as deduced from two-band \bar{k} \cdot \bar{p} perturbation theory. The expected current is reduced significantly below the constant effective mass value for voltages in excess of the bandgap, and the high-voltage asymptotic relation is V rather than V^{3/2} .
Microwave EPR self-induced transparency

The waveguide propagation of a microwave magnetic field pulse at electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) with a free radical sample of electron spins distributed along the guide displays the phenomenon of self-induced transparency (SIT). Predictions of plane-wave optical SIT are modified by summation of the magnetic-moment-microwave-field coupling over the transverse waveguide mode for specific sample geometries. Mode modified pulse area theorems are presented. Observed output pulse areas and shapes are compared with computer predictions. After pulse propagation over several absorption lengths a spontaneous zero-area pulse propagation effect is observed for a short weak input pulse with spectral width comparable to or larger than the spin-resonance linewidth. Alternating 180\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} phase shifts in the pulse carrier wave, accounting for zero area, signify magnetic dipole transitions which alternate between coherent absorption and emission to some extent, and therefore anomalous pulse propagation is observed. For pulses applied off-resonance, linear and nonlinear shifts of the average carrier frequency occur toward the center of the spin resonance.
Internal photo-oxidation reduction of impurity ions in crystals: extension of an early Feofilov experiment

first studied by P. P. Feofilov, has been used to supplement photoconductivityexperiments for the study of ionization and trapping. The identity of the donorand acceptor centers are positively established in the electron transferexperiment. Ratios of the cross sections for trapping by locally compensatedand non-locally compensated trivalent ions in fluorite lattices were obtained.The effect of an interstitial fluoride ion on the ionization potential of Sm+2was measured. Evidence for trapped exciton states is reviewed here and comparedto recent spectroscopic evidence for excitons trapped at Ti3+ in sapphire.Key words: rare earth ions in fluorites, photoionization energies, deep traps,trapping cross sections, trapped excitons1. INTRODUCTIONP. P. Feofilov1 was the first to report on the phototransfer of an electronfrom a divalent rare earth to a trivalent one when both are incorporated in afluorite host crystal. The concentrations were low, i03 to iO atom fraction,so that electrons would have to travel distances of tens of unit cells from thedonor to the acceptor. Later, Welber2 reported on the same reactions,additionally showing their photo reversibility. A typical reaction, which wealso studied,34 is
REAL-TIME, MID-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPIC IMAGING MICROSCOPY USING INDIUM ANTIMONIDE FOCAL-PLANE ARRAY DETECTION

A different approach toward mid-infrared spectroscopic imaging microscopy is introduced in which instrumentation is designed about an InSb multichannel, focal-plane array detector and a variable-bandpass dielectric filter. The system may be configured for either macroscopic or microscopic applications, and high-fidelity, chemically specific images may be acquired in real time. With the dielectric filter used in this assembly, continuous tuning is provided for the infrared 4000-2320 cm-1 spectral region with spectral resolutions of approximately 35-18 cm-1 at the extremes of this wavelength interval. The functioning of the imaging microscope is demonstrated with samples including polystyrene microspheres, preparations of lipids and an amino acid embedded in KBr disks, and a tissue sample derived from a coronal slice of a monkey cerebellum.
Impaired forearm vasodilation to hyperosmolal stimuli in patients with congestive heart failure secondary to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy or to ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Abstract Patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) have impaired peripheral vasodilation during exercise. Hyperosmolality is one local stimulus that produces vasodilation during exercise in normal subjects. This study addressed the hypothesis that vasodilation to hyperosmolal stimuli is impaired in patients with CHF. Forearm blood flow responses to intrabrachial artery infusions of isoosmolal (280 mosm/kg) and hyperosmolal (480 and 660 mosm/kg) solutions of saline and glucose were compared in 9 patients with CHF and 13 normal subjects. Forearm blood flow was measured by strain gauge plethysmography. In the normal subjects, hyperosmolal infusions of 480 and 660 mosm/kg increased forearm blood flow by 3.12 ± 0.40 and 6.80 ± 0.67 ml/min/100 ml forearm volume, respectively (both p
Can I Play with You? The Intersection of Play and Writing in a Kindergarten Classroom

Play is well documented as a purposeful, authentic way for children to engage in literacy practices. Although the benefits of play are widely agreed upon, there is some debate regarding its place in school. In fact, play is often marginalized in place of ‘back to the basics' language instruction. For kindergartners, this means word recognition drills, letter-sound correspondence exercises, and other decontextualized exercises. Increased pressures translate into directive language instruction rather than a social space for contextualized language use. In this two-month case study of a diverse kindergarten classroom, the practices are highlighted of a group of children that engaged in school writing tasks within their play. Given the space to play, children used the resources of popular culture and childhood interests with the academic tasks of writing, word and letter recognition, and phonics-based instruction. Peer interactions in play connected fluidly to their formal reading and writing tasks. The findi...
Mechanisms underlying increased reactivity of pulmonary arteries contralateral to a localized high-flow anastomosis.

Objectives Our model of a systemic–pulmonary shunt exhibits enhanced reactivity of pulmonary arteries contralateral to a localized shunt between the left lower lobe pulmonary artery and aorta relative to those of ipsilateral or control pulmonary arteries 48 hours after anastomosis. We examined the contribution of nitric oxide, cyclooxygenase, lipoxygenase, or cytochrome P450 production to mediating this enhanced reactivity. Methods We created a surgical end-to-side anastomosis of the left lower lobe pulmonary artery to the aorta. Forty-eight hours later, we tested tension of pulmonary artery rings from the right and left lower lobes for contraction to the thromboxane mimetic U46619 in the presence of vehicle or inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase, cytochrome P450, or lipoxygenase. Western blots of pulmonary artery homogenates were probed for endothelial nitric oxide synthase or isoforms metabolizing arachidonic acid. Eicosanoid products from intact pulmonary artery rings were detected using labeled arachidonic acid and high-performance liquid chromatography separation. Results Enhanced reactivity of unshunted right pulmonary arteries over that of left pulmonary arteries from high-flow hosts was not eliminated by inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase, cytochrome P450. Treatment with 2 different lipoxygenase inhibitors, nordihydroguaiaretic acid and cinnamyl-3,4-dihydroxy- α -cyanocinnamate, closed the difference in contractility of shunted and unshunted pulmonary arteries. Pulmonary arteries contralateral to shunts metabolized arachidonic acid to 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid in greater quantities than analogous pulmonary arteries from the experimental left or control pulmonary arteries. Conclusions Forty-eight hours after anastomosis, enhanced reactivity of contralateral pulmonary arteries is attributable in part to increased lipoxygenase products as opposed to nitric oxide or other eicosanoid products.
Amputations in obliterative vascular disease

Abstract The underlying arterial pathology in patients with vascular disease makes it necessary to vary treatment of infections and injuries. Local lesions requiring amputation must be allowed to demarcate and plastic closures usually fail. Major amputations can be made relatively safe by the adoption of a standard medical and surgical routine with careful preoperative and postoperative care. An operative technique for vascular thigh operations is outlined. The combined attention of the medical and surgical attendant with the basic vascular problem in mind is advocated.
A. J. Ayer on the Argument from Illusion

In his paper “Has Austin Refuted the Sense-Datum Theory?” A. J. Ayer contends that the argument from illusion calls attention to perspectival distortion, perceptual misidentification and elusive perceptual belief only in order to establish the possibility of perceptual error. Pointing to our occasional perceptual failures reminds us that perceptual error is always logically possible—that any particular perceptual belief to the effect that one is perceiving a physical surface could be mistaken. This in turn is thought by Ayer to show that the ordinary belief that we perceive physical surfaces requires qualification—along lines urged by sense-datum philosophers—to the effect that even in those situations properly described for non-philosophical purposes as perceptions of physical surfaces it cannot be physical surfaces that are literally present to one's senses. Ayer believes that this can be established, for any given case, by the possibility of perceptual error alone.
Mid-level practitioners in dermatology: a need for further study and oversight.

inafter “mid-level providers”), has rapidly expanded. While originally envisioned to improve access to primary care in underserved areas under the supervision of a physician, mid-level providers have expanded their scope of practice and are now able to bill independently for the procedures they perform. In their article “Scope of Physician Procedures Independently Billed by Mid-Level Providers in the Office Setting,” 2 Coldiron and Ratnarathorn present data regarding common procedures billed independently by mid-level providers. Using the 2012 Medicare Physician/Supplier Procedure Summary Master File, provided annually by the Centers for Medicaid Services (CMS), this study identified the most common Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes billed independently by mid-level providers. Of the over 4 million procedures performed independently, nearly 55% of codes performed were in the area of dermatology. The most commonly performed dermatologic procedures are destruction of 2 to 14 premalignant lesions (CPT 17003) and biopsy of a single lesion (CPT 11100).
Theoretical studies of the complex [(BPMEN)Fe(II)(NCCH3)2](2+), precursor of non-heme iron catalysts for olefin epoxidation and cis-dihydroxylation.

The density functional theory (DFT) was applied to elucidate the electronic structure of the BPMEN [N,N‘-bis(6-R-2-pyridylmethyl)-1,2-diaminoethane] iron complex, [(BPMEN)Fe(NCCH3)2]2+, a precursor of catalysts that catalyze the stereospecific olefin oxidation. The low-lying high and low spin states of complex 1 (R = H) are nearly degenerate with a slight preference for the high spin state. For complexes with substituents (R) at the 6-positions of two pyridine rings of BPMEN, the ground state is the high spin (HS) state, with the low spin (LS) state higher in energy by 9.5, 5.3, 8.5, 6.3, and 5.1 kcal/mol for complexes 2 (R = CH3), 3 (R = SiH3), 4 (R = OH), 5 (R = F), and 6 (R = CN), respectively, with the B3LYP method. Our findings for complexes 1 and 2 are in good agreement with the experimental observations. The calculated LS−HS difference of 17.9 kcal/mol for complex 7 (R = t-Bu) clearly demonstrates that the steric effect causes the Fe−N bonds to stretch and favors the high spin state. Comparison of ...
Penile paraffinoma: the delayed presentation

The injection of foreign substances into the penis for the purpose of augmentation may result in erectile dysfunction, voiding difficulties, and severe deformity. We report a case of penile paraffinoma in a 71-year-old man that developed nearly 40 years after undergoing a series of penile injections with an unknown substance. Penile paraffinoma can therefore present a diagnostic dilemma given its protracted latency period, after which time the initial injections have faded into distant memory.
The organic matrices of the shell of the American oyster Crassostrea virginica Gmelin

Abstract The calcified shell layer of the American oyster Crassostrea virginica Gmelin consists of the calcitic prismatic layer and calcitostracum. The EDTA-insoluble matrix of the prismatic layer has a relatively high non-polar amino acid content, a common feature of calcitic prismatic layers of many bivalve species. The proteins of the prismatic layer wall matrix are shown by immunocytochemistry to be different from those of the intercrystalline matrix of the same layer. Immunocytochemical studies of both layers indicate that the insoluble matrix fraction constitutes the major framework of the matrix. The soluble matrix, with its glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), seems to be at the surface of the insoluble matrix and surrounds calcite crystals. Soluble and insoluble matrices appear to be synthesized separately, but packaged into the mucous droplets of the outer shell-side epithelium of the mantle, where they aggregate in groups and are secreted into the extrapallial cavities.