cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inductively coupled nonthermal plasma synthesis of aluminum nanoparticles.

Metallic nanoparticles of aluminum (Al), a nontoxic and earth-abundant element, are relevant to plasmonic and energetic applications. However, monodisperse Al nanoparticles are dii¬cult to synthesize using all gas-phase approaches, especially in the 10 to 20 nm size range; yet, many applications require particles of this size due to their enhanced properties. Here, an inductive nonthermal plasma reactor fed with aluminum chloride (AlCl3) and Ar is used to synthesize single-crystal aluminum nanoparticles. The particles can be produced with or without hydrogen. Several reactor conditions such as AlCl3 vapor concentration, i¬ow rates, and power are found to strongly ini¬uence particle properties such as the oxide shell thickness, particle mono-dispersity, and particle size. Signii¬cant quantities of Ar relative to AlCl3, short residence times of 10s of ms, and pressures in excess of 4.7 Torr are required to form Al particles with geometric mean sizes of 10-20 nm and geometric standard deviations as low as 1.3. While the Al nanoparticles are covered with 2 nm - 4 nm thick oxide shells, the best synthesis conditions yield particle sizes determined by electron microscopy that are comparable to crystallite sizes determined from X-ray dii¬raction.
Non-Invasive Monitoring of Human Hygiene using Vibration Sensor and Classifiers

This paper presents the concept and idea of a noninvasive monitoring system for human hygiene using only vibration sensors. The approach is based on a geophone, a digitizer, and a cost-efficient computer board (raspberry pi). Personal hygiene is how people take care of their bodies. Maintaining hygiene practices reduces the spread of illness and the risk of medical conditions. With the current pandemic situation, practices like washing hands and taking regular showers have taken major importance among people, especially for senior populations that live alone at home. Having an understanding of the human hygiene habits of our seniors is fundamental to monitoring health conditions.
The Role of Lysosomal Hydrolases in the Mechanism of Shock

The early work of Zweifach, et al. (l) and Fine, et al. (2) suggested that the reticuloendothelial system might be importantly related to the widespread systemic failure in clinical and experimental shock.
Leveraging Enterprise-Wide Purchase Volumes: Optimal Supplier Assignment in Multi-Division Firms

Procurement has become a vital strategic function as firms increasingly pursue supply chain partnerships and outsourcing options. By coordinating procurement policies across multiple divisions and leveraging firm-wide purchasing power to negotiate significant volume discounts from suppliers, large firms can save millions of dollars in procurement costs. Coordinated procurement entails deciding which suppliers to use to meet each division’s purchasing needs and sourcing preferences so as to minimize overall procurement costs. Motivated by this supplier assignment problem facing a large industrial products manufacturer, we propose an integrated optimization model that simultaneously considers both corporate volume discounts and divisional order management costs. Since this large-scale integer program is difficult to solve using general purpose methods, we develop a tailored solution approach to generate tight lower and upper bounds. We derive several classes of valid inequalities to strengthen the linear programming relaxation, establish polyhedral properties of these inequalities, and develop both a cutting plane method and a sequential rounding heuristic procedure. Based on extensive computational tests for realistic problems, we demonstrate that optimally solving our integrated sourcing model can yield significant economic benefits, and establish the effectiveness of our composite solution method. The integrated approach yields average savings of 7.5% in total procurement costs compared to autonomous divisional policies, and our composite solution method generates near-optimal solutions (within 0.75% of optimality) within reasonable computational time.
Federalism and the Market: Testing the Model: Macroeconomic Reform Beyond the Federal-Unitary Distinction

The previous chapter and a growing body of research suggest that federalism in the developing world does not conform to the market-preserving ideal. Consistent with the poor economic reputation of federalism in places such as Russia, Argentina, and Brazil, it seems that the political and economic institutions characteristic of federalism have undermined the capacity of some developing nations to institute the lasting economic reforms that contribute to macroeconomic stability (Tanzi 1995; Treisman 1999c; Jones, Sanguinetti, and Tommasi 2000; Remmer and Wibbels 2000). Even in cases in which national policy makers have succeeded in initiating reform, macroeconomic indicators have masked destabilizing economic fragilities at the subnational level that threaten to stall, prolong, or reverse the gains achieved at the national level (Dillinger and Webb 1999; Remmer and Wibbels 2000). The prevalence of these common characteristics is not to suggest that uniformly identical processes pervade each and every federal system under consideration. Indeed, the macroeconomic experiences of the federal nations in the developing world have varied along a continuum ranging from relatively poor in Brazil throughout the 1980s and much of the 1990s to impressive policy management in Malaysia. This variation in economic outcomes is more than matched in the heterogeneity of federal institutions across nations in the developing world. As Stepan notes, there is “immense variation that exists within democratic federal systems.” To date, little research has systematically compared the impact of variations in federal politics and institutions on macroeconomic policy making and performance.
Purification and Characterization of Component S of Glutamate Mutase

Abstract Glutamate mutase from Clostridium tetanomorphum contains two different protein components or subunits. Purification of Component E has been previously reported. This paper describes the purification of the second protein, Component S, approximately 350-fold in 20 to 25% yield. The purified protein shows no detectable β-methylaspartase or Component E activity, and contains no significant amount of vitamin B6 or vitamin B12 derivatives. When in the reduced state, the enzyme appears to be at least 90% pure. The molecular weight of Component S was found to be 17,000 ± 1,000 by sedimentation equilibrium, sedimentation velocity, and gel filtration techniques. The amino acid composition of the protein was determined. Component S requires incubation with thiols for maximal activity and is inhibited by iodoacetate and arsenite. Out of a total of 5 sulfhydryl groups in the native protein, 1 or 2 appear to be essential for activity. These sulfhydryl groups readily undergo reversible oxidation to form dimer molecules and other inactive oxidized forms when the protein is exposed to air in the absence of thiols. However, the protein is most stable when stored in the absence of thiols. The effect on mutase activity of adding increasing amounts of either component to a fixed amount of the other component suggests that an equilibrium exists between the two components and the active complex. No inhibition occurs at superoptimal levels of either component when they are sufficiently purified. Half-maximal activity is obtained when the molar ratio of Component E to Component S is approximately 1. The insensitivity of Component E to iodoacetate inhibition suggests that the requirement of the mutase reaction for thiols reflects only the necessity of maintaining the sulfhydryl groups of Component S in the reduced state. Greater activity is obtained when Component S is incubated with mercaptoethanol before addition of other assay components than with any other order of addition of the thiol. Increasing the S:E molar ratio 50-fold, from about 0.3 to 16, was shown to decrease the Michaelis constant for the benzimidazolylcobamide coenzyme 40-fold. Binding experiments with dimethylbenzimidazolylcobamide coenzyme showed that Component E alone binds coenzyme weakly, but much more coenzyme is bound when an excess of Component S is present. Component S alone binds little, if any, coenzyme. No stable complex between the mutase components could be detected by gel filtration techniques. No spectral changes were observed upon addition of coenzyme or coenzyme plus substrate to the enzyme components, either separately or together.
Turing's Rules for the Imitation Game

In the 1950s, Alan Turing proposed his influential test for machine intelligence, which involved a teletyped dialogue between a human player, a machine, and an interrogator. Two readings of Turing's rules for the test have been given. According to the standard reading of Turing's words, the goal of the interrogator was to discover which was the human being and which was the machine, while the goal of the machine was to be indistinguishable from a human being. According to the literal reading, the goal of the machine was to simulate a man imitating a woman, while the interrogator – unaware of the real purpose of the test – was attempting to determine which of the two contestants was the woman and which was the man. The present work offers a study of Turing's rules for the test in the context of his advocated purpose and his other texts. The conclusion is that there are several independent and mutually reinforcing lines of evidence that support the standard reading, while fitting the literal reading in Turing's work faces severe interpretative difficulties. So, the controversy over Turing's rules should be settled in favor of the standard reading.
A copper-lowering strategy attenuates amyloid pathology in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

There is increasing evidence for the crucial role of metals in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease. Both the aggregation and neurotoxicity of amyloid-β are dependent on the presence of copper. This study investigated the ability of the copper-complexing drug tetrathiomolybdate to reduce amyloid-β pathology and spatial memory impairment in both a prevention and a treatment paradigm in the Tg2576 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Tetrathiomolybdate treatment lowered brain copper and reduced amyloid-β levels in the prevention paradigm, but not in the treatment paradigm. Our data suggests that controlled lowering of systemic copper may achieve anti-amyloid effects if initiated early in the disease process.
Electronics lab bench in a laptop: using Electronics Workbench/sup (R/) to enhance learning in an introductory circuits course

Electrical Systems, part of the Foundation Coalition Sophomore Engineering Curriculum at Rose-Hulman, serves as the introductory circuits course for students participating in the curriculum. The quarter-long three-credit course is designed to provide breadth in DC, transient, and AC circuits for all engineering majors. Rose-Hulman is in the second year of requiring entering students to purchase their own laptop computer, so this year each student in Electrical Systems has a 486-based laptop that can be used to support classroom activities as well as homework assignments. Electronics Workbench (EWB) provides an intuitive drag-and-drop user interface by which students can build a circuit, insert measuring devices such as voltmeters and ammeters, and click the "power switch" icon to simulate the circuit and see the results displayed immediately on the instrument panels. In effect, the student's laptop simulates an electronics lab bench. At the start of the quarter I spent zero class time lecturing about how to use EWB, yet students were able to productively use the simulator by the second week. In class the students experience circuit behavior as new concepts are introduced. Homework is structured around the design process: students "design" an analysis procedure, and verify their "design" with an EWB simulation. Survey results show that the students believe that the in-class simulations help them to better understand the concepts, and rate the tool highly in terms of its ability to help the learning process.
A rule-based DC analysis program for analog integrated circuits

A simulation program, DCANT (for DC analysis using noniterative techniques), for analyzing the DC operating point of an analog integrated circuit is described, and some of its features are discussed. The simulator uses no iterative techniques. Templates are used to recognize certain circuit configurations, and a hierarchical rule base exploits a limited number of node and current path types found in analog circuits, DCANT emulates the process an experienced designer would use when examining circuitry by hand. >
Particulate performance of a wafer handler for serial process ion implantation

Abstract An automatic wafer handler for ion implantation of VLSI wafers up to 150 mm diameters has been designed. This system employing vertical wafer motion, moves wafers reliably with positive edge handling. Cassettes are placed horizontally in a laminar flow work station, and wafers are loaded vertically in and out of their cassette slot, travelling a minimum distance to the implant position. Gentle water wafer motion with no sliding minimizes paniculate generation. This paper evaluates overall optimized performances of this system when operating at a maximum throughput of 350 wafers per hour.
Flexible sigmoidoscopy plus air contrast barium enema versus colonoscopy for suspected lower gastrointestinal bleeding

A randomized, controlled trial was performed to compare the diagnostic yields and cost-effectiveness of two strategies for the evaluation of nonemergent lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Three hundred eighty patients aged greater than or equal to 40 yr were randomized to undergo initial flexible sigmoidoscopy plus air contrast barium enema or colonoscopy; 332 completed the initial studies. Initial colonoscopy detected more cases of polyps less than 9 mm in size, adenomas, and arteriovenous malformations but fewer cases of diverticulosis. No significant difference was found between strategies in the number of patients detected with cancers or polyps greater than or equal to 9 mm in size. In both strategies, cancers were more common in subjects aged greater than or equal to 55 yr (8% overall) than in those aged less than 55 yr (1%). Among patients aged less than 55 yr with suspected lower gastrointestinal bleeding, initial flexible sigmoidoscopy plus air contrast barium enema is a more cost-effective strategy for the detection of colonic neoplasms than initial colonoscopy. However, initial colonoscopy is more cost effective for those aged greater than or equal to 55 yr.
Studies on the nature of reproductive inhibition in animals from laboratory populations of prairie deermice (Peromyscus maniculatus bairdi): Serum LH and FSH concentrations

Abstract Serum LH and FSH concentrations and gonadal condition in deermice maintained in laboratory populations or as pairs were determined: 1. 1. Animals taken from populations had significantly smaller body, gonad and sexual accessory weights when compared with controls. 2. 2. Histological evaluation of the gonads revealed significantly fewer spermatids in the testes and significantly fewer Type 8 follicles and corpora lutea in ovaries from population animals compared with controls. 3. 3. Serum LH concentrations were not significantly different among males, but were significantly lower in population females compared with their controls. 4. 4. Serum FSH concentrations were significantly higher in population males and population females compared with their controls.
Capsular incision in normal prostatic tissue during robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: a new concept or a waste of time?

Because radical prostatectomy with robot-assisted surgery can lead to unwanted prostatic capsular incisions, capsular incision in normal prostatic tissue (CINPT) is not rare. To study the relationship between positive surgical margins (PSM) and CINPT after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy. From September 2009 to January 2013, 203 consecutive robot-assisted prostatectomies were carried out by the same surgeon. A transperitoneal Montsouris technique was used for all cases, but modified to suit the use of the four-arm DaVinci device. The data were recorded prospectively in our database. Preoperative data were patient’s age, body mass index, prostate-specific antigen level, prostate weight, percentage of positive biopsy, clinical stage, and Gleason score. Postoperative data were preservation of the bladder neck and neurovascular bundles (NVB), the presence of extended pelvic lymph-node dissection (ePLND), pathological stage, Gleason score, margin status, blood loss, and operative room times. The CINPT and no-CINPT groups were analysed and compared retrospectively. The CINPT rates were 23.2 versus 18.2 % for PSM. CINPT contrary to PSM seemed to be more frequent in low-risk prostate cancer. NVB preservation led to more CINPT (p = 0.01). At the multivariate analysis, only the absence of ePLND significantly affected the CINPT status (p = 0.03) and the absence of CINPT positively affected the PSM rate (p = 0.03). Capsular incision in normal prostatic tissue is not a predictive factor of PSM but reflected risk-taking during surgery especially when NVB preservation is indicated in low-risk prostate cancer. It can therefore only be considered a means to evaluate a surgical technique, but not a real predictor of PSM.
Resolving and assigning N-linked glycan structural isomers from ovalbumin by IMS-MS.

Ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IMS-MS) and molecular modeling techniques have been used to characterize ovalbumin N-linked glycans. Some glycans from this glycoprotein exist as multiple isomeric forms. The gas-phase separation makes it possible to resolve some isomers before MS analysis. Comparisons of experimental cross sections for selected glycan isomers with values that are calculated for iterative structures generated by molecular modeling techniques allow the assignment of sharp features to specific isomers. We focus here on an example glycan set, each having a m/z value of 1046.52 with formula [H5N4+2Na]2+, where H corresponds to a hexose, and N to a N-acetylglucosamine. This glycan appears to exist as three different isomeric forms that are assignable based on comparisons of measured and calculated cross sections. We estimate the relative ratios of the abundances of the three isomers to be in the range of ∼1.0:1.35:0.85 to ∼1.0:1.5:0.80. In total, IMS-MS analysis of ovalbumin N-linked glycans provides evidence for 19 different glycan structures corresponding to high-mannose and hybrid type carbohydrates with a total of 42 distinct features related to isomers and/or conformers.
Stomatal Response to Humidity and Lanthanum

Lanthanum fed to the base of excised leaves of Sesamum indicum L. and Helianthus annuus L. was used as a tracer to investigate by electron microscopy the path of water in the apoplast of leaves. The generally random distribution of lanthanum in cell walls provided no support for the hypothesis that cuticular transpiration may be greater for guard cells than for adjacent epidermal cells. Occasionally, accumulations of lanthanum were observed in anticlinal walls of epidermal cells and at the outer surface of the plasma membrane but lanthanum was not observed in the symplast. The influx of 86Rb to excised roots of sesame and sunflower was inhibited during incubation with 0.5 mM lanthanum or calcium for 15 or for 180 min. Stomata of sunflower partially closed when 2.5 mM lanthanum was supplied to the base of excised shoots in a potometer, whereas this treatment had little effect on stomatal conductance of sesame shoots maintained in a constant environment. Supplying 2.5 mM lanthanum to the base of sesame shoots strongly inhibited stomatal opening response to increase in ambient humidity but had little effect on stomatal opening response to light. It was concluded that stomatal opening response to increased humidity may be dependent upon some process, such as ion influx, that is inhibited by lanthanum, and that opening response to humidity may differ in mechanism from stomatal opening response to increased irradiance.
NSF Center for Intelligent Information Retrieval

The Center for Intelligent Information Retrieval (CIIR) was started at the University of Massachusetts two years ago to do research and technology transfer in the area of distributed, text-based information systems. The CIIR is part of the NSF State/Industry University Collaborative Research Centers program and relies heavily on government and industrial partners, in addition to federal funding. There are currently 24 members from a variety of industries and government agencies, and many of these are involved in both research and development projects.
Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome in human immunodeficiency virus-1-infected children

We describe the clinical and pathological findings of the hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) in two children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Both patients presented with microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and subsequently developed renal failure. The diagnosis of HUS was confirmed by renal histopathology in both patients. None of these children presented with bloody diarrhea, evidence of circulating antibody response to Escherichia coli O157 lipopolysaccharide, or other known risk factors for HUS, except for the presence of HIV infection. Each patient was treated with intravenous plasma infusion and renal replacement therapy. Their clinical course was characterized by non-oliguria and lack of significant hypertension throughout the acute phase of the disease. Despite these favorable clinical parameters, both patients developed end-stage renal failure. The etiology of this atypical HUS characterized by poor renal survival remains unknown and the role of HIV infection in its pathogenesis, although possible, is unclear.
Water transport in the immature rabbit collecting duct

Immature animals have limited ability to concentrate the urine. This is in part the result of end-organ resistance to arginine vasopressin (AVP). To characterize this response, we measured water absorption in microperfused cortical collecting ducts (iCCD) and outer medullary CD (iOMCD) derived from 2- to 12-day-old rabbits. The roles of adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) and prostaglandins were investigated. Baseline osmotic water permeability (Lp, 10−7 cm/atm per s) in the iCCD (20.3±2.4) and iOMCD (19.7±5.6) was not different from mature CCD (mCCD) (14.6±3.1). After AVP, Lp in the iCCD (46.7±10.0) was significantly lower than in the mCCD (114.3±21.8). Neither stimulation with cAMP (85.6±51.3) nor inhibition of endogenous prostaglandin production with indomethacin (57.6±29.8) abolished the blunted response to AVP in the iCCD. We conclude that AVP-stimulated water transport in the iCCD is impaired. The disruption in AVP response is, at least in part, localized distal to cAMP, and is not mediated by prostaglandins.
Antidepressant Medication and Executive Dysfunction: A Deleterious Interaction in Late-Life Depression

Objectives To determine whether there is differential response to placebo or citalopram among older patients with and without deficient response inhibition (DRI). Design This is an 8-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Setting Outpatient psychiatry. Participants Unipolar depressed patients aged 75 years and older. Intervention Citalopram (20-40 mg/day) or placebo pill. Measurements Baseline Stroop Color-Word Test and weekly 24-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression assessments. Results Citalopram-treated patients with DRI did significantly worse than placebo-treated patients with DRI. Conversely, citalopram-treated patients without DRI did significantly better than placebo-treated patients without DRI. Conclusion Patients with late-life depression and DRI respond worse to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) than placebo. These findings suggest that there may be a deleterious interaction between DRI and antidepressant medication in late-life depression and that the mechanism of SSRI and placebo response is different.
The performance limits of traditional triage.

Though we equate the concept of triage with 20th-century battlefields, it was actually developed by the French during the Napoleonic Wars. In the early 19th century, the French army had to care for heavy war casualties with limited resources. In essence, they were forced to ration medical care by prioritization. Accordingly, Napoleon’s chief surgeon devised a system of ranking injuries on the battlefield that he called “triage.” Simply put, he defined a mechanism for sorting patients whereby the most serious, life-threatening but viable patients were treated first. The surgeon would continuously appraise the situation, with an underlying goal of treating the greatest number of patients possible. Disproportionate time was not given to a serious case if treating the patient would disadvantage many more viable patients. Since the Korean War, the triage process has dominated intake into acute care health settings. In the 1980s, patients were sorted, usually by a nurse, and placed in the appropriate treatment space and in the appropriate queue. When the average emergency department (ED) annual census was below 18,000 visits, the lengthier process that had evolved was still effective and useful. It became the prevalent intake model. However, in the decades since, as census and arrivals have doubled and most EDs spend part of each day with more patients than treatment spaces, triage in its current iteration is less effective. The cumbersome ED triage processes that have evolved both for regulatory compliance and operational control have resulted in triage as a bottleneck. Current ED triage creates a barrier to efficient patient flow and is antithetical to the principles and practices of battlefield triage. It is also entirely controlled by ED staff. In this issue of Annals, Weber et al report on the timeliness of ED triage at intake. The direct effect of improved timeliness at intake on health care outcomes can’t be overstated. Clinical outcomes are on the clock for a growing number of clinical entities, including acute STsegment elevation myocardial infarction, stroke, and communityacquired pneumonia. A recent study reports that people come to the ED to see the physician—and 80% will wait up to 2 hours longer to do so. Yet, increasingly EDs in the United States report the interval to first physician contact is growing longer. Nurse or emergency medical technician triage delays the patient’s first contact with the physician and thus may postpone critical clinical interventions. Physicians are skilled at identifying ill patients. Available c
Unified-model calculations for odd-mass Cs and La isotopes

The intermediate-coupling version of the unified nuclear model is used to describe the odd-mass isotopes of lanthanum and cesium. Results are presented and compared to experiment for energy spectra, magnetic and quadrupole moments, andM1 andE2 transition rates.
Deep Venous Thrombosis in Taiwan.

We retrospectively reviewed all patients with a final diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) treated at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital between 1989 and 1995. There were a total of 245 patients with a mean age of 58 years (males 56 and females 59), ranging from 11 to 89 years. The ratio of left to right leg involvement was 2.4 to 1 (166 to 71), however, the right leg was more likely to lead to an acute pulmonary embolism, with a ratio of 3.0 to 1 (9/ 71 to 7/166 patients). Among these patients, 16.3% (40) had cancer. The most frequently involved system was the GI system (16). Adenocarcinoma proved the most common type of malignancy 62.5% (25/40). From this analysis, we found the left leg had a higher likelihood of thrombosis but a DVT of the right leg was more frequently associated with an acute pulmonary embolism. As with previous reports there was a strong relationship between cancer and DVT and the development of a deep venous thrombosis requiring a search for an underlying malignancy in those patients with an unexplained DVT.
Assessing Military Intervention and Democratization: Supportive Versus Oppositional Military Interventions

Democratization is a common foreign policy goal for established democratic states and has been promoted by a variety of tools from sanctions to military force. Research, to date, has been ambiguous with regards to the success of military intervention and democratization. Most studies agree that change occurs, although the nature of the change is debatable. This study sifts through the post-World War II military interventions to assess whether the regime change postintervention is democratic. The data suggest that democratically intended military interventions do not result in democratization. However, interventions that oppose the existing political elites do yield positive results in democratization.
STUDIES OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF POLIOMYELITIS VIRUS : V. THE VIRUS IN FAMILIAL ASSOCIATES OF CASES.

The occurrence and duration of the carrier state in familial associates of recognized cases of poliomyelitis was studied by the examination for virus of stool specimens collected from the members of four families at regular intervals for a period of over 2 months. The results indicate that: (1) virus may persist in their stools continuously for 4 to 5 weeks; (2) virus may be encountered intermittently in the stools; (3) in some instances virus may be present for brief periods only; (4) children are more likely to maintain virus than are adults in the same family; (5) infection of a family takes place rapidly, suggesting again simultaneous infection from a common source.
The many faces of C3 glomerulopathy

To the Editor: The recent article by Sethi et al., ‘Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and C3 glomerulopathy: resolving the confusion’, made me revisit a 12-year-old publication. In ‘Apparent progression of acute glomerulonephritis to dense deposit disease’ we described an 8-year-old boy with hypocomplementemia and meningococcemia. The first kidney biopsy showed glomeruli with abundant deposits of C3 and scarce deposits of IgG. Typical subepithelial humps were observed ultrastucturally, with only occasional subendothelial and intramembranous deposits. Two years later, a new biopsy was again positive for C3, and intramembranous, electron dense ribbon-like change, typical of dense-deposit disease (DDD), was present along the capillary loops, with only occasional subepithelial humps. In view of the clinical history of our patient, and the typical findings of DDD in the second biopsy, I suggest that the first biopsy, with its scarce subendothelial deposits and no membranoproliferative pattern, might also represent C3 glomerulopathy, similar to cases described by Fakhouri et al. and Servais et al. One might propose that our case illustrates that C3 glomerulopathy can present with variable faces in the same patient.
Genetic analysis of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder reveals polygenicity but also suggests new directions for molecular interrogation

Over the last few years, genetics research has made significant strides in identifying many risk factors for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. These risk factors include inherited common single nucleotide polymorphisms, copy number variants, and rare single nucleotide variants, as well as rare de novo variants. For all variants, the common theme has been that of polygenicity, meaning that many small genetic risk factors influence risk in the population and that no gene or variant on its own has been shown to be fully deterministic of schizophrenia or bipolar. When taken together, biological themes that have emerged including the importance of synaptic function and calcium signaling. This has implications for our understanding of the biological underpinnings of these diseases.
Introduction to virus-caused cancers.

Members of four different groups of animal viruses are known to cause cancer in animals. (Only two of them, the leukoviruses and herpesviruses, cause cancer in nonlaboratory situations.) All the members of these groups of viruses form integrated viral DNA in infected cells. However, the efficiencies with which they cause cancer vary by over a dozen orders of magnitude. These differences in efficiency are a result of differences in efficiency of formation and expression of the genes for neoplastic transformation. Four models of mechanisms for formation of the genes for neoplastic transformation are presented. Two involve the formation of new DNA sequences. No efficient human cancer‐causing viruses are known. Therefore, it is proposed that human cancer is a result of formation of the genes for neoplastic transformation by misevolution of a normal cellular information transferring process. This misevolution is caused by chemicals, physical agents, or viruses.
High‐temperature resins based on aromatic amine‐terminated bisaspartimides

Various 4,4′-bis{N2-[4-(4-aminophenoxy)phenyl]aspartimido}diphenylmethane (APADM)-type precursors were synthesized by Michael-type reaction of an aromatic bismaleimide (1mol) with an aromatic diamine (2 mol) in an aprotic solvent. The structures of these materials were characterized by using Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and 13C-NMR; their curing behaviors and thermal stabilities were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The thermal polymerization of APADM by heating it above its melting temperature produced a tough polymer. From these preimidized precursors, graphite-fiber laminates were prepared and their mechanical properties evaluated. To elucidate the thermal curing mechanism and the structure of the polymer, a model compound, N-[4-(4′-aminobenzyl) phenyl] aspartimidobenzene was synthesized. The gas-chromatographic mass spectra of these compounds has suggested a mechanism for their decomposition. The structure of the polymer also was studied by using FT-IR and 1H-NMR.
Similar geographic variations in mortality from peptic ulcer and inflammatory bowel disease

Background: The epidemiology of peptic ulcer and inflammatory bowel disease shows many similar patterns. The aim of the present study was to compare the geographic distribution of mortality from peptic ulcer with that from inflammatory bowel disease. Methods: Mortality data from 27 countries between 1991 and 2004 were analyzed. The relationships between the geographic distributions of mortality from gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis were compared using least-squares linear regression analyses. Results: The study revealed a 20- to 30-fold variation in mortality from peptic ulcer and a 60-fold variation in mortality from inflammatory bowel disease among different countries. Mortality from peptic ulcer and inflammatory bowel disease tended to be more common in northern European countries and rare in most countries in Asia and South America. The similar variations of all 4 diseases resulted in the correlations among their geographic distributions being statistically significant. Conclusions: The similarities in the geographic distributions of gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis indicate that all 4 diseases may share a common set of risk factors. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2007)
Surfactant Replacement Therapy Innovative Care for the Premature Infant

Prematurity is one of the most perplexing problems in perinatal care. Since the discovery of a surfactant deficiency as the primary etiology of hyaline membrane disease, attempts have been made to supplement surfactant in the premature infant. Surfactant replacement therapy is a promising new treatment for the premature infant with hyaline membrane disease. The history of surfactant replacement therapy, current trials of this therapy, nursing care of the infant receiving surfactant replacement, and future directions for nursing research in this area are discussed. Infants receiving this therapy require special nursing care to assure the best possible outcome. Nursing interventions at the time of delivery as well as those required in the neonatal intensive care unit are discussed.
The chemical and isotopic record of rock-water interaction in the Sherman Granite, Wyoming and Colorado

Chemical, isotopic, radiographic, and rock-leaching data are combined to describe the effects of rock-water interactions in core samples of petrographically fresh, 1.43 b.y.-old Sherman Granite. The data serve to identify sensitive indicators of incipient alteration and to estimate the degree, pathways, and timing of element mobilization. Unfractured core samples of Sherman Granite are remarkably fresh by most chemical or isotopic criteria, but incipient alteration is indicated by the abundance and distribution of uranium and the degree of radioactive equilibration of uranium with its decay products. Uranium abundances which are out of equilibrium with lead decay products indicate remobilization of a portion (3 to 60 percent) of original uranium in late Phanerozoic time. Association of uranium with minor but pervasive secondary alteration products also indicates some remobilization. The amount of apparent uranium mobility in unfractured Sherman Granite (3 to 60 percent) is small compared to the results of similar studies of Archean granites from nearby localities. Chemical and isotopic data evaluated as a function of core-sample depth suggest a uranium migrational pathway involving near-surface leaching and reconcentration at depth. Movement of solutions through the upper 200 ft (60 m) of Sherman Granite is fracture controlled, and brecciated granite shows more obvious petrographic, chemical, and isotopic evidence of alteration and multi-element redistribution. Laboratory experiments using freshly crushed Sherman Granite confirm that uranium is leached in preference to elements such as Si, Mg, Ca, and K, and that leachable uranium is situated close to the solid-liquid interface; perhaps as uranium along grain boundaries, in crystal defects, or on cleavage traces of minerals that exclude uranium from their structure.
Creeping Eruption caused by the Larvae of the Cattle Hookworm Bunostomum phlebotomum.

Several years ago while making a series of inoculations with third stage larvae of the hookworm, Bunostomum phlebotomum, and the nodular worm, Oesophagostomum radiatum, by placing the larvae on the...
The teratogenic effects of theophylline in mice

Abstract Pregnant albino mice were administered single i.p. injections of the methylated xanthine theophylline at dosages of 100,150 or 200 mg/kg on days 10 through 13 of gestation. Under these conditions, theophylline was moderately embryolethal but highly teratogenic with cleft palate, ectrodactyly, syndactyly and micromelia as the predominant malformations. The peak embryotoxic response occurred in fetuses surviving treatment on day 11. A left-sided preponderance of limb defects was also observed.
Study of Polyhalite from the Wipp Site, New Mexico

Polyhalite (K2Ca2Mg(SO4).2H2o) is an important mineral present in the bedded evaporites of the WIPP site, southeastern New Mexico. Polyhalite contains two structurally bonded water molecules, and it is thus important to know if this mineral formed at or close to the time of sedimentation or, as proposed by others (1,2) more or less continuously throughout the Mesozoic and Cenozoic. If formed much later than original evaporite formation, then this implies a new source of water in order for polyhalite to form in turn raising questions about water abundance and mobility in the bedded evaporites. Polyhalite is not well suited for Rb-Sr geochronologic study because of the large amounts of common Sr (3), but it has been shown to be suitable for study by the K-Ar geochronologic methods(4). Pure polyhalites and those mixed with very small amounts of impurities yield K-Ar dates in the range of 200–220 MYBP and indicate little if any, loss of *40Ar. Polyhalites mixed with sylvite, halite, and (Na,K)Cl yield lower ages due to loss of *40Ar from the halides. Apparent age lowering is proportional to halide content and an extrapolated age of formation of near 225 MYBP results. Collectively, the K-Ar data convincingly show that the polyhalites formed at the time of sedimentation (except for isolated occurrences near dike intrusions) in Late Permian time. Finally, thermodynamic calculations, supported by petrographic study, show that polyhalite is often stable with respect to carnallite, sylvite and other minerals formerly thought to be older than polyhalite.
The effects of conditioned media on spinal neurites: Substrate-associated changes in neurite direction and adherence

Abstract The effects of conditioned media and other growth factors on spinal cord neurite adherence, growth rate, and direction were studied. Skeletal muscle-conditioned medium (SMCM) significantly increased neurite adherence and altered the direction of elongation. Lung- and skin-conditioned media, nerve growth factor, and polyornithine binding neurite promoting factor did not affect neurite adherence or direction. The positive effects of SMCM on neurite adherence and direction may be due to substrate-bound substances, since SMCM depleted of poly- l -lysine-adsorbable materials decreased neurite adherence and direction, and the directional response was greatly diminished on SMCM-conditioned substrate. Haptotaxis may be the basis of the turning response, since it appears to involve substrate-bound molecules which slightly increase adherence. It was also observed that the measured length of neurite involved in a turn toward SMCM was much greater than the calculated length of neurite (based on neurite elongation rates). Therefore, it appears as if the growth cone has been displaced, dragging the attached neurite with it. These observations suggest that the growth cone may have extensive locomotive capabilities which affect growth cone migration.
Does technique of anastomosis play any role in developing late perianal abscess or fistula

PURPOSE: This study examines the risk factors for developing perianal abscess or fistula formation after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis procedure for chronic ulcerative colitis or familial adenomatous polyposis. METHODS: A total of 1,457 patients with J-pouch, 1,304 (89.5 percent) with chronic ulcerative colitis and 153 (10.5 percent) with familial adenomatous polyposis who had a two-stage procedure without any evidence of previous perianal disease were included in the study. The effect of pouch-to-anal anastomosis type on perianal abscess or fistula formation was evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 108 patients (7.4 percent) had a perianal abscess or fistula after the ileal pouch-anal anastomosis procedure after at least one year of follow-up. No statistically significant difference was identified in fistula formation regarding the age and gender of the patients (P>0.05), nor did the risk of fistula formation differ significantly between the patients with handsewnvs. stapled anastomoses (P>0.05). However, patients with a diagnosis of chronic ulcerative colitis, compared with patients with familial adenomatous polyposis, had a statistically higher risk of developing abscess or fistula (P=0.012). CONCLUSION: The most important risk factor in developing perianal sepsis in long-term patients with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis is the initial disease type. After excluding patients without Crohn's disease, the risk of developing an abscess or fistula was found to be significantly greater in patients with chronic ulcerative colitis compared with patients with familial adenomatous polyposis, and this risk is independent of anastomotic technique.
Childhood reactions to terrorism-induced trauma: a review of the past 10 years.

ABSTRACT Objective To summarize the literature about the clinical presentation and treatment interventions of childhood reactions to terrorism-induced trauma. Method The literature on children's responses to terrorist activities was reviewed. Results Over the past 10 years, more research has emerged on the subject of terrorism in children. Many of the effects of terrorism-induced trauma are similar to the effects of natural and man-made trauma. Children's responses include acute stress disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, regressive behaviors, separation problems, sleep difficulties, and behavioral problems. However, several aspects of terrorist attacks result in unique stressors and reactions and pose specific challenges for treatment. The unpredictable, indefinite threat of terrorist events, the profound effect on adults and communities, and the effect of extensive terrorist-related media coverage exacerbates underlying anxieties and contributes to a continuous state of stress and anxiety. Intervention strategies include early community-based interventions, screening of children at risk, triage and referral, and trauma-loss–focused treatment programs. Conclusions Advances have been made in the research of childhood reactions to terrorism-induced trauma. Further research is needed to identify children at risk and to determine the long-term impact on children's development. Although the preliminary results of interventions developed to help children are promising, outcome data have not been examined, and further research is needed to evaluate their effectiveness.
Effecting the sixth core competency: a project-based curriculum

Objective In agreement with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education guidelines, a systems-based practice (SBP) curriculum was implemented to provide a hands-on, team-based experience, while providing an opportunity to contribute to quality improvement, and to develop a method to assess residents' understanding of SBP. Study Design During departmental conferences, issues affecting our health care operations were identified. Seven teams were formed and the actionable items were investigated. The salient issues and potential solutions were presented to the department. Results This project resulted in the development of tools designed to assess competency in SBP, communication skills, and professionalism. Completion of a pre- and posttest and annual oral examination questions revealed a significant improvement in the comprehension of SBP. Conclusion This project served as an effective educational forum for the competencies of SBP, communication skills, and professionalism. This initiative also offered improvement of patient care and/or educating peer providers, thereby fulfilling the goal of SBP in the process of education.
Optical Processor Applied To Cloud Classification

A hybrid optical/digital system is described for analyzing images based on textural information. A partially coherent white light optical processor is used to obtain the texture related information which is then processed digitally. Specifically the optical system generates a pseudocolor encoded image where the image color is a function of the local spatial frequency content of the image. Cluster analysis is then used to identify different color/texture regions. Experimental results are shown where the system has been applied to the problem of identifying distinct cloud types from satellite photographs.© (1980) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Locating Giant Resonances with Photoneutrons

Recent studies of collective magnetic dipole resonances in heavy nuclei will be reviewed with an emphasis on photoneutron experiments. In particular, the nuclear mass regions of 120, 140 and 208 will be discussed in detail. New very high resolution photoneutron studies of 208Pb will be presented. Applications of the photoneutron polarization method to the 208Pb(γ,no) 207Pb and 119Sn(γ,no) 118Sn reactions will be reviewed.