cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gastrointestinal, pancreatic, and hepatic toxicity profile of CTLA-4 immune checkpoint inhibitors alone and in combination with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors: A meta-analysis of clinical trials.

e14117Background: Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte activator-4 immune checkpoint inhibitors (CTLA-4-ICPI) is believed to cause more toxicity than programmed cell death/Ligand-1 (PD-1/PD-L1) ICPIs. We conduct...
Racial Segregation Across U.S. Nursing Homes: A Systematic Review of Measurement and Outcomes

Background and objectives Nursing homes remain subjected to institutional racial segregation in the United States. However, a standardized approach to measure segregation in nursing homes does not appear to be established. A systematic review was conducted to identify all formal measurement approaches to evaluate racial segregation among nursing home facilities, and to then identify the association between segregation and quality of care in this context. Research design and methods PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched (January 2018) for publications relating to nursing home segregation. Following the PRISMA guidelines, studies were included that formally measured racial segregation of nursing homes residents across facilities with regional-level data. Results Eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Formal segregation measures included the Dissimilarity Index, Disparities Quality Index, Modified Thiel's Entropy Index, Gini coefficient, and adapted models. The most common data sources were the Minimum Data Set (MDS; resident-level), the Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reporting data (CASPER; facility-level), and the Area Resource File/ U.S. Census Data (regional-level). Most studies showed evidence of racial segregation among U.S. nursing home facilities and documented a negative impact of segregation on racial minorities and facility-level quality outcomes. Discussion and implications The measurement of racial segregation among nursing homes is heterogeneous. While there are limitations to each methodology, this review can be used as a reference when trying to determine the best approach to measure racial segregation in future studies. Moreover, racial segregation among nursing homes remains a problem and should be further evaluated.
Clinical Reasoning in the Ward Setting: A Rapid Response Scenario for Residents and Attendings.

Introduction There is a need for educational resources supporting the practice and assessment of the complex processes of clinical reasoning in the inpatient setting along a continuum of physician ...
A methodology for integrating unconventional geologic and engineering data into a geocellular model

Final manuscript post peer review, without publisher's formatting or copy editing (postprint)
A Clock Synthesis Algorithm for Hierarchical Chains of Homogeneous Clover-Leaves Clock Networks for Single Flux Quantum Logic Circuits

Single Flux Quantum (SFQ) is a promising option for high performance and low power supercomputing platforms. Nevertheless, timing uncertainty represents an obstacle to the design of high-frequency clock distribution networks. The hierarchical chains of homogeneous clover-leaves clocking, $(\mathrm{HC})^{2}\mathrm{LC}$ . was proposed as an innovative solution to this challenge. This paper presents a novel algorithm for the physical implementation of $(\mathrm{HC})^{2}\mathrm{LC}$ networks. The proposed method models the (HC)2LC network as a directed graph with multiple cycles representing the synchronizing feedback signals. This graph is then transformed to a directed acyclic graph (DAG) by eliminating feedback edges. The physical location of the nodes in the generated DAG (such as splitters and C-junctions) in the Manhattan plane is calculated using a zero-skew clock embedding algorithm. Additionally, a novel mixed integer linear programming (MILP) based approach minimizes the maximum clock skew among the sinks of the clock network and the sum of the delay of the edges in feedback loops, simultaneously. Experimental results show that using the proposed approach, the average clock skew for five benchmark circuits is 4.6ps.
Incidence and survival for oropharynx and non-oropharynx head and neck cancers among veterans living with HIV.

BACKGROUND People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) have an excess risk for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) compared to the general U.S. population, but little is known about HIV-specific risk factors associated with the incidence and outcomes HNSCC. We aim to identify clinical and HIV-specific risk factors associated with oropharyngeal and non-oropharyngeal HNSCC incidence and outcomes separately. METHODS We constructed a retrospective cohort study of 45,052 PLWH aged 18 or above from the national Veteran Affairs (VA) Corporate Data from 1999 to 2015. We extracted demographic data and risk factor information, including history of alcohol abuse, smoking, CD4 count (cells/μl), and percent of follow-up time with undetectable HIV viral load as time-updated variables. We calculated the age-standardized incidence rates of oropharyngeal and non-oropharyngeal HNSCC and estimated adjusted hazard ratios (HR). We also examined overall survival using Kaplan-Meier curves and adjusted HR. RESULTS The standardized incidence rate of oropharyngeal and non-oropharyngeal HNSCC in this veteran cohort of PLWH is 23.0 (95% confidence intervals (CIs): 17.1-28.9) and 55.4 (95% CI: 46.5-64.3) per 100,000 person-years, respectively. Nadir CD4 count ≤200 was associated with an increased risk of non-oropharyngeal HNSCC (HR: 1.78; 95% CI: 1.31-2.30 vs >200). Five-year overall survival of OPSCC (37.0%) was significantly lower than non-oropharyngeal HNSCC (49.1%). CONCLUSIONS PLWH who receive care in the VA had higher age-adjusted HNSCC incidence rates than reported in the general population, suggesting that HIV and immunosuppression play a role. Additional studies should be conducted to study the interaction between HPV and HIV.
Disparities in magnetic resonance imaging of the prostate for traditionally underserved patients with prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND Prebiopsy magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the prostate improves detection of significant tumors, while decreasing detection of less-aggressive tumors. Therefore, its use has been increasing over time. In this study, the use of prebiopsy MRI among Medicare beneficiaries with prostate cancer was examined. It was hypothesized that patients of color and those in isolated areas would be less likely to undergo this approach for cancer detection. METHODS Using cancer registry data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program linked to billing claims for fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries, men with nonmetastatic prostate cancer were identified from 2010 through 2015 with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) <30 ng/mL. Outcome was prebiopsy MRI of the prostate performed within 6 months before diagnosis (ie, Current Procedural Terminology 72197). Exposures were patient race/ethnicity and rural/urban status. Multivariable regression estimated the odds of prebiopsy prostate MRI. Post hoc analyses examined associations with the registry-level proportion of non-Hispanic Black patients and MRI use, as well as disparities in MRI use in registries with data on more frequent use of prostate MRI. RESULTS There were 50,719 men identified with prostate cancer (mean age, 72.1 years). Overall, 964 men (1.9% of cohort) had a prebiopsy MRI. Eighty percent of patients with prebiopsy MRI lived in California, New Jersey, or Connecticut. Non-Hispanic Black men (0.6% vs 2.1% non-Hispanic White; odds ratio [OR], 0.28; 95% CI, 0.19-0.40) and men in less urban areas (1.1% vs 2.2% large metro; OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.44-0.97) were less likely to have prebiopsy MRI of the prostate. CONCLUSIONS Non-Hispanic Black patients with prostate cancer and those in less urban areas were less likely to have prebiopsy MRI of the prostate during its initial adoption as a tool for improving prostate cancer detection.
Comparing cardiovascular benefits between GLP-1 receptor agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors as an add-on to metformin among patients with type 2 diabetes: A retrospective cohort study.

Abstract Aims This study aimed to compare cardiovascular benefits associated with the use of GLP-1RA versus SGLT2i as add-on therapies to metformin among adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) with and without a history of cardiovascular complications, using real-world data. Methods Using data from the IBM® MarketScan® Commercial Claims Databases, metformin users above 18 years with T2D who initiated GLP-1RA or SGLT2i were identified. The study endpoints include MI, stroke, CHF, and a cardiovascular composite of these three outcomes. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to compare the risks of cardiovascular endpoints while controlling for demographics and clinical characteristics. Results We identified 13,006 adults with T2D who initiated a GLP-1RA or SGLT2i as an add-on therapy to metformin and followed for a maximum of 5 years. No difference in the endpoints was observed between users of two drugs who did not have established cardiovascular disease at baseline. However, significantly lower CHF risks (HR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.28–0.79) and cardiovascular composite (HR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.47–0.97) were observed in SGLT2i users compared with GLP-1RA users, among individuals with established cardiovascular diseases. Conclusions Results suggest greater cardioprotective benefit from SGLT2i compared to GLP-1RA when used for secondary prevention among adults with T2D.
Working on hair

This article examines the complex interactions that occur in some contemporary beauty salons and barbershops, focusing on barbers, cosmetologists and clients in a white, working- to middle-class area of rural Northwestern Pennsylvania and in two middle- to upper-class urban areas in Chicago, Illinois, and Los Angeles, California. Through participant observation and in-depth interviews, this study finds that salons and barbershops are gender and class-marked environments where barbers, cosmetologists and their clients come to “manage” gender and class identities. Most importantly this research reveals two interesting, somewhat inverse trends in this workforce. On the one hand, there is increasing class stratification in different types of hair salons from upscale to mass franchise operations. On the other hand, there is a declining level of gender segregation among both hair workers and their clients.
The ketogenic diet inhibits the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway

The ketogenic diet (KD) is an effective treatment for epilepsy, but its mechanisms of action are poorly understood. We investigated the hypothesis that the KD inhibits mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway signaling. The expression of pS6 and pAkt, markers of mTOR pathway activation, was reduced in hippocampus and liver of rats fed KD. In the kainate model of epilepsy, KD blocked the hippocampal pS6 elevation that occurs after status epilepticus. Because mTOR signaling has been implicated in epileptogenesis, these results suggest that the KD may have anticonvulsant or antiepileptogenic actions via mTOR pathway inhibition.
Normative Rational Choice Theory: Past, Present, and Future

The economics profession has traditionally viewed rational choice theory as a positive scientific theory. Normative economics was associated exclusively with ethics and should be kept strictly separate from positive scientific economics. This paper argues that the profession is changing in this regard. Increasingly rational choice theory is viewed as a normative theory of rationality: what economic agents ought to do in order to be rational. It is argued that the change initiated from within a community of critics – experimental psychologists – but it has now become widely accepted within many areas of economics. The paper explains this change and examines some of the possible causes and consequences of this development.
Resistance ranking of some common inbred mouse strains to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and relationship to major histocompatibility complex haplotype and Nramp1 genotype

Six common inbred strains of mice and their F1 hybrids were examined for resistance to infection with the H37Rv strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. According to survival times after inoculation of 10(5) CFU intravenously (i.v.), the mice could be classified as being either highly susceptible (CBA, DBA/2, C3H, 129/SvJ) or highly resistant (BALB/c and C57BL/6). F1 hybrids of susceptible and resistant strains were resistant. Although an examination of a limited number of H-2 congenic strains showed that the H-2k haplotype could confer susceptibility on a resistant strain, it was evident that non-major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes were much more important. Resistant strains all possessed the susceptibility allele of the anti-microbial resistance gene, Nramp1. Results obtained with selected strains infected with 10(2) CFU of M. tuberculosis by aerosol agreed with the results obtained with mice infected i.v. The size of the bacterial inoculum was important in distinguishing between resistant and susceptible strains, in that a 10(7) inoculum overcame the resistance advantage of one strain over another.
CO2 Laser-Plasma Interaction Studies At NRC-Canada

The principal characteristics and present output performance of the COCO-II, high power two beam 0.1 TW, CO2 system will be described. In addition an overall view of the diagnostics being developed to analyse laser-plasmas will be given. These include infrared backscattered light analysis with high temporal and spectral resolution, multichannel picosecond interferometry, x-ray spectral diagnostics, and ion spectrometry.
Hospital Peer Review of Physicians: Does Statutory Immunity Increase Risk of Unwarranted Professional Injury?

This article addresses the question of whether strong legal immunity of hospital peer review of physicians in HCQIA and state peer review confidentiality statutes is appropriate in the highly competitive and commercial market for physician services in the United States today. Specifically, does immunity pose an unacceptable risk of unwarranted professional injury to physicians? The article examines the more recent, reported legal cases, media reports of disciplinary actions against physicians and professional legal and medical commentary on hospital peer review. The article suggests that there is need to reform the various legal immunities currently in place for hospital peer review of physicians and other procedural reforms of hospital peer review committees are also in order.
Honoring Treatment Preferences Near the End of Life

When people speak of end-of-life care in Oregon, the first thing that comes to mind for many is the legalization of physician-assisted suicide in 1997.1 The Oregon Death with Dignity Act allows the attending physician of a terminally ill patient, under certain circumstances, to prescribe a lethal dose of medication that the patient then self-administers. The law has been used infrequently with a total of 129 people dying under the Act in the first five years of implementation. This translates to less than one in one thousand deaths in Oregon each year.2 Over the past decade, health care providers in Oregon have been working quietly in other areas to improve the care of the dying. While much work is still needed, Oregon has also had some notable successes. One of these areas relates to the ability of health care providers to systematically document and communicate a patient’s preferences to have or refuse life-sustaining treatments when the person is unable to speak for himself or herself.
Reducing Stigma: Lessons from Opioid-Dependent Women

Opioid use during pregnancy is increasing. Little is known from the maternal perspective about pregnancy and opioid dependence. This qualitative study was undertaken to examine the experiences of opioid-dependent women during their prenatal and early postpartum care. Within a stigma theoretical framework, a series of group interviews elicited the shared experiences of 20 self-identified postpartum women who used opioids during their pregnancy. Themes developed around internal stigma of shame and guilt, with the majority experiencing external stigma. Interventions should involve stigma reduction strategies and increased support for this vulnerable population.
A Human Error Analysis of U.S. Fatal Highway Crashes 1990–2004

For decades, motor vehicle crashes have consistently been one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. Historically, few attempts to address this problem have focused on human error. Even fewer have incorporated an analysis of human error when assessing possible preventative measures. The Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) is an established framework for investigating and analyzing human error associated with accidents in other transportation modes such as aviation and rail. This study seeks to extend the application of HFACS to driver error in fatal motor vehicle crashes. Preliminary HFACS results suggest skill-based errors and violations are prevalent in fatal motor vehicle crashes. Relationships between driver error, lighting conditions, and States were also observed. Further investigations will be aimed at identifying the fundamental areas of human error relative to real world driving to identify data-driven interventions.
Extracranial-intracranial bypass and vessel occlusion for the treatment of unclippable giant middle cerebral artery aneurysms.

Background Giant middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms pose management challenges. Objective To review the outcomes of patients with giant MCA aneurysms not amenable to clipping or vessel reconstruction treated with extracranial-intracranial (EC-IC) bypass and vessel sacrifice. Methods We retrospectively reviewed a database of aneurysms treated at our institution between 1983 and 2011. Results Sixteen patients (11 males, 5 females) were identified. There were 10 saccular, 4 fusiform, and 2 serpentine aneurysms. The aneurysms predominantly involved the M1 segment in 5 cases, M2 in 9 cases, and both M1 and M2 in 2 cases. The EC-IC bypasses performed included 13 superficial temporal artery-MCA, 1 saphenous vein graft-MCA, and 2 radial artery grafts-MCA. The postoperative bypass patency rate was 93.8% (15/16). There were 3 cerebrovascular accidents (18.8%), but no perioperative deaths (0% mortality). The mean follow-up was 58.4 months (range, 1-265; median, 23.5 months). In 75% (12/16) of cases the aneurysms were occluded successfully. A small residual was noted in 3 cases with the use of this treatment strategy, and they were re-treated. In a fourth case treated with partial distal occlusion, reduced flow through the aneurysm was noted postoperatively, but the patient did not undergo further treatment. The mean modified Rankin scale and mean Glasgow Outcome Scale scores at last follow-up were 1.6 (range, 1-4; median, 1) and 4.8 (range, 3-5; median, 5), respectively. Conclusion Giant MCA aneurysms are challenging lesions. EC-IC bypass with parent vessel occlusion can provide a durable form of treatment with acceptable rates of morbidity and mortality.
ON THE INTERACTION BETWEEN MYOSIN A AND F-ACTIN.

Abstract The interaction of myosin and actin was studied by means of two techniques: (1) the inhibition of myosin ATPase (ATP-phosphohydrolase, E.C. 3.6.1.3) by actin addition, and (2) centrifugation experiments, carried out so that only free myosin appears in the supernatant. Association constants are calculated and a binding curve for myosin is obtained. The maximum binding agrees with a weight percentage of 3.7 myosin to 1 actin. The effects of urea, p -chloromercuribenzoate, CaCl 2 , temperature and pyrophosphate were studied. It is concluded that ATP and actin bind to the same myosin site and that pyrophosphate binds also to this same site. The association constant for pyrophosphate was calculated from its inhibitory effect on the actin-myosin interaction, while this constant for the actin-myosin interaction was also calculated from experiments by Gergely et al. on the inhibition of pyrophosphate binding to myosin by actin. The temperature dependence of the binding was found to be quite small and the conclusion was made that the free-energy effect is nearly all due to entropy change.
The influence of ambient pressure on the stress corrosion susceptibility of metals

Abstract The results of exploratory stress corrosion tests conducted in simulated sea water at an ambient pressure of 10,000 psi and at atmospheric pressure are described. As a result of this exploratory study, it appears that increasing the ambient pressure on the test specimen may decrease its stress corrosion susceptibility.
Render Unto Caesar?: The Dilemmas of a Multicultural World

In one of the memorable passages of the New Testament (Matthew 22:1522), we are told that the Pharisees sought to entangle Jesus by asking him whether it was lawful to give tribute unto Caesar. And he replied Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
Homology between enterotoxin protein and spore structural protein in Clostridium perfringens type A.

Clean, intact spores from three enterotoxin positive (ent+) and three enterotoxin-negative (ent−) strains of Clostridium perfringens type A were treated with urea/mercaptoethanol, alkaline mercaptoethanol, or alkaline dithiothreitol, reagents known to solubilize spore coat proteins. A protein fraction comprising approximately 15 to 30% of the total spore protein was extracted. Protein solubilized by each method contained a fraction that was precipitated by anti-enterotoxin serum and that had enterotoxin-like biological activity neutralizable with anti-enterotoxin serum but not commercial C. perfringens type A antitoxin. Highly purified C. perfringens type A enterotoxin was precipitated by antiserum prepared against the solubilized spore protein from an ent+ and an ent− strain. These antisera also neutralized the biological activity of C. perfringens type A enterotoxin. Examination of “core” and “coat” fractions prepared from intact spores revealed that the extractable enterotoxin-like protein was associated with the spore coat fraction. It is concluded that the enterotoxin of C. perfringens type A is a structural component of the spore coat.
Polymer deformation. IV. Drawing of nylon 6 and polyoxymethylene crystals

Electron micrographs of nylon 6 and polyoxymethylene crystals drawn on a Mylar substrate at room temperature indicate that the deformation of these crystals occurs through a combination of plastic deformation and the formation of cracks. In nylon 6 cracks are formed preferentially between hydrogen-bonded planes but can also form so as to result in rupture of the hydrogen bonds. There was no evidence for twinning or a crystal transformation during the deformation of either polymer.
Is human immunodeficiency virus associated with increased complication rates in women with twin gestations

Abstract Objective: To assess the association between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and the rate of complications, specifically infection rate, in patients with twin gestations. Study design: A retrospective chart review of 995 mothers with twin gestations delivered at Jackson Memorial Hospital from 1994 to 1999 was done. Variables included such infections as urinary tract infections, sexually transmitted diseases, chorioamnionitis, postpartum fever, and endometritis, and such medical complications as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, preterm premature rupture of membranes, preterm labor, and maternal history of smoking. Two sample t tests and χ 2 tests were used for statistical analyses. Results: There were 24 HIV-positive patients (2.4%) among the 995 mothers with twin gestations. There were no significant differences between HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients with respect to maternal age, gestational age at delivery, prepregnancy weight, body mass index, or birth weight of twin A or twin B. Women who were HIV positive had significantly greater rates of vaginal infections and sexually transmitted diseases (29.2% versus 13.0%, P = 0.027). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the rates of infections or medical complications (or both) listed above. Women who were HIV positive had a history of smoking during pregnancy more frequently than their HIV-negative counterparts (16.7% versus 5.9%, P = 0.029) Conclusions: Infection with HIV does not seem to be related to increased rates of infection in twin gestations, with the exception of vaginal infections and sexually transmitted diseases. Medical complications listed above are similar in both groups.
Protective effect of arginine, leucine and preinjection of insulin on glutamate neurotoxicity in mice

Abstract The simultaneous intubation of 10-day-old mice with either 2.28 g kg body weight arginine hydrochloride or 0.2 g kg b.wt. leucine significantly reduced the number of necrotic neurons in the arcuate nucleus (AN) of the hypothalamus resulting from 2 g kg b. wt. monosodium l -glutamate (MSG). The prior injection of 0.02 units per capita of insulin suppressed the MSG-induced lesions to an even great extent. These findings are believed to form a basis for the ineffectiveness of dietary MSG in producing hypothalamic lesions.
Critique of practical methods for computer evaluation of the hadron spectrum

Abstract I review Monte Carlo algorithms for lattice QCD including the dynamical effects of quarks, emphasizing scaling behavior of the algorithms with lattice spacing, volume, and quark mass.
Navigating the Cultural Breach

The article comments on the article by Chris Earley and Randall Peterson in which they challenge traditional intercultural training programs, extend the concept of cultural intelligence (CQ), and explore its implications for educating the global manager. The article began by critiquing the customary and conventional approach to international management training. The problem, not uncommon in training venues, is the one-stop shopping philosophy that treats all participants identically, overemphasizes informational components, assumes uniform behavior from cultural actors, and overrelies an analogical reasoning. Then Earley and Peterson is continued by building on work on social and emotional intelligence to advance the concept of CQ. The strength of their examination of CQ is integrating metacognitive-cognitive, motivational, and behavioral dimensions along the lines of Sternberg's triarchic model. CQ is not offered as an innate, static determinant of one's ability to navigate complex cultural situations. R...
Current and potential productivity of wheat for a controlled environment life support system

Abstract The productivity of higher plants is determined by the incident photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) and the efficiency of the following four physiological processes: absorption of PPF by photosynthetic tissue, carbon fixation (photosynthesis), carbon use (respiration), and carbon partitioning (harvest index). These constituent processes are analyzed to determine theoretical and potentially achievable productivity. The effects of optimal environmental and cultural factors on each of these four factors is also analyzed. Results indicate that an increase in the percentage of absorbed photons is responsible for most of the improvement in wheat yields in an optimal controlled environment. Several trials confirm that there is an almost linear increase in wheat yields with increasing PPF. An integrated PPF of 150 mol m −2 d −1 (2.5 times summer sunlight) has produced 60 g m −2 d −1 of grain. Apparently, yield would continue to increase with even higher PPF's. Energy efficiency increased with PPF to about 600 μmol m −2 s −1 , then slowly decreased. We are now seeking to improve efficiency at intermediate PPF levels (1000 μmol m −2 s −1 ) before further exploring potential productivity. At intermediate and equal integrated daily PPF levels, photoperiod had little effect on yield per day or energy efficiency. Decreasing temperature from 23° to 17° increased yield per day by 20% but increased the life cycle from 62 to 89 days. We hope to achieve both high productivity and energy efficiency. ∗
Random errors in egocentric networks.

The systematic errors that are induced by a combination of human memory limitations and common survey design and implementation have long been studied in the context of egocentric networks. Despite this, little if any work exists in the area of random error analysis on these same networks; this paper offers a perspective on the effects of random errors on egonet analysis, as well as the effects of using egonet measures as independent predictors in linear models. We explore the effects of false-positive and false-negative error in egocentric networks on both standard network measures and on linear models through simulation analysis on a ground truth egocentric network sample based on facebook-friendships. Results show that 5–20% error rates, which are consistent with error rates known to occur in ego network data, can cause serious misestimation of network properties and regression parameters.
Evaluating confidence levels for security scenarios in attribute architectures

Security of the data manipulated by a program is often a key attribute of the architecture of that program. Scenarios drive software architecture design. Quality attribute scenarios, such as security scenarios, describe a use of the system in terms of specific quality attribute values. An analytic theory describes an algorithm that will use the attribute architecture representation to predict the quality attribute values represented by the scenarios. It is difficult to determine how much confidence can be placed in the calculation of quality attribute values. Confidence intervals on those predictions can be used to help the software architect make better decisions about the architecture. In this paper, we explore a specific aspect of a reasoning framework for security, how to compute confidence levels for the quality attribute values resulting from security scenarios.
Symmetry analysis of the RHEED patterns from the Si(001)−2 × 1 surfaces

Abstract Experimental and theoretical studies of the Si(001)−2×1 reconstruction are reviewed. The review indicates that a technique, which is sensitive and fast enough to detect the basic symmetry of the Si(001)−2×1 surface, seems still unavailable and the local density approximation (LDA) adopted in calculations makes it difficult to determine the basic electronic property of the surface: metallic or semiconducting. The review of the distinct features of the reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) technique shows that it clearly has a role in resolving the controversies over the Si(001)−2×1 reconstruction. The multislice formalism of Cowley and Moodie with a recently developed edge-patching method has been applied to the analyses of several experimental RHEED patterns from the Si(001)−2×1 surface. The calculation results reject the static buckled model for the surface. The analyses also show that the information to determine which one of three possible symmetrical models for the surface (namely ‘inherent symmetry’, ‘individual-dimer-random-symmetry’ and ‘domain-random-symmetry’) is closest to the true structure can be found in the experimental RHEED patterns. The results indicate that the intensity symmetry (symmetry regarding the intensities rather than geometrical locations of spots) of a RHEED pattern from the Si(001)−2×1 surface is very sensitive to the structure variations of the surface.
Excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission is differentially influenced by two ortho-substituted polychlorinated biphenyls in the hippocampal slice preparation

Exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls impairs cognition and behavior in children. Two environmental PCBs 2,2',3,3',4,4',5-heptachlorobiphenyl (PCB170) and 2,2',3,5',6-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB95) were examined in vitro for influences on synaptic transmission in rat hippocampal slices. Field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) were recorded in the CA1 region using a multi-electrode array. Perfusion with PCB170 (10 nM) had no effect on fEPSP slope relative to baseline period, whereas (100 nM) initially enhanced then depressed fEPSP slope. Perfusion of PCB95 (10 or 100 nM) persistently enhanced fEPSP slope >200%, an effect that could be inhibited by dantrolene, a drug that attenuates ryanodine receptor signaling. Perfusion with picrotoxin (PTX) to block GABA neurotransmission resulted in a modest increase in fEPSP slope, whereas PTX+PCB170 (1-100 nM) persistently enhanced fEPSP slope in a dose dependent manner. fEPSP slope reached >250% of baseline period in the presence of PTX+100 nM PCB170, conditions that evoked marked epileptiform after-potential discharges. PCB95 and PCB170 were found to differentially influence the Ca(2+)-dependence of [(3)H]ryanodine-binding to hippocampal ryanodine receptors. Non-coplanar PCB congeners can differentially alter neurotransmission in a manner suggesting they can elicit imbalances between inhibitory and excitatory circuits within the hippocampus. Differential sensitization of ryanodine receptors by Ca(2+) appears to mediate, at least in part, hippocampal excitotoxicity by non-coplanar PCBs.
Macromolecular synthesis in permeable liver cells

Abstract Macromolecular synthesis was studied in individual liver cells rendered permeable to macromolecules and charged molecules by treatment with toluene. Toluene-treated cells were compared to intact cells with regard to their ability to synthesize protein, RNA, and DNA. The permeable cells catalyzed the incorporation of amino acids into protein in a system which was sensitive to cycloheximide. Maximal incorporation required the addition of tRNA, ATP, GTP, an energy source and various cations. RNA synthesis also took place in these cells and was inhibited by actinomycin D. Maximal incorporation required all four ribonucleoside triphosphates, an energy-generating system, and Mn 2+ , K + , and F − . The toluene-treated cells also were active for DNA synthesis when Ca 2+ was present to induce endonucleolytic cleavage of the endogenous DNA. For maximal synthesis, all four deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates, ATP, K + , Mg 2+ , polyamines, and mercaptoethanol were required. These studies serve to emphasize the potential usefulness of toluene treatment for studying biosynthetic processes in mammalian cells.
Coagulum pyelolithotomy: Tensile strength of coagula as a function of variables

Abstract Tensile strength of fibrin clots was measured as a function of various characteristics. A simple method for performing coagulum pyelolithotomy is outlined.
Removal of heavy metals in activated sludge treatment systems

Studies were conducted to determine the removal of heavy metals in three normally operating activated sludge wastewater treatment plants having only moderate industrial inputs. The removals of the soluble and particulate fractions varied with primary and secondary treatment, and in one instance a tertiary sand filter.
Glutaric aciduria: improved MR appearance after aggressive therapy.

Advances in understanding the metabolic abnormalities which cause glutaric aciduria allow biochemical diagnosis on the basis of deficient enzyme and the potential for therapy. Brain abnormalities associated with this inborn error of metabolism have been demonstrated with CT and MR. The findings typically described are atrophy of the fronto-temporal regions with large insular cisterns and diffuse white matter hypodensities. We present a patient with glutatic aciduria, confirmed by enzymatic assay, who had these findings on CT and MR examination. Repeat imaging demonstrated significant improvement after dietary therapy and aggressive prevention of catabolism during febrile illness.
Adrenal artery velocity waveforms in the appropriate and small‐for‐gestational‐age fetus

The purpose of this study was to compare adrenal artery flow velocity waveforms in the appropriately grown and the small-for-gestational-age fetus. Adrenal artery flow velocity waveforms were prospectively obtained from 131 appropriate- and 21 small-for-gestational-age fetuses with pulsed Doppler ultrasonography. The success rate in recording the adrenal artery was 84% (131/155) and 100% in the appropriate- and small-for-gestational-age fetuses, respectively. The pulsatility index (PI) was used to quantify the waveforms. The PI in the appropriate-for-gestational-age fetuses decreased linearly with gestational age (PI = 1.7 − 0.016 × gestational age). In ten small-for-gestational-age fetuses the adrenal artery PI was below the 95% confidence interval. Small-for-gestational-age fetuses with abnormal adrenal artery PI had a significantly higher incidence of fetal heart rate decelerations, preterm delivery and Cesarean sections when compared to small-for-gestational-age fetuses with normal adrenal artery PI. Our data indicate that the PI of the adrenal artery in the normal fetus decreases with advancing gestation, and they suggest that in the small-for-gestational-age fetus there is an increased blood flow to the adrenal gland. We postulate that management of the small-for-gestational-age fetus may be aided by the study of the adrenal artery flow velocity waveforms. Copyright © 1996 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology
X-ray observations of supernova remnants resembling the Crab Nebula

Out of the three SNRs G291.0 - 0.1, G308.7 + 0.0, and G328.4 + 0.2, which resemble the Crab Nebula in many of their radio properties, the present Einstein Observatory search was able to detect only the first, which is noted to have very extended X-ray emission with strong central brightening. Given the large distances and hydrogen column densities of the other two SNRs, their X-ray limits are consistent with membership in the Crab Nebula-like group. The evolutions of radio luminosity, X-ray luminosity, and the ratio of the two luminosities with remnant diameter are reassessed for this SNR class. No evidence is found for a radio luminosity decrease with diameter (age).
A compact, inexpensive apparatus for one-sided etching in KOH and HF

Abstract Silicon micromachining often requires the selective removal of either surface or bulk layers of material from substrates. Often it is advantageous to protect one side of a substrate while the other side is exposed to the etchant. Sometimes an etch can take as long as 8–10 h at temperatures as high as 80 °C, such as in wet etching of bulk silicon in potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution. Other times, the etch may be at room temperature, and there may be prolonged periods of exposure to concentrated hydrofluoric acid (HF) when removing sacrifical layers of oxide. Both KOH and concentrated HF are effective in etching silicon and silicon dioxide respectively, but there is difficulty in finding suitable materials that mask these etchants for long periods of time. Silicon nitride is a good mask for KOH, but is deposited at a relatively high temperature (800 °C), while concentrated HF tends to delaminate or etch most materials. This makes it difficult to protect layers on silicon wafers after any metal deposition. This paper describes a system designed to wet etch substrates from one side only, protecting the front side to a high degree. The one-sided etching concept is introduced, followed by the design of the apparatus with variations on the basic concept. This is followed by a particular implementation in a KOH etching system. Also described as part of the KOH etching system is a simple and economical method for solution level detection based on the conductance of the solution. This detection system compensates for loss of water in the solution due to evaporation when etching at high temperatures. Finally, an example of the usefulness of the one-sided apparatus is given.
A Polymorphism in the Human Agouti-Related Protein Is Associated with Late-Onset Obesity

The mouse agouti-related protein (AGRP) is a powerful appetite effector that results in hyperphagia and the development of obesity when administered intracerebroventricularly or when overexpressed in transgenic mice. Animal studies have also shown that exogenous administration of AGRP predisposes toward hedonic intake of high fat and high sucrose diets. The human ortholog (hAGRP) maps on chromosome 16q22 and has similar physiological properties, as tested in animal models. A polymorphism was identified in the third exon of hAGRP, c.199G3 A, that resulted in a nonconservative amino acid substitution, Ala 67 Thr. Computational analysis of the protein showed significant differences in the coils of the two polymorphic isoforms of the protein. Human studies showed no genotype effects in individuals with a mean age of 25 yr. However, the G/G genotype was significantly associated with fatness and abdominal adiposity in the parental population with a mean age of 53 yr. The c.199G3 A polymorphism in hAGRP could, therefore, play a role in the development of human obesity in an age-dependent fashion. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 87: 4198 – 4202, 2002)
Pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia (PASH) of the breast: a clinicopathological study of 79 cases.

Background. Pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia (PASH) of the breast is a benign lesion that can present as a palpable nodule or as an incidental finding in breast biopsies. Design. The study com...
Prophylactic phenobarbital administration after resolution of neonatal seizures: survey of current practice.

OBJECTIVE. Child neurologists and neonatologists often discharge newborn infants with phenobarbital treatment for weeks to months despite the absence of continuing seizure activity. We conducted a national survey to determine the degree of variation in this practice. METHODS. Surveys were sent to a randomly generated list of board-certified child neurologists (N = 609) and neonatologists (N = 579). The survey consisted of 3 parts, that is, questions related to overall attitudes and practices, specific patient scenarios, and respondent demographic characteristics. Responses were tabulated and analyzed for all respondents combined and for child neurologists and neonatologists separately. Variation in practices between respondents and the consistency between the respondents9 stated use of phenobarbital in practice and their answers to various clinical scenarios were evaluated. RESULTS. Responses were received from 118 child neurologists (20.7%) and 125 neonatologists (23.1%). There was wide variation in practices, with little difference in the response frequencies between child neurologists and neonatologists. Physicians were more likely to respond yes to continuation of phenobarbital treatment in a given clinical situation than would be predicted on the basis of their answers regarding overall frequency of use. CONCLUSIONS. Since the survey of practices 15 years ago, child neurologists and neonatologists are reporting less frequent and shorter phenobarbital treatment after resolution of neonatal seizures, although there remains considerable variation in practices. Moreover, what physicians report as their practice in general is inconsistent with how they respond to specific clinical cases of neonatal seizures.
Genetic mapping of the chloroquine-resistance locus on Plasmodium falciparum chromosome 7.

Abstract The resurgence of malaria in recent decades has been accompanied by the worldwide spread of resistance to chloroquine, a drug once uncontested as the first-line antimalarial agent because of its efficacy and low toxicity. Chloroquine-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum counter the drug by expelling it rapidly via an unknown mechanism. In the absence of explicit biochemical knowledge of this efflux mechanism, reverse genetics provides a powerful approach to the molecular basis of chloroquine resistance. Here we report genetic linkage analysis in which 85 restriction fragment length polymorphism markers were used to examine inheritance of the 14 P. falciparum chromosomes in a laboratory cross between a chloroquine-resistant and a chloroquine-sensitive parasite. Inheritance data from 16 independent recombinant progeny show that the rapid efflux, chloroquine-resistant phenotype is governed by a single locus within an approximately 400-kilobase region of chromosome 7. Identification and characterization of genes within this region should lead to an understanding of the chloroquine-resistance mechanism.
Against General Theory in Comparative Research

This paper argues against the search for a general theory of crime causation in comparative criminology. It includes a critique of two advocates of general theory, and offers three propositions which suggest appropriate strategies for theory construction in comparative research.
Biotreatment of PAH-contaminated Soils/Sedimentsa

The importance of chemical conditions and mass transfer effects to in situ bioremediation of PAHs is presented using a case study. In situ bioremediation is being evaluated as a means for remediating a coal-tar contaminated aquifer at the site of a former manufactured gas plant. Two objectives of this work have been to evaluate the potential for the indigenous bacteria to biodegrade coal tar constituents and to identify factors controlling biodegradation rates. Aquifer sediments collected from a variety of locations across the site contain bacteria capable of aerobically mineralizing some of the principal aromatic compounds in the groundwater plume (benzene, naphthalene, and phenanthrene). Parallel mineralization assays incubated under aerobic and anaerobic conditions strongly suggest that O2 availability is a primary factor controlling the rate and extent of biodegradation. Data indicate that sorption may have also significantly affected biodegradation rates by limiting the bioavailability of the aromatic compounds. A mass transfer-limited numerical model was developed to explore the effect of sorption and bioavailability on biodegradation rates. In this model biodegradation rates are proportional to aqueous concentration, which is directly reduced by sorption. Both biotransformation and bacterial growth are described as being controlled by the rate of desorptive mass transfer. The influence of sorption on biodegradation is quantified by defining a Bioavailability Factor, Bf. A Thiele Modulus which indicates the ratio of characteristic times for sorption and biodegradation is helpful for determining the extent of mass transfer control during biodegradation of the aromatic compounds. This approach is preferred to equilibrium partitioning models, which may overestimate biodegradation rates by failing to consider the effect of rate-limited desorption on bioavailability.