cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of Physical Therapists in Physical Activity Programs in Nursing Homes: A Survey

A survey was conducted to help define the role of physical therapists in physical activity programs in nursing homes. Questionnaires were completed by 64 physical therapists working in nursing homes of 130--150 bed capacity. The major factors studied were employment status, work-time at the facility, interprofessional relationships, and available equipment and space. Of the respondents, 43.7 percent were involved in physical activity programs, the most common roles being staff instruction and consultation. Only a small percentage of the time was used for programs; most of the time was occupied with individual physical therapy treatment. The principal types of programs with physical therapist involvement were ambulation and gait training, bed exercises, and general group exercises. Equipment and space seemed adequate. Physical therapists were likely to be involved in physical activity programs if: 1) they were employed by the nursing homes, were paid on a salary basis, worked at the nursing homes full-time or nearly full-time, and did not work elsewhere; 2) such programs were mentioned during discussion of the work agreement; and 3) the coordinator of the physical activity programs was an occupational therapist or a nurse rather than an activities director or recreational therapist.
Polarization of multiply scattered Bragg reflections from chiral cubic structures.

Because of the high symmetry of a cubic lattice, the interpretation of Bragg-scattering results may be complicated by the presence of multiple-scattering effects. We calculate here the polarization properties of light that is multiply Bragg scattered from chiral cubic structures with a view to interpreting the (111) backscatter from blue-phase lattices. We find that doubly and triply scattered light from (100)- and (110)-like Bragg planes having m=2 symmetry (using the notation of Hornreich and Shtrikman) has the same polarization as singly backscattered light from the (111), m=0 plane. The results are used to interpret the scattering measurements of Tanimoto and Crooker.
An immersed-boundary method for the dynamics of premixed flames

Abstract The accuracy of the immersed-boundary method is investigated for the simulation of the propagation of a premixed flame, characterized by sharp and moving interfaces separating unburned and burned gases with disparate fluid properties. In particular, the spurious pressure fields observed when employing the cosine weighting function in previous studies are found to be caused by the non-conservation in the interfacial region, and are removed in the present study by using area weighting. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the front propagation velocity to the movement and location of the flame, characterized by a discontinuous velocity profile, is substantially moderated by the use of an improved technique based on known immersion distribution. The improved performance of the present method is demonstrated through the evolution of the Darrieus–Landau instability.
Fish Kills in the Fox River, Wisconsin, Attributable to Carbon Monoxide from Marine Engines

Abstract The Fox River, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, has a history of fish kills, dating back to the late 1950s, with at least 58 fish kills occurring during April–October 1988. Twenty fish species, including lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens, were affected. In situ bioassay tests of fathead minnow Pimephales promelas identified the origin of toxicity to be a motor endurance testing facility. Additional testing showed carbon monoxide (CO) to be the cause of toxicity. Blood samples taken both during in situ bioassays and from captured fish during fish kill episodes showed blood carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) levels of 32–97%. Fish kill episodes were enhanced by flow reversals in the Fox River caused by seiches from 55,730-ha Lake Winnebago. The motor endurance testing facility remains in operation; however, testing has been reduced and is monitored for compliance.
Pulsed moderator studies using a time focused crystal spectrometer

A technique is reported for measuring the joint time and energy dependence of the rate of emission of slow neutrons emerging from moderators pulsed with fast neutrons. A crystal spectrometer selects neutrons of a given energy and the leakage flux of that energy is examined as a function of time. The spectrometer is arranged to be time-focussed; time resolution is decoupled from energy, spatial and angular resolution. Time-focussing 1. Introduction We report a technique for measuring the joint time and energy dependence of the rate of emission of slow neutrons emerging from moderators pulsed with fast neutrons. A crystal spectrometer is used to select neutrons of a given energy and the leakage flux of that energy is examined as a function of time. The crystal spectrometer is arranged to be time-focussed; time resolution is decoupled from energy, spatial and angular resolution. The time-focussing feature enables measurements to be made using much less intense neutron sources than have been used by earlier workers. Adequate counting rates are obtained by sampling large source area, and large angle and energy widths, while good time resolution is maintained by time focussing. Measurements of the moderator time-energy distributions are required for design of intense pulsed slow neutron sources, and are useful as demanding tests of scattering kernels and neutron transport calculational methods. Fig. 1 illustrates the basic quantity to be
Examiner Familiarity Effects for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

The authors examined the difference in standardized test performance when familiar versus unfamiliar examiners tested 26 preschool and elementary-aged children with autism. The children were matched by age, severity, and developmental level and then randomly placed into familiar and unfamiliar examiner groups. Familiarity with the examiner was established before test administration for children in the treatment group. Both groups were administered 2 subscales of the Psychoeducational Profile-Revised. There was a statistically significant difference in favor of the children tested by the familiar examiners on the cognitive verbal subscale (d = .43) and on the cognitive performance subscale (d = .47), indicating that examiner familiarity had positive effects on the test performance of children with autism. Given these results, it appears that professionals who are responsible for administering standardized tests to children with autism should make pretest contact with these children to reduce test procedure...
Immigrants and Law Enforcement: A Comparison of Native-Born and Foreign-Born Americans' Opinions of the Police:

As the immigrant population continues to grow, law enforcement agencies face increasing demands to provide services and reach out to groups that are subject to victimization and reluctant to become involved with authorities. The current paper provides a quantitative look at how immigrants perceive the police, how they evaluate their experiences with police, and their willingness to engage in voluntary contacts with the police, relative to native-born Americans. Data come from a telephone survey with a community sample of residents of Seattle commissioned by the city officials to identify possible friction points in police-public interactions.After controlling for ethnicity and other demographic factors, we found that immigrants rated the police more positively than native-born Americans on measures of police effectiveness, police misconduct, and satisfaction with both voluntary and involuntary contacts. However, we found that immigrants were far less likely than native-born Americans to contact the police...
Diasporic sublime: Sikh martyrs, Internet mediations, and the question of the unimaginable

How are the Internet and the World Wide Web productive of new forms of cultural life? I analyse how the confluence of martyrdom, terror, and computer-mediated-communications has contributed to the emergence of a Sikh diasporic cultural politics. I argue that the centrality and force of both the Internet and the figure of the martyr for many Khalistanis prompt a rethinking of the privilege scholars often accord to the “imagination” and “experience” in explaining the creation of diasporic communities. In outlining what I call the diasporic sublime, I mine the works of Walter Benjamin and Immanuel Kant to develop a more precise way for talking about community formation in terms of the inexperiencable and the unimaginable.
The Relationship of Physiological Arousal with Demand and Withdraw Behavior : Examining the Accuracy of the Escape-Conditioning Hypothesis

The escape-conditioning model suggests that husbands experience greater physiological arousal during marital conflict than their wives. This greater arousal is hypothesized to lead to withdrawal from conflict in order to lessen the arousal. The present results, based on a U.S. sample of 64 heterosexual couples, found no support for this model. During problem-solving discussions, husbands did not exhibit greater skin conductance and did not report greater arousal than their wives. Furthermore, skin conductance was negatively linked to withdraw behavior. These results, while not consistent with the escape-conditioning model, are in line with recent studies that have explicitly examined gender differences in other types of physiological arousal during marital conflict.
Report from the International Pancreas Transplant Registry.

From December, 1966 through 1990, 3082 pancreas transplants were reported to the International Registry. A detailed analysis was performed on the 2087 transplants in the 1986–90 data base; during this time the overall one year recipient and graft functional survival rates were 89% and 62%. Univariate analyses showed graft survival rates to be significantly higher with bladder drainage than with other duct management techniques, with a simultaneous kidney transplant than without, and with preservation in UW than other solutions. Storage up to 30 hours did not adversely effect results. Graft survival rates were significantly higher in North America than Europe, a discrepancy that persisted in a Cox proportional hazard analysis that also included duct management, recipient category, HLADR mismatching, immunosuppression with anti-T cell agents, preservation solution and duration, and year of transplant as the other variables; three were identified to have a significant (p<0.05) impact on the relative risk (RR) of graft loss: 1) Recipient category, with an RR of 0.43 when placed simultaneously with a kidney; 2) Year, with an RR of 0.76 for transplants performed in 1989–90 versus 1986–88; and 3) Location, with an RR of 0.75 for transplants in North America versus Europe. The technical failure rate was significantly lower in North America than Europe, but this was not an explanation for the differences in outcome, since the same factors sorted out as significant in a Cox proportional hazard analysis of technically successful cases only. Furthermore, logistic regression analysis showed retransplantation, duct management, recipient category, preservation solution, and storage time to significantly influence the technical failure rate. The risk of technical failure was lowest for primary, bladder-drained, simultaneous pancreas/kidney, < 12 hour UW stored grafts; year and location of transplant were not significant factors. Pancreas transplant results continue to improve and are in the range of those for other solid organs.
Boundary control of weakly nonlinear wave equations with an application to galloping of transmission lines

Exponential decay is proven for a class of initial boundary value problems for the equationwtt-c 0 2 wxx=f(wt). The boundary condition isc0wx+rwt=0 atx=1 andw(0,t)=0. Iff satisfies a global Lipschitz condition, no restrictions are placed on the initial conditions, but if this is relaxed to a local Lipschitz condition, the initial data are assumed to be sufficiently small. These theorems are motivated in part by an application to modeling of “galloping” transmission lines. A theorem about boundedness of solutions without boundary damping is proven also. A global Lipschitz condition is assumed here, but the theorem is believed to be more generally true.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in smoke particles from wood and duff burning

Abstract Smoke particles from wood burning and duff burning were analysed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. PAH composition in smoke particles from wood burning was found to resemble those from other environmental samples, such as air particles and sediments where parental PAH are the predominant species. A catalytic combustor retrofitted on the wood-burning stove reduced the PAH concentrations significantly. The reduction was more pronounced for parental PAH than their alkylated homologs. Probably, the molecular configuration affects the catalytic efficiency. Smoke particles from duff burning contained a strikingly different PAH composition, with phenanthrene, alkylated phenanthrenes, alkylated cycolopenta( def )phenanthrene and dodecahydrochrysene as the predominant species.
Effect of shell content and storage on expelling of tung nuts

Expeller tests were made on ground tung nuts containing all of the shell (33%) at the time of hulling and after the nuts had been in storage for one and two months. Comparative tests were also made on material containing about 24% shell which had passed through the disc huller in regular mill operation. One test was made on hand-shelled kernels which were entirely free of shell.
Efficient Multi-User Transmission Technique with Frequency Division for WLANs

The upcoming wireless LAN standard IEEE 802.11ac extends the channel bandwidth from conventional 20 or 40 MHz to 80 or 160 MHz to increase the data rate. Consequently, there could be stations supporting different channel bandwidths in one area. Stations belonging to the same basic service set (BSS) have to operate on the primary channel, which is a common 20 MHz sub-channel. In such a situation, the secondary channels associated with the primary channel may remain unused and, as a result, the system capacity will be degraded. To address this problem, we propose a multi-user multi-channel transmission technique to improve the efficiency of downlink transmissions. The computer simulation results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Effects of ethynyl estradiol on serum lipoprotein lipids in male and female rats.

Abstract Female and male rats were administered 5 or 15 μg/kg of ethynyl estradiol in sesame oil for 14 days by subcutaneous injection, and were killed on the 15th day following a 12–14 h fasting. The very low density lipoproteins, low density lipoproteins and high density lipoproteins were isolated from the serum and the concentrations of triglyceride, cholesterol and cholesteryl esters were determined in each lipoprotein class. The concentration of triglyceride in very low density lipoprotein increased with either of the estrogen doses. Treatment with ethynyl estradiol increased the concentrations of cholesterol and cholesteryl esters in the very low density lipoprotein but decreased the concentrations of these lipids in the low density lipoprotein and high density lipoprotein. The activity of serum lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase was increased by pretreatment with ethynyl estradiol. The secretion rates of the very low density lipoprotein triglyceride and cholesterol were measured in vivo using Triton WR-1339; ethynyl estradiol increased secretion of very low density lipoprotein lipids in both sexes. The rate of hepatic secretion of the very low density lipoprotein in females, however, exceeded that of males in control and estrogentreated animals. The concentrations of serum triglyceride were similar in untreated rats of both sexes. It is suggested that the elevated concentration of serum triglyceride, following treatment with ethynyl estradiol, results from simultaneous stimulation of hepatic production of very low density lipoprotein and peripheral utilization of the triglyceride. It is postulated that, under these conditions, production rates of very low density lipoprotein lipids exceed utilization rates. It is further postulated that the hypocholesterolemia produced by ethynyl estradiol therapy results from increased utilization of low density lipoprotein and high density lipoprotein sterol despite increased output of cholesterol in the very low density lipoprotein.
A Netnographic Exploration: Listening to Online Consumer Conversations

ABSTRACT Consumer conversations on a health-related electronic bulletin board are analyzed to investigate two key processes instrumental to creativity: analogical reasoning and reflective reframing. A netnographic analysis of these two creative strategies revealed two consistent themes of physician partnership and personal outcomes. To study the implications of these two themes for hospital communications, a content analysis of 40 comprehensive cancer-center Web sites was conducted. The results demonstrate a gap: although patients in online conversations emphasize physician partnership and personal outcomes, the majority of hospital communications emphasize reputation, expertise, and compassion. Strategic recommendations grounded in consumer conversations conclude the article.
Properties of Hot-Pressed Cr-Cr3Si

Previously, Cr-Cr3Si in-situ composites produced by arc-melting were shown to have good strengths at high temperatures1. For example, samples of a 25% Cr and 75% C3Si composite achieved bend strengths of 135 MPa at 1200°C. However, there is potential for even higher strengths at high temperatures and a need for improvement in the low temperature strength and toughness. In order to improve the properties, two approaches were taken. The first used powder metallurgy to develop a better microstructure than in the cast alloys, to try to improve both strength and toughness. The second approach was to incorporate erbia into the composites, to improve the strength and stability of the microstructure at elevated temperatures. High density samples of hot pressed Cr-15.5Si and Cr-18.6Si have been produced by mixing Cr and G3Si powders and hot pressing in a graphite die. Erbia powders have been incorporated into some compacts for comparison. Micros tructures have been characterized and mechanical properties determined. Both the hot pressing and the erbia affected the properties. In addition the erbia had a significant effect on consolidation of the samples.
Mechanistic Studies of the Triggered Release of Liposomal Contents by Matrix Metalloproteinase-9

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) constitute a class of extracellular-matrix-degrading enzymes overexpressed in many cancers and contribute to the metastatic ability of the cancer cells. We have recently demonstrated that liposomal contents can be released when triggered by the enzyme MMP-9. Herein, we report the results of our mechanistic studies of the MMP-9-triggered release of liposomal contents. We synthesized peptides containing the cleavage site for MMP-9 and conjugated them with fatty acids to prepare the corresponding lipopeptides. By employing circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, we demonstrated that the lipopeptides, when incorporated into liposomes, are demixed in the lipid bilayers and generate triple-helical structures. MMP-9 cleaves the triple-helical peptides, leading to the release of the liposomal contents. Other MMPs, which cannot hydrolyze triple-helical peptides, fail to release the contents from the liposomes. We also observed that the rate and extent of release of the liposomal contents depend on the mismatch between the acyl chains of the synthesized lipopeptide and phospholipid components of the liposomes. CD spectroscopic studies imply that the observed differences in the release reflect the ability of the liposomal membrane to anneal the defects following the enzymatic cleavage of the liposome-incorporated lipopeptides.
Temperature (290–400 K) and pressure (5–900 Torr) dependence of the kinetics of the reactions of chlorine atoms with propene and 1-butene

Abstract Rate constants for reactions of chlorine atoms with propene ( k 1 ) and 1-butene ( k 2 ) were measured relative to that of chlorine atoms with n -butane ( k 3 ) at 295–400 K in 5–900 Torr of N 2 using gas chromatographic analysis. Experiments were also performed using an FTIR smog chamber to measure k 1 relative to cyclohexane ( k 4 ) at 290–302 K in 700 Torr of N 2 . In contrast to previous studies which reported large negative activation energies, no discernable influence of temperature on the kinetics of these reactions was observed for experiments conducted near ambient temperature and pressure (∣ E a (1)∣ ⩽ 300 cal mole −1 , ∣ E a (2)∣ ⩽ 150 cal mole −1 ).
Single-Channel Source Separation Using Complex Matrix Factorization

Nonnegative matrix factorization is gaining popularity in speech and audio processing applications. Performing nonnegative matrix factorization on a complex-valued short-time Fourier transform, however, makes assumptions on the signal, such as additivity in the magnitude domain, potentially degrading the results. One application where these assumptions can cause a problem is in single-channel source separation of overlapping speech. In this paper, we present how this problem can be solved by incorporating phase estimation via complex matrix factorization. Another challenge in source separation is how to select reconstruction bases for optimal separation. In this paper, we compare the most common method with a new, simpler method of finding bases that does not share many of the challenges of the current, established method. The paper will conclude by comparing nonnegative with complex matrix factorization as well as the previous and new methods for finding bases on the task of automatic speech recognition of single-channel two-talker overlapping speech.
Steroid structure and function. Molecular conformation of 4-hydroxyestradiol and its relation to other catechol estrogens

Hydroxylation of estrogens at C(2) or C(4) effects differentially their binding affinity to and dissociation rate from the estrogen receptor. The X-ray crystal structure of 4-hydroxyestradiol (4-OH-E2) is reported here and compared with that of 2-hydroxyestradiol (2-OH-E2), the 2- and 4-hydroxylated derivatives of estrone (E1) and with that of the parent estrogens, E1 and E2. The overall molecular shape and hydrogen bonding patterns of each were examined for their possible relevance to their binding to the estrogen receptor and their biological activity. A shift in the B-ring conformation away from the symmetrical 7 alpha,8 beta-half-chair form toward the 8 beta-sofa form is induced by both 2- and 4-hydroxy substitution. This shift appears to be larger in the case of E2 than E1 derivatives and to be correlated with an observed change in the hydrogen bonding potential of the C(3) hydroxyl. In 4-OH-E2, as in E2 and 4-OH-E1, the C(3) hydroxyl functions both as a hydrogen bond donor and acceptor. In contrast in 2-OH-E2 the hydroxyl functions only as a donor. The markedly reduced affinity of 2-hydroxylated estrogens for the estrogen receptor could be due to a combination of steric interactions, competition between O(2) and O(3) for hydrogen bonds for a common site on the receptor, and to general interference with hydrogen bond formation of O(3). The C(4) hydroxyl participates in the formation of a chain of hydrogen bonds in the solid state that is similar to a chain seen in single crystals of E2. The presence of a similar chain of hydrogen bonds involving O(3) in the receptor site could account for the decreased dissociation rate of the 4-OH-E2 receptor complex.
BIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THERMAL POLLUTION. I. ENTRAINMENT AND DISCHARGE CANAL EFFECTS.

(1970). Biological aspects of thermal pollution I. Entrainment and discharge canal effects. C R C Critical Reviews in Environmental Control: Vol. 1, No. 1-4, pp. 341-381.
Stress analysis of an autofrettaged thick-walled pressure vessel containing an external groove

Abstract Stress analysis of an autofrettaged thick-walled pressure vessel containing an external groove and subjected to internal pressure is described. From the equivalence of thermal and autofrettage residual stress fields, the autofrettage residual stress distributions of the external grooved thick-walled pressure vessel were simulated using an equivalent thermal loading. Thermal stresses due to the simulated thermal loadings for various degrees of autofrettage overstrain level were computed using finite element methods. Very high stress concentration factors due to internal pressure and autofrettage loadings (3·9–4·65) were obtained at the external groove root that contained a sharp root radius. This sharp root radius location was considered as the most vulnerable location for fatigue crack formation and growth. Experimental measurement of residual stresses for a fully autofrettaged thick-walled pressure vessel using an equivalent saw cut method resulted in very close agreement with the theoretical autofrettage residual stress distributions. The stress analysis results indicate that lower autofrettage overstrain and a groove geometry change is desirable for enhanced durability.
Multidisciplinary assessment of pollution at three sites in Long Island Sound

Winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) were sampled from three sites located near Norwalk, New Haven, and Niantic, Connecticut, in Long Island Sound during February 1987, to evaluate the degree of chemical contamination and to determine possible effects of contaminant exposure. At each site, sediment and infaunal invertebrates were also collected and analyzed for trace metals and organic chemicals. Specimens of liver and kidney from winter flounder were examined for histopathological conditions, including the presence of macrophage aggregates in liver tissue. Liver samples were also analyzed for DNA damage (i.e., the formation of adducts between DNA and chemical contaminants). Blood samples were collected and analyzed for erythrocyte micronuclei. The sampling site near New Haven was determined to be the most affected site, from the standpoints of greater chemical contamination and possible effects on winter flounder. Concentrations of aromatic hydrocarbons (AHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were highest in sediment from this site, and the highest prevalences of the histopathological changes and DNA alterations were also found in the livers of winter flounder from this site. No differences in the concentrations of contaminants in fish or in frequencies of erythrocyte micronuclei in fish blood were found between sites. None of the sites sampled had contaminant levels or prevalences of lesions as high as previously found at other East Coast locations (e.g., Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, Raritan Bay, New York). Overall, our results indicate moderate levels of pollution at two of the urban sites in Long Island Sound and provide a framework for expanded studies to better define the extent and impact of chemical pollution in Long Island Sound.
MAGNESIUM STUDIES IN RELATION TO HYPERPARATHYROIDISM

IN THE clinical study of hyperparathyroidism there have been few contributions concerning the metabolism of magnesium. The studies of Bulger and Gausmann (1), Bassett and Alstine (2, 3), and Tibbetts and Aub (4) are confirmed and extended here in relation to a patient requiring two operations for the removal of a hyperfunctioning parathyroid tumor. In view of the chemical similarity of magnesium and calcium it might be supposed that these elements are both affected in hyperparathyroidism. In order to obtain further information on magnesium metabolism in this disorder a balance study was conducted in a case of hyperparathyroidism, prior to and following extirpation of an active parathyroid tumor. The results of this study, as well as pertinent background for their interpretation, arc considered here. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Previous balance studies on healthy subjects (4–9) revealed three main difficulties: 1) Magnesium intakes are more than adequate, and this obscures minor physiologic alterations in the me...
Variable Reactivity of an Engineered Cysteine at Position 338 in Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Reflects Different Chemical States of the Thiol

In a previous study of T338C CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator) we found that protons and thiol-directed reagents modified channel properties in a manner consistent with the hypothesis that this residue lies within the conduction path, but the observed reactivity was not consistent with the presence of a single thiolate species in the pore. Here we report results consistent with the notion that the thiol moiety can exist in at least three chemical states, the simple thiol, and two altered states. One of the altered states displays reactivity toward thiols like dithiothreitol and 2-mercaptoethanol as well as reagents: mixed disulfides (methanethiosulfonate reagents: MTSET+, MTSES-) and an alkylating agent (iodoacetamide). The other altered state is unreactive. The phenotype associated with the reactive, altered state could be replicated by exposing oocytes expressing T338C CFTR to CuCl2, but not by glutathionylation or nitrosylation of the thiol or by oxidation with hydrogen peroxide. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that substituting a cysteine at 338 can create an adventitious metal binding site. Metal liganding alters thiol reactivity and may, in some cases, catalyze oxidation of the thiol to an unreactive form such as a sulfinic or sulfonic acid.
Structure and composition of secondary phase particles in cobalt-doped TiO2 films

Abstract The microstructural properties of secondary phase particles formed in epitaxial CoxTi1−xO2 anatase thin films grown on (0 0 1)LaAlO3 by a reactive RF magnetron co-sputter deposition are examined. These films exhibit ferromagnetic behavior in magnetization measurements, showing a M–H loop at room temperature with a saturation magnetization on the order of 0.7 μB /Co. X-ray photoemission spectrometry indicates that the Co cations are in the Co2+ valence state. Cross-section electron microscopy reveals that a significant fraction of the cobalt segregates into Co–Ti–O secondary phase particles. Selected area electron diffraction shows that the secondary phase particles are cobalt-rich anatase. While the cobalt is concentrated in the segregated particles, local energy dispersive spectrometry indicates some Co throughout the film.
Donor Kidneys With Small Renal Cell Cancers: Can They Be Transplanted?

Abstract Introduction The purpose of this study was to determine whether incidentally discovered, small renal cell cancers (RCC) in donor kidneys can be excised and safely transplanted. Methods The Israel Penn International Transplant Tumor Registry database was searched and all small RCC that were identified and resected prior to transplantation of deceased and living donor kidneys were reviewed. Patient demographics, tumor characteristics, recurrence, and survival were examined. Results Fourteen kidneys were identified in which small RCC were noted at the time of procurement and where the tumors were excised ex vivo and then transplanted. Eleven kidneys were obtained from living related donors and three were from deceased donors. Median tumor size was 2 cm (range 0.5 to 4 cm). All 14 tumors were of histological Furhman grade II/VI ( n = 8) or Furhman grade I/VI ( n = 6). All kidneys had pathologically confirmed negative margins. The mean age of the recipients was 40.8 ± 9.2 years, with the majority being men (11 men; 3 women). Median follow-up for this group was 69 months (range 14 to 200 months). There have been no recurrences of tumor in these recipients and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year patient and graft survivals are 100%, 100%, and 93%. Conclusions These data represent the only data available (to our knowledge) on this issue. This experience indicates that donor kidneys with small, incidental RCC and low histological grade (Furhman grade I and II/IV) can be managed with excision and transplantation, with a low risk of tumor recurrence in the recipient.
A Liquid Crystal Tunable Spectral Filter: Visible And Infrared Operation

The large optical anisotropy of liquid crystal molecules is employed to realize an efficient, voltage tunable Fabry-Perot filter. Tuning has been demonstrated in both the visible and middle infrared. The small voltages required to tune over one free spectral range (FSR) result in a device having greater potential for designing filters having a larger range of FSRs, and therefore bandpass widths, than is possible for the solid electro-optic Fabry-Perot described in previous work.1 We show that for many commercially available liquid crystal materials, infrared operation is possible over wide regions where molecular absorptions do not occur.
The Structural Stability of the US Regions: Evidence and Theoretical Underpinnings

A follow-up to a recent paper on the US regional dynamic structure is presented. Taking off from the previous work, where a system of two coupled ordinary differential equations on relative regional population and per-capita income was formulated and tested, the present paper outlines certain theoretical ramifications. They include: the derivation of a regional potential, fast and slow motions, and a two-time-scale maximum-entropy principle. Some policy implications are drawn.
Calculation of Thermal Expansion Coefficients of Pure Elements and their Alloys

A simple algorithm for computing the coefficient of thermal expansion of pure elements and their alloys, based on features of the binding energy curve, is introduced. The BFS method for alloys is used to determine the binding energy curves of intermetallic alloys and Ni-base superalloys.
A Comparative Study of Snake and Lizard Tongue‐flicking, with an Evolutionary Hypothesis

Many lizards and all snakes flick their tongues. It is known that this unique behavioral pattern serves to collect airborne and substrate chemicals which give the animal information via Jacobson's Organ about the location of food, conspecifics, and possibly other environmental factors. However, a comparative topographic analysis of tongue movements in squamate reptiles is lacking, and it might shed light on the evolution of this behavior. In this study, a survey was made of the lizards and snakes which tongue-flick. Observations and films were made of 25 lizard species representing 10 families and 30 snake species representing 5 families. The information from observations and film analyses of representative species was used to hypothesize the steps of the evolution of tongue-flicking from the simple downward extensions of primitive lizards to the complex multiple oscillations of snakes.
Research Information Knowledge, Perceived Adequacy, and Understanding in Cancer Clinical Trial Participants

Purpose/objectives To describe the adequacy of research information among people with cancer at the time they accept or decline participation in a cancer clinical trial. Design Cross-sectional, descriptive. Setting An urban, academic, National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center. Sample 197 patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer. Methods Mailed survey; self-reported data. Main research variables Adequacy of research information (actual knowledge, perceived adequacy of information, and perceived understanding), cancer clinical trial participation, and satisfaction with the decision to participate. Findings Most respondents (88%) perceived themselves as having adequate information to make an informed decision regarding cancer clinical trial participation. In addition, 35% demonstrated adequate knowledge of basic clinical research. Conclusions Patients decide to accept or decline cancer clinical trials without having adequate knowledge. Implications for nursing Nurses have an important role in educating patients regarding cancer clinical trials. The ideal teachable moment may not occur at the time of diagnosis; other less stressful opportunities may present when the patient is more receptive.
Faster decision of first-order graph properties

First-order logic captures a vast number of computational problems on graphs. We study the time complexity of deciding graph properties definable by first-order sentences in prenex normal form with k variables. The trivial algorithm for this problem runs in O(nk) time on n-node graphs (the big-O hides the dependence on k). Answering a question of Miklos Ajtai, we give the first algorithms running faster than the trivial algorithm, in the general case of arbitrary first-order sentences and arbitrary graphs. One algorithm runs in O(nk-3+ω) ≤ O(nk-0.627) time for all k ≥ 3, where ω n x n matrix multiplication exponent. By applying fast rectangular matrix multiplication, the algorithm can be improved further to run in nk-1+o(1) time, for all k ≥ 9. Finally, we observe that the exponent of k - 1 is optimal, under the popular hypothesis that CNF satisfiability with n variables and m clauses cannot be solved in (2 - e)n · poly(m) time for some e > 0.
Estimating the effects of misleading information on witness accuracy : Can experts tell jurors something they Don't already know?

This study investigated potential differences between expert and lay knowledge of factors influencing witness suggestibility. Expert psychologists (N = 58), jurors (N = 157), and jury-eligible undergraduates (N = 220) estimated the effects of misleading information on witness accuracy for three age groups in various conditions. Respondents possessed similar knowledge of age-related trends in suggestibility, the positive effects of a pre-misinformation warning, and the negative influence of longer delays between the event/misinformation and event/final memory test. Compared to experts, laypeople underestimated the size of suggestibility differences between age groups and lacked knowledge about how event detail centrality, witness participation, and source prestige can increase witness suggestibility. Laypeople rated themselves as being largely unfamiliar with witness suggestibility research and thought that expert testimony would be beneficial. These data shed light on the potential helpfulness of expert testimony in cases involving witness suggestibility. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Language: en
Philadelphia chromosome (Ph1)-associated leukemias: A family study

Abstract In the present study we describe a family in which a mother and her son developed leukemia in close temporal proximity. The boy presented with a clinical picture consistent with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. His mother developed chronic myelogenous leukemia. Using Giemsa banding we demonstrated that both cases had an associated Philadelphia chromosome. Hematologic, cytogenetic, and HLA haplotyping studies were performed, but did not reveal a genetic basis for the high incidence of leukemia in this family.
Quantum beats in single rovibronic state fluorescence of biacetyl

Abstract We have observed quantum beats in the time resolved fluorescence of biacetyl excited to single rovibronic states of the first excited singlet. The density of triplet states deduced from these beats is in agreement with predicted vibrational state densities.
Sulfur mustard primes phagocytosis and degranulation in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes

Abstract Sulfur mustard (2,2′-bis-chloroethyl-sulfide; SM) is a chemical warfare vesicant that causes debilitating skin lesions. Although a great deal of work has focused on the direct effects of SM exposure on the epithelium, it is unclear how much the inflammatory response, induced by exposure, contributes to lesion pathogenesis. Keratinocytes exposed to SM express a number of inflammatory mediators and elicit a cellular infiltrate consisting largely of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN). PMN infiltration into SM lesions occurs as early as 30 min and peaks after several hours postexposure, and, despite the relatively short half-life of SM, PMN infiltrating a lesion could be exposed to micromolar concentrations of the agent. Previously, we have shown that exposure to low doses of sulfur mustard prime oxidative function in human PMN. The current study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of low-dose SM exposure on PMN phagocytosis, degranualtion and chemotaxis. PMN exposed to low doses of SM (50–200 μM) showed a dose-dependent enhancement of phagocytic function. Exocytosis of PMN azurophilic and specific granules [determined by analysis of granule-specific intravesicular receptors, Interleukin 10 receptor (IL-10R) and CD63] was also enhanced by SM exposure. Finally, we examined the effect of SM as a chemoattractant for PMN and show that SM is not itself a chemotaxin. These results suggest that SM injury may, in part, be caused by normal inflammatory function, and that therapeutic strategies aimed at down-regulating PMN activation could lessen the severity of SM injury and the time required for its resolution.
Lung transplant outcomes in white and African American recipients: special focus on acute and chronic rejection.

Background The effects of lung transplant recipient race on post-transplant outcomes have not been adequately evaluated. This cohort study seeks to determine the characteristics of African American lung transplant recipients and the effects of African American race on post-transplant outcomes, particularly acute and chronic rejection, compared with white recipients, at a single center. Methods There were 485 first-time lung transplantations (431 white, 47 African American, 5 Hispanic and 2 Asian recipients) performed at the University of Pennsylvania between 1991 and 2006. All white and African American recipients were compared based on pre-transplant diagnoses and post-transplant survival. The cohort from 1998 to 2006 (239 white and 25 African American recipients) was also compared based on acute rejection score (ARS) and development of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS). Results Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was the most common diagnosis leading to lung transplantation in both groups, but sarcoidosis was a much more common indication in African American recipients (white, 1%; African American, 28%; p p = 0.84). Freedom from BOS at 3 years (white, 60.3%; African American, 62.8%; p = 0.30) and ARS per biopsy (white, 0.83 ± 0.82; African American, 0.63 ± 0.77; p = 0.31) were similar in both groups. Conclusions White and African American patients seek lung transplantation for different diseases, but post-transplant outcomes were found to be similar. Larger, multi-center studies are needed to confirm these results.
Género, educación Y la posibilidad De un conocimiento Transformativo

Este articulo realiza una reflexion sobre el lugar que ocupa el genero dentro de los sistemas educativos, especialmente en su relacion con las politicas publicas en educacion. Muestra las dificultades existentes para el desarrollo de politicas equitativas, habida cuenta de que la educacion posee un caracter mas distributivo que re-distributivo en terminos de los ingresos, de tal manera que resolver la inequidad social por medio de la educacion es relativamente poco efectivo. Sin embargo, el reto podria estar en la educacion transformativa, entendida como aquella educacion que proporciona un conocimiento que hace tomar conciencia de las inequidades sociales y de genero, y permite a los individuos organizarse en busca de una transformacion social progresiva.
Optofluidic Waveguides in Teflon AF-Coated PDMS Microfluidic Channels

We report a new method for fabricating an optofluidic waveguide that is compatible with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The light path follows the microfluidic channels, an architecture that can maximize detection efficiency and make the most economic use of chip area in many lab-on-chip applications. The PDMS-based microfluidic channels are coated with Teflon amorphous fluoropolymers (Teflon AF) which has a lower refractive index (n = 1.31) than water (n = 1.33) to form a water/Teflon AF optical waveguide. Driven by a vacuum pump, the Teflon AF solution was flowed through the channels, leaving a thin (5-15 mum) layer of coating on the channel wall as the cladding layer of optical waveguides. This coating process resolves the limitations of spin-coating processes by reducing the elasticity mismatch between the Teflon AF cladding layer and the PDMS device body. We demonstrate that the resulting optofluidic waveguide confines and guides the laser light through the liquid core channel. Furthermore, the light in such a waveguide can be split when the fluid flow is split. This new method enables highly integrated biosensors such as lab-on-chip flow cytometers and micro-fabricated fluorescence-activated cell sorter with on-chip excitation.
Swinburne on Natural Evil

In his recent book, The Existence of God , Richard Swinburne argues that the world as we find it is one that a good and omnipotent God would have good reason to bring about. He does not claim to demonstrate, that is, deductively to prove, that the world is God–made but rather to show that the proposition that God exists and made the world is more likely to be true and hence more reasonable to believe, all things considered, than its negation. He recognizes that in order to sustain this position he has to justify the existence of evil, especially natural evil, or at least to reconcile both the existence and enormous quantity of such evil with the claim that God exists. In fact, however, Swinburne aims beyond mere reconciliation to the point that the existence and nature of the world (even including its evils) confirm the claim that God made it (224).
The John Charnley Award: An Accurate and Extremely Sensitive Method to Separate, Display, and Characterize Wear Debris Part 2: Metal and Ceramic Particles

Background Metal-on-metal and ceramic-on-ceramic bearings were introduced as alternatives to conventional polyethylene in hip arthroplasties to reduce wear. Characterization of wear particles has been particularly challenging due to the low amount and small size of wear particles. Current methods of analysis of such particles have shortcomings, including particle loss, clumping, and inaccurate morphologic and chemical characterization.
A Calorimetric Investigation of a CoO·AℓO3·SiO2 Glass

In a continuing effort to further the understanding of the magnetic properties of concentrated cobalt aluminosilicate glasses, the specific heat of a sample1 doped with 14.3 at .% cobalt was measured in the temperature range 0.4 – 40 K. The low-field susceptibility for the same sample exhibits a sharp peak at 6.4 K, seeming to indicate the onset of magnetic ordering. However, the specific heat does not show a cooperative-type peak, but instead a rather broad, smooth maximum centered at 8.2 K. The application of a 25 kOe magnetic field decreases this maximum by approximately 6% and shifts its center to 10.3 K. Previous susceptibility2 and sound velocity3 results have been described by a domain model2 and subsequent application of Neel’s theory4 on small magnetic particles. These calorimetric results will be discussed in terms of this model.
Tinzaparin: Considerations for Use in Clinical Practice

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of tinzaparin for the prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE).DATA SOURCES:A MEDLINE and PubMed database search (1980–December 2002) was conducted. Only articles written in English were reviewed.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION:Articles reporting the safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of tinzaparin in humans were evaluated. Emphasis was placed on randomized, controlled trials.DATA SYNTHESIS:Tinzaparin sodium is a low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) that exerts its anticoagulant effect through inhibition of factors Xa and IIa and release of tissue factor pathway inhibitor from the vascular epithelium. Tinzaparin is indicated for treatment of acute symptomatic deep-vein thrombosis (DVT), with or without pulmonary embolism. Clinical studies suggest that tinzaparin is also effective for VTE prophylaxis, as well as other indications. Once-daily subcutaneous tinzaparin is equally or more effective than intravenous unfractionated hepari...