cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Marked skeletal muscle deficits are associated with 6-minute walk distance in paediatric pulmonary hypertension.

BACKGROUND Poor growth is common in children with pulmonary hypertension; however, skeletal muscle deficits have not been described and the association between muscle deficits and functional status is unknown. METHODS Patients aged 8-18 years with pulmonary hypertension (diagnostic Groups 1, 2, or 3) and World Health Organization functional class I or II underwent dual-energy absorptiometry to measure leg lean mass Z-score (a surrogate for skeletal muscle). Muscle strength was assessed using dynamometry. Physical activity questionnaires were administered. Clinical data, including 6-minute walk distance, were reviewed. Relationships between skeletal muscle, physical activity score, and 6-minute walk distance were assessed by correlations and linear regression. RESULTS Sixteen patients (12.1 ± 3.2 years, 50% female, 56% Group 1, 56% functional class II) were enrolled. Leg lean mass Z-score was significantly less than reference data (-1.40 ± 1.12 versus 0.0 ± 0.9, p < 0.001) and worse in those with functional class II versus I (-2.10 ± 0.83 versus -0.50 ± 0.73, p < 0.01). Leg lean mass Z-score was positively associated with right ventricular systolic function by tricuspid annular plane systolic Z-score (r = 0.54, p = 0.03) and negatively associated with indexed pulmonary vascular resistance (r = -0.78, p < 0.001). Leg lean mass Z-score and forearm strength were positively associated with physical activity score. When physical activity score was held constant, leg lean mass Z-score independently predicted 6-minute walk distance (R2 = 0.39, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS Youth with pulmonary hypertension demonstrate marked skeletal muscle deficits in association with exercise intolerance. Future studies should investigate whether low leg lean mass is a marker of disease severity or an independent target that can be improved.
TGIF1 is required for chicken ovarian cortical development and generation of the juxtacortical medulla

ABSTRACT During early embryogenesis in amniotic vertebrates, the gonads differentiate into either ovaries or testes. The first cell lineage to differentiate gives rise to the supporting cells; Sertoli cells in males and pre-granulosa cells in females. These key cell types direct the differentiation of the other cell types in the gonad, including steroidogenic cells. The gonadal surface epithelium and the interstitial cell populations are less well studied, and little is known about their sexual differentiation programs. Here, we show the requirement of the transcription factor gene TGIF1 for ovarian development in the chicken embryo. TGIF1 is expressed in the two principal ovarian somatic cell populations, the cortex and the pre-granulosa cells of the medulla. TGIF1 expression is associated with an ovarian phenotype in sex reversal experiments. In addition, targeted over-expression and gene knockdown experiments indicate that TGIF1 is required for proper ovarian cortical formation. TGIF1 is identified as the first known regulator of juxtacortical medulla formation. These findings provide new insights into chicken ovarian differentiation and development, specifically in the process of cortical and juxtacortical medulla formation, a poorly understood area. SUMMARY STATEMENT The transcription factor TGIF1 is required for proper ovarian sex differentiation in chicken embryos, regulating development of the cortical and juxtacortical medulla, independently of the supporting cell sex lineage.
Young Men’s Entry and Persistence in Female-Dominated Occupations

Since the 1970s, many male-dominated jobs have contracted while the demand for occupations traditionally held by women has increased. Despite these trends, men have made limited progress in enterin...
Data-Driven Shortest Anypath in Wireless Network Virtualization for Mobile Cyber Physical Systems

The presence of mobile cyber physical systems is only increasing with enhancements in cyber physical systems (CPS), therefore increasing the number of devices connected to the internet. Thus, the surge in wireless demand is expected to increase which puts a huge challenge on the wireless industry to meet the rising demand. Wireless virtualization is an emerging alternative which can help meet the rising demand of end users in CPS or IoTs through mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) which can be constructed adaptively based on the data collected from the users’ demand and the serving base stations. In this paper, we propose data-driven adaptive MVNO construction using anypath forwarding, where a cloud based controller assembles the right set of base stations along with the shortest path suggested by the shortest anypath forwarding (SAF) algorithm so that mobile users can be forwarded towards their destination with minimal handovers and low latency. We contrast the effectiveness of the MVNOs formed by the SAF algorithm and the shortest path algorithm based on BFS with simulation results.
Toward an Animist Reading of Postcolonial Trauma Literature: By Jay Rajiva. New York: Routledge, 2021. 147 pp., $160.00 (Hardback), ISBN-13: 978-0-367-08627-5

The first thing to say about Jay Rajiva’s new Routledge volume, Toward an Animist Reading of Postcolonial Trauma Literature, is that the prose itself theorizes. Rajiva’s moves are transparent and e...
Small-molecule Akt-activation in airway cells induces NO production and reduces IL-8 transcription through Nrf-2.

BACKGROUND The non-cancerous functions of Akt in the airway are understudied. In some tissues, Akt phosphorylates and activates endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) to produce nitric oxide (NO) that has anti-inflammatory effects. NO production has antibacterial and antiviral effects in the airway, and increasing NO may be a useful anti-pathogen strategy. Akt also stimulates the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2) transcription factor, which transcribes antioxidant genes. Therefore, we hypothesized that activation of the Akt/eNOS pathway, which also activates Nrf-2, may have protective effects in human airway cells against injury. METHODS To directly test the effects of Akt signaling in the airway, we treated A549 and 16HBE cells as well as primary bronchial, nasal, and type II alveolar epithelial cells with small molecule Akt activator SC79. We examined the effects of SC79 on eNOS activation, NO production, Nrf-2 target levels, and interleukin-8 (IL-8) transcription during exposure to TNF-α or Pseudomonas flagellin (TLR5 agonist). Additionally, air-liquid interface bronchial cultures were treated with cadmium, an oxidative stressor that causes airway barrier breakdown. RESULTS SC79 induced a ~ twofold induction of p-eNOS and Nrf-2 protein levels blocked by PI3K inhibitor LY294002. Live cell imaging revealed SC79 increased acute NO production. Quantitative RT-PCR showed a ~ twofold increase in Nrf-2 target gene transcription. TNF-α or flagellin-induced IL-8 levels were also significantly reduced with SC79 treatment. Moreover, the transepithelial electrical resistance decrease observed with cadmium was ameliorated by SC79, likely by an acute increase in tight junction protein ZO-1 levels. CONCLUSIONS Together, the data presented here demonstrate SC79 activation of Akt induces potentially anti-pathogenic NO production, antioxidant gene transcription, reduces IL-8 transcription, and may protect against oxidative barrier dysfunction in a wide range of airway epithelial cells.
Respect for Life in the Age of Science

The Scientific Revolution of the sixteenth and seventeenth century replaced a holistic view of nature with one that became increasingly reductionist. This has made it difficult to find a rational basis for apprehending the objects of moral reasoning, like humans or other organisms in general, as more than the sum of their elementary parts. But the previous world view, here labeled substantialism, cannot be recreated against the evidence of modern science. Substantialism has been replaced by atomism and its ontological consequences. Splitting the world into atomistic science and substantialist philosophy can only be attained by an intolerable ontological relativism. Trying to derive moral principles from a forced amalgamation of the two world views is self-defeating and can have destructive consequences. Theory change in science can suggest patterns whereby solutions that we want to retain can be reconstructed “from the ground up” with a new ontology. However, we should not expect to reconstruct a static theory of moral certitudes in a world that is dynamic and evolutionary.
Making the Chinese Mexican global migration, localism and exclusion in the US-Mexico borderland by Grace Peña Delgado

Grace Pena Delgado's book titled Making the Chinese Mexican Global Migration, Localism and Exclusion in the US-Mexico Borderlands is a stunning example of borderlands history. Three reasons explain...
A Suite of Natural Language Processing Tools Developed for the I2B2 Project

Textual medical records contain a wealth of information that needs to be extracted and / or indexed in order to be analyzed and interpreted by the automated tools. We have developed a collection of natural language processing (NLP) tools to extract various types of information from unstructured medical records. The generic NLP components, when assembled in pipelines and initialized with custom configuration parameters, become a powerful medical data mining instrument. We have successfully extracted such medical concepts as diagnoses, comorbidities, discharge medications, and smoking status from various types of medical records.
‘Second-Class’: The Grievances of Sunni Officers in the Syrian Armed Forces

AbstractThe defection of a significant number of Sunni officers amidst the ongoing turmoil in Syria created a unique opportunity to get access to original data on the Syrian armed forces. This study draws on extensive fieldwork to probe the sectarian question in the Syrian officer corps. On the basis of a series of interviews conducted throughout the summer of 2014, I investigate the politics and consequences of sectarian stacking in the Syrian military as well as the root causes of Sunni officers’ grievances and alienation. My conclusions draw on an original database that compiles the sectarian affiliations of 81 prominent officers who occupied the most senior military positions under Bashar al-Asad.
Probing the Microscopic Molecular Environment in Liquids: Intermolecular Dynamics of CS2 in Alkane Solvents†

The femtosecond optical-heterodyne-detected optical Kerr effect/Raman-induced Kerr effect (OHD OKE/RIKE) dynamics of CS2 dissolved in a series of alkane solvents are reported. The data reveal that the nondiffusive (subpicosecond) dynamics of simple molecular liquids are determined largely by the details of the local, microscopic environment, rather than by the bulk solution properties, with no correlation observed between the short-time, nondiffusive dynamics and the bulk solution viscosity. For each solvent investigated, the vibrational spectral density is observed to narrow and shift to lower frequency with increasing dilution. While the same general trend is observed for each solvent, deviations of magnitude are observed for the longer-chain n-alkanes. This, coupled with the markedly nonexponential decay of the orientational anisotropy observed for the higher-alkane dilutions, suggests the presence of two distinct environments in which isolated pockets of CS2 exist. The observed spectral evolution is d...
Empirical Science: New Frontier in Operations Management Research

This article identifies a methodological void in operations management (OM) research as the lack of empirical theory building. It addresses two questions: What is empirical science? and How can empirical theory building be nurtured in the area? The rationale for theory building in this article is derived from the classical empirical science perspective. Further, an empirically sound model OM theory is identified and evaluated, and selected theorylike statements and informal “theories” embedded in the OM literature are classified into an accepted classification scheme made up of grand theories, middle range theories, and empirical generalizations.
Suivi à long terme après mise en place d'un filtre dans la veine cave supérieure

L'efficacite a court terme et la securite de la mise en place d'un filtre dans la veine cave superieure (VCS) pour traiter une thrombose veineuse profonde des membres superieurs chez les patients presentant une contre-indication a l'anticoagulation ont ete bien documentees. Cependant, par opposition aux nombreuses experiences rapportees avec le placement d'un filtre dans la veine cave inferieure et ses complications, il n'y a eu aucun suivi a long terme documente sur le placement d'un filtre dans la VCS. Aussi, nous avons revu notre experience du placement d'un filtre dans la VCS. Une revue retrospective des 154 patients ayant eu dans notre etablissement la mise en place d'un filtre dans la VCS entre janvier 1994 et aout 2005 a ete effectuee. Sept autres patients ont eu un echec de mise en place du filtre dans la VCS en raison de l'extension de la thrombose veineuse profonde. Les donnees ont ete evaluees a la recherche de complications d'insertion (pneumothorax, hemorragie, malposition du filtre) et de complications a long terme (embolie pulmonaire, migration, occlusion cave). Le suivi a inclus une lecture periodique des radiographies thoraciques destinee a evaluer la migration du filtre chez les patients ayant vecu au moins 60 jours apres l'insertion du filtre (n = 40), l'analyse des diagrammes des patients, des visites cliniques, des contacts telephoniques, l'analyse des bases de donnees de l'hopital, des registres des deces de la ville et des bases de donnees nationales. Il y avait 69 hommes et 85 femmes d'un âge moyen de 73,6 ans (extremes, 16 − 96 ans ; ± 15,3 ans [ecart-type]). Le suivi s'etendait de un a 3750 jours (256,3 ± 576 jours [moyenne ± ecart-type]) et 5 patients ont ete perdus de vue. Parmi les 154 patients, 58 ont survecu au dela de 60 jours avec un suivi moyen de 628,4 jours. Tout les filtres de VCS (TrapEase, n = 38 ; Greenfield, n = 116) ont ete deployes avec succes chez ces 154 patients. Durant le suivi, 114 patients sont decedes (mortalite 74,0%) de maladie chronique ou des complications du cancer. Il y a eu trois cas de tamponnade pericardique (1,9%) et un cas de filtre mal place, dans la veine innominee. Il n'y a eu aucun cas connu d'embolie pulmonaire symptomatique, d'occlusion cave, de pneumothorax ou de migration de filtre. La mise en place d'un filtre dans la VCS est associee a une incidence limitee de complications au cours du suivi a long terme. Ces donnees aident a reaffirmer la securite et l'efficacite de la mise en place d'un filtre dans la VCS. Cependant, la perforation de la VCS chez des hommes jeunes demeure une eventualite preoccupante.
The private–public literacy divide amid educational reform in Qatar: What does PISA tell us?

The education system in Qatar comprises of both private schools, which receive money through student fees, and public schools, which are fully government-funded. In the mid-2000s, Qatar started its transition towards an independent school model with the aim of eventually converting all public schools into government-supported independent schools. The idea was to give public schools more autonomy in terms of hiring decisions, adoption of curriculum and textbooks, and budget spending, enabling them to emulate some of the private schools’ strategies for turning out successful students. This study examines evidence from the 2006–2012 administrations of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) in Qatar in order to evaluate whether or not recent educational reform efforts in this country have succeeded in bridging the literacy divide between private and public schools. The results, presented in a number of detailed tables and discussed in the last part of the article, indicate that there is a significant difference in key literacy skills between the two types of schools. Private schools were found to outperform their public counterparts in areas such as mathematics, reading and science, both before and after controlling for important student-level differences, and this gap has evidently persisted from 2006 to 2012.
Temperature Dependence of the Spin Dynamics of EuO

Neutron-inelastic-scattering techniques have been used to study the spin dynamics of EuO. High-quality single crystals were used so that temperature-dependent line shapes could be obtained at all momentum values. It was found that the magnetic excitations above ${T}_{c}$ changed from Lorentzian-like peaks centered at zero energy near the zone center to rather well-defined spin-wave-like excitations at the zone boundary.
Isolation and characterization of gas vesicles from Microcyclus aquaticus

Intact gas vesicles of Microcyclus aquaticus S1 were isolated by using centrifugally accelerated flotation of vesicles and molecular sieve chromatography. Isolated gas vesicles were cylindrical organelles with biconical ends and measured 250×100 nm. The gas vesicle membrane was composed almost entirely of protein; neither lipid nor carbohydrate was detected, although one mole of phosphate per mole of protein was found. Amino acid analysis indicated that the protein contained 54.6% hydrophobic amino acid residues, lacked sulfur-containing amino acids, and had a low aromatic amino acid content. The protein subunit composition of the vesicles was determined by gel electrophoresis in (i) 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate at pH 9.0 and (ii) 5 M urea at pH 2.0. The membrane appeared to consist of one protein subunit of MW 50 000 daltons. Charge isomers of this subunit were not detected on urea gels. Antiserum prepared against purified gas vesicles of M. aquaticus S1 cross-reacted with the gas vesicles of all other gas vacuolate strains of M. aquaticus, as well as those of Prosthecomicrobium pneumaticum, Nostoc muscorum, and Anabaena flos-aquae, indicating that the gas vesicles of these widely divergent organisms have some antigenic determinants in common.
PFG NMR studies of lysine-silica solutions

The formation process of silica nanoparticles in lysine-silica mixtures was studied using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and pulsed-field gradient (PFG) NMR measurements. (1)H NMR shows line broadening of the lysine resonances during TEOS hydrolysis/nanoparticle formation. Analysis of the TEOS hydrolysis kinetics show that TEOS hydrolysis is the rate-limiting step in particle formation, and has an activation energy of 20.5 kJ/mol. Transverse relaxation measurements show a corresponding decrease in T(2) with TEOS hydrolysis, indicating a reduction in the lysine mobility due to lysine-silica interactions. PFG NMR results indicate a systemic decrease in the self-diffusion coefficient of lysine as particle formation proceeds. The results obtained can be described using a two-state model wherein lysine is either free in solution or bound to the nanoparticles. Analysis of the PFG data of samples made at various temperatures show that lysine coverage upon complete hydrolysis is between 2.5 and 2.8 mmol lysine/kg solution, and insensitive to the heating temperature. PFG NMR shows a linear increase in the amount of bound lysine with increasing lysine content, indicating an increase in the surface area present, i.e. more and smaller particles, with increased lysine content. The PFG NMR results presented give quantitative insights that indicate that while pH is likely the primary driver for the rate of particle formation and particle size, lysine is critical for stabilization of the nanoparticles.
Anderson localization of electromagnetic waves in a dielectric medium of randomly distributed metal particles

Discussion de la localisation d'ondes electromagnetiques dans un dielectrique desordonne a trois dimensions
Formation of Uniform Polyaniline Thin Shells and Hollow Capsules Using Polyelectrolyte-Coated Microspheres as Templates

Multilayers of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) and poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) precoated onto melamine formaldehyde (MF) particles via the layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly procedure were used as templates for the subsequent deposition of polyaniline (PANI). Transmission electron microscopic (TEM) and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images reveal that the as-prepared PANI-containing polyelectrolyte (PE)−MF core−shell particles are narrowly dispersed and possess uniform surface morphology. Intact hollow PANI/PE capsules can also be produced by extracting the MF cores in an acidic solution. FTIR spectra of the hollow capsules indicate that PANI and PE are both present and suggest that the PANI exists in the emeraldine form. The incorporation of PANI in the shells was found to enhance the rigidity of these composite materials, and the PANI/PE-coated MF core−shell particles have comparable conductivities with other PANI-coated colloidal particles. The amount of PANI incorporation was also foun...
Synthesis and properties of methyl 9,12,15-octadecatrienoate geometric isomers

Abstract The eight geometrically isomeric methyl 9,12,15-octadecatrienoates were prepared by using the Wittig reaction to couple cis- or trans-3-hexyenyltriphenylphosphonium bromide and methyl 12-oxo-cis- or trans-9-dodecenoate. Pairs of geometric triene isomers formed were separated by partial silver resin chromatography. Physical constants including melting points, percent trans by infrared, equivalent chain lengths (ECL), and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemcial shifts are tabulated for the individual isomers.
Long-term follow-up results for ultrasound-guided vacuum-assisted removal of benign palpable breast mass.

Abstract Background This study was conducted to evaluate the long-term follow-up results from ultrasound-guided vacuum-assisted removal (US-VAR) of palpable benign breast mass and to identify patient characteristics that are correlated with recurrence or residual lesions. Methods US-VAR was performed on 95 benign, palpable breast masses that underwent subsequent intervention or at least a 2-year follow-up. During the follow-up period, we reviewed the lesion and patient's characteristics, and then determined whether the presence of recurrence or residual lesions was associated with any of the characteristics. Results Six lesions (6.3%) underwent subsequent intervention due to the recurrence of palpability. The remaining 89 lesions underwent imaging follow-up (range, 24 to 60 months; mean, 35 months). Among these lesions, 32.6% (31 of 95 masses) showed sonographically visible, nonpalpable residual lesions. The remaining 61.1% (58 masses) showed no evidence of residual lesion. The initial size of the lesion at VAR was the only characteristic correlated with recurrence (P = .017; odds ratio, 1.238). Conclusion Our long-term follow-up results show that US-VAR may be a useful alternative to surgical excision in the management of palpable breast masses.
Applied multivariate methods for data analysts

1. Applied multivariate methods. An Overview of Multivariate Methods. Two Examples. Types of Variables. Data Matrices and Vectors. The Multivariate Normal Distribution. Statistical Computing. Multivariate Outliers. Multivariate Summary Statistics. Standardized Data and/or z-Scores. Exercises. 2. Sample correlations. Statistical Tests and Confidence Intervals. Summary. Exercises. 3. Multivariate data plots. Three-Dimensional Data Plots. Plots of Higher Dimensional Data. Plotting to Check for Multivariate Normality. Exercises. 4. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Trace and Determinant. Eigenvalues. Eigenvectors. Geometrical Descriptions (p=2). Geometrical Descriptions (p=3). Geometrical Descriptions (p>3). Exercises. 5. Principal components analysis. Reasons For Doing a PCA. Objectives of a PCA. PCA on the Variance-Covariance Matrix, Sigma. Estimation of Principal Components. Determining the Number of Principal Components. Caveats. PCA on the Correlation Matrix, P. Testing for Independence of the Original Variables. Structural Relationships. Statistical Computing Packages. Exercises. 6. Factor analysis. Objectives of an FA. Caveats. Some History on Factor Analysis. The Factor Analysis Model. Factor Analysis Equations. Solving the Factor Analysis Equations. Choosing the Appropriate Number of Factors. Computer Solutions of the Factor Analysis Equations. Rotating Factors. Oblique Rotation Methods. Factor Scores. Exercises. 7. Discriminant analysis. Discrimination for Two Multivariate Normal Populations. Cost Functions and Prior Probabilities (Two Populations). A General Discriminant Rule (Two Populations). Discriminant Rules (More Than Two Populations). Variable Selection Procedures. Canonical Discriminant Functions. Nearest Neighbour Discriminant Analysis. Classification Trees. Exercises. 8. Logistic regression methods. The Logit Transformation. Logistic Discriminant Analysis (More than Two Populations.) Exercises. 9. Cluster analysis. Measures of Similarity and/or Dissimilarity. Graphical Aids in Clustering. Clustering Methods. Multidimensional Scaling. Exercises. 10. Mean vectors and variance-covariance matrices. Inference Procedures for Variance-Covariance Matrices. Inference Procedures for a Mean Vector. Two Sample Procedures. Profile Analyses. Additional Two Groups Analyses. Exercises. 11. Multivariate analysis of variance. manova. Dimensionality of the Alternative Hypothesis. Canonical Variates Analysis. Confidence Regions for Canonical Variates. Exercises. 12. Prediction models and multivariate regression. Multiple Regression. Canonical Correlation Analysis. Factor Analysis and Regression. Exercises. Appendices: Matrix results, quadratic forms, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, distances and angles, miscellaneous results work attitudes survey, data file structure, SPSS data entry commands, SAS data entry commands family control study.
Corticoid uptake by the paraventricular nucleus in the hypothalamus of the duck, Anas platyrhynchos

3H-corticoids were localized by autoradiography in small neurons in the area of the magnocellular paraventricular nucleus of mallard ducks. Correlative data show that: (1) the label is principally unmetabolized steroid, (2) the hypothalamus competitively binds corticosterone, (3) the paraventricular nucleus contains immunoreactive neurophysin, is richly innervated by boutons of monoaminergic nerves and is involved in the adaptive response to osmotic stress.
Some properties of an established fish cell line from Xiphophorus helleri (red swordtail).

A cell line (SWT) was established from embryonic tissue of the red swordtailXiphophorus helleri. The SWT cells grew optimally, at 26°C to 30°C in Eagle's basal medium plus 10% fetal calf serum but failed to grow at 16°C and 37°C. After 50 subcultivations, the cells remained contact-inhibited and were pseudodiploid with a chromosomal modal number of 46. Virological studies demonstrated that SWT cells supported replication of the following viruses at the indicated temperatures: IPN virus (22°C), FV-3 (30°C), and VSV (33°C). The following mammalian, viruses failed to replicate at 33°C: vaccinia, poliovirus 2, herpes simplex, and reovirus 2. Although not replicating, reovirus induced interferon in there cells.
Neurologic complications of bladder carcinoma: a review of 359 cases.

BACKGROUND Carcinoma of the urinary bladder accounts for approximately 2% of all malignant tumors and usually spreads through both local invasion and hematogenous dissemination. In the current study, the authors reviewed a large series of patients to determine the nature and frequency of neurologic complications. METHODS In the current study, the authors reviewed the records of 359 patients with bladder carcinoma who were treated at the study institution between 1962–2001. RESULTS Fifty-two patients (14%) were reported to have neurologic complications. Complications resulting from neurologic metastases were relatively infrequent (5%). Seven patients (2%) had lumbosacral plexopathies and 6 patients (2%) had metastatic epidural spinal cord compression. Brain metastases were present in only 4 patients (1%). Nonmetastatic complications were more common than metastatic complications and were comprised of metabolic encephalopathies in 24 patients (7%), peripheral neuropathies in 9 patients (2.5%), cerebral infarctions in 6 patients (2%), and seizures in 5 patients (1%). No cases of neurologic infection or carcinomatous meningitis were reported. CONCLUSIONS The results of the current study demonstrate that neurologic complications are relatively uncommon in patients with bladder carcinoma and that local extension into peripheral nerves or bone, rather than hematogenous dissemination, is the most common cause of neurologic complications resulting from bladder carcinoma. Cancer 2003;97:2267–72. © 2003 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.11354
Cycle mining in active database environments

Traditional data mining algorithms identify patterns in data that are not explicit. These patterns are denoted in the form of IF-THEN rules (IF antecedent THEN consequent), where the antecedent and consequent are logical conjunctions of propositions or first-order predicates. Generally, the mined rules apply to all time periods and specify no temporal interval between antecedent detection and consequent firing. Cycle mining algorithms identify meta-patterns of these associations depicting inferences forming cyclic chains of rule dependencies. Because traditional rules comprise these cycles, the mined cycles also apply to all time periods and do not currently possess the temporal interval of applicability. An active database is one that responds to stimuli in real time, operating in the event-condition-action (ECA) paradigm where a specific event is monitored, a condition is evaluated, and one or more actions are taken. The actions often involve real-time modification of the database. In this paper, we introduce the concepts and present algorithms for mining rules with firing intervals, and intervals of applicability. Using an active database environment, we describe a real time framework that incorporates the active database concept in order to ascertain previously undefined cycles in data over a specific time interval and thereby introduce the concept of interval of discovery. Comprised of discovered rules with firing intervals and intervals of applicability, the encompassing discovered cycles also possess a variation of these attributes. We illustrate this framework with an example from an E-commerce endeavor where data is mined for rules with firing intervals and intervals of applicability, which amalgamate to form a cycle in its interval of discovery. We describe the computer system INDED, the author's implementation of cycle mining, which we are currently interfacing to an active Oracle database using triggers and PL/SQL stored procedures.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Facilitatory and inhibitory transmitters modulate calcium influx during action potentials in Aplysia sensory neurons

Serotonin (5-HT) produces presynaptic facilitation and FMRFamide produces presynaptic inhibition in Aplysia sensory neurons. These effects may involve the modulation of Ca2+ influx into sensory neuron terminals during action potentials. Here, we have used the Ca2+ indicator dye fura-2 to monitor directly the effects of 5-HT and FMRFamide on internal Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). 5-HT caused a 50% increase in the transient rise in [Ca2+]i in response to action potentials, whereas FMRFamide decreased the [Ca2+]i transient by 40%. Neither transmitter altered the resting [Ca2+]i, the time course of recovery of the [Ca2+]i transient, or the [Ca2+]i transients produced by intracellular injection of CaCl2 or inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate. We conclude that the effects of the transmitters on the action potential-induced [Ca2+]i transient are due to changes in Ca2+ influx and not in intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis.
Leluthia astigma (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Doryctinae) as a parasitoid of Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Agrilinae), with an assessment of host associations for nearctic species of Leluthia Cameron.

Published host associations are assessed for Leluthia astigma (Ashmead), Leluthia floridensis Marsh, and Leluthia mexicana Cameron, the three known species of Leluthia Cameron in the Nearctic Region. Leluthia astigma is reported as a parasitoid of Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, emerald ash borer (EAB), infesting Fraxinus americana L., white ash, in Delaware County, Ohio. It is the first species of Leluthia for which a determined species of Agrilus Curtis has been confirmed as a host and the association vouchered. All other hosts reported in the literature for L. astigma require confirmation through rearing from an isolated host or documentation of an unequivocal host-parasitoid association. Leluthia astigma adults reared from parasitoid cocoons collected in Delaware County, Ohio parasitized and produced F1 adults in the laboratory on last-instar EAB larvae collected in Ingham County, Michigan. Parasitism of EAB and other natural history data are reported for L. astigma, including the first records of L. astigma from Kansas and New York.
Policy models in accounting: A critical commentary

Abstract The accounting profession, through its rule-making apparatus, employs a particular choice model for identifying and resolving policy issues. This model is referred to in this article as the “constitional” approach. It is of interest to inquire why accountants have adopted this paradigm and eschewed other policy models, such as the “legal” or “scientific” approaches, even though the latter have generated considerable advocacy within the recent history of the profession. This paper examines the interesting hypothesis that the choice of the “constitutional” approach is consistent with the Group Self-Interest Hypothesis. By forming an associative group the major accounting firms have a primary interest in achieving higher prices for the industry's products. These higher prices can be achieved in three ways: (1) restricting entry, (2) restraining supply and (3) increasing demand. The “constitutional” approach is more efficacious in achieving these results than are the proposed alternative policy models.
Apoptosis in rheumatic diseases.

Apoptosis, or programmed cell death (PCD), is a form of cellular demise that occurs when cells are damaged or no longer needed. It plays an important role in embryogenesis, normal tissue homeostasis, as well as in certain pathologic conditions, such as in oncogenesis, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), certain neurodegenerative diseases, and in autoimmunity (1). The term “apoptosis” was coined in 1972 by Kerr and colleagues (2), and further developments in the field, particularly in the last decade, paralleled advances in molecular biology, genetics, and biochemistry.
Reply to Tom Gieryn

On a log at the roadside there sat a frog. He spied an old woman, burdened for market. In great excitement, he croaked, "Hey! Over here, Grandma! Kiss me! I'm a handsome prince! Break the evil spell!" She paid him no heed, trudging on. Deeply offended, the frog croaked, "Hey, missus! You snubbed me! Aren't you interested in a handsome prince?" The grandmother stopped, turned, adjusted her spectacles, and replied, "Well, no. Not at my age. A talking frog is interesting, though. And a good day to you, sir."
You Can't Do That — Or Can You? Historical and Clinical Perspectives on Limit Setting in Child Psychotherapy

Early child analysts favored a permissive approach in treatment rather than one that valued limit-setting; this paper suggests that a return to this early analytic practice can be productive. Clinical examples are presented of children who were brought to treatment with limit-setting difficulties and were offered treatment where only the time of sessions was limited. These children tested limits, broke rules, acted out, and misbehaved in the early stage of their treatments. They attempted to engage their therapist in the power struggles that were so common and comfortable for them in their experience with authority figures. Gradually, they developed dissatisfaction with their struggling and rule-breaking, an interest in controlling their own behavior, and the ability to do so. For these children, the ability to experience themselves as out of control was an important precursor to their developing internalized controls; as long as authorities demanded that they control their behavior, they experienced the ...
Stress injury of the rib in a swimmer

Rib stress injuries are uncommonly reported but have been documented among athletes, most notably rowers. There have only been two prior case reports of rib stress injuries in swimmers, both of which were young females. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was either not obtained or the imaging characteristics were incompletely described. We present a case of an isolated third rib stress injury in a collegiate male swimmer diagnosed via MR imaging. We briefly discuss the possible etiologies for rib stress injuries, their MR appearance, as well as their treatment.
Facet growth under stress: the limits of strained-layer stability.

A crystal facet is metastable under stress, but the process of growth or sublimation roughens the facet and is expected to render it unstable. This poses a fundamental limit for heteroepitaxial growth of planar layers, e.g., in semiconductor devices. An analysis shows that this facet-growth instability can be suppressed to an arbitrary degree by growing slowly. Moreover, the local stress ("force dipole") inherent in atomic steps introduces a new, purely kinetic effect that dominates at low strain and can render planar growth dynamically stable.
Multiple-scattering effects on pulse propagation through burning particles

This paper gives a general formalism which can be employed to study the intensity of a pulse propagation through burning particles. To correct for multiple scattering effects, a modified extinction cross section obtained from multiple scattering theory can be used in the equation of radiative transfer to compute the specific intensity. Results of the computed reduced intensities using the multiple scattering efficiency and the extinction efficiency of a single particle are given.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The synthesis of v‐triazolo[4,5‐c]pyridazines, a new heterocyclic ring system as potential purine antagonists

The free ring system, v-triazolo[4, 5-clpyridazine and several derivatives in this ring system such as the adenine analog, 7-amino-v-triazolo[4, 5-clpyridazine, have been prepared. In addition, the fully aromatic pyrazino[2, 3-clpyridazine ring system has been prepared for the first time.
Receptor-mediated endocytosis of a chemoreceptor involved in triggering the discharge of cnidae in a sea anemone tentacle.

Abstract Collodial gold coated with the glycoprotein, bovine submaxillary mucin (BSM-gold), was used to localize chemoreceptors known to be involved in triggering the discharge of cnidae in sea anemones. BSM-gold binds exclusively at the apical surface of the supporting cell, the cell adjacent to the cnidocyte (Watson and Hessinger, 1986). Subsequent to binding, BSM-gold is internalized into endosomes and then translocated to multivesicular bodies (MVBs) and lysosomes. At cold temperature (4 °C), BSM-gold appears in endosomes near the surface of the cell but not in endosomes located more medially in the cell, nor in MVBs or lysosomes. The kinetics and sequence of intracellular translocation of BSM-gold were studied by fixing animals at various intervals following incubation in BSM-gold. Unlike that for supporting cells adjacent to non-cnidocytes, the amount of gold at the surface of supporting cells adjacent to penetrant cnidocytes does not seem to change despite considerable internalization of the mucin-probe. Apparently, free receptors replace receptor-ligand complexes in a one-for-one fashion in these cells.
Water Transformation and Storage in the Mountains and at the Coast: Midwest students’ disconnected conceptions of the hydrologic cycle

The purpose of the present study was to investigate students’ conceptions of the hydrologic cycle and to examine whether these conceptions vary by grade level and community setting. This study was descriptive in nature and reflected a cross‐age design involving the collection of qualitative data from 1,298 students from the Midwest, USA. These data were analysed for content in an inductive manner to identify student’s conceptions, and statistical analysis was used to determine the significance in the frequency of these student conceptions. Four categories emerged that reflected different degrees of sophistication of students’ conceptions of water transformation, movement, and storage. These Midwest students often portrayed the hydrologic cycle in the context of mountain or coastal landscapes that are common in textbooks but that are not representative of the environments where students live and where many of these students might apply their understanding of environmental systems as adults. Based on these ...
Research findings in strategic management with implications for R&D management

Abstract The author has reviewed the literature, predominantly North American, on the relationships between corporate strategy and corporate performance. The general context is the question of where and how a firm should diversify. The author considers three areas of decision: corporate strategy, (where to compete), business strategy, (how to compete), and corporate organization (receptiveness to diversification). It appears that the most advantageous corporate strategy is to diversify into a high-profit area but to maintain a substantial relatedness to existing businesses; the best business strategy is to have a market-related perspective, to use R&D to develop new products with a marked competitive advantage rather than new processes, to minimise investment but to enter the market on a sufficiently large scale. This last condition presupposes a high degree of top-management commitment to the venture. Furthermore, consideration has to be given to whether the organizational culture is such as to nurture rather than stifle the venture by insisting on administrative controls appropriate to the firm's traditional base. The author points to three areas deserving of further investigation: How a firm in a mature industry can find a related area that is sufficiently attractive; how to fix on the correct scale of an entry taking into account the long lead times before the venture shows a net return; and how to ensure that the corporate culture will be able to accommodate novel interests and procedures. All the above matters pose questions for the management of technology and the direction of R&D.
AFM and OIM study of cyclic deformation behaviors of polycrystalline copper

Abstract Using the atomic force microscope (AFM) and orientation imaging microscopy (OIM), slip deformation of polycrystalline copper under cyclic loading was studied. It was found that under cyclic load the operating slip systems of coarse grains in polycrystalline copper are consistent with the Schmids law of single crystal. The micro-strain of the sample surface was compared with its corresponding macro-strain (of the whole sample), and the loading effect on the deformation was analyzed.
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-interacting protein 2 suppresses the estrogen receptor signaling via an Arnt-dependent mechanism

We explored whether modulation of the estrogen receptor (ER) signaling is possible through an aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (Arnt)-dependent mechanism. We utilized the Arnt-interacting protein 2 (Ainp2) to examine whether the presence of Ainp2 in MCF-7 cells would interfere with the Arnt-mediated ER signaling. We found that Arnt increased the 17 beta-estradiol (E2)-dependent luciferase activity and Ainp2 significantly suppressed this Arnt-mediated luciferase activity. Ainp2 significantly suppressed 25% of the E2- and Arnt-dependent up-regulation of the GREB1 message. No suppression of the ER target gene expression by Ainp2 was detected in Arnt-knockdown MCF-7 cells and in Arnt-independent ER signaling. Although Ainp2 did not interact with ER alpha and ER beta, it suppressed the ER alpha::Arnt interaction and reduced the E2-driven recruitment of Arnt to the GREB1 promoter. We concluded that Ainp2 suppresses the ER signaling by not allowing Arnt to participate in the ER-dependent, Arnt-mediated activation of gene transcription.
DEVELOPMENTAL STUDIES AT NUNEZ COMMUNITY COLLEGE: A WORK IN PROGRESS

This paper chronicles the process undertaken by one community college to analyze its Developmental Studies Program. A participant/observer faculty member involved in the college's assessment activities contemplated the institution's complex past, the challenging present, and the unfolding future. An interesting account explicating committee discussions that involved effective developmental education design and delivery, including the work of Boylan (2000), McCabe (2003), and Roueche and Roueche (1999), shows the scholarly frameworks used to influence decision-making. Increased rapport among committee participants as well as an extended-hour pilot program can be noted as two important results of this internal review and organizational change effort.
Management of orbital fractures

The management of orbital fractures has evolved with the advent of craniofacial techniques, computed tomography scanning, and rigid fixation. Accurate diagnosis followed by early and aggressive treatment of these injuries can limit the late complications often associated with orbital trauma. The fundamental principles in the management of facial fractures are adequate surgical exposure, anatomic reduction, rigid fixation, and reconstruction using autogenous bone. In this article, these key principles along with the pertinent anatomy, important technical points, and common pitfalls related to the management of orbital fractures are discussed. Special considerations regarding pediatric patients are also reviewed.
An algorithm for the matrix-free solution of quasistatic frictional contact problems

A contact enforcement algorithm has been developed for matrix-free quasistatic finite element techniques. Matrix-free (iterative) solution algorithms such as non-linear conjugate gradients (CG) and dynamic relaxation (DR) are desirable for large solid mechanics applications where direct linear equation solving is prohibitively expensive, but in contrast to more traditional Newton–Raphson and quasi-Newton iteration strategies, the number of iterations required for convergence is typically of the same order as the number of degrees of freedom of the model. It is therefore crucial that each of these iterations be inexpensive to per-form, which is of course the essence of a matrix free method. In applying such methods to contact problems we emphasize here two requirements: first, that the treatment of the contact should not make an average equilibrium iteration considerably more expensive; and second, that the contact constraints should be imposed in such a way that they do not introduce spurious energy that acts against the iterative solver. These practical concerns are utilized to develop an iterative technique for accurate constraint enforcement that is suitable for non-linear conjugate gradient and dynamic relaxation iterative schemes. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.