cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of biotin and pantothenic acid on performance and concentrations of avidin-binding substances in blood and milk of lactating dairy cows1

We hypothesized that pantothenic acid reduces the absorption of biotin in lactating dairy cows. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the plausible interaction between biotin and pantothenic acid on production performance and concentration of avidin-binding substances (ABS), an indicator of biotin concentration, in blood and milk of lactating dairy cows. Eight primiparous and 16 multiparous Holstein cows were assigned to 1 of 4 diet sequences in a replicated 4×4 Latin square design with 18-d periods. Cows were housed in a freestall barn and fed once daily (0730 h) by means of a Calan gate system (American Calan Inc., Northwood, NH). Treatments consisted of a control diet that contained no B-vitamins, a biotin diet that contained 0.87 mg of biotin per kilogram of dry matter (DM), a pantothenic acid diet that contained 21 mg of pantothenic acid per kilogram of DM, and a biotin plus pantothenic acid diet that contained 0.87 mg of biotin and 21 mg of calcium pantothenic acid per kilogram of DM. Four different concentrates were prepared in a commercial feed mill. These concentrates were mixed with corn silage and grass hay and delivered ad libitum as a total mixed ration. Biotin supplementation did not affect DM intake, milk yield, or milk fat, protein, lactose, and milk-urea-nitrogen concentrations. Fat, protein, and lactose yields were not affected by treatments. The fat-to-protein ratio was <1 and similar among all treatments. Biotin supplementation did not increase the concentration of ABS in plasma. The supplementation of pantothenic acid did not affect the concentration of ABS in plasma when either supplemented alone or in combination with biotin. Biotin supplementation increased the concentration of ABS in milk relative to control. Contrary to our hypothesis, the supplementation of pantothenic acid did not decrease the concentration of ABS in milk relative to the control. When cows were supplemented with both biotin and pantothenic acid, the concentration of ABS in milk was similar to that of cows supplemented with biotin alone. In conclusion, pantothenic acid did not affect the concentrations of ABS in plasma and milk, suggesting that increasing dietary supply of pantothenic acid did not inhibit biotin absorption.
Building member attachment in online communities: applying theories of group identity and interpersonal bonds

Online communities are increasingly important to organizations and the general public, but there is little theoretically based research on what makes some online communities more successful than others. In this article, we apply theory from the field of social psychology to understand how online communities develop member attachment, an important dimension of community success. We implemented and empirically tested two sets of community features for building member attachment by strengthening either group identity or interpersonal bonds. To increase identity-based attachment, we gave members information about group activities and intergroup competition, and tools for group-level communication. To increase bond-based attachment, we gave members information about the activities of individual members and interpersonal similarity, and tools for interpersonal communication. Results from a six-month field experiment show that participants' visit frequency and self-reported attachment increased in both conditions. Community features intended to foster identity-based attachment had stronger effects than features intended to foster bond-based attachment. Participants in the identity condition with access to group profiles and repeated exposure to their group's activities visited their community twice as frequently as participants in other conditions. The new features also had stronger effects on newcomers than on old-timers. This research illustrates how theory from the social science literature can be applied to gain a more systematic understanding of online communities and how theory-inspired features can improve their success.
The public / private wage differential in a poor urban economy

The occupational structure of wages is generally more compressed in high than in low income countries. The role of non-market forces in determining the structure of wages is of interest for reasons of allocative efficiency as well as for distributional concerns. This paper considers how wage differentials may be generated between the public and private sectors of a developing economy. Data from a 1971 household survey of the Tanzanian urban wage labor force are used to determine the pattern of wage differences across employer groups. After standardizing by worker characteristics, public sector employees are found to have earned a substantial wage premium over workers employed in the private sector. The non-market character of these differentials is examined in light of a number of hypotheses on public sector wage determination.
Social Conflict Versus Social Support: What is More Influential in Mental Health Symptom Severity for Female Service Members?

Research has validated the importance of postdeployment social support in mitigating the effects of combat deployment on mental health for female service members. However, the influence of social conflict on mental health during this period has not been explored. The purposes of this descriptive correlational study were (a) to examine the strength and direction of the relationships between social support, social conflict, and stressful life events to depression, anxiety, and posstraumatic stress disorder and (b) to determine whether the absence of social support or the presence social conflict was more influential to the severity of these symptoms.
Delta opioid antagonist, 16-Me cyprenorphine, selectively attenuates conditional fear- and DPDPE-induced analgesia on the formalin test.

Abstract The effects of 16-Me cyprenorphine (M80) on the antinociception produced by reexposing rats to a chamber associated with footshock (1 mA, 0.75 sec) 24 hr earlier was assessed with the formalin test. In Experiment 1, intracerebroventricular administration of M80 dose-dependently (0.5–8 μg) reversed conditional analgesia. Experiment 2 demonstrated that M80 (5 μg) had no effect on baseline pain sensitivity, but completely reversed conditional analgesia. Experiment 3 demonstrated that 0.25 μg DAGO, 3.5 μg DPDPE, and 28 μg U50,488H all produced equivalent levels of antinociception on the formalin test. The 5 μg dose of M80 completely reversed the antinociception produced by DPDPE but did not influence that produced by DAGO or U50, 488H. These data suggest, that at the doses employed, M80 is a selective δ-opioid receptor antagonist and that δ-receptors are involved in conditional fear-induced analgesia.
Determinants of Physicians’ Acceptance of New Medicaid Patients

Medicaid plays a significant role in the healthcare of millions of U.S. families and individuals, and office-based physician practices are an important part of the national health care delivery system. Yet access to these providers has been and continues to be a challenge for Medicaid beneficiaries. Exacerbating the issue is the recent expansion of insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act. This study explores this national conundrum from the physicians’ perspective. The impact of practice characteristics, compensation and performance measures are examined on physicians’ propensity to accept new Medicaid patients. This study draws upon data from the 2008 Health Tracking Physician Survey restricted-use file and is the first to provide for a comprehensive look at the determinants of physician acceptance. The approach is rooted in the economic theory of control, agency theory. The most significant factors found to be associated with diminished physician propensity for Medicaid access include: no present participation, having an ownership interest in the practice, operating as a one- or two-physician sized practice, operating as a primary care physician, low relative geographic physician reimbursement, lacking supportive clinical information technology and gender. Knowing what determinants are associated with physicians’ decision may provide opportunities for public policy solutions.
Onset and amplitude of the 11‐year solar modulation of cosmic ray intensities at the Earth and at Voyagers 1 and 2 during the period from 1997 to 2003

[1] We have examined the intensity changes of galactic and anomalous cosmic rays at five rigidities and at three heliocentric radii, 1 AU, ∼60 AU, and ∼80 AU, between the maximum 11-year solar cycle intensity observed in 1997–1998 and the minimum intensity observed in 2001. The main results of this paper are as follows. (1) The onset of the intensity decrease in the outer heliosphere is delayed by 1–2 years from that observed at Earth. Most of the intensity decrease at both the Earth and Voyagers 1 and 2 occurs at the time of the solar magnetic polarity change from positive to negative. (2) The amplitude of this 11-year intensity decrease is strongly dependent on heliospheric radius. It is only ∼1/3 as large at Voyager 2 located at ∼60 AU and ∼1/6 as large at Voyager 1 located at ∼80 AU for all galactic particles. This radial dependence extrapolates to a zero modulation in this positive solar magnetic polarity cycle at a distance ∼90–100 AU. This strong radial dependence of the intensity changes is in contrast to that observed in the previous negative polarity cycle where the radial effects were much smaller. (3) The dependence on the rigidity, P, of the modulation observed at all the three locations follows a simple P−1 dependence between ∼0.6 and 2.5 GV. The relative modulation of anomalous O nuclei is ∼5.35 times that for galactic nuclei at the same rigidity of 2.4 GV. This is just the ratio of speeds of anomalous O and galactic H and He nuclei at this rigidity.
Quantitative Assessment of Changes in Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation Hemodynamics After Embolization

Background and Purpose—Embolization reduces flow in arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) before surgical resection, but achievement of this goal is determined subjectively from angiograms. Here, we quantify effects of embolization on AVM flow. Methods—Records of patients who underwent AVM embolization at our institution between 2007 and 2013 and had flow rates obtained pre- and postembolization using quantitative magnetic resonance angiography were retrospectively reviewed. Total flow was estimated as aggregate flow within primary arterial feeders or flow in single draining veins. Results—Twenty-one patients were included (mean age 35 years, 24% hemorrhagic presentation) with Spetzler–Martin grades 1 to 4. Fifty-four total embolization sessions were performed. The mean AVM flow was 403.4±262.4 mL/min at baseline, 285.3±246.4 mL/min after single session (29% drop, P<0.001), and 102.0±103.3 mL/min after all sessions of embolization (75% drop, P<0.001). Total number of pedicles embolized (P<0.001) and emboliza...
Finding One's Way Home: Notes on the Texture of Moral Experience

In this article, I seek to illuminate the texture of moral experience. I pursue that aim through a close reading of David Lean's film, Brief Encounter, produced in 1946. The chief protagonist in the film undergoes a moral odyssey that reveals and tests all that she has understood about how to conduct a life. Her experience sheds light on the constituents of an individual moral sensibility as well as how its enactment appears in practice when one confronts a heartfelt difficulty. I argue that moral experience is best understood through the idiom of narrative and character, rather than through ethical language that places formal or universal principle at the center of the moral life. In the workshop of the moral self, as Lean's protagonist reveals, the task is not to fashion or take on universal principles but rather to cultivate virtuous relations with other people in the here-and-now.
Challenges: A Process Approach to Academic English

Using authentic material, this book develops reading strategies before going onto a process writing approach which aims to help students with the act of writing. It presents writing and reading as interactive and thinking processes in which students are encouraged to be creative and analytical.
Thyroid Studies. I. The Distribution of Goitre among Indians; its Bearing upon the Etiology

“Goitre” is here used in its broad sense to indicate all thyroid enlargements. Even a meagre review of the literature will show the complexity of this condition by the numerous theories offered. The outstanding factors concerning the etiology which seem to have the most accurate scientific support are iodine deficiency [Marine and co-workers (1)] and the accumulation of toxic products [McCarrison (2) and others (3, 4, 5, 25)]. Marine and his co-workers have shown the great affinity of the thyroid for iodine (1). Many investigators have shown the constant presence of iodine in thyroid tissue. Iodine as such has been used with favorable results for treating goitre since the early part of the nineteenth century (1). In 1917, Marine, Kimball, Lenhart and Rogoff demonstrated the beneficial effect of iodine as a prophylactic in cases of thyroid instabilities. Since then this work has been repeated in Switzerland and also in this country (9).
Surface treatment of cast iron by adding different alloying elements to form a metallic glass structure layer using an industrial carbon dioxide laser

Abstract This work was conducted to examine the prospect of forming a metallic glass layer on the surface of gray cast iron by adding boron, silicon and cobalt; coupled with the utilization of an industrial carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) laser. Three different mixing ratios of the aforementioned alloying elements as well as four different groove sizes on the surfaces of the samples were examined. Characteristics of the laser-formed layers on the surfaces of the samples were determined by the utilization of X-ray diffraction techniques, mechanical and Rockwell hardness testing methods, and metallographic examinations. The test results led to the conclusion that the formation of amorphous metal on the surface of gray cast iron is possible and practical when certain percentages of mixing ratios of boron, silicon and cobalt are used and irradiated with a 1300 watts industrial CO 2 laser.
Trichotillomania: a new treatment.

Abstract The details of easily replicable interventions using hypnosis and restricted environmental stimulation therapy in the treatment of 4 cases of trichotillomania are presented. Hypnosis or hypnosis combined with brief restricted environmental stimulation appeared to be effective in 3 of the 4 cases. Factors affecting treatment outcomes are discussed.
Graph-based denoising and classification of hyperspectral imagery using nonlocal operators

Several studies have shown that the use of nonlocal operators can significantly remove noise and improve the quality of natural images. These operators are built on similarities between small local neighborhoods that are not necessarily spatially close, which plays a very important role in preserving the image structure, and are closely related to the kernel methods used in manifold learning and nonlinear dimension reduction. This serves as our motivation for exploring the use of nonlocal, linear, and nonlinear diffusion processes on high dimensional imagery (e.g. hyperspectral) that do not require the computation of eigenfunctions. We utilize the same iterative scheme to perform a semi-supervised multi-class classification and segmentation, only by changing the initial conditions. Furthermore, we compare the denoising performance of these algorithms with other PDE-based methods like anisotropic diffusion and compare classification accuracies for different materials on real Hyperspectral Image (HSI) cubes.
Client Satisfaction with Three Therapies in the Treatment of Alcohol Dependence: Results from Project MATCH

This study investigates client satisfaction with the three therapies for the treatment of alcohol dependence used in Project MATCH. Primary findings indicate that (1) clients receiving these therapies as aftercare were more satisfied than those receiving them as outpatients; (2) outpatients were less satisfied with Motivational Enhancement and Twelve-Step therapies than with Cognitive-Behavioral therapy; and (3) higher levels of satisfaction were associated with higher levels of therapy attendance, greater reductions in drinking during therapy, and better clinical status at the end of therapy. The results reflect the complexity of the relationship among treatment process, therapy outcome, and client satisfaction.
For parents: Recognizing and changing inappropriate services through an interactional approach

When a gifted child appears to have difficulty adapting to school, typically either the school or the child receives the blame. The source of the problem situation often resides in the interaction of school and child factors. One approach to alleviating such problems stems from a systems or interactional model. This article provides parents with specific strategies, based on an interactional model, for working effectively with schools to ensure the best possible services for a gifted child. Major steps include recognizing the need for intervention, developing parent‐school partnerships for change, and monitoring progress.
Dependence in target element detections induced by the environment

When modeling the detection of targets in a simulation of combat, the detection process is frequently represented as a series of independent detections of individual elements of the target. This assumption ignores the effect of a common but unknown field environment within which the detections take place. In this article, multivariate survival distributions are developed for target element detections which occur in an unknown dynamic environment. A proportional hazards representation is adopted, which uses a random variable multiplying the detection rate to account for the effect of the environment. Several special cases are examined which are useful for modeling target unit detections.
POWER APPROXIMATIONS FOR A TWO-ECHELON INVENTORY SYSTEM USING SERVICE LEVELS

We consider a two-echelon inventory system with one warehouse and several stores. The warehouse as well as the stores are controlled by periodic review (s, S) inventory policies. We study the interrelationship between the safety stocks at the warehouse and the stores. Stockouts at the warehouse will result in supply delays to the stores and cause the lead time to be stochastic. The stores may react by increasing their safety stock. However, there is a trade-off between the safety stock at the warehouse and the safety stock at the stores. We use a service level at the warehouse to quantify the effect of warehouse stockouts on the lead time to the stores. The service level at the warehouse is considered a decision variable to find the best compromise between the various safety stocks by minimizing the overall costs. Using power approximations for the (s, S) policies, we provide an iterative procedure for adjusting the lead time distribution to the stores; this can result in substantial savings, but it doesn't guarantee the overall optimality. Numerical studies are provided to test the accuracy of approximations. The effects of the different system parameters on the inventory policy give general guidelines for use of the policies.
Cost-effectiveness of the oral adsorbent AST-120 versus placebo for chronic kidney disease.

SUMMARY: Aim: This study was designed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of AST-120, an oral adsorbent that attenuates the progression of chronic kidney disease. Methods: We developed a Markov model with six health states, including four levels of serum creatinine, haemodialysis and death, using data from a randomized clinical trial conducted in Japan. Direct costs relevant to chronic kidney disease were calculated from a Japanese reimbursement perspective. Projected quality-adjusted life years (QALY) and costs were compared between the AST-120 and placebo groups. The target population was nondiabetic patients with serum creatinine levels from 5.0 to 8.0 mg/dL (442–707 µmol/L) at baseline. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the stability of the results. Results: At 3 years, mean total costs per patient were estimated at ¥6.67 million (US$56 982) in the AST-120 group and ¥9.38 million (US$80 196) in the placebo group. Mean total costs were ¥2.72 million (US$23 205) lower among patients receiving AST-120. QALY per patient were 0.295 (approximately 3.5 months) greater for patients receiving AST-120 than for those receiving placebo over 3 years. The finding that treatment with AST-120 dominated placebo (i.e. was less costly and resulted in more QALY) was upheld in sensitivity analyses. Conclusion: The use of AST-120 in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease may help to slow the rate of growth in expenditures for kidney disease.
Editorial preface to the second issue of 2011.

It is my pleasure to commence spring, the season of growth and renewal, with the introduction to the second issue in 2011 of Journal of Cardiovascular and Disease Research. This issue covers a variety of subject matter ranging from invited reviews on the aromatic hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) pathway and cardiovascular disease to the three original research articles, three clinical case reportbased studies and a review of a book series on heart development and regeneration. We continue to receive submissions that are diverse and novel and hope that our readers continue to use JCDR as their primary resource for the most up to date information in the field of cardiovascular disease research.
A comparison of the outgrowth potentials of split-thickness skin grafts sectioned by scalpel, mechanical mesher, and CO2 laser.

Mechanical meshers that press blades through immobilized skin are routinely used to expand split-thickness skin grafts, and scanned incisional lasers are currently under investigation for the same purpose. However, in contrast to the atraumatic wound edge that is created on these grafts by a sliding scalpel blade, the skin crushing and skin coagulation that can occur with the use of mechanical meshers and lasers are thought to reduce the outgrowth potential of the epidermis. With the use of an in vitro explant outgrowth system, epithelialization derived from wound edges that were created by a scalpel, a mechanical mesher, and a CO 2 laser at various settings was studied. The area of epithelialization around skin explants was not significantly different for skin bridges produced by scalpel cuts and those produced by the skin mesher, and histologic sections demonstrated similar epiboly-growth under these explants. In contrast, wounds created with the CO 2 laser showed impaired epithelialization. Incisions were made at several power settings, ranging from 11 passes at 4 mW to 1 pass at 24 mW. Only minor differences were demonstrated, with the lower laser power yielding slightly better results. Recruitment of keratinocytes into the proliferative state, as assessed by bromodeoxyuridine incorporation, was equivalent for scalpel and mesh cut skin. This data does not support concerns about decreased graft viability resulting from the crushing blade action used by mechanical meshers. The possibility of cutting and meshing skin grafts with lasers of the far-infrared and mid-infrared light spectrum are discussed.
Effect of subcutaneous fat and high temperature conditioning on bovine meat tenderness.

Effects of subcutaneous fat cover and high temperature conditioning on tenderness of meat were studied using 16 steer carcasses. Longissimus subcutaneous fat cover was completely removed from eight carcasses and the right and left sides were stored at either 0°C or 26°C. After 6 h at 26°C, the sides were transferred to the 0°C room; and after 24 h, all sides were transferred to a 1°C room for the duration of the experiment. Cold temperature and removal of fat cover reduced (P < 0·05) the longissimus muscle temperature at 6, 9 and 12 h post-mortem. The pH of the longissimus muscle was lower (P < 0·05) as the result of high temperature conditioning and fat cover 6, 9 and 12 h post-mortem. Consequently, conditions existed which would have been expected to promote cold shortening, yet high temperature conditioning and fat cover had no consistent effects on myofibrillar fragmentation index, sarcomere length or shear values.
Waveform design for compressively sampled ultrawideband radar

Compressive sensing makes it possible to recover sparse target scenes from under-sampled measurements when uncorrelated random-noise waveforms are used as probing signals. The mathematical theory behind this assertion is based on the fact that Toeplitz and circulant random matrices generated from independent identically distributed (i.i.d) Gaussian random sequences satisfy the restricted isometry property. In real systems, waveforms have smooth, nonideal autocorrelation functions, thereby degrading the performance of compressive sensing algorithms. Compressive sensing requires the system matrix to have particular properties. Incorporating prior information into the target scene either to enhance imaging or to mitigate nonidealities can result in system matrices that are not suitable for compressive sensing. We can overcome this problem by designing appropriate transmit waveforms. We extend the existing theory to incorporate such nonidealities into the analysis of compressive recovery. As an example we consider the problem of tailoring waveforms to image extended targets. Extended targets make the target scene denser, causing random transmit waveforms to be suboptimal for recovery. We propose to incorporate extended targets by considering them to be sparsely representable in redundant dictionaries. We demonstrate that a low complexity algorithm to optimize the transmit waveform leads to improved performance.
The in vitro immune response to a t-independent antigen. I. The effect of macrophages and 2- mercaptoethanol.

The in vitro immune response of murine spleen cells to the T cell-independent antigen, 2,4-dinitrophenyl-beta-alanyl-glycyl-glycyl-N(2-aminoethyl)carbamyl-methylated Ficoll (DAGG-Ficoll), requires the presence of macrophages, or 24-hr culture supernates from peritoneal cells. Complete reconstitution of the response by supernates, however, is dependent on the addition of 2-mercapto-ethanol. Antigen is required to fully express the in vitro immune response, but is not required in cultures of peritoneal cells in order to obtain active supernates. Active supernates can be obtained from allogeneic or syngeneic peritoneal cell cultures. The enhancing effects of 2-mercaptoethanol and peritoneal cell supernates appear to be synergistic nonspecific events directed toward lymphocyte activation and differentiation.
Speed of Information Processing in Children Referred for Learning Problems Performance on a Visual Filtering Test

Children referred for evaluation of learning impairment (LI, N =100) and a comparison group of nonreferred (NLI, N = 243) children were evaluated on a visual filtering task. The task was designed hierarchically to provide for evaluation of component operations—serial search, parallel search, decision, and response. With each additional processing demand, response times increased disproportionately for the LI group relative to the NLI group. Overall response time reliably predicted academic skills and cognitive ability, but was more strongly related to group membership. Thus, this nonverbal visual task is sensitive to a characteristic of children with learning problems over and above discrete academic and cognitive skills. Children with problems adapting to the demands of schooling may be distinguished by a disproportionate vulnerability to processing load.
Combined abuse of clonidine and amitriptyline in a patient on buprenorphine maintenance treatment

Buprenorphine/naloxone maintenance therapy is often prescribed in primary care to treat opioid dependence. Previous reports have described concomitant abuse of opioids and clonidine. In this case, a primary care patient on buprenorphine/naloxone maintenance therapy demonstrating altered mental status, hallucinations, falls, and rebound hypertension was found to be concomitantly abusing clonidine and amitryptyline, which share metabolic pathways with buprenorphine. Clinicians should be aware of patients' combining amitryptyline, clonidine, and gabapentin with buprenorphine to achieve a mood altering state, avoid co-prescribing them if possible, and maintain communication with pharmacies and other providers when they are prescribed.
Reflections on Enacted Sensemaking in the Bhopal Disaster

An updated analysis of the Bhopal disaster suggests that problems of abduction, awareness, reliability, and certainty were more serious than was first thought. Expanded analysis shows that the tight coupling between cognition and action, normally associated with enacted sensemaking, broke down at Bhopal. The breakdowns included a low standard of plausibility, minimal doubt, infrequent updating of both mental models and current hunches, and mindless action. The modest enactment that did occur prolonged rather than shortened the crisis.
Bipolar modulation of millennial-scale West African monsoon variability during the last glacial (75,000–25,000 years ago)

Abstract Time series of planktonic foraminiferal δ 18 O and Ba/Ca-based sea surface salinity (SSS) estimates from the eastern Gulf of Guinea (eastern equatorial Atlantic) indicate changes in runoff that reflect variability of spatially integrated precipitation over the equatorial West African monsoon area. Millennial-scale and recurring runoff-induced SSS rises and declines in the range of 1.5 and 2 psu (practical salinity unit) reveal rapid oscillation between dry and wet phases. The timing of decreased runoff coincides with oscillation of Dansgaard–Oeschger stadials and Heinrich events, the most severe monsoon weakening correlating with the latter. δ 18 O residual time series, derived by removing temperature, ice volume, and salinity components from the foraminiferal δ 18 O record, suggest that weak monsoon precipitation during stadials and Heinrich events was accompanied by significant shifts in δ 18 O precipitation toward higher values. Furthermore, δ 18 O analysis of individual tests of Globigerinoides ruber pink (δ 18 O indiv ) during dry episodes show a total range and variance of 2.3‰ and 0.25 ( n = 121), indicating that seasonal contrast of sea surface freshening was significantly reduced during Heinrich events relative to that of interstadials which show a total range and variance of 3.35‰ and 0.42 ( n = 140). On the basis of the timing and magnitude of changes in the monsoon record, it is evident that northern high latitude climate was the most dominant control on the West African monsoon variability. However, a southern high latitude imprint is also apparent during some episodes. This centennially resolved climate record demonstrates that the equatorial West African monsoon experienced profound changes in the amount, seasonal contrast, and moisture source of summer monsoon precipitation during the last glacial. The most plausible mechanism is a large-scale southward displacement of the monsoon trough, most likely initiated by large-scale reorganization of atmospheric circulation in response to northern high cooling and southern high latitude warmth.
The expansive tummy: An interview with “Aphra Behn” of Guerilla Girls on Tour!

This interview with Guerilla Girls on Tour! member “Aphra Behn” concerns the aesthetics and dramaturgy of GGOT's most recent touring production, If You Can Stand the Heat: The History of Women and Food. The conversation opens up the history of this theatre collective, its politics, and the practical, artistic, and political considerations necessary to performances about women and food.
Only human: Exploring the nature of weakness in authentic leadership

Abstract While the construct of authentic leadership includes the nondefensive recognition of weaknesses as well as strengths, scholars rarely hypothesize the role weaknesses play in strengthening authenticity and the effectiveness of authentic leaders. We begin by exploring possible unintended consequences of an overly positive strength based view of authentic leadership. We then propose that there are weaknesses associated with cognitive abilities, motivation, social cognition and group dynamics that spring from the need to belong that are part and parcel of human nature such that their integration into one's sense of authenticity not only enhances the authentic leadership attributes of self-awareness, balanced processing, moral indentify and relational transparency but also benefits those who are led. We end with suggestions for future research on these attributes supplementing existing measures of authentic leadership with the use of implicit measures, promising assessment instruments and idiographic techniques.
Prevention of Unintended Pregnancy and HIV/STIs Among Latinos in Rural Communities: Perspectives of Health Care Providers

Latino women in the United States are disproportionately at risk for unintended pregnancy, HIV, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We conducted nine focus groups with health care practitioners who provide reproductive health care to Latinos in rural areas of the Northwest. From the practitioner perspective, we explored barriers and facilitators to the acquisition and use of contraceptives and to the prevention of HIV/STIs among rural Latinos. Suggestions for improving reproductive health care included Spanish-language resources/materials and convenient contraceptive methods. Findings provide context to the complex issues related to unintended pregnancy and disease prevention among Latinos residing in rural communities.
Development and evaluation of a simulation-based pediatric emergency medicine curriculum.

AbstractPurposeThe infrequency of severe childhood illness limits opportunities for emergency medicine (EM) providers to learn from real-world experience. Simulation offers an evidence-based educational approach to develop and practice clinical skills.MethodThis was a two-phase, randomized trial wit
Fabrication of mm-wave undulator/linear accelerator cavities using deep x-ray lithography

The possibility of fabricating mm-wave radio frequency cavities using deep x-ray lithography (DXRL) is being investigated. The frequency of operation can be from 30 GHz to 300 GHz, operating mode in either TM or TE-mode, depending on the application. For most applications, a complete structure consists of two mirror-image planar half structures assembled face-to-face. The fabrication process includes manufacture of precision x-ray masks, exposure of positive resist by x-rays through the mask, resist development, and electroforming of the final microstructure. The precision hard x-ray mask was made by means of an surface mask, using soft x-ray lithography for pattern transfer into poly-methylmethacrylate (PMMA) on a 200-micrometers thick Si wafer, followed by electroplating of 35-micrometers Au at CXrL (Center of X-ray Lithography) in Wisconsin. For the DXRL process, PMMA was used as the positive resist, either as an 1-mm sheet glued or 200-micrometers film cast onto a Cu substrate. The NSLS (National Synchrotron Light Source) X- 26C beamline in Brookhaven was used to expose the resist. 99.9% OFC (oxygen free copper) was electroplated onto the developed PMMA structure, and then polished by the diamond- lapping. The cavity will be aligned with the optical fibers on the grooves and then initial test will be performed with HP 8510 network analyzer.
Interaction of creatine kinase and adenylate kinase systems in muscle cells

Elsewhere in this book the important role of creatine kinase and its metabolites in high energy phosphate metabolism and transport in muscle cells has been reviewed. The emphasis of this review article is mainly on the compartmentalized catalytic activity of adenylate kinase in relation to creatine kinase isoenzymes, and other enzymes of energy production and utilization processes in muscle cells. At present the role of adenylate kinase is considered simply to equilibrate the stores of adenine nucleotides. Recent studies by us and others, however, suggest an entirely new view of the metabolic importance of adenylate kinase in muscle function. This view offers a closer interaction between adenylate kinase and creatine kinase, in the process of energy production (at mitochondrial and glycolytic sites), and energy utilization (at myofibrillar sites and perhaps other sites such as sarcoplasmic reticular, sarcolemmal membrane, etc.), thus being an integral part of the high energy phosphate transport system. This review article opens up the opportunity to further examine the metabolism of adenine nucleotides and their fluxes through the adenylate kinase system in intact muscle cells. Using an intact system, having a preserved integrity of their compartmentalized enzymes and substrates, is essential in clarifying the exact role of adenylate kinase in high energy phosphate metabolism in muscle cells.
Holistic physicians and family practitioners: Similarities, differences and implications for health policy

Although loosely defined, holistic or alternative medicine has been viewed by most observers as fundamentally at odds with mainstream biomedical approaches. Convergence or integration of the two are seen as highly unlikely. We attempt to assess the potential for such integration empirically through a survey of physicians, members of the American Holistic Medical Association (N = 340) and a comparison group of family practitioners (N = 142). Although social origins of the two groups are similar, they differ in their completion of residency training and a variety of practice characteristics. While the groups differ in the predicted directions in their evaluation and utilization of holistic techniques and in their attitudes toward the nature of medical practice, there is a good deal of overlap. Personal experiences, especially those in the area of religion/spirituality and psychotherapy differ sharply between the groups. Policy concerned with fostering cooperation or convergence between holistic and mainstream medicine should differentiate between clinical attitudes and behaviors (which appear to be more compatible than has been suggested), and the personal world views of physicians (which appear to be much further apart).
An ENSO Signal in Soybean Futures Prices

Abstract An example of socioeconomic repercussions of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is examined. Multichannel singular spectrum analysis, a variant of principal component analysis useful in isolating the spatial and temporal variability associated with anharmonic oscillations, is applied to normalized monthly mean time series of soybean futures prices and the Southern Oscillation index. The method isolates the variability common to the two time series from the remaining variability and noise. It identifies the low- and high-frequency, quasi-biennial modes of ENSO as part of this variability.
The structure of the Kohistan-Arc terrane in northern Pakistan as inferred from gravity data

Abstract Modelling of gravity data taken across the Kohistan Island-Arc terrane in northern Pakistan can be used to constrain the shape and thickness of the Arc. Over 600 new gravity measurements were made across the Kohistan Island-Arc terrane in northern Pakistan. These data were taken along traverses normal to the structures bounding the Arc and were reduced to terrain-corrected Bouguer values. The reduced data were then modelled using standard two-dimensional modelling techniques. The southern margin of the Arc, the Main Mantle Thrust (MMT), dips to the north at approximately 45° and gradually flattens out at a depth of 7–9 km. The northern margin of the Arc, the Main Karkoram Thrust (MKT), also dips towards the north, but at a shallower initial angle (15°). From the models, the Arc terrane now appears to be around 7–9 km thick with the thicker sections occurring closer to the southern margin. The proposed model, in particular the angle of the MMT and the MKT, may have been significantly affected by the recent and rapid uplift that is occurring along the Nanga Parbat-Haramosh Massif.
Outcome of ileorectal anastomosis for Crohn's colitis.

One hundred thirty-one patients underwent ileorectal anastomosis (IRA) for Crohn's colitis. Preoperatively, 84 patients (63 percent) were found to have mild or moderate proctitis and 47 (37 percent) had rectal sparing. Sixty-eight (52 percent) had associated small bowel disease, and 20 (15 percent) had perianal disease. Sixty-five IRAs were performed at the time of subtotal colectomy, while 56 were done after previous surgery. Anastomotic leaks occurred in four patients. There were no operative deaths. Thirteen patients (10 percent) with protecting stomas never underwent closure. Among the remaining 118 patients with functioning IRAs, 30 (23 percent) required later proctectomy and 16 (13 percent) required proximal diversion, with the mean period with a functioning IRA in these 46 patients being 4.1 years (range, 6.2 months–12.7 years). An additional 13 patients required preanastomotic resection and neo-IRA, and 11 required proximal small bowel resection. The mean duration of function of all 118 IRAs was 9.2 years. At the time of review, after a mean follow-up of 9.5 years, 72 patients (61 percent) retained a functioning IRA, with 44 being free of disease, while 28 were being treated with steroids or antidiarrheal medication. The mean stool frequency was 4.7 per day. In patients with Crohn's colitis, IRA should be considered as an alternative to proctocolectomy if the rectum is not severely diseased and sphincter function is not compromised.
DISABLEMENT OUTCOMES IN GERIATRIC REHABILITATION

Until recently, knowledge in the field of geriatric rehabilitation has been based largely on empirical findings. There is a need for greater conceptual clarity about major disablement outcomes to provide a foundation for future theoretical research. Disablement terms promulgated by the World Health Organization's (WHO) International Classification of Impairments Disabilities and Handicaps (ICIDH) are reviewed and compared with those of an alternative model proposed by Saad Nagi in 1965. Distinctions are drawn between the disablement concepts each system includes to refer to (1) inherent attributes of patients and (2) the interaction of the patient with the social and physical environment. The importance of a disablement model reflecting this distinction between inherent and relational concepts is emphasized. Areas for fertile research opportunities in which the disablement concepts could be used are discussed. It is suggested that improved understanding of disablement outcomes could be most readily achieved by application of an epidemiologic model separating the factors affecting outcomes into three sets of variables: the host factors representing intra-individual attributes; the agent factors, which are the external event or events causing the disability; and the environmental factors, which relate to the physical or social surroundings in which the disability occurs. In future research efforts, a more theoretical approach to studying disablement outcomes is advocated as a basis for improvements in geriatric rehabilitation.
Changing Clinical and Laboratory Concepts in Inherited Epidermolysis Bullosa

Within the past five years, our understanding of inherited epidermolysis bullosa (EB) has grown tremendously as a result of a combination of favorable conditions. First, recent advances in the fields of cell biology, applied immunology, and molecular biology have led to the development of in vitro models and in vivo markers for specific subtypes of EB. As a result, more refined and selective immunohistochemical reagents, notably polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, are now available for diagnosis, both postnatal and prenatal, and for more basic studies aimed at elucidation of further mechanistic aspects of blister formation in this disease (J.D.F., R. Eady, MBBS, FRCP, M. Levy, PhD, unpublished observation, 1988). 1-12 Eventually, such work should result in definition of the actual causative gene defects in EB. Second, recent laboratory findings have led to the development of new treatments (ie, phenytoin, autologous epidermal cell culture-derived skin grafts) and the initiation of additional
Analysis of hprt mutations occurring in human TK6 lymphoblastoid cells following exposure to 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane

1,3-Butadiene (BD) is a rodent carcinogen that is bioactivated to at least two genotoxic metabolites, 1,2-epoxybutene (EB) and 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane (DEB). The mutational spectrum for DEB at hprt in human TK6 lymphoblasts (TK6 cells) was determined and compared with the mutational spectrum from spontaneous mutants. A DEB exposure of 4 microM for 24 h resulted in an average 5-fold increase in the hprt mutant frequency. Hprt mutants for molecular analysis were isolated from TK6 cells exposed to 4 microM DEB for 24 h (51 DEB-induced mutants) and from a set of spontaneous mutants (n = 43) isolated from the same TK6 stock cell cultures. Molecular analyses of hprt mutations were done by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of hprt mRNA or exon-specific genomic PCR amplification of hprt followed by DNA sequencing of PCR products. There was an increased frequency of A:T-->T:A transversions among the DEB-induced mutants compared to spontaneous mutants (9/51; 18% DEB-induced compared to 2/43; 5% in spontaneous (one-way Fisher's exact test; P < or = 0.05). DEB-induced hprt mutants also had an increased frequency of genomic deletions affecting the 5' region of hprt (7/51; 14% DEB-induced compared to 1/43; 2% in spontaneous). Therefore, DEB is a mutagenic carcinogen that can induce genotoxicity by large deletions, rearrangements or single base substitution mutations.
Induction of Endothelial Cell Differentiation in Vitro by Fibroblast-Derived Soluble Factors

Abstract Recent studies have suggested that fibroblasts, widely distributed mesenchymal cells, not only function to sustain various organs and tissues as stroma cells but also act directly to regulate adjacent cell behavior including migration, proliferation, and differentiation. Since fibroproliferative diseases and lesions (fibroplasia) are accompanied by new capillary growth (angiogenesis), we hypothesized that fibroblasts may have direct effects on endothelial cell behavior, independent of the elaboration of extracellular matrix, that are relevant to complex process of angiogenesis. To test this hypothesis, bovine aortic endothelial cells were cocultured in collagen gels with human skin fibroblasts. This coculture system caused the endothelial cells to become spindle shaped and to organize into a capillary-like structure within the collagen gels. We found that fibroblast-conditioned medium (FCM) also induced endothelial cells initially to elongate and subsequently to organize into a capillary-like structure within collagen gels. While FCM had no significant effect on endothelial cell DNA synthesis, the soluble factor(s) in FCM increased endothelial cell motility in an in vitro wound assay and in a Boyden chamber assay. The chemoattractant(s) in FCM was alkaline (pH 9.0)—and acid (pH 3.0)—stable, relatively heat stable (stable at 60°C for 30 min, unstable at 98°C for 3 min), dithiothreitol (DTT)-sensitive, and bound to an anionic exchange resin (DEAE-cellulose). Another factor(s) stimulated endothelial cell reorganization into capillary-like structure both within a collagen gel and on a reconstituted basement membrane matrix, Matrigel. This factor(s) was alkaline (pH 9.0)—and acid (pH 3.0)—stable, heat (98°C for 3 min)stable, and DTT-sensitive and bound an anionic exchange resin (DEAE-cellulose). These in vitro results suggest that fibroblasts secrete soluble factors that can influence endothelial cell behaviors relevant to the angiogenesis process with possible implications for vascularization in fibroproliferative conditions.