cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adsorption of Slow- and Fast-Growing Rhizobia to Soybean and Cowpea Roots

Roots of soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr. cv Hardee) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp. cv Pink Eye Purple Hull) were immersed in suspensions containing 104Rhizobium cells per milliliter of a nitrogen-free solution. After 30 to 120 minutes the roots were rinsed, and the distal 2-centimeter segments excised and homogenized. Portions of the homogenates then were plated on a yeast-extract mannitol medium for bacterial cell counts. The adsorption capacities of four slow-growing rhizobia and a fast-growing R. meliloti strain varied considerably. Adsorption was independent of plant species and of the abilities of the Rhizobium strains to infect and nodulate. R. lupini 96B9 had the greatest adsorption capacity, and Rhizobium sp. 3G4b16 the least. Rhizobium sp. 229, R. japonicum 138, and R. meliloti 102F51 were intermediate, except on cowpea, where the adsorption of strain 102F51 was similar to that of strain 3G4b16. The initial adsorption rates of bacteria cultured in synthetic media and in the presence of soybean roots were about the same. Addition of soybean lectin to the bacterial inoculum failed to influence initial adsorption rates. Both treatments, however, reduced the numbers of bacteria that bound after incubation with roots for 120 minutes. The relationship between the logarithm of the number of strain 138 cells bound per soybean root segment and the logarithm of the density of bacteria in the inoculum was linear over five orders of magnitude. Binding of strain 138 to soybean roots was greatest at room temperature (27°C) and substantially attenuated at both 4 and 37°C. Although R. lupini 96B9 strongly rejected a model hydrophobic plastic surface, there were no simple correlations between bacterial binding to model hydrophobic and hydrophilic plastic surfaces and bacterial adsorption to roots.
Pulmonary abnormalities and PET data analysis: a retrospective study.

PURPOSE: To assess methods of standard uptake ratio (SUR) calculation with 2-deoxy-2-[fluorine-18]fluoro-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in indeterminate focal pulmonary abnormalities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred ninety-seven adult patients with indeterminate pulmonary abnormalities had complete FDG PET data, consistent methods of data acquisition, and definitive diagnosis with tissue biopsy or negative 2-year follow-up findings. PET studies were evaluated by using SURs calculated with the average or maximum region-of-interest pixel value in the numerator and with weight, lean body mass, or body surface area in the denominator. RESULTS: One hundred twenty malignant lesions and 77 benign processes were identified. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve areas were statistically significantly larger with the average rather than the maximum pixel value in the calculation of the SUR for any of the three denominators (P < or = .05). SURs calculated with weight versus lean body m...
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS AND THE AIDS EPIDEMIC: A LECTURE FOR CALCULUS II STUDENTS

ABSTRACT This paper describes a lecture for Calculus II students in which the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome was used to motivate study of first- order linear differential equations and the derivative as a rate of change. Some figures for study were obtained from the U. S. Centers for Disease Control the day before the lecture was given in order to add to the sense of currency of the application.
Effect of fragmentation of tetanus immune globulin (human) on neutralization of tetanus toxin.

. The effect of fragmentation produced by plasmin digestion of tetanus immune globulin (human) on the neutralization of tetanus toxin was determined. Based on a mouse test, there was a significant reduction in neutralizing potency when fragmentation to 3.5 S material reached or exceeded 20% suggesting a threshold for antibody fragmentation beyond which the resulting decrease in antibody potency would result in serious disease. Because this threshold is not known for man, the use of fragmented globulin for the prevention or treatment of tetanus should be avoided until additional data are available on its neutralizing potency and efficacy.
Common Path Interferometer Using Fresnel Zone Plates

A new kind of interferometer for testing any unit magnification optical system is described. The method utilizes diffraction beam splitting and involves the use of two identical Fresnel zone plates, one by the side of the other. The interference patterns obtained are easy to interpret because the fringes are the loci of equal optical path difference of the wavefront under test with respect to a reference sphere.
Chemical Strengthening of Glass‐Ceramics in the System Li2O‐Al2O3‐SiO2

Fine-grained glass-ceramics containing a large proportion of β-spodumene solid-solution crystals were strengthened by immersion in molten sodium and potassium salt baths. An ion-exchange reaction placed sodium or potassium ions in lithium ion sites in the β-spodumene structure. The resultant “crowding” of the structure produced a surface compressive layer. In this system, strengths (modulus of rupture on abraded specimens) in excess of 100,000 psi were realized. In a similar manner, stuffed β-quartz solid-solution glass-ceramics derived from the crystallization of Li2O-Al2O3-SiO2 glasses containing an appropriate amount of nucleating agent were strengthened by K+-for-Li+ exchange. Stable β-quartz solid-solution glass-ceramics were strengthened by Na+-for-Li+ exchange, but no significant increase in strength was obtained in the metastable β-quartz materials.
Change-centric Model for Web Service Evolution

Web service is subject to frequent changes during its lifecycle. Web service evolution is a widely discussed topic. Many related problems have also been generated from Web service evolution such as Web service adaptation, Web service versioning and Web service change management. To treat with these issues efficiently, a complete evolution model for Web service should be built. In this paper, we introduce our change-centric model for Web service evolution and how we use it to design, execute, and adapt to the changes during Web service evolution.
Dimensionality of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale: evidence from heterosexual and homosexual couples

The study assessed the reliability and validity of the 4 subscores derived from the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS, Spanier 1976) with samples of both partners from 538 married heterosexual couples and 197 cohabiting homosexual couples.
Restoring Miranda: gender and the limits of European patriarchy in the early modern Atlantic world

Atlantic history has become fashionable as a way of linking the histories of Europe and the Americas. However, much work in Atlantic history does little to challenge the national biases of traditional colonial and imperial history. This article argues that gender provides an important conceptual tool for a trans-imperial and comparative exploration, just as it provided important conceptual structures for all the peoples of the Atlantic world. An examination of the research on two gendered issues – work, and family and sexuality – demonstrates that while Europeans attempted to impose their ideas on the various societies that they encountered in Africa and the Americas, such attempts were rarely successful. Gender not only provides the basis for a trans-imperial analysis of the Atlantic world but also enables us to reorient our scholarly perspective in the Atlantic, highlighting the agency of non-European peoples and exposing the limits of European patriarchy.
Active-passive modelocking in a single-polarisation erbium fibre laser

Subpicosecond pulses have been generated in an actively modelocked, polarisation-maintaining Er-doped fibre ring laser. A single-polarisation fibre amplifier and an uncompensated polarisation bias section are integrated into the laser. This laser combines the nonlinear pulse-shortening mechanism of polarisation-rotation lasers and the single-polarisation operation, environmental insensitivity, and capacity for active modelocking characteristic of unidirectional single-polarisation ring lasers.
Saver Behavior and 401(k) Retirement Wealth

Contributions to 401(k) plans are now the most important form of retirement saving. Since 401(k) plans were introduced in the early 1980’s, they have expanded rapidly and continuously. By 1998, roughly half of all households were eligible to participate in 401(k) plans, and more than 36 million workers made contributions to these employer-provided saving plans. In 1995, the last year for which the U.S. Department of Labor has released definitive data, 401(k) contributions amounted to $87.4 billion, or 55 percent of all contributions to employer-sponsored pension plans. The level of contributions, and their share of all pension contributions, is probably significantly higher today. The spread of 401(k) plans is the most important indicator of the move to personal retirement saving. In 1980, almost 92 percent of pension-plan contributions were to traditional employer-provided plans, and about 64 percent of these contributions were to conventional defined-benefit plans. Today, almost 60 percent of contributions are to personal retirement accounts, including 401(k), IRA, and Keogh plans. Including employerprovided, non-401(k) defined-contribution plans, over 76 percent of contributions are to plans that are controlled in large measure by individuals. These individuals make participation, contribution, asset-allocation, and withdrawal decisions. In this paper, we describe the likely importance of 401(k) assets for future older Americans and the effect of investment decisions on asset accumulation. We also examine the extent to which retirement assets may be affected by several decisions: preretirement withdrawals, management fees and expenses, contribution rates, and early retirement. Our analysis focuses on 401(k) saving, but applies more broadly to other forms of individual retirement saving.
Incidence of brain tumors in rats fed aspartame

Abstract The brain tumorigenicity of aspartame (APM) and of its diketopiperazine (DKP) was studied in 860 SLC Wistar rats. APM at dietary levels of 1 g/kg, 2 g/kg, 4 g/kg, or APM + DKP (3:1) 4 g/kg, was fed for 104 weeks. One atypical astrocytoma was found in a control rat and 2 astrocytomas, 2 oligodendrogliomas and 1 ependymoma were scattered among the 4 test groups. There was no significant difference in the incidence of brain tumors between control and test groups. It is concluded that neither APM nor DKP caused brain tumors in rats in this study.
AB INITIO STUDIES OF THE RADICAL CATION DIELS-ALDER REACTION

The radical cation Diels−Alder reaction of the 1,3-butadiene radical cation with ethylene, yielding the cyclohexene radical cation, was studied by B3LYP hybrid functional and QCISD(T)//QCISD calculations using the 6-31G* basis set. The intermediates and transition states involved in three different mechanisms, a concerted Cs-symmetric and a stepwise unsymmetric anti [4 + 2] pathway and a stepwise unsymmetric out-gauche pathway leading to vinylcyclobutane, have been considered. The synchronous Cs-symmetric pathway is prevented by a pseudo-Jahn−Teller distortion and is 19 kcal/mol higher in energy than the stepwise pathways. The stepwise anti pathway was found to be the lowest-energy pathway with an activation energy of 0.3 kcal/mol relative to the initially formed ion−molecule complex. The gauche-out pathway, leading to vinylcyclobutane, is 3.5 kcal/mol higher in energy than the anti pathway, leading to cyclohexene. In contrast to earlier calculations by Bauld at the MP2/6-31G*//3-21G level of theory, an i...
Characterizing the Phospholipid Profiles in Mammalian Tissues by MALDI FTMS

Discussed here is an analytical method for profiling lipids and phospholipids directly from mammalian tissues excised from Mus musculus (house mouse). Biochemical analysis was accomplished through the use of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) Fourier transform mass spectrometry, where whole tissue sections of mouse brain, heart, and liver were investigated. Lipid and phospholipid ions create complex MALDI mass spectra containing multiple ions with different m/z values corresponding to the same fundamental chemical species. When a computational sorting approach is used to group these ions, the standard deviation for observed relative chemical abundance can be reduced to 6.02%. Relative standard deviations of 10% are commonly accepted for standard chromatographic phospholipid analyses. Average mass measurement accuracy for 232 spectra representing three tissue types from 12 specimens was calculated to be 0.0053 Da. Further it is observed, that the data and the analysis between all the anima...
"Do Not Despair of God's Mercy": Reflections on the Divine Mercy in Times of Tragedy

The article undertakes to reflect on the events of 9/11 through a prism of critical self-introspection. It takes the reader through a personal journey of a Muslim struggling to come to terms with the tragedy of 9/11 after ten years and to raise serious questions about criminal violence committed by a group of terrorists in the name of Islam and its teachings on jihad.
Custom optics for the motionless-head parallel readout optical disk system

A single hybrid refractive/diffractive lens element is designed to replace the multiple refractive cylindrical lenses in the motionless-head parallel readout optical disk system. The new system has less elements, simplified alignment, and significantly reduced aberrations. Experimental results are presented. In addition, a design for the disk illumination element based on diffractive optics technology is introduced.
Ferromagnetic 3-D impellor-shaped micro-stirrer bar for micromixing

We report the development of a high efficiency magnetic microfluidic mixer based on a novel 3D impellor-shaped ferromagnetic micro-stirrer bar. The 3D impellor-shaped micro-stirrer bar with 31.6o inclined angle is fabricated using titled (55o) SU-8 exposure technique. The 3-D inclined micro-stirrer bar causes 3-D perturbation of fluids resulting in rapid mixing in microscale. When compared with a vertical straight sidewall micro-stirrer bar, approximately 20% of mixing efficiency enhancement is achieved.
Use of intraoral cassettes for dental xeroradiography

Abstract Before clinical trials of intraoral xeroradiography are begun, we felt the need to evaluate the clinical acceptability of the thicker, more rigid xerographic cassettes. We simulated these cassettes by fastening rigid acrylic plates of appropriate thickness to conventional film packets and then conducted parallel evaluations of simulated cassettes and conventional film packets, using thirty volunteer patients. We found no difference in anatomic placement, operator acceptance, and patient acceptance between the “cassettes” and film packets. The increased thickness and rigidity of intraoral xerographic cassettes should not prove disadvantageous to in vivo intraoral xeroradiography.
Increased lipopolysaccharide sensitivity in alcoholic fatty livers is independent of leptin deficiency and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) or TLR2 mRNA expression

BACKGROUND Both alcoholic (AFL) and nonalcoholic (NAFL) fatty livers show increased sensitivity to endotoxin-induced injury. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is recognized by toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), whereas lipopeptide triggers TLR2 to induce common downstream activation of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB and pro-inflammatory pathways that are activated in AFL and NAFL. METHODS Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and interleukin (IL)-6 levels; hepatic NF-kappaB activity; and expression of TLR2, TLR4, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and heme oxygenase (HO)-1 mRNAs were investigated in lean and leptin-deficient ob/ob mice after LPS challenge in combination with acute or chronic alcohol feeding. RESULTS Increased LPS sensitivity in AFL and NAFL was characterized by elevated serum TNF-alpha and IL-6 induction. However, there was no difference in TLR2 and TLR4 mRNA levels between lean and ob/ob livers at baseline and after acute or chronic alcohol treatment. LPS increased TLR2, but not TLR4, mRNA levels in all groups. Chronic alcohol feeding and LPS increased serum ALT and TNF-alpha levels in lean but not in ob/ob mice compared with pair-fed controls. Hepatic NF-kappaB activation was increased in both ob/ob and lean mice after chronic alcohol feeding compared with pair-fed controls. Expression of iNOS, an inducer of oxidative stress, and HO-1, a cytoprotective protein, were higher in ob/ob compared with lean mice after chronic alcohol feeding. However, LPS-induced HO-1, but not iNOS, expression was attenuated in ob/ob compared with lean mice. CONCLUSION These results imply that the increased sensitivity of AFL to LPS occurs without up-regulation of TLR2 or TLR4 genes and may be related to an imbalance of pro-inflammatory/oxidative and cytoprotective mechanisms.
The effect of subjective and physiological arousal on dishabituation of salivation

We have previously shown that salivation to the same food habituates, and recovers after presenting novel nontaste stimuli. This study assessed the effects of environmental stimuli that differentially influence subjective and autonomic arousal on dishabituation of salivation. Thirty female subjects were preloaded on a lemon yogurt milkshake and habituated to seven presentations of lemon juice. Prior to the eighth presentation of juice, subjects were presented an engaging video game designed to produce subjective but no autonomic arousal (LO), a video game plus mental arithmetic stressor, designed to produce both subjective and physiological arousal (HI), or a no stimuli (REST) control. Significant dishabituating effects of HI versus REST were shown for salivation. Heart rate was significantly higher during the dishabituator for HI than LO or REST conditions, which were equal. Finally, significant differences in arousal were shown between each of the three conditions. These results show salivation can be differentially dishabituated by nonfood stimuli, and these stimuli influence salivation without influencing subjective hunger or hedonics.
Deglyco GABA-Gly-desacetamidobleomycin A2: a simplified synthetic model for bleomycin A2

Abstract The synthesis of 2 , a simplified synthetic model for bleomycin A 2 , and the preliminary demonstration of its functional cleavage of duplex DNA are detailed.
Robotic-assisted Radical Cystectomy and Orthotopic Ileal Neobladder Using a Modified Pfannenstiel Incision

Objectives To report our technique of robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical cystectomy with a modified Pfannenstiel incision. Robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical cystectomy has been gaining in popularity. A completely intracorporeal procedure is a technically difficult and time-consuming procedure. Most surgeons perform the diversion using a small incision, typically midline, that is also used for specimen retrieval. Methods Radical cystectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection was performed using a da Vinci robotic platform in a standard fashion. The robot was undocked and an 8-10 cm modified Pfannenstiel incision made. A self-retaining retractor was used to expose the wound. The specimen was extracted, and an ileal neobladder was reconstructed using the incision. Results We have performed this procedure in 14 patients to date. The mean age was 58 years (range 56-61). The mean estimated blood loss was 310 ± 220 mL, and the mean operating time was 6 ± 0.8 hours. No intraoperative visceral injuries were noted. None of the patients had positive surgical margins. The mean number of lymph nodes removed was 12 ± 3. The mean hospital stay was 8.5 days. Conclusions Our initial experience with our technique of robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical cystectomy and neobladder construction using a modified Pfannenstiel incision has been favorable. The incision provides good exposure, facilitating neobladder reconstruction, can be used for specimen retrieval, and heals better with a cosmetic scar.
Gravity theory test planned

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has decided to proceed with one of the most sophisticated attempts yet to test Einstein's gravitational theory. The proposed Gravity Probe B instrumented spacecraft program has been included in the agency's Fiscal Year 1985 budget request, but only after considerable in-depth evaluation, both scientific and financial. Budgeted at $1.8 million for study in fiscal year 1984, it has been proposed at $ 3–5 million in fiscal year 1985 under the Physics and Astronomy Research and Analysis section of NASA's budget. The idea of Gravity Probe B is to test the general theory of relativity by examining in fine detail changes of the precision parameters of an earth orbiting gyroscope (Science, 223, 30, 1984). The gyroscope will be a cryogenically cooled, highly sensitive instrument specifically designed for the measurements. The engineering concepts have been under development for decades, and although the effects being sought are subtle, the experiment is considered to be within the realm of feasibility.
SU‐E‐I‐142: A Review of Digital Mammography Detector Failure Modes Encountered in Clinical Practice

Purpose: Flat panel detector failure in digital mammography systems can result in significant added operating expense, clinical down‐time and added personnel time for trouble‐shooting and acceptance testing prior to clinical use. The purpose of this study is to review modes of full‐field digital mammography detector failure and detector lifetime encountered in a clinical setting.Methods: Mammography detector history was maintained over 6 years for 3 facilities. When detector failure occurred, the reason for detector rejection and duration of detector lifetime were determined.Results: Out of the 11 digital mammography units followed during the review period, a total of 15 detector failures occurred. All rejected detectors and failure modes were verified by the manufacturer. Detector failure modes included dead pixel clusters (10), excessive ghosting (3), gate failure (1), detector crystallization (1) and charge build‐up defect (1) (One detector exhibited 2 different failure modes). Detector lifetime ranged from a minimum of 1 month (gate failure) to a maximum of 36 months (detector still in clinical use). The mean detector lifetime was 15 months Conclusions: Data from multiple digital mammography units and facilities collected over 6 years show that relatively short detector lifetime is common. Compiled detector failure data is useful for comparing ownership expense expected for different digital mammography models and to assist in determination if service contract coverage of detector replacement is advisable.
Fatty acid induced drug and carcinogen metabolism in rat and human colonic mucosa: A possible link to the association of high dietary fat intake and colonic carcinogenesis

Abstract This study examined effects of fatty acids on the metabolism of 1,3 diphenylisobenzofuran (DPBF) and benzo(α) pyrene (BP) by rat or human colonic mucosal microsomes. Arachidonate, linoleate (25 μM) or their hydroperoxides increased oxidation of DPBF or BP 4 to 5-fold, whereas saturated fatty acids and NADPH had no effect. Studies of the influence of O 2 exclusion and indomethacin on DPBF and BP oxidation were consistent with the existence of both cyclooxygenase dependent and independent pathways for fatty acid stimulation of colonic microsomal drug oxidation. These results may have a bearing on the increased prevalence of colon cancer in populations with high fat intakes.
PREDICTING MARITAL SUCCESS AFTER FIVE YEARS: ASSESSING THE PREDICTIVE VALIDITY OF FOCCUS

Engaged couples who took a premarital inventory called FOCCUS were contacted 5 years later to see if their scores would predict their future marital success. Results showed that FOCCUS successfully predicted the future marital success of most couples, supporting the predictive validity of FOCCUS. The results also indicate that FOCCUS and PREPARE are roughly comparable in terms of their predictive validity.
A nonlinear public key cryptosystem

Abstract A method for constructing a class of public key cryptosystems is described. The method consists of composing a sequence of simple matrix transformations, some linear and some nonlinear. The nonlinear transformations may be as elementary as element-wise squaring or cubing. It should be possible to construct a variety of such codes using this basic method. Furthermore the implementation of these cryptosystems are generally quite simple in terms of coding and decoding.
Sex-specific determinants of serum adiponectin in older adults: the role of endogenous sex hormones.

To assess the sex-specific association of adiponectin with multiple factors thought to influence its levels, with a special emphasis on endogenous sex hormones. A cross-sectional study of determinants of serum adiponectin in 873 men and 673 postmenopausal women, ages 50–92. Factors evaluated include age, body size, fat distribution, lifestyle (exercise, smoking, alcohol intake), insulin resistance, renal function and endogenous sex hormone levels (total and bioavailable testosterone and estradiol). Median serum adiponectin was 50% higher in women than men (P<0.001). In unadjusted analyses, adiponectin was positively related to age, alcohol intake, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and testosterone, and negatively related to waist girth, body mass index, Homeostasis Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), triglycerides and bioavailable estradiol in both sexes (all P<0.01). Adiponectin was positively related to blood urea nitrogen, a measure of renal function, in men only (P<0.001). Sex-specific multivariate linear regressions adjusting for HDL and triglycerides showed that only age, HOMA-IR and sex hormones independently predicted circulating adiponectin for both men and women. Higher levels of endogenous testosterone and lower bioavailable estradiol concentrations each predicted higher adiponectin; this was true for both sexes, and was not explained by differences in age, adiposity, alcohol intake, insulin resistance or lipoprotein levels. The association of adiponectin with the factors studied here is strikingly similar for men and women. Sex differences in circulating adiponectin levels in older adults cannot be explained by sex hormone regulation.
Positive Tzanck Smear

Figure 1. A 67-year-old man had a three-day history of pain, vesicles, and erythema of the right side of the forehead and frontal scalp, sharply demarcated at the midline. Material scraped from the floor of a vesicle was smeared on a slide and stained with Wright's stain. The diagnostic cell (×400) is the multinucleated giant cell, an epithelial cell containing numerous nuclei, nuclear molding (clustered nuclei fitted to each other's shapes), and viral inclusions that give the nuclei a homogeneous, glassy appearance. Although the Tzanck test can be positive in infections with herpes simplex, herpes zoster, and varicella, the dermatomal . . .
Free adjuncts in natural language instructions

In this paper, we give a brief account of our project Animation from Instructions, the view of instructions it reflects, and the semantics of one construction - the free adjunct - that is common in Natural Language instructions.
Macrocyclic oligomers of isophthalic acid and trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane — building blocks for synthetic peptide receptors

Abstract New macrocyclic oligomers of isophthalic acid and trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane are readily prepared and useful in the synthesis of new, sequence-selective receptors for peptides. Such receptors have a simple, two-armed structural motif and the peptide sequences they bind vary with the ring size of the macrocyclic arms.
Effect of administration route on FES uptake into MCF-7 tumors

We have observed that intraperitoneal administration of [(18)F]fluoroestradiol (FES), a radiolabeled estrogen receptor ligand, results in higher abdominal organ uptake and slower blood clearance than intravenous administration in female mice. In SCID mice bearing MCF-7 human tumors SC, IP administration resulted in tumor uptake that was only about one third that obtained with IV administration. Thus, the route of administration of a radiopharmaceutical for imaging or radiotherapy of a tumor in the abdomen, an ovarian tumor, for example, could have a profound effect on the efficiency and selectivity of delivery of the agent to the tumor.
Posterior urethral valves. Does prenatal diagnosis influence prognosis

Summary Forty-eight boys with posterior urethral valves were reviewed to assess the impact on prognosis of prenatal ultrasonography, which had been the method of diagnosis in 17 of them; the remaining 31 presented postnatally. Renal function before treatment was mildly to moderately impaired in 59% of those presenting prenatally, 42% presenting before 3 months of age and 25% of those first presenting when older than 3 months. All but one of the infants diagnosed prenatally had clinical signs and/or elevated serum creatinine in the early neonatal period. Eight had associated maternal oligohydramnios, of whom 6 presented prenatally and 2 postnatally: this factor was associated with a poor prognosis, with renal impairment persisting in 6 of these patients after treatment. Renal function did not relate consistently to the presence or otherwise of vesicoureteric reflux (unilateral or bilateral). Twelve of the patients who presented postnatally had normal fetal ultrasonography late in pregnancy, of whom 11 had upper tract dilatation when investigated. Six of these patients who currently have impaired renal function did not have maternal oligohydramnios, and it is argued that antenatal detection of the condition would have been beneficial in less than 20% of patients presenting postnatally with posterior urethral valves.
Man or machine: Multi-institutional evaluation of automated chart review

Introduction Obtaining valuable clinical information from the free text of medical records currently requires labor-intensive manual abstraction. With electronic medical records (EMR), variables in free text are accessible with automated retrieval, increasing the data available for research. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of automated isolation and categorization of breast cancer patients' pathology and operative reports in a multi-institutional cohort. Methods 6,037 patients underwent an operation for breast cancer at 66 hospitals from 2007-2008. 103,106 free text reports were isolated from these patients' EMRs. Two surgical abstractors classified 1597 randomly selected documents as breast cancer operative notes, pathology reports and not relevant. This reference set was used to train and test the automated retrieval console (ARC). The ARC model was chosen to maximize sensitivity. Agreement between two chart categorizations (manual vs. manual or manual vs. ARC) was assessed using Cohen's kappa. Results Overall, operative note, and pathology report manual abstractor agreement (kappa) was 0.92 (95% CI 0.89-0.95), 0.91 (95% CI 0.87-0.95) and 0.96 (95% CI 0.91-1) respectively. 152/1597 (9.5%) disagreements required adjudication by a surgical oncologist. ARC agreement with the adjudicated abstraction (kappa) was 0.88 (95% CI 0.84-0.92) overall and 0.86 (95% CI 0.82-0.91) for operative notes and 0.93 (95% CI 0.87-0.99) for pathology reports. Conclusions ARC is nearly as reliable as manual chart review. This open source software can be used to categorize disease-specific free text reports across multiple EMR platforms. Utilizing ARC can facilitate rapid multi-institutional chart review for health services and clinical research.
Unconventional Shale Resources: Economics, Regulations, and Politics

W. John Lee is known for his publications and presentations on oil and gas reserves regulations, and estimation and production forecasting in unconventional gas reservoirs. He served as an engineering fellow with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) during 2007–2008 and provided technical assistance to the SEC in its modernization effort on reserves reporting rules. He is the author of three textbooks published by SPE. Lee was elected to the US National Academy of Engineering in 1993, the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences in 2006, and the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Academy of Distinguished Engineering Alumni in 1994. He became an honorary member of SPE/AIME in 2001 and was awarded the SPE/AIME DeGolyer Distinguished Service Medal (2004), the SPE/AIME Anthony F. Lucas Technical Leadership Gold Medal (2003), the AIME Mineral Industry Education Award (2002), and the SPE Reservoir Engineering Award (1986). He is a past member of the SPE Board of Directors and was an SPE Distinguished Lecturer. He is a tenured professor and holds the Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished University Chair in petroleum engineering at the University of Houston. Shale resource development activities have been in the headlines for the past several years in the world media, especially in North America. It is tempting to think that developing a shale play is a matter of obtaining acreage, applying the latest in horizontal well drilling and multistage fracturing, and monitoring handsome produced gas volumes. Unfortunately, like most other business investments, it is not that simple. There are three constraints: economics, regulations, and politics.
An Approach to Defining Mother-Child Interaction Styles:

The study describes the development of a method for coding and recording the objective non-verbal interactions which take place between preschool-aged children and their mothers. Trained observers speak the codes into one channel of a stereophonic tape recorder while the verbal interactions are simultaneously being recorded on the other channel. Illustrative data from two culturally advantaged and two culturally disadvantaged subject pairs were analyzed in terms of the avenues by which they communicated to demonstrate that the quantitative measures have sufficient consistency on two comparable occasions to warrant applying detailed pattern and sequence analysis techniques.
Laser‐Raman spectroscopy of biomolecules 16‐temperature dependence of the conformation of crystalline ribonuclease a from x‐ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy

X-ray diffraction and Raman spectra have been studied for crystalline ribonuclease A as a function of temperature, up to 50°C for diffraction and 70°C for the spectra. Changes in the geometry of hydrogen-bonded tyrosines, disulfide groups and methionine side chains have been followed by means of the x-ray diffraction results, and the corresponding effects on the Raman spectra have been ascertained. The temperature trend of the Raman spectra of the crystalline enzyme corresponds surprisingly closely to that observed by Chen and Lord for the aqueous enzyme. It appears that intermolecular forces in the crystal are less important to the temperature stability of the enzyme than intramolecular forces. The close correspondence of the crystalline and aqueous temperature trends enables conformational changes in the crystal which affect the Raman spectrum to be identified with corresponding changes in aqueous conformation as shown by the aqueous Raman spectrum.
College Students' Scores on Torrance's Tests of Creative Thinking:

54 social work students were given a questionnaire and the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking. Ss' mean fluency, flexibility, and originality scores were analyzed by t tests against own sex, age, birth order, father's occupation, size of home community, class standing, and Torrance test scores from 10 college samples. Significant mean differences were only between (a) sophomores' and seniors' fluency and flexibility, (b) sophomores' and juniors' flexibility, (c) Ss' fluency and that of five other samples of fluency scores, (d) Ss' flexibility and that of five other samples, (e) Ss' originality and that of six other samples, (f) seniors' scores and six other sets of seniors' scores, (g) sophomores' scores and four other sets of sophomores' scores. Generally, the higher Ss' class, the lower the creativity scores. Social work Ss tended to score lower than other college majors on the Torrance tests.
An approximate decentralization of Pareto optimal allocations in locally convex spaces

We present approximate versions of the second fundamental theorem of welfare economics in the setting of dual pairs of locally convex spaces. We do not require the commodity space to have a positive cone with a nonempty interior. We also present a sufficient condition under which our approximate results hold exactly.
Cysteine substitutions in apolipoprotein A-I primary structure modulate paraoxonase activity.

Paraoxonase (PON) is transported primarily on apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) -containing high- density lipoprotein (HDL) and is thought to protect against early atherogenic events including low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation and monocyte migration. It has been proposed that apoA-I may be necessary for PON's association with plasma HDL. On the basis of this, we examined the effect of apoA-I on PON's enzymatic activity and its ability to associate with HDL. Additionally, we examined whether changes in apoA-I primary structure (cysteine substitution mutations) could modulate these effects. Chinese hamster ovary cells stably transfected with human PON1A cDNA were incubated in the presence and absence of recombinant wild-type apoA-I (apoA-IWT) and specific Cys substitution mutations. Extracellular accumulation of PON activity in the presence of apoA-IWT was 0.095 ( 0.013 unit/mg of cell protein (n ) 7) compared to 0.034 ( 0.010 unit/mg of cell protein in the absence of apoA-I (n ) 7), a 2.79-fold increase in activity when apoA-I was incubated with the cells. Lipid-free apoA-I did not increase PON activity, while preformed nascent HDL increased PON activity only 30%, suggesting that maximal PON activity is lipid-dependent and requires coassembly of PON and apoA-I on nascent HDL. The cysteine mutations R10C, R27C, and R61C significantly increased (p < 0.01) PON activity 32.6% ( 14.7%, 31.6% ( 18.9%, and 27.4% ( 20%, respectively, over that of wild type (WT). No changes in PON activity were observed with apoA-I cysteine substitution mutations in the C-terminal portion of the protein. The data suggest that, for optimal PON activity, coassembly of the enzyme onto nascent HDL is required and that the N-terminal region of apoA-I may be important in the assembly process.
α-Synuclein at the Synaptic Gate

Only doubling or tripling α-synuclein expression significantly increases the risk of developing Parkinson's disease. In this issue of Neuron, Nemani et al. show that this modest overexpression of α-synuclein does not lead to obvious toxicity in the near term, but impairs glutamate and dopamine release, potentially leading to broad network dysfunction and eventual pathology.
Discrimination of the Hoechst side population in mouse bone marrow with violet and near-ultraviolet laser diodes.

Background Discrimination of stem cells with flow cytometric analysis of Hoechst 33342 efflux by the ABCG2 transporter (termed the Hoechst side population, or SP technique) is a valuable methodology for identifying bone marrow progenitors enriched with stem cells. Unfortunately, it requires a ultraviolet (UV) laser source, usually necessitating an expensive and maintenance-intensive argon- or krypton-ion gas laser on a large-scale cell sorter. In this study, we evaluated the ability of recently available violet and near-UV laser diodes to discriminate Hoechst SP on smaller cuvette-based flow cytometers. Methods Violet laser diodes (emitting at 408 and 401 nm) and a near-UV laser diode (emitting at 370 nm) were mounted on a BD Biosciences LSR II and evaluated for their ability to discriminate Hoechst SP in murine bone marrow. Results The violet laser diodes discriminated the Hoechst SP, but with poorer resolution than with the standard UV gas laser on a large-scale cell sorter. The near-UV laser diode, in contrast, gave excellent Hoechst SP resolution. Conclusions These evaluations indicated that near-UV laser diodes give excellent Hoechst SP resolution on cuvette-based instruments. As the next generation of cell sorters integrate cuvette-based cell interrogation into conventional jet-in-air cell separation, these laser sources should become applicable for analysis and physical separation of Hoechst SP cells. Cytometry Part A 57A:45–52, 2004. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Heavy metals in atmospheric fallout in the intermountain west region

Abstract The input of Cadmium, Zinc, Copper, Lead and Nickel was studied at remote areas in Idaho, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming. Concentrations of metals in dustfall collected over two separate time intervals were compared to those from surface soil at each of the sampling sites. Although significant correlation was found among the various metals in soil, there was no significant relationship noted between levels in dustfall and in corresponding soil samples at the individual locations. A general randomness was observed in heavy metal burdens throughout the sampling network, yet, a significant equivalence existed in deposition rates (μg/m2/day) of total dustfall, Cd, Cu and Pb at the individual sites when compared using a paired t‐test. Likewise, equivalence was found in concentrations of Cd and Pb suggesting that local, rather than regionwide, climatic factors may be responsible for the variation in metal levels in atmospheric fallout.
Relative deformability of red blood cells in sickle cell trait and sickle cell anemia by trapping and dragging

Genetic mutation of the β-globin gene or inheritance of this mutated gene changes the chemical composition of the oxygen-carrying hemoglobin molecule that could lead to either the heterozygote genotype, resulting in sickle cell trait (SCT), or the homozygote genotype, resulting in sickle cell anemia (SCA). These mutations could affect the reversible elastic deformations of the red blood cells (RBCs) which are vital for biological functions. We have investigated this effect by studying the differences in the deformability of RBCs from blood samples of an individual with SCT and an untreated patient with SCA along with hemoglobin quantitation of each blood sample. Infrared 1064 nm laser trap force along with drag shear force are used to induce deformation in the RBCs. Ultra2-High Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC) is used for the hemoglobin quantitation.
Reconceptualizing language ownership. A case study of language practices and attitudes among students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal

The notion that language is not simply a politically neutral medium of communication, but a social practice that determines power relations and shapes subjectivity has become widely accepted in critical language and literacy studies. Within any socio-linguistic community, certain ways of using language are considered ‘proper,’ ‘educated,’ ‘standard’ or ‘legitimate,’ while others are not. According to this theoretical framework, legitimacy is determined not so much by intrinsically superior linguistic features, but by power relations: the language of the elite is imposed as the norm and functions as a gate-keeper. Language rights activists have been pushing for a greater use of marginalized languages in domains of power in order to reduce socio-economic inequality. In this paper, I argue that changing attitudes about the ownership of the dominant language is just as important. Drawing on a critical analysis of the corpus and on a case study, I show the importance of moving from a ‘birthright paradigm’ to a...
Calcium spikes in activated macrophages during Fcγ receptor-mediated phagocytosis

Rises in intracellular-free calcium ((Ca 2 )i) have been variously associated with Fc receptor (FcR)-mediated phagocytosis in macrophages. We show here that activation of murine bone marrow- derived macrophages increases calcium spiking after FcR ligation. Ratiometric fluorescence mi- croscopy was used to measure (Ca 2 )i during phagocytosis of immunoglobulin G (IgG)-opsonized erythrocytes. Whereas 13% of nonactivated mac- rophages increased (Ca 2 )i in the form of one or more spikes, 56% of those activated with lipopoly- saccharides (LPS; 18 h at 100 ng/ml) and interfer- on- (IFN-; 100 U/ml) and 73% of macrophages activated with LPS, IFN-, interleukin (IL)-6 (5 ng/ml), and anti-IL-10 IgG (5 g/ml) spiked cal- cium during phagocytosis. Calcium spikes were in- hibited by thapsigargin (Tg), indicating that they originated from endoplasmic reticulum. The fact that activated macrophages showed a more dra- matic response suggested that calcium spikes dur- ing phagocytosis mediate or regulate biochemical mechanisms for microbicidal activities. However, lowering (Ca 2 )i with ethyleneglycol-bis(-amino- ethylether)-N,N-tetraacetic acid or inhibiting cal- cium spikes with Tg did not inhibit phagosome- lysosome fusion or the generation of reactive oxygen or nitrogen species. Thus, the increased calcium spiking in activated macrophages was not directly associated with the mechanism of phago- cytosis or the increased antimicrobial activities of activated macrophages. J. Leukoc. Biol. 72: 677-684; 2002.
An Optimal Sensing Framework Based on Spatial RSS-profile in Cognitive Radio Networks

In cognitive radio networks (CRNs), regulatory bodies, such as the FCC, enforce an extremely demanding detectability requirement to protect primary users' communications, which can hardly be achieved with one-time sensing using only a single sensor. Most of the previous work focused on either cooperative sensing or sensing scheduling as a viable means to improve the detection performance without studying their interactions. In this paper, we propose an optimal spectrum sensing framework in CRNs that jointly exploits sensors' cooperation and sensing scheduling to meet the desired detection performance with minimum sensing overhead. Specifically, we propose an optimal sensing framework for the IEEE 802.22 wireless regional area networks (WRANs) that directs the base station (BS) to manage spectrum sensing by (i) constructing each primary signal's spatial profile of received signal strengths (RSSs) as a detection criterion, (ii) selecting an optimal set of sensors for cooperative sensing, and (iii) finding an optimal time to stop sensing. This framework will ensure the desired sensing performance of 802.22 with minimum sensing overhead. Our evaluation results show that the proposed sensing algorithms reduce the sensing overhead significantly and lower the feasible operation region of energy detector by 13 dB for practical scenarios.
Regional differences in walking frequency and BMI: What role does the built environment play for Blacks and Whites?

Studies have found that urban sprawl explains many regional differences in BMI and walking behavior. Yet, African Americans, who often live in dense, urban neighborhoods with exemplar street connectivity, suffer disproportionately from obesity. This study analyzed walking and BMI among 1124 Whites and 691 Blacks in Los Angeles County and southern Louisiana in relation to neighborhood safety, street connectivity, and walking destinations. While the built environment partly explains regional differences in walking and BMI among Whites, the magnitude of effect was modest. There were no regional differences in outcomes for African Americans; individual rather than neighborhood characteristics served as the best predictors.