cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implementing standardized provider documentation in a tertiary epilepsy clinic.

Objective To incorporate standardized documentation into an epilepsy clinic and to use these standardized data to compare patients9 perception of epilepsy diagnosis to provider documentation. Methods Using quality improvement methodology, we implemented interventions to increase documentation of epilepsy diagnosis, seizure frequency, and type from 49.8% to 70% of adult nonemployee patients seen by 6 providers over 5 months of routine clinical care. The main intervention consisted of an interactive SmartPhrase that mirrored a documentation template developed by the Epilepsy Learning Healthcare System. We assessed the weekly proportion of complete SmartPhrases among eligible patient encounters with a statistical process control chart. We used a subset of patients with established epilepsy care linked to existing patient-reported survey data to examine the proportion of patient-to-provider agreement on epilepsy diagnosis (yes vs no/unsure). We also examined sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients who disagreed vs agreed with provider9s documentation of epilepsy diagnosis. Results The median SmartPhrase weekly completion rate was 78%. Established patients disagreed with providers with respect to epilepsy diagnosis in 18.5% of encounters (κ = 0.13), indicating that they did not have or were unsure if they had epilepsy despite having a provider-documented epilepsy diagnosis. Patients who disagreed with providers were similar to those who agreed with respect to age, sex, ethnicity, marital status, seizure frequency, type, and other quality-of-life measures. Conclusion This project supports the feasibility of implementing standardized documentation of data relevant to epilepsy care in a tertiary epilepsy clinic and highlights an opportunity for improvement in patient-provider communication.
“Extreme” E-Student Philanthropy: Expanding Grantmaking Into Fully Online Classes and Assessing Outcomes for Students as Learners, Community Members, and Social Activists

Student philanthropy is an active teaching strategy that enables students to lead a charitable grantmaking process and, in doing so, engage in the curriculum and learn about community needs and nonprofit organizations. About 20 years ago, professors began using the “learning by giving” approach in face-to-face classes. Since that time, some have expanded and innovated. This study is one of the first to examine electronic student philanthropy, or “e-student philanthropy.” Specifically, it looks at “extreme” estudent philanthropy in classes in which both the instruction and the philanthropy experience are fully online (Waldner et al., 2012). This study applies a conceptual framework that recognizes students as learners, community members, and social activists (Britt, 2012), and it analyzes outcomes of e-student philanthropy in three undergraduate classes and one graduate class at a metropolitan university. Survey results indicate the philanthropy experience had positive outcomes for online students on various measures, including interest in the course, learning and applying course material, awareness of community needs, awareness of nonprofit organizations, responsibility to help others in need, and belief they can make a difference in the world. Subscribe to JNEL
Operational thermal control of Cassini Titan flybys

The Cassini spacecraft will fly by Saturn's largest moon, Titan, forty-five times during its science tour. Twenty-five of the flybys will have a relatively low closest approach target altitude in Titan's atmosphere and are of thermal concern. The Thermal Devices Team on the Cassini Project in Mission Operations at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory has designed an operational thermal control strategy for these flybys. The challenge was to provide flyby operational thermal control that enabled science and remained within design limitations and Project constraints.
Village Tolerance of Abuse, Women's Status, and the Ecology of Intimate Partner Violence in Rural Uttar Pradesh, India

We explore the multilevel determinants of intimate partner violence (IPV) against women in rural Uttar Pradesh, India. We focus on village tolerance of abuse and its ability to regulate the effects of individual and village-level women's status and social capital. Using individual and village data from the 1998 to 1999 India National Family Health Survey, we find that village tolerance and women's status at individual and village levels help explain the risk of IPV. Village tolerance of abuse also moderates the ability of village-level women's status and social capital to protect women from IPV. RESULTS underscore the need to understand processes that sustain and/or challenge violence-legitimating norms. Language: en
Heart rate response of the human fetus to induced maternal hypoxia.

Abstract Induced maternal hypoxia, using 15 per cent oxygen in nitrogen as a stimulus, causes a predictable pattern of response of the fetal heart rate. In clinically normal pregnancy, the fetal heart rate changes little, if at all, during the stimulation or poststimulation periods. In abnormal pregnancy, the stimulus is augmented by impaired placental function and causes a severe fetal response, clearly reflecting the secondary hypoxic status of the fetal environment. The theoretical basis for the stimulus-effect relationship is discussed. The correlation between test results and subsequent development of fetal distress is presented with the proposal for using this test in the prospective management or investigation of abnormal pregnancies.
Distributed state machines: a declarative framework for the management of distributed systems

In this paper we describe the implementation of a declarative framework to support the development of distributed management applications. The framework is based on an extension of declarative networking, an asynchronous computational model that uses recursive SQL as its foundation and has been successfully used for the implementation of multiple networking protocols including opinion-based preferential routing as well as standard path vector and link state routing protocols. The SQL implementation enables analysis capabilities that can help avoid implementation and logic errors.
On spectral learning of mixtures of distributions

We consider the problem of learning mixtures of distributions via spectral methods and derive a characterization of when such methods are useful. Specifically, given a mixture-sample, let $\bar\mu_{i}, {\bar C_{i}}, \bar w_{i}$ denote the empirical mean, covariance matrix, and mixing weight of the samples from the i-th component. We prove that a very simple algorithm, namely spectral projection followed by single-linkage clustering, properly classifies every point in the sample provided that each pair of means $\bar\mu_{i},\bar\mu_{j}$ is well separated, in the sense that $\|\bar\mu_{i} - \bar\mu_{j}\| We consider the problem of learning mixtures of distributions via spectral methods and derive a characterization of when such methods are useful. Specifically, given a mixture-sample, let $\bar\mu_{i}, {\bar C_{i}}, \bar w_{i}$ denote the empirical mean, covariance matrix, and mixing weight of the samples from the i-th component. We prove that a very simple algorithm, namely spectral projection followed by single-linkage clustering, properly classifies every point in the sample provided that each pair of means $\bar\mu_{i},\bar\mu_{j}$ is well separated, in the sense that $\|\bar\mu_{i} - \bar\mu_{j}\|^{2}$ is at least $\|{\bar C_{i}\|_{2}(1/\bar w_{i}+1/\bar w_{j})}$ plus a term that depends on the concentration properties of the distributions in the mixture. This second term is very small for many distributions, including Gaussians, Log-concave, and many others. As a result, we get the best known bounds for learning mixtures of arbitrary Gaussians in terms of the required mean separation. At the same time, we prove that there are many Gaussian mixtures {(μi ,Ci ,wi)} such that each pair of means is separated by ||Ci||2(1/wi+1/wj), yet upon spectral projection the mixture collapses completely, i.e., all means and covariance matrices in the projected mixture are identical. ${\bar C_{i}\|_{2}(1/\bar w_{i}+1/\bar w_{j})}$ plus a term that depends on the concentration properties of the distributions in the mixture. This second term is very small for many distributions, including Gaussians, Log-concave, and many others. As a result, we get the best known bounds for learning mixtures of arbitrary Gaussians in terms of the required mean separation. At the same time, we prove that there are many Gaussian mixtures {(μi ,Ci ,wi)} such that each pair of means is separated by ||Ci||2(1/wi+1/wj), yet upon spectral projection the mixture collapses completely, i.e., all means and covariance matrices in the projected mixture are identical.
A redshift magnitude relation for radiation universes

A closed formula for the relation between distance and redshift in an expanding radiation-filled universe is derived for the case of positive cosmological constant and positive space curvature. This formula is then generalized so that it is valid for all values of the cosmological constant and the three possible space curvatures. From this distance redshift formula, a generalized redshift magnitude relation is found. This latter formula is then checked by testing it with the cases expressible in terms of elementary functions.
Performativity, Autobiographical Practice, Resistance

(1995). Performativity, Autobiographical Practice, Resistance. a/b: Auto/Biography Studies: Vol. 10, Terms of Identity: Essays on the Theoretical Terminology of Lifewriting, pp. 17-33.
Cross-tolerance to hyperoxia following cadmium aerosol pretreatment.

Preexposure of male Lewis rats to Cd aerosols (1.6 mg Cd/m3, 3 hr/day, 5 days/week, for 4 weeks) has been found to produce a marked degree of tolerance to hyperoxia (greater than 96% O2). Cd-pretreated animals were still alive after 8 days of continuous exposure to oxygen. In contrast, hyperoxia was fatal to all air-preexposed animals within 54–62 hr. Lungs of Cd-pretreated animals were characterized by hyperplasia and/or hypertrophy of the type II alveolar cell compartment which may have enabled them to more rapidly repair oxidant damage resulting from hyperoxia. Cd pretreatment augmented enzymatic antioxidant enzyme activities, including total lung Se-dependent glutathione peroxidase, catalase, glutathione reductase, and Mn-superoxide dismutase, and caused elevations in pulmonary nonprotein thiols and metallothionein (MT). MT, a thiol-rich, low-molecular-weight protein, was 400-fold higher in Cd-pretreated animals and bound more than 80% of the total Cd in the lung. We have hypothesized that MT serves as an expendable yet renewable cellular target for free radical damage during oxygen exposure. A systemic acute-phase response, characterized by alterations in plasma Zn and Cu concentrations and increased ceruloplasmin oxidase activity, was initiated in Cd-pretreated animals by the fourth day of hyperoxia. This response was accompanied by improvement in pulmonary status and extensive pulmonary repair.
Quaternary slip history of the Bare Mountain fault (Nevada) from the morphology and distribution of alluvial fan deposits

Analyses of alluvial fan sedimentation around Bare Mountain, Nevada, indicate differential slip along the Bare Mountain fault during the Pleistocene and Holocene. Analyses show that the ratios of fan area to sediment source area and the degree of Holocene sedimentation at the fan heads can be correlated with dip and displacement of the fault. The well-developed bajada and Holocene deposits near the fan toes along the southwestern flank of Bare Mountain contrast with the location of Holocene deposits near the fan heads and significantly smaller individual fan lobes on the eastern flank of the mountain (adjacent to the Bare Mountain fault). In addition, ratios of fan area to source area along the eastern flank of the mountain decrease from north to south, which we interpret to be caused by increased Quaternary slip (from north to south) along the fault, with relatively little Holocene throw at Tarantula Canyon and maximum throw near Wildcat Peak. The dip of the fault also changes from north to south, with relatively shallow dip angles (45° to 50°) at Tarantula Canyon and steeper (∼ 70°) dips near Wildcat Peak. Geometric constraints dictate that, for any given increment of horizontal extension, vertical offsets will be smaller on those segments of the fault that have shallower dip angles. On the basis of these observations, we conclude that the recent slip rate of about 0.02 mm/yr derived from trenching studies in the Tarantula Canyon fan should be considered a minimum value that may not represent the slip rate of the Bare Mountain fault as a whole.
Astrocytes in the retrotrapezoid nucleus sense H+ by inhibition of a Kir4.1-Kir5.1-like current and may contribute to chemoreception by a purinergic mechanism.

Central chemoreception is the mechanism by which CO2/pH sensors regulate breathing in response to tissue pH changes. There is compelling evidence that pH-sensitive neurons in the retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN) are important chemoreceptors. Evidence also indicates that CO2/H+-evoked adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP) release in the RTN, from pH-sensitive astrocytes, contributes to chemoreception. However, mechanism(s) by which RTN astrocytes sense pH is unknown and their contribution to chemoreception remains controversial. Here, we use the brain slice preparation and a combination of patch-clamp electrophysiology and immunohistochemistry to confirm that RTN astrocytes are pH sensitive and to determine mechanisms by which they sense pH. We show that pH-sensitive RTN glia are immunoreactive for aldehyde dehydrogenase 1L1, a marker of astrocytes. In HEPES buffer the pH-sensitive current expressed by RTN astrocytes reversed near EK+ (the equilibrium potential for K+) and was inhibited by Ba2+ and desipramine (blocker of Kir4.1-containing channels), characteristics most consistent with heteromeric Kir4.1–Kir5.1 channels. In bicarbonate buffer, the sodium/bicarbonate cotransporter also contributed to the CO2/H+-sensitive current in RTN astrocytes. To test the hypothesis that RTN astrocytes contribute to chemoreception by a purinergic mechanism, we used fluorocitrate to selectively depolarize astrocytes while measuring neuronal activity. We found that fluorocitrate increased baseline activity and pH sensitivity of RTN neurons by a P2-receptor–dependent mechanism, suggesting that astrocytes may release ATP to activate RTN chemoreceptors. We also found in bicarbonate but not HEPES buffer that P2-receptor antagonists decreased CO2 sensitivity of RTN neurons. We conclude that RTN astrocytes sense CO2/H+ in part by inhibition of a Kir4.1–Kir5.1-like current and may provide an excitatory purinergic drive to pH-sensitive neurons.
Femtosecond laser-induced Coulomb explosion of ammonia clusters

Abstract Nitrogen atoms, as highly charged as N 5+ , are found to be formed upon the irradiation of (NH 3 ) n clusters with an intense femtosecond laser beam. Kinetic energy release values of the nitrogen atoms, from the Coulomb explosion of ammonia clusters, are found to be on the order of several hundred electron volts as calculated from the peak splittings, and also directly measured from cutoff potentials using a reflection as an energy analyzer. Also, we observe a Coulomb explosion process which results in the production of intact cluster ions, and we propose a mechanism for their formation.
SU-FF-J-101: Tumor Motion and the Effect of Gated Set-Up On the Treatment of Liver Tumors

Purpose: To determine if (1) respiratory‐gated setup of liver patients based on megavoltage (MV) images of implanted fiducials is more accurate than conventional setup based on external skin marks, and (2) the intrafractional motion of implanted fiducials is consistent with that determined from 4D‐CT images acquired for treatment planning.Method and Materials: A 68 year‐old woman with metastatic livercancer was positioned prior to daily treatment based on conventional external skin marks. An orthogonal pair of respiratory‐gated MV images of gold fiducials implanted in the vicinity of the lesion were acquired at end expiration and used to determine couch shifts by comparing the coordinates of the fiducials with those obtained from the 4D‐CT images. The treatment itself was delivered without gating but MV cine images were acquired during treatment. The positions of the internal fiducials from the cine images were then compared to the average positions observed during 4D‐CT simulation. Results: The range of tumor motion was dominant in the superior‐inferior (SI) direction. During simulation, the SI range of motion was 1.1 cm. Over the course of 26 fractions, for one typical field, the SI range of motion was 1.3 cm, ranging from 0.8 cm to 2.1 cm. The average position of the fiducials from the cine images throughout the entire treatment differed from the 4D‐CT by 0.3±0.2 cm in the SI direction. Had the patient not been shifted from external marks during each fraction, the average position of the fiducials would have differed by 1.5±0.2 cm relative to the 4D‐CT. Conclusion: The range of tumor motion over the course of treatment may be greater than that at the time of simulation, and a simple ITV may not be adequate to account for respiratory motion. Moreover, the accuracy of patient set‐up can be improved using implanted fiducials and respiratory gating.
Relations among Socioeconomic Status Indicators and Health for African-Americans and Whites

This investigation explored the relationship of socioeconomic status (SES) to physical and mental health in two nationally representative samples of whites and African-Americans. We examined the interrelations among SES variables and assessed their contribution to health for the two racial groups. Throughout, we assessed the contribution of a less traditional indicator of SES-wealth-in the SES-health relationship. As we expected, African-Americans had lower levels of education, household income, and wealth than whites. Unexpectedly, however, the strength of the interrelationships among the three SES indicators did not differ for African-Americans and whites. In addition, we found that SES operated to affect health in a very similar fashion for African-Americans and whites. We found that wealth, in addition to more traditional indicators of SES (education and household income), made a unique and significant contribution to explaining both physical and mental health. Examining relations of different SES indicators to health across groups is critical to eliminating persistent social inequalities in health.
Ferromagnetism in the Transition Metals

An outline is given of a proposed theory for the behavior of electrons in transition metals. This is based on considering corrections to a supposed self-consistent band calculation which arise from the intra-atomic electron-electron Coulomb repulsion. The resulting interaction energy is considered to occur only between electrons with similar Bloch wave functions and to depend on the shape of those functions. An important element in the discussion is the one-electron $s\ensuremath{-}d$ admixture term in the Hamiltonian which arises when the $d$ band and conduction band are worked out using different potentials. The behavior of dilute alloys of non-transition metals in transition metals can then be understood in terms of the hybridized $s\ensuremath{-}d$ band. It is suggested that the effect of the nontransition impurity (Cu, Zn, etc., are here to be regarded as transition metals) is to lower the conduction band, thus changing the $s\ensuremath{-}d$ band. In terms of a theory parallel to the localized-moment calculation of Anderson, this reduces the magnetic moment by moving the spin-up and spin-down $d$ bands with respect to each other. Because of the increased $s$-like character, the true $s\ensuremath{-}d$ electrons have become more mobile and this reduces the effectiveness of the exchange splitting. It is shown that this model leads to reasonable agreement with the experimental reduction in the saturation magnetization. It is further shown that if the interaction energy is regarded as a dominant factor in determining which is the stable lattice structure in these metals, one can obtain correct ranges of stability as the electron-per-atom ratio changes for all three transition series. The second and third series are supposed to be nonferromagnetic because of a large band width and small interaction energy. The paper is entirely qualitative, such calculations as are presented being of an illustrative nature.
The prognostic significance of Gleason Grade in patients treated with permanent prostate brachytherapy.

Abstract Purpose To assess the difference in biochemical freedom from relapse (BFR) between patients with clinically localized prostate cancer having Gleason Grade (GG) 3 + 4 vs. 4 + 3 disease treated with permanent prostate brachytherapy (PPB). Methods and materials One thousand twenty-nine consecutive T1/T2 patients underwent PPB with Gleason sum 6, 7, or 8 adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Treatment consisted of transperineal ultrasound–guided implant as monotherapy or in combination with external beam radiation and/or neoadjuvant androgen ablation (NAAD). The Kattan modification of the ASTRO consensus definition that censors patients with rising follow-up PSA values early was used to measure BFR. Kaplan-Meier actuarial survival was calculated and compared using the log–rank test. Cox proportional hazards regression was performed to assess the role of Gleason grade, initial PSA value, stage, the addition of external beam radiotherapy, and the addition of NAAD. Results The median follow-up for all 1029 patients is 46 months (range: 3–108 months) with a BFR at 5 years of 78.2% and at 7 years of 76.2%. The 7-year BFR for patients with GG 3 + 3 was 81.8%, GG 3 + 4 was 78.4%, GG 4 + 3 was 56.7%, and GG 4 + 4 was 50.7% ( p p p = 0.001), D90% ( p p = 0.016) were associated with biochemical recurrence, whereas NAAD ( p = 0.057) and external beam radiotherapy ( p = 0.356) were not. Conclusions Gleason sum 7 tumors in patients treated with PPB represent a heterogeneous group of patients based on the differentiation of Gleason Grade 3 + 4 tumors vs. 4 + 3 disease. This information confirms similar conclusions identified in patients treated with external beam radiation and is useful when determining prognosis after PPB.
Single-acquisition sequence for the measurement of oxygen partial pressure by hyperpolarized gas MRI.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with hyperpolarized 3-helium gas (HP 3He) offers the possibility of studying functional lung parameters such as the alveolar oxygen concentration and oxygen depletion rate. Until now, a double-acquisition technique has been utilized to extract these parameters. A complicated single-acquisition technique was previously developed to avoid the necessity of performing two identical breathing maneuvers. The results obtained with this technique were significantly less accurate than the results obtained with the double-acquisition method. In this work, a novel, easily implemented single-acquisition sequence is presented that provides results comparable to those obtained with the established double-acquisition method. This method is demonstrated in a phantom and a pig model on a 1.5 T scanner using a 2D fast low-angle shot (FLASH) gradient-echo sequence. Numerical simulations of the time evolution of the oxygen concentration were performed. Simulation results are presented to support the experimental data. Various parameter regimes were experimentally and numerically investigated. Magn Reson Med 52:766–773, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Application and Testing of an Index of Biotic Integrity in Small, Coolwater Streams

Abstract A recently proposed index of biotic integrity (IBI), which applies features of indigenous fish communities to assess watershed and stream quality, is based on the assumption that community features change consistently with stream degradation. In this study, the IBI was modified for and applied to small coolwater streams in the Appalachian Plateau region of West Virginia. Changes in fish community variables proposed for the IBI were tested in seven similar streams exhibiting a wide range of stream degradation due to sewage, mining, and urbanization. A consistent response with increasing stream degradation was found for the following variables: Total number of species, proportion of individuals as creek chubs Semotilus atromaculatus, species richness and composition of darters (Percidae), number of fish in sample, and proportion of fish with disease or anomalies. Proportions of omnivores, insectivorous cyprinids, and herbivore-detritivores yielded inconsistent results due to confounding interaction...
Dual Enrollment Credit and College Readiness

This causal-comparative study researched the effects of dual enrollment and Huskins Bill course experience on traditional-age North Carolina community college students. The study examined course effects on academic success and graduation rate using quantitative statistical measures including parametric and nonparametric means comparisons. The study found that dual enrollment and Huskins Bill courses showed a positive effect on grade point average (GPA) and graduation rate, and this effect is evident in technical, medical, and college transfer programs. The study also showed a positive correlation between number of courses and student GPA and graduation rate. Findings in this study support continuing and expanding dual enrollment offerings as one aid for college readiness.
Oncolytic viruses: extreme treatment for an extreme disease

Balveen Kaur† & E Antonio Chiocca †Author for correspondence The Ohio State University, Department of Neurological Surgery, Dardinger Laboratory of Neurosciences, OSUCCC, 385-D 410 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA Tel.: +1 614 292 3984; Fax: +1 614 688 4882; balveen.kaur@osumc.edu http://neurosurgery.osu.edu/ Faculty/Kaur.htm ‘The growth, spread and response to treatment of malignant cells from different tumors and even within a tumor display remarkable heterogeneity that seriously challenges effective therapy design and necessitates radical options to battle this radical disease.’
Development of gallbladder contractility in the guinea pig.

ABSTRACT: In vitro experiments were performed to examine the contractile responsiveness of guinea pig gallbladder smooth muscle as a function of developmental age. Gallbladder muscle strips from preterm (day 50-55 gestation), newborn (days 1-3 post partum), and 1-month-old animals were stimulated with agonists that initiate the contractile process either by activation of membrane receptors (acetylcholine and the octapeptide of cholecystokinin) or by membrane depolarization (potassium). Dose-response curves were constructed for each agonist in each age group and analyzed with respect to the maximal force developed and the pD2 value (negative logarithm of the dose of agonist which produces a one-half maximal response). The results can be summarized as follows: 1) when normalized for tissue cross-sectional area, the magnitude of the contractile response to each agonist increased with increasing developmental age; 2) the dose of agonist required to elicit a one-half maximal response was independent of developmental age. The data indicate that cholinergic and cholecystokinin receptors are present and functional on gallbladder smooth muscle prior to birth and that the force generating capacity of the tissue continues to develop after birth. A reduced contractility of the gallbladder in preterm and newborn animals as compared to young adults may partially explain the decreased choledochol bile flow seen in the neonate.
Enhancement of complement-dependent cytotoxicity by polyvalent melanoma cell vaccine (CancerVax): correlation with survival.

Background: Case control studies have demonstrated that administration of CancerVax, a polyvalent melanoma cell vaccine (PMCV), after complete resection of melanoma metastases produces a significant improvement in disease-free survival (DFS). Because PMCV has no direct cytotoxic effect on melanoma cells, the authors hypothesized that it prolongs survival by enhancing antibody-mediated antimelanoma cytotoxicity.
Prognostic implications of myocardial ischemia during daily life in low risk patients with coronary artery disease.

Abstract Objectives . The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and prognostic importance of myocardial ischemia detected by ambulatory monitoring in low risk, medically managed patients with coronary artery disease. Background . Previous studies have demonstrated that certain high risk subsets of patients with coronary artery disease have improved survival with revascularization. The remaining low risk medically managed patients may still have episodes of silent ischemia during daily living, but the frequency and prognostic implications of such episodes in this group are unknown. Methods . We prospectively studied the incidence and prognostic significance of ST segment changes recorded during daily activities in 116 asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic low risk patients with native coronary artery disease who were followed up for 29 ± 13 months. Low risk patients were selected after excluding patients with 1) left main disease; 2) three-vessel coronary artery disease and left ventricular dysfunction at rest; 3) three-vessel disease and inducible ischemia during exercise; and 4) two-vessel disease, left ventricular dysfunction and inducible ischemia. Results . Forty-five patients (39%) had transient episodes of ST segment depression during 48-h electrocardiographie (ECG) monitoring (total 217 episodes, lasting 7,223 min, 82% of episodes silent). There were eight acute cardiac events (seven myocardial infarctions, one episode of unstable angina) and nine patients underwent elective revascularization. Seven of the eight acute events occurred in patients without silent ischemia during monitoring. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed no significant differences in event-free survival from either acute or total events in subgroups with or without silent ischemia during ambulatory ECG monitoring. None of the clinical, treadmill exercise, radionuclide ventriculographic or cardiac catheterization variables were predictive of outcome by Cox mullivariate proportional hazard function analysis. Analysis of coronary arteriograms before and after acute cardiac events revealed that in five of the six patients studied, acute occlusion occurred in a coronary artery different from the artery with the severest stenosis on initial angiography. Conclusions . In patients categorized as at low risk on the basis of the results of cardiac catheterization and stress testing, silent myocardial ischemia during daily life was not uncommon, and its presence failed to predict future coronary events.
Clinically translatable ultrasound/photoacoustic imaging for real-time needle biopsy guidance

Ultrasound (US) needle tracking with a real-time, portable imaging system is common for biopsies and therapeutic injections. However, proper US probe-needle orientation is required or tracking precision is lost because of poor US contrast and additional artifacts. In contrast, the strong photoacoustic (PA) signal from a needle is relatively independent of light orientation. Unfortunately, a bulky, slow (10s of Hz) laser is usually required for sufficient pulse energy at centimeters depth inside the body, hindering PA integration into a real-time US scanner. We employ a compact, low-cost, low pulse energy (1 mJ/pulse) laser that can operate at 10s of kHz to construct an integrated US/PA system with frame rates higher than 30 Hz. A scanning approach with a rotating galvo mirror was used by combining multiple laser shots covering a large scan region to form an integrated image. Multiple pulse-echo US focused beams were formed between laser firings. Insertion of an 18-gauge needle in a piece of chicken breast tissue, and subsequent injection of an absorptive agent through the needle, was imaged. The PA image displays the needle at higher contrast (> 30 dB) than the US image, even at a depth of 12 mm where light energy has largely decayed, demonstrating the potential of the current scanning system for real-time needle guidance. An improved frame rate is envisioned with an optimized scan scheme.
Ambrosia Fungi: Extent of Specificity to Ambrosia Beetles

Experiments with developing ambrosia beetles and fungi indicate that beetles may feed on more than one species growing in their tunnels. The yeast-like ambrosia propagules in mycangia of beetles arise from conida and ascospores picked up by callow adults during their stay in tunnels.
Row width and plant density effects on corn grain production in the northern Corn Belt

Continued genetic improvement in the ahility of hybrid corn (Zea mays L.) to withstand high plant density stress requires agronomists to periodically reassess optimal plant density and row width. Furthermore, the optimal plant density level and row width for corn grain yield may vary with location, primarily latitude, in the Corn Belt. This study was conducted to evaluate corn grain yield, harvest moisture, test weight, and stalk lodging with modern corn hybrids, as affected by row width and plant density in the northern Corn Belt. At six locations in 1998 and 1999, four hybrids differing in relative maturity, ear type, plant height, and leaf orientation were planted at row widths of 76, 56, and 38 cm and five plant density levels ranging from 56 000 to 90 000 plants ha -1 . Plots were arranged randomly in a split-split plot configuration. Results show that corn grain yield increased 2 and 4% and harvest moisture decreased by a factor of 2.1% when row width was narrowed from 76 cm to 56 cm and 38 cm, respectively. The highest plant density evaluated, 90 000 plants ha -1 , had the highest grain yield. Grain moisture decreased and grain test weight increases slightly as plant density increased. A hybrid × row width interaction was not observed indicating that hybrids that yield well in conventional 76-cm row systems will also yield well in narrow row systems.
Sulfadiazine: Effect on E. coli Infections in Mice.: Effect on E. coli Infections in Mice

Summary1. In vitro tests show that sulfadiazine has slightly more bacteriostatic action on E. coli communis than sulfathiazole in 10 mg % concentrations. 2. In vivo experiments show that, with comparable blood levels, sulfadiazine is more effective than sulfathiazole in treating E. coli communis infections in mice.
Research on Office Markets

The American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association is pleased to acknowledge the support of the Homer Hoyt Institute for this special issue on office markets. I am particularly grateful to Maury Seldin, President of the Homer Hoyt Institute, for recognizing the importance of this emerging and timely research area. His support for office market research and his ability to bring together academics, practitioners, and crucial data constitute a valuable contribution to this research area. I also acknowledge the advice and assistance of the former editors of the AREUEA Journal, Donald Haurin and Patric Hendershott; and the current editors, Dennis Capozza, James Shilling, and Kerry Vandell.
Quasiparticle band structure of ZnS and ZnSe

We calculate the quasiparticle band structure of ZnS and ZnSe using the plane-wave pseudopotential method and the GW approximation for the self-energy. The Zn semicore $3d$ states are treated as valence states. A systematic study of the role of various approximations is presented, including the local density approximation (LDA) and generalized gradient approximation (GGA) for the ground-state properties, the role of self-consistency both in the dielectric function and the self-energy $\ensuremath{\Sigma},$ the effect of off-diagonal matrix elements of $(\ensuremath{\Sigma}\ensuremath{-}{V}_{\mathrm{xc}})$ in the Kohn-Sham orbital basis, and the plasmon-pole approximation. This study demonstrates that the LDA and GGA give similar results, and that self-consistency in updating the quasiparticle energies improves the accuracy of the band gap as well as the energies of the semicore $3d$ states. The calculated quasiparticle band gaps of ZnS and ZnSe agree well with experimental values when the GW approximation is used. There is some discrepancy for the calculated quasiparticle energies of the semicore states and some possible reasons are discussed.
Value of scintigraphy in chronic peritoneal dialysis patients

Value of scintigraphy in chronic peritoneal dialysis patients. Background A variety of factors can adversely impact chronic peritoneal dialysis (CPD) as an effective renal replacement therapy for patients with end-stage renal disease. These factors include peritonitis, poor clearances, loss of ultrafiltration, and a variety of anatomic problems, such as hernias, peritoneal fluid leaks, loculations, and catheter-related problems caused by omental blockage. This study reviews our experience with peritoneal scintigraphy for the evaluation of some of these difficulties. Methods From 1991 to 1996, 50 peritoneal scintigraphy scans were obtained in 48 CPD patients. Indications for scintigraphy were evaluated, and the patients were placed into four groups: group I, abdominal wall swelling; group II, inguinal or genital swelling; group III, pleural fluid; and group IV, poor drainage and/or poor ultrafiltration. A peritoneal scintigraphy protocol was established and the radiotracer isotope that was used was 2.0 mCi of 99m technetium sulfur colloid placed in two liters of 2.5% dextrose peritoneal dialysis solution. Results Ten scans were obtained to study abdominal wall swelling, with seven scans demonstrating leaks; six of these episodes improved with low-volume exchanges. Twenty scans were obtained to evaluate inguinal or genital swelling, and 10 of these had scintigraphic evidence for an inguinal hernia leak (9 of these were surgically corrected). One of four scans obtained to evaluate a pleural fluid collection demonstrated a peritoneal-pleural leak that corrected with a temporary discontinuation of CPD. Sixteen scans were obtained to assess poor drainage and/or ultrafiltration. Five of these scans demonstrated peritoneal location, and all of these patients required transfer to hemodialysis. The other 11 scans were normal; four patients underwent omentectomies, allowing three patients to continue with CPD. Conclusion Peritoneal scintigraphy is useful in the evaluation and assessment of CPD patients who develop anatomical problems (such as anterior abdominal, pleural-peritoneal, inguinal, and genital leaks) and problems with ultrafiltration and/or drainage.
A metabolic network approach for the identification and prioritization of antimicrobial drug targets

For many infectious diseases, novel treatment options are needed in order to address problems with cost, toxicity and resistance to current drugs. Systems biology tools can be used to gain valuable insight into pathogenic processes and aid in expediting drug discovery. In the past decade, constraint-based modeling of genome-scale metabolic networks has become widely used. Focusing on pathogen metabolic networks, we review in silico strategies used to identify effective drug targets and highlight recent successes as well as limitations associated with such computational analyses. We further discuss how accounting for the host environment and even targeting the host may offer new therapeutic options. These systems-level approaches are beginning to provide novel avenues for drug targeting against infectious agents.
Ventricular fibrillation threshold in acute myocardial infarction and its relation to myocardial infarct size.

The effect of myocardial infarct size on ventricular fibrillation threshold (VFT) was evaluated by determining changes in VFT during acute myocardial infarction and relating those changes to infarct size. Infarct size was estimated from gross measurement and from serial changes in serum CPK activity in 25 dogs. VFT reduction correlated well with gross infarct size (r = 0.92). This suggests that the severity of electrical instability during AMI is related to the size of the developing infarct, and that appropriate therapeutic interventions to reduce infarct size during this time may also render the heart more electrically stable.
The Role of Monsoon Convection in the Dehydration of the Lower Tropical Stratosphere

Abstract Observations by radiosondes, satellites, and aircraft have shown that a minimum in water vapor mixing ratio in the lower tropical stratosphere (typically around 19-km altitude) is a climatological feature of the global water vapor distribution. The processes responsible for the formation and maintenance of this minimum are examined with the aid of a mesoscale dynamical model of tropical convection that includes bulk ice microphysics, radiative transfer, and surface processes. Model results suggest that convectively generated buoyancy waves may play an important role in dehydrating the tropical lower stratosphere. Vertical parcel displacements produced by buoyancy waves promote the formation of thin ice clouds in the lower stratosphere. Such clouds formed upwind of the convective region in all simulations where ice was allowed to form. When ice was allowed to precipitate, there was a decrease of ≈0.3 ppmm in total water mixing ratio at 19 km after a 30-h simulation. It is concluded that thin cirru...
Distributed Structural Identification and Control of Shells Using Distributed Piezoelectrics" Theory and Finite Element Analysis

Distributed dynamic identification and vibration control of high-performance flexible structures has drawn much attention in recent years. This article presents an analytical and finite-element study on a distributed piezoelectric sensor and distributed actuator coupled with flexible shells and plates. The integrated piezoelectric sensor/actuator can monitor the oscillation as well as actively control the structural vibration by the direct/converse piezoelectric effects, respectively. Based on Maxwell's equations and Love's assumptions, new theories on distributed sensing and active vibration control of a generic shell using the distributed piezoelectrics are derived. These theories can be easily simplified to account for plates, cylinders, beams, etc. A new piezoelectric finite element is also formulated using the variational principle and Hamilton's principle. A piezoelectric micropositioning device was first studied; analytical solutions are compared closely with experimental and finite-element results. Distributed vibration identification and control of a zero-curvature shell-a plate-are also investigated.
Investigation of aluminum film properties and microstructure for replacement metal gate application

The fundamental film properties and micro-structures of the different aluminum (Al) metal layers are evaluated to fabricate a replacement metal gate (RMG) device for the high-k metal gate (HKMG) application at 28nm node. A PVD Al fill-in metal deposition process, called one step hot Al (HAL), was found the resistivity increases with increasing the thickness of the Ti wetting layer. The higher pinhole density with the preferred (111) crystal orientation in the HAL layers indicate the film properties with lower reflectivity, higher resistivity and lower removal rate of the Al chemical mechanical polishing (AlCMP). In contrast, the other PVD Al deposition approach, called two steps cold hot Al (CHAL), was identified to possess lower resistivity and higher reflectivity without pinhole structures than the HAL. The smaller grain sizes with the preferred (220) orientation in the CHAL could effectively prevent the formation of pinhole and enhance the removal rate of the AlCMP. The non-uniform with crystallized TiAl"3 phase detected in the bottom of the as-deposited HAL and CHAL films could obviously impact the removal rate of the AlCMP. An optimized CHAL fill-in metal deposition process with a larger than 40A Ti wetting layer are needed to simultaneously meet the process requirements of the Al gapfill and AlCMP planarization for achieving a reliable RMG structures.
Response to ``non-muffin-tin band theories of the multiple-scattering type''

We respond to the preceding Comment by J. S. Faulkner by examining the convergence properties of functions used to represent solutions to Schr\"odinger's equation in the context of Green's-function band theory. Such evidence as exists on the subject is reviewed. The conclusion drawn is that the data presented in his comment are sufficient to conclude that ``a large fraction of the errors caused by ignoring the non-muffin-tin parts of a potential can be eliminated by the simple expedient of including the nondiagonal parts of the scattering matrix.'' However, the data presented do not warrant the conclusion that our theory is incorrect through the neglect or incorrect treatment of the ``near field'' or in any other manner. This is a question that must ultimately be resolved algebraically, but the data so far presented do not seem to be inconsistent with our theory being exact.
Hydrazine activation of guanylate cyclase: Potential application to tobacco carcinogenesis

Abstract Hydrazine, a chemical carcinogen in tobacco and tobacco smoke, has been shown to induce the production of a variety of tumors in rats. The present report demonstrates that hydrazine stimulates the enzyme guanylate cyclase (EC 4.6.1.2) which catalyzes the production of guanosine 3′,5′-monophosphate. At a maximal concentration of 100 mM, hydrazine activated guanylate cyclase 45-fold in liver, 39-fold in colon, 22-fold in stomach, 19-fold in heart, 18-fold in pancreas, 8-fold in lung and kidney, and 4-fold in spleen. Since recent evidence suggests a role for guanosine 3′,5′-monophosphate in malignant transformation, these data may help explain the tumor inducing capacity of this tobacco carcinogen.
Clinicopathological characteristics and outcomes of surgically excised renal masses in African Americans.

Abstract Objectives In the present study, we report on the clinical and pathological characteristics of African American (AA) patients with surgically excised renal masses and assess the associations between race and oncological outcomes. Methods and materials We conducted a retrospective review of patients who underwent partial or radical nephrectomy for renal masses at our institution between 2000 and 2010. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on self-reported race: AA and non-AA. Patient demographics and disease characteristics, and overall, cancer-specific, recurrence-free, distant, and local recurrence-free survival for localized renal cell carcinoma (RCC) were compared between AA and non-AA patients. Multivariable proportional hazard analyses were used to assess the associations of race with oncological outcomes. Results A total of 1,467 patients, of whom 359 (24.5%) were AA, were included. Rates of benign disease were comparable between AA patients and non-AA (18.2% vs. 17.6%, P = 0.556). AA patients presented with higher rates of localized disease (83% vs. 71%, P P Conclusion In this study, AA patients presented with more localized disease than non-AA patients, whereas rates of benign disease were comparable between the groups. Furthermore, AA patients had roughly 3 times higher rates of papillary RCC across disease stages. On univariable analyses, AA patients appeared to have more favorable oncological outcomes. However, this association is likely explained by tumor stage, grade, and histology as outcomes were similar across races when the analyses were adjusted for these and other characteristics.