cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Community College Faculty Attitudes, Socialization Experiences, and Perceived Teaching Effectiveness.

Abstract This study seeks to determine whether variance in teaching effectiveness of community college faculty, as assessed by students, can be attributed to particular attitudes and/or socialization experiences of these faculty. A theoretical model derived from symbolic interaction theory is tested by path analysis. Data to test the model were obtained through a 1973 survey of faculty and students at five community colleges in Pennsylvania. On the basis of this analysis, the authors conclude that the “predictor” variables used in this study and often by administrators in developing faculty selection policies do not correlate highly with teaching effectiveness.
Production in vitro of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-26,23-lactone from 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 by rat small intestinal mucosa homogenates

Abstract The metabolism of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 [1α,25(OH) 2 D 3 ] in the rat has been studied under both in vivo and in vitro conditions. A time course study of the appearance of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 -26,23-lactone in the plasma following intravenous or oral administration of 1α,25(OH) 2 D 3 suggests that the small intestine may take part in production of the 1α,25(OH) 2 D 3 -26,23-lactone. In an in vitro study using a homogenate of rat small intestinal mucosa, 1α,25(OH) 2 D 3 undergoes further metabolism to give more polar metabolite(s) which comigrate with authentic 1α,24,25-trihydroxyvitamin D 3 [1α,24,25(OH) 3 D 3 ] on Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. The metabolic profile obtained after high-pressure liquid chromatography reveals two major classes of metabolites, designated Peaks X and Y. Peak X is an unidentified metabolite of 1α,25(OH) 2 D 3 . Peak Y is chromatographically identical with 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 -26,23-lactone which has been recently isolated from the plasma of rats and dogs as a major metabolite produced in vivo from either 1α,25(OH) 2 D 3 or 1α-hydroxyvitamin D 3 ( N. Ohnuma, K. Bannai, H. Yamaguchi, Y. Hashimoto, and A. W. Norman, 1980, Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 204, 387 ). The enzyme activity which produces metabolites X and Y in the rat intestinal homogenates is induced in vitamin D-replete rats by pretreatment of the animals with intravenous 1.25 μg/kg doses of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 , 6 to 8 h previously.
Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy imaging-guided confocal single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy

We have developed an integrated spectroscopy system combining total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy imaging with confocal single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy for two-dimensional interfaces. This spectroscopy approach is capable of both multiple molecules simultaneously sampling and in situ confocal fluorescence dynamics analyses of individual molecules of interest. We have demonstrated the calibration with fluorescent microspheres, and carried out single-molecule spectroscopy measurements. This integrated single-molecule spectroscopy is powerful in studies of single molecule dynamics at interfaces of biological and chemical systems.
Iterative reconstruction of Fourier-rebinned PET data using sinogram blurring function estimated from point source scans.

Purpose: The accuracy of the system model that governs the transformation from the image space to the projection space in positron emission tomography (PET) greatly affects the quality of reconstructed images. For efficient computation in iterative reconstructions, the system model in PET can be factored into a product of geometric projection and sinogram blurring function. To further speed up reconstruction, fully 3D PET data can be rebinned into a stack of 2D sinograms and then be reconstructed using 2D iterative algorithms. The purpose of this work is to develop a method to estimate the sinogram blurring function to be used in reconstruction of Fourier-rebinned data. Methods: In a previous work, the authors developed an approach to estimating the sinogram blurring function of nonrebinned PET data from experimental scans of point sources. In this study, the authors extend this method to the estimation of sinogram blurring function for Fourier-rebinned PET data. A point source was scanned at a set of sampled positions in the microPET II scanner. The sinogram blurring function is considered to be separable between the transaxial and axial directions. A radially and angularly variant 2D blurring function is estimated from Fourier-rebinned point source scans to model the transaxial blurring with consideration of the detector block structure of the scanner; a space-variant 1D blurring kernel along the axial direction is estimated separately to model the correlation between neighboring planes due to detector intrinsic blurring and Fourier rebinning. The estimated sinogram blurring function is incorporated in a 2D maximum a posteriori (MAP) reconstruction algorithm for image reconstruction. Results: Physical phantom experiments were performed on the microPET II scanner to validate the proposed method. The authors compared the proposed method to 2D MAP reconstruction without sinogram blurring model and 2D MAP reconstruction with a Monte Carlo based blurring model. The results show that the proposed method produces images with improved contrast and spatial resolution. The reconstruction time is unaffected by the new method since the blurring component takes a relatively negligible part of the overall reconstruction time. Conclusions: The proposed method can estimate sinogram blurring matrix for Fourier-rebinned PET data and can be used to improve contrast and spatial resolution of reconstructed images. The method can be applied to other human and animal scanners.
Darwin's monkey: Why baboons can't become human

Baboons were used in the past as models for human evolution. I utilize 40 years of data from my long-term study on baboons in Kenya to suggest that baboons are once again relevant for understanding human evolution, not as a referential model but to reset the starting conditions of the human experiment. The baboon data also offer a critique of widely held ideas about how natural selection might work by looking at real lives in real time. This situates competition in a matrix of collaboration and illustrates the critical role of chance, contingency, and history in baboon survival and success. I make three methodological moves to reach these conclusions. The first is to focus on process not just outcome. The second is to look at time scales longer than usual studies but shorter than evolutionary time as a way to open the black box that currently links behavior to evolutionary value. The third is to use comparative natural history, Darwin's method, as a way to capture and comprehend how complexity is generated and how baboons deal with it in their daily lives. These empirical and methodological turns lead to conclusions that run counter to widely held ideas about baboons, about primates, and about the determinism of natural selection. I follow my own research history to illustrate these points. The discussion ranges from alternative interpretations of the male and the female dominance hierarchies, to insights from a fission that happened when the foraging strategy of raiding and nonraiding baboons diverged, to evidence of adaptation after translocation, and finally to assessing two unusual fusions of baboon groups. Altogether, these natural histories yield baboon "principles of the social" with insights about cognition, cooperation, and culture and suggest why baboons can't become human. The data also support Weiss and Buchanan's framework (The Mermaid's Tale: Four Billion Years of Cooperation in the Making of Living Things. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press,2009. 305 p) with its alternative view of natural selection in which there is more slippage and tolerance, multiple solutions with larger acceptability spaces, and the possibility that an adaptive fit will be "good enough" rather than seamless. However, capturing behavioral complexity "in the wild" poses methodological challenges. Long-term field studies provide critical information but the current quantitative methods should be expanded also include natural history observations of behaviors and events across time, space, groups, and landscapes. Finally, the baboon natural histories illustrate how the evolutionary game has changed in the Anthropocene yielding a cautionary tale about the future for many primate species.
13C NMR chemical shift trends and conformational changes in alkali metal cation complexes of a series of naphthalene crown ethers

13C NMR studies of alkali metal cation complexation by six related crown ethers are described. The crown ethers (and ions studied) were 2,3-naphtho-20-crown-6 (Na+, K+, Rb+, Cs+), 2,3-naphtho-17-crown-5 (Na+, K+, Rb+, Cs+), 2,3-naphtho-14-crown-4 (Na+, K+, Rb+, Cs+), 1,8-naphtho-21-crown-6 (Na+, K+, Rb+, Cs+), 1,8-naphtho-18-crown-5 (Na+, K+, Rb+, Cs+) and 1,5-naphtho-22-crown-6 (K+, Rb+, Cs+). For each crown ethercation combination, 13C NMR spectra were obtained for a number of different ion concentrations in CD3OD. Data were analysed by a non-linear least-squares treatment to give complexation constants and chemical shifts that would result at the limit of complete 1:1 complexation. Analyses of the limiting chemical shifts for a number of carbons indicate regular, cation-dependent trends (for Cs+ through Na+). Deviations from these trends are interpreted as reflecting differences in conformations of crown ether–cation complexes. Conformational differences between cation complexes that occur near the point of naphthalene attachment cause deviations from the trend in the aromatic carbon chemical shifts, while conformational differences further from the naphthalene cause trend deviations only in the crown ether carbon chemical shifts.
Dioxygen Binding to Complexes with FeII2(μ-OH)2 Cores: Steric Control of Activation Barriers and O2-Adduct Formation

A series of complexes with [FeII2(μ-OH)2] cores has been synthesized with N3 and N4 ligands and structurally characterized to serve as models for nonheme diiron(II) sites in enzymes that bind and activate O2. These complexes react with O2 in solution via bimolecular rate-limiting steps that differ in rate by 103-fold, depending on ligand denticity and steric hindrance near the diiron center. Low-temperature trapping of a (μ-oxo)(μ-1,2-peroxo)diiron(III) intermediate after O2 binding requires sufficient steric hindrance around the diiron center and the loss of a proton (presumably that of a hydroxo bridge or a yet unobserved hydroperoxo intermediate). The relative stability of these and other (μ-1,2-peroxo)diiron(III) intermediates suggests that these species may not be on the direct pathway for dioxygen activation.
Requirements for structural ceramics in advanced power plants

During the last decade, considerable research and development has been carried out to demonstrate the use of structural ceramics, especially silicon carbide and silicon nitride, in high temperature gas turbines. A smaller but significant effort has been conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of ceramic heat exchangers. Design methods have been developed to take into account the brittle nature of ceramics. Thus, the viability of ceramic components in small turbines and subscale heat exchanger modules has been demonstrated for short test times. Use of ceramics in largescale advanced power plants will require considerable additional effort to ensure longterm durability and high reliability.
Identity in the Loose and Popular Sense

i. There is a view of identity, now unfamiliar except in name, which warrants reconsideration. Joseph Butler held it, though I mention this mostly to give credit where it is due. Butler's remarks are sketchy and perhaps equivocal. So my attempt to give a more detailed rendition will surely stray beyond what he intended or considered. He explicitly discusses identity through time, but in outline his theory is not restricted to cases involving time. It is a theory concerning identity generally. Butler alleges that there are two senses of 'identity'-a loose and popular sense and a strict and philosophical one-corresponding to two kinds of identity.' The difference is that what are strictly two things cannot be strictly identical, but may well be loosely identical. Butler gives the example of a tree in which 'the present tree' is strictly distinct from 'the tree which stood in the same place fifty years ago', for they share no part. None the less they are 'the same as to all the purposes of property and uses of common life'. They are not strictly identical but are none the less loosely identical.2 This example with its commentary may tempt one to think that loose identity is not a kind of identity at all. A relation that holds of distinct things cannot be a relation of identity on pain of the contradiction that the distinct are not distinct. But this is too hasty. The strictly two may be loosely one. There would be contradiction in supposing the strictly distinct are not strictly distinct, or that the loosely distinct are not loosely distinct. But so far Butler has just asked us to suppose that the strictly distinct are not loosely distinct, that is, are loosely identical. There is no contradiction yet. What it looks like is that there are two ways to count the things around us--a strict and philosophical way and a loose and popular way. On the strict way you would point successively and say 'one thing,' 'another thing'. On the loose way pointing just as before you would say 'one thing', 'same thing'. One may strictly count two things and say of them that they
Synthesis and Crystallographic Study of N'-(1-benzylpiperidin-4-yl)acetohydrazide.

As part of a study into new Fentanyl-derived opioid compounds with potent analgesic activity and reduced side effects the starting material title compound, C14H21N3O (1), was synthesized and characterized by NMR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal structure is monoclinic Cc with unit cell parameters a = 14.1480(3) A, b = 14.1720(4) A, c = 27.6701(7) A, β = 96.956(1)°, α = γ = 90°. The compound has crystallized with four crystallographically unique molecules in the asymmetric unit; each molecule has a very similar conformation and an analysis of the structure shows that although all four unique molecules overlay very well there is no evidence of pseudo-symmetry which would relate the molecules in the higher symmetry space group C2/c. The crystal packing consists of two separate hydrogen bonded chains which are linked together to form a thick 2D structure in the ab plane. The compound N′-(1-benzylpiperidin-4-yl)acetohydrazide crystallizes with four crystallographically unique molecules in the asymmetric unit; each molecule has a very similar conformation but there is no evidence of pseudo-symmetry.
Feynman's Proof of Maxwell Equations: in the Context of Quantum Gravity

Many of us are familiar with Feynman’s “proof” of 1948, as revealed by Dyson, which demonstrates that Maxwell equations of electromagnetism are a consequence of Newton’s laws of motion of classical mechanics and the commutation relations of coordinate and momentum of quantum mechanics. It was Feynman’s purpose to explore the universality of dynamics of particles while making the fewest assumptions. We re-examine this formulation in the context of quantum gravity and show how Feynman’s derivation can be extended to include quantum gravity.
Criteria for the Weldability of Contact Materials in Adiabatic Transient Conditions

A criterion of weldability of contact materials in adiabatic ransient conditions is determined as a quantity which is directly proporional to the square root of the adiabatic welding integral (i.e., the Joule veiding integral) and inversely proportional to the contact material hardless at the temperature before the transient process starts. In the range of he rated operating temperatures, the criterion appears to be almost independent of the welding integral for the most practical contact metals beause of the coincident reduction in hardness. The values of this criterion are calculated and compared versus a similar criterion for the steady-state egime, for most metals, a number of alloys, and some of the sintered compounds usually applied in contact design.
Dynamic changes in cerebello-thalamo-cortical motor circuitry during progression of Parkinson's disease.

Abstract Both the basal ganglia and cerebellum are known to influence cortical motor and motor-associated areas via the thalamus. Whereas striato-thalamo-cortical (STC) motor circuit dysfunction has been implicated clearly in Parkinson's disease (PD), the role of the cerebello-thalamo-cortical (CTC) motor circuit has not been well defined. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a convenient tool for studying the role of the CTC in vivo in PD patients, but large inter-individual differences in fMRI activation patterns require very large numbers of subjects in order to interpret data from cross-sectional, case control studies. To understand the role of the CTC during PD progression, we obtained longitudinal fMRI 2 years apart from 5 PD (57±8 yr) and five Controls (57±9 yr) performing either externally- (EG) or internally-guided (IG) sequential finger movements. All PD subjects had unilateral motor symptoms at baseline, but developed bilateral symptoms at follow-up. Within-group analyses were performed by comparing fMRI activation patterns between baseline and follow-up scans. Between-group comparisons were made by contrasting fMRI activation patterns generated by the more-affected and less-affected hands of PD subjects with the mean of the dominant and non-dominant hands of Controls. Compared to baseline, Controls showed changes in CTC circuits, but PD subjects had increased recruitment of both cortical motor-associated and cerebellar areas. Compared to Controls, PD subjects demonstrated augmented recruitment of CTC circuits over time that was statistically significant when the IG task was performed by the hand that transitioned from non-symptomatic to symptomatic. This longitudinal fMRI study demonstrates increased recruitment of the CTC motor circuit concomitant with PD progression, suggesting a role of the CTC circuit in accommodation to, or pathophysiology of, PD.
Thermal expansion and Gruneisen parameter in quantum Griffiths phases

We consider the behavior of the Gr\"uneisen parameter, the ratio between thermal expansion and specific heat, at pressure-tuned infinite-randomness quantum-critical points and in the associated quantum Griffiths phases. We find that the Gr\"uneisen parameter diverges as $\text{ln}({T}_{0}/T)$ with vanishing temperature $T$ in the quantum Griffiths phases. At the infinite-randomness critical point itself, the Gr\"uneisen parameter behaves as ${[\text{ln}({T}_{0}/T)]}^{1+1/(\ensuremath{\nu}\ensuremath{\psi})}$ where $\ensuremath{\nu}$ and $\ensuremath{\psi}$ are the correlation length and tunneling exponents. Analogous results hold for the magnetocaloric effect at magnetic-field-tuned transitions. We contrast clean and dirty systems, we discuss subtle differences between Ising and Heisenberg symmetries, and we relate our findings to recent experiments on ${\text{CePd}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\text{Rh}}_{x}$.
Modeling of multiple-input DC-DC converters considering input-coupling effects

This paper studies modeling of multiple-input converters (MICs). Many MICs are based on a time division multiplexing scheme. In the dynamic equations of such an MIC, a state variable from one input leg is possible to be affected by state variables from other input cells, and all the switching functions. In this way, inputs are coupled both topologically and from control actions through switching functions. Input-coupling effects complicate MICs' behavior. Consequently, substantial modeling errors may occur when classical averaging approach is utilized to model an MIC even with moderately high switching frequencies or small ripples. The errors may increase with incremental number of input legs. In addition to demonstrating the special features on MIC modeling, this paper utilizes the generalized averaging approach to generate a more accurate model, which is also used to derive a small signal model. The proposed model is an important tool that yields better results when analyzing power budgeting, performing large-signal simulations and designing controllers for MICs via a more precise representation than classical averaging methods. All these analyses are supported by simulations and experimental results.
Age-related changes of glycosidases in human retinal pigment epithelium

This study was undertaken to determine whether there are age-related changes in the specific activities of several glycosidases in fresh retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) isolated from the posterior pole of human donor eyes. One hundred and twenty-one pairs of eyes from human donors, between the ages of 43 and 95 years, were obtained from the National Disease Research Interchange (NDRI, Philadelphia, PA) and the Cleveland Ohio Eye Bank within 18 to 24 h of death. None had histories of diabetes, hepatitis, HIV infection, intraocular surgery, or documented age-related macular degeneration, although several older donors with evidence of drusen were included in the study. RPE cells were isolated from the posterior third of the retina using the conventional rush method and homogenized with a glass, Broeck tissue grinder. All post-nuclear supernatants were analyzed for glycosidase activity; a smaller number of nuclear pellets were assayed to verify that the majority of the enzyme activity was associated with the post-nuclear sypernatants. Glycosidase activity was quantitated fluorometrically by measuring the enzymatic release of umbelliferone from synthetic substrate preparations, specific for each enzyme. Total protein was determined by a micro BCA protein assay. Regression analysis revealed statistically significant age-related decreases for the specific activities of alpha-mannosidase (p = 0.0001), beta-galactosidase (p = 0.0001), N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (p = 0.0001), and N-acetyl beta galactosaminidase (p = 0.0001) in fresh human donor RPE cells taken from the region of the posterior third of the retina that included the macula. Mannose and N-acetyl-glucosamine are major carbohydrate monomers of the oligosaccaride chains of human rhodopsin, and a relatively high percentage of the oligosaccharide chains are galactosylated. Defects in their degradation may lead to the accumulation of undigested residual material in the RPE.
Intact glycosaminoglycans from intervertebral disc-derived notochordal cell-conditioned media inhibit neurite growth while maintaining neuronal cell viability

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Painful human intervertebral discs (IVDs) exhibit nerve growth deep into the IVD. Current treatments for discogenic back pain do not address the underlying mechanisms propagating pain and are often highly invasive or only offer temporary symptom relief. The notochord produces factors during development that pattern the spine and inhibit the growth of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) axons into the IVD. We hypothesize that notochordal cell (NC)-conditioned medium (NCCM) includes soluble factors capable of inhibiting neurite growth and may represent a future therapeutic target. PURPOSE: To test if NCCM can inhibit neurite growth and determine if NC-derived glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are necessary candidates for this inhibition. STUDY DESIGN: Human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells and rat DRG cells were treated with NCCM in two-dimensional culture in vitro, and digestion and mechanistic studies determined if specific GAGs were responsible for inhibitory effects. METHODS: Notochordal cell-conditioned medium was generated from porcine nucleus pulposus tissue that was cultured in Dulbecco’s modified eagle’s medium for 4 days. A dose study was performed using SH-SY5Y cells that were seeded in basal medium for 24 hours and neurite outgrowth and cell viability were assessed after treatment with basal media or NCCM (10% and 100%) for 48 hours. Glycosaminoglycans from NCCM were characterized using multiple digestions and liquid chromatography mass spectroscopy (LC-MS). Neurite growth was assessed on both SH-SY5Y and DRG cells after treatment with NCCM with and without GAG digestion. RESULTS: Notochordal cell-conditioned medium significantly inhibited the neurite outgrowth from SH-SY5Y cells compared with basal controls without dose or cytotoxic effects; % of neurite expressing cells were 39.062.9%, 27.363.6%, and 30.262.7% and mean neurite length was 60.363.5, 50.862.4, 53.263.7 mm for basal, 10% NCCM, and 100% NCCM, respectively. Digestions and LC-MS determined that chondroitin-6-sulfate was the major GAG chain in NCCM. Neurite growth from SH-SY5Y and DRG cells was not inhibited when cells were treated with NCCM with digested chondroitin sulfate (CS).
Histiocytic glomerulopathy associated with macrophage activation syndrome

We present an interesting case of a 37-year old man with acute renal failure following a febrile illness. Laboratory results showed features of macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) with anemia, thrombocytopenia, hypofibrinogenemia and elevated ferritin levels. Renal biopsy was then done to determine the cause of renal failure and showed unique glomerular findings with massive histiocytic infiltration (‘histiocytic glomerulopathy’) and evidence of endothelial injury. Recognizing that the histiocytic infiltrate and endothelial injury is a part of MAS is important because early recognition and treatment is of utmost importance since the disease can be fatal.
Rapid localization of accessory pathways in WPW syndrome using unipolar potential mapping

Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome is discussed as a condition in which anomalous myocardial tissues electrically connect atrial and ventricular muscle. Patients with this disorder are subject to a variety of disabling and potentially life threatening arrhythmias. Spatial mapping of the atrial and ventricular electrical activation sequence has been used to localize these pathways at the time of surgery, but the procedures are time consuming and often yield uncertainties in data interpretation. A new electrode arrangement and display procedure provides a faster and cleaner presentation of the information used to direct operative interventions. >
Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Drugs and Acute Renal Failure in Elderly Persons

Renal prostaglandin inhibition by nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may decrease renal function, especially under conditions of low effective circulating volume. To evaluate the risk of important deterioration of renal function due to this effect, the authors performed a nested case-control study using Tennessee Medicaid enrollees aged > or =65 years in 1987-1991. Cases were patients who had been hospitalized with community-acquired acute renal failure; they were selected on the basis of medical record review of Medicaid enrollees with selected discharge diagnoses. Information on the timing, duration, and dose of prescription NSAIDs used, demographic factors, and comorbidity was gathered from computerized Medicaid-Medicare data files. Of the 1,799 patients with acute renal failure (4.51 hospitalizations per 1,000 person-years), 18.1% were current users of prescription NSAIDs as compared with 11.3% of 9,899 randomly selected population controls. After control for demographic factors and comorbidity, use of NSAIDs increased the risk of acute renal failure 58% (adjusted odds ratio = 1.58; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.34, 1.86). For ibuprofen, which accounted for 35% of NSAID use, odds ratios associated with dosages of 1,200- or =2,400 mg/day were 0.94 (95% CI: 0.58, 1.51), 1.89 (95% CI: 1.34, 2.67), and 2.32 (95% CI: 1.45, 3.71), respectively (test for linear trend: p = 0.009). Prescription NSAID use resulted in an estimated 25 excess hospitalizations associated with renal failure per 10,000 years of use. Thus, NSAIDs represent a relatively uncommon but avoidable cause of acute renal failure in frail elderly persons.
Treatment of Patients with High Grade Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas and Central Nervous System Involvement: Is Radiation an Essential Component of Therapy?

We have retrospectively examined the outcome of 41 patients with high grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) and central nervous system (CNS) involvement who were treated with and without radiation at a single institution. Group I consisted of 25 patients with CNS involvement at presentation and Group II, of 16 with CNS involvement at first relapse. All 41 had systemic disease at diagnosis and received systemic and intrathecal chemotherapy. Response to therapy did not differ whether patients received concomitant radiation or no CNS radiation. Thirteen of 16 non-irradiated (81%) and 8 of 9 irradiated Group I patients (89%) achieved complete responses. Three of 4 non-irradiated (75%) and 7 of 12 irradiated (58%) Group II patients achieved complete responses. CNS relapse patterns were similar whether or not patients were irradiated, and regardless of radiation dose. Most patients (18) failed systemically; there were few (6) isolated CNS relapses. Survival was not improved by the addition of radiation. Of the 15...
Accelerated rehabilitation compared with a standard protocol after distal radial fractures treated with volar open reduction and internal fixation: a prospective, randomized, controlled study.

Background: There are relatively few studies in the literature that specifically evaluate accelerated rehabilitation protocols for distal radial fractures treated with open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). The purpose of this study was to compare the early postoperative outcomes (at zero to twelve weeks postoperatively) of patients enrolled in an accelerated rehabilitation protocol with those of patients enrolled in a standard rehabilitation protocol following ORIF for a distal radial fracture. We hypothesized that patients with accelerated rehabilitation after volar ORIF for a distal radial fracture would have an earlier return to function compared with patients who followed a standard protocol. Methods: From November 2007 to November 2010, eighty-one patients with an unstable distal radial fracture were prospectively randomized to follow either an accelerated or a standard rehabilitation protocol after undergoing ORIF with a volar plate for a distal radial fracture. Both groups began with gentle active range of motion at three to five days postoperatively. At two weeks, the accelerated group initiated wrist/forearm passive range of motion and strengthening exercises, whereas the standard group initiated passive range of motion and strengthening at six weeks postoperatively. Patients were assessed at three to five days, two weeks, three weeks, four weeks, six weeks, eight weeks, twelve weeks, and six months postoperatively. Outcomes included Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) scores (primary outcome) and measurements of wrist flexion/extension, supination, pronation, grip strength, and palmar pinch. Results: The patients in the accelerated group had better mobility, strength, and DASH scores at the early postoperative time points (zero to eight weeks postoperatively) compared with the patients in the standard rehabilitation group. The difference between the groups was both clinically relevant and statistically significant. Conclusions: Patients who follow an accelerated rehabilitation protocol that emphasizes motion immediately postoperatively and initiates strengthening at two weeks after volar ORIF of a distal radial fracture have an earlier return to function than patients who follow a more standard rehabilitation protocol. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level I. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
A Public Health Approach to Smoking Prevention: Health Warning Labels on Tobacco Products

The use of tobacco is strongly associated with increased risk for adverse health outcomes including cancer, pulmonary disease and cardiovascular disease. According to the Centers for Disease Contro...
'Peace within the realms of the possible'? David Trimble, unionist ideology and theatrical politics

This article uses a theatrical metaphor to achieve a more empathetic and nuanced explanation of David Trimble's leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party since 1995. This article focuses on three criticisms of Trimble's leadership: (1) his incoherent and contradictory ideology; (2) the lack of idealism in Trimble's unionism and his failure to expound a clear civic unionism; (3) the unionist leader's failure to move further towards nationalism during the peace process, in particular his insistence on decommissioning, is seen as further evidence of his timidity and/or sectarianism. David Trimble has faced considerable problems in trying to modernize the Ulster Unionist Party's script while keeping the support of important hard-line and moderate audiences. The performance of the political actor on the stage of politics is contradictory because she/he is attempting to appeal to various sections of the audience with very different perceptions. The actor's ability to rewrite the script and win over key audiences ...
Initiating Change in Massachusetts' Juvenile Correctional System: A Retrospective Analysis

The Massachusetts Department of Youth Services (DYS), which is the state agency responsible for handling juvenile offenders committed by the courts, has undergone several stages of organizational c...
Ruptured mycobacterial aneurysm of the carotid artery.

Mycotic aneurysms resulting from intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) treatment are exceptionally rare. We report on the case of a 73-year-old man who underwent intravesical therapy of BCG for bladder carcinoma and developed a right neck mass. A carotid pseudoaneurysm within a fibrotic mass was noted on surgical exploration. Radical resection was performed followed by a polytetrafluoroethylene interposition graft. Final pathology revealed necrotizing granulomas and multinucleated giant cells concerning for tuberculoma. Intravesicular BCG immunotherapy is an accepted treatment for patients with urothelial carcinoma. Carotid aneurysms are exceptionally rare in this setting and should prompt evaluation for systemic tuberculoid dissemination.
Reliability of Therapist Self-Report on Treatment Targets and Focus in Family-Based Intervention

Reliable therapist-report methods appear to be an essential component of quality assurance procedures to support adoption of evidence-based practices in usual care, but studies have found weak correspondence between therapist and observer ratings of treatment techniques. This study examined therapist reliability and accuracy in rating intervention target (i.e., session participants) and focus (i.e., session content) in a manual-guided, family-based preventive intervention implemented with 50 inner-city adolescents at risk for substance use. A total of 106 sessions selected from three phases of treatment were rated via post-session self-report by the participating therapist and also via videotape by nonparticipant coders. Both groups estimated the amount of session time devoted to model-prescribed treatment targets (adolescent, parent, conjoint) and foci (family, school, peer, prosocial, drugs). Therapists demonstrated excellent reliability with coders for treatment targets and moderate to high reliability for treatment foci across the sample and within each phase. Also, therapists did not consistently overestimate their degree of activity with targets or foci. Implications of study findings for fidelity assessment in routine settings are discussed.
Risk for fetal death after fever in pregnancy.

1,2 few human studies have been done. Drawing on the large Danish Birth Cohort study involving over 24 000 women, Andersen and colleagues identified about 4500 women (18·5% of those enrolled) who recalled having a fever during the first 16 weeks of pregnancy, which shows that in early pregnancy maternal fever is a common event. In addition to the enhanced power associated with these large numbers, the investigators were able to study a wide range of temperature increases, gestational age at time of exposure, and duration of fever, and to adjust for several potentially important confounders such as maternal smoking. Furthermore, the cohort study design with maternal interviews during pregnancy allowed for some of the maternal fever reports to be collected prospectively (before the fetal loss). Andersen and colleagues report reassuring results, concluding that maternal fever in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy is not associated with risk of fetal death in clinically recognised pregnancies. This finding contrasts with those of Kline and colleagues 3 who, in a hospital-based case-control study, found significant and strongly increased odds ratios for maternal fever preceding a spontaneous abortion in chromosomally normal pregnancies (adjusted odds ratio, 5·47, 95% CI 2·73–10·96, for fever of 37·8 o C or
Sub-threshold operation and cross-hierarchy design for ultra low power wearable sensors

This paper examines the requirements of wearable sensing applications and their implications for designing the next generation of body area sensors. We define key metrics for wearable sensors and discuss how body area sensors differ from generic wireless sensors. To explore the system level issues with a wearable node, we show measurements from a wearable electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor prototype. Using heart rate monitoring as an example, we show how ultra low power (ULP) circuit design must be applied to support the stringent energy and/or power demands of longlife wearable sensors. Specifically, sub-threshold operation of digital circuits creates opportunities for re-thinking the entire system. We conclude that we can only reach the lower limits of power consumption through cross-hierarchy design of the entire sensor node that leverages ULP digital circuits.
Characterization of difference of Gaussian filters in the detection of mammographic regions

In this article, we present a characterization of the effect of difference of Gaussians (DoG) filters in the detection of mammographic regions. DoG filters have been used previously in mammographic mass computer-aided detection (CAD) systems. As DoG filters are constructed from the subtraction of two bivariate Gaussian distributions, they require the specification of three parameters: the size of the filter template and the standard deviations of the constituent Gaussians. The influence of these three parameters in the detection of mammographic masses has not been characterized. In this work, we aim to determine how the parameters affect (1) the physical descriptors of the detected regions, (2) the true and false positive rates, and (3) the classification performance of the individual descriptors. To this end, 30 DoG filters are created from the combination of three template sizes and four values for each of the Gaussians’ standard deviations. The filters are used to detect regions in a study database of 181 craniocaudal-view mammograms extracted from the Digital Database for Screening Mammography. To describe the physical characteristics of the identified regions, morphological and textural features are extracted from each of the detected regions. Differences in the mean values of the features caused by altering the DoG parameters are examined through statistical and empirical comparisons. The parameters’ effects on the true and false positive rate are determined by examining the mean malignant sensitivities and false positives per image (FPpI). Finally, the effect on the classification performance is described by examining the variation in FPpI at the point where 81% of the malignant masses in the study database are detected. Overall, the findings of the study indicate that increasing the standard deviations of the Gaussians used to construct a DoG filter results in a dramatic decrease in the number of regions identified at the expense of missing a small number of malignancies. The sharp reduction in the number of identified regions allowed the identification of textural differences between large and small mammographic regions. We find that the classification performances of the features that achieve the lowest average FPpI are influenced by all three of the parameters.
Microalbuminuria in an Adolescent Cohort With Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus

To document the incidence of microalbuminuria in children and adolescents with longstanding insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and to compare the clinical characteristics and determinant risk factors of those with and without microalbuminuria, 135 adolescent patients with IDDM for 5 years or longer were evaluated. The study population was divided on the basis of microalbumin excretion into normal ( 200 μg/min) nephropathy groups. There were 106 patients in the normal group, 24 patients in the incipient group, and five in the overt nephropathy group. Glycosylated hemoglobin, cholesterol concentration, and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were analyzed. The incidence of incipient and overt nephropathy was 17.8% and 3.7%, respectively. Mean cholesterol concentration in the incipient and overt nephropathy groups (208 ± 39 mg/dL [5.4 ± 1.0 mmol/L] ) and 227 ± 49 mg/dL [5.9 ± 1.3 mmol/L] , respectively) was significantly higher than the normal group (18...
Causes of Pulmonary Hypertension in the Elderly

BACKGROUND Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is common in elderly patients, but a detailed analysis of the causes of PH in the elderly has not been performed. We hypothesized that pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is rare in elderly patients and sought to describe the characteristics of these patients at a large referral center. METHODS Clinical and hemodynamic data were collected on consecutive patients ≥ 65 years of age referred for evaluation of PH. The subtype of PH was determined after standard evaluation using the World Health Organization (WHO) classification. Patients with PH not meeting criteria for PAH with "out-of-proportion" PH related to group 2 or group 3 disease were classified as "other/mixed PH." A model using age, presence of connective tissue disease, and left atrial size was developed to predict the probability of PAH diagnosis. RESULTS Two hundred forty-six elderly patients were evaluated (mean age, 72.9 ± 5.5 years, 78% women); 36 had PAH (15%). Idiopathic PAH was rare (four patients, 1.6%). WHO group 2 PH was the most frequent diagnosis (n = 70, 28% of cohort); mixed/other PH (n = 43, 17%) and WHO group 3 PH (n = 34, 14%) were also common diagnoses. Connective tissue disease strongly predicted PAH diagnosis (OR, 27.2; 95% CI, 9.5-77.6). CONCLUSIONS PAH is an uncommon cause of PH in elderly patients, most frequently associated with connective tissue disease. WHO group 2 PH and mixed disease are common, highlighting a need for careful phenotyping of elderly patients with PH prior to initiating PAH therapy.
Point mutations within the streptococcal regulator of virulence (Srv) alter protein-DNA interactions and Srv function.

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) possesses a complex regulatory system enabling the organism to colonize a range of physiologically distinct host sites. Within this network of regulators is the streptococcal regulator of virulence (Srv). Srv is a member of the CRP/FNR family of transcriptional regulators and is most similar to pleiotropic regulatory factor A (PrfA), a positive regulator of virulence in Listeria monocytogenes. Members of this family possess a characteristic C-terminal helix–turn–helix motif (HTH) that facilitates binding to DNA targets. Genome scanning identified four targets in GAS that were similar to the consensus DNA target recognized by PrfA. Furthermore, previous amino acid sequence alignments identified conserved residues within the Srv HTH which are necessary for function in PrfA and CRP. Here we investigated the ability of Srv to interact with DNA and evaluated the role of the HTH in this interaction. Purified recombinant Srv (rSrv) was found to co-purify with an untagged form of Srv. Glutaraldehyde cross-linking and gel-filtration chromatography indicated that this co-purification is likely due to the ability of Srv to oligomerize. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) demonstrated that rSrv retarded the mobility of DNA targets and a supershift analysis confirmed the observation was rSrv-dependent. Competition EMSA indicated that rSrv had a higher relative affinity for the DNA targets studied than non-specific DNA. Site-directed mutagenesis of residues predicted to be in or near the HTH resulted in a decrease or abrogation of DNA binding. Complementation of MGAS5005Δsrv with one of these site-directed mutants failed to restore wild-type SpeB activity. Taken together, these data suggest that the Srv HTH is necessary for DNA binding and Srv function.
Plastic deformation processes in Cu/Sn bimetallic films

Although the driving force for the growth of Sn whiskers from the surface of Sn coatings on copper is thought to be internally generated stress due to the formation of Cu6Sn5 at the Cu/Sn interface, little is known about the nature of this internal stress and how it cracks the surface Sn oxide (an important precursor to whisker formation). Arguments based on elasticity alone do not appear to be sufficient and suggest an important role for plastic deformation. Direct observations, made by transmission electron microscopy of cross-sectioned bimetallic Cu/Sn thin-film specimens, confirm plastic deformation of the Sn grains due to the formation of Cu6Sn5. Dislocation motion and pile-up at the surface Sn oxide, rotation associated with subgrain boundary formation, interaction of the subgrain boundaries with the Sn surface, and diffusional processes are various mechanisms that can produce stress at the Sn surface and crack the Sn oxide.
College Students And HIV/AIDS Awareness

More than half of all new HIV infections occur among individuals under 25 years of age. Though knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS, many college students still practice high-risk behaviors. Consequently, colleges and universities must be vigilant when it comes to intervention strategies.
Arid and Semi-arid Environments of the World

More than one third of the earth’s land surface (ca. 49 million km2) is arid or semi-arid, receiving less than 400 mm annual precipitation, supporting more than 1.2 billion people, or 20% of the world’s population, a population that is now expanding at a far greater rate than the environment can support. The pressure on the land is such that 50 000–70 000 km2 of useful productive land is being lost each year through desertification. Furthermore, an estimated 3.8 million km2 of the arid and semi-arid lands is also saline; in the Indian subcontinent alone some 400 km2 are lost annually to agriculture due to increasing salinity, while in the USA, with its far more sophisticated agriculture, the area lost is 800–1200 km2 (Bell 1985; Wickens 1992). The world’s arid lands, the true deserts and the desert margins, are not only hostile to life, but also endangered.