cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Managing the new mandate in resident education: a blueprint for translating a national mandate into local compliance.

Abstract Objective The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has mandated that all residency programs implement an assessment process of 6 core competencies. Assessment of surgical competence is also included in the mandate. We describe our local efforts to meet this new mandate. Design Systematic literature review. Methods A systematic MEDLINE search (1996–2003) of the literature on residency assessment tools was performed. All relevant titles were reviewed by a content expert, abstracts were selected, and all appropriate full articles were reviewed. The Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Iowa formalized the competency review process by forming an ad hoc departmental task force for "Meeting the Competencies" composed of clinicians, technical staff, education specialists, the program director, the director of residency curriculum, the medical student director, and residents. Results The task force reviewed the available literature, reviewed potential best practices, and reached consensus on an implementation plan. The following specific criteria for the assessment process were proposed: (1) there should be multiple assessments by multiple observers using multiple tools at multiple time points, (2) the tools should be reliable, reproducible, and valid; (3) the tools must be practical (i.e., feasible, convenient, low time commitment, easy to use, and inexpensive to implement and maintain); (4) the tools must produce qualitative and quantitative data, with direct linkage to improvement in educational outcomes in the future; (5) the assessment process must be linked to explicit and public learning objectives; and (6) the grading scale should be open and clearly defined, and the process should be judged as fair and accurate by both faculty and residents. The Meeting the Competencies task force reviewed all of the available tools from the literature and recommended a pilot implementation matrix matching specific tools to individual competencies. The 6 pilot tools include (1) written and oral examinations, (2) a 360° global evaluation form (using multiple observers from different perspectives, including nurses, technicians, fellow residents, and patients, to provide a wider assessment), (3) a resident portfolio, (4) direct observation of operative performance and clinical examination, (5) a phone encounter tool, and (6) a journal club tool. Conclusion We propose a potential blueprint for meeting the challenge of assessing the new ACGME competencies in ophthalmology and translating the national mandate into local compliance.
Aqueous solutions of the alkaline-earth metal chlorides at elevated temperatures. Isopiestic molalities and thermodynamic properties

Abstract Isopiestic results for SrCl2(aq) and BaCl2(aq) were obtained atT= 498 K andT= 523 K. As a check on previously reported results for MgCl2(aq) (fromT= 383 K toT= 473 K), new isopiestic measurements were made over the temperature range from 383 K to 523 K. The new measurements are slightly different from our previous results. Here, NaCl(aq) was used as the reference electrolyte for computation of osmotic and activity coefficients. Our published model for the thermodynamic properties of CaCl2(aq) was used in global least-squares treatment of the present results in combination with published results to provide comprehensive equations for the properties of these three electrolyte solutions. At elevated temperature, the available results consist primarily of excess Gibbs free energies (our isopiestic results), particularly for SrCl2(aq) and BaCl2(aq). Void regions in the temperature and pressure ranges of acceptable experimental results were estimated by reference to the properties of CaCl- (aq). Trends in the thermodynamic properties of aqueous solutions of the alkaline-earth metal chlorides were uniform at all temperatures and pressures used in the present work.
IQ Increases of Disadvantaged Minority-Group Children following Innovative Enrichment Program

Assisting disadvantaged minoriry-group children so that they will be capable of competing and learning successfully in schools essentially organized around middle-class white cultural values is receiving a great deal of attention today in programs such as Head Start. Various enrichment-type programs have been set up and tested. One enrichment program, developed by Barbara Jones, is based on her 16 yr. of teaching preschool children in private schools and Head Start. Mrs. Jones' method combines an academic program with freedom of expression and an awareness of self-worth. The academic program consists of "internalized learning" of concepts, presented one at a time, and lasting 2 to 3 wk., with opportunities for the children to not only see the concept, but to say it, hold it, eat it, dance it, act it, paint it, build it, and mold it. Using an eclectic approach to promote independent thinlung, the concept is tied in with a set of ideas. The roots for these key concepts include language, creative self-expression, reasoning and logic, classifying and generalizing, social science, math, science and geography. Freedom of expression indudes acceptance of the child as he is, using his life style as an asset, not a liability, and building on what is positive in his culmre. The child's manner of speaking and his choice of language is allowed and modified only to ease socialization. The flavor of his background is retained to avoid assimilation and to encourage cultural pluralism. This, of course, should aid feelings of self-worth. A strong identification with the child's own culture, history, and future is emphasized throughout the program.
Massachusetts Growth and Nutrition Programs

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME: To describe three socio-demographic or nutritional characteristics of children enrolled in the Growth and Nutrition Programs. Since their inception in 1984, Massachusetts Growth and Nutrition (GN) Programs have provided care to over 3000 infants and children with growth delay (GD), also known as Failure to Thrive. Services are provided by multidisciplinary family centered teams consisting of a physician, nurse practitioner, nutritionist, social worker, case manager and psychologist who are specifically trained in the evaluation and treatment of GD. Data collected from the GN programs from July 1992 through June 1995 were analyzed. During this time, 877 new clients were enrolled. The majority (71.9%) had been referred by a primary care physician or Community Health Center and 60.8% were under the age of 24 months. A wide range of incomes and race/ethnicities were represented. This group of children had strong anthropometric evidence of undernutrition: nearly half (47.1%) had short stature (height for age below the fifth percentile), over three-quarters (76.3%) had low weight for age (below the fifth percentile) and almost half (46.3%) were underweight (weight for height below the fifth percentile). Almost all (93.9%) of the children had had a decrease in growth rate prior to enrollment. During this three year period, 381 children completed a course of treatment. At least one ‘organic' (medical) factor was reported to contribute to the growth delay in 68.5% of these cases and at least one ‘non-organic' (social or environmental) factor was reported to contribute to the growth delay in 93.4% of these cases. Reports of the factors contributing to the growth problems underscores the importance of a multidisciplinary family-centered model of treatment. Growth exhibited by these children during treatment indicates that catch-up growth (i.e.; accelerated growth velocity) was achieved: 92.7% exhibited catch-up in at least one of the three anthropometric parameters assessed. These results suggest that the GN programs are meeting a need among Massachusetts children with growth problems.
Spleen Adenosine Deaminase and Guanase Activities after Whole-Body X-Irradiation of Rats

Adenoline deaminase and guanase activities were studied in homogenates and supernatant fluid fractions, respectively, prepared from spleens of control rats and animals given 600 r of whole-body x irradiation. Spectfic activities of both enzymes were increased slightly in irradiated animals but total organ activities of both enzymes were decreased as compared to levels obtained in control rats. Interpretation of these and similar findings is discussed, and it is concluded that they do not represent dangrect or indirect enzyme activation or enzyme synthesis but rather reflect loss of nitrogen content and weight, which are concomitants of splenic involution. (auth)
Why do parallel cortical systems exist for the perception of static form and moving form

This article analyzes computational properties that clarify why the parallel cortical systems V1----V2, V1----MT, and V1----V2----MT exist for the perceptual processing of static visual forms and moving visual forms. The article describes a symmetry principle, called FM symmetry, that is predicted to govern the development of these parallel cortical systems by computing all possible ways of symmetrically gating sustained cells with transient cells and organizing these sustained-transient cells into opponent pairs of on-cells and off-cells whose output signals are insensitive to direction of contrast. This symmetric organization explains how the static form system (static BCS) generates emergent boundary segmentations whose outputs are insensitive to direction of contrast and insensitive to direction of motion, whereas the motion form system (motion BCS) generates emergent boundary segmentations whose outputs are insensitive to direction of contrast but sensitive to direction of motion. FM symmetry clarifies why the geometries of static and motion form perception differ--for example, why the opposite orientation of vertical is horizontal (90 degrees), but the opposite direction of up is down (180 degrees). Opposite orientations and directions are embedded in gated dipole opponent processes that are capable of antagonistic rebound. Negative afterimages, such as the MacKay and waterfall illusions, are hereby explained as are aftereffects of long-range apparent motion. These antagonistic rebounds help to control a dynamic balance between complementary perceptual states of resonance and reset. Resonance cooperatively links features into emergent boundary segmentations via positive feedback in a CC loop, and reset terminates a resonance when the image changes, thereby preventing massive smearing of percepts. These complementary preattentive states of resonance and reset are related to analogous states that govern attentive feature integration, learning, and memory search in adaptive resonance theory. The mechanism used in the V1----MT system to generate a wave of apparent motion between discrete flashes may also be used in other cortical systems to generate spatial shifts of attention. The theory suggests how the V1----V2----MT cortical stream helps to compute moving form in depth and how long-range apparent motion of illusory contours occurs. These results collectively argue against vision theories that espouse independent processing modules. Instead, specialized subsystems interact to overcome computational uncertainties and complementary deficiencies, to cooperatively bind features into context-sensitive resonances, and to realize symmetry principles that are predicted to govern the development of the visual cortex.
Riparian ecotone: A functional definition and delineation for resource assessment

We propose a geomorphic basis for defining riparian areas using the term: riparian ecotone, discuss how past definitions fall short, and illustrate how a linked sequence of definition, delineation, and riparian sampling are used to accurately assess riparian resources on the ground. Our riparian ecotone is based on the width of the valley (its floodprone area width) plus 30 meters on each side to encompass the important adjacent riparian functions, and 15 meters around obvious landslides. A functionally consistent riparian definition and delineation does not derive from land adjacent to a stream, rather it derives from the valley the stream runs through.
Potent Inhibition of the Master Chondrogenic FactorSox9 Gene by Interleukin-1 and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α

The inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) strongly inhibit the expression of genes for cartilage extracellular matrix proteins. We have recently obtained genetic evidence indicating that the high mobility group domain containing transcription factor Sox9 is required for cartilage formation and for expression of chondrocyte-specific genes including the gene for type II collagen (Col2a1). We show here that IL-1 and TNF-alpha cause a marked and rapid decrease in the levels of Sox9 mRNA and/or protein in chondrocytes. A role for the transcription factor NFkappaB in Sox9 down-regulation was suggested by the ability of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate, an inhibitor of the NFkappaB pathway, to block the effects of IL-1 and TNF-alpha. This role was further supported by the ability of a dominant-negative mutant of IkappaBalpha to block the IL-1 and TNF-alpha inhibition of Sox9-dependent Col2a1 enhancer elements. Furthermore, forced expression of the NFkappaB subunits p65 or p50 also inhibited Sox9-dependent Col2a1 enhancer. Because Sox9 is essential for chondrogenesis, the marked down-regulation of the Sox9 gene by IL-1 and TNF-alpha in chondrocytes is sufficient to account for the inhibition of the chondrocyte phenotype by these cytokines. The down-regulation of Sox9 may have a crucial role in inhibiting expression of the cartilage phenotype in inflammatory joint diseases.
Peptide-MHC heterodimers show that thymic positive selection requires a more restricted set of self-peptides than negative selection

T cell selection and maturation in the thymus depends on the interactions between T cell receptors (TCRs) and different self-peptide-major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) molecules. We show that the affinity of the OT-I TCR for its endogenous positively selecting ligands, Catnb-H-2Kb and Cappa1-H-2Kb, is significantly lower than for previously reported positively selecting altered peptide ligands. To understand how these extremely weak endogenous ligands produce signals in maturing thymocytes, we generated soluble monomeric and dimeric peptide-H-2Kb ligands. Soluble monomeric ovalbumin (OVA)-Kb molecules elicited no detectable signaling in OT-I thymocytes, whereas heterodimers of OVA-Kb paired with positively selecting or nonselecting endogenous peptides, but not an engineered null peptide, induced deletion. In contrast, dimer-induced positive selection was much more sensitive to the identity of the partner peptide. Catnb-Kb-Catnb-Kb homodimers, but not heterodimers of Catnb-Kb paired with a nonselecting peptide-Kb, induced positive selection, even though both ligands bind the OT-I TCR with detectable affinity. Thus, both positive and negative selection can be driven by dimeric but not monomeric ligands. In addition, positive selection has much more stringent requirements for the partner self-pMHC.
Efficient Algorithms for Computing the Longest Viable Path in a Combinational Network

We consider the elimination of false paths in combinational circuits. We give the single generic algorithm that is used to solve this problem, and demonstrate that it is parameterized by a boolean function called the sensitization condition. We give two criteria which we argue that a valid sensitization condition must meet, and introduce four conditions that have appeared in the recent literature, of which two meet the criteria and two do not. We then introduce a dynamic programming procedure for the tightest of these conditions, the viability condition, and discuss the integration of all four sensitization conditions in the LLLAMA timing environment. We give results on the IWLS and ISCAS benchmark examples and on carry-bypass adders.
The role of the school-based occupational therapist in secondary education transition planning: A pilot survey study

Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate school-based occupational therapists' knowledge of transition planning, their degree of participation in assessment and intervention of students requiring transition services, and to identify potential barriers limiting therapists' participation in transition services. Method Using survey methods, a questionnaire was mailed to a random sample of therapists listed as members of the School System Special Interest Section of the American Occupational Therapy Association. Eighty therapists from all geographical regions within the continental United States and who identified themselves as working with students 13-21 years of age in an educational setting, participated in the study. The response rate was 20%. Results The majority of participants reported that they understood the terminology associated with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1990 and the 1997 IDEA amendments definitions of transition planning at the secondary level, but were less likely to apply that knowledge to the transition planning process. The majority of therapists reported minimal participation in secondary education transition planning assessment and intervention for students with disabilities. Most respondents believed that they were not contributing to the transition planning process in a manner that maximized their skills, and identified several barriers that they believed hindered greater participation. Conclusion This pilot study suggests that occupational therapists may not be participating in transition services to their fullest potential. While the low response rate in this study precludes generalization, this information is important to guide further study as well as to shape efforts to increase occupational therapy's role in this important service area within school-based practice.
CB7-03: A Diverse Autism Registry for Etiologic and Effectiveness Studies: Prevalence and Demographic Characteristics

Background/Aims Diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) continue to rise, yet few effectiveness studies of autism treatments exist. The major limitations to conducting such studies include locating, characterizing, and enrolling sufficiently large and representative ASD patient samples. This project has created a large, comprehensive, and dynamic ASD registry across five integrated not-for-profit health systems participating in the NIMH Mental Health Research Network (MHRN). This registry will enable rapid identification and enrollment of patients into large-scale studies investigating treatment interventions as well as pharmacogenomic and etiologic hypotheses.
Group Identification and University Involvement1

Campus involvement has been identified as an important predictor of academic persistence and success. We propose a group identification approach to campus involvement and present the results of 3 studies. Study 1 established that group identity was strongly related to campus involvement. Study 2 determined that group identity mediated the relationship between student residency (on-campus vs. off-campus) and campus involvement. Study 3 replicated the prior results, but used a longitudinal design to help rule out alternative explanations. We conclude that group identification, particularly the affective component, plays an important role in campus involvement, and offer suggestions for enhancing group identification and for further research.
Transition to postmodern science—related scientometric data

A change in scientific developments in recent decades is widely proclaimed which may be associated with terms like postmodern science or steady state science. This change is usually discussed from a more epistemological viewpoint. In order to enhance the understanding of the underlying key factors, bibliometric, demographic and Nobel Prize recipient data spanning of the last hundred years are considered and analyzed. It is found that in general the considered data point to a quasi-steady state in bibliometric developments of highly developed countries. For emerging countries, such a steady state is not yet attained; therefore, the research output in scientific journal articles is still expected to rise considerably. Consequences and interpretations of an ever growing research output in relation to the increasing age of Nobel Prize recipients are discussed and conclusions are drawn from the considered data.
Cytogenetic Studies in Preleukemia: Studies before and after Transition to Acute Leukemia in 17 Subjects

A prospective cytogenetic study of suspected preleukemia was performed. Of 205 patients with suspected preleukemia, 32 have developed overt acute leukemia to date. The incidence and type of chromosome abnormalities observed in these 32 transformed patients were similar to those observed in other patients with overt acute leukemia. Serial, direct, bone-marrow chromosome findings in 17 patients during the preleukemic and leukemic phases of their illnesses revealed four cytogenetic patterns: normal initial findings that remained normal; normal initial findings and a clonal abnormality developing coincident with the transition to acute leukemia; abnormal initial findings that remained stable; and abnormal initial findings with a new abnormality developing at the time of transition to acute leukemia.
Structural insights into the common γ-chain family of cytokines and receptors from the interleukin-7 pathway

Over the past 13 years, numerous crystal structures of complexes of the common γ-chain (γ(c)) cytokine receptors and their cytokines have been solved. Even with the remarkable progress in the structural biology of γ(c) receptors and their cytokines or interleukins, there are valuable lessons to be learned from the structural and biophysical studies of interleukin-7 (IL-7) and its α-receptor (IL-7Rα) and comparisons with other γ(c) family members. The structure of the IL-7/IL-7Rα complex teaches that interfaces between the γ(c) interleukins and their receptors can vary in size, polarity, and specificity, and that significant conformational changes might be necessary for complexes of interleukins and their receptors to bind the shared, activating γ(c) receptor. Binding, kinetic, and thermodynamic studies of IL-7 and IL-7Rα show that glycosylation and electrostatics can be important to interactions between interleukins and their receptor, even where the glycans and charged residues are distant from the interface. The structure of the IL-7Rα homodimer is a reminder that often-ignored non-activating complexes likely perform roles just as important to signaling as activating complexes. And last but not least, the structural and biophysical studies help explain and potentially treat the diseases caused by aberrant IL-7 signaling.
A visual language for explaining probabilistic reasoning

We present an explanation-oriented, domain-specific, visual language for explaining probabilistic reasoning. Explanation-oriented programming is a new paradigm that shifts the focus of programming from the computation of results to explanations of how those results were computed. Programs in this language therefore describe explanations of probabilistic reasoning problems. The language relies on a story-telling metaphor of explanation, where the reader is guided through a series of well-understood steps from some initial state to the final result. Programs can also be manipulated according to a set of laws to automatically generate equivalent explanations from one explanation instance. This increases the explanatory value of the language by allowing readers to cheaply derive alternative explanations if they do not understand the first. The language is composed of two parts: a formal textual notation for specifying explanation-producing programs and the more elaborate visual notation for presenting those explanations. We formally define the abstract syntax of explanations and define the semantics of the textual notation in terms of the explanations that are produced.
Plasma Assisted Synthesis of a Molybdenum Carbide Catalyst

A novel method for the production of a nano-structured molybdenum carbide catalyst using non-thermal plasma is described. This synthesis involves the carburization of a molybdenum metal powder precursor using ethylene as the carbon source. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed the presence of a Mo 2 C-β crystal structure and a 9 � 2 nm layer of what was suspected to be Mo 2 C absent in the molybdenum precursor. Catalytic testing in the water gas shift reaction (WGS) showed no difference in activity between the unreduced synthesis product and the control run.
Limits to the scale and scope of the firm

A widespread consensus in strategy literature argues that firms acquire positions of advantage and competitive capability by assembling or “organizing” sets of uniquely complementary resources, activities, or assets. In this regard, value is created not only in identifying unique and valuable combinations of existing resources, but also in seeing unique and valuable ways to modify or cospecialize these assets. With the envisioned strategic bundle defined, the manager must then determine how to form, organize, and create this bundle. In particular, the manager must decide which assets, activities, and resources must be “owned” and which can be accessed contractually. We argue that although integration does have certain advantages over market transactions, it does not necessarily lead to the expansion of the scale and scope of the firm, because firms would also fail, particularly as they become larger in size. While established theories articulate this organizational failure puzzle in terms of incentive explanations and measurement difficulties, recent advancement in organizational economics and business strategy sees this as a result of influence activities, and social comparison and social attachment processes. These elements can serve as new building blocks for a more comprehensive theory of the nature and the boundary of the firm. Three future research trajectories – both theoretical and empirical in this realm – are suggested.
CONODONT BIOSTRATIGRAPHY AND BIOFACIES OF LOWER MIDDLE DEVONIAN LIMESTONES, NORTH-CENTRAL OHIO

Strata of the Detroit River Group of north-central Ohio reflect restricted conditions of sedimentation during early Eifelian (early Middle Devonian) time that were transgressively displaced by normal-marine environments represented by the Columbus Limestone, which ranges from the middle costatus costatus Zone into the australis Zone and is capped by a disconformity interpreted as a wave-eroded surface. The overlying Delaware Limestone is assigned with uncer- tainty to the kockelianus Zone and reflects renewed transgression followed by a regressive phase. Biofacies interpretation attributes a planktonic or nektonic habit to species of Belodella, Coe- locerodontus, and Icriodus. Distribution of species of Polygnathus suggests they were benthic or nektobenthic creatures with sensitivity to energy level and substrate texture. Prioniodinacean elements are mainly restricted to facies reflecting sedimentation below normal wave base. New taxa introduced include Icriodus stephensoni n. sp. and Polygnathus linguiformis alingulatus n. subsp. Several other forms that are either new or of uncertain taxonomic position are left in open nomenclature.
Structure and Vascular Activity Relationship of Parathyroid Hormone and Some Hypotensive Peptides

The synthetic fragment of bovine PTH [bPTH-(1–34)] had direct vasodilatory action in the coronary, renal, hepatic and some visceral vascular beds. The vascular action of bPTH-(1–34) was separable from its hypercalcemic action. We attempted to identify the amino acid sequence responsible for this vascular action. The methionines in positions 8 and 18 were not necessary for vascular relaxation since [Nle8, Nle18, Tyr34]-bPTH-(1–34) was active. However, when these methionine residues were oxidized, the vascular action of this peptide disappeared. This would suggest conformational changes of this oxidized peptide, resulting in loss of activity. Adjacent basic amino acids in positions 25, 26 and 27 may play an important role in the hypotensive action of peptides. Other hypotensive peptides such as neurotensin, xenopsin and VIP which also possess adjacent basic amino acids but are not known to be vasoactive were also hypotensive in our assays.
Examination of Several Physiological and Psychosocial Factors Potentially Associated With Masked Hypertension Among Low-Risk Adults

The authors examined the association of factors, in addition to prehypertensive office blood pressure (BP) level, that might improve detection of masked hypertension (MH), defined as nonelevated office BP with elevated out-of-office BP average, among individuals at otherwise low risk. This sample of 340 untreated adults 30 years and older with average office BP <140/90 mm Hg all had two sets of paired office BP measurements and 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) sessions 1 week apart. Other than BP levels, the only factors that were associated (at P<.10) with MH at both sets were male sex (75% vs 66%) and working outside the home (72% vs 59% for the first set and 71% vs 45% for the second set). Adding these variables to BP level in the model did not appreciably improve detection of MH. No demographic, clinical, or psychosocial measures that improved upon prehypertension as a potential predictor of MH in this sample were found.
Significant Escherichia coli Attenuation by Vegetative Buffers on Annual Grasslands

A study was conducted to estimate the retention efficiency of vegetative buffers for Escherichia coli deposited on grasslands in cattle fecal deposits and subject to natural rainfall-runoff conditions. The study was conducted on annual grasslands in California's northern Sierra Nevada foothills, a region with a distinct wet-dry season Mediterranean climate. We used 48, 2.0- by 3.0-m runoff plots to examine the efficacy of 0.1-, 1.1-, and 2.1-m buffers at three land slopes (5, 20, and 35%) and four dry vegetation matter levels (225, 560, 900, and 4500 kg/ha) across 27 rainfall-runoff events during two rainfall seasons. Buffer width treatments were implemented by placement of cattle fecal material containing known loads of E. coli 0.1, 1.1, or 2.1 m upslope of the plot runoff collector. Mean total runoff to total rainfall ratio per plot ranged from 0.014:1 to 0.019:1 and reflected the high infiltration capacity of these soils. Approximately 94.8 to 99.995% of total E. coli load applied to each plot appears to be either retained in the fecal pat and/or attenuated within 0.1 m downslope of the fecal pat, irrespective of the presence of a wider vegetated buffer. Relative to a 0.1-m buffer, we found 0.3 to 3.1 log10 reduction in E. coli discharge per additional meter of vegetative buffer across the range of residual dry vegetation matter levels, land slope, and rainfall and runoff conditions experienced during this project. Buffer efficiency was significantly reduced as runoff increased. These results support the assertion that grassland buffers are an effective method for reducing animal agricultural inputs of waterborne E. coli into surface waters.
Impact of tumor size on survival in stage IB (T2N0M0) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

7557 Background: Patients with stage IB NSCLC have a relatively poor survival of ∼60% despite adequate surgical resection. The role of adjuvant chemotherapy in this disease remains controversial si...
Early post-LASIK flap amputation in the treatment of aggressive, branching keratitis: a case report

Infectious keratitis is rare following laser vision correction. We present a case of aggressive fungal keratitis caused by Aspergillus flavus, following laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) in the setting of a unique environmental risk factor. We describe the key features of the acute case presentation, which guided empirical medical and surgical treatment, resulting in the most favorable outcome found in the literature, to date.
The American Journal of Medicine: Excellence in Publishing 2015

Following last year’s precedent, the AJM selects one or more articles published each year to be designated as examples of excellence in publishing for that year. The designation is determined by documented interest in the respective articles based on Internet activity and downloading, citations in the literature, and editorial opinion. In 2015, there were two first-line excellence articles and two honorable mentions. The two first-line articles are “Persistent Insomnia Is Associated with Mortality Risk,” by Parthasarathy et al, 1 and “Trends and Burden of Firearm-Related Hospitalizations in the United States across 2001-2011,” by Agarwal et al. 2 The first article documented that the common sleep disorder, insomnia, is associated with increased total and cardiovascular mortality as well as increased markers of inflammation. Since 10% of Americans have one or another form of sleep disorder, this article contributes to recognition of this common problem and its inclusion in the category of coronary heart disease risk factors. The second article pointed out that firearm-related hospitalizations are associated with an 8% chance of dying in the US as well as prolonged hospital admissions. Also of interest in this latter article is the fact that firearm-related hospitalizations increased at times of economic distress. This should come as no surprise: Society distress leads to individual distress. The two honorable mention excellence articles 3,4 involved continuing discrepancies between male and female salaries in academic medicine and the extraordinary difference in the cost of scorpion anti-venom in the US compared with Mexico. In “Gender Differences in Salary of Internal Medicine Residency Directors: A National Survey,” Willett et al documented that male program directors in internal medicine were paid substantially more than female directors, 3 thus focusing attention on an inequality that should be rectified in the very near future. Boyer, in “On 1000-fold Pharmaceutical Price Markups and Why Drugs Cost More in the United States than in Mexico,” discussed the remarkable 1000-fold difference in the cost of scorpion anti-venom in the US compared with the same product in Mexico. 4 High-cost pharmaceutical products have been a topic of considerable debate recently, and this article will certainly further discussions concerning various innovative approaches to reducing drug costs. The editors and Elsevier congratulate the authors on their outstanding work. We hope they, and all our contributors, will continue to send us manuscripts that are as excellent as this year’s winners.
The deadenylase components Not2p, Not3p, and Not5p promote mRNA decapping

Decay of mRNA is essential for the efficient regulation of gene expression. A major pathway of mRNA degradation is initiated by the shortening of the poly(A) tail via the CCR4/NOT deadenylase complex. Deadenylation is followed by removal of the 5' cap (i.e., decapping) and then 5' to 3' exonucleolytic decay of the message body. The highly conserved CCR4/NOT deadenylase complex consists of the exonucleases CCR4 and POP2/CAF1, as well as a group of four or five (depending on organism) accessory factors of unknown function, i.e., the NOT proteins. In this study, we find thatSaccharomyces cerevisiaeNot2p, Not3p, and Not5p (close paralogs of each other) are involved in promoting mRNA decapping. Furthermore, we find that Not3p and Not5p bind to the decapping activator protein Pat1p. Together, these data implicate the deadenylase complex in coordinating the downstream decapping reaction via Not2p, Not3p, and Not5p. This suggests that the coupling of deadenylation with decapping is, in part, a direct consequence of coordinated assembly of decay factors.
Cultural Practices, Pesticide Application, and Equipment Development as Cooperative Programs

In 1963 the American Society of Agricultural Engineers conducted a symposium on “Pesticides—A Tool of Man.” Some of the statements and references made at that conference should be repeated for the benefit of this audience. In 1963 I said: “It is impossible for a researcher to be a chemist, engineer, entomologist, botanist, geneticist, and agronomist—all at the same time. Pest control research is extremely complex, and the best results are usually obtained by well-integrated cooperative programs in which teams of specialists can concentrate on a specific problem.” The need for integrated research teams to work on entomological-engineering problems is much greater now (W. G. Lovely 1963).
Oviposition Site of the Spruce Budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana, Modified by Light

Adult females of Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens) become sluggish in light. Tests were conducted to determine what effect this behavior in light would have on the oviposition site on a host branch. In the tests, moths were released in chambers constructed to permit illumination of either the basal half or the apical half of the branch. Control chambers were similarly constructed but the moths were kept in the dark. Considering the foliage differential of the branch halves, and adjusting for this, the mean proportion of egg masses on the illuminated ends was approximately 4 times that of the darkened ends. The controls had nearly equal mean proportions of egg masses on the ends. It was thought that oviposition pressure forced the sluggish females to oviposit in the light. Branches collected from the field for comparison had a mean proportion of 1.7 egg masses on the apical end. Although light might be partly responsible for this, several other factors not present in the tests were operative in the field.
Using Multiplex Coherent Anti Stokes Raman Spectroscopy for Rapid Material Detection

An ultrafast femtosecond laser is used to generate Raman spectra of solid, liquid, and gaseous targets of interest on a millisecond time scale using collinear multiplex coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy.
Effect of pyridoxine deficiency on the induction of immune tolerance in mice.

SummaryA very high degree of immune tolerance of C57B1/6J female mice to skin grafts from C57B1/6J male mice has been achieved by injection of splenic cells derived from skin donors into prospective recipients while they are in a state of pyridoxine deficiency. Equal numbers of splenic cells are much less effective in the production of immune tolerance when injected into control animals than when administered to pyridoxine-deficient recipients.
Detection and Localization of Specific Antigens in the Reproductive Tracts of Cycling, Pregnant, and Ovariectomized Hamsters*

A systematic search was made for components specific to the female reproductive tract in golden hamsters. Antisera produced in rabbits against saline homogenates of hamster uteri (collected on the night of estrus) cross-reacted extensively with extracts of 12 other tissues in agar gel double-diffusion assays. Absorption of the antisera with small intestine, lung, and liver rendered the immune sera specific for uterine and oviductal antigens (within the limits of the sensitivity of the precipitin assays). Immunoelectrophoretic analysis resolved 12 uterine antigens, many of which were similar to components in several other tissues. Absorbed antisera specific for reproductive tract antigens formed one postalbumin arc with uterine and oviductal extracts in immunoelectrophoretic studies. No reactions were detected between specific antisera and five other organ extracts or plasma. An indirect immunofluorescent antibody technique was used to detect changes in the distribution of specific antigens in reproductive tracts of cycling, pregnant, and ovariectomized hamsters. The gamma-globulin fraction of anti-uterus sera (absorbed with small intestine, lung, and liver), shown to be specific for reproductive tract tissues in precipitin tests, was used to localize antigens. Appropriate controls indicated that the fluorescence observed was due to antigen-antibody interactions. During the cycle, specific antigens were usually confined to the ampullary lamina propria, except during estrus, when they were prominent in the lamina propria and luminal epithelium of the ampula. Specific antigens were never abundant in the isthmus of nonpregnant hamsters. On day 1 postcoitum, the components were found throughout the ampullary and isthmic regions. By day 2 postcoitum, ampullary antigens were usually confined to the lamina propria. The specific components were not prominent in the oviduct on day 3 postcoitum, but were conspicuous in both ampulla and isthmus on day 4. Specific antigens in the uterus were confined to endometrial glands in nonpregnant animals during proestrus, estrus, and (occasionally) metestrus. Diestrous uteri contained no specific antigens. During the first 2 days of pregnancy, antigens were not abundant and were usually confined to the glands and stroma. On days 3 and 4 of pregnancy the specific antigens were prominent in the endometrial glands and stroma and along the apical borders of some luminal epithelial cells. By day 5, these components were less conspicuous in all areas of the endometrium. Uteri of spayed animals receiving no hormones or estradiol alone lacked the specific antigens. However, progesterone (after estrogen priming) promoted the appearance of these components, and the distribution resembled that seen in uteri of 3- and 4-day pregnant animals.
Twin Similarity in the Developmental Transformations of Infant Temperament as Measured in a Multi-Method, Longitudinal Study

In the Louisville Twin Study, laboratory observations of twin infants' temperament at 12, 18, and 24 months were linked with parental ratings from temperament questionnaires. Core dimensions of temperament were extracted by factor analysis applied to each set of measures at each age. The laboratory temperament dimension was recurrently represented by emotional tone, social orientation, attentiveness, and reaction to restraint. The questionnaire temperament dimension was recurrently represented by mood, approach/withdrawal and adaptability. The laboratory and questionnaire dimensions were found to be correlated at each age (convergent correlations: 0.38 to 0.52) and to be stable across ages (stability correlations 0.37 to 0.66). The temperament dimensions were used to demonstrate that temperament profiles were more concordant for identical than for fraternal twin pairs. The results demonstrate the genetic influences on the primary dimensions of temperament and the developmental transformations of temperament.
Courtship as an Investing Game: Labor-Market and Marriage-Market Outcomes by Age by Marriage

When to marry is by choice and depends on labor-market and marriage-market conditions. In this paper, I first document labor-market and marriage-market outcomes by age at marriage for birth cohorts between 1900 and 1979 in the United States. These relationships are gender-specific, non-monotonic and time-varying. Previous theories of Becker (1973 JPE, 1974 JPE) and Bergstrom and Bagnoli (1993 JPE) cannot explain these relationships or their changes over time. I build an equilibrium investments-and-marriage model to explain these relationships and changes. Two key drivers of the results are marriage-delaying human capital investments and differential fecundity. Finally, I use a numerical example to demonstrate the model's analytical tractability and its additional predictions on matching by ages.
Analysis of Interference and Performance Criteria of Communication Systems

This paper reviews and discusses various degradation measures which are needed for developing mathematical models for predicting radio frequency interference and its effects on the performance of a communication system. In analog communication systems where fidelity is the objective, a mean-square error is a good degradation measure. The statistical parameters required for its evaluation are the power spectral densities and the cross-correlation functions of the transmitted and received signals. In digital communication systems where reliability rather than fidelity is important, a good degradation measure is the probability of error. The statistical information needed for this case are the a priori probabilities of message and the conditional amplitude distribution of the detector output.
Analysis of wave optics BRDF model elements for a moderately rough surface

The bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) describes realistic scattering of light off materials. Microfacet BRDF’s often only describe one type of material and neglect wavelength effects. Wave-optics BRDF expressions, however, can describe wavelength effects at the expense of being more computationally cumbersome. Previous work relating wave-optics BRDF coordinates to micro-facet coordinates led to a complicated, but versatile, BRDF. In this work, the infinite summation found in the previous derivation is investigated, leading toward a closed-form BRDF model that describes wavelength-dependent effects for materials with various surface parameters, and which will be usable in remote sensing applications.
Electric and magnetic radial diffusion coefficients using the Van Allen probes data

ULF waves are a common occurrence in the inner magnetosphere and they contribute to particle motion, significantly, at times. We used the magnetic and the electric field data from the Electric and Magnetic Field Instrument Suite and Integrated Sciences (EMFISIS) and the Electric Field and Waves instruments (EFW) on board the Van Allen Probes to estimate the ULF wave power in the compressional component of the magnetic field and the azimuthal component of the electric field, respectively. Using L∗, Kp, and magnetic local time (MLT) as parameters, we conclude that the noon sector contains higher ULF Pc-5 wave power compared with the other MLT sectors. The dawn, dusk, and midnight sectors have no statistically significant difference between them. The drift-averaged power spectral densities are used to derive the magnetic and the electric component of the radial diffusion coefficient. Both components exhibit little to no energy dependence, resulting in simple analytic models for both components. More importantly, the electric component is larger than the magnetic component by one to two orders of magnitude for almost all L∗ and Kp; thus, the electric field perturbations are more effective in driving radial diffusion of charged particles in the inner magnetosphere. We also present a comparison of the Van Allen Probes radial diffusion coefficients, including the error estimates, with some of the previous published results. This allows us to gauge the large amount of uncertainty present in such estimates.
Visual reverse engineering using SPNs for automated testing and diagnosis of digital circuits

This paper presents a new methodology, which leads to the development of a prototype system for the automated testing and faults diagnosis of digital circuits. The methodology presented here is based on an automated visual reverse engineering process, which assists the extraction of the functional behavior of a digital circuit and for the detection and diagnosis of faults and defects on it. The visual information extracted from a PCB (printed circuit board) or a digital circuit is represented by SPN (stochastic Petri-net) forms in order to maintain both its structural and functional characteristics.