cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
“We are all Kmhmu, just the same”: ethnonyms, ethnic identities, and ethnic groups

Ethnonyms (the names of ethnic groups), in their socially situated linguistic use, can offer insights into indigenous conceptions of the sociocultural universe. Here I examine the complex ethnonymic system of the Kmhmu of northern Laos and neighboring regions. Kmhmu is both an ethnonym and a common noun meaning “person” or “human”; I consider how the term is understood during the ongoing communicative work of the community. Kmhmu ethnonymic usage also reveals two indigenous models of ethnicity, models that coexist unproblematically despite their mutually contradictory appearance. One model corresponds to scholarly conceptions of ethnicity as situational, the other to conceptions of ethnicity as primordial.
Isotope Signatures Allow Identification of Chemically Cross-Linked Peptides by Mass Spectrometry: A Novel Method to Determine Interresidue Distances in Protein Structures through Cross-Linking

Knowledge of protein structures and protein−protein interactions is essential for understanding of biological processes. Recent advances in protein cross-linking and mass spectrometry (MS) have shown significant potential to contribute to this area. Here we report a novel method to rapidly and accurately identify cross-linked peptides based on their unique isotope signature when digested in the presence of H218O. This method overcomes the need for specially synthesized cross-linkers and/or multiple MS runs required by other techniques. We validated our method by performing a “blind” analysis of 5 proteins/complexes of known structure. Side chain repacking calculations using Rosetta show that 17 of our 20 positively identified cross-links fit the published atomic structures. The remaining 3 cross-links are likely due to protein aggregation. The accuracy and rapid throughput of our workflow will advance the use of protein cross-linking in structural biology.
Impact of the 2009 American Thyroid Association guidelines on the choice of operation for well-differentiated thyroid microcarcinomas

Background The 2009 ATA Guidelines state “lobectomy alone may be sufficient treatment for small ( Methods Medical records of 346 patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer (WDTC) who underwent thyroidectomy from January 1, 2007 to November 10, 2009, were reviewed. There were 130 patients with tumors ≤1 cm and negative lateral nodes. Pathology reports were reviewed to identify adverse features including multifocality, extrathyroidal extension, vascular invasion, and central node metastases. Results Eighty-four percent underwent total thyroidectomy and 16% central node dissection. All but 2 patients had papillary cancer. Sixty-one percent with cancers 6–10 mm (group 1) had adverse pathologic features compared with 32% with cancers P = .004). Positive central nodes were identified in 23% of group 1 versus 4% of group 2 ( P = .004). Of patients in group 1, 88% had positive or suspicious fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) preoperatively. Conclusion We recommend that total thyroidectomy be considered as the initial operation for thyroid tumors 6–10 mm in size in which the preoperative FNAB is diagnostic or suspicious for WDTC.
Hydrodynamic modeling of planing hulls with twist and negative deadrise

Abstract Hulls of hard-chine planing boats often have complicated geometries. In this study, non-prismatic hulls with variable and negative deadrise angles are considered. The method of hydrodynamic sources is applied to model steady water flow around such hulls in the linearized approximation at finite Froude numbers. The solution includes pressure distribution on the hull surface which defines the lift force and center of pressure. For validation, modeling results are compared with an analytical solution for a flat plate and test data of a hull with a constant-deadrise section. Parametric calculations are carried out for a twisted hull at a fixed attitude and compared with an effectively similar prismatic planing surface in a range of Froude numbers. Non-prismatic hulls with variable aspect ratios are also investigated. In addition, results are presented for two hulls having positive and negative deadrise angles.
Alternative Bases of Source Selection

Dans un article precedent nous avons presente les resultats d'une experience concue pour mettre a l'epreuve certaines predictions d'une theorie formelle de la relation interpersonnelle en ce qui a trait a l'emergence des anticipations de conduite lorsque plusieurs sources d'evaluation de cette conduite anticipee sont disponibles a un individu, Dans cet article nous formulons deux alternatives additionnelles qui sont theoriquement plausibles, les multiples predictions em-piriques qu'elles engendrent, et une evaluation de ces trois formulations particu-lieres a la lumiere des donnees existantes. De ces trois formulations, seule la premiere est appuyee par nos donnees empiriques. Voici de quelle maniere elle s'exprime: mis en presence de plusieurs sources d'evaluation l'individu integre l'ensemble des elements de l'evaluation plutot que de (a) choisir seu-lement la meilleure source disponible, ou (b) d'utiliser la source la moins bonne comme une ≪source negative≫, ou encore de se servir de l'evaluation de celui dont l'exactitude ne peut etre mise en doute. In an earlier paper we reported the results of an experiment designed to test certain predictions of a formal theory of interpersonal behaviour concerning the formation of performance expectations when multiple sources of performance evaluation were available to an individual. In this paper we present two additional theoretically reasonable alternative formulations, the different empirical predictions derivable from them, and an evaluation of the three formulations in the light of the existing data. Of the three, only the original formulation received clear empirical support. This formulation holds that when faced with multiple sources of evaluation, the individual combines the evaluations received, rather than (a) selecting only the best source available, or (b) using the lower source as a “negative source,” or someone whose evaluation is so likely to be incorrect as to provide an accurate measure of the correct evaluation.
A CHC Theory-Based Analysis of Age Differences on Cognitive Abilities and Academic Skills at Ages 22 to 90 Years:

Age differences for nine age groups between 22 and 25 years and 81 and 90 years were evaluated, covarying educational attainment, on five Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) abilities: fluid reasoning (Gf), crystallized ability (Gc), quantitative knowledge (Gq), reading (Grw-Reading), and writing (Grw-Writing). Data were from the adult portions of the stratified standardization samples of the second editions of the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (N = 570) and the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement—Brief Form (N = 555). Gc and Grw-Reading were maintained through old age, whereas Gf, Gq, and Grw-Writing were vulnerable abilities. The age-related decline in mean scores on Gf was powerful, as even the maintained CHC abilities of Gc and Grw-Reading proved to be vulnerable when the component tasks of each were analyzed separately. All Gender × Age interactions were nonsignificant, indicating that age differences for all CHC abilities studied were essentially the same for men and women.
PRODUCT INFORMATION: SEARCH AND SATISFACTION THE PRC, OVERSEAS CHINESE AND THAILAND

Confined to samples of middle‐class consumers in the PRC (1981) and Thailand (1974) this comparative study included questions concerning awareness, attitudes and experiences of PRC Chinese, Thai‐Chinese and Thais in the area of perceived risk and search for and satisfaction with product information. A major finding is that in these regards the Thai‐Chinese are clearly closer to the Thai than to the Chinese consumers.
Psychometrics of the MHSIP Adult Consumer Survey

The reliability and validity of the Mental Health Statistics Improvement Program (MHSIP) Adult Consumer Survey were assessed in a statewide convenience sample of 459 persons with severe mental illness served through a public mental health system. Consistent with previous findings and the intent of its developers, three factors were identified that demonstrate good internal consistency, moderate test-retest reliability, and good convergent validity with consumer perceptions of other aspects of their care. The reliability and validity of the MHSIP Adult Consumer Survey documented in this study underscore its scientific and practical utility as an abbreviated tool for assessing access, quality and appropriateness, and outcome in mental health service systems.
Ethical Dilemmas in the Treatment of Battered Women in Individual Psychotherapy: Analysis of the Beneficence Versus Autonomy Polemic

The purpose of this article is to explore the ethical dilemmas inherent in the treatment of women currently in abusive relationships. Utilizing ethical decision-making models, the conflicting principles of beneficence and autonomy are discussed with regards to whether a therapist should encourage a client to leave an abusive relationship. Given that most ethical decision-making models stress the importance of contextual factors that are relevant to a given ethical situation, this article discusses the importance of evaluating, considering, and weighing certain factors, such as abuse severity and competency/rationality, in cases involving intimate partner violence,. Following this discussion, recommendations and implications for research and policy are delineated.
Singularities in the transverse electromagnetic field of a compact source

Singularities that occur at the nulls of the electric and magnetic components of a transverse electromagnetic field, established by a compact source in R 3 , are topologically guaranteed to exist on any radiation sphere enclosing the source. A radiation sphere can support both isolated and non–isolated singularities. A minimum of two isolated singularities, each with index +1, are guaranteed to exist on a radiation sphere. The isolated singularities exist in a topologically stable network, being created or annihilated only in pairs as they move away from the source along zero trajectories. Non–isolated singularities, when they occur, take the form of closed curves on a radiation sphere.
Using Critical Personal Narratives: A Poststructural Perspective on Practice.

The stories we tell about ourselves and our teaching reveal how language, power, knowledge, and customary instructional practices work together to construct appropriate identities and behaviors in both learners and teachers.
Pediatric ophthalmology in Singapore.

S ingapore is a small island nation located at the southernmost tip of the Malayan peninsula, among the Indonesian islands. The indigenous people are Malay, but as Singapore has been a busy trading port from the 18th century, many from China (in the northeast), as well as India (in the northwest), have immigrated and found a new home here. Today the majority of the population is Chinese. In 1819 Sir Stamford Raffles founded Singapore as a British colony, but after the Second World War Singapore gained independence, celebrating 40 years of self-rule last year. Today, in 2006, Singapore is a modern garden-city metropolis with a multiracial and multicultural population of over 4 million people and a large expatriate community from all over the world. The local racial composition is 76% Chinese (who are Buddhist or Christian), 13.8% Malay (who are Muslim), 8% Indian (who are mostly Hindus), and 1.7% of other races. Children below 15 years old comprise 20.8% of the population. We have a birth rate of 10.3 per 1000 population and an infant mortality rate of 2.5 per 1000 live-births. Education in Singapore has been very much modeled after the British system. Many are conversant in English as it is taught as a first language, while second language is the individual’s mother-tongue, namely, Mandarin, Malay, or Tamil. Primary school education starts at age 6 years (in primary 1) and continues through primary 6, followed by 4 years in secondary school, after which there are 2 years of preuniversity college education. Medical school is 5 years (MB.BS, equivalent to the MD), followed by 1 year of housemanship (internship). Doctors require a further 3 years of basic ophthalmic training (residency) before they are eligible to sit for the qualifying postgraduate examinations in ophthalmology. This is usually the Singapore Master of Medicine in Ophthalmology (MMed.Ophth) and/or the British Member ( previously Fellow) of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCOphth/MRCS or the “old” FRCS). Once qualified, doctors must complete an additional 3 years of Advanced Surgical Training, concluding with an exit examination in competency prior to registration as specialists in ophthal-
Davis Strait volume, freshwater and heat fluxes

Abstract Volume, freshwater and heat transport through Davis Strait, the northern boundary of the Labrador Basin, are computed using a mooring array deployed for three consecutive years. The net volume, freshwater and heat transports are - 2.6 ± 1.0 Sv , - 92 ± 34 mSv , 18 ± 17 × 10 12 W . Both southward and northward volume and freshwater transports are maximum in November. The seasonal variability is dictated by the variability in the main water mass transports: Irminger Sea Water, West Greenland shelf water, surface meltwater, and a cold intermediate layer (CIL) originating from Lancaster Sound. The southward freshwater transport seasonal amplitude is dominated by the CIL transport rather than the surface meltwater layer. Sea-ice transport through Davis Strait deduced from remote sensing data is equal to 528 km 3 / year which is much smaller than equivalent estimates for Fram Strait. Using these new estimates, we attempt to close the Arctic Ocean volume and freshwater budget.
IN-SERVICE PERFORMANCE OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE CONCRETE BRIDGE DECKS

The current statewide standard for New York State bridge decks is Class HP (high-performance) concrete. This mix was introduced in April 1996 to increase deck durability by reducing cracking and permeability. Since its introduction, more than 80 bridge decks have been built with Class HP concrete. To compare the performance of Class HP concrete with that of previously specified concrete, the decks were visually inspected. Results indicated that Class HP decks performed better than previously specified concrete in resisting both longitudinal and transverse cracking. Furthermore, of the 84 decks inspected, 49 percent exhibited no cracking at all, but of those that had cracked, 88 percent exhibited equal or less longitudinal cracking and 80 percent exhibited equal or less transverse cracking than previously specified concrete. A final result showed that average transverse crack density on Class HP decks, excluding uncracked decks, was 6.9 cm/m2. This value is comparable with crack densities for other decks (...
Current status of wide hybridization in wheat

Current status of wide hybridization in wheat is considered in the light of the number of hybrids produced, the number of genes transferred to commercial cultivars and their use in world wide agricuture. Some original results are presented and results of other authors are compiled to provide update information regarding wide crosses in wheat. Barriers to wide hybridization and progress made in overcoming such barriers are discussed. Areas requiring more research are indicated.
New applications of fluorinated building blocks

Abstract A new and versatile synthesis of optically active α-fluoromalonamide derivatives from enantiomerically pure 3-fluoro-2-azetidinones is described. A fluorinated retroamide isostere based on these α-fluoromalonamides was introduced into a small peptidomimetic for use as an HIV-1 protease inhibitor. The same strategy was employed in efforts to prepare a novel trifluorostatone-type peptidomimetic.
Relationship between the oxygen affinity and in vitro sickling propensity of carbamylated sickle erythrocytes.

Summary Incubation of Hb SS blood in vitro with NaCNO produces an increase in red cell oxygen affinity and a decrease in the propensity of the cells to sickle. The increase in oxygen affinity is dependent upon the extent of hemoglobin carbamylation. Carbamylated (2 moles of 14C cyanate incorporated per mole of hemoglobin) and control Hb SS cells sickle in vitro to an equal extent when the hemoglobin is deoxygenated to the same degree. Inhibition of the in vitro sickling phenomenon by hemoglobin carbamylation is in major part a result of the increased affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen.
On independent statistical decision problems and products of diffusions

LetZt be a null recurrent diffusion on ℝp with generatorG=(1/r)∇·(r∇) for smooth positiver. This note constructs an independent recurrent diffusionZ′ton ℝ1 such that (Zt, Z′t)is transient in ℝp+1. This resolves negatively an old question in simultaneous estimation: Is there an admissible but not Bayes estimatorσ(X) of the mean of a multivariate normal distribution for quadratic loss with the property: for every admissible σ′(X′), whereX′ is normal and independent ofX, (δ, δ′) remains admissible in the combined problem obtained by summing the component losses?
RESISTANT HYPERTENSION : SUGGESTIONS FOR DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM

With appropriate evaluation of both patient- and physician-related factors, many cases of resistant hypertension can be resolved. Patients often do not understand the implications of their disease and need specific information regarding the importance of compliance with medication schedules and dietary restrictions. Physicians should also consider the possibility of drug resistance or the presence of an identifiable secondary cause, such as renal artery stenosis, chronic renal parenchymal disease, or pheochromocytoma.
Estrogen receptor protein in malignant carcinoid tumor a report of 2 cases

Two cases of metastatic malignant carcinoid tumor in elderly women contained significant amounts of estrogen receptor (19 and 32 femtomoles/mg protein) as shown by Scatchard-plot analysis of a dextran-coated charcoal assay, inhibition of binding by an estrogen analog (67 and 63%) and high-affinity binding (Kd = 6.8 and 2.6 x 10(-10) M). The demonstration of estrogen receptor in malignant carcinoid tumor expands the spectrum of non-breast or non-gynecologic neoplasms that contain the receptor. The significane of estrogen receptor in such tumors is uncertain; it may represent aberrant derepression of the gene for estrogen receptor protein in a malignant tumor.
Progranulin protein levels are differently regulated in plasma and CSF

Objective: We aimed to investigate the relationship between plasma and CSF progranulin (PGRN) levels. Methods: Plasma and CSF PGRN were measured in a cohort of 345 subjects from the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging by ELISA. Single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping was performed using TaqMan assays. Associations between PGRN and sex, age at sample collection, diagnosis, single nucleotide polymorphism genotypes ( GRN , SORT1 , and APOE ), and Pittsburgh compound B score were explored separately in CSF and plasma using single variable linear regression models. Pearson partial correlation coefficient was used to estimate the correlation of PGRN in CSF and plasma. Results: Plasma ( p = 0.0031) and CSF ( p = 0.0044) PGRN significantly increased with age, whereas plasma PGRN levels were 7% lower ( p = 0.0025) and CSF PGRN levels 5% higher ( p = 0.0024) in male compared with female participants. Correcting for age and sex, higher plasma PGRN was associated with higher CSF PGRN (partial r = 0.17, p = 0.004). In plasma, both rs5848 ( GRN ; p = 0.002) and rs646776 ( SORT1 ; p = 3.56E-7) were associated with PGRN, while only rs5848 showed highly significant association in CSF ( p = 5.59E-14). Age, sex, rs5848 genotype, and plasma PGRN together accounted for only 18% of the variability observed in CSF PGRN. Conclusions: While some correlation exists between plasma and CSF PGRN, age, sex, and genetic factors differently affect PGRN levels. Therefore, caution should be taken when using plasma PGRN to predict PGRN changes in the brain. These findings further highlight that plasma PGRN levels may not accurately predict clinical features or response to future frontotemporal lobar degeneration therapies.
Anomalous Thermal Conductivity of Superconductors due to Impurity Spin Ordering

It is shown that spontaneous and also a magnetic-field-induced ordering of the paramagnetic impurity spins in superconductors gives rise to an anomalous temperature dependence of the electronic thermal conductivity.
Quantum control of proximal spins using nanoscale magnetic resonance imaging

Single electron spins have been detected before, but the methods used proved difficult to extend to multi-spin systems. A magnetic resonance imaging technique is now demonstrated that resolves proximal spins in three dimensions with nanometre-scale resolution. In addition to spatial mapping, the approach allows for coherent control of the individual spins.
The radiological research accelerator facility at Columbia University

Abstract The Radiological Research Accelerator Facility located at the Nevis Laboratories of Columbia University is a laboratory dedicated to bio-physics research. Its principal component is a 4 MeV Van de Graaff accelerator which produces protons, deuterons and other ions. The most important secondary radiation is neutrons of energies from about 100 keV to 18 MeV. In addition, diatomic and triatomic beams of protons and deuterons are employed in a special study. The biological effects of these radiations are compared with those of more conventional X-ray sources which are also available. The biological effects are correlated with physical aspects of the irradiation which include not only accurate measurements of the absorbed dose (the mean energy absorbed per unit mass of irradiated tissue) but also microdosimetry research which evaluates the distribution of energy at cellular and subcellular levels. Differences in these distributions can greatly affect the biological effectiveness of a given absorbed dose. The facility will be described, brief outlines of some of the biological and physical studies given and general implications of results discussed.
Food restriction increases the protection of erythrocytes against the hemolysis induced by peroxyl radicals.

Abstract We have investigated the susceptibility to peroxidation of erythrocytes from young, adult and old ad libitum (AL) fed, as well as from adult and old food restricted rats, measuring the rate of hemolysis under controlled peroxidative condition. Food restriction has been applied on an every-other-day (EOD) schedule starting from the age of 3.5 months. The oxidation of red blood cells by molecular oxygen was performed in an aqueous suspension using the azo-compound 2-2′-azo-bis-(2-amidinopropane)hydrochloride (AAPH) as the free radical initiator. Several parameters were calculated from the time-dependent curve of AAPH induced hemolysis. The time required to achieve 50% hemolysis decreased with aging and this decrease was prevented by food restriction. The lag time, which reflects the capacity of the cell to buffer free radicals, was longer in young than in old AL fed animals also this impairment was almost completely prevented in EOD fed animals. The same beneficial effect of food restriction was observed considering the maximal amount of hemolysis attained with the dose of AAPH applied and the time necessary to reach this level. The general picture emerging from the present study is that erythrocyte membranes from EOD fed rats are better protected, than those from AL fed ones, against damages caused by peroxidation. This effect may be due to a difference in the chemical composition of the erythrocyte membranes as it was found in other organs.
Insertion sequence duplication in transpositional recombination

Insertion sequences (IS) are discrete segments of DNA that can transpose from one genomic site to another and promote genetic rearrangements. A question that is central to understanding the mechanism of transpositional recombination is whether genetic rearrangements are accompanied by duplication of the IS that promotes them. Analysis of adjacent deletions mediated by IS903 provides the strongest evidence to date than any IS-mediated transpositional recombination can occur by an efficient replicative mechanism.
Formal model of correctness without serializabilty

In the classical approach to transaction processing, a concurrent execution is considered to be correct if it is equivalent to a non-concurrent schedule. This notion of correctness is called serializability. Serializability has proven to be a highly useful concept for transaction systems for data-processing style applications. Recent interest in applying database concepts to applications in computer-aided design, office information systems, etc. has resulted in transactions of relatively long duration. For such transactions, there are serious consequences to requiring serializability as the notion of correctness. Specifically, such systems either impose long-duration waits or require the abortion of long transactions. In this paper, we define a transaction model that allows for several alternative notions of correctness without the requirement of serializability. After introducing the model, we investigate classes of schedules for transactions. We show that these classes are richer than analogous classes under the classical model. Finally, we show the potential practicality of our model by describing protocols that permit a transaction manager to allow correct non-serializable executions
Differing efficiencies of potassium utilization in strains of Snapbeans,Phaseolus Vulgaris L.

The capacities of sixty-six strains of snapbeans to grow in potassium-deficient media were compared in nutrient culture experiments. Marked differences were observed, particularly in the severity of potassium-deficiency symptoms. From this initial screening, two of the most efficient strains and three of the most inefficient were selected for detailed nutritional and genetic studies. The unusual capacity of some strains to produce normal growth under potassium deficiency was not due to greater seed size or to greater size and competitive ability of the root systems. Marked differences in the strains persisted even when grown in separate culture tanks and with differences in seed content of potassium compensated for in the total potassium supply. Variations in efficiency of potassium utilization were not associated with higher levels of potassium in efficient plants, and they did not appear to be associated with substitution of sodium for potassium. The importance of this investigation in indicating the possibilities for developing strains and varieities of crop plants particularly adapted for low-fertility soils or other unusual nutritional environments is discussed briefly.
Exploring space with a microsat: where no microsat has gone before

In January of 1992 representatives of the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) met with the Center for AeroSpace Technology (CAST) at Weber State University to suggest a joint space exploration program. During the following months, several meetings were convened and plans solidified pursuant to begin project JAWSAT (Joint Academy Weber SATellite). The fundamental mission of project JAWSAT is to further the effective use of small, low cost satellites for aerospace education and to conduct valid scientific research in the use of non space rated instrumentation for low cost satellite design.
2 Glomerular filtration and volume regulation in gravid animal models

Summary The gestational increase in glomerular filtration rate that occurs in the normal rat is exclusively the result of an increase in renal plasma flow and there is no sustained increase in glomerular capillary blood pressure during a normal pregnancy. The factor or factors that initiate the gestational renal vasodilation (and plasma volume expansion) are maternal, not fetoplacental in origin. The precise nature of the initiating factors has not yet been defined, although it is unlikely that the gestational plasma volume expansion can be the sole cause of the increased glomerular filtration rate seen in pregnancy. A number of vasoactive hormones are activated in pregnancy but as yet no clear candidate has emerged as ‘the renal vasodilator’. Preliminary evidence suggests that nitric oxide may play an important role in gestational vasodilatation. The normal kidney in pregnancy exhibits substantial renal reserve to amino acid infusion and unimpaired autoregulatory ability despite being already vasodilated by the gestational stimulus. There are marked and sometimes contradictory changes in the various volume sensing and control systems in pregnancy. In general, the sensors perceiving and controlling intravascular volume are reset during a normal pregnancy to enable the mother to accommodate the increased plasma volume without provoking a natriuretic response. Whether the expanded plasma volume of pregnancy is perceived as normal or underfilled is not clear at this time and may vary according to the volume regulatory system. Repetitive pregnancies do not have any cumulative, long-term deleterious effects on renal function, when the underlying function is normal, when it has been compromised by removal of renal mass or during chronic systemic hypertension in the spontaneously hypertensive rat. In the short term, pregnancy does not worsen kidney function when underlying glomerular damage is due to immune stimuli, ablation of renal mass or gentamicin, or in the spontaneously hypertensive rat. Therefore, the chronic renal vasodilatation of pregnancy does not appear to be a damaging entity, unlike other states of low preglomerular arteriolar resistance, studied in the male rat. When pregnancy is superimposed on Adriamycin nephrosis or chronic blockade of nitric oxide, hypertension occurs and renal function declines. In both situations endothelial damage/dysfunction occurs, as is also seen in pre-eclampsia. Further study of the effects of pregnancy in animal models of endothelial dysfunction will prove rewarding.
Shared medical decision-making: a new paradigm for behavioral medicine--1997 presidential address.

Different conceptual models lead to different health care choices. The traditional biomedical model emphasizes identification of pathology (diagnosis) and remediation of these biological deficits (treatment). An alternative approach, known as the outcomes model, focuses attention on the outcomes of health care. Specifically, health care is regarded as effective only if it extends life or if it improves quality of life. Indices that combine life expectancy and life quality can be used to monitor the benefits of health care. According to the traditional model, medical care is effective if it improves a clinical indicator (i.e. reduces blood pressure, decreases tumor size, etc.). According to the outcomes model, treatments are not advocated unless they improve general outcomes. There are circumstances in which clinical indicators improve but general outcomes remain the same or get worse. Data on the detection and treatment of prostate cancer are used to illustrate how these models might lead to different treatment decisions. According to the traditional model, aggressive screening and treatment of prostate cancer should be advocated because more cases are detected early and more tumors are removed. According to the outcomes model, net quality-adjusted life may be reduced rather than enhanced with screening. Shared medical decision-making is an outgrowth of the outcomes model. Using these methods, patients and providers integrate the best scientific evidence on treatment efficacy with patient preferences for outcomes. Often shared decision-making leads to reductions in the use of medical procedures.
Dinichthyidae (Placodermi):A paleontological fiction?

Abstract Dinichthyidae has historically been a repository for a number of large pachyosteomorph arthrodires with questionsraised on several occasions concerning the validity of this family. A cladistic analysis of dinichthyid arthrodires results in a revision of basal pachyosteomorph arthrodires. We amend the families Dinichthyidae, Dunkleosteidae, and Panxiosteidae with Dinichthys (Dinichthyidae, in part), Hadrosteus, Heintzichthys, Gorgonichthys , and Holdenius assigned to Aspinothoracidi. Dunkleosteus is rediagnosed and united with Eastmanosteus, Golshanichthys, Hussakofia , and Westralichthys in Dunkleosteidae. Janiosteus , and possibly Plourdosteus are united in Panxiosteidae as sister group to Dunkleosteidae. Finally, we refer Kiangyousteus , formerly a dinichthyid arthrodire, to Pachyosteomorphi incertae sedis .
Tellurium toxicosis in Pekin ducks

Abstract Tellurium, as the tetrachloride, was toxic to male Pekin ducks at concentrations of 500 and 1000 ppm in the diet, resulting in heavy mortality and a marked reduction in body weights within 2 weeks. Although growth rate was maintained at levels of 50 and 250 ppm, respectively, 50 and 70% of the ducks died by the fourth week of feeding. Gross lesions consisted of myocardial hemorrhage and apparent necrosis, hydropericardium, grayblack discoloration of intestines and malacia of the frontal cerebrum. Microscopic alterations included extensive areas of myocardial necrosis accompanied by edema, hemorrhage, and vascular congestion and deposition of presumably elemental tellurium within the lamina propria of the duodenal mucosa. Accumulation of nuclei of sarcolemma cells or proliferated cardiac fiber nuclei were observed in hearts from some ducks. Necrosis and vacuolization of hepatocytes were common findings. Focal as well as more extensive areas of necrosis were observed in the brains of ducks fed tellurium at the three highest concntrations. Necrosis occurred both at the surface of the cerebrum and more deeply. In the most severely affected areas, capillary proliferation and gliosis were observed along with deposits of presumably tellurium in neuroglia. Focal neuronal rarefaction and extensive thinning of cortical tissue were observed.
Liposomal IGF-1 gene transfer modulates pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression in the burn wound.

Liposomal IGF-1 gene transfer modulates pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression in the burn wound
Factors controlling As and U in shallow ground water, southern Carson Desert, Nevada

Abstract Unusually high As and U concentrations (>100 μg/L) are widespread in shallow ground water beneath the southern Carson Desert. The high concentrations, which locally exceed 1000 μg/L, are of concern from a human health standpoint because the shallow ground water is used for domestic supply. Possible affects on wildlife are also of concern because the ground water flows into shallow lakes and marshes within wildlife refuges. Arsenic and U concentrations in ground water of the southern Carson Desert appear to be affected by evaporative concentration, redox reactions, and adsorption. The relation of these elements with Cl suggest that most of the high concentrations can be attributed to evaporative concentration of Carson River water, the primary source of recharge. Some ground water contains higher As and U concentrations that cannot be explained by evaporative concentration alone. Oxidation-reduction reactions, involving metal oxides and sedimentary-organic matter, appear to contribute As, U, inorganic C, Fe and Mn to the ground water. Arsenic in Fe-oxide was confirmed by chemical extraction and is consistent with laboratory adsorption studies. Uranium in both sedimentary-organic C and Fe-oxide coatings has been confirmed by fission tracks and petrographic examination. Arsenic concentrations in the ground water and chemical extracts of aquifer sediments are broadly consistent with adsorption as a control on some dissolved As concentrations. An apparent loss of As from some ground water as evaporative concentration proceeds is consistent with adsorption as a control on As. However, evidence for adsorption should be viewed with caution, because the adsorption model used values for the adsorbent that have not been shown to be valid for the aquifer sediments throughout the southern Carson Desert. Hydrologic and geochemical conditions in the Carson Desert are similar to other areas with high As and U concentrations in ground water, including the Salton Sea basin and southern San Joaquin Valley of California. Hydrologic and geochemical conditions that produced some sandstone-type U-ore deposits, including those in the non-marine, closed-basin sediments of the Morrison Formation near Grants, New Mexico, suggest that the Carson Desert may be a modern analog for those systems.
Reducing Misconceptions and False Beliefs in Police and Criminal Psychology

Although certainly not alone, the field of police and criminal psychology seems to be an area that is highly susceptible to myths and misinformation. Whether it is the notion that police have highe...
Thrombocytopenia in a bisexual adolescent male with a history of intravenous drug use.

Abstract Immunologically mediated thrombocytopenia has been repotted as a manifestation of human T-lymphotropic viras type III (HTLV-III) infection and intravenous (IV) drag abuse. The case report describes thrombocytopenia in a bisexual adolescent male with antibody to the HTLV-III virus and a history of infrequent IV drag abuse. The case underscores the need to consider HTLV-III infection and/or IV drug abuse in the differential diagnosis of thrombocytopenia in an adolescent.
Three-dimensional velocity measurements in annular diffuser segments including the effects of upstream strut wakes

Experiments were performed to provide 3D velocity data for CFD validation on the flow in two annular diffuser segments with straight inner walls and angled outer walls. The sensitivity of these flows to inlet condition perturbations was also examined. One of the diffusers was designed to operate far from separation for unperturbed inlet conditions. The other had the same length and inlet shape as the first diffuser but a larger expansion ratio, chosen to place it along the line of first appreciable stall. Each diffuser was connected to two different inlets, one containing a fully-developed channel flow, the other containing wakes from a row of struts. Three-component velocity measurements were taken on the flow in each inlet/diffuser combination using Magnetic Resonance Velocimetry. The less aggressive diffuser did not stall while the larger-angle diffuser showed very small regions of reversed flow both with and without the wake disturbances. By the end of both diffusers, turbulence had damped out all secondary flows generated by the struts, but the larger diffuser exhibited increased streamwise velocity nonuniformity due to the struts.
Mutations in human αA-crystallin/sHSP affect subunit exchange interaction with αB-crystallin.

Background Mutation in αA-crystallin contributes to the development of congenital cataract in humans. Heterooligomerization of αA-crystallin and αB-crystallin is essential for maintaining transparency in the eye lens. The effect of congenital cataract causing mutants of αA-crystallin on subunit exchange and interaction with αB-crystallin is unknown. In the present study, interaction of the mutants of αA-crystallin with αB-crystallin was studied both in vitro and in situ by the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) technique. Methodology/Principal Findings In vitro FRET technique was used to demonstrate the rates of subunit exchange of αB-wt with the following αA-crystallin mutants: R12C, R21L, R21W, R49C, R54C, and R116C. The subunit exchange rates (k values) of R21W and R116C with αB-wt decreased drastically as compared to αA-wt interacting with αB-wt. Moderately decreased k values were seen with R12C, R49C and R54C while R21L showed nearly normal k value. The interaction of αA- mutants with αB-wt was also assessed by in situ FRET. YFP-tagged αA mutants were co-expressed with CFP-tagged αB-wt in HeLa cells and the spectral signals were captured with a confocal microscope before and after acceptor laser photobleaching. The interaction of R21W and R116C with αB-wt was decreased nearly 50% as compared to αA-wt while the rest of the mutants showed slightly decreased interaction. Thus, there is good agreement between the in vitro and in situ FRET data. Conclusions/Significance Structural changes occurring in these mutants, as reported earlier, could be the underlying cause for the decreased interaction with αB may contribute to development of congenital cataract.
Factored two-step Runge-Kutta methods

A class of two-step fourth order implicit Runge-Kutta Methods designed for stiff systems of ODEs has recently been investigated by the author and others. In this paper certain computational aspects of this class of methods are discussed. Similar algorithms which, in particular, exploit any sparseness properties inherent in the Jacobian matrix are considered along with an efficient way of estimating the local truncation error using embedded methods.
The fluid dynamics of reverse roll coating

The flow in the metering gap of a reverse roll coater is examined by experiments and finite element solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations. At high speed ratios and capillary numbers, the metered film flow deviates strongly from predictions of lubrication theory: the wetting line moves through the gap center and the metered film thickness passes through a minimum. The two flow instabilities found are ribbing, a sinusoidal cross-web waviness extending smoothly down-web; and cascade, an irregular V-shaped cross-web wave, repeated quasiperiodically down-web. Experimental operability diagrams define parameter ranges where these instabilities and the steady two-dimensional flow are encountered. Ribbing behavior is understood by consideration of the pressure gradient at the free surface. The mechanism of cascade is the intrusion through the gap of the wetting line, which causes the metered film to thicken and eventually reattach to the metering roll in a cyclical manner.
Histopathology of the liver in children with chronic hepatitis C viral infection

Although the epidemiology, natural history, and pathological aspects of chronic hepatitis C are well-defined in the adult population, little is known about the characteristics of chronic hepatitis C infection in children. Reports on the histological features and progression of hepatitis C in children are scarce, and consist primarily of multicenter studies in Japanese and European children. Given the geographic variations in viral genotype and the association of pathology with genotype, whether the Japanese and European studies can be extended to the North American populations is unclear. We report the histopathology of the liver in 40 children with chronic hepatitis C infection treated in a single North American institution. The children included 19 males and 21 females ranging in age from 2.0 to 18.6 years at the time of liver biopsy (mean ± SD: 11.4 ± 4.3 years). Our findings indicate that the characteristic histopathological lesions of chronic hepatitis C infection, including sinusoidal lymphocytosis, steatosis, portal lymphoid aggregates/follicles, and bile duct epithelial damage, occur with approximately the same frequencies in children as have been reported in adults. Necroinflammatory activity was generally mild. Portal fibrosis was present in 78% of the specimens, including fibrous portal expansion (26%), bridging fibrosis (22%), bridging fibrosis with architectural distortion (22%), and cirrhosis (8%). Centrilobular pericellular fibrosis, which has not been previously reported in the context of chronic hepatitis C infection in adults or children, was also a prominent feature in our series, occurring with a similar frequency as steatosis or portal lymphoid aggregates/follicles. Our data suggest that in spite of mild histological necroinflammatory activity in general, the stage of fibrosis in children can be severe in spite of relatively short duration of infection.
Stereochemical studies of the type II isopentenyl diphosphate-dimethylallyl diphosphate isomerase implicate the FMN coenzyme in substrate protonation.

The interconversion of isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP, 1) and dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP, 2) by isopentenyl diphosphate:dimethylallyl diphosphate isomerase (IDI) is a key reaction in the synthesis of the building blocks for isoprenoid compounds.[1] Two structurally unrelated types of IDI have been identified. The type I enzyme (IDI-1) is a zinc metalloprotein that also requires Mg2+ for activity.[2] It employs appropriate active site amino acid residues as general acid and base catalysts to carry out the isomerization reaction.[2g, 3] In contrast, the type II IDI (IDI-2), discovered in 2001,[4] is a flavoprotein that requires a reduced flavin mononucleotide (FMNred, 3) coenzyme in addition to Mg2+ for activity.[5] The reaction catalyzed by IDI-2 is unusual in that it utilizes the redox active FMN coenzyme to perform a reaction that does not involve a change in the redox state of the substrate/product. This observation raises questions as to the exact role of the flavin coenzyme in the catalytic mechanism. In addition, several human pathogens, such as Staphylococcus aureus, rely exclusively on IDI-2 for the initiation of long-chain isoprenoid biosynthesis, whereas humans employ the structurally unrelated IDI-1. Thus, IDI-2 is a potential target for new antimicrobial agents.
Design program for rings of non-uniform thickness☆

Abstract A computer program is presented which gives the stress distribution in a ring of nonuniform cross section under the action of a uniform radial line load. The analysis on which the program is based is an approximation to the analysis of an exact interaction problem of a reinforced circular cylindrical shell under hydrostatic pressure. The ring is composed of three segments; one segment whose cross sectional area varies according to a power function connects two uniform segments. The solution to this problem was obtained by Arnold Allentuch and Joseph Kempner (see [1]). The computer program is written for a General Electric 605 Time Sharing Computer. A complete listing of the program including full documentation is presented. In addition, a typical computer run is included.
Phased array surface contour mapping system for static and dynamic use in harsh environments

High temperature and high particulate density environments exist in the hopper, silo, gasifier, and combustor vessels used in advanced high efficiency coal-fired power plants. The surface and volume above a fluidized bed coal reactor contain a great deal of information about the conditions of combustion taking place within the fluidized combustion bed. The contour mapping system being developed will sense the condition of the bed surface using propagation of radio waves through the volume existing immediately above the combustion bed. This volume contains a distribution of gases and particles. The particles have a wide range of size, velocities, and distributions. In addition, the metal combustion vessel walls will create a multipath environment for the radio wave sensing signal. The paper summarizes research associated with the phased-array radar system being assembled for obtaining the surface contour of the contents in these vessels. Preliminary theoretical calculations from a simulated surface are presented. The phased array antenna system receives signals from both the near field and far field existing within the vessels.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.