cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A QoS and Trust Prediction Framework for Context-Aware Composed Distributed Systems

The emergence of ubiquitous computing, and the wide adoption of smart phones over the past few years require many Web services to function in a context-aware manner. In such services, not only the functional attributes, but also the QoS attributes (e.g., Response time and availability) also depend on the context of the service. Trust (i.e., The degree of compliance of a service to its specification) and the QoS evaluation of a service and a system composed of such services should also consider these context dependencies. Our work proposes a model that uses such context-QoS dependency information of individual services and inter-service interaction patterns to get predictions for the QoS and trust of service compositions at the design phase. The predictions can be used to make better design and implementation decisions of composed systems in early phases of the software lifecycle thereby reducing cost, time and effort. The preliminary results show that the proposed framework provides more accurate predictions than the prevalent approaches.
The Work of the International Law Commission in the Field of International Environmental Law

Established in 1947 by the United Nations General Assembly, the International Law Commission (ILC) has played an instrumental role in the codiacation and progressive development of international law over the last ave decades. Despite an initially weak legal basis for environmental action, the ILC managed to meet the demands for international measures in this domain, producing a number of draft articles, some of which gave birth to major environmental treaties. After brieoy describing the ILC’s organization, functions, and procedures, this Article analyses its work on some environmental issues, grouped under three categories: law of the sea, international watercourses and natural shared resources, and accountability for transboundary environmental damage. Although not counted among today’s main law-making bodies in the environmental aeld, the ILC has positively responded to the need to protect the environment and made a valuable contribution to the process of codiacation and progressive development of international
ABCG2: the molecular mechanisms of urate secretion and gout

The human propensity for high levels of serum uric acid (SUA) is a trait that has defied explanation. Is it beneficial? Is it pathogenic? Its role in the human diseases like gout and kidney stones ...
Almost everywhere convergence of series in L^1

We answer positively a question of J. Rosenblatt (1988), proving the existence of a sequence (c i ) with Σ∞ i=1 |c i | = ∞, such that for every dynamical system (X,Σ,m,T) and f ∈ L 1 (X), Σ∞ i=1 c i f(T i x) converges almost everywhere. A similar result is obtained in the real variable context.
Technology, unemployment, and inflation

We explore the response of employment (unemployment) skill differentials to skill-biased shifts in demand touched off by the new and spreading technologies. We find that skill differentials in unemployment follow at least in part the same pattern as skill differentials in wages; they widen initially but decline after a roughly 5-year lag, allowing time for training and learning to handle the new technologies. In the micro (PSID) cross-section the differentials show up as sectoral differences defined by technology. In the aggregate time series relative unemployment is defined by educational unemployment differentials. We find that the pace and turnaround in the 'unemployment gap' is twice as fast as in the 'wage gap'. Apparently, the hiring and training response is quicker than the wage response. We also observe in time series that the pace of technology has unclear effects on aggregate unemployment in the short run, but appears to reduce it in the longer run. In addition to technology, maturing of the workforce, and growth of international trade reduce unemployment in the longer run. The same variables also significantly reduce inflation in both the short and long run. Given the actual changes in these factors in the early 90s we are able to predict a little over a half of the decline in unemployment and about 70% of the reduction in inflation in the latter half of the last decade.
Case Report: Tracheal collapse in a six-year-old Yorkshire Terrier

A six-year-old male neutered Yorkshire Terrier presented with a 12-month history of paroxysmal coughing. Investigations revealed grade III tracheal collapse, with marked obstruction to airflow at the thoracic inlet on expiration. Medical management, consisting of weight loss, antitussives and anti-inflammatory steroids led to a slight improvement in the dog's signs, however the cough, exercise intolerance and hypoxic episodes continued. A flexible self-expanding metallic stent was placed within the trachea under fluoroscopic guidance. This led to long-term resolution of the dog's clinical signs.
Finite element models predict the location of microdamage in cancellous bone following uniaxial loading

High-resolution finite element models derived from micro-computed tomography images are often used to study the effects of trabecular microarchitecture and loading mode on tissue stress, but the degree to which existing finite element methods correctly predict the location of tissue failure is not well characterized. In the current study, we determined the relationship between the location of highly strained tissue, as determined from high-resolution finite element models, and the location of tissue microdamage, as determined from three-dimensional fluoroscopy imaging, which was performed after the microdamage was generated in-vitro by mechanical testing. Fourteen specimens of human vertebral cancellous bone were assessed (8 male donors, 2 female donors, 47-78 years of age). Regions of stained microdamage, were 50-75% more likely to form in highly strained tissue (principal strains exceeding 0.4%) than elsewhere, and generally the locations of the regions of microdamage were significantly correlated (p<0.05) with the locations of highly strained tissue. This spatial correlation was stronger for the largest regions of microdamage (≥1,000,000μm(3) in volume); 87% of large regions of microdamage were located near highly strained tissue. Together, these findings demonstrate that there is a strong correlation between regions of microdamage and regions of high strain in human cancellous bone, particularly for the biomechanically more important large instances of microdamage.
Organ-Size Regulation in Mammals

The control of organism and organ size is a central question in biology. Despite the attention it has received, our understanding of how adult organ size is determined and maintained is still incomplete. Early work has shown that both autonomous and regulated mechanisms drive vertebrate organ growth, and both intrinsic and extrinsic cues contribute to organ size. The molecular nature of organ-size determinants has been the subject of intense study, and major pathways, which underlie cell interactions controlling cell compartment size, have been identified. In this work, we review these data as well as the future perspectives of research in this important area of study.
The metabolism of gamma aminobutyric acid in the lobster nervous system. Enzymes in single excitatory and inhibitory axons.

γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the inhibitory transmitter compound at the lobster neuromuscular junction. This paper presents a comparison of the enzymes of GABA metabolism in single identified inhibitory and excitatory axons from lobster walking legs. Inhibitory axons contain more than 100 times as much glutamic decarboxylase activity as do excitatory axons. GABA-glutamic transaminase is found in both excitatory and inhibitory axons, but about 50% more enzyme is present in inhibitory axons. The kinetic and electrophoretic behavior of the transaminase activity in excitatory and inhibitory axons is similar. Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase is found in both axon types, as is an unknown enzyme which converts a contaminant in radioactive glutamic acid to GABA. In lobster inhibitory neurons, therefore, the ability to accumulate GABA ultimately rests on the ability of the neuron to accumulate the enzyme glutamic decarboxylase.
Optical properties of fourteen metals in the infrared and far infrared: Al, Co, Cu, Au, Fe, Pb, Mo, Ni, Pd, Pt, Ag, Ti, V, and W.

Infrared optical constants collected from the literature are tabulated for Mo and V. New data are presented for Cu, Fe, and Ni. Drude model parameters ωτ and ωp are given for the fourteen metals Al, Co, Cu, Au, Fe, Pb, Mo, Ni, Pd, Pt, Ag, Ti, V, and W. The Drude model parameters for Cu are revised from our earlier tabulation due to the availability of additional data. Refinements in our fitting technique have resulted in only slight changes in the Drude model parameters for Al, Au, Ag, and W. The Drude model parameters for Pb correct a numerical error in our earlier tabulation. For all fourteen metals, the optical resistivity has been calculated from the Drude model parameters ωτ and ωp and compared to handbook values for the dc resistivity.
A rule-based approach to knowledge acquisition for man-machine interface programs

The development of computer programs, called agents, that act as man-machine interfaces for computer users are described. These programs are written in RITA: the Rule-directed Interactive Transaction Agent system, and are organized as sets of IF-THEN rules or “production systems.” The programs, or “personal computer agents,” are divided into two main categories: those that interface the user to computer systems he wishes to use and those that interact with the user to acquire the knowledge needed to create these interface programs. The relationship between the interface program and the knowledge acquisition program is that of parent-offspring. Three types of parent-offspring RITA agent pairs are described: (1) an exemplary programming agent that watches a user perform an arbitrary series of operations on the computer and then writes a program (a task agent) to perform the same task; (2) a tutoring agent that watches an expert demonstrate the use of an interactive computer language or local operating system and then creates a teaching agent that can, help naive users become familiar with the language or system demonstrated by the expert; and (3) a reactivemessage creating agent which elicits text from a user (the sender) and from it creates a new RITA agent which is a reactive message. The reactive message is sent to some other user (the recipient) who interacts with it. During the course of the interaction a record of the recipient's responses is sent back to the sender.
Nanoscale materials for engineering and medicine

ABSTRACT Materials with nanoscale features have new or improved properties compared to bulk materials. These properties depend on the composition, size, and shape of the material, and include high specific strength and modulus, low melting point, high electrical and thermal conductivity, a large surface area to volume ratio, nearly defect-free structure, magnetic and optical properties, and sensing and actuation properties. This talk will discuss synthesis, processing, and application of nanoscale materials for engineering and medicine. Recent advances in nanoparticle synthesis include development of Black Cotton TM  which is centimeter long carbon nanotubes grown in arrays, improved carbon nanofiber material, and development of carbon nanosphere chain material which has the morphology of carbon onions chained together. Applications of these materials under development include spinning Black Cotton into thread to produce a new smart material with reinforcement, sensing, and actuation properties, use of nanotube arrays for electrodes and biosensors, catalyst loaded nanotubes for medical contrast agents, and nanosphere chains for manufacturing composite materials. Overall, this paper shows that Nanoizing materials and structures is a hot new technological science that is going to improve many aspects of our lives. These new materials are also generating intellectual property and new opportunities for small companies and universities. Key Words. Carbon Nanosphere Chain, Carbon Nanotube, Carbon Nanofiber, Black Cotton
C1-Continuous stress recovery in finite element analysis

Abstract A Penalized Discrete-Least-Squares (PDLS) variational principle is employed to recover C 1 -continuous, smooth stress fields from finite element stresses. The error functional involves discrete least-squares with a penalty constraint to enforce C 1 continuity of the recovered stresses. The recovery procedure uses a smoothing element analysis (SEA), with element-based interpolation functions, to minimize the error functional. SEA/PDLS recovers a superconvergent stress field of higher accuracy and continuity than the underlying, ‘consistent’ finite element stress field. General and specialized formulations of the functional are given, and an appropriate discretization strategy for the SEA is discussed. Numerical results for both one- and two-dimensional stress fields are presented and compared with the corresponding solutions for the superconvergent patch recovery (SPR) method of Zienkiewicz and Zhu. The results demonstrate that, in addition to achieving a higher degree of continuity, SEA/PDLS produces generally more accurate stresses than SPR. Although an additional global analysis is required, results indicate that two ‘coarse’ mesh analyses (finite element and smoothing) produce solutions comparable to a single finite element analysis with a much greater degree of refinement and more computational effort. The procedure is unique in that the recovered stress field is essentially C 1 continuous. The results are shown to be insensitive to the value of the penalty parameter above a threshold, and hence uncertainty in the choice of an appropriate penalty value is eliminated.
Translation control: Connecting mitogens and the ribosome

The identification of 3-phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1) as one of the elusive 70 kDa S6 kinase kinases has filled a gap in the signaling pathway by which extracellular receptors regulate translation. Will it cause us to reconsider the relationships between previously identified members of the pathway?
Chloro(η5-dihydropentalenyl)bis(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium(II): synthesis, structural characterization and catalytic activity in the dimerization of phenylacetylene

Abstract Reactions between HRuCl(PPh3)3 and 1,3- or 1,5-cyclooctadiene yield the 1,2-dihydropentalenyl complex (η5-C8H9)Ru(PPh3)2Cl through a series of steps including olefin insertion and electrocyclization. The reaction is accompanied by the loss of two equivalents of hydrogen. The product crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P 1 (No. 2). (η5-C8H9)Ru(PPh3)2Cl catalyzes the dimerization of phenylacetylene to a ≈2:1 mixture of Z:E 1,4-diphenyl-1-buten-3-yne. Comparison of the catalytic activity of (η5-C8H9)Ru(PPh3)2Cl with (η5-C5H5)Ru(PPh3)2Cl, (η5-C5Me5)Ru(PPh3)H3 and {η5-HB(pz)3}Ru(PPh3)2Cl suggests that the more electron-rich η5 ligands favor formation of the Z isomer.
The Secularization of Religion and Television Commercials

Secularization theory had a privileged status within sociology for many decades. Recently, this theory has been challenged on a number of grounds. Specifically, researchers have argued that religion is not on the wane in modern society, but that it is an increasingly central and influential feature of contemporary social life. Hence, there is a debate within the sociology of religion concerning the viability of secularization theory. Findings from the present project, a content analysis of 797 television commercials^ show that religious symbolism is rarely featured by television advertisers. Only 16 out of 797 commercials contained religious or spiritual content. As discussed in the paper, this finding can be interpreted in various ways with regard to the present status of secularization theory.
Mitochondrial respiration is uniquely associated with the prooxidant and apoptotic effects of N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide.

The synthetic retinoidN-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide (4HPR) is being examined in both chemoprevention and therapy clinical trials. Yet, its mechanism(s) of action is still not fully elucidated. In previous studies, an increase in mitochondrial reactive oxygen species has been proposed as one mechanism through which 4HPR could exert its proapoptotic effects. This study explored whether mitochondrial respiration is required for 4HPR action using human cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma cells and respiration-deficient clones. In parental cells, 4HPR rapidly promoted hydroperoxide production followed by mitochondrial permeability transition, caspase activity, and DNA fragmentation. Short term exposure to 4HPR also inhibited oxygen consumption in parental cells. This activity was reversed by the antioxidant vitamin C indicating the prooxidant effect of 4HPR directly impaired mitochondrial function. In respiration-deficient clones, the proapoptotic qualities of 4HPR were conspicuously diminished illustrating a central role for mitochondrial respiration in 4HPR-induced cell death. In parental cells, various mitochondrial inhibitors were examined to determine potential sites associated with the prooxidant activity of 4HPR. Inhibitors of Complex II as well as center i inhibitors of Complex III enhanced 4HPR-induced hydroperoxide production. Complex I inhibitors, centero inhibitors of Complex III, cyanide, oligomycin A, and coenzyme Q analogues decreased 4HPR-induced hydroperoxide production. The coenzyme Q analogues were very effective in this respect, and they also blocked the enhanced hydroperoxide production obtained when centeri inhibitors were combined with 4HPR. These results suggest the prooxidant property of 4HPR is associated with redox metabolism via an enzymatic process occurring at a quinone-binding site in Complex I and/or center o of Complex III.
Longitudinal changes in dietary fat intake and associated changes in cardiovascular risk factors in adults with type 2 diabetes: The ACCORD trial

Aims To measure dietary fat intake using the Puget Sound Eating Patterns (PEP) questionnaire, a validated 19-item food questionnaire, and to quantify how reduced dietary fat intake affects cardiovascular risk factors in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Models for assessing the relationship between drug concentration and drug effect in performance horses

The actions of most drugs are dependent upon achieving adequate plasma concentrations. Plasma concentrations are influenced by the degree to which a drug is absorbed, distributed, metabolized and excreted. Pharmacokinetic assessment reflects changes in these variables as a function of time. Pharmacodynamics refers to specific drug effects or mechanisms of drug action. Individual drug pharmacokinetics provides information on which to base a therapeutic dose, route of administration and dosing interval. However, not all drug actions temporally correlate with plasma kinetics. To resolve this discrepancy, pharmacodynamic models of drug action have been developed. In this review several pharmacodynamic models of anti-inflammatory and central nervous system effects are discussed in relationship to individual drug pharmacokinetics in the horse. The use of appropriate statistical models can minimize error and maximize the detection of drug effects over time. Data are presented showing the value of pharmacodynamic models in assessing and predicting the onset, peak and duration of drug action. Penetration of drugs into inflamed tissue or the brain may not temporally correlate with plasma kinetics. Therefore, drug kinetics in tissues or compartments associated with a particular effect may be a better predictor of efficacy than plasma concentrations. Recent studies have shown that exercise can affect drug disposition and influence both pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. In competitive athletes, plasma or urine concentrations of drugs are determined to regulate use. Some jurisdictions are advocating the establishment of specific drug thresholds based upon plasma or urine concentrations. However, drug effects may occur during low or undetectable plasma concentrations. Urine concentrations are often dissociated in time from those in plasma. Therefore, the use of appropriate pharmacodynamic models, and the exercising horse, can complement plasma pharmacokinetics in determining drug efficacy and drug thresholds.
Should initial clamping for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair be proximal or distal to minimise embolisation

Abstract Objectives : to determine whether clamping proximally or distally on the infrarenal aorta during abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair increases the overall embolic potential. Materials and methods : a sheath was placed in the mid-infrarenal aorta of 16 dogs. In eight animals a cross-clamp was placed at the aortic trifurcation, and in another eight animals it was placed in the immediate subrenal position. Under fluoroscopy blood flow within the infrarenal aorta was evaluated by contrast and particle injections. Greyscale analysis was used to calculate contrast density. Particle distribution was followed fluoroscopically and confirmed pathologically. Results : fifty-seven±24% of injected contrast remained within the aorta with distal clamping while 97±7% did so with proximal clamping ( p p Conclusions : initial distal clamping minimises distal embolisation, but may result in renal and/or visceral embolisation. Initial proximal clamping prevents proximal embolisation and does not promote distal embolisation. We recommend initial proximal clamping in aortic aneurysm surgery to minimise the overall risk of embolisation.
Robotic-assisted laparoscopic cryo-partial nephrectomy: a novel technique using cryoablation in lieu of hilar clamping in a porcine model

Laparoscopic and robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy has become an increasingly viable approach for the resection of renal tumors. There are several technical limitations in performing laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, the most significant being the inability to easily obtain cold ischemia which allows for an extended operative time. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of cryoablation as an alternative to hilar clamping to maintain hemostasis during robotic-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy in a porcine model. Twelve female swine underwent nine open and eight robotic-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomies using modified cryoablative methods to create hemostasis. Renal perfusion imaged with indocyanine green (ICG) and histological analysis was assessed immediately after the procedure and at 3 weeks post-operatively. With two freeze/thaw cycles, all nine open and eight robotic-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomies were successfully completed without the need for hilar clamping. The mean blood loss for the open and robotic-assisted groups was 230.6 and 99.4 ml, respectively. In all cases, maintenance of renal perfusion was confirmed by the presence of a renal pulse and intraoperative ICG imaging immediately and 3 weeks post-operatively. The histological anatomy was well preserved in the resected segment following cryo-resection. After 21 days following cryo-resection, histological analysis demonstrated normal viable tissue with minimal scarring in the remaining kidney. The use of cryoablation created a zone of hemostasis without compromising the vascularity of the remaining kidney, while preserving the renal cytoarchitecture of the segment remove for pathological analysis. Further studies will help to delineate its usefulness in laparoscopic partial nephrectomy.
Modeling of a two-body wave energy converter driven by spectral JONSWAP waves

Wave Energy Converter (WEC) design strives to produce as much power as possible across differing wave conditions. It is especially true of autonomous WECs (used, for example, to power an ocean buoy sensing system) because they are smaller and they need to maximize the amount of power produced under minimal wave energy conditions. This is because the electrical power required is considered a constant load. Autonomous WECs (AWECs) also tend to operate near shore where the wave spectral content spans a larger frequency range. This paper describes the type of spectral waves to be used during the design and simulation stage, then presents results from the WEC hydrodynamic finite element analysis (FEA) that uses integrated optimal control with both monochromatic and spectral waves. A comparison is made of these results against a SPICE simulation using a two-body equivalent circuit. Using these results, plus integrating the effects of losses in the power take-off (PTO), conclusions are reached regarding the preferred control method. It was found that damping control may be the preferable control scheme for this application.
The Professional Ills of Moral Distress and Nurse Retention: Is Ethics Education an Antidote?

Grady and colleagues (2008) have provided a major contribution to the field of bioethics, and their research should lend a significant hand to the oft-neglected ethics needs of professional nurses....
A Spatially and Temporally Explicit Life Cycle Inventory of Air Pollutants from Gasoline and Ethanol in the United States

The environmental health impacts of transportation depend in part on where and when emissions occur during fuel production and combustion. Here we describe spatially and temporally explicit life cycle inventories (LCI) of air pollutants from gasoline, ethanol derived from corn grain, and ethanol from corn stover. Previous modeling for the U.S. by Argonne National Laboratory (GREET: Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation) suggested that life cycle emissions are generally higher for ethanol from corn grain or corn stover than for gasoline. Our results show that for ethanol, emissions are concentrated in the Midwestern “Corn Belt”. We find that life cycle emissions from ethanol exhibit different temporal patterns than from gasoline, reflecting seasonal aspects of farming activities. Enhanced chemical speciation beyond current GREET model capabilities is also described. Life cycle fine particulate matter emissions are higher for ethanol from corn grain than for ethanol from co...
Cardiac catheterization reduces resource utilization in patients with chronic chest pain.

The evaluation of patients with recurrent chest pain accounts for a significant proportion of the $274 billion annual cost of cardiovascular services in the United States. Our investigation examines the impact of coronary angiography on subsequent use of medical resources for evaluation of chest pain symptoms. The study seeks to determine whether a finding of noncritical coronary artery disease on cardiac catheterization leads to a reduced use of resources for subsequent evaluation and treatment of chest pain syndromes. Our study included 22 consecutive patients who had sought evaluation for chest pain symptoms, and who had persistence of symptoms after functional testing. Cardiac catheterization demonstrated angiographically mild coronary artery disease (stenosis less than 50%) in these patients. The patient cohort accounted for 22 emergency room evaluations and 41 ambulatory clinic evaluations in the 2.5 years before cardiac catheterization. In the 2.5-year period after catheterization, these patients had only 3 emergency room visits and 1 ambulatory clinic visit for chest pain evaluation (P < 0.001). There was a significant reduction in the number of prescriptions written for topical and oral nitrates (32% precatheterization vs. 5% postcatheterization, P < 0.04), but not of β-blockers (26% vs. 21%, P = 0.53) or calcium blockers (32% vs. 32%, P = 1.0). Furthermore, most of the 21 surviving patients were found subsequently to have a noncardiac basis for their pain: pericarditis was felt to be the cause of chest pain in 4 patients, pulmonary disease in 7 patients, and gastrointestinal conditions in 8 patients. Diagnostic coronary arteriography may identify a subset of patients in whom a finding of noncritical coronary artery disease leads to a reduction in physician visits for evaluation of chest pain syndromes and reduced use of nitrates. In addition, when coronary artery disease is known to be mild, a noncardiac etiology for the chest pain can be sought. These results may decrease the use of expensive medical resources and encourage full occupational and lifestyle rehabilitation. Cathet. Cardiovasc. Intervent. 49:363–366, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
An electron microscopic study of the Malpighian tubules of the grasshopper, Dissosteira carolina.

Certain specializations of the Malpighian tubules of the grasshopper are described. The epithelial, tracheolar, and muscle cells are attached to each other by thin, flat lamellar cross-bridges which extend between adjacent plasma membranes. The basement membrane separating the epithelium from the muscular and tracheolar elements is fibrous, and in some areas the fibers have a unique periodic structure. The apical polypoid processes of the epithelium appear to be engaged in pinocytosis.
Primary sarcoma of an iliac artery aneurysm

Vascular tumours are heterogenous neoplasms ranging from the common benign hemangiomas of small vessels, to the very rare and malignant spindle cell sarcomas of large vessels. Since the first report of a p r imary tumour of a large artery in 18731 there have been only 45 reported cases in the wor ld literature. The majority (75%), of large vessel tumours arise in the thoracic and abdominal aorta. Of the peripheral arteries, the iliac and femoral are the most frequently affected. We report a case of an undifferentiated sarcoma ensuing in a degenerative aneurysm of the iliac artery. We also review the literature as it pertains to tumours arising in the aorta and its major branches. common iliac artery aneurysm was thrombosed. An aor togram confirmed the CT scan findings (Fig. 1). With his symptoms persisting, we urgent ly operated on the patient. There was ectasia of the infrarenal abdominal aorta with localised aneurysmal dilatation of the common iliac arteries. The left iliac artery was thrombosed and contained laminated thrombus. Grossly, the aneurysm wall and thrombus were normal in colour and consistency. The right iliac artery aneurysm consisted of an inf lammatory mass; the wall was thick, shiny and white. The aneurysmal dilatation extended into the internal iliac artery; the external iliac was normal. The ureter and iliac vein were en t rapped
A 10-Year Systematic Review of HIV/AIDS Mass Communication Campaigns: Have We Made Progress?

The purpose of the current study was to conduct a 10-year systematic review of HIV/AIDS mass communication campaigns focused on sexual behavior, HIV testing, or both (1998-2007) and to compare the results with the last comprehensive review of such campaigns, conducted by Myhre and Flora (2000). A comprehensive search strategy yielded 38 HIV/AIDS campaign evaluation articles published in peer-reviewed journals, representing 34 distinct campaign efforts conducted in 23 countries. The articles were coded on a variety of campaign design and evaluation dimensions by two independent coders. Results indicated that compared with the previous systematic review (1986-1998 period), campaigns increasingly have employed the following strategies: (1) targeted defined audiences developed through audience segmentation procedures; (2) designed campaign themes around behavior change (rather than knowledge change); (3) used behavioral theories; (4) achieved high message exposure; (5) used stronger research designs for outcome evaluation; and (6) included measures of behavior (or behavioral intentions) in outcome assessments. In addition, an examination of 10 campaign efforts that used more rigorous quasi-experimental designs revealed that the majority (8 of 10) demonstrated effects on behavior change or behavioral intentions. Despite these positive developments, most HIV/AIDS campaigns continue to use weak (i.e., preexperimental) outcome evaluation designs. Implications of these results for improved design, implementation, and evaluation of HIV/AIDS campaign efforts are discussed.
Nonpsychotic thought disorder: Objective clinical identification of somatization and antisocial personality in language patterns

Abstract This report describes a new method of using language patterns to identify somatization and antisocial personality (ASPD) disorders in clinical practice. A set of definitions describing characteristic speech patterns was developed to identify “nonpsychotic thought disorder” (NPTD). Speech patterns of subjects with somatization disorder and/or ASPD were compared with those of controls. Blind raters assessed audiotaped samples of speech obtained through openended interviews for instances of elements of NPTD. Women with somatization or ASPD had significantly more NPTD speech responses than controls, and women with both disorders showed the greatest amount. Antisocial men did not demonstrate more NPTD than controls, nor was somatization in men associated with NPTD. Clinical attention to speech patterns in patients may help alert clinicians to these disorders in women and serve as indicators for screening for these disorders. More study is needed to develop psychometric properties of the instruments on larger samples, and to identify speech indicators of personality disorder in men. It is likely that other personality disorders, e.g., borderline personality disorder, can be identified through speech patterns, and they deserve study with these methods.
Enhancing test power systems for dynamic cascading outage simulations

Cascading outages are a series of complex dynamic mechanisms, and could lead to major system disturbances and large blackouts. Some of the key mechanisms of cascading outages can only be studied with a dynamic power system model, which emphasizes the significance of dynamic cascading outage simulations. However, most test systems from related literature do not include sufficient data for dynamic simulations and none of them is thus able to capture all possible cascading mechanisms. The aim of this paper is to propose a small set of test systems with minimum required data, including dynamic information and protection elements, as a standard for dynamic cascading outage simulations. It presents the detailed information about each test system, and describes the algorithms that are used to generate the missing data if the baseline test cases are not complete. All proposed test systems are available through the web link: http://web.engr.oregonstate.edu/∼cotillaj/ecs/Cases.html
Complications of Immunosuppressive/Immunomodulatory Therapy in Neurological Diseases

The first critical step in the appropriate treatment of neurological infectious disease accompanying immunosuppressive states or immunomodulatory medication is to properly identify the offending organism. Broadly immunosuppressive conditions will predispose to both common and uncommon infectious diseases. There are substantial differences between neurological infectious disorders complicating disturbances of the innate immunity (neutrophils, monocytes and macrophages) and those due to abnormal adaptive immunity (humoral and cellular immunity). Similarly, there are differences in the types of infections with impaired humoral immunity compared to disturbed cellular immunity and between T- and B-cell disorders. HIV/AIDS has been a model of acquired immunosuppression and the nature of opportunistic infections with which it has been associated has been well characterized and generally correlates well with the degree of CD4 lymphopenia. Increasingly, immunotherapies target specific components of the immune system, such as an adhesion molecule or its ligand or surface receptors on a special class of cells. These targeted perturbations of the immune system increase the risk of particular infectious diseases. For instance, natalizumab, an α4β1 integrin inhibitor that is highly effective in multiple sclerosis, increases the risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy for reasons that still remain unclear. It is likely that other therapies that result in a disruption of a specific component of the immune system will be associated with other unique opportunistic infections. The risk of multiple simultaneous neurological infections in the immunosuppressed host must always be considered, particularly with a failure to respond to a therapeutic regimen. With respect to appropriate and effective therapy, diagnostic accuracy assumes primacy, but occasionally broad spectrum therapy is necessitated. For a number of opportunistic infectious disorders, particularly some viral and fungal diseases, antimicrobial therapy remains inadequate.
Evidence for the direct isomerization of a platinocyclobutane to an olefin complex

Abstract Dichloro-2,3,3-trimethyl-1-platinocyclobutane, , prepared by the metathetical reaction of Zeise's dimer and 1,1,2-trimethylcyclopropane, reacts with pyridine in chloroform to produce a platinum complex of 2,3-dimethyl-1-butene . Reaction of I with pyridine at low temperatures (ca. −40° C) leads to a pyridine addition compound (III) in which the platinocyclobutane ring remains intact. The thermal isomerization of III, which may be conveniently studied using NMR, produces a mixture of II and the free olefin.
Chemical transport in silicone rubber membranes from pure powders and saturated aqueous solutions

Abstract In this study membrane permeation was measured from finely divided pure powder and saturated aqueous solutions of two test chemicals with low vapor pressure, methyl paraben and 4-cyanophenol, through silicone rubber (polydimethylsiloxane) using diffusion cells operated to insure the concentration was negligible at the interface between the membrane and the receptor solution. The steady-state flux from the pure powder was substantial and similar to that from a saturated aqueous solution, but smaller by an amount that was statistically significant. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the ratios of the fluxes from the pure powder and saturated water for MP and CP (0.66 ± 0.10 and 0.72 ± 0.07, respectively), suggesting a physical rather than chemical cause for the different flux results for powder and saturated water. One explanation is that diffusion proceeds from the entire membrane surface for the saturated solution, but only from the membrane surface in direct contact with the pure powder for these nearly non-volatile chemicals. In contrast to these new results, an earlier study saw no difference in the rate or amount of absorption of 3- and 4-cyenophenol into silicone rubber membranes mounted on an attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) crystal. The results from mathematical model simulations of non-volatile chemical sources covering only a fraction of the membrane surface in the diffusion cell and ATR-FTIR experimental systems suggest that the measurement variability was large enough to make the earlier study insensitive to differences in the powder and saturated solutions. From a comparison of the mathematical model simulations to the new diffusion cell results, we estimate that less than 5% of the membrane surface had direct contact with chemical in the powder experiments.
Priming and the Differential Use of Dimensions in Evaluation

Two experiments demonstrated the impact of passively activated categories on the use of prime-relevant versus prime-irrelevant dimensions in later evaluations and preference judgments. In both experiments, concepts relevant to one of two dimensions of judgment were initially activated by requiring subjects to rehearse words in the course of a memory test. In supposedly unrelated subsequent tasks, subjects were asked to evaluate (in the first experiment) and choose between (in the second experiment) targets described as having positive attributes on one dimension and negative attributes on the other dimension. As predicted, subjects' evaluations and preferences reflected the greater impact of the information relevant to the primed dimension. Recall for the information presented in Experiment 2 provided some evidence for differential attention to the prime-relevant information as the mediating mechanism for the effect.
Trends in renal tumor surgery delivery within the United States.

Health disparities are differences in the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and burden of disease and other adverse health conditions that exist among specific population groups in the United States. National Institutes of Health, 2002.1 Kidney cancer is the third most common genitourinary malignancy in the United States and ranks seventh among the leading causes of cancer in men and ninth among the leading cause of cancer in women.2 Surgical resection, primarily by radical nephrectomy (RN), has been the standard treatment for localized kidney tumors for over 40 years. During the past decade, there has been a change in the management of localized kidney tumors with an emphasis on avoiding removal of the entire affected kidney.3,4 This change has been driven by a downward size and stage migration of newly diagnosed renal cortical tumors, a better understanding of the biology of the disease, and an appreciation for the impact of surgical treatment on both oncologic and nononcologic outcomes.5,6 Partial nephrectomy (PN), which once was reserved for patients with essential indications (such as preexisting kidney disease, tumor in a solitary kidney, and bilateral renal masses) now is used routinely at tertiary care centers for the management of localized kidney tumors. It has been demonstrated that PN achieves oncologic outcomes equivalent to those produced by RN in tumors that measure <4 cm and in select tumors up to 7 cm.7-10 Furthermore, PN reportedly reduced the risk of chronic kidney disease compared with RN and, subsequently, also may reduce the risk of adverse cardiovascular events and premature death in these patients.11-13 Currently, at academic centers of excellence, up to 90% of patients with T1a tumors (≤4 cm) undergo PN.14,15 Despite this, an examination of national practice patterns does not appear to reflect a similar trend, and there remains a disparity in the use of PN among certain targeted groups (elderly patients and women).16 An analysis of the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) cancer registry up to 2001 indicates that only 20% of patients who had renal tumors that ranged in size from 2 cm to 4 cm underwent PN17 and also reflected a disparity in the use of PN among women and the elderly.16 Therefore, the objectives of the current study were to examine data from the most current SEER cancer registry (1999-2006), to evaluate contemporary national practice pattern trends in renal surgery, and to elucidate whether or not disparities in the use of PN continue to occur in the United States.
Peroxidase activity and propanil degradation in soil

Summary: The herbicide N-(3,4-dichloropxhenyl)-propionamide (propanil) and a metabolite of propanil, 3,4-dichloroaniline (DCA), were mixed with Nixon loam soil which was subjected to moisture and air-drying treatments. Degradation of propanil was altered by subjecting the treated soil samples to storage conditions of moisture, drying and chloroform. The peroxidase activity in fresh soil was very low when soil samples were collected during the cold season. The amount of 3,3′,4,4′- tetrachloroazobenzene (TCAB) produced from DCA increased with a simultaneous increase in the peroxidase activity in preincubated soil where carbon and nitrogen sources were added. Resume: Activite de la Peroxydase et digradation du propanil dans le sol L'herbicide N-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-propionamide (propanil) et un metabolite du propanil, la 3,4-dichloroanilide (DCA) ont ete melanges avec un sol argileux de Nixon, lequel a ete soumis a des traitements d'humidification et de sechage a l'air. La degradation du propanil a ete modifiee en soumettant les echantillons de sol traitea diverses conditions de stockage quant a I'humidite, le sechage et le chloroforme. L'activite de la peroxydase dans le sol frais a ete tres faible lorsque les echantillons ont ete recueillis pendant la saison froide. La quantite de 3,3′-4,4′-tetrachloroazobenzine (TCAB) produite a partir du DCA s'est accrue simultanement avec l'augmentation d'activite de la peroxydase dans un sol ayant subi une incubation prealable et auquel il avait ete ajoute des sources de carbone et d'azote. Zusammenfassung Peroxidaseaktivitat und Abbau von Propanil im Boden Das Herbizid N-(3,4-Dichlorphenyl)-propionamid (Propanil) und ein Metabolit von Propanil, 3,4-Dichloranilid (DCA) wurden in Nixon-Lehmboden eingemischt und feucht und lufttrocken gelagert. Der Abbau von Propanil wurde durch die Lagerung im feuchten Boden und im lufttrockenen Boden plus Chloroform beeinflusst. Die Peroxidaseaktivitat war im frischen Boden sehr gering, wenn die Bodenproben wahrend der kalten Jahreszeit gezogen wurden. Im Boden, dem eine Kohlenstoff- und Stickstoffquelle zugesetzt war, nahm der Anteil von 3,3′-4,4′-Tetrachlorazobenzol (TCAB), das aus DCA gebildet wurde, mit einem gleichzeitigen Anstieg der Peroxidaseaktivitat zu.
Cell type switching by DNA transposition in fission yeast

The mating-type genes of Schizosaccharomyces pombe have been isolated. Restriction and heteroduplex mapping have demonstrated that cell type switching occurs by copy transposition of a 1.1 kilobase sequence from one of two silent storage cassettes to an expression locus at mat1. The switching event is initiated by a long-lived double-strand DNA break at mat1. The properties of this cut are discussed in relation to the known pattern of cell type switching.
Reactions of tetrabromocatecholatomanganese(III) complexes with dioxygen.

New five- and six-coordinate complexes containing the [MnIII(Br4cat)2]− core (Br4cat2− = tetrabromo-1,2-catecholate) have been prepared. Homoleptic [MnIII(Br4cat)3]3− reacts rapidly with O2 to produce tetrabromo-1,2-benzoquinone (Br4bq). The [MnIII(Br4cat)2]− fragment is a robust catalytic platform for the aerobic conversion of catechols to quinones. The oxidase activity apparently derives from the coupling of metal- and ligand-centered redox events.
Dopamine D2-Receptor-Mediated Increase in Vascular and Endothelial NOS Activity Ameliorates Cerebral Vasospasm After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage In Vitro

Introduction Cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a serious complication resulting in delayed neurological deficit, increased morbidity, mortality, longer hospital stays, and rehabilitation time. It afflicts approximately 35 per 100,000 Americans per year, and there is currently no effective therapy. We present in vitro data suggesting that increasing intrinsic nitric oxide relaxation pathways in vascular smooth muscle via dopaminergic agonism ameliorates cerebral vasospasm after SAH.