cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Two Hypotheses of Independence for the Recognition of Qualitative Co-occurrences in Small Amounts of Data

Abstract The amount of data with which a historian works is sometimes limited by the availability of sources. When qualitative distinctions are to be compared in the context of only a small amount of data, ACTUS, a computer application originally described in this journal in 1989 by Carl B. Estabrook and George F. Estabrook, may enable a scholar to make a statistically supported interpretation in cases where he or she might otherwise have avoided interpretation, have made a purely verbal argument, or have even been misled. The present work presents ACTUS2, which implements several new hypotheses of independence.
Recurrent and extensive vascular malformations in a patient with Bannayan--Riley--Ruvalcaba syndrome.

Bannayan–Riley–Ruvalcaba syndrome (BRRS) is a rare, usually autosomal dominant, disease associated with the PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome, and it is clinically diagnosed in the presence of the triad of macrocephaly, genital lentiginosis, and intestinal polyposis. Vascular malformations, including arteriolovenous shunts, arteriovenous anomalies, and arteriovenous fistulae, can also be seen in a subset of BRRS patients, varying from local overgrowth of small vessels to large aneurysms. The range of these vascular manifestations and the pathophysiology behind them are not completely understood. In this case study, we report on a patient with BRRS and recurrent vascular malformations of the left lower extremity. We also review the current literature, with a specific focus on the breadth of vascular malformations and reported care of these BRRS patients. Based on the recurrent and sometimes extensive nature of the vascular pathology, it is recommended that physicians monitor BRRS patients closely for early detection and treatment.
ATM Prevents the Persistence and Propagation of Chromosome Breaks in Lymphocytes

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) induce a signal transmitted by the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase, which suppresses illegitimate joining of DSBs and activates cell-cycle checkpoints. Here we show that a significant fraction of mature ATM-deficient lymphocytes contain telomere-deleted ends produced by failed end joining during V(D)J recombination. These RAG-1/2 endonuclease-dependent, terminally deleted chromosomes persist in peripheral lymphocytes for at least 2 weeks in vivo and are stable over several generations in vitro. Restoration of ATM kinase activity in mature lymphocytes that have transiently lost ATM function leads to loss of cells with terminally deleted chromosomes. Thus, maintenance of genomic stability in lymphocytes requires faithful end joining as well a checkpoint that prevents the long-term persistence and transmission of DSBs. Silencing this checkpoint permits DNA ends produced by V(D)J recombination in a lymphoid precursor to serve as substrates for translocations with chromosomes subsequently damaged by other means in mature cells.
Association of Marketing Interactions With Medical Trainees’ Knowledge About Evidence-Based Prescribing: Results From a National Survey

Importance In recent years, numerous US medical schools and academic medical centers have enacted policies preventing pharmaceutical sales representatives from interacting directly with students. Little is known about how pharmaceutical sales representatives affect trainees' knowledge about pharmaceutical prescribing. Objective To determine whether there is an association between medical trainees' interactions with pharmaceutical promotion and their preferences in medication use. Design, setting, and participants We surveyed a nationally representative sample of first- and fourth-year medical students and third-year residents by randomly selecting at least 14 trainees at each level per school. Exposures All trainees were asked how often they used different educational resources to learn about prescription drugs. Among fourth-year students and residents, we posed a series of multiple choice knowledge questions asking about the appropriate initial therapy for clinical scenarios involving patients with diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and difficulty sleeping. Main outcomes and measures Evidence-based answers followed widely used clinical guidelines, while marketed-drug answers favored brand-name drugs over generic alternatives. We used survey answers to build an industry relations index assessing each trainee's level of acceptance of pharmaceutical promotion; we used proportional odds logistic regression models to estimate the association between the index and responses to the knowledge questions. Results The 1601 student (49.0% response rate) and 735 resident (42.9% response rate) respondents reported common use of unfiltered sources of drug information such as Google (74.2%-88.9%) and Wikipedia (45.2%-84.5%). We found that 48% to 90% of fourth-year students and residents accurately identified evidence-based prescribing choices. A 10-point higher industry relations index was associated with 15% lower odds of selecting an evidence-based prescribing choice (odds ratio [OR], 0.85; 95% CI, 0.79-0.92) (P Conclusions and relevance Among physician trainees, our survey showed an association between positive attitudes toward industry-physician interactions and less knowledge about evidence-based prescribing and greater inclination to recommend brand-name drugs. Policies intended to insulate trainees from pharmaceutical marketing may promote better educational outcomes.
Effects of strong electric fields on resonant structures in H - photodetachment

Relativistic kinematics with an 800-MeV H/sup -/ beam at the Clinton P. Anderson Meson Physics Facility (LAMPF) at Los Alamos allows the observation, with very little background, of resonant structures in the photodetachment spectrum of H/sup -/ in intense electric fields. We report studies of the /sup 1/P resonances near n = 2 in H/sup -/ in electric fields as high as 1.3 MV/cm. The splitting of the /sup 1/P Feshbach resonance can be explained by Stark mixing with a nearly degenerate /sup 1/S resonance. For field values above those required to quench the Feshbach resonances a /sup 1/D state is observed, apparently induced by Stark mixing with the /sup 1/P shape resonance. The systematics of the behavior of these resonances are compared with the results of a simple perturbation model.
The tenth year of the “Universal Protocol”: are our patients safer today?

The “Universal Protocol” (UP) was launched as a regulatory compliance standard by the Joint Commission on 1st July 1 2004, with the primary intent of reducing the occurrence of wrong-site and wrong-patient surgery. As we’re heading into the tenth year of the UP implementation in the United States, it is time for critical assessment of the protocol’s impact on patient safety related to the incidence of preventable never-events. This article opens the debate on the potential shortcomings and pitfalls of the UP, and provides recommendations on how to circumvent specific inherent vulnerabilities of this widely established patient safety protocol.
An effect of photoperiod history on reproductive function and a circadian rhythm of blind male hamsters.

Abstract The present experiments tested the hypothesis derived from the external coincidence model of photoperiodic time measurement that photoperiod history has no effect on gonadal regression induced by the absence of photic stimulation. Groups of reproductively mature male hamsters entrained to a long photoperiod were subjected to one of a variety of light cycle phase shifts followed several days later by blinding. Across all experiments, full gonadal atrophy occurred in all animals (N=58) not experiencing a shift or experiencing a phase advance, but failed to occur in 44% of animals (N=27) experiencing a 4 hr phase delay. A decrease or increase in the period of the circadian locomotor activity rhythm was an after-effect of a phase advance or delay, respectively. Prior to gonadal regression, animals whose testes did eventually regress normally spent fewer minutes running per day than did animals whose testes did not atrophy normally. The shorter running time was particularly associated with a decline in running during the early subjective night. Both gonadal size and wheelrunning patterns in blind hamsters are lighting history dependent and inconsistent with the external coincidence model of photoperiodic time measurement.
Residence time distribution of food and simulated particles in a model horizontal swept surface heat exchanger

The residence time distribution (RTD) of food and inert particles flowing in a swept surface heat exchanger at room temperature was investigated. The effects of selected experimental conditions on RTD include particle shape (cube, cylinder, and sphere), particle concentration (10, 20, and 30% w/v), particle type (potato, carrot, turkey, green peas, and polystyrene), fluid viscosity (water, 0.5% CMC, and 1.0% CMC), bulk flow rate (5.8 x 10 -4 , 7.28 x 10 -4 , and 8.71 x 10 -4 m 3 /s) and shaft rotational speed (30, 60, and 90 rpm). Although turkey cubes were denser than other food particles, they moved faster than potato and carrot particles. Mean particle normalized residence time (MNPRT) of food particles (green peas) were found to be significantly higher than that of simulated particles polystyrene). Cylindrical particles stayed longer than cubic particles in water, but not significantly in CMC solution. MNPRT values were found to be dependent on viscosity. Increasing particle concentration (up to 30%) tended to decrease MNPRT. Both bulk flow rate and shaft rotational speed tend to decrease MNPRT, thus reducing the lethality achieved. The distribution of residence time curves were narrowed by decreasing particle concentration, bulk flow rate, and shaft rotational speed, and by using fluids with high viscosity. In general, particle velocity was found to be higher than the average bulk velocity. The fastest particle velocity was found to be 3.23 times the average bulk velocity while the ratio was 0.382 for the slowest.
Divergence of vocal culture among isolated alpine habitats is inconsistent among three Oscine species

Divergence in song culture has been well documented among isolated bird populations. Montane populations separated by unsuitable lower-elevation habitats thus appear to be excellent candidates for cultural divergence, and existing data support this conjecture. To explore the generality of this phenomenon, we investigated song sharing patterns in songbird species breeding in isolated alpine life zones in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. We recorded songs of American Pipits (Anthus rubescens alticola), Wilson’s Warblers (Cardellina pusilla pileolata), and White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys leucophrys) across 19 sites among 6 mountain ranges. We used spectrographic cross-correlation to calculate song similarity coefficients between individuals within and among populations. White-crowned Sparrows exhibited significantly elevated song sharing within isolated mountain ranges, but Wilson’s Warbler and the American Pipit did not. Cluster analyses showed that White-crowned Sparrow songs diverged among alpine fragments but were generally similar among sites within contiguous alpine habitat within mountain ranges. There was no such clustering within American Pipit or Wilson’s Warbler populations. Song similarity declined with distance between sites within contiguous alpine habitat in White-crowned Sparrows but not in American Pipits or Wilson’s Warblers. Our results provide convincing evidence for the existence of geographically structured vocal culture in White-crowned Sparrow populations in Colorado, and this geographic pattern may be explained by clinal variation rather than by a mosaic pattern of divergence among isolated alpine fragments.
Two mechanisms of isoproterenol inhibition of smooth muscle.

Abstract The relaxation of depolarized ileal and uterine smooth muscle by isoproterenol was compared with that brought about by dibutyryl-cAMP and by other agents which increase cytoplasmic cAMP. Qualitative differences observed between the time courses of the relaxations imply the existence of a rapid β-adrenergic mechanism independent of cAMP as well as slower cAMP-dependent relaxation. This dual process model for β-adrenergic inhibition of smooth muscle is consistent with seemingly opposing published reports.
Evaluation of a preventive medicine curriculum: incorporating a case-based approach

Abstract Background Evaluating the acquisition of skills in prevention is an increasing priority in prevention education. Assessment instruments were developed to measure student skills before and after an education intervention at State University of New York (SUNY)–Upstate Medical University. Methods The evaluation method used three testing instruments that measure preventive medicine skills. We selected three surrogate topics, each their own instrument: sexually transmitted disease, lead toxicity, and ischemic heart disease. All three instruments measure four key preventive medicine skills areas: (1) using and interpreting data sources; (2) measuring disease frequency, including incidence and prevalence; (3) making inferences and identifying bias in data presentations; and (4) identifying appropriate study design and screening tests. Second-year medical students were assessed before and after our preventive medicine course in spring 2002, using our evaluative instruments. Results Before and after instruction analysis, overall, and by skills area tested revealed a significant increase in student preventive medicine skills ( p ≤0.001) in all four categories. On conclusion of the case-based curriculum, students were also asked to rate the cases. The majority (60%) of the students thought the cases were of value to their medical education, and 58% believed that they added to their skills in population prevention. Conclusions These instruments can measure change in preventive medicine skills before and after a course in preventive medicine.
BUT WHERE ARE THE YOUTH? ON THE VALUE OF INTEGRATING YOUTH CULTURE INTO LITERACY THEO

“Literacy is at the heart of world development and human rights,” writes Federico Mayor in the opening line of his foreword to Literacy: An International Handbook.’ Although this quote comes from only one of the texts from which this essay builds, it could actually be the opening line of any of the three books: Literacy as a Moral Imperative, Literacy for the Twenty-First Century, and Literacy: An International Handbook2 The authors of each text state clearly their belief in the power and promise of literacy even while they acknowledge the potential problem of literacy crusades, as Daniel Wagner does in his introduction to The Handbook:
Identity and Adornment in the Third-millennium bc Mesopotamian ‘Royal Cemetery’ at Ur

This article presents a study of the deposition of jewellery on bodies in the third-millennium bc Mesopotamian ‘Royal Cemetery’ at Ur. Four assemblages of adornments are identified and evaluated in relation to burial type, gender, age, privilege, and behavioural role. Aspects of the social and ritual identities of the dead are then interpreted through adornment. While the historic definition of the interred community and the precise nature of their practices are open to speculation, this study begins to clarify dynamics of group and individual identity at this site of human sacrifice.
Modification of High-Yield Pulps with Polyethylene Glycols. I. Model Compound and Isolated Lignin Studies

Phenolic hydroxyl groups in three lignin model compounds, guaiacol, acetoguaiacone, and dehydrodiisoeugenol, and in organosolv lignin were blocked by etherification with polyethylene glycol (PEG). Polyethylene glycol modification, even at a low degree of substitution, greatly enhanced the hydrophilicity of the substrate, producing water-soluble substances. When etherified by reaction with PEG-mesylate, the lignin dimer model compound, dehydrodiisoeugenol, was stabilized considerably against light-induced yellowing.
Transient measurements of feedback control systems

Application of Feedback Control systems has become so extensive that much engineering effort is spent in their evaluation and maintenance.
The generalized variance of a stationary autoregressive process

For a stationary autoregressive process of order p and disturbance variance σ2 it is shown that the determinant of the covariance of T (≥p) consecutive random variables of the process is (σ2)T Πi,j=1p (1 − wiwj)−1, where w1, …, wp are the roots of the associated polynomial equation.
Progress toward a global understanding of infective endocarditis Lessons from the International Collaboration on Endocarditis

In the century and a quarter since William Osler delivered his famed Gulstonian lectures on endocarditis, continual advancements have been made in understanding and treating this disease. Here we have reviewed some key aspects of current knowledge in the areas of population epidemiology, host factors, microorganisms, and diagnosis. The advent of the ICE investigation provides the opportunity to further expand our understanding of IE by developing a very large, global database of IE patients whose clinical, echocardiographic, and microbiologic findings have been characterized with standard methodology. Further, ICE may serve as a rich source of material for investigators seeking to perform specific studies. Finally, the ICE infrastructure creates the opportunity for performing randomized trials to test therapeutic strategies. Although many obstacles remain to be overcome, ICE has created the opportunity for a quantum leap in our knowledge of IE over the next 25 years.
PocketLens: Toward a personal recommender system

Recommender systems using collaborative filtering are a popular technique for reducing information overload and finding products to purchase. One limitation of current recommenders is that they are not portable. They can only run on large computers connected to the Internet. A second limitation is that they require the user to trust the owner of the recommender with personal preference data. Personal recommenders hold the promise of delivering high quality recommendations on palmtop computers, even when disconnected from the Internet. Further, they can protect the user's privacy by storing personal information locally, or by sharing it in encrypted form. In this article we present the new PocketLens collaborative filtering algorithm along with five peer-to-peer architectures for finding neighbors. We evaluate the architectures and algorithms in a series of offline experiments. These experiments show that Pocketlens can run on connected servers, on usually connected workstations, or on occasionally connected portable devices, and produce recommendations that are as good as the best published algorithms to date.
Convective instability with time-varying rotation

We study experimentally the convective instability in a layer of helium I subject to a time-dependent rotation about a vertical axis \ensuremath{\Omega}(t)=${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Omega}}}_{\mathit{s}}$+${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Omega}}}_{0}$cos(\ensuremath{\omega}\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}t). Relative stability of the conducting state is primarily determined by \ensuremath{\omega}\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}, with the magnitude of shifts in the convective threshold at fixed \ensuremath{\omega}\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{} increasing with the modulation amplitude ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Omega}}}_{0}$/${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Omega}}}_{\mathit{s}}$. Our observations are compared with recent theoretical work.
The effect of hyperstriatal lesions on head orientation to a sound stimulus in chickens.

Effect of lesions in hyperstriatal layers of chicken telencephalon on head orientation to sound stimulus
Is the data encryption standard a group? (Results of cycling experiments on DES)

The Data Encryption Standard (DES) defines an indexed set of permutations acting on the message space ℳ ={0,1}64. If this set of permutations were closed under functional composition, then the two most popular proposals for strengthening DES through multiple encryption would be equivalent to single encryption. Moreover, DES would be vulnerable to a known-plaintext attack that runs in 228 steps on the average. It is unknown in the open literature whether or not DES has this weakness.
Puzzle-Based Storage Systems

Abstract : We introduce and develop models for a physical goods storage system based on the 15-puzzle, a classic children's game in which 15 numbered tiles slide within a 4 x 4 grid. The objective of the game is to arrange the tiles in numerical sequence, starting from a random arrangement. For our purposes, the tiles represent totes, pallets, or even containers that must be stored very densely, and the objective is to maneuver items to an input-output point for retrieval or processing. We develop analytical results for storage configurations having a single empty location (as in the game) and experimental results for configurations with multiple empty locations. Designs with many empty locations can be made to form aisles, allowing us to compare puzzle-based designs with traditional aisle-based designs found in warehousing systems.
Intermediate golgi alpha-D-mannosidosis and mucolipidosis II and III.

INTERMEDIATE GOLGI α-D-MANNOSIDASE ACTIVITY IN FIBROBLASTS FROM PATIENTS WITH MANNOSIDOSIS AND MUCOLIPIDOSIS II AND III
Preservice Teachers' Reflection on Clinical Experiences: A Comparison of Blog and Final Paper Assignments

AbstractThis study focused on the depth of reflection in the writing of preservice teachers who completed end-of-the-semester reflective papers or reflective blogs for undergraduate education courses associated with clinical experiences. Coders rated the depth of reflection as one of four categories: non-reflection, understanding, reflection, or critical reflection. Our analyses revealed that preservice teachers who completed blogs showed higher levels of reflection in their writing compared to those who completed papers. Additionally, the blogs had the added advantage of being shorter by 1,000 words on average. We did not observe any relationship between peer or instructor feedback and overall depth of reflection. We then discuss the importance of teaching reflection and provide suggestions for implementing blog reflections in teacher education courses.
Implicit and Explicit Ethnocentrism: Revisiting the Ideologies of Prejudice

Two studies investigated relationships among individual differences in implicit and explicit prejudice, right-wing ideology, and rigidity in thinking. The first study examined these relationships focusing on White Americans' prejudice toward Black Americans. The second study provided the first test of implicit ethnocentrism and its relationship to explicit ethnocentrism by studying the relationship between attitudes toward five social groups. Factor analyses found support for both implicit and explicit ethnocentrism. In both studies, mean explicit attitudes toward out groups were positive, whereas implicit attitudes were negative, suggesting that implicit and explicit prejudices are distinct; however, in both studies, implicit and explicit attitudes were related (r = .37, .47). Latent variable modeling indicates a simple structure within this ethnocentric system, with variables organized in order of specificity. These results lead to the conclusion that (a) implicit ethnocentrism exists and (b) it is related to and distinct from explicit ethnocentrism.
Managing contractor safety the contractor's perspective

Too often safety during work at site is perceived as the responsibility of the contractor alone. Current health and safety legislation would say otherwise. This paper covers the practical aspects of managing the safety of personnel involved in undertaking work on switchgear at a customer's site. It will give an overview of the expectations of the contractor as well as giving details of the safe working practices', which have been adopted by such a contractor. (12 pages)
Alternating-lever cyclic-ratio schedule analysis of the effects of atropine sulfate

Cholinergic dysfunction has been implicated in the behavioral and memory impairment that is the hallmark of conditions such as delirium and Alzheimer's Disease. Anticholinergic drugs have been widely used in procedures designed to mimic aspects of the pathology of these conditions in rats. Procedures in use vary widely in sensitivity and behavioral specificity and may be confounded by administration of high drug doses that may not be physiologically relevant. The current study proposes the use of rats responding on an alternating lever cyclic-ratio schedule to study the effects of the anticholinergic compound atropine sulfate. This procedure enables simultaneous measurement of anticipatory ratio tracking (postreinforcement pause durations), perseverations (lever switching errors), and nonspecific peripheral drug effects (running response rates). Results of this study suggest that the schedule is sensitive to low drug doses (0.1-1.0 mg/kg atropine), measures the ability to track changing ratio conditions and to execute lever alternation, and allows for monitoring of peripheral drug effects during behavioral testing. The procedure's sensitivity and low effective dose range may make it useful in the study of behaviors related to anticholinergic effects.
Students Classified as LD Who Received Course Substitutions for the College Foreign Language Requirement A Replication Study

This replication study examined whether 158 college students classified as learning disabled (LD) who were granted course substitutions for the foreign language (FL) requirement would display significant cognitive and academic achievement differences when grouped by levels of IQ—achievement and achievement—achievement discrepancy and by level of performance on an FL aptitude test (Modern Language Aptitude Test; MLAT), phonological/orthographic processing measures, and in FL courses. The results showed that there were few differences among groups with differing levels of IQ—achievement or achievement—achievement discrepancy (i.e., 1.50 SD) on MLAT and American College Testing (ACT) scores, graduating grade point average (GPA), or college FL GPA. The results also showed that between groups who scored at or above versus below the 15th percentile (i.e., < 1.0 SD) on the MLAT, there were no differences on measures of graduating GPA, college FL GPA, native language skill, ACT score,...
The need for a developmental approach to adolescent decision-making.

The nuances of adolescent age and decision-making ability are issues that have been hotly debated in recent times. These issues emerged in the context of juvenile offenders and the penalties to whi...
Communicating Science: Translation and Tangibility

Until last summer, I thought communicating science was just a matter of translation. When my friends' eyes glazed over as I explained, for example, how a productivity crisis and planktrophism could have caused the Cretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction, I thought they simply needed these terms translated. While cutting through potentially difficult terminology is a key part of communicating science to the public, I now know that it is only the first of two parts. The second part is making one's subject matter tangible. Finding that out was my most important lesson last summer as an AGU-sponsored fellow in the Mass Media Fellowship program run by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Understanding this journalistic two-step has helped me become a better science communicator and comprehend more fully why the Earth sciences fascinate me in the first place.
Absorption of foreign compounds from the gingival sulcus of the rabbit.

Abstract The disposition of [ 14 C]-phenytoin, 125 I-bovine serum albumin (BSA) and acid-soluble iodinated by-products of BSA in the gingival sulcus and adjacent soft tissues was monitored. Phenytoin (a low mol. wt, lipid-soluble compound) and BSA (a high mol. wt, water-soluble substance) exhibited similar rates of mobilization (2–8 per cent in 15min) from isotope, impregnated inserts placed within the sulci. Recovery of phenytoin in the sulcular tissue (46 per cent of the amount mobilized) was significantly greater than that of BSA (3–9 per cent). Phenytoin had a greater affinity for sulcular epithelium than BSA, which appeared to concentrate in the connective tissue. The acid-soluble label was readily mobilized (31–57 per cent in 15 min), poorly recovered in the sulcular tissue (3–7 per cent of the amount mobilized) and distributed equally between epithelium and connective tissue.
A nested primitive equation model for oceanic applications

Abstract An interactive, nested primitive equation model for oceanic applications is introduced. The model has two components that interact, which we shall call the coarse and the fine grid regions. The fine grid region is nested entirely within the domain of the coarse grid region. The interaction is achieved by an interpolation of the coarse grid fields to obtain boundary conditions for the fine grid region and by an averaging of the tendencies of the prognostic variables on the fine grid to force the coarse grid model. The nested model is applied to two test problems relevant to oceanic phenomena—a barotropic modon and a baroclinic vortex. In each case, nested calculations with 3:1 and 5:1 grid ratios perform quite well, and even ratios of 7:1 are able to reproduce the solution reasonably well while the features are mostly contained within the fine grid region. These results indicate that the interactive nested model approach introduced here may provide an accurate and cost-effective approach to proble...
Genetic polymorphisms in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and TNF-β in a population-based study of systemic lupus erythematosus: associations and interaction with the interleukin-1α-889 C/T polymorphism

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is involved in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but the role of TNF polymorphisms in SLE susceptibility remains unclear. Previous studies in different populations report an inconsistent association of the TNF-α −308A allele with SLE, sometimes depending on the presence of HLA-DR3. We examined the association of polymorphisms in TNF-α (−308G/A, −238G/A) and TNFβ (+252A/G) in a population-based study of SLE in the southeastern United States and considered TNF-SLE associations with respect to HLA-DR3 and DR2 and the interleukin (IL)-1α −889C/T polymorphism, previously linked to SLE in this population. Genotypes were analyzed for 230 recently diagnosed SLE patients who met American College of Rheumatology classification criteria and 276 age- and sex-matched controls, randomly selected from driver's license registries. Carriage of the TNF-α −308A allele was significantly associated with SLE in Caucasians (OR = 2.3; 95% CI 1.4, 3.9), but not African Americans. Analyses stratified by IL-1α −889 genotypes (C/C vs C/T or T/T) revealed independent associations of SLE with TNF-α −308A or HLA-DR2 and DR3. This reflected a significant interaction of TNF and IL-1 genotypes in Caucasians, and yielded a strong association (OR = 8.0, p < 0.00001) for the combined “HLA-DR3, TNF-α −308A, IL-1α −889C/C” genotype. These findings provide evidence of cytokine gene epistasis in SLE susceptibility.
Electrical activity and intraluminal pressures in the lower small intestine of turkeys

To study ileal motility, 14 young turkeys were surgically prepared with a fistula and 3 bipolar Ag/AgCl electrodes in the ileum. Electric slow waves were recorded which averaged 0.45 mV in amplitude and 6.1 waves/min in frequency. They seldom waned, had no wave-form characteristic of a particular region of the ileum, and action-potential bursts did not occur at a particular phase of the slow wave. Action potentials, associated with contractions, averaged 0.21 mV in amplitude. An average of 4.0 pressure changes occurred per minute and their amplitude averaged 16.2 mm Hg. Slow waves apparently were the primary regulators of ileal motility, although another type of activity may also have been involved. The latter activity consisted of intensive action-potential activity associated with high-frequency, high-amplitude contractile activity which appeared to move periodically aborally down the ileum.
Estimation of the inorganic-to-organic chlorine ratio in coal

Dimethyl sulphoxide is demonstrated to quantitatively extract soluble chloride salts from coal whereas water does not completely leach such salts. The chloride held by ion exchange is also extracted if 0.1 M KNO3 is included in the DMSO. The use of DMSO as a solvent therefore provides a means for determining the inorganic-to-organic chlorine ratio in coal by comparing the extracted to the total chlorine concentration in a sample. The latter value is determined by an independent method.
Nephron-sparing approach to bilateral Wilms' tumor: In situ or ex vivo surgery and radiation therapy

Abstract Bilateral Wilms' tumor patients, who experience local recurrence after maximal multimodality therapy, present a difficult surgical problem. The role of surgery in the management of these patients has changed from ablation to preservation of renal tissue, with bilateral nephrectomy as a last resort. Two children who had recurrent tumors in the remaining kidney underwent nephron-sparing surgery and focal intraoperative radiation therapy. In one case, this nephron-sparing surgery and intraoperative radiation therapy were performed in situ, in the other the kidney was removed and reimplanted (ex vivo bench surgery and irradiation). These techniques may allow complete obliteration of gross and microscopic disease, while maximizing residual renal function.
Life Under the Tropical Canopy: Tradition and Change Among the Yucatec Maya

Life Under the Tropical Canopy: Tradition and Change Among the Yucatec Maya. Ellen Kintz New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. 1990. 170 pp. $8.50 (paper). ISBN 0-03-032592-7.
Stigma management for women in recovery

Aims: This study examines the lives of women in substance abuse treatment by exploring the stigmas they perceive as they reintegrate into their communities Methods: Semi-structured interviews and observations were conducted over 9 months with 34 women in treatment. Data was collected and analyzed using a grounded theory approach of comparing emergent themes to develop theoretical conceptualizations. NVivowasused for initial, and theoretical codingprocesses in order to analyze women’s stigma and coping mechanisms. Results: Study participants perceived stigmas from family and intimate partners based on views of the permanence of the “addict identity”. Moreover, stigmas were undergirded by norms of proper womanhood violated bywomen’s experiences with addiction, survival sex, mothering and incarceration. Additionally, the Latina and Caucasian sample population reported perceptions of stigma embedded in racialized stereotypes of proper behavior for their ethnic community. Moreover, women also perceived stigma from treatment peers also managing psychological threats. As a result study participants employed strategies to reduce stigma and preserve their burgeoning identities. Conclusions: This study increases knowledge available to social justice researchers and advocates working with women managing stigmas. It gives insights into how stigmas shape processes of support seeking and community reintegration. Research findings can also inform programming for their families who are also managing anger, loss and stigma. This study has implications for both trauma andstigma informed initiatives that respond to theneedsofwomen and families with complex illness-related struggles. Financial support: I do not have any financial support to participate in the CPDD conference.
Selection of techniques for orthovoltage radiation therapy.

Selection of appropriate orthovoltage radiation techniques (peak kilovoltage plus total filtration) may be based on the following factors: (a) central axis percent depth dose, (b) exposure rate, (c) sensitivity of backscatter factor to size of a blocked field, (d) differential bone energy absorption, (e) penumbra characteristics, and (f) field uniformity. An analysis of these factors as a function of beam quality (i.e. half-value layer) has been performed and a recommendation of a minimal number of techniques (consistent with widely available techniques) is presented.
A non-congener based synthesis of L-(-)-rhodinose and of a C4 hydroxyl protected derivative

Abstract A practical five step construction of the L-(-)-rhodinose derivative 1 and of L-(-)-rhodinose ( 2 ) from O-benzyl (S)-ethyl lactate is described. Optical rotations and other data for both 1 and 2 as well as for intermediates leading to them are provided.
Human service providers' perceptions of system response to the 1997 Red River of the North Flood

Abstract Disasters of monumental proportions, like the 1997 Red River of the North Flood, can push local human service delivery systems beyond their limits and create untold stress among providers of mental health services. To determine the impact of this disaster on mental health practitioners and the human service delivery system, an exploratory study was conducted one year following the flood. Findings indicate that although most respondents were considered primary disaster victims, they appropriately fulfilled their professional duties during and following evacuation. Also demonstrated was a statistically significant improvement in the respondents' perceptions of agencies' relationships following the flood. Furthermore, there was a statistically significant improvement in services provided to clients after the flood compared to before the flood. Additionally, qualitative and quantitative findings indicate that services were coordinated effectively and efforts were made to work cooperatively with various local, state, and national human service providers.
Human thrombin and fibrinogen the kinetics of their interaction and the preparation of the enzyme

Summary 1. The reactions of thrombin (EC 3.4.4.13) and fibrinogen in 18.7 mM phosphate and 7.5 mM citrate solution (pH 7.2, 36°) were studied. The clotting times and other data were subjected to kinetic treatment. For the substrate, fractions containing 50–97% fibrinogen were prepared from human blood plasma. 2. The Michaelis-Menten constant, K m , is 4.38·10 −7 M. 3. In the substrate, the reaction follows first-order kinetics up to 2.3·10 −6 ; zero order, between 2.3·10 −6 and 9.7·10 −6 ; and a modified zero order above 9.7·10 −6 moles per l reaction solution. 4. The reaction is second order in the enzyme. With National Institutes of Health (NIH) standard thrombin, the rate constant, k 0 (sec −1 ), is 0.073±0.001 (S.E.) by a manual clotting time procedure; 0.055±0.001 (S.E.) by a semi-automatic clot timer. Another parameter has been added to the definition of a thrombin unit: i.e. , 41.6 m μ moles fibrinogen is converted to fibrin at maximum velocity in 1 min by 1 NIH thrombin unit. 5. Human thrombin has been prepared without tissue thromboplastin and without sodium citrate at high concentrations. Prothrombin adsorbed on DEAE-cellulose was simultaneously eluted and converted to thrombin byionic calcium, antihemophilic globulin and erythrocyte stromal lipoprotein.
Psychostimulants and Vesicle Trafficking: A Novel Mechanism and Therapeutic Implications

The monoamine vesicular transporter 2 (VMAT-2) has been associated with dopamine (DA) sequestration and protection against neurodegeneration caused by the intracellular oxidation of this monoamine. The data presented herein suggest that methylphenidate treatment enhances the amount of VMAT-2 protein and possibly its activity in the presynaptic cytosol, where it is able to increase the sequestration of DA and likely protect against its instability. In contrast, methamphetamine (METH) has an opposite effect on cytosolic VMAT-2 resulting in degradation of DA terminals. The fact that posttreatment of methylphenidate after a neurotoxic regimen of METH protects against resulting loss of DA parameters suggests that treatment with methylphenidate, or other DA transporter blockers, may be protective against degenerative disorders of DA pathways, such as Parkinson's disease.
Age-related electrophysiological changes in rat cerebellum.

Abstract The spontaneous discharge of cerebellar Purkinje neurons was studied in 3-, 12-, 15- and 20-month-old rats. Fluphenazine and haloperidol administered intraperitoneally produced a dose-dependent increase in the spontaneous discharge in 3-month-old animals, but were ineffective in 12-, 15- and 20-month-old rats. Intraperitoneal administration of amphetamine resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in spontaneous Purkinje neuron discharge in 3-month-old rats without affecting neurons from the older animals. Disruption of norepinephrine afferents by 6-OHDA or reserpine increased spontaneous discharge rate in 3-month-old animals. This treatment did not affect Purkinje neurons in 12-, 15- and 20-month-old rats. Local application of drug with the same multibarreled electrode revealed that neurons from older rats were significantly less sensitive to inhibition by norepinephrine than were Purkinje neurons from 3-month-old animals. Similar application of GABA did not reveal a differential sensitivity. For locus coeruleus activation to produce 50% inhibition in Purkinje neuron discharge, significantly higher stimulation currents were required in 15-month-old rats than in 3-month-old animals. Our results suggest a decreased postsynaptic sensitivity to norepinephrine in 12-, 15- and 20-month-old rats as compared to 3-month-old animals.
Crystal structure analysis of amicyanin and apoamicyanin from paracoccus denitrificans at 2.0 Å and 1.8 Å resolution

The crystal structure of amicyanin, a cupredoxin isolated from Paracoccus denitrificans, has been determined by molecular replacement. The structure has been refined at 2.0 A resolution using energy-restrained least-squares procedures to a crystallographic residual of 15.7%. The copper-free protein, apoamicyanin, has also been refined to 1.8 A resolution with residual 15.5%. The protein is found to have a beta-sandwich topology with nine beta-strands forming two mixed beta-sheets. The secondary structure is very similar to that observed in the other classes of cupredoxins, such as plastocyanin and azurin. Amicyanin has approximately 20 residues at the N-terminus that have no equivalents in the other proteins; a portion of these residues forms the first beta-strand of the structure. The copper atom is located in a pocket between the beta-sheets and is found to have four coordinating ligands: two histidine nitrogens, one cysteine sulfur, and, at a longer distance, one methionine sulfur. The geometry of the copper coordination is very similar to that in the plant plastocyanins. Three of the four copper ligands are located in the loop between beta-strands eight and nine. This loop is shorter than that in the other cupredoxins, having only two residues each between the cysteine and histidine and the histidine and methionine ligands. The amicyanin and apoamicyanin structures are very similar; in particular, there is little difference in the positions of the coordinating ligands with or without copper. One of the copper ligands, a histidine, lies close to the protein surface and is surrounded on that surface by seven hydrophobic residues. This hydrophobic patch is thought to be important as an electron transfer site.
Design of a radiation-hard DDFS

A radiation hardened direct digital frequency synthesizer (DDFS) was designed in 0.18 mum CMOS technology. A novel 14-bit nonlinear DAC is used to generate sine waves using a piecewise quadratic approximation. The nonlinear DAC effectively reduces lookup table size and total power dissipation. The DDFS is reconfigurable, has built-in automatic calibration and provides quadrature differential outputs. The 32-bit parallel phase accumulator provides 0.5 Hz frequency resolution and incorporates single-event upset (SEU) detection and correction circuitry. Digital and analog circuits are designed using radiation hard by design (RHBD) techniques. Simulation results show that 80 dB SFDR can be achieved for frequencies below 250 MHz at 2 GSps
Metadata for Earth Observing Systems (EOS) Data Gateway

The Earth Observing Systems (EOS) Data Gateway (EDG) is the extension of Version O Information Management System (IMS) developed for the EOS Data and Information System (EOSDIS), a NASA-sponsored open, distributed information system. EOSDIS manages the data and information from a variety of pre-EOS and EOS-era Earth observation satellites, as well as data from related Earth science field measurement programs. The goal of the EDG is to provide seamless access to distributed archives at NASA EOSDIS Distributed Active Achieve Centers (DAACs), affiliated data centers, and international data centers in a single online session. There are currently over 965 data products spread over 8 NASA DAACs and 6 international data centers searchable and retrievable from the EDG. This paper discusses the EDG system, message passing protocols and metadata standards to support various search and query functions across different data centers.
A collimation mirror in polymeric planar waveguide formed by reactive ion etching

We fabricated and characterized an integrated optical mirror in a polymeric waveguide. A parabola-shaped cavity is etched in fluorinated polyimide using oxygen reactive ion etching. The vertically etched sidewall of the planar waveguide works as a highly reflecting total-internal-reflection mirror, which collimates a diverging beam from its focus. The estimated mirror insertion loss of the demonstrated device is 2.4 dB or less.
The political ecology of war: natural resources and armed conflicts

Throughout the 1990s, many armed groups have relied on revenues from natural resources such as oil, timber, or gems to substitute for dwindling Cold War sponsorship. Resources not only financed, but in some cases motivated conflicts, and shaped strategies of power based on the commercialisation of armed conflict and the territorialisation of sovereignty around valuable resource areas and trading networks. As such, armed conflict in the post-Cold War period is increasingly characterised by a specific political ecology closely linked to the geography and political economy of natural resources. This paper examines theories of relationships between resources and armed conflicts and the historical processes in which they are embedded. It stresses the vulnerability resulting from resource dependence, rather than conventional notions of scarcity or abundance, the risks of violence linked to the conflictuality of natural resource political economies, and the opportunities for armed insurgents resulting from the lootability of resources. Violence is expressed in the subjugation of the rights of people to determine the use of their environment and the brutal patterns of resource extraction and predation. Beyond demonstrating the economic agendas of belligerents, an analysis of the linkages between natural resources and armed conflicts suggests that the criminal character of their inclusion in international primary commodity markets responds to an exclusionary form of globalisation; with major implications for the promotion of peace.
Compliance with treatment regimens for pediatric rheumatic diseases

Children with pediatric rheumatic diseases (PRDsj are required to comply with long-term treatment regimens that may not have immediate beneficial effects or may be required primarily to prevent further morbidity. As with other chronic disease regimens, compliance can be a significant problem that interferes with treatment efficacy and adequate clinical outcomes. This paper reviews (1 j the prevalence and types of compliance problems in the management of PRDs; (2) patient/family, disease, and regimen /actors that may be associated with treatment noncompliance; and (3) strategies for improving compliance with regimens for PRDs.