cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disparate outcomes in pediatric peritoneal dialysis patients by gender/race in the End-Stage Renal Disease Clinical Performance Measures project

Associations between achievement of adult Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) targets for hemoglobin, adequacy and albumin, and race and gender were determined for pediatric peritoneal dialysis patients from the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Clinical Performance Measures (CPM) project for the period October 2004–March 2005. Fifty-six percent (427/761) of patients were male. Sixty-six percent (500/761) of patients were White. There were no differences in achievement of targets for adults by gender, and no differences in adequacy parameters by race. Blacks had lower mean hemoglobin levels than did Whites (11.1 ± 1.6 g/dl vs 11.8 ± 1.4 g/dl, P 11 g/dl (56% vs 72%, P 4.0/3.7 g/dl [bromocresol green/bromocresol purple (BCG/BCP)] than Blacks were (35% vs 26%, P = 0.0376). In multivariate logistic regression models, White race was associated with mean hemoglobin levels > 11 g/dl [adjusted odds ratio (adjOR) 2.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.7, 4.3] and mean serum albumin > 4.0/3.7 g/dl (BCG/BCP) (adjOR 1.9, 95% CI 1.3, 2.9]. Further study is needed of factors associated with anemia on peritoneal dialysis and barriers to its correction.
Whole-body CT screening for cancer and coronary disease: Does it pass the test?

Even though whole-body CT scanning is being marketed directly to patients and they are starting to demand it, does it meet the standards of a good screening test for cancer and coronary artery disease? This article is a step-by-step, disease-specific discussion of the characteristics of a good screening test, and whether whole-body CT scanning meets these standards.
The effect of microbial glucose metabolism on bytownite feldspar dissolution rates between 5 and 35 C

Abstract The rate of Si release from dissolving bytownite feldspar in abiotic batch reactors increased as temperatures increased from 5° to 35°C. Metabolically inert subsurface bacteria (bacteria in solution with no organic substrate) had no apparent effect on dissolution rates over this temperature range. When glucose was added to the microbial cultures, the bacteria responded by producing gluconic acid, which catalyzed the dissolution reaction by both proton- and ligand-promoted mechanisms. The metabolic production, excretion, and consumption of gluconic acid in the course of glucose oxidation, and therefore, the degree of microbial enhancement of mineral dissolution, depend on temperature. There was little accumulation of gluconic acid and therefore, no significant enhancement of mineral dissolution rates at 35°C compared to the abiotic controls. At 20°C, gluconate accumulated in the experimental solutions only at the beginning of the experiment and led to a twofold increase in dissolved Si release compared to the controls, primarily by the ligand-promoted dissolution mechanism. There was significant accumulation of gluconic acid in the 5°C experiment, which is reflected in a significant reduction in pH, leading to 20-fold increase in Si release, primarily attributable to the proton-promoted dissolution mechanism. These results indicate that bacteria and microbial metabolism can affect mineral dissolution rates in organic-rich, nutrient-poor environments; the impact of microbial metabolism on aluminum silicate dissolution rates may be greater at lower rather than at higher temperatures due to the metabolic accumulation of dissolution-enhancing protons and ligands in solution.
Genetics and metabolic causes of stillbirth

Approximately 25% of stillbirths have been attributed to cytogenetic, mendelian, or biochemical causes with 75% still unknown. The most common autosomal trisomies are 21, 18, and 13, and the most common karyotypic abnormality is 45x. The remaining are sporadic multiple malformation syndromes and single organ malformations. Little is known about the genetic and metabolic causes of stillbirth; however, with new cytogenetic techniques such as fluorescent in situ hybridization, comparative genomic hybridization, and telomeric probes, cytogenetic errors will be identified more accurately. Advances in diagnosis will provide additional information for appropriate genetic counseling.
Cognitive, affective and social needs of carers following the cared-for person's placement in a nursing home

Abstract It is often perceived that the needs of carers are adequately met at the time of and following the cared-for person's admission to a nursing home. Although the placement of an elderly person in a nursing home relieves the carer of the physical burden of caring, certain problems or stressors are still faced by carers. It was found in this study that many carers who had admitted the elderly cared-for person to the nursing home at Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital in Picton had cognitive (knowledge), and affective (emotional), needs at the time of and subsequent to the elderly person's institutionalisation. A small proportion of the carers also had social needs following the post-placement experience.
Review: Materials for vibration damping

Materials for vibration damping, including metals, polymers, cement and their composites, are reviewed. Metals and polymers are dominant due to their viscoelasticity. Damping enhancement mainly involves microstructural design for metals, interface design for polymers and admixture use for cement.
Large-dispersion-tolerance Picosecond Optical Pulse Transmission Using Frequency Chirp Control

We experimentally demonstrated a dispersion-tolerant optical short pulse transmission technique using frequency chirp control for the first time. We achieved optical fiber transmission with a dispersion range of -240 to +240ps/nm for 4ps optical RZ pulses.
Use of ketorolac tromethamine in children undergoing scoliosis surgery. an analysis of complications.

Abstract Background context: Ketorolac Tromethamine (ketorolac) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) with proven efficacy in decreasing postoperative pain in various surgical settings, including the treatment of spine deformities. However, some studies have raised questions regarding the potential side effects of this agent, such as increased bleeding and inhibition of bony fusion. Purpose: This study was conducted to determine whether there is any association between the use of ketorolac and postoperative complications in a group of children who underwent scoliosis surgery. Study design/setting: This is a retrospective review of a group of children who underwent spinal fusion between 1989 to 1999 at our institution. Patient sample: Data on a total of 208 children were analyzed in this study. Sixty received ketorolac and 148 did not. Outcome measures: Postoperative transfusion and reoperation rates were the two main outcome measures of interest. Methods: A retrospective review of 208 children who underwent scoliosis surgery was conducted, with a focus on ketorolac use. Univariate analysis and logistic regression were used to quantify the determinants of postoperative complications. Results: Our analyses detected no significant differences in a broad range of socioclinical variables between the two patient groups, including age at surgery, gender, type of scoliosis, surgical approach, use of erythropoietin, levels of curvature and degree of curvature. Analysis of complication rates focusing on postoperative transfusion and revision surgery showed that there were no significant differences between the two groups. Conclusions: In this retrospective study of 208 children undergoing spine surgery, postoperative use of ketorolac did not significantly increase complications, including transfusion and reoperation.
Atmospheric science: Increasing wind sinks heat

Surface global warming has stalled since around 2000 despite increasing atmospheric CO2. A study finds that recent strengthening of Pacific trade winds has enhanced heat transport from the surface to ocean depths, explaining most of the slowed surface warming.
Universals and Individuals—Is This the End of the Discussion?

Universals can be defined as prototypes, general properties, or relations. They are discussed at the level of abstract concepts. In contrast, individuals are particular, concrete objects. The probl...
Towards the ultimate iterative substructuring method: Combined numerical and parallel scalability, and multiple load cases

Abstract First, we overview the FETI substructuring method and discuss its numerical scalability properties. Next, we present an extension to structural analysis with multiple load cases, and to the solution of systems with repeated right hand sides. Such systems arise, among others, in linear transient analysis and in the solution of eigenvalue problems. We show that this extension prompts the design of an efficient parallel coarse grid solver which transcends the numerical scalability of the FETI method into a massively parallel scalability. We illustrate these ultimately desirable properties and demonstrate their impact on computational performance with the static and transient analyses via the FETI method of two large-scale three-dimensional structural problems on a 128-processor iPSC-860 system.
Determination of mechanical properties of non-linear coatings from measurements with coated beams

Abstract Coatings are applied to structural components for several various reasons, such to protect against erosion or corrosion, as thermal barrier coatings, or to increase the energy dissipation. As determining the material properties of such coatings from homogeneous specimens is often difficult, it is sometimes necessary to conduct testing on coated specimens, with the properties of the coating then to be extracted from the results of testing. A methodology for doing this is given here. While applicable to other materials, the properties of such coatings as ceramics, metallics, or compounds to be applied to rotating and static components of gas turbines are of special interest. Such materials present a special challenge as the mechanical properties have generally been found to display a strong dependence on the amplitude of cyclic strain. Application of the methodology requires careful measurement of specimen dimensions, weights, natural frequencies, and system loss factors before and after coating. From these, the storage (Young’s) modulus, the loss modulus, and the loss factor can be extracted. The methodology is demonstrated through the use of data taken on flat specimens of titanium with plasma-sprayed coatings of NiCrAlY and a titania–alumina blend ceramic, vibrating in a cantilever mode.
Wavelength-dependent blinking statistics of CdSe nanocrystals studied by fluorescence microscopy

Blinking statistics of CdSe nanocrystals are studied as a function of excitation wavelength, surface-passivation and particle aspect ratio. The on/off events exhibit an excitation-dependent behavior that limits the duration of on events.
Current Controlled Growth Mechanism of Surface Roughed Pt Nanowires and Their Electrochemical Property

This work reports the effect of current density on the grain size and surface morphology of electrodeposited platinum nanowires. Platinum (Pt) nanowires were fabricated by a galvanostatic electrodeposition method in a nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template with different current densities. The grain size and surface morphology of the Pt nanowires were studied by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microcopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The experimental results showed that the surface of the Pt nanowires became rougher and the grain sizes became larger when the deposition current density was increased. Both direct current (DC) and pulse current (PC) can be used to fine tune the surface roughness of the nanowires. Based on the experimental observations, a growth mechanism of Pt nanowires was proposed based on progressive nucleation and crystallization. The relationship between the surface morphology of the Pt nanowires and electrochemical sensing behavior toward H2O2 detection was investigated.
Synthesis of fatty acids from malonyl-CoA and NADPH by pigeon liver fatty acid synthetase.

Abstract Pigeon liver fatty acid synthetase has been found to catalyze the formation of palmitic acid from malonyl-CoA and NADPH in the absence of acetyl-CoA. Radio-chemical and spectral assays show that the activity of the complex in the absence of acetyl-CoA is about 25–30% of the activity in the presence of this compound. Initial velocities were determined for a series of reactions in which the malonyl-CoA concentration was varied over a range of 5–200 μ m at a fixed NADPH concentration of 100μ m and vice versa. No inhibitory effects of one substrate over the other were found. However, when the synthesis of fatty acids was studied in the presence of acetyl-CoA, a significant inhibitory effect of malonyl-CoA was observed. It has also been shown that the fatty acid synthetase synthesizes triacetic lactone from malonyl-CoA in the absence of NADPH and acetyl-CoA. No evidence was obtained for the direct decarboxylation of malonyl-CoA to acetyl-CoA in this reaction. Hence it is proposed that decarboxylation of the malonyl moiety bound covalently to 4′-phosphopantetheine occurs to yield acetyl-4′-phosphopantetheine. Further, it is proposed that the acetyl moiety of the latter compound is transferred to the cysteine site of the enzyme complex and that fatty acid synthesis proceeds in the presence of NADPH as proposed by Phillips et al. [ Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 138 , 380 (1970) ]. In the absence of NADPH triacetic lactone is formed.
Torsional mechanical responses in azobenzene functionalized liquid crystalline polymer networks

Soft materials capable of both planar and flexural–torsional responses could enable the development of soft robotic elements that emulate the dexterity and functionality of a multitude of creatures in the animal kingdom. Here, we examine the response of azobenzene-functionalized liquid crystal polymer networks (azo-LCNs) specifically focusing on realizing large magnitude flexural–torsional responses observed as out-of-plane twisting or coiling. Towards this end, azo-LCNs were prepared in either the twisted nematic (TN) or hybrid orientations. The characterization of the flexural–torsional photomechanical responses is complimented with examination of thermomechanical properties. The diverse range of tailorable photomechanical responses is shown to be strongly dependent on the alignment of the nematic director to the film geometry and the actinic light intensity.
Molybdenum−Pterin Chemistry. 2. Reinvestigation of Molybdenum(IV) Coordination by Flavin Gives Evidence for Partial Pteridine Reduction

The coordination of alloxazine and pterins to molybdenum(IV) is demonstrated in this study. The synthesis of MoOCl3(pteridineH), where pteridineH is the protonated form of 1,3,7,8-tetramethylalloxazine (tmaz), 2-pivaloyl-6,7-dimethylpterin (piv-dmp), and 6,7-dimethylpterin (dmp), proceeds readily starting from Mo(IV)Cl4(acetonitrile)2 and the pteridine ligand in chloroform or methanol. X-ray crystal structures of MoOCl3(tmazH) (1) and MoOCl3(piv-dmpH) (2) show that Mo chelates each pteridine at the carbonyl oxygen and pyrazine nitrogen and that the pteridine ligand is protonated at the other nitrogen in the pyrazine ring. A third X-ray structure for MoOCl3(H3dmp) (4) is included in this work since its determination permits the comparison of metrical parameters for the oxidized and reduced forms of a pterin in identical molybdenum coordination environments. The major difference observed in the structures of 2 as compared to 4 is the Mo−N5 bond length which is significantly shorter in compound 4 containing ...
Relationship Between Adrenergic Activity and Cardiac Actions of Quinidine

Unanesthetized dogs with complete heart block were used to explore the relationship between adrenergic activity and quinidine action on the heart. After vagolysis, quinidine still increased both the atrial and ventricular rates. Following reduction in adrenergic activity by reserpine, hexamethonium, or surgical sympathectomy, the atrial and ventricular pacemakers were depressed. After sympathetic activity had been reduced by a combination of hexamethonium and reserpine, quinidine caused profound pacemaker depression and sometimes ventricular asystole. Quinidine produced coupling and occasionally runs of ventricular tachycardia independent of the level of sympathetic activity. There was no significant prolongation of the QRS time by quinidine in doses of 5 and 10 mg./Kg. Both the development of ectopic pacemakers and the depression of pacemaker activity of quinidine were dose dependent.
Psychiatric Diagnoses of Maltreated Children: Preliminary Findings

Abstract The study sample consists of 96 children (61 maltreated, 35 controls) between 5 and 10 years of age. The two groups of subjects were compared on diagnoses as determined by the administration of the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents, Revised 6th Version (DICA-6-R) as well as clinical DSM-III -R diagnoses. Children who had suffered maltreatment exhibited significantly greater incidences of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder diagnoses than did controls, on both child and parent DICA interviews. The children's interviews revealed that maltreated children present with a significant incidence of psychotic symptomatology as well as personality and adjustment disorders. Conversely, conduct and mood disorders emerged as significant factors in the parent interviews, with the maltreated group showing significantly greater incidence of these diagnoses.
Computational Process Simulation and Energy Parameter Analysis From Mechanical Deformation of Aerospace Alunimum Alloys

Many systems that work on the processing of energy can be modeled in terms of that energy. The energy that is given to the system may be stored or dissipated in the form of heat. It was proposed to extend this concept to attainment of critical level of stored energy and/or dissipated energy for occurrence of buckling of a metal column under compressive loading. The fact that Energy Factor Parameter (E.F.P.) computed from the experimental true stress-true strain values, suddenly decreased and approached value close to zero indicated either buckling and/or softening, but deviated with the E.F.P. computed from the theoretical true stress and true strain values. The 7050-T7451 (Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-Zr) and Al-Li-Cu aluminum alloys in longitudinal and transverse grain orientations were compression tested for mechanical properties of yield strength, buckling strength, strength coefficient, strain hardening exponent. Correlation between ratio of buckling strength and yield strength with aging time for preaged ASTM compression specimens was established. The compression deformation of aluminum alloy 7050 was modeled using finite element analysis, with the experimental testing parameters and the database in the software package.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
A note on the fundamental theorem of exact aggregation

Abstract If individual i's demands for a commodity are a function of prices, p, income Mi and a vector of attributes Ai, then aggregate demand is This paper derives the necessary and sufficient conditions of fi, F and a system of functions gk(M1,…,MN,A1,…,AN) symmetric in the M's and A's such that F can be written in the form F(p, g, (M1,…,Mn,A1,…,AN),…, gn(M 1,…,Mn,A1,… ,An)) for all values of its arguments.
Streptokinase in a Loculated Pleural Effusion: Effectiveness Determined by Site of Instillation

A patient with a large loculated pleural effusion had streptokinase instilled into the loculation, and this was ineffective; however, when the same amount of streptokinase was instilled into the space around the loculation, there was rapid lysis of the loculation, resulting in the drainage of purulent fluid through the chest tube. (Chest 1988;94:884-86)
Differences in the subcellular localization of the stimulatory effects of glucose and pyruvate on protein synthesis in rat thymus cells in vitro.

Thymocytes incubated as cell suspensions in vitro are known to be markedly dependent upon added glucose for maintenance of maximal rates of incorporation of radiolabelled amino acids into protein. This requirement is only partially satisfied by other added substrates, such as pyruvate. Evidence is presented that incorporation of amino acids into protein associated with the nuclear fraction isolated from these cells is more dependent upon added glucose than is labelling of protein found in the rest of the cell. The dependence of the labelling of nuclear protein upon glucose is shown by comparing the ability of glucose and pyruvate to stimulate the incorporation of [14C-L] valine into the protein of nuclear and cytoplasmic fractions of thymus cells. The fractions are isolated on sucrose gradients after incubating suspensions of cells in substrate-free medium for two hours, adding carbohydrates and labelled L-valine for 30 min and then stopping the incubation by breaking the cells with hypotonic shock. When the protein-synthetic stimulatory effects of glucose and pyruvate are compared, glucose is almost equally capable (90%) at stimulating rates of protein synthesis in nuclear compared to cytoplasmic fractions. Pyruvate is much less effective in nuclear than in cytoplasmic fractions (30%). Evidence is also presented from pulse-chase experiments that the glucosedependent labelling of protein associated with the nuclear fraction occurs within that fraction, as opposed to migration to the nuclear fraction after being synthesized elsewhere. It is suggested from these and other data that a unique ability of glucose to provide non-mitochondrial ATP to the nucleus may be central to the dependence of the labelling of nuclear protein on this substrate.
Radical vs Anionic Pathway in Mediated Electrochemical Reduction of Benzyl Bromide in a Bicontinuous Microemulsion

Products derived from benzyl radicals or anions were obtained by reduction of benzyl bromide mediated by vitamin B12, Co(salen), and cobalt phthalocyaninetetrasulfonate in a bicontinuous microemuls...
uSmell: exploring the potential for gas sensors to classify odors in ubicomp applications relative to airflow and distance

Previous research has shown that gas sensors can be used to classify odors when used in highly controlled experimental testing chambers. However, potential ubicomp applications require these sensors to perform an analysis in less controlled environments, particularly at a distance. In this paper, we discuss our design of uSmell--a gas sensor system for sensing smell in ubicomp environments--and an evaluation of its basic efficacy, effects of airflow and distance on classification accuracy, and in an example application. Our system samples an odor fingerprint from eight metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) gas sensors every second. It then processes the time series data to extract three features that highlight how time and distance affect the eight MOS gas sensors' ability to react to the gas molecules released by an odor every 5 s; this generates 24 features in total that are then used to train a decision tree classifier. Using this approach, our system can classify a set of odors with 88 % accuracy when placed both in a small container with the samples and in open air 0.5---2 m from the odor samples. We also demonstrate its ability to classify odors in less controlled environments that might be targets for ubicomp applications by deploying it in a bathroom for a week. These results show the potential for applying this sensing toward the development of context-aware systems, such as lifelogging applications or those geared toward enhancing the sustainability of natural resources (e.g., an automatic dual-flush toilet that always uses an appropriate amount of water based on the user's toileting activities).
Guidelines for method validation techniques used in the microbiological examination of food samples

Abstract The recently enforced European Union's Food Hygiene Directive 93/43, requiring demonstration of wholesomeness of foods manufactured and distributed according to HACCP-based Good Practices, would ideally call for standardized European methods to assess compliance with respect to microbiology. For cultural reasons this goal does not seem within reach in the near future. While, admittedly different though nonetheless excellent, method collections are available, a pressing need was identified to assess whether such different methods produce roughly equivalent results with respect to accuracy, repeatability and reproducibility. The approach elaborated here includes strict adherence to GLPs and emphasizes adequate repair of sublethal lesions in target organisms due to processing and quality assurance of culture media. The procedure takes into account that monitoring for compliance with the Directive can be expected to produce low overall colonization levels.
Towards a semantic interoperability environment

The variety of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) makes interoperability a global trend in healthcare, which is of a paramount interest to the Brazilian Ministry of Health. In particular, semantic interoperability receives a special attention since it ensures that different health information systems make the same interpretation of the exchanged information. Although several standards have been documented to support interoperability (e.g. HL7 and IHE), achieving the semantic one is still a challenge. In this context, this paper represents a step towards supporting seamless semantic interoperability by combining different health standards (OpenEHR, IHE and HL7). It describes a software architecture that illustrates the role of different health standards in a semantic interoperability environment. Moreover, it introduces a process aiming at supporting the sematic validation of clinical documents. Finally, it documents several findings, such as benefits of the combined use of OpenEHR and IHE profiles.
Poission, Shannon, and the Radio Amateur

Congested band operation as found in the amateur service presents an interesting problem in analysis which can only be solved by statistical methods. Consideration is given to the relative merits of two currently popular modulation techniques, SSB and DSB. It is found that in spite of the bandwidth economy of SS13 this system can claim no over-all advantage with respect to DSB for this service. It is further shown that there are definite advantages to the use of very broadband techniques in the amateur service. The results obtained from the analysils of the radio amateur service are significant, for they challenge the intuitively obvious and universally accepted thesis that congestion in the radio frequency spectrum can only be relieved by the use of progressively smaller transmission bandwidths obtained by appropriate coding and modulation techniques. In order to study the general problem of spectrum utilization, some basic results of information theory are required Some of the significant work of Shannon is reviewed with special emphasis on his channel capacity formula. It is shown that this famous formnula, in spite of its deep philosophical significance, cannot be used meaningfully in the analysis and design of practical, present day communications systems. A more suitable channel capacity formula is derived for the practical case. The analytical results thus obtained are used to show that broadband techniques have definite merit for both civil and military applications.
Encoding and contextual components of word recognition in good and poor readers

Good and poor readers from the third and sixth grades (9- and 12-year-olds, respectively), named visually presented words as rapidly as possible. Words were in clear or degraded form, and were preceded by related or unrelated words. Poor readers were hurt more by degradation than were good readers, and showed greater benefit from context. In general, the contextual benefit was greater with degraded words than with intact, and this interaction was especially pronounced in the poor readers. The results are consistent with an interactive-compensatory model of word recognition. Under conditions in which stimulus encoding is slow, contextual factors may compensate for this encoding deficit.
Climate for creative productivity as a predictor of research usefulness and organizational effectiveness in an r&d organization

Abstract: The present study empirically examined the argument that a referent climate for creative productivity would be more useful than an omnibus measure of climate for assessing the creative norms in a specific work context. A 39‐item Climate for Creative Productivity Index (CCPI) was developed to test Amabile's theory of situational factors having an impact on creativity in an organization. Questionnaire and archival data from employees of a military organization were analyzed. Results suggested that climate for creative productivity was related to criteria of effectiveness (convergent validity). In addition, the CCPI accounted for variance in our measures not captured by job satisfaction (discriminant validity).
An empirical fit to minority hole mobilities

Minority hole mobilities in highly-doped n-type silicon are determined by electron-beam-induced current measurements. They are used in conjunction with existing data taken from the literature to derive an empirical expression for the minority hole moblility as a function of majority-carrier density 1014cm-3≤ N D ≤ cm-3. It is anticipated that this empirical fit will be valuable in device modeling.
Back to basics: use of fresh cadavers in vascular surgery training.

Background Surgical trainees face many obstacles in learning basic surgical anatomy and technique. Pressure for quicker operative times, introduction of an 80-hour work week, rising numbers of endovascular procedures replacing open surgery, and the presence of fellowship training programs can limit resident exposure not only to surgical skills, but to attending faculty as well. Our goal was to design a vascular exposures course using fresh frozen cadavers to promote dissection and suturing skills, foster interaction with Vascular Surgery faculty, promote teamwork between residents, and measure the satisfaction of the residents with the course. Methods A pilot program was created with fresh frozen cadavers used to teach basic vascular surgical anatomy and operating skills to junior and mid-level general surgery residents. The course was organized by the Department of General Surgery and the Division of Vascular Surgery. Trainees completed a general questionnaire and evaluation at the completion of the course. Results Forty-five general surgery residents participated in 6 independent sessions offered over a 24-month period. Data from 2 questionnaires were entered into a spreadsheet and analyzed. Eighty-five percent of residents found the course met their expectations. Fresh frozen cadaver material was found optimal by all participants. Forty-four of 45 (97.8%) residents rated the educational value of the course with a perfect score and would recommend the course to others. Conclusion Fresh frozen cadavers provide an excellent opportunity to teach basic open vascular surgery principles while fostering interaction with faculty. Sharing cadavers between multiple disciplines can help with cost containment.
Securities and exchange commission and environmental disclosure

Abstract In many areas, government is moving towards self-regulation or marketplace regulation of corporate environmental activity. One such opportunity, under the US securities laws, is quite promising but has not been developed to its potential. The paper explores the requirements for corporate disclosure of environmental liabilities, compliance costs and related matters. It examines the extent of authority which the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has under the US securities laws and the policy choices faced by the SEC in exercising that authority. The paper concludes that the implementation of disclosure requirements is not serving a valuable informational function for investors. Changes are recommended to make the requirements more responsive to investor needs, consistent with the SEC's view of the statutory framework.
A proposal for electrically levitating micromotors

Abstract Micromachined actuators and motors, occupying an area less than 1 mm 2 , have great potential in diverse applications. At present, however, the ability of these micromotors to reach their full potential is hampered by the presence of large friction forces that play a dominant role in the dynamic behavior. A novel design for substantially reducing or eliminating this friction by levitating the rotating disc of a variable-capacitance electric micromotor is proposed here. This design utilizes a resonant circuit driven by a radio-frequency a.c. voltage source to achieve stable levitation. The advantages of the proposed method include stable levitation without requiring a feedback signal and its ability to produce torque and motion using identical components of a micromotor. This paper analyzes the stability conditions necessary for the levitation circuit to achieve open-loop stable levitation and presents the dynamic analysis of a micromotor with a levitated rotor. The analysis is supported by digital simulation studies. The proposed levitation method can be used in many microdevices that require bearings and suspensions to enhance performance.
Imaging-guided biopsy.

Imaging-guided biopsy allows the sampling of tissue that is not palpable manually or approachable by endoscopy. Imaging identifies the safest approach to a lesion and, during the procedure, confirms the position of the biopsy device relative to the abnormality and to important structures such as the carotid artery. The following article reviews the various techniques used in the head and neck region and emphasizes those techniques that particularly apply in the maxillofacial area. General considerations Most biopsies are taken from palpable lesions without image guidance. In the exceptional case where an initial biopsy is not definitive, image guidance can confirm that the sample is indeed from within the questioned abnormality. At the authors’ institutions, most candidates for image-guided biopsies have lesions deep to the mandible or in the thyroid region. Thyroid biopsies, which are usually performed with ultrasonography, are beyond the scope of this article. Primary lesions deep to the mandible can be categorized by their location. The information from initial imaging may obviate the need for definitive preoperative biopsy. However, in many cases, confirmation of histology is requested before planning the definitive therapy. Almost always, imaging can place a lesion into pre- or poststyloid parapharyngeal space, the masticator space, or the retropharyngeal space. Such localization narrows the possible diagnoses into limited categories and may give enough information for planning therapy. Lesions of the poststyloid parapharyngeal space are typically posterior to the carotid artery. Most are paragangliomas (glomus vagale) or nerve sheath lesions. Although there have been fine needle aspirations of paragangliomas, most clinicians consider the diagnosis established by either imaging (CT or MRI) or occasionally by angiography. Treatment planning does not require biopsy. Similarly, a surgeon may plan a surgical approach or choose long-term monitoring for those less vascular lesions that have no aggressive features and are likely nerve sheath tumors. In the rare case that is not typical of paraganglioma or nerve sheath tumor, an image-guided biopsy may be considered. For instance, an irregular infiltrating margin is not typical of nerve sheath tumors or paraganglioma, and such a lesion is appropriate for biopsy; however, such tumors are extremely rare in the poststyloid space. Prestyloid lesions pass anterior to the carotid artery and styloid process and posterior to the medial pterygoid muscle and mandibular ramus. Almost all of these lesions are of parotid origin, and most are benign. Most clinicians consider fine needle aspiration a safe procedure, and there are reports of core biopsies performed without complication. Seeding along a needle tract is a theoretical possibility, but documented reports are extremely rare. If a lesion has the
A new synthesis for antibody-mediated immunity

The view that immunoglobulins function largely by potentiating neutralization, cytotoxicity or phagocytosis is being replaced by a new synthesis whereby antibodies participate in all aspects of the immune response, from protecting the host at the earliest time of encounter with a microbe to later challenges. Perhaps the most transformative concept is that immunoglobulins manifest emergent properties, from their structure and function as individual molecules to their interactions with microbial targets and the host immune system. Given that emergent properties are neither reducible to first principles nor predictable, there is a need for new conceptual approaches for understanding antibody function and mechanisms of antibody immunity.
ISovector fields and self-similar solutions for power law creep

Abstract Isovector methods are a recently developed technique for systematically investigating properties of the solutions of systems of differential equations. These methods are applied to the nonlinear equations of power law creep with elastic strains under conditions of plane and antiplane strain. Among the results are a family of self-similar solutions which are shown to be the only ones extant for the cases investigated. Some light is also shed upon the existence of conservation laws for these equations, and upon the existence of mappings which transform the governing equations into a set of equivalent linear equations.
Factors influencing residents’ decisions to pursue a career in hand surgery: a national survey

Abstract Purpose The number of programs offering hand surgery fellowships has remained approximately the same over a 6-year period while the number of fellows within these programs has decreased by 46%. This study aimed to identify factors that persuaded or dissuaded orthopedic and plastic surgery residents in choosing hand surgery as a career. Methods We conducted a national survey of final-year orthopedic (n = 600) and plastic surgery (n = 177) residents. We developed an internet questionnaire based on literature review and focus group discussions. A Web site link was sent via e-mail to program directors of accredited orthopedic and plastic surgery programs for distribution of this anonymous survey to the residents. Factor analysis combined items into an "intellectual issues" category and a "lifestyle issues" category. Logistic regression was used to evaluate factors that predict an outcome of entering a hand surgery fellowship. Results We achieved a 30% response rate. Respondents and nonrespondents were not significantly different in terms of gender and race. After controlling for age, gender, marital status, and specialty, residents who enjoyed the intellectual issues of the hand surgery field were more likely to pursue a hand surgery fellowship (odds ratio=10.1; 95% confidence interval=3.3–30.8). Although a positive attitude toward lifestyle issues of the hand surgery field tended to be associated with pursuit of a hand surgery fellowship, the relationship was much weaker (odds ratio=2.5; 95% confidence interval=0.8–7.3). Conclusions Lifestyle issues associated with a career in hand surgery such as low reimbursement and long hours were not the most important factors to residents when considering a career in the field. Residents pursued hand surgery primarily because of factors such as interest in and exposure to this field. To prevent a potential shortfall of hand surgeons, both orthopedic and plastic surgery programs must strengthen residents' exposure to hand surgery education in their training.
Comprehensive quantification of herpes simplex virus latency at the single-cell level.

To date, characterization of latently infected tissue with respect to the number of cells in the tissue harboring the viral genome and the number of viral genomes contained within individual latently infected cells has not been possible. This level of cellular quantification is a critical step in determining (i) viral or host cell factors which function in the establishment and maintenance of latency, (ii) the relationship between latency burden and reactivation, and (iii) the effectiveness of vaccines or antivirals in reducing or preventing the establishment of latent infections. Presented here is a novel approach for the quantitative analysis of nucleic acids within the individual cells comprising complex solid tissues. One unique feature is that the analysis reflects the nucleic acids within the individual cells as they were in the context of the intact tissue-hence the name CXA, for contextual analysis. Trigeminal ganglia latently infected with herpes simplex virus (HSV) were analyzed by CXA of viral DNA. Both the type and the number of cells harboring the viral genome as well as the number of viral genomes within the individual latently infected cells were determined. Here it is demonstrated that (i) the long-term repository of HSV-1 DNA in the ganglion is the neuron, (ii) the viral-genome copy number within individual latently infected neurons is variable, ranging over 3 orders of magnitude from 1,000, (iii) there is a direct correlation between increasing viral input titer and the number of neurons in which latency is established in the ganglion, (iv) increasing viral input titer results in more neurons with greater numbers of viral-genome copies, (v) treatment with acyclovir (ACV) during acute infection reduces the number of latently infected ganglionic neurons 20-fold, and (vi) ACV treatment results in uniformly low (<10)-copy-number latency. This report represents the first comprehensive quantification of HSV latency at the level of single cells. Beyond viral latency, CXA has the potential to advance many studies in which rare cellular events occur in the background of a complex solid tissue mass, including microbial pathogenesis, tumorigenesis, and analysis of gene transfer.
The relationship between atypical semantic activation and odd speech in schizotypy across emotionally evocative conditions

Abstract Introduction Odd speech is prevalent in individuals with schizotypy compared to controls and this odd speech is particularly pronounced under stress-induced conditions. Despite a number of research studies that have examined odd speech, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain unclear. There is reason to suspect that the increase in odd speech observed in schizotypy may reflect atypical semantic activation patterns, defined in terms of increased activation of weakly associated words within the semantic network. Methods In this study, we compared atypical semantic activation in individuals with a broad set of cognitive–perceptual, interpersonal and disorganization schizotypal traits ( n = 83) and controls ( n = 23). Odd speech was measured using a behavior-based analysis of natural speech procured from a laboratory speech-task involving separate experimentally manipulated stressful, pleasant, and neutral conditions. Results The schizotypy and control groups did not differ in semantic activation, but atypical semantic activation was more pronounced in individuals with disorganization traits and attenuated in those with interpersonal traits. Interestingly, the relationship between semantic activation and odd speech was observed for the stressful, but not pleasant or neutral conditions in the schizotypy group. Conclusions These findings suggest that individuals with schizotypy may be able to inhibit atypical associations in nonstressful situations. However, their ability to prevent atypical semantic activation from affecting speech may be disrupted under stress, thus resulting in more odd speech. This study also highlights the dramatic differences in semantic activation across the various manifestations of schizotypy.
Quantitative Trait Loci Underlying Partial Resistance to Cercospora sojina Race 2 Detected in Soybean Seedlings in Greenhouse Assays

Cercospora sojina (Hara), an air-borne pathogen, infects soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] leaves causing frog-eye leaf spot (FLS). Three major genes (Rcs1-3) underlie resistance to the major races of FLS but two were not yet mapped. In addition quantitative trait loci provide partial resistance to many strains. FLS race 2 was an isolate first collected in the 1950’s when damaging FLS first arose. ‘Essex’ was partially resis tant while ‘Forrest’ was partially susceptible to mixed races of FLS. The objective here was to identify quantitative trait loci underlying resistance to FLS race 2 in the greenhouse using recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from the cross of Essex by Forrest. C. sojina race 2 (ATCC 44531) was used to induce leaf symptoms on one hundred F 5:14 RILs derived from the cross of Essex by Forrest. The leaf symptoms were measured at 21 days after manual infestation by wounding (dai) and again at 42 dai to show resistance to reinfestation of new leaves from the primary lesions without wounding. Bags over leaves were not used to better simulate field condi tions. However, there was no significant correlation between FLS severity at 21 and 42 dai (r =0.08 and P= 0.005). At 21 dai there was a strongly significant QTL near Satt319 on LG C2 (chromosome 7; LOD 3.8; R 2 52%) where the Essex allele reduced leaf symptoms by 0.7 units. At 42 dai there was a strongly significant QTL near Satt632 on LG A2 (chromo some 8; R 2 was 15%; LOD was 3.6) where the Essex allele reduced leaf symptoms by 0.4 units. Neither locus mapped
Real options and system dynamics approach to model value of implementing a project specific dispute resolution process in construction projects

This paper presents a methodology to study the effect of different resolution strategies on the value of the investment in a project-specific dispute resolution ladder (DRL) using option/real option theories from financial engineering, process centric modeling, and system dynamics methodology. Of particular interest in this paper is the integration of these research methodologies into a computer model to support the evaluation of the DRL investment in a particular construction project by taking into account the characteristics of: (1) the project, and (2) the different alternative dispute resolution (ADR) techniques chosen for the DRL implementation. Finally, an example is presented to illustrate the application of the computer model in a real construction project.
A language-based approach to functionally correct imperative programming

In this paper a language-based approach to functionally correct imperative programming is proposed. The approach is based on a programming language called RSP1, which combines dependent types, general recursion, and imperative features in a type-safe way, while preserving decidability of type checking. The methodology used is that of internal verification, where programs manipulate programmer-supplied proofs explicitly as data. The fundamental technical idea of RSP1 is to identify problematic operations as impure, and keep them out of dependent types. The resulting language is powerful enough to verify statically non-trivial properties of imperative and functional programs. The paper presents the ideas through the examples of statically verified merge sort, statically verified imperative binary search trees, and statically verified directed acyclic graphs.