cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Outcomes of cytopathology studies presented at national pathology meetings.

The purpose of this study was to determine what factors influence the final publication status of cytopathology studies presented at national meetings. Abstracts involving cytopathology material were obtained from the following journals: Modern Pathology (volume 11, 1998), Acta Cytologica (volume 42, 1998), and the American Journal of Clinical Pathology (volumes 109 and 110, 1998). Using the National Library of Medicine Website, each abstract was searched by author and topic to determine if the study was published as a peer-reviewed article. The following parameters were evaluated: meeting where the abstract was presented, type of institution where the research was based, type of material used in the study, and application of ancillary techniques used in the study. The subsequent published articles were evaluated for journal and time to publication. Out of 257 studies presented in 1998, 85 (33%) were published in peer-reviewed journals by May 2000. The majority of papers were published in Diagnostic Cytopathology (n = 21), Acta Cytologica (n = 15), and Cancer (n = 18). The mean time for publication was 12.8 mo. The highest percentage of published studies was presented at the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology (USCAP) meeting (50% of presented abstracts), followed by American Society of Cytopathology (ASC) (28%) and American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP) (17%) meetings. Ancillary techniques were applied in 40 of 85 (47%) published studies, 27 of 85 (32%) articles focused on morphology, and 18 of 85 (21%) papers covered other topics (e.g., quality assurance (QA), cost, and role of cytology). In nonpublished studies (n = 172), special techniques were the main focus in 40%, morphology in 25%, and other topics in 35% of abstracts. The great majority (97%) of published studies were from academic institutions. Gynecological and nongynecological material were roughly equally covered in published and nonpublished studies. Only a relatively small percentage of presented studies was finalized in the form of peer-reviewed articles. Type of material and application of ancillary techniques do not significantly influence the outcome. Diagn. Cytopathol. 25:265–269, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Using molecular dynamics simulations to investigate surface modification processes

Abstract The popularity of molecular dynamics (MD) techniques for the investigation of sputtering and other surface-modification processes continues to grow, driven by rapid increases in the performance-to-price ratio for modern workstations and high-end personal computers. The ready availability of these inexpensive, powerful computing platforms has encouraged researchers to use MD methods to understand better a variety of problems in sputtering and surface modification. This paper reviews some of the recent literature in the field, with an emphasis on (1) sputtering and thin-film growth through cluster bombardment, (2) the treatment of reactive sputtering and thin-film deposition with realistic bond-order potentials, (3) the sputtering of complex materials, and (4) the use of MD simulations to investigate the later stages of the collision cascade (spike effects).
The Electron Affinities of the Radicals Formed by the Loss of an Aromatic Hydrogen Atom from Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, Uracil, and Thymine

The major ion formed in Negative Ion Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry of Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, Uracil and Thymine is the dehydrogenated anion. The CURES EC procedure for optimizing Austin Model-1 Multiconfigurational Configuration Interaction semi-empirical calculations is applied to the electron affinities of the corresponding dehydrogenated bases and N-H bond dissociation energies. These calculated values will be compared with literature values of the gas phase acidities of the purines and pyrimidines. The N-H bond dissociation energies are about 3.95 eV for Guanine, Adenine, and Thymine and 4.08 eV for Cytosine and Uracil. The electron affinities of the radicals are AMinH = 3.50 eV, GMinH = 3.46 eV, CMinH = 3.38 eV, UMinH = 3.48 eV, TMinH = 3.46 eV.
The Heterogeneous Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of the Mitral Valve: Implications for Tissue Engineering

There are compelling reasons to develop a tissue-engineered mitral valve, but this endeavor has not received the same attention as tissue engineering strategies for the semilunar valves. Challenges in regenerating a mitral valve include recapitulating the complex heterogeneity in terms of anatomy (differently sized leaflets, numerous chordae), extracellular matrix composition, biomechanical behavior, valvular interstitial cell and endothelial cell phenotypes, and interior vasculature and innervation. It will also be essential to restore the functional relationships between the native mitral valve and left ventricle. A growing amount of information relevant to tissue engineering a mitral valve has been recently collected through investigations of cell mechanobiology and collagen organization. It is hoped that the development of tissue-engineered mitral valves can build on knowledge derived from engineering semilunar valves, but the mitral valve will present its own unique challenges as investigators move toward a first-generation prototype.
Familial association of intracranial aneurysms and cervical artery dissections.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The familial occurrence of intracranial aneurysms and cervical artery dissections has been described in different families and supports the hypothesis that a primary arteriopathy may play a role in the pathogenesis of these disorders. Although the basis for this arteriopathy is generally not believed to be similar among cases of intracranial aneurysms and cervical artery dissections, several similarities exist in the epidemiology of these disorders and a common underlying arterial abnormality may be suspected. SUMMARY OF REPORTS: The medical records of all 175 patients with spontaneous dissections of the cervical arteries who were seen at the Mayo Clinic between 1970 and 1989 were reviewed to identify families in which intracranial aneurysms and cervical dissections coexisted. Three families were identified in which intracranial aneurysms and cervical artery dissections were observed among siblings. These families are described in detail. CONCLUSIONS: The familial occurrence of int...
RFID-enabled inventory routing problems

In this paper, we provide a methodology for dynamic control of Radio Frequency Identification- (RFID-) enabled Inventory Routing Problems (IRP), where a set of locations is served by a single distribution centre using a Vendor-Managed Inventory (VMI) approach. In this scenario, RFID technology enables efficient control of inventory distribution by exchanging real-time information upon arrival to each location. This paper develops mathematical models that illustrate the substantial potential savings associated with the implementation of this technology, and provides a discussion of practical impediments to full application.
Moving beyond Black and White

Cooper and colleagues found that when patients and doctors were of the same race, they spent more time together during office visits and patients were more satisfied than when doctors were of a dif...
Cytokine levels in the cerebrospinal fluid and serum of patients with multiple sclerosis

Abstract Interleukin (IL) 1β, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα, and IL-6 are cytokines which mediate cellular responses during immune activation and inflammation. In multiple sclerosis (MS) they might be responsible for T-cell activation (IL-1β), for demyelination (TNFα), and for immunoglobulin (Ig) synthesis (IL-6) within the central nervous system. We studied IL-1β, TNFα, and IL-6 levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 34 patients with MS, 43 patients with non-inflammatory neurological diseases (NIND), and 19 patients with inflammatory neurological diseases (IND). IL-6 was found in the CSF of 29% of MS, 7% of NIND, and 47% of IND patients. TNFα was detected in the CSF of 23% of MS, 7% of NIND, and 29% of IND. CSF IL-6 and TNFα levels were significantly higher in MS and IND than in NIND. IL-1β was rarely detected in the CSF of any group. At least one cytokine was detected in 52% of MS CSF, 11% of NIND CSF, and 64% of IND CSF. In MS patients, no relationship was observed between the incidence or the amount of intrathecal IgG synthesis or oligoclonal bands and the presence of any cytokine. We also evaluated cytokine levels in paired sera from 11 MS and 13 NIND patients. Low levels of IL-6 were detected in most sera from MS and NIND patients. TNFα was detected in only two MS sera, and IL-1β was undetectable in any sample. Our results indicate that increased CSF levels of the cytokines IL-6 and TNFα occur frequently in MS and IND, but there is no obvious relationship to intrathecal Ig synthesis.
Research contributions and implications.

Abstract Distinguishing and characterizing the terms “chronic conditions” and “disability” is important to the quality of public health research. Research has documented that people with disabilities experience higher prevalences of chronic conditions than the general population; however, these differences are rarely attributable to the pre-existing disability, and instead likely stem from preventable environmental factors. In this paper we describe contributions from the research as well as the need for a paradigm shift to effectively address the unique public health needs of people with disabilities. In addition, we describe evidence of support for such a paradigm shift. We intend for this paper to invite discussion in the field about methods to elicit the changes necessary in public health research for improved policy and practice that better address the public health needs of people with disabilities.
Analysis on the Effect of Input Impact Profiles in Drop Test

The objective of this paper is to develop an analytical or mathematical predicative model for the evaluation of dynamic response of a structural element in a microelectronic or an optoelectronic product to an impact load occurring as a result of drop or shock test. Closed-form theoretical solution was obtained to simulate the board level drop test. The block diagram based SIMULINK analysis was introduced to determine the response with various impact configurations for the system level drop test as well. This study will help reliability engineers to design the impact input profiles and obtain the desired responses, and to calibrate and validate finite element analysis results quickly for both board level and system level drop test. It was found that time durations of the input profiles play an important role in the dynamic response. The system response can be designed by carefully choosing the impact time duration. Certain input pulse time results in the response with very low ringing after first or second peaks.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Monoclonal antibodies localize changes on myosin heavy chain isozymes during avian myogenesis

Monoclonal antibodies were used to identify and localize by immunoelectron microscopy epitopes on myosin isozymes. An antibody that reacts with an amino-terminal fragment of the myosin heavy chain maps on the myosin head 140 A distal to the head-rod junction. It identifies an epitope that is shared on adult and embryonic myosin, and detects two transitions in myosin expression during avian pectoralis myogenesis. Another antibody maps to the carboxyl terminus of the myosin rod. It is specific for an adult fast myosin epitope that is not detected in early developing pectoralis muscle. In contrast, an epitope that is present throughout development is identified by an antibody that reacts with a myosin light chain. This light chain epitope is localized at the head-rod junction. These results demonstrate structural changes in widely separated regions of the myosin molecule accompanying the sequential expression of developmental myosin isozymes.
A 110nA synchronous boost regulator with autonomous bias gating for energy harvesting

An autonomously bias gated synchronous boost regulator consuming 110nA at 1V is demonstrated in 130nm CMOS. The IC generates regulated 1V output from 30mV input, starts up autonomously (battery-less) at 265mV, and regulates output ranging from 0.78V-3.3V. The peak efficiency is 83% with 10μA and 85% with 10mA load.
Organization of medical services under group practice with prepayment

Abstract The combining of inpatient and outpatient facilities, equipment, and personnel into a medical center is a means of increasing efficiency and economy. Group practice represents an organizational form which logically answers some problems of communication and consultation created by the high degree of specialization of medical services. Arrangements which allow the prepayment for medical care to be paid to the providers of service directly, rather than through the usual fee-for-service methods, involves the physician in a responsibility for maintenance of the patient's health as well as care of the patient already ill. It also provides him with the opportunity and incentive for organization of medical services so as to maximize economy, efficiency, and quality. The group practice prepayment mechanism does not automatically achieve these potentials but, when properly developed, it does provide a response to the increasing demand for better organization in medical care and perhaps an alternative to control by forces outside of the medical profession.
Revisiting the Likelihoodist Evidential Account [Comment on “A Likelihood Paradigm for Clinical Trials”]

The primary objective of the article by Zhang and Zhang (2013) is to propose an extension of the Law of Likelihood (LL) with a view to address one of its key weaknesses: how to compare composite hy...
Rank Minimization Code Aperture Design for Spectrally Selective Compressive Imaging

A new code aperture design framework for multiframe code aperture snapshot spectral imaging (CASSI) system is presented. It aims at the optimization of code aperture sets such that a group of compressive spectral measurements is constructed, each with information from a specific subset of bands. A matrix representation of CASSI is introduced that permits the optimization of spectrally selective code aperture sets. Furthermore, each code aperture set forms a matrix such that rank minimization is used to reduce the number of CASSI shots needed. Conditions for the code apertures are identified such that a restricted isometry property in the CASSI compressive measurements is satisfied with higher probability. Simulations show higher quality of spectral image reconstruction than that attained by systems using Hadamard or random code aperture sets.
Graphs with bounded valency that do not embed in the projective plane

Abstract In 1930 Kuratowski proved that a graph does not embed in the real plane R 2 if and only if it contains a subgraph homeomorphic to one of two graphs, K 5 or K 33 . Let I n ( P ) denote the minimal set of graphs whose vertices have miximal valency n such that any graph which does not embed in the real projective plane (or equivalently, does not embed in the Mobius band) contains a subgraph homeomorphic to a graph in I n ( P ) for some positive integer n . Glover and Huneke and Milgram proved that there are only 6 graphs in I 3 ( P ). This note proves that for each n , I n ( P ) is finite.
Stimulus Size and the Measurement of Imprinting

Connolly and Moray's (1964) method for calculating the expected chance level of following in birds in the laboratory imprinting situation was shown to vary as a function of the size of the imprinting stimulus. A modification of the original formula was proposed to take into account these size differences. Data from a study on size preferences during imprinting were included to demonstrate the significant influence of following by chance.
The effect of increased tissue turnover on the keratinization of human epidermis.

Abstract Increasing the rate of epideramal turnover was shown to cause abnormal persistence of some tonofilament polypeptided chains in the stratum corneum, and intermediate states in their normal post-synthetic modification were observed. The chain composition produced experimentally was similar to that seen in a number of skin conditions but, in psoriasis, a difference from this composition suggested that a defect additional to increased turnover is involved.
Economic Growth Assumptions in Climate and Energy Policy

The assumption that the economic growth seen in recent decades will continue has dominated the discussion of future greenhouse gas emissions and the mitigation of and adaptation to climate change. Given that long-term economic growth is uncertain, the impacts of a wide range of growth trajectories should be considered. In particular, slower economic growth would imply that future generations will be relatively less able to invest in emissions controls or adapt to the detrimental impacts of climate change. Taking into consideration the possibility of economic slowdown therefore heightens the urgency of reducing greenhouse gas emissions now by moving to renewable energy sources, even if this incurs short-term economic cost. I quantify this counterintuitive impact of economic growth assumptions on present-day policy decisions in a simple global economy-climate model (Dynamic Integrated model of Climate and the Economy (DICE)). In DICE, slow future growth increases the economically optimal present-day carbon tax rate and the utility of taxing carbon emissions, although the magnitude of the increase is sensitive to model parameters, including the rate of social time preference and the elasticity of the marginal utility of consumption. Future scenario development should specifically include low-growth scenarios, and the possibility of low-growth economic trajectories should be taken into account in climate policy analyses.
A thermodynamic consistency test for adsorption from binary liquid mixtures on solids

A thermodynamic consistency test for adsorption from binary liquid mixtures is derived using the Gibbs equation for adsorption. Adsorption data for the liquid mixture pairs A-B, A-C, and B-C on the same adsorbent must be thermodynamically consistent. The consistency test is applied to experimental data for adsorption from the binary liquid mixtures benzene-cyclohexane, benzene-n-heptane and cyclohexane-n-heptane on silica gel at 30°C.
Counseling Patients With Genital Warts

Counseling patients about any sexually transmitted disease (STD) is difficult, for both the physician and the patient, but a diagnosis of genital warts presents particular challenges. For many patients, being told that they have any STD comes as a shock. Although fear is a common reaction, the relationship between human papillomavirus (HPV) and cancer has made the presence of genital warts especially frightening. This fear is heightened by the fact that treatment will not eradicate the underlying HPV infection, and the threat of recurring warts provides a constant reminder that the patient may never be truly cured. Thus a diagnosis of HPV involves many difficult issues, including poorly understood psychological sequelae in the patient, discomfort on the part of the physician, and notification of the patient's partner(s). Finally, issues of communication, lifestyle modification, and long-term management must be addressed.
What makes a species common? No evidence of density-dependent recruitment or mortality of the sea urchin Diadema antillarum after the 1983-1984 mass mortality.

A potential consequence of individuals compensating for density-dependent processes is that rare or infrequent events can produce profound and long-term shifts in species abundance. In 1983–1984 a mass mortality event reduced the numbers of the abundant sea urchin Diadema antillarum by 95–99 % throughout the Caribbean and western Atlantic. Following this event, the abundance of macroalgae increased and the few surviving D. antillarum responded by increasing in body size and fecundity. These initial observations suggested that populations of D. antillarum could recover rapidly following release from food limitation. In contrast, published studies of field manipulations indicate that this species had traits making it resistant to density-dependent effects on offspring production and adult mortality; this evidence raises the possibility that density-independent processes might keep populations at a diminished level. Decadal-scale (1983–2011) monitoring of recruitment, mortality, population density and size structure of D. antillarum from St John, US Virgin Islands, indicates that population density has remained relatively stable and more than an order of magnitude lower than that before the mortality event of 1983–1984. We detected no evidence of density-dependent mortality or recruitment since this mortality event. In this location, model estimates of equilibrium population density, assuming density-independent processes and based on parameters generated over the first decade following the mortality event, accurately predict the low population density 20 years later (2011). We find no evidence to support the notion that this historically dominant species will rebound from this temporally brief, but spatially widespread, perturbation.
Multistakeholder Perspectives on Composite Measures of Ambulatory Care Quality A Qualitative Descriptive Study

The development of composite measures of ambulatory care quality is an area of growing practice and policy interest. Using 29 semistructured interviews, this study describes the opinions of stakeho...
The design of microcomputer applications for small businesses

Abstract This paper considers the special factors affecting the design and development of microcomputer-based applications for small businesses. It examines the techniques that are available for the design of such systems and discusses their use. The conclusion is reached that tools should be developed which allow owners/users to design their own systems more effectively than at present.
Microbiological and Clinical Studies of Legionellosis in 33 Patients with Cancer

Legionella, a large group of environmental Gram-negative bacteria, represents an occasional cause of pneumonia. We analyzed the microbiological and clinical features of 33 consecutive cases of Legionella infections that occurred at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, from 2002 to 2014. The Legionella strains were isolated from bronchoscopy specimens (32 strains) and a blood culture (1 strain) and were identified by sequencing analysis of the full-length 16S rRNA gene. The 33 strains involved 12 Legionella species or subspecies: 15 strains of L. pneumophila subsp. pneumophila, 3 strains of L. pneumophila subsp. fraseri or L. pneumophila subsp. pascullei, 4 strains of "L. donaldsonii," 3 strains of L. micdadei, and one each of L. bozemanae, L. feeleii, L. gormanii, L. longbeachae, L. maceachernii, L. parisiensis, L. sainthelensi, and Legionella sp. strain D5382. All patients except one asymptomatic carrier showed pneumonia, including one with concurrent bacteremia. Nine patients died, with this infection being the immediate cause of death in six. Twenty-seven patients had underlying hematologic malignancies. Twenty-three patients were leukopenic. Six patients were recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant, with their infections caused by five Legionella species. Together, these results suggest that diverse Legionella species infect patients with cancer in the Houston area and its vicinity. The five cases of pneumonia due to L. donaldsonii and Legionella sp. D5382 are likely the first reports of human infection with these organisms.
Glutamate Dehydrogenase Activity in Lemna perpusilla 6746: The Effects of Sucrose, Glucose and Fructose Addition to Growth Media

Lemna perpusilla Torr, strain 6746 clones were maintained under conditions of continuous illumination with various concentrations of sucrose, glucose or fructose added to the growth, medium. After two weeks of growth, plants were harvested and either assayed for total glutamate dehydrogenase activity or fractionated into one chloroplast-rich and one mitochondria-rich preparation and then assayed for glutamate dehydrogenase activity. In all assays for glutamate dehydrogenase it was necessary to add bovine serum albumin to the extraction medium in order to obtain sufficient enzyme activity for accurate and reproducible results. The presence of sucrose in the growth medium reduced glutamate dehydrogenase activity in all studies. When samples containing intact organelles were assayed, sucrose inhibition of activity appeared to occur primarily in the chloroplast fraction. Glucose, on the other hand, increased glutamate dehydrogenase activity in the chloroplast-rich fractions. Upon freeze-thawing differences between the various treatments were less obvious. The results from these studies indicate possible differences in sugar uptake and/or utilization in Lemna perpusilla.
Investigating and Improving Network Visualizations’ Effectiveness at Supporting Human Sensemaking Tasks

Network visualizations are being used to display relationships in a variety of domains. This is due to their almost universally applicable intended purpose of helping viewers to understand componen...
Paleoflood hydrology and extraordinary flood events

Paleoflood hydrology is the study of past or ancient flood events. The most accurate technique involves the analysis of slackwater deposits and paleostage indicators (SWD-PSI). Slackwater deposits are sand and silt emplaced from suspension in exceptionally deep, high-velocity floods that characterize narrow, deep canyons in resistant geologic materials. These and other paleostage indicators are used to establish hydraulic grade lines for the generating flow events. Favorable sites for slackwater deposition include channel-margin areas where stresses and velocities are reduced below critical values necessary to maintain fine-grained bedload material (sand and silt) in suspension. Computerized procedures for hydraulic flow modeling are used to tie the elevations of the highest slackwater deposits to surveyed river cross sections. The flood discharges calculated by this method can be calibrated through the study of modern floods on gaged rivers. Correlation of multiple SWD-PSI sites along a river reach is used to identify the maximum paleostage achieved by a given flood. Advances in the dating of flood deposits permit estimates of flood frequency to be made extending over a data base of thousands of years. The major geochronologic tool is radiocarbon dating of various kinds of organic matter intercalated with the slackwater deposits. An important development is the use of the tandem accelerator mass spectrometer for direct measurement of 14C. Tiny blebs of charcoal, seeds and other organics can be analyzed in order to date ancient flood deposits of hydrologic significance. Since SWD-PSI studies yield very accurate determinations of paleoflood ages and magnitudes, there is a pressing need for new statistical procedures that make optimum use of the information content in paleoflood records for flood-frequency analysis. Nevertheless, SWD-PSI paleoflood hydrology has moved beyond the research phase; its use should be encouraged in evaluating past experience of extraordinary floods at appropriate hazardous sites.
Aircraft compartment design criteria for the army deployment mission

An important mission of military cargo aircraft is the deployment of army equipment to areas of actual or potential warfare. The large number of vehicles required to support army forces makes weight anti cube, the traditional measures of airlift capacity, insufficient for analysis of the amount of such cargo which can be carried by various aircraft. This paper uses a representative list of army deployment cargo to investigate the capacity of alternative aircraft designs. A loading model is developed to estimate the relationship between cargo compartment dimensions and loading efficiency. The relationship between Compartment floor area and floor area of vehicles loaded is found to be remarkably stable over a large range of alternative compartment sizes. A second model is used to minimize the distribution of total weight per aircraft when the aircraft are loaded in accordance with the criteria of the first model. The resultant distributions, presented for various compartment sizes, suggest the relationship between cargo compartment and payload capacity which would be optimum for this particular mission.
Introduction to special section on sensitivity analysis and summary of NCSU/USDA workshop on sensitivity analysis.

This guest editorial is a summary of the NCSU/USDA Workshop on Sensitivity Analysis held June 11-12, 2001 at North Carolina State University and sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of Risk Assessment and Cost Benefit Analysis. The objective of the workshop was to learn across disciplines in identifying, evaluating, and recommending sensitivity analysis methods and practices for application to food-safety process risk models. The workshop included presentations regarding the Hazard Assessment and Critical Control Points (HACCP) framework used in food-safety risk assessment, a survey of sensitivity analysis methods, invited white papers on sensitivity analysis, and invited case studies regarding risk assessment of microbial pathogens in food. Based on the sharing of interdisciplinary information represented by the presentations, the workshop participants, divided into breakout sessions, responded to three trigger questions: What are the key criteria for sensitivity analysis methods applied to food-safety risk assessment? What sensitivity analysis methods are most promising for application to food safety and risk assessment? and What are the key needs for implementation and demonstration of such methods? The workshop produced agreement regarding key criteria for sensitivity analysis methods and the need to use two or more methods to try to obtain robust insights. Recommendations were made regarding a guideline document to assist practitioners in selecting, applying, interpreting, and reporting the results of sensitivity analysis.
Successful endoscopic wire-guided balloon dilatation of angulated and tight ileal pouch strictures without fluoroscopy

Ileal pouch strictures that are visually inaccessible by an endoscope may be balloon-dilated by exchange guide wire across the stricture with the aid of fluoroscopy. We present a technique of wire-guided balloon dilation without fluoroscopy to navigate strictures in the ileal pouch. A 50-year-old Caucasian female presented with a 24-year history of ulcerative colitis (UC) with restorative proctocolectomy and ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) for 7 years. She developed Crohn’s disease (CD) of the pouch with multiple strictures at the afferent limb of the pouch and a pouch-vaginal fistula. On pouchoscopy, the patient had two strictures at the distal neoterminal ileum, at 10 cm and 15 cm proximal to the pouch inlet. In retrospect, the distal stricture was angulated and 1 cm in length, and the proximal one was ulcerated and pinhole in size, which prevented the passage of an endoscope (9.8-mm single-channel, GIF-H180; Olympus Optical, Tokyo, Japan). The stricture number and locations were confirmed by retrograde water-soluble contrast X-ray. There was great difficulty in negotiating the strictures with balloon dilation and hence concern that blind passage of the balloon into the strictures might induce mucosal trauma or perforation. A controlled radial expansion (CRE) wire-guided balloon dilation catheter (CRE TM Single-Use Wire Guided Balloon Dilator; Boston Scientific Microvasive, Natick, MA) was introduced through the scope. Wire exchange technique was applied with help of our endoscopy nurse (A.O.). The guide wire was passed through the strictures without any resistance under endoscopy view. Subsequently, the balloon was introduced across the strictures, and both were successfully dilated to 16 mm (Videos 1 and 2). The procedure and postprocedure course were uneventful, and patient reported great symptomatic relief. Endoscopic guide-wire balloon dilation without fluoroscopic guidance appears to be feasible for CD-related strictures in experienced hands.
Improving diagnostic accuracy and interobserver concordance in the classification and grading of primary gliomas

BACKGROUND Accurate histologic diagnosis of gliomas is fundamental to proper patient management and to the interpretation of basic and clinical investigations. Diagnostic accuracy and reproducibility are compromised by the subjective histologic criteria currently used to classify and grade gliomas. METHODS The histologic features of 4 sets of gliomas (a total of 244 cases) were reviewed independently by 4 neuropathologists to determine interobserver diagnostic concordance rates. Cases wherein diagnostic disagreements arose were reviewed jointly to identify and refine the histologic criteria that were adversely affecting diagnostic reproducibility. Using the criteria developed in the study, a set of 315 gliomas with known survival data was evaluated in order to validate the usefulness of the criteria. RESULTS There was significant improvement in diagnostic concordance with each session (P = 0.02). For the first session, the concordance rates were as follows: all 4 reviewers, 52%; any 3 reviewers, 60%; 2 reviewers, 70%. For the fourth session, the respective rates were 69%, 75%, and 80%. Although features important in grading, particularly microvascular proliferation, were sometimes problematic, most disagreements related to the classification of tumors. Much of the improvement related to the refinement of criteria distinguishing diffuse astrocytomas from oligodendrogliomas/oligoastrocytomas and pilocytic astrocytomas. It was concluded that the presence of any typical oligodendroglioma was sufficient to remove a tumor from the astrocytoma category. CONCLUSIONS The authors' data indicate that oligodendroglial tumors comprise up to 25% of gliomas, a significantly higher proportion than was previously recognized. The data also suggest that the wide range of survival times reported for patients with anaplastic astrocytoma may reflect "contamination" resulting from misdiagnosis, particularly of oligodendroglial tumors and pilocytic astrocytomas. Cancer 1997; 79:1381-93. © 1997 American Cancer Society.
The Problem with POMR.

In this article, Dr Michael Simpson argues the case against unquestioning acceptance of problem orientated medical records, in reply to the article which appeared in the last issue of Medicd Teacher (1979, 1, 147–1511.
Determination of β-glucosidase enzymatic function of the Histoplasma capsulatum H antigen using a native expression system

The Histoplasma capsulatum H antigen is a major secreted glycoprotein of this pathogenic fungus that is a target of humoral and cell-mediated host responses. Its predicted protein sequence displays homology to beta-glucosidases of other organisms, but a recombinant antigen expressed in a prokaryotic system showed no enzymatic activity. We expressed a recombinant form of the protein carrying a carboxyl-terminus oligohistidine tag in the native fungal background to facilitate proper glycosylation and folding of a product that could then be purified from culture supernatants using nickel affinity chromatography. The recombinant protein was expressed and secreted by a transformant carrying the modified gene under the control of its native promoter. The purified protein from the native expression system showed beta-glucosidase enzymatic activity in substrate gels and quantitative microplate assays. This activity was blocked by glucosidase-specific inhibitors. These results are the first direct demonstration of the function of this protein, and show the utility of expression in a native system to achieve post-translational modification necessary for structural and functional integrity.
Microbial transformation of alkylpyridines in groundwater

The microbiological degradation of a mixture of alkylpyridines in groundwater maintained under aerobic and anaerobic conditions was examined. A marked difference was observed between the aerobic and anaerobic degradation rates. In the presence of a soil inoculum and under aerobic conditions, the residual alkylpyridine concentrations generally approached zero concentration within 10 to 31 days of incubation, whereas under anaerobic conditions the concentrations of residual alkylpyridines only decreased between 40 and 80% over a 33 day incubation period. Biodegradation rates under aerobic conditions were greatly affected by the specific ring substitution of structural isomers within a given weight class. A similar effect was not observed for anaerobic degradation rates.
SU‐FF‐T‐298: Investigation of Effects of Magnetron Replacement On a Helical Tomotherapy Unit

Purpose: To quantitatively evaluate the physical effects of magnetron replacement on a Helical TomoTherapy system (TomoTherapy Inc., Madison, WI, USA) Methods and Materials: A Helical TomoTherapy (HT) (TomoTherapy Inc., Madison, WI, USA) is in clinical use at our institutions. Due to various design, engineering and manufacture issues, the magnetron (e2v Technologies, Essex, UK) used on HT system needs to be replaced some times during unit maintenance or repairing. The magnetron provides microwave power to LINAC accelerator and thus its output has direct effect on the LINAC beam quality and subsequent dosimetry characters. In this work, the effect of replacing a magnetron on HT system is investigated. A Tomo water tank, 8 channel Tomo‐Electrometer and X1Sl ion chambers (Standard Imaging Inc., Middelton, WI, USA) are used to measure beam output, beam PDD curves and profiles before and after the magnetron replacement. Results: The central axis output of the machine is found to be about 2% lower compared to measurement before magnetron replacement. Both transverse and longitudinal beam profiles at various depths are found to be in a very good agreement before and after magnetron replacement, as was the central axis percentage depth (PDD) curves for various available jaw sizes (5 cm, 2.5 cm and 1 cm). Conclusions: Magnetron is a major part of a LINAC system and its replacement should be checked carefully. In this study, a series of measurements are performed to compare the machine beam properties before and after magnetron change. It is shown that the central axis output changes about 2%, and no significant change is found on beam profiles and PDDs before and after magnetron replacement.
Canine cystinuria: polymorphism in the canine SLC3A1 gene and identification of a nonsense mutation in cystinuric Newfoundland dogs

Cystinuria is an inherited renal and intestinal disease characterized by defective amino acid reabsorption and cystine urolithiasis. Different forms of the disease, designated type I and non-type I in cystinuric humans, can be distinguished clinically and biochemically, and have been associated with mutations in the SLC3A1 (rBAT) and SLC7A9 genes, respectively. Type I cystinuria is the most common form and is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait in humans. Cystinuria has been recognized in more than 60 breeds of dogs and a severe form, resembling type I cystinuria, has been characterized in the Newfoundland breed. Here we report the cloning and sequencing of the canine SLC3A1 cDNA and gene, and the identification of a nonsense mutation in exon 2 of the gene in cystinuric Newfoundland dogs. A mutation-specific test was developed for the diagnosis and control of cystinuria in Newfoundland dogs. In cystinuric dogs of six other breeds, either heterozygosity at the SLC3A1 locus or lack of mutations in the coding region of the SLC3A1 gene were observed, indicating that cystinuria is genetically heterogeneous in dogs, as it is in humans. The canine homologue of human type I cystinuria provides the opportunity to use a large animal model to investigate molecular approaches for the treatment of cystinuria and other renal tubular diseases.
The velocity of second sound near the lambda transition in superfluid4He

Abstract We report new high precision data on the velocity of second sound close to the lambda transition of 4 He at the saturated vapor pressure. The second sound wave is detected by a powdered salt pill of copper ammonium bromide in direct contact with the liquid helium. With a thermometer noise of ≤10 -10 K/√Hz we are able to make measurements in the linear regime to within 20 nanokelvin of the lambda point. We have obtained reasonable agreement with renormalization group theory predictions after allowance for the effect of gravity. The results are also compared with previous experiments.
Employment in the U.S.: Public discourse and longterm trends

(1994). Employment in the U.S.: Public discourse and longterm trends. Forum for Social Economics: Vol. 23, No. 2, pp. 21-28.
Sorry, President Obama, but High-Stakes Tests Can't Cure Cancer

AbstractSuccessive nationalizing programs for school reform in the United States have centered on external high-stakes testing and charter schools aimed at closing the widening achievement gap between children of socioeconomically disadvantaged and advantaged families. But the chief cause of the achievement gap is poverty, and poverty cannot be cured by high-stakes tests. Charter schools raise a clear and present danger of splitting up the inclusive unitary school structure—a uniquely American invention.
In Vivo Antiviral Efficacy of a Dipeptide Acyclovir Prodrug, Val-Val-Acyclovir, against HSV-1 Epithelial and Stromal Keratitis in the Rabbit Eye Model

PURPOSE A dipeptide prodrug of the antiviral nucleoside acyclovir (ACV), val-val-ACV (VVACV), was evaluated in vivo as a potential drug candidate for improving antiviral efficacy against herpetic epithelial and stromal keratitis. METHODS The effect of 1% VVACV on epithelial keratitis induced by inoculation of HSV-1 strain McKrae (25 microL of 10(5) plaque-forming units [PFU]) in the scarified rabbit cornea and stromal keratitis induced by intrastromal injection of HSV-1 strain RE (10 microL of 10(5) PFU) was compared with that of 1% trifluorothymidine (TFT) and balanced salt solution as the vehicle control. Both eyes of 10 rabbits were used in each treatment group. Lesions were evaluated by slit lamp examinations over a 2-week period after infection. Aqueous humor samples and corneas were analyzed for drug concentrations at the end of each experiment. Cytotoxicity of VVACV in comparison with val-acyclovir (VACV), ACV, and TFT was evaluated in cellular proliferation assays. RESULTS The dipeptide prodrug VVACV demonstrated excellent activity against HSV-1 in the rabbit epithelial and stromal keratitis models: 1% VVACV was as effective as 1% TFT. The prodrug was also less cytotoxic than TFT, which is the only effective drug currently licensed and routinely used for topical treatment of ocular herpes infections in the United States. CONCLUSIONS The less cytotoxic and highly water-soluble prodrug VVACV, which showed excellent in vivo activity against HSV-1 in rabbit epithelial and stromal keratitis, is a promising drug candidate for treatment of ocular HSV infections.
Different role of carboxylesterases in toxicity and tolerance to paraoxon and DFP

The contribution of carboxylesterase (CarbE) to toxicity and tolerance to the organophosphorus anticholinesterases (OP-antiChE) paraoxon (diethyl p-nitrophenyl phosphate) and DFP (diisopropylphosphorofluoridate) was investigated in rats. Daily injections (20 days) of paraoxon (0.33 micromol/kg) or DFP (2.72 micromol/kg) reduced AChE activity in brain to 29 or 16% and in diaphragm to 58 or 54%, respectively. The animals tolerated an accumulated 6-fold LD50 dose and survived an LD90 dose of carbachol, indicating tolerance to this cholinergic agonist. A single dose of paraoxon or DFP significantly reduced CarbE activity of plasma, lung and liver. After paraoxon, rapid recovery was seen of plasma and liver CarbE while recovery after DFP was much slower. Daily pretreatment with the CarbE inhibitors CBDP (2-[o-cresyl]-4H-1,2,3-benzodioxa- phosphorin-2-oxide) (7.22 micromol/kg, s.c.) or iso-OMPA (tetraisopropylpyrophosphoramide) (8.76 micromol/kg, i.p.), followed by paraoxon (0.33 micromol/kg, s.c.) 30 min later, prevented the development of tolerance to paraoxon and potentiated its toxicity. Rats died on day four of the combined treatment. The CarbE inhibitors neither potentiated the DFP toxicity, nor prevented tolerance development to DFP. We conclude that rat plasma CarbE provides a significant protection against paraoxon toxicity because its rapid reactivation can reduce the toxicity of repeated paraoxon applications and thus contribute to tolerance development. This same mechanism does not apply to DFP toxicity, as inhibition of CarbE of plasma, liver and lung neither potentiated its toxicity, nor prevented tolerance development. These findings confirm previous observations that CarbE detoxification is of greater importance for highly toxic OP-antiChEs such as nerve agents and paraoxon than for less toxic ones such as DFP.
CREOLE GENESIS, ATTITUDES, AND DISCOURSE: STUDIES CELEBRATING CHARLENE J. SATO . John Rickford and Suzanne Romaine (Eds.) . Amsterdam: Benjamins, 1999. Pp. ix + 410. $138.00 cloth.

Charlene Sato, a noted scholar in SLA and creole studies, is honored by this text. Many chapters analyze Hawai‘ian Creole English (HCE), which Sato promoted as a living language, and it is in that spirit that the editors have included short stories in HCE.
Integrating professional socialization and training for sociology graduate students

It is a curious contradiction that sociology, a discipline that includes in its subject matter socialization, norms, occupations, formal organization, the institution of education and the concept of the career does not necessarily prepare its products in a systematic and coherent manner to become trained professionals. Newly minted Ph.D.s must often learn by trial and error because we have left them adrift concerning how to conduct themselves as professional sociologists. Moreover, while these new Ph.D.s are usually trained well as scholarly researchers, many are not prepared for the non-research careers they will take as sociologists. When this happens, we sociologists, supposedly enlightened about such matters, have failed our students.
Laryngeal electromyography in the management of vocal cord mobility problems in children

Objectives To evaluate the efficacy and clinical usefulness of laryngeal electromyography (EMG) in the evaluation and management of vocal cord mobility problems in children; and to determine the ability of laryngeal EMG to differentiate vocal fold fixation versus paralysis. Study Design Case-series review of 8 children with vocal cord immobility who underwent laryngeal EMG. Methods Eight children with bilateral vocal fold immobility underwent microlaryngoscopy and electromyography. Bipolar concentric needle electrodes were used and implanted separately into both posterior cricoarytenoid (PCA) and both thyroarytenoid (TA) muscles. EMG activity was recorded during spontaneous ventilation under a light plane of anesthesia with propofol. EMG activity was correlated with the phases of the respiratory cycle. Results Three patients had evidence of normal EMG activity with PCA activity peaking during early inspiration. Maximal TA activity occurred expiration. These patients were assumed to have vocal fold fixation. Two of these 3 patients underwent laryngotracheoplasty (LTP) with posterior glottic expansion with costal cartilage. One is being considered for LTP in the future. Five patients had abnormal EMG activity and remain tracheotomy-dependent. Four patients exhibited synkinetic activity with peak PCA activity during expiration and peak TA activity during expiration. Two patients had both fixation and unilateral vocal cord paralysis. One was successfully decannulated after posterior graft LTP and the other is planned for the future. Conclusions Electromyography, which differentiates paralysis from fixation, is a useful diagnostic tool in the evaluation of children with vocal cord immobility.