cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In Vitro Studies of Bortezomib with Daunorubicin and Cytarabine:Sequence of Administration Affects Leukemia Cell Chemosensitivity.

Abstract Induction chemotherapy with cytarabine and an anthracycline has been a standard treatment of newly diagnosed AML for the past 20 years. While the complete remission rate is high, only 20–40% of patients have prolonged leukemia-free survival and thus novel treatments are required. Bortezomib represents a first-in class proteasome inhibitor with activity in a variety of hematologic malignancies. Recent evidence has demonstrated synergistic cytotoxicity between the proteasome inhibitor, MG-132, and the anthracycline, idarubicin, in primitive leukemia cells.(Guzman et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 99 2002 16220-5) In order to determine if adding bortezomib to the conventional antileukemic therapies daunorubicin and cytarabine enhances cellular cytotoxicity, we conducted in vitro studies on the acute myeloid leukemia cell line, KG-1. Proliferation assays demonstrated that single-agent daunorubicin or single-agent cytarabine impaired proliferation to a greater extent than when either agent was simultaneously combined with bortezomib. Reasoning that treatment with bortezomib resulted in cell cycle arrest and protection from cycle-dependent agents, we treated cells with bortezomib and observed an accumulation of cells in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle, supporting our hypothesis. We then sought to determine whether sequential administration of bortezomib and chemotherapy affected leukemia cell proliferation. Cells were treated with bortezomib either 24 hours before or after idarubicin or cytarabine. Surprisingly, pretreatment of cells with bortezomib followed by chemotherapy resulted in increased proliferation relative to chemotherapy alone while initial treatment of cells with chemotherapy followed by bortezomib resulted in enhanced cytotoxicity. In conclusion, these data indicate that in in vitro leukemia cell cultures the timing of administration of bortezomib relative to conventional anti-leukemic agents critically affects cytotoxicity.
The Value of Traditional Ecological Knowledge for the Environmental Health Sciences and Biomedical Research.

Background: Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) is a term, relatively new to Western science, that encompasses a subset of traditional knowledge maintained by Indigenous nations about the relati...
Inappropriate Comparisons: The LGB Population's Missing Reference Group

Given that many professional organizations emphasize the need for comparing assessment results to appropriate reference groups in their codes of ethics, we consider this practice through an ecologi...
On uplink non-orthogonal multiple access for 5g: opportunities and challenges

In this paper, the concept of grantfree non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) for uplink data transmission is elaborated. NOMA in combination with grant-free can be applied to ultra reliability low latency communication (URLLC), massive machine type communication (mMTC), enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) small packet and two-step random-access channel (RACH) scenarios. The advantages of grant-free NOMA are low latency and signaling overhead, high access capability and efficient resource utilization. Candidate uplink NOMA schemes are summarized and preliminary comparison among a subset of schemes are presented. Furthermore, design aspects for grant-free NOMA are discussed, with special notes on particular issues such as blind UE identification and transmitter/ receiver (Tx/Rx) impairments in realistic deployment.
Reduced sea ice protection period increases storm exposure in Kivalina, Alaska

On Arctic coasts, erosion is limited by the presence of nearshore sea ice, which creates a protective barrier from storms. In Kivalina, an Alaskan Inupiaq Inuit community, decreasing seasonal sea i...
Kostenschätzung von IT-Projekten

Zu einer professionellen Projektplanung gehort eine fruhzeitige Aufwand- und Kostenschatzung, die auf einer soliden methodischen Grundlage basiert und von allen beteiligten Stellen im Unternehmen akzeptiert wird.
Competitors of Rankings: New Directions in Quality Assurance and Accountability

This chapter is concerned with the development of modern higher education quality assurance systems and how in recent years these systems have interacted with both national and global institutional ranking. Among various perspectives employed is that of organisational effectiveness which provides a theoretical orientation for the volume. Quality assurance, accountability and rankings can be viewed as different forms of assessment of organisational effectiveness. The chapter focuses particularly on recent fast-moving political and economic currents that are forcing substantial changes to existing quality assurance and accountability systems. These currents are being driven by a combination of stakeholder and government concerns about academic standards, global competition for education services and the impact of ranking systems. These recent changes are set within the broader context of the develo­p­ment of modern quality assurance since the 1980s. Unlike many discussions of quality assurance, this chapter sees assessments of research quality and impact as key elements of quality assurance. Accountability, however, is considered only in the narrow context as one purpose of quality assurance.
Low temperature atomic layer deposition of zirconium oxide for inkjet printed transistor applications

We report the growth of zirconium oxide (ZrO2) as a high-k gate dielectric for an inkjet-printed transistor using a low-temperature atomic layer deposition (ALD) from tetrakis(dimethylamido)zirconium (TDMAZr) and water precursors. All the samples are deposited at low-temperature ranges of 150–250 °C. The films are very uniform with RMS roughness less than 4% with respect to their thickness. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) shows a significant change in surface morphology from tapered posts to undulating mountain-like structures with several hundreds of ALD cycles. The results from X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis exhibit an amorphous to the crystalline structure with temperature variation, which is independent of the thickness of the films. All our samples are hydrophilic as contact angles are less than 90°. The capacitance–voltage (C–V) and conductance–voltage (Gp/ω–V) characteristics of ZrO2 dielectrics for silicon metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) capacitors are studied for different temperatures. For the n-type substrate MOS capacitors, the dielectric constants are estimated to be 7.5–11. Due to the low deposition temperature, a hydrophilic surface, and high k value, the ALD-ZrO2 dielectric can be compatible for printed transistors. The processes of fabrication and characterization of inkjet-printed graphene transistors is demonstrated using the ZrO2 dielectric. The possible solvents, surfactant, and the dielectric induced modifications in graphene flakes are demonstrated by Raman spectra. The graphene flakes spread uniformly on the ZrO2 surface. The functional inkjet-printed graphene transistor characteristics are demonstrated to illustrate the field effect behavior with the ALD-ZrO2 dielectric.
Hyponatremia in cirrhosis: Pathophysiology and management

Hyponatremia is frequently seen in patients with ascites secondary to advanced cirrhosis and portal hypertension. The development of ascites in patients with cirrhosis is multi-factorial. Portal hypertension and the associated systemic vasodilation lead to activation of the sodium-retaining neurohumoral mechanisms which include the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, sympathetic nervous system and antidiuretic hormone (ADH). The net effect is the avid retention of sodium and water to compensate for the low effective circulatory volume resulting in the development of ascites. Although not apparent in the early stages of cirrhosis, the progression of cirrhosis and ascites leads to impairment of the kidneys to eliminate solute- free water. This leads to additional compensatory mechanisms including non-osmotic secretion of ADH, also known as arginine vasopressin, further worsening excess water retention and thereby hyponatremia. Hyponatremia is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients with cirrhosis, and is an important prognostic marker both before and after liver transplant. The management of hyponatremia in this setting is a challenge as conventional therapy for hyponatremia including fluid restriction and loop diuretics are frequently inefficacious. In this review, we discuss the pathophysiology and various treatment modalities, including selective vasopressin receptor antagonists, for the management of hyponatremia in patients with cirrhosis.
The Effect of Diffusion and Shear on Concentration Correlations in Binary Systems

The preparation of glass free from optical inhomogeneities is an example in which mixing by combined interdiffusion and shearing occurs [1]. In principle, if the initial conditions and transport coefficients are known, the diffusion equation with a suitable connective term can be solved to follow the course of mixing provided the flow is laminar. Generally, however, the system is partially randomized to start with, so that a statistical description is necessary to define the degree of homogeneity [2]. It is the purpose of this paper to follow the development of this description as it is changed by diffusion and a particular flow distribution.
Aging and bone

Abstract Aging is the seminal culprit in the development of many diseases in the elderly, including osteoporosis. However, the precise mechanisms causing the age-dependent loss of bone mass remain unclear. In this chapter, we review evidence from biochemical, pharmacological, and genetic studies indicating that oxidative stress, accumulation of senescent cells, and a decline in autophagy are important bone-intrinsic mechanisms of skeletal involution. Bone extrinsic mechanisms, including loss of sex steroids, decreased innate immunity, and decreased physical activity, contribute to the process. Several new classes of drugs targeting age-related mechanisms have the potential to treat simultaneously more than one age-related disease, including osteoporosis.
The US Educational Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This paper examines the United States federal and state educational responses to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as states’ plans for reopening schools. The virus entered the United States in January 2020. As the virus spread, most school districts began to close in March. At the end of June, the United States has experienced the highest number of cases and deaths due to COVID-19 in the world, and infection rates appear to be rising once again. Given the great physical and socioeconomic diversity of the United States, the federal and state response to COVID-19 and plans to reopen schools in the autumn have emphasized flexibility and adaptation. However, the implementation of remote (online) learning has highlighted and exacerbated long-standing racial and economic inequalities in US society related to technology access, school engagement, and school-parent relationships. These inequalities may be exacerbated as schools attempt to reopen and students continue to face inconsistent access to learning, learning loss during the spring semester and summer, and COVID-19 spread among the most at-risk population groups. Further research and practical interventions, such as tutoring, should be implemented to address educational equality issues and improve access, whether to in-person or remote instruction.
Using the DSRM to Develop a Skills Gaps Analysis Model

One of the issues organizations face is identifying the required skills needed for a position and then evaluating whether their personnel have these skills or if there is a “skills gap.” For this research, the authors are defining the “skills gap” as the distance between the position requirements and the skills currently possessed by the worker in that position. While multiple models have been created over the years to address facets of the problem, none of them provide a comprehensive framework to clearly identify the required skills and worker qualifications and then evaluate the degree of similarity. A composite skills gap model has been developed using the design science research method (DSRM) to combine elements of previous models and to ensure that the resulting model met a set of established criteria. The skills gap analysis model (SGAM) was evaluated using demonstration data to ensure that it provided a single taxonomy, for both position requirements and the worker qualifications, the resulting descriptions were quantifiable and comparable, the data was accurate and actionable, the model framework is adaptable to any domain, and it is easy to use and not time consuming. The framework provided by the SGAM model establishes a theoretical foundation for skills gap analyses that allows for more analytical research in this area. By utilizing the SGAM to identify position requirements and worker qualifications, organizations can move personnel to better-suited positions or utilize needed training in the specific areas identified. As technology moves toward increasing automation, robotics and artificial intelligence, this type of model can identify what skills are necessary for “retooling” the workforce to meet the needs to support these systems.
Exploratory Study Comparing End-of-Life Care Intensity between Chinese American and White Advanced Cancer Patients at an American Tertiary Medical Center.

Background: Understanding ethnic disparities in end-of-life care (EOLC) intensity is central to improving outcomes for diverse populations. Although Chinese Americans represent one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in the United States, little is known about their EOLC intensity. Objective: To explore differences in indicators of high-intensity EOLC in the final 30 days of life, place of death, and hospice utilization between Chinese American and White advanced cancer patients. Methods: In this exploratory review, we collected data on 48 Chinese American and 48 White stage IV solid tumor patients who died during 2013-2018. Indicators of high-intensity care from the final 30 days of life included ≥2 hospital, ≥1 intensive care unit (ICU), and/or ≥2 emergency department admissions; cardiopulmonary resuscitation administration and mechanical ventilation (MV); place of death; and whether patients were on hospice at death. Results: Among Chinese American and White patients, respectively, 49% and 36% died in the hospital, 15% and 7% died in the ICU, 17% and 8% received MV, and 6% and 13% had ≥1 hospital admission lasting >14 days. Seventeen percent of Chinese American and 43% of White patients died at home. Hospice enrollment was similar between groups. Seventeen percent of Chinese American and 8% of White patients died within 30 days of diagnosis. Conclusion: Results suggest that fewer Chinese Americans died at home, whereas more died in the ICU, received MV, and died within 30 days of cancer diagnosis, indicating possible disparities in EOLC. Further studies are needed to explore findings from this exploratory investigation.
The Arts in Sacred Spaces: How Religious Conservatism and Cultural Omnivorousness Influence Attitudes About Congregational Involvement in the Arts

How do religious and cultural sensibilities influence attitudes towards congregational involvement in the arts? Although religion’s role in constructing symbolic boundaries influences adherents’ behaviors both inside and outside of sacred spaces, a predominant focus on economic and cultural factors in the scholarship on cultural tastes and practices has tended to relegate religion to a marginal position in the literature. Theories of class-based cultural tastes and omnivorousness have only rarely been applied to the study of religion and even less so to the intersection between tastes or practices and the sacredness of congregational contexts. This study aims to bridge the gap between the sociology of religion and of culture by showing how considerations about congregational spaces present a complex set of boundaries for practitioners when it comes to the arts, such that acceptance or rejection of the latter is conditioned by the form it takes. The study also examines the extent to which the inclusionary effects of cultural omnivorousness, by volume and composition, apply to attitudes about these sacred spaces. This study uses data from the Arts and Religion Survey to run logistic regressions on attitudes towards a range of forms of congregational participation in the arts. The results show that religious conservatism and such attitudes are not intrinsically opposed. Instead, conservatism is consistently negatively related only when artistic inclusion does not have well-defined symbolic boundaries (i.e., is culturally atypical). Cultural omnivorousness also has varied effects. Omnivorousness by volume but not by composition predicts openness to congregational involvement in the arts, albeit only for well-defined and recognizable artistic forms. It is cultural atypicality (rather than variety) that is antithetical to conservative conceptions of the sacred. Moreover, because religious conservatism offers specifically religious understandings of legitimacy for sacred spaces, omnivorousness by composition, which deals in matters of (cultural) legitimacy, has little to offer, and it is only omnivorousness by volume that extends its inclusivity to attitudes about congregational involvement in the arts. The study concludes with a discussion of data limitations and recommendations for further research.
Developing Community-Based Palliative Care Services for People Living with HIV in Africa.

ABSTRACT Africa continues to be disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. Poor access to medical care, limited access to antiretroviral drugs, and lack of supportive care for persons who are symptomatic lead to disease progression. Community-based palliative care services are effective in providing supportive services throughout the course of the illness, but palliative care services are limited in Africa. This article presents a theoretical approach to developing community-based palliative care services to bridge this gap.
Recent Developments in Rubisco Research: Structure, Assembly, Activation, and Genetic Engineering

Ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco, E.C. 4.1.1.39) catalyzes the rate limiting steps in the diverging pathways of photosynthetic carbon assimilation and photorespiration. Rubisco is most likely the most abundant protein in the biosphere and it is definitely the most extensively studied plant enzyme. Recent developments in research on Rubisco have resulted in new information about several aspects of the enzyme. These include the determination of the structure of two Rubisco enzymes with different subunit stoichiometry, the identification of auxiliary systems for enzyme assembly and activation, and the application of molecular biology techniques for genetic engineering and analysis of the reactions catalyzed by Rubisco. This survey covers such recent developments while we refer to several other reviews1,2,3 which deal with the intensively studied aspects of subunit biosynthesis, reaction chemistry and activity.
Diffraction Theory of Sensors and Radiators

The word diffraction was invented by Francesco Maria Grimaldi (1618–1663) to describe the tendency of light to deviate from propagation in straight lines, for example at a shadow edge, and to break up into dark and light bands. Grimaldi’s work was done at about the same time that Isaac Newton (1642–1727) was studying refraction by a prism.
Analysis of a distributed algorithm to determine multiple routes with path diversity in ad hoc networks

With multipath routing in mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs), a source can establish multiple routes to a destination for routing data. In MANETs, multipath routing can be used to provide route resilience, smaller end-to-end delay, and better load balancing. However, when the multiple paths are close together, transmissions of different paths may interfere with each other, causing degradation in performance. Besides interference, the physical diversity of paths also improves fault tolerance. We present a purely distributed multipath protocol based on the AODV-multipath (AODVM) protocol called AODVM with path diversity (AODVM/PD) that finds multiple paths with a desired degree of correlation between paths specified as an input parameter to the algorithm. We demonstrate through detailed simulation analysis that multiple paths with low degree of correlation determined by AODVM/PD provides both smaller end-to-end delay than AODVM in networks with low mobility and better route resilience in the presence of correlated node failures.
Evaluation of Booth's algorithm for implementation in parallel multipliers

The Booth (1951) encoding technique, used in parallel multipliers seems to be obsolete because of the improvement of compression trees using 4:2 compressors. This article compares the two techniques in the case of different lengths of multipliers, and it appears that the reduction bit with 4:2 compressors allows a higher speed and a highly regular layout since the schematic is simple and repetitive.
Processing Instruction and a Role for Output in Second Language Acquisition

This study addresses the role of output in second language (L2) acquisition by comparing processing instruction (PI) to communicative output (CO) tasks. Participants included 80 English-speaking adults from six university course sections of beginning L2 Spanish, with two assigned to each treatment (PI = 27; CO = 28) and two others comprising a control group (n = 25). Instruction lasted 7 days and targeted the anticausative clitic se. One lesson was videotaped and transcribed in each treatment group. Results on grammaticality judgment and guided production tasks administered before, immediately after, and 24 days following instruction indicated similar grammaticality judgment improvements, but more frequent uses of se by CO learners on guided production. Transcript data suggest a role for output in acquisition involving attention to, and metalinguistic analyses of, L2 structure.
The Composition of Hedonic Pricing Models

A house is made up of many characteristics, all of which may affect its value. Hedonic regression analysis is typically used to estimate the marginal contribution of these individual characteristic...
Proof of the Quantum Null Energy Condition

We prove the quantum null energy condition (QNEC), a lower bound on the stress tensor in terms of the second variation in a null direction of the entropy of a region. The QNEC arose previously as a consequence of the quantum focusing conjecture, a proposal about quantum gravity. The QNEC itself does not involve gravity, so a proof within quantum field theory is possible. Our proof is somewhat nontrivial, suggesting that there may be alternative formulations of quantum field theory that make the QNEC more manifest. Our proof applies to free and super-renormalizable bosonic field theories, and to any points that lie on stationary null surfaces. An example is Minkowski space, where any point $p$ and null vector ${k}^{a}$ define a null plane $N$ (a Rindler horizon). Given any codimension-2 surface $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}$ that contains $p$ and lies on $N$, one can consider the von Neumann entropy ${S}_{\mathrm{out}}$ of the quantum state restricted to one side of $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}$. A second variation ${S}_{\mathrm{out}}^{\ensuremath{'}\ensuremath{'}}$ can be defined by deforming $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}$ along $N$, in a small neighborhood of $p$ with area $\mathcal{A}$. The QNEC states that $⟨{T}_{kk}(p)⟩\ensuremath{\ge}\frac{\ensuremath{\hbar}}{2\ensuremath{\pi}}\underset{\mathcal{A}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0}{\mathrm{lim}}{S}_{\mathrm{out}}^{\ensuremath{'}\ensuremath{'}}/\mathcal{A}$.
Lost (But Not Missing) at Work: Organizational Lostness as an Employee Response to Change

This article draws from the psychology of lost person behavior, established from wilderness search and rescue missions, to suggest that employees experience the condition of being lost within organ...
Narrow Bipolar Pulse locations compared to thunderstorm radar echo structure

The locations of 172 positive narrow bipolar pulses (NBPs) found on one day in Florida are superimposed on radar reflectivity data from that day. All 172 NBPs were found within the reflectivity of a thundercloud or at the edge of the reflectivity. The NBPs were classified into three groups: (I) in or above the high-reflectivity core of the storm, (II) in the convective region but not Group I, or (III) in the anvil region. Groups I, II, and III had, respectively, 79%, 17%, and 4% of the NBPs. Of the 136 NBPs in Group I, 43% occurred within the reflectivity core and 57% occurred above the core. A sequence of 34 positive NBPs during 1 h of one thunderstorm suggests that the majority of NBPs occurred during the rapid growth of two thunderstorm cells. Positive NBPs seem to recur in some storm locations; 67 (39%) of the NBPs were part of a recurrent set. We found 28 cases of NBPs recurring in approximately the same location, including 22 doublets, 3 triplets, 2 quadruplets, and 1 sextuplet. Analyses of one quadruplet and one sextuplet showed that these 10 positive NBPs occurred just above and/or right beside the high-reflectivity core on the downshear side of the core. Our data lead us to a hypothesis that NBPs occurring between the thunderstorm's upper positive charge and upper negative screening charge are initiated by small-scale charge regions with positive charge above negative charge, or opposite the orientation of the large-scale storm charges.
Predicted Effects of Residential Development on a Northern Idaho Landscape Under Alternative Growth Management and Land Protection Policies

Abstract Land use change driven by exurban development can lead to dramatic alterations in the structure and function of landscapes. Residential development outside of urban and suburban zones can disrupt agricultural and forest management operations and ecosystem processes, increase community wildfire hazard, deplete groundwater resources, and lead to social conflict. We assessed two policy tools, urban growth boundaries and agricultural use zoning, for their potential to help manage growth and sustain the rural landscape. Using a survey-based model, we simulated the effects of the two policy tools on land use change and compared the results with predictions of land use change for two rural counties (4794 km 2 ) in northern Idaho developed in a previous project. We measured the effects of predicted exurban development using four measures: number of housing units predicted on productive agricultural lands, number of housing units predicted on a groundwater resource area, changes to a wildfire hazard index for residential structures, and the social acceptability of residential development patterns given current development preferences. The two policy tools impose in substantially different landscape-level residential development patterns when compared to the baseline change prediction and each other. Each tool resulted in a variety of tradeoffs between negative and positive effects among our measures of impact. Our findings demonstrate the importance of using multiple indicators to evaluate growth management and land protection policy tools for making land use planning decisions.
Spontaneously forming ellipsoidal phospholipid unilamellar vesicles and their interactions with helical domains of saposin C.

We have observed a bimodal distribution of ellipsoidal unilamellar vesicles (ULVs) in a phospholipid mixture composed of dioleoyl phosphatidylserine (DOPS) and dipalmitoyl and dihexanoyl phosphatidylcholine, DPPC and DHPC, respectively. Dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy data indicate a bimodal size distribution of these nanoparticles with hydrodynamic radii of ∼200 and >500 nm, while small-angle neutron scattering data were fit using a model of coexisting monodisperse morphologies, namely, oblate and triaxial ellipsoidal vesicles. Unlike DOPS ULV formed by sonication, which can fuse days after being formed, these ULVs are stable over a period of 12 months at 4 °C. We also report on the structure of these ULVs associated with the two helical peptide domains (H1 and H2) of a glucosylprotein, namely, Saposin C, to gain some insight into protein−membrane interactions.
Minimally invasive lateral lumbar interbody fusion and transpsoas approach-related morbidity

Object Recently, the minimally invasive, lateral retroperitoneal, transpsoas approach to the thoracolumbar spinal column has been described by various authors. This is known as the minimally invasive lateral lumbar interbody fusion. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the approach-related morbidity associated with the minimally invasive transpsoas approach to the lumbar spine. To date, there have been only a couple of reports regarding the morbidity of the transpsoas muscle approach. Methods A nonrandomized, prospective study utilizing a self-reported patient questionnaire was conducted between January 2006 and June 2008 at Northwestern University. Data were collected in 53 patients with a follow-up period ranging from 6 months to 3.5 years. Only 2 patients were lost to follow-up. Results Thirty-six percent (19 of 53) of patients reported subjective hip flexor weakness, 25% (13 of 53) anterior thigh numbness, and 23% (12 of 53) anterior thigh pain. However, 84% of the 19 patients reported complete r...
Leiomyoma of the ureter. A histologically problematic rare tumor confirmed by immunohistochemical studies

Identification of smooth muscle actomyosin by an immunohistochemical technique in tumor facilitated the diagnosis of a rare tumor of die ureter—a leiomyoma which was infiltrated by an unusually large number of chronic inflammatory cells. The technique is useful for the identification of spindle-cell tumors of smooth muscle or skeletal muscle origin.
Facilitating the learning process: a pilot study of collaborative testing vs individualistic testing in the chiropractic college setting.

Abstract Objective This pilot study examines the effect collaborative testing has on achievement of students taking a basic science course at a chiropractic college. Methods The grades of 2 cohorts of students taking a basic science course were compared: the control group from the first academic term (n = 73) and the experimental group from the second academic term (n = 41). The control cohort completed weekly quizzes as individuals. The experimental cohort completed the weekly quizzes in small collaborative groups. All unit examinations and the final examination were taken by both cohorts individually. Grades for each cohort were derived from 6 weekly unit quizzes, 3 unit examinations, and a comprehensive final examination. Results Overall, the experimental group differed from the control group (Wilks' Λ = 0.318; F 10,103 = 22.052; and P Conclusions These results confirm previous reports that student performance is enhanced by collaborative learning. Collaborative testing provided students with the opportunity to discuss their reasoning and receive immediate feedback from other group members regarding their rationale, which potentially enhanced understanding of course material. Students were encouraged to become more active in the course as group discussions emerged from individual perspectives. The collaborative learning process may enhance critical thinking abilities, which are vital for future chiropractic practitioners.
Can the delta Rapid Shallow Breathing Index predict respiratory failure in spontaneously breathing patients receiving positive pressure ventilation

The Rapid Shallow Breathing Index (RSBI) is derived by dividing the respiratory rate by the tidal volume. Previous work by this group has shown an association between an elevated RSBI (>105) and the need for noninvasive ventilation. Hypothesis: an improvement in RSBI, defined as a decrease from baseline (that is, ΔRSBI) can predict whether patients will develop respiratory failure either when receiving conventional therapy (non-CPAP) or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).
Age and sex associations of 40 autoimmune diseases

Self-injury by the host's immune system is believed to be a factor in the etiology of many diseases. Much attention has been given to the part played by sex hormones in such processes. Current literature frequently maintains that females are more susceptible than males to autoimmune diseases. In order to gain information about this factor, a tabulation has been made of the sex incidence of 40 autoimmune diseases which occur at different periods of life: childhood, early adult life, mature adult life, and old age. To some extent the tabulations substantiate female preponderance, but in some there is no gender difference, and in others, particularly the autoimmune nephropathies, male preponderance is the rule. Findings in experiments with animal analogues of human autoimmune disease, showing that administration of estrogen augments the manifestations, whereas androgen treatment suppresses them, do not correlate closely with clinical experience.
Penalty for zero–one integer equivalent problem

The equivalence of zero–one integer programming and a concave quadratic penalty function problem has been shown by Raghavachari, for a sufficiently large value of the penalty. A lower bound for this penalty is obtained here, which in specific cases cannot be reduced.
Testing the critical size in calvarial bone defects: revisiting the concept of a critical-size defect.

Background There is a clinical need for bone replacement strategies because of the shortfalls endemic to autologous bone grafting, especially in the pediatric patient population. For the past 25 years, the animal model that has been used to test bone replacement strategies has been the calvarial critical-sized defect (CSD), based on the initial size of the bone defect. This study was undertaken to test the concept of the critical-size in several different models. A review of the theoretical and scientific bases for the CSD was also undertaken.
The dependence of the structure and electronic properties of wurtzite GaN surfaces on the method of preparation

Abstract The effects of in situ cleaning, thermal and chemical treatments on wurtzite GaN surfaces have been studied using various electron spectroscopies and low energy electron diffraction (LEED). Nitrogen-ion bombardment or deposition of Ga metal, followed by annealing in UHV, yields clean (1×1)-ordered surfaces, with the latter giving a somewhat better LEED pattern. Uniform heating during annealing appears important in avoiding facetting. Annealing an `as-inserted' surface either in UHV or in a flux of NH3 vapor is not completely effective in cleaning, but annealing a clean ion-bombarded surface in NH3 impedes the formation of N vacancies which occurs in UHV. Surface band bending depends on anneal temperature for both as-inserted and ion-bombarded samples, changing by up to 0.7 eV from 300 to 700°C. This is tentatively explained by the accumulation of surface Ga vacancies which act as acceptors. Adsorbed H removes a surface state near the valence band maximum but is very sensitive to desorption by impact of ~90 eV electrons.
Medicago truncatula syntaxin SYP132 defines the symbiosome membrane and infection droplet membrane in root nodules

Symbiotic association of legume plants with rhizobia bacteria culminates in organogenesis of nitrogen-fixing root nodules. In indeterminate nodules, plant cells accommodate rhizobial infection by enclosing each bacterium in a membrane-bound, organelle-like compartment called the symbiosome. Numerous symbiosomes occupy each nodule cell; therefore an enormous amount of membrane material must be delivered to the symbiosome membrane for its development and maintenance. Protein delivery to the symbiosome is thought to rely on the plant secretory system; however, the targeting mechanisms are not well understood. In this study, we report the first in-depth analysis of a syntaxin localized on symbiosome membranes. Syntaxins help define a biochemical identity to each compartment in the plant secretory system and facilitate vesicle docking and fusion. Here, we present biochemical and cytological evidence that the SNARE MtSYP132, a Medicago truncatula homologue of Arabidopsis thaliana Syntaxin of Plants 132, localizes to the symbiosome membrane. Using a specific anti-MtSYP132 peptide antibody, we also show that MtSYP132 localizes to the plasma membrane surrounding infection threads and is most abundant on the infection droplet membrane. These results indicate that MtSYP132 may function in infection thread development or growth and the early stages of symbiosome formation.
The positive inotropic effect of α1A-adrenoceptor stimulation is inhibited by 4-aminopyridine

Abstract This study was designed to determine if 4-aminopyridine, a reported inhibitor of the transient outward K+ current (Ito), alters the inotropic actions elicited via stimulation of WB4101- or chloroethylclonidine-sensitive receptors in rat myocardium. WB4101 (N-[2-(2,6-dimethoxyphenoxy)ethyl]-2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxin-2-methanamine) is a competitive antagonist that is selective for α1A- and α1C-adrenoceptors, while chloroethylclonidine is an irreversible blocker that is reported to antagonize α1B-, α1C-, and α1D-adrenoceptor binding. Inotropic effects of the α1-adrenoceptor agonist phenylephrine were examined in isolated left atrial and papillary muscle before and after addition of 4-aminopyridine, and before and after addition of 4-aminopyridine in preparations pretreated with chloroethylclonidine or WB4101. In addition, effects of phenylephrine were examined before and after treatment with staurosporine (an inhibitor of protein kinase C) in chloroethylclonidine-pretreated preparations. Phenylephrine (10 μM) elicited a sustained positive inotropic response in left atria and a triphasic inotropic action in papillary muscle (transient positive and negative inotropic components preceding a sustained positive inotropic response). 4-Aminopyridine (1.0, 1.7, 3.0 mM) reduced the sustained positive inotropic responses in the absence of antagonists and in chloroethylclonidine-pretreated preparations. However, in the presence of 10 nM WB4101, 4-aminopyridine had no effect on the remaining inotropic actions of phenylephrine. The sustained positive inotropic response to the α1-agonist in chloroethylclonidine-pretreated preparations was not inhibited by 100 nM staurosporine. These data suggest that the sustained positive inotropic actions of α1A-adrenoceptor stimulation in rat atrial and ventricular myocardium are mediated via non-protein kinase C-associated reductions in Ito.
Electron microscopy of whole mount metaphase chromosomes

Whole mount metaphase chromosomes, from cultured L cells, have been centrifuged onto grids and examined by electron microscopy. Compact and dispersed chromosome forms provide extensive ultrastructural information. Condensed chromosome arms appear as packed fibers with centromeric heterochromatin identifiable because it stains more intensely than the rest of the chromosome. Kinetochores are readily visible in these preparations. Under appropriate isolation conditions, it is possible to obtain mitotic spindles in which bundles of microtubules remain attached to kinetochores, suggesting that the kinetochores retain basic structural integrity throughout the isolation procedure. Dispersal of metaphase chromosomes by treatment with formalin and distilled water shows that these chromosomes are composed of a basic fiber that is normally highly condensed. This fiber is made up of regularly repeating 70–90 A diameter nucleoprotein granules separated from neighboring granules by a 20–40 A diameter fiber whose continuity is maintained by DNA. This structural arrangement is totally analagous to that reported for interphase chromatin from a variety of sources.
Ethnic variation in estradiol metabolism in reproductive age Asian and white women treated with transdermal estradiol

Asian women have significantly higher serum E 2 levels during treatment with transdermal E 2 compared with white women. This finding suggests altered metabolic clearance of this steroid hormone.
Time Behavior of Series Elasticity in Cardiac Muscle Real-Time Measurement by Controlled-Length Techniques

Controlled-length quick releases were applied to cat papillary muscle at various times during an isometric contraction to study the series elasticity of cardiac muscle relative to time. Force and length were measured continuously during the course of constant-velocity releases. Series elastic compliance was evaluated from semilogarithmic plots with force referred to plateau levels. The force-extension curve of the series elastic element (SE) was exponential; the compliance of the SE varied with force independently of time. Series elastic compliance relative to time was not altered by changes in initial muscle length. However, when series elastic compliance was measured by extrapolating tension to the end of the release, it appeared to be greater earlier in the twitch. This finding was misleading; it resulted from inadequate release velocities in relation to varying rates of tension redevelopment at different times in the twitch. Force-extension curves of the SE were nearly identical at different initial muscle lengths. Yet, conventional comparisons of series elastic compliance in terms of shortening of the SE between peak tension and preload showed wide variation with initial length, because different portions of the force-extension curve were measured. This problem was avoided by expressing series elastic compliance in terms of the exponential length change ( x e ) necessary to reduce force by the factor 1/ e = 0.368 anywhere on the force-extension curve. The average value of x e , in 23 determinations was 1.87 ± 0.26% of initial muscle length; this value is about 25% smaller than that reported previously. Because of the exponential shape of the force-extension curve of the SE, the possibility of substantial series elasticity in myofilament cross-bridges cannot be excluded. However, until convincing evidence is presented to the contrary, it is suggested that the series elasticity of cardiac muscle be regarded as a passive element as it is in the traditional Hill model.
Echocardiographic patterns recorded from a patient with a peripheral arterio-venous shunt.

The echocardiographic patterns of increased right ventricular dimension and abnormal septal motion were observed in a patient with a large pelvic arterio-venous (A-V) shunt and no associated cardiac lesion. Although there was evidence of incomplete closure of the shunt four months after surgery, the right ventricular dimension had returned to normal but abnormal septal motion persisted. While these echocardiographic findings cannot be attributed specifically to the shunt in this patient, such a lesion should be considered in patients with these echocardiographic patterns and no cardiac abnormality.
The orienting response and stimulus significance: Further comments

Abstract Siddle's (1979) assertion that the significance hypothesis is based on tautological argument regarding the effects of intensity decrease refer only to two papers which first suggested the need for research into determinants other than mismatch. Studies testing specific predictions followed in various laboratories, and it is their results that support the hypothesis. The hypothesis never depended on intensity decrease, and the charge of nonreplicability is incorrect. Siddle's argument concerning response stereotypy cannot account for the data showing response to significant ‘novelty’ coupled with nonresponse to nonsignificant ‘novelty’ in the same OR component, or for that showing consistent differences in various components between randomly selected groups. Arguments based on trait-lability are inadequate since tests of the lability hypothesis have confounded trait factors with the differences in stimulus assessment they hope to test. The significance hypothesis emphasizes stimulus information in the OR, significance serving to limit access to central processing channels to those signals whose information is relevant for the organism. OR components are seen as long-latency responses elicited after automatic early detection of uncertainty and significance, and reflect higher processing of significant information. A distinction between involuntary and voluntary phases of attention is acknowledged, but it is questioned whether OR components can be assigned to the former because of the frequent failure of ‘automatic’ ORs to innocuous stimuli, the long latency of most components, and failure to demonstrate structural differences between the classes of response.
The intermolecular space of reconstituted collagen fibrils.

Abstract The extent, geometry and heterogeneity of the intermolecular space of hydrated, purified and reconstituted steer skin collagen fibrils has been characterized. The extent of the space has been assessed experimentally by an X-ray diffraction method and a new physical chemical technique, and found to be 1.14 ml per gram collagen. A theoretical model relating the intermolecular space to X-ray diffraction parameters has been presented, and this suggests that the geometry of the intermolecular space arises from a near-hexagonal packing of the collagen molecules. On the basis of an assumed microfibrillar packing model and a geometric construction of the shape of a collagen molecule, the distribution of the space within reconstituted collagen fibrils has been characterized as follows: 0.13 ml of the intermolecular space/g collagen can be attributed to the helical groove of the collagen molecules per se and 1.01 ml/g is interstitial; 0.66 ml/g is present in the form of “pores” (hexagonally-closed packed spaces), whereas 0.48 ml/g is present in the form of “holes” (hexagonal volume defects); 0.73 ml/g of the intermolecular space is associated with a region of the collagen fibrils where holes are localized and 0.41 ml/g is attributable to the regions of the fibril in which pores only are present.
Three-Body Dissociation Dynamics of Excited States of O3(D2O)

In these experiments, the dynamics of the three-body dissociative photodetachment of O3-(D2O) at 258 nm are directly probed for the first time. Photodetachment of a negatively charged precursor, wi...
Training adaptations of baboons to light and moderate treadmill exercise

We evaluated training adaptations by 18 baboons (Papio cynocephalus anubis) to low and moderate quadrupedal walking exercise on a motorized treadmill. Moderate training produced 47% increases in lactate threshold, 63% increases in muscle citrate synthetase activity, increases in percentage of Type IIc muscle fibers, and reduced plasma insulin concentrations. Low training produced only reduced plasma insulin concentrations. Only results indicate that the baboon response to exercise training was similar to that of Homo sapiens, and dependent on exercise intensity.