cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Towards Institutional Symbiosis: Business and the United Nations in Environmental Governance

This article analyses the potentially symbiotic role of business and the United Nations (UN) in global environmental governance. Contending that a stronger and more coherent UN in the realm of the environment is in the interest of the business community, we focus on three main issues: what the UN needs to become stronger in environmental affairs; what business could provide on this behalf; and how business could benefit from a strengthened UN. We consider the current structural dilemmas of the UN environmental system, including concerns about institutional multiplicity and how these may affect business engagement. After reflecting on perceived and actual challenges and opportunities for business participation, we conclude with three substantive solutions towards more efficient collaboration. These solutions centre on the continuation of an interactive database begun by the Global Environmental Governance Project, a joint initiative of the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy and the College of William and Mary.
Application of Neutron Scattering in Earth Sciences

The unique properties of neutron interaction with materials have long been applied to the study of geological materials, with Shull and Smart using them in 1949 to determine the antiferromagnetic structure of manganosite (MnO). Neutron diffraction provides an accurate method for crystal structure determination of hydrous phases, particularly ices, and investigations of cation ordering of elements that are adjacent in the Periodic Table, such as Al–Si in feldspars and zeolites. Both elastic and inelastic scattering have been used to determine the properties of fluids that are present in many sedimentary rocks, including shales that are often saturated with brines or hydrocarbons. Due to minimal absorption and deep sample penetration, neutron scattering has become a favorite tool for crystallographic preferred orientation (texture) analysis of rocks as well as destruction-free three-dimensional (3D) tomographic characterization of microstructures.
Teaching Critical Literacy Principles to Math and Science Educators

This article discusses the attitudes of math and science educators toward incorporating literacy activities into their teaching and offers suggestions for ways that teacher educators can encourage the integration of critical literacy principles into their lesson and unit planning. Emphases placed on textbooks, correct answers, multiple choice or other short answer forms of assessment, and an overall prioritizing of “covering content” over “having time to address questions and differing points of view” have made these students, as a whole, more resistant to the idea of incorporating critical literacy in math and science education. As a result, this article advocates the importance for teacher educators to encourage their students to develop lessons that promote critical literacy in math and science and model for them creative and effective ways in which this can be done. Through creating lessons focusing on issues of power, problems and their complexity and examining multiple perspectives, they will better...
Using Technology in a First Year Experience Course

Abstract Colleges and universities are concerned with preparing students for success in their studies. One avenue has been to develop “University 101” or First Year Experience (FYE) courses that focus on academic achievement and student adjustment to college life. These courses, aimed at developing college-level skills and increasing student retention, should include a library component that is more than just a building tour. One way to reach as many students as possible is to create web-based instructional modules. This article discusses the development of a Web-based instructional module for a FYE course at the California State University, San Marcos. The successes and failures of integrating technology into a FYE course may help others concerned with reaching first-year students.
Racial differences in perceptions held by caregivers of long-term ventilator patients at end of life.

Aim: The purpose of this pilot study was to describe and compare perceptions of preparation for death and satisfaction with end-of-life care in African American and Caucasian caregivers of long-term ventilator (LTV) patients. Design: A comparative descriptive design was used to pilot test items from specific domains from the After-Death Bereaved Family Member Interview. Interviews were conducted on 37 bereaved caregivers of LTV patients who participated in a large experimental study. Findings: There was a statistically significant association between African American and Caucasian caregivers in the area of being informed of the patient’s condition. African American caregivers felt more informed than Caucasian caregivers. Over half of African American and Caucasian caregivers reported feeling ‘fairly to very confident’ about what to expect when their loved one was dying. Conclusion: Health care providers should be sensitive to potential differences between African American and Caucasian family caregivers i...
Functional and aesthetic correction of secondary unilateral cleft lip nasal deformities

The treatment of patients with unilateral cleft lip has undergone significant development during the last decades. With better understanding of the anatomy of the unilateral cleft lip and nasal deformities, primary correction of the nasal deformity at the time of lip repair, critical evaluation of short and long-term results following various treatment protocols, and constant striving for perfection in both aesthetics and function, we have been able to design improved treatment strategies and more accurate surgical techniques so as to achieve overall superior and long-lasting results. In this review article, we present our protocols and experience for functional and aesthetic correction of secondary unilateral cleft lip nasal deformities and a retrospective review of 219 consecutive patients treated at our Craniofacial Centre for correction of secondary unilateral cleft lip nasal deformities. The protocols used in the treatment of 219 consecutive patients at our Craniofacial Centre for correction of secondary unilateral cleft lip nasal deformities were reviewed. In addition, analysis of the most recent 51 consecutive patients who underwent complete clinical and functional evaluation with rhinomanometry followed by correction of the cleft lip nasal deformity was performed. A variety of time-honoured techniques of rhinoplasty were applied in the correction of the residual deformities to achieve symmetry, aesthetic balance, and functional correction of the nose. Follow-up ranged from 5-11 years. Analysis of the data revealed that 39 patients (76.47%) had significant functional and aesthetic improvement; seven patients (13.07%) had significant aesthetic improvement but a modest functional improvement; and five patients (9.8%) required additional surgery to improve their appearance and had no functional improvement. Further analysis demonstrated that five out of seven patients in the second group had pharyngeal flaps in place that were primarily responsible for the airway obstruction. No attempt was made to revise the ports of these flaps because the speech was excellent. The surgical plan is based on the information gained from our extensive clinical evaluation and is tailored to the patient's specific functional and aesthetic needs.
Heart transplantation in infants and children with situs inversus.

Abstract Background: Recipient situs inversus has always represented a technical challenge during heart transplantation. Objective: A simplified operative strategy for heart transplantation in a recipient with atrial situs inversus is described. Methods: Fifteen pediatric recipients with situs inversus accompanying other complex congenital heart disease or dilated cardiomyopathy having "orthotopic" heart allotransplantation in one center, between 1985 and 1997, were reviewed retrospectively. A nearly uniform, simplified technical approach to transplantation was used and is described. Results: Fourteen of these recipients with complex malformations survived the transplantation. Morbidity relating to surgical technique has been limited to partial ( n = 2) or complete ( n = 1) late obstruction of superior vena caval drainage; each case was managed successfully by interventional cardiologic techniques. Actuarial survival after transplantation compares favorably with that among 290 infants and children with atrial situs solitus who underwent heart transplantation. Conclusions: Systemic atrial malposition, including situs inversus, does not limit successful heart transplantation by the simplified method described. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1998;116:82-9)
Drop movement along a fiber axis due to pressure driven air flow in a thin slit

Abstract The movements of liquid drops on fibers commonly occur in fabrics used in household and commercial applications. The fundamental mechanisms controlling the movement of drops on the fibers are basically the same as those for flat surfaces, but the differences in the geometries cause different kinematic behaviors. Drops on surfaces are widely discussed but fewer publications discuss drops on fibers. The results of pressure driven air flow experiments to move liquid drops along a fiber axis are presented here. Data from these new experiments are used to revise a drag coefficient correlation previously reported with data from a Couette flow device. The revised correlation combines the data sets from the Couette flow and the pressure driven flow experiments and significantly extends the range of the Reynolds number in the correlation. Also, a new correlation is obtained to predict the minimum Reynolds number of the gas flow necessary to initiate the movement of the drops on the fibers. The second correlation gives an estimate of the gas flow conditions necessary to start the movement of drops on fibers. The first correlation provides a drag coefficient to estimate the average speed of drops moving on the fibers.
Abstract 1457: Valproic acid enhances radiation therapy by protecting normal hippocampal neurons and sensitizing malignant glioblastoma cells

Neurocognitive deficits are devastating sequelae that follow cranial irradiation in patients with medulloblastoma and leukemia. Valproic acid (VPA) has been used effectively as a neuroprotector in various neurological insults. In the present study we demonstrate that VPA could be used to protect hippocampal neurons from the damaging effects of radiation. The effect of VPA pretreatment on cell death was examined using clonogenic survival assays. Mouse hippocampal neurons, HT-22 were treated with 0.6 mM VPA for 7 days prior to irradiation. A significant increase in survival was seen in HT-22 cells treated with VPA compared to cells treated with radiation alone. In contrast, VPA treatment decreased the survival of irradiated cancer cells, D54 and GL-261 compared to radiation alone. To elucidate the mechanism of this selective increased survival in normal hippocampal cells we monitored for program cell death by Annexin V-FITC or DAPI staining. Irradiated HT-22 cells which were pretreated with VPA demonstrated 2 fold decrease in apoptosis than irradiated cells. Similar results were obtained using irradiated mice. Seven-days old C57BL6J pups were either irradiated with the single dose of 7 Gy or treated with VPA (200mg/Kg) followed by 7Gy irradiation. VPA pretreatment protected hippocampal neurons from radiation-induced apoptosis as demonstrated by counting the pyknotic nuclei in the subgranular zone of the hippocampal region. Western immunoblotting of HT-22 cells revealed that VPA not only inhibited HDAC, but also inhibited glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), an enzyme required for apoptosis. A heterotopic glioma model of GL-261 was used to evaluate the tumor growth delay following treatment with VPA (200 mM) and radiation (five fractions of 2Gy). VPA alone delayed the tumor growth; however VPA in combination with radiation significantly delayed tumor growth. In conclusion, VPA protected hippocampal neurons from radiation-induced damage in vitro and in vivo. This protection is specific to hippocampal neuronal cells and not to cancer cells. The molecular mechanism could involve enzymatic inhibition of both HDAC and GSK-3β. VPA could be used as a novel therapy for the prevention of neurocognitive deficits resulting from cranial irradiation. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1457. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-1457
The Eleventh International Conference on AIDS: Cautious Celebration in Vancouver

For the first time in the short but turbulent history of the International Conference on AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome), participants found themselves in the midst of a sea change in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease. Scientists, health policy experts, politicians, and AIDS activists alike shared the anticipation. Report after report heralded improved outcomes in patients receiving combination therapy rather than monotherapy with reverse transcriptase inhibitors, particularly when investigators combined these agents with newly available protease inhibitors. The drug combinations dramatically reduced viral load in plasma, in some cases to undetectable levels, resulting in sharp rebounds in immune function. Even more encouraging is the pipeline for new and possibly more effective strategies. The cost of the new therapy for HIV disease, however, will limit the benefit to no more than 10% of the world's population infected with the virus.
Role of the response in associative interference

Two letter identification experiments were conducted using identical, irrelevant, or response-incompatible noise letters flanking the target in the display. The task was disjunctive reaction time (DRT), in which the subject responds to one target but not the other. Significant associative interference due to response-incompatible noise was not obtained. The effect is consistently obtained in comparable choice reaction time (CRT) experiments. It is concluded that this form of interference depends upon the presence of an active competing response. A CRT experiment was also conducted with a keypress and a verbal response as the competing responses. It produced the same interference as an experiment with two keypresses, suggesting that the dimension of response discriminability is not a factor in determining the amount of interference.
Comparison of multi-receptor and single-receptor trajectory source apportionment (TSA) methods using artificial sources

Abstract Two trajectory source apportionment methods were tested using an artificially generated data set to determine their ability to detect the known sources. The residence time or conditional probability method developed by Ashbaugh et al. [1985. A residence time probability analysis of sulfur concentrations at Grand Canyon National Park. Atmospheric Environment 19(8), 1263–1270] uses a single receptor at a time, whereas the new multi-receptor (MURA) method developed here uses several receptors at once in an attempt to detect the sources with higher accuracy. The methods were first tested using a simulation with a single source and then with another simulation using four sources. The ability of the methods to detect the sources was quantified for each simulation. The MURA trajectory method proved to be superior at identifying sources for these simulations.
Does Breastfeeding Prevent Nocturnal Enuresis?: In Reply

We thank Dr Bennett for his comments, and we absolutely agree that the historical literature supports a link between family history of bed-wetting and enuresis. We were as concerned as he is that a familial trait might have confounded our results. Of our 55 cases, 36 …
Review of Thermodynamic Properties of the Cr‐N System

Existing thermodynamic data for the Cr-N system were analyzed. High-temperature heat contents measured by Sato were reevaluated, and the heat capacity of Cr2N was determined to be 15.05+6.58×10−3T (°K) and that of CrN 11.10+ 1.58×103T. Using these heat capacities and an estimated ΔS°298, f of 20×1 cal/°K-g atom N for the formation of the nitrides, second- and third-law calculations for all available vapor-pressure data were made. The two calculations agreed very well for the data of Mills. The heats of formation of Cr2N and CrN are -31.8×1.0 and -28.4×1.5 kcal/mol, respectively. A partial phase diagram of the Cr-N system is presented.
A Mass Spectrometry Assay to Simultaneously Analyze ROS1 and RET Fusion Gene Expression in Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Introduction ROS1 and RET gene fusions were recently discovered in non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as potential therapeutic targets with small-molecule kinase inhibitors. The conventional screening methods of these fusions are time-consuming and require samples of high quality and quantity. Here, we describe a novel and efficient method by coupling the power of multiplexing polymerase chain reaction and the sensitivity of mass spectrometry. Methods The multiplex mass spectrometry platform simultaneously tests samples for the expression of nine ROS1 and six RET fusion genes. The assay incorporates detection of wild-type exon junctions immediately upstream and downstream of the fusion junction to exclude false-negative results. To flag false-positives, the system also comprises two independent assays for each fusion gene junction. Results The characteristic mass spectrometric peaks of the gene fusions were obtained using engineered plasmid constructs. Specific assays targeting the wild-type gene exon junctions were validated using complimentary DNA from lung tissue of healthy individuals. The system was further validated using complimentary DNA derived from NSCLC cell lines that express endogenous fusion genes. The expressed ROS1-SLC34A2 and CCDC6-RET gene fusions from the NSCLC cell lines HCC78 and LC-2/ad, respectively, were accurately detected by the novel assay. The assay is extremely sensitive, capable of detecting an event in test specimens containing 0.5% positive tumors. Conclusion The novel multiplexed assay is robustly capable of detecting 15 different clinically relevant RET and ROS1 fusion variants. The benefits of this detection method include exceptionally low sample input, high cost efficiency, flexibility, and rapid turnover.
Phytochrome Levels in the Green Alga Mesotaenium caldariorum Are Light Regulated

Experiments undertaken in this investigation examine the influence of light on the levels of phytochrome in the green alga Mesotaenium caldariorum and also provide partial protein sequence of the algal phytochrome. Immunochemical and spectrophotometric measurements reveal that phytochrome levels increase nearly 4-fold upon transfer of light-grown algal cells to total darkness during a 6- to 8-d adaptation period. Within 24 h after return to continuous illumination, the level of phytochrome in dark-adapted cells has decreased to that found in light-grown cells. Red or far-red light experiments show that both effects of light, phytochrome accumulation during dark adaptation and light-dependent decrease of phytochrome, do not depend on the form of the phytochrome photoreceptor (i.e. far-red absorbing or red absorbing) present in the algal cell. The light-dependent reduction of phytochrome in dark-adapted cells is inhibited by the photosynthetic electron transport inhibitor 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethyl urea, suggesting that this light effect is mediated by photosynthesis. Microsequence analyses of internal peptides indicate that algal phytochrome purified from dark-adapted cells shares the greatest sequence identity with phytochrome from the fern Selaginella (74%). Compared with higher plant photoreceptors, Mesotaenium phytochrome appears to be more closely related to phyB gene products (i.e. 62 and 63% average sequence identity) than to phyA gene products (i.e. 50 and 53% average sequence identity). Because light regulation and the structure of Mesotaenium phytochrome do not conform with either type I (light-labile) or type II (light-stable) phytochromes from higher plants, these results support the hypothesis that the lower green plant photoreceptors represent a distinct class of phytochrome.
Trypsin activation of latent collagenase from several mammalian sources

Latent collagenase, subject to activation by trypsin, was found in culture fluids of cells and tissues from several mammalian sources. The activation requires exposure to enzymatically active trypsin and cannot be achieved by inhibited or by heat-inactivated trypsin.
Patterns of syphilis testing in the elderly

Objective:To evaluate the frequency of inconsistencies in the use of laboratory tests for syphilis among the elderly in an acute care setting.
Ethnic Variation in Classroom Interaction: Myth or Reality

A balanced view of ethnic variation in a multilingual, multicul tural classroom is imperative in the context of maximizing learning potential in the second/foreign language classroom. The study reported here supports the hypothesis that the rules and norms governing L2 classroom interactional patterns will take on new dimensions depending as much on the teachers' pedagogic orienta tion and practical management of turn allocation as on the learners' disposition and motivation to participate in classroom communica tion ; as much on interactional opportunities created by the teacher as on interactional opportunities utilized by the learner. The study cau tions against forging any hasty linkage between ethnicity and styles of classroom interaction.
Teacher‐researcher collaboratives: Cooperative professional development

(1990). Teacher‐researcher collaboratives: Cooperative professional development. Theory Into Practice: Vol. 29, Teacher as Researcher, pp. 196-202.
Camera electronics for the 72-channel SAO Megacam

ABSTRACTThe S.A.O. Megacam focal plane will consist of 36 large CCDs (2K X 4.5K format), each with 2 output portsrunning at pixel rates up to 200 kHz. The unbinned data field is thus as large as 324 megawords and is presented at a sustained data rate during readout approaching 28 megabytes/sec. We have developed a simple camera controller to deal with the problem of handling so many channels and their digitized outputs at fairly high speeds.We also present some results from ongoing efforts to optimize the 200 kHz signal processing chain for low noiseand low crosstalk.Keywords: camera, electronics, controller, CCDThe S.A.O. Megacam"2 represents an order-of-magnitude jump in the scale of the electronic controllers andsignal processors that we have used in the recent past. In addition to that large number of video channels (72)to be accommodated, we desired to increase the readout rate to approximately 200 kHz in order to get the readoutlatency times down to comfortable levels, and to adapt the same controller hardware to allow autoguiding fromtwo additional CCDs in the main focal plane. It soon became evident that adapting a commercial CCD controllerto this vastly expanded task would be very problematic if not impossible. Thus, we were faced with the task ofdesigning and building most of the camera in-house. Fortunately, based on our experience in past years withcustom controller development, we were able to undertake this job with some prospect for success by basing thedesign on simple ROM/RAM modules for pattern generation, with which we had considerable favorable experience.We were quite confident that such a digital design, using proven techniques and incorporating the latest in digitalcomponents (such as gate arrays) would ultimately give us a very reliable, compact digital core for our controller.More challenging would be providing a high-speed fiber-optic link to the computer for the huge data stream anddeveloping the higher speed analog signal processing chain we desired.
Spins of low-energy neutron resonances in 235U

Abstract The spins of 15 resonances in the 235 U slow neutron cross section lying in the neutron energy range between 0.1 and 15 eV were determined by measuring the transmission of polarized monoenergetic neutrons through a target in which the 235 U nuclei were polarized. The magnetic moment of 235 U is concluded to be negative.
T-VIOLATION AND DETAILED BALANCE IN DIRECT REACTIONS.

Abstract The relationship between detailed balance violation in direct reactions and the matrix elements of the T -odd part of H between different target or residual states is calculated. Presently available experiments put a limiting value of 25 keV on the magnitudes of these matrix elements.
HiChIP: a high-throughput pipeline for integrative analysis of ChIP-Seq data

Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) followed by next-generation sequencing (ChIP-Seq) has been widely used to identify genomic loci of transcription factor (TF) binding and histone modifications. ChIP-Seq data analysis involves multiple steps from read mapping and peak calling to data integration and interpretation. It remains challenging and time-consuming to process large amounts of ChIP-Seq data derived from different antibodies or experimental designs using the same approach. To address this challenge, there is a need for a comprehensive analysis pipeline with flexible settings to accelerate the utilization of this powerful technology in epigenetics research. We have developed a highly integrative pipeline, termed HiChIP for systematic analysis of ChIP-Seq data. HiChIP incorporates several open source software packages selected based on internal assessments and published comparisons. It also includes a set of tools developed in-house. This workflow enables the analysis of both paired-end and single-end ChIP-Seq reads, with or without replicates for the characterization and annotation of both punctate and diffuse binding sites. The main functionality of HiChIP includes: (a) read quality checking; (b) read mapping and filtering; (c) peak calling and peak consistency analysis; and (d) result visualization. In addition, this pipeline contains modules for generating binding profiles over selected genomic features, de novo motif finding from transcription factor (TF) binding sites and functional annotation of peak associated genes. HiChIP is a comprehensive analysis pipeline that can be configured to analyze ChIP-Seq data derived from varying antibodies and experiment designs. Using public ChIP-Seq data we demonstrate that HiChIP is a fast and reliable pipeline for processing large amounts of ChIP-Seq data.
Measurement of Significant Marine Paleotemperature Variation Using Black Abalone Shells from Prehistoric Middens

The archaeological record from the last millennium in southern California indicates that a period of significant cultural change was associated with a reported marine paleoenvironmental disruption ca. 1150-1250 A.D. A lengthy warm-water anomaly may have in part precipitated more complex sociopolitical and economic responses. We develop independent verification of the perturbation (originally deduced from sediment core data) using archaeological data. Respiratory pore number allometry in the black abalone shell is known to vary clinally in modern populations in response to temperature-induced variation in rate of growth. We use developmental trajectories of abalone from dated, stratified archaeological deposits to reconstruct prehistoric seawater temperatures.
The ability to increase extracellular GABA predicts frontal cortical gamma synchrony

Introduction: Accumulating evidence indicates that synchronization of cortical neuronal activity at gamma-band frequencies is important for various types of perceptual and cognitive processes. Experimental models as well as preclinical studies suggest that GABAA receptor-mediated transmission is required for the induction of network oscillations. However, to date, there is no evidence linking GABA transmission with gamma-band oscillations in humans. Here we show that the ability to increase extracellular GABA levels predicts frontal cortical gamma synchrony in healthy controls. Preclinical and prior imaging work suggests that increased GABA levels enhance the affinity of GABAA receptors for benzodiazepine (BDZ) ligands via a conformational change (termed the ‘GABA-shift’). Theoretically, such an increase in affinity of GABAA receptors should be detected as an increase in the binding of a GABAA BDZ-receptor site-specific PET radioligand.
Original editions of Chinese gazetteers in the Yale East Asia Library

Purpose – Chinese gazetteers are one of the most important primary sources for the study of history of Chinese economy, politics, culture, military, and science and technology. Since the very beginning, the Yale East Asia Library has been keen on collecting Chinese gazetteers. However, unlike its peer research libraries in the USA, the Yale East Asia Library had never compiled a catalog or written an article about its gazetteer collection. The purpose of this paper is to systematically review, for the first time, original editions of Chinese gazetteers held in the Yale East Asia Library to reveal the holdings and research value.Design/methodology/approach – The author conducted a survey of original editions of Chinese gazetteers in the Yale East Asia Library by searching the Yale online library catalog and comparing with existing catalogs of Chinese local gazetteers compiled by other research libraries in the USA. The paper focuses on the edition, coverage, rarity and variety of Yale's holdings.Findings –...
A Model Aquifer System for Biological Compatibility Studies of Proposed Deep Well Disposal Systemsa

A model system was developed for the purpose of studying the biological compatibility of aqueous industrial waste and subterranean disposal zones for injected waste. The model design incorporated devices for; anaerobic, aseptic compositing of effluent samples; collection of gases generated in the model elements; isolation of model elements against downstream contamination; and imposition of a normally-distributed waste concentration profile in the feed stream. The finished model was, with the exception of operating pressure, physically and chemically similar to an existing waste disposal aquifer, and waste degradation and population growth data obtained on the model correlated with observations of the same parameters made in the real aquifer.
Quantitative decision tools for system selection in environmentally friendly drilling

One of the petroleum industry's goals is to reduce the environmental impact during oil and gas drilling operations. To achieve this, a number of environmentally friendly drilling (EFD) technologies have been developed to varying degrees but few have been integrated into a field demonstrable drilling system compatible with ecologically sensitive areas. This paper proposes a technology evaluation method based on systems analysis that can be used for integrating current and new EFD technologies into an optimal EFD system. An optimisation scheme is suggested based on a combination of multi-attribute utility theory and exhaustively enumerating all possible technology combinations to provide a quantitative rationale and suggest the best set of systems for a given site. An application of the proposed approach is described by conducting a case study in Green Lake at McFaddin, TX. The main purpose of this case study is to test the proposed technology evaluation protocol in a real site and then to refine the protoc...
Synthesis and phosphorylation of chromatin-associated proteins in cAMP-induced "differentiated" neuroblastoma cells in culture.

Abstract Prostaglandin E1 and a cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor 4-(3-butoxy-4-methoxybenzyl)-2-imidazolidinone, RO20-1724, were used to induce differentiation in mouse neuroblastoma cells in culture. The incorporation of amino acids and phosphate into nuclear proteins of control and drug-treated cells (1 h and 3 days after treatment) was examined using double radioisotopic techniques. A marked decrease in histone synthesis and H1-histone phosphorylation were observed in ‘differentiated’ neuroblastoma cells after 3 days of prostaglandin E1 and RO20-1724 treatment, but only small differences were noted in the synthesis and phosphorylation of non-histone chromatin associated proteins after 3 days of drug treatment. Minimal changes were observed in the labeling of histone and non-histone nuclear proteins if the cells were treated for 1 h with prostaglandin E1 and RO20-1724.
Seminal Quality, Spermatozoal Output, and Testicular Changes in Growing Holstein Bulls

Abstract Nine Holstein bulls, initially between the ages of 17 and 22 mo, awaiting proofs in artificial breeding, were ejaculated each summer for 3 yr, and 8 and 7 survivors for 4 and 5 yr, respectively, to study changes in the same group of bulls and determine the predictive value of early measurements. Semen was collected twice a day, 2 days per wk, for 4 wk. Bulls differed in testicular size, consistency, ejaculate volume, total spermatozoal output, percentage of unstained spermatozoa and abnormal spermatozoa, and in several storage and freezing tests. The largest yearly effects were on testis size and consistency, ejaculate volume, and total output of spermatozoa. The latter increased per bull from 28.3 × 109 per wk at 17 to 22 mo of age to 40.9 × 109 per wk 4 yr later, representing a high output of spermatozoa with a total of only 20 min of intensive sexual preparation per wk. The correlation between testis size and spermatozoal output was .72. Testicular consistency was indicative of semen quality measured simultaneously as judged by correlations with spermatozoal characteristics ranging from .61 to .95. These characteristics are believed to be representative of those Holstein bulls in artificial breeding which are ejaculated frequently.
What is appropriate health care for end-stage dementia ?

Objective: This study sought to determine the kind of health care that professional and family caregivers viewed as appropriate for end-stage dementia patients. Design: Survey. Participants: All 819 physician members and 1,000 randomly selected non-physician members of the Gerontological Society of America and 500 families of demented relatives from the Alzheimer's Association. Measures: Respondents chose the appropriate level of care from five choices on a continuum from highly aggressive to palliative. Results: The majority of physicians who cared for elders (61%), gerontologists from other professions (55%), and families (71%) chose palliative care only. Increased age of the respondent and experience with terminal care choices were associated with the choice of palliative care. The majority favored hospice care for patients with end-stage dementia. Conclusions: Professional and family members of demented individuals, especially if they have experience in terminal care decisions, strongly favor palliative care for end-stage dementia. These findings may be helpful to professionals and families dealing with these choices.
Bartholomew the Apostle: The Saint of Dermatology

Author Contributions: Study concept and design: All authors. Acquisition of data: All authors. Analysis and interpretation of data: Zarchi, Jemec. Drafting of the manuscript: Zarchi, Dufour. Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content:Dufour, Jemec. Obtained funding: Jemec. Administrative, technical, andmaterial support: Dufour, Jemec. Study supervision: Jemec. Conflict of Interest Disclosure:None reported.
Survey assessing obesity policies for assisted reproductive technology in the United States

Objective To determine what assisted reproductive technologies (ART) policies, if any, have been instituted in response to an increasingly overweight and obese patient population. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting University-affiliated IVF clinic. Patient(s) Women in the overweight and obese body mass index (BMI) categories seeking ART treatments. Intervention(s) Anonymous survey sent to medical directors at 395 IVF centers listed in Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology database. Main Outcome Measure(s) Assessment of recommendations, policies, and restrictions for patients who are overweight/obese and who desire treatment for infertility, including in IVF, IUI, and donor egg cycles. Result(s) Seventy-seven anonymous responses were received (19.5% response rate): 64.9% of centers have a formal policy for obesity, and 84% of those have a maximum BMI at which they will perform IVF, while 38% of those have a maximum BMI for performing IUI; 64.6% of respondents reported anesthesia requirements/concerns as the primary criteria for patient exclusion. Other primary considerations included safety during ongoing pregnancy and ART outcomes. Conclusion(s) Centers that have policies regarding obesity and access to ART consider efficacy, procedural safety, safety in pregnancy, and overall health status. Policies vary widely. The patient's autonomy must be balanced with nonmaleficence and the avoidance of interventions that may be unsafe both immediately and long term.
Resistance of antivenom proteins to foaming-induced denaturation

Reconstitution of lyophilized antivenom is usually accomplished by gentle swirling for sometimes as much as 45 min. Gentle resuspension is employed in order to avoid foaming the antivenom, which could have a variety of consequences including unfolding and denaturation of the protein, thus rendering it inactive. However, foaming of antivenom might cause only a small portion of the total protein to unfold or the protein may refold as foaming subsides. In this report, the effects of intentional severe foaming of three antivenom preparations are tested. Samples of gently resuspended antivenoms were subject to severe foaming by mechanical means, then tested for precipitation by examining the amounts of protein remaining in solution, for structural changes by circular dichroism spectroscopy and for activity changes by ELISA. In all cases, either no or minimal changes in antivenom properties were observed. These results indicate that severe intentional foaming does not substantially affect the properties of the antivenoms. It may be possible to employ more vigorous resuspension methods without affecting the efficacy of the antivenom. This could lead to a significant decrease in the time between envenomation and administration of antivenom.
Selecting patients for token economy treatment

Abstract The effect that age and length of stay in a mental hospital have on the projected economic benefits of securing patients' release was investigated. Securing the early release of younger patients and of patients who have been hospitalized for long periods produces the greater economic benefits. The estimated benefits of patient release by age length of hospitalization are presented.
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of probiotics for primary prevention: no clinical effects of Lactobacillus GG supplementation.

BACKGROUND The value of probiotics for primary prevention is controversial. Published trials vary considerably in study design and the applied probiotics, thereby limiting comparability of the results. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this trial was to study the preventive effect of the probiotic Lactobacillus GG on the development of atopic dermatitis. METHODS In a double-blind, placebo-controlled prospective trial, 105 pregnant women from families with > or = 1 member (mother, father, or child) with an atopic disease were randomly assigned to receive either the probiotic Lactobacillus GG (American Type Culture Collection 53103; 5 x 10(9) colony-forming units of Lactobacillus GG twice daily) or placebo. Ninety-four families (89.5%) completed the trial. The supplementation period started 4 to 6 weeks before expected delivery, followed by a postnatal period of 6 months. The primary end point was the occurrence of atopic dermatitis at the age of 2 years. Secondary outcomes were severity of atopic dermatitis, recurrent episodes of wheezing bronchitis, and allergic sensitization at the age of 2 years. RESULTS Atopic dermatitis was diagnosed in 14 (28%) of 50 in the Lactobacillus GG group and in 12 (27.3%) of 44 in the placebo group. The risk of atopic dermatitis in children on probiotics relative to placebo was 0.96 (confidence interval 0.38-2.33). Severity of atopic dermatitis was comparable between the 2 groups. Notably, children with recurrent (> or = 5) episodes of wheezing bronchitis were more frequent in the Lactobacillus GG group (26%; n = 13), as compared with the placebo group (9.1%; n = 4). No difference was observed between both groups in total immunoglobulin E concentrations or numbers of specific sensitization to inhalant allergens. CONCLUSIONS Supplementation with Lactobacillus GG during pregnancy and early infancy neither reduced the incidence of atopic dermatitis nor altered the severity of atopic dermatitis in affected children but was associated with an increased rate of recurrent episodes of wheezing bronchitis. Therefore, Lactobacillus GG cannot be generally recommended for primary prevention.
Prospective long-term analysis of nerve-sparing extravesical robotic-assisted laparoscopic ureteral reimplantation.

Objective To prospectively review our experience with extravesical robotic-assisted laparoscopic ureteral reimplantation to determine whether postoperative voiding dysfunction can be avoided with pelvic plexus visualization and to assess the efficacy of this approach for the treatment of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). Methods We prospectively followed 150 patients who underwent bilateral extravesical robotic-assisted laparoscopic ureteral reimplantation by a single surgeon at an academic institution. Each patient was followed for a 2-year period. All 150 patients had primary VUR of grade 3 or greater bilaterally, with 127 having parenchymal defects found on renal scans. All patients were toilet trained before surgical intervention. The operation was performed with an extravesical transperitoneal approach with robotic assistance using the daVinci Surgical System. All patients underwent voiding cystourethrography at 3 months postoperatively to document the resolution of VUR. Voiding dysfunction was assessed in each patient by uroflow, postvoid residual urine volume, and a validated questionnaire. Results The operative success rate was 99.3% for VUR resolution on voiding cystourethrography. One patient with bilateral grade 5 VUR that was downgraded to unilateral grade 2 VUR was considered to have treatment failure. This patient ultimately underwent subsequent subureteral injection therapy after an episode of pyelonephritis. No patient experienced de novo voiding dysfunction. Conclusion Bilateral nerve-sparing robotic-assisted extravesical reimplantation has the same success rate as the traditional open approaches, with minimal morbidity and no voiding complications in our series.
A comparative architectural study of three MIMD computing surfaces

The performance of three MIMD message-passing computing surfaces have been investigated in the paper. These three computing surfaces are the augmented torus, the torus and the grid-bus. The three computing surfaces are closely related in hardware implementation. First, the generalised stochastic Petri nets (GSPN) model has been used to predict the performance of the three computing surfaces probabilistically. Secondly, the deterministic modelling schemes are used to evaluate the performance of the three computing surfaces for a two-dimensional fast Fourier transform (FFT) problem. Two modelling methods generate the same conclusion. The augmented torus has better performance than the torus and the grid-bus. The application ranges of these three computing surfaces are discussed.
Sinc interpolation errors in finite data record length

Sinc (Sin(x)/x) interpolation is widely used in the test and measurement community because of its ease of use. It is also well known that, in practice where only finite length of data record are available, there are substantial errors near the end of the data record due to Gibbs' phenomenon. In this paper we examine this phenomenon in more detail and quantify errors in such a way to provide some quick and simple rules for estimating the maximum error. It is shown that the largest interpolation error, which occurs at the middle of the first interpolation interval, has its magnitude dependent on both the amount of the discontinuity and the slope of the signal at the discontinuity. For a low frequency (as compared to the sampling frequency) signal the peak error magnitude is about 14% of the amount of the discontinuity. For high frequency signals, the peak error depends heavily on how the first few missing data points correlating to the sinc kernel. As frequency approaches the Nyquist frequency, the error grows unbounded. We also show that the peak error magnitude in each subsequent interpolation interval will decrease, approximately, by the factor of 3/(2m+l) at the m-th interpolation interval counting from the edge of the data record. >
Mechanical properties of warped membranes.

We explore how a frozen background metric affects the mechanical properties of planar membranes with a shear modulus. We focus on a special class of ``warped membranes'' with a preferred random height profile characterized by random Gaussian variables $h(\mathbf{q})$ in Fourier space with zero mean and variance ${\ensuremath{\langle}|h(\mathbf{q})|}^{2}\ensuremath{\rangle}\ensuremath{\sim}{q}^{\ensuremath{-}{d}_{h}}$ and show that in the linear response regime the mechanical properties depend dramatically on the system size $L$ for ${d}_{h}\ensuremath{\ge}2$. Membranes with ${d}_{h}=4$ could be produced by flash polymerization of lyotropic smectic liquid crystals. Via a self-consistent screening approximation we find that the renormalized bending rigidity increases as ${\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{R}\ensuremath{\sim}{L}^{({d}_{h}\ensuremath{-}2)/2}$ for membranes of size $L$, while the Young and shear moduli decrease according to ${Y}_{R},\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{R}\ensuremath{\sim}{L}^{\ensuremath{-}({d}_{h}\ensuremath{-}2)/2}$ resulting in a universal Poisson ratio. Numerical results show good agreement with analytically determined exponents.
Diagnostic Criteria for Assessing Obstruction in the Newborn with Unilateral Hydronephrosis Using the Renal Growth-Renal Function Chart

AbstractPrevious studies in newborns with unilateral hydronephrosis demonstrated that the contralateral normal kidney can rapidly compensate for changes in function in the hydronephrotic kidney by increasing or decreasing its growth rate. To formulate diagnostic criteria for assessing obstruction using compensatory growth responses we developed a renal growth-renal function chart that graphically describes the normal renal growth rate in young children. This chart allows changes in function in the hydronephrotic kidney to be graphically compared to changes in length of the contralateral normal kidney. The renal growth-renal function chart was used to assess obstruction in 47 neonates with primary unilateral hydronephrosis. Four reproducible, clinically relevant diagnostic patterns of differential function and growth were identified: 1) obstruction, 2) corrected obstruction, 3) no obstruction with good differential function (greater than 40 percent) and 4) no obstruction but poor differential function (les...