cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Arthroscopic lavage plus corticosteroids was more effective than arthroscopic lavage plus placebo or joint aspiration plus corticosteroids for arthritis of the knee.

Question: In patients with inflammatory arthritis, what is the relative effectiveness of arthroscopic lavage plus corticosteroids, arthroscopic lavage alone, and joint aspiration plus corticosteroids? Design: Randomized (allocation concealed), partially blinded (outcome assessors), placebo-controlled trial with 9-month follow-up. Setting: A university medical center in The Netherlands. Patients: 78 patients who were ≥18 years of age (mean age 54 y, 55% women) and had arthritis of the knee not due to gout, osteoarthritis, or infection. Exclusion criteria were hemorrhagic disease, oral prednisone >10 mg/day, recent (<6 weeks) change of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, recent joint infection, or hypersensitivity to methylprednisolone or local anesthetics. Follow-up was 96%. Intervention: 26 patients were allocated to arthroscopic lavage plus corticosteroids, 26 to arthroscopic lavage plus placebo, and 26 to joint aspiration plus corticosteroids (methylprednisolone, 80 mg in 2 mL). For all interventions, synovial fluid was maximally aspirated from the suprapatellar pouch, 30 mL of lidocaine 0.5% was injected intra-articularly through the aspiration needle, and the skin and joint capsule was additionally infiltrated with 10 mL of lidocaine 1%. For arthroscopic lavage, the skin inferolateral to the patella was also injected with 10 mL of lidocaine 1%. Two trocars were placed into the joint cavity through 2 skin incisions: 1 inferior for the camera and saline solution, and 1 superior for drainage of the irrigation fluid and use of biopsy forceps. 1000 mL of saline solution was flushed through the joint. During lavage, 15 to 20 synovial biopsy samples were obtained with 2.0-mm forceps. Bupivacaine (30 mg in 6 mL) plus corticosteroids (methylprednisolone, 80 mg in 2 mL) for 1 group and bupivacaine alone ("placebo") for the other was injected through the inferior trocar. For joint aspiration, a single skin incision was made and 1 trocar placed. After synovial biopsy samples (15 to 20) were obtained, a mixture of methylprednisolone (80 mg in 2 mL) and bupivacaine (30 mg in 6 mL) was injected into the joint. Main outcome measures: Event-free survival (time from treatment until local re-treatment because of recurrence or persistence of arthritis of the knee). Main results: The median event-free survival time was 9.6 months after arthroscopic lavage plus corticosteroids, 3.0 months after joint aspiration plus corticosteroids, and 1.0 month after arthroscopic lavage plus placebo. Patients in the arthroscopic lavage plus corticosteroids group had a lower risk of arthritis recurrence than patients in the other 2 groups (Table). Patients in the joint aspiration group had a lower risk of arthritis recurrence than patients in the arthroscopic lavage plus placebo group (Table). Conclusion: In patients with inflammatory arthritis of the knee, arthroscopic lavage plus corticosteroids was more effective than arthroscopic lavage plus placebo or joint aspiration plus corticosteroids.
Narrowband array processing algorithms for arbitrary noise distributions

Array processing algorithms generally assume that the received signal, composed of both narrowband signals and noise, is Gaussian. This is not true in general. In the context of the narrowband array processing problem, the authors develop robust methods to estimate accurately the spatial correlation matrix. This estimate is robust against amplitude distribution of the noise, be it Gaussian or not, and takes into account sensor placement. Given this estimate, existing array processing algorithms designed for Gaussian circumstances can be used on non-Gaussian problems. The resulting algorithms can be used in the presence of any type of second-order noise process and perform nearly as well as existing algorithms do with Gaussian noise. >
Intelligent Procedures for Intra‐Day Updating of Call Center Agent Schedules

For nearly all call centers, agent schedules are typically created several days or weeks before the time that agents report to work. After schedules are created, call center resource managers receive additional information that can affect forecasted workload and resource availability. In particular, there is significant evidence, both among practitioners and in the research literature, suggesting that actual call arrival volumes early in a scheduling period (typically an individual day or week) can provide valuable information about the call arrival pattern later in the same scheduling period. In this paper, we develop a flexible and powerful heuristic framework for managers to make intra-day resource adjustment decisions that take into account updated call forecasts, updated agent requirements, existing agent schedules, agents' schedule flexibility, and associated incremental labor costs. We demonstrate the value of this methodology in managing the trade-off between labor costs and service levels to best meet variable rates of demand for service, using data from an actual call center.
MMOSPA estimation with unknown number of objects

We consider the problem of estimating unordered sets of objects, which arises when the object labels are irrelevant. The widely used minimum mean square error (MMSE) estimators are not applicable for the estimation of unordered objects. Recently, a new type of estimator, known as the minimum mean OSPA (MMOSPA) estimator, which minimizes the optimal sub-pattern assignment (OSPA) metric, was proposed. Unfortunately, the MMOSPA estimator is unable to deliver a closed form solution when the objects, represented as a random finite set (RFS), are multidimensional or when the underlying posterior density is non-Gaussian; also, the existing MMOSPA estimators have not bee used to estimate unknown numbers of objects. In this paper, we derive a particle-based algorithm for the estimation of unknown number of objects which is optimal in the MMOSPA sense; also, the proposed algorithm is not limited by the dimension of the RFS or the requirement of Gaussian posterior density.
"The Tongues of the learned are insufficient": Phillis Wheatley, Publishing Objectives, and Personal Liberty

Eighteenth- and nineteenth-century reviews of Phillis Wheatley's first volume of Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral (1773) describe her virtuosity for tracing the circumference of republican concerns. Those whose purposes it was to maintain the invisible center of a thriving Anglo-American economic culture celebrated her propriety in using an­ cient poetry; described her genius, valued as an "ornament" of Negro improvement; and noted her literary taste and piety.l The character of this "invisible center" is reflected in the debate between two of Wheat­ ley's most influential readers: George Washington and Thomas Jeffer­ son. For Jefferson, the publication of Poems on Various Subjects connected Wheatley's power to a cultural argument linking racism and progress. In an unabashedly critical judgment of Wheatley, Jefferson decried her assimilation by Yankee Protestantism and narrow mercantile interests. In his Notes on Vhginia (Query XIV), he wrote:
Tumor sincrónico: cáncer de colon y liposarcoma

This is a case report of a 58 year-old male born in Junin. Patient was referred to the emergency room from a rural hospital and was admitted with the diagnos...
Free Boundary Problems and Dynamical Geometry Associated with Flames

We introduce several simplified free boundary problems capable of generating basic dynamical patterns that are peculiar to flame propagation. The evolution of free boundaries can in turn be modeled by appropriate equations of dynamical geometry that relate the normal velocity (or higher “normal” time derivatives) of the surface to its instantaneous geometrical characteristics. The discussion is aimed to initiating numerical simulation and rigorous study of these models.
Constructing a Sustainable Bridge: Welcoming All Students in a High School Drama Program

An African American high school freshman, Nadine, stands outside a circle of thirty-eight white actors warming up for fall play rehearsal, with her facial expression sullen. This play is her first ...
Rapid vegetation shifts in the Uinta Mountains (Utah and Wyoming, USA) during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene

Abstract The Uinta Mountains lie along an important transition between major climate regimes and thus are sensitive to major climatic changes and consequent vegetation shifts. Two pollen cores from montane Uinta sites on the Utah–Wyoming border (Marsh Lake Bog and Camp Bog, respectively) were used to analyze vegetation shifts from the latest Pleistocene through the Holocene. The records correspond with those from adjacent portions of the Rocky Mountains, all demonstrating a major shift from alpine steppe to open spruce parkland at ~ 11,700–11,200 cal yr BP. A second major shift to lodgepole pine forest began at ~ 8400 cal yr BP at Marsh Lake Bog and could have been a direct response of the dominant species to warmer conditions and/or the result of subtle changes in the competitive hierarchy of tree species near a sensitive ecotone. The difference in the rate and full expression of lodgepole forest development (taking nearly 2000 years longer at Camp Bog) was probably due to a set of complex and local factors, such as cold air drainage and landscape position. Lodgepole pine forest persisted throughout the late Holocene and appears to be the long-term regional “climax” forest, rather than a seral habitat. Fire does not appear to have triggered the middle Holocene shift from spruce-dominated to lodgepole pine-dominated forests in this area but may have contributed to its long-term persistence to the present day.
Reduction in Long-term Antihypertensive Medication Requirements: Effects of Weight Reduction by Dietary Intervention in Overweight Persons With Mild Hypertension

Background: Increasing concern over long-term drug treatment of mild hypertension has stimulated several studies of weight reduction. Phase I of the Trial of Antihypertensive Interventions and Management demonstrated a short-term effect of weight loss on blood pressure control in overweight persons with mild hypertension, who were either taking placebo or taking low-dose monotherapy. Phase II investigates the long-term benefit of weight loss on the ability to maintain blood pressure control. Methods: From 10 148 community-based screenees, 587 persons (5.8%), aged 21 to 65 years, entered a multicenter, randomized drug (double-blind, placebocontrolled) and diet trial. Participants had a diastolic blood pressure between 90 and 100 mm Hg and were at 110% to 160% of their ideal weight. They were randomized to a usual diet (n=296) or to a weight loss diet (n=291) and within each diet group to placebo, chlorthalidone, 25 mg/d, or atenolol, 50 mg/d. Treatment failure was defined as using additional antihypertensive medications if diastolic blood pressure rose above 90 mm Hg according to protocol-specified criteria. Results: At baseline, mean diastolic blood pressure was 93 mm Hg; systolic blood pressure, 143 mm Hg; weight, 88 kg; percent ideal weight, 137%; age, 48 years; 56% were men; and 33% were black. Mean follow-up was 4.5 years. There was a net loss of 2 to 3 kg with weight loss diet compared with usual diet over most of the follow-up period. The 5-year incidence of treatment failure was 56.7 per 100 participants with usual diet and 49.8 per 100 with weight loss. Long-term weight loss decreased failure of blood pressure control for those receiving placebo or low-dose diuretic or β-blocker by 23%. The results were similar in direction in each drug group. Conclusions: The Trial of Antihypertensive Interventions and Management demonstrated that weight reduction is an effective long-term therapy for maintaining blood pressure in the normal range when used as monotherapy or in combination with either thiazide diuretics or β-blockers. Consequently, weight loss should be recommended for the management of obese individuals with mild hypertension. (Arch Intern Med. 1993;153:1773-1782)
Induction of mammary secretion by hypothalamic lesions in male rats.

Hypothalamic lesions in the median eminence (ME), hypophysial stalk, or paraventricular nuclei of male rats produced lobulo-alveolar development and secretion in the mammae. Lesions in the preoptic area and mamillary bodies were ineffective. The time course of these mammary changes was followed in rats with ME or stalk lesions. Mammary development and secretion was apparent at 2 days and reached a maximum at 4 days postoperatively. By 17 days the mammae had regressed to an atrophic condition. At this time weights of testes, seminal vesicles and adrenals were subnormal. The mammary changes seen in rats with hypothalamic lesions could be mimicked by the administration of a total dose of 5.0 or more IU of prolactin in 5 subcutaneous (sc) injections spaced over a 48-hr period. Adrenalectomy performed just prior to placement of ME lesions did not interfere with the development of mammary changes. Castration 7 days prior to location of ME lesions prevented the development of the mammary changes unless the rats ...
Risk assessment for salmon from water quality changes following timber harvesting.

Land use activities may affect surface water quantity and quality. Water quality changes (concentration increases) from land use activities that are above background but below the water quality standard or criteria have always been considered benign. Increased public interest and recent legislation and management regarding threatened, or endangered, salmon populations suggest that environmental influences on these populations need to be reevaluated.
Dynamic entity and relationship extraction from news articles

In structured as well as unstructured data, information extraction (IE) and information retrieval (IR) techniques are gaining popularity in order to produce a realistic output. The Internet users are growing day by day and becoming a popular source for spreading the information through news/ blogs etc. To monitor this information, a lot of quality work has been done in that perspective. Related to news monitoring, our proposed unsupervised machine learning approach will fetch the entities and relationships from the news document itself and through comparison with other related news documents, it will form a cluster. We propose, in this paper, a dynamic model for entity extraction and relationship in order to monitor the news reported in the news articles.
Northern fowl mite, Ornithonyssus sylviarum (Acari: Macronyssidae), ingests large quantities of blood from White Leghorn hens.

An increasing population of northern fowl mites, Ornithonyssus sylviarum , that contained many immatures ingested up to 200 μl of blood/day/100 mg mites, while a declining population of mites that consisted largely of adults ingested 80 μl of whole blood/day/100 mg mites as determined by radioassay of 51Cr-labeled erythrocytes. Erythrocytes labeled in vitro and injected into White Leghorn hens had a half-life of ca. 3 days. The measured half-life was about ¼ of the normal value for chicken erythrocytes, and the reduction was attributed to blood lost due to the northern fowl mites. A steady state of feeding occurred within 48 h. It is estimated that a heavy mite infestation (50,000 mites) can produce a daily loss of 6% of a hen's blood.
In vitro and in vivo susceptibility of the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, to four antimicrobial agents

The antimicrobial susceptibility of Borrelia burgdorferi isolated from human spinal fluid was determined in vitro and in vivo. A broth dilution technique was used to determine the MBCs of four antimicrobial agents. The Lyme disease spirochete was most susceptible to ceftriaxone (MBC, 0.04 microgram/ml) and erythromycin (MBC, 0.05 microgram/ml), then tetracycline (MBC, 0.8 microgram/ml), and finally penicillin G (MBC, 6.4 micrograms/ml). Syrian hamsters were used to determine the 50% curative doses (CD50s) of the four antimicrobial agents. Ceftriaxone and tetracycline had the highest activities, with CD50s of 24.0 and 28.7 mg/kg [corrected], respectively. Both erythromycin and penicillin G possessed low activities. The CD50 of erythromycin was 235.3 mg/kg [corrected], and the CD50 of penicillin G was greater than 197.5 mg/kg [corrected].
Computational thermo-fluid exploratory design analysis for complex ITER first wall/shield components

Abstract Engineers in the ITER US Party Team used several computational fluid dynamics codes to evaluate design concepts for the ITER first wall panels and the neutron shield modules. The CFdesign code enabled them to perform design studies of modules 7 and 13 very efficiently. CFdesign provides a direct interface to the CAD program, CATIA v5. The geometry input and meshing are greatly simplified. CFdesign is a finite element code, rather than a finite volume code. Flow experiments and finite volume calculations from SC-Tetra, Fluent and CFD2000 verified the CFdesign results. Several new enhancements allow CFdesign to export temperatures, pressures and convective heat transfer coefficients to other finite element models for further analysis. For example, these loads and boundary conditions directly feed into codes such as ABAQUS to perform stress analysis. In this article, we review the use of 2- and 4-mm flow driver gaps in the shield modules and the use of 1-mm gaps along the tee-vane in the front water header to obtain a good flow distribution in both the first wall and shield modules for 7 and 13. Plasma heat flux as well as neutron heating derived from MCNP calculations is included in the first wall and shield module analyses. We reveal the non-uniformity of the convective heat transfer coefficient inside complex 3D geometries exposed to a one-sided heat flux and non-uniform volumetric heating. Most models consisted of 3–4 million tetrahedron elements. We obtained temperature and velocity distributions, as well as pressure drop information, for models of nearly exact geometry compared to the CATIA fabrication models. We also describe the coupling to thermal stress analysis in ABAQUS. The results presented provide confidence that the preliminary design of these plasma facing components will meet ITER requirements.
Fluorescently labeled dengue viruses as probes to identify antigen-specific memory B cells by multiparametric flow cytometry.

Low frequencies of memory B cells in the peripheral blood make it challenging to measure the functional and phenotypic characteristics of this antigen experienced subset of B cells without in vitro culture. To date, reagents are lacking to measure ex vivo frequencies of dengue virus (DENV)-specific memory B cells. We wanted to explore the possibility of using fluorescently labeled DENV as probes to detect antigen-specific memory B cells in the peripheral blood of DENV immune individuals. Alexa Fluor dye-labeled DENV yielded viable virus that could be stored at -80°C for long periods of time. Using a careful gating strategy and methods to decrease non-specific binding, we were able to identify a small frequency of B cells from dengue immune individuals that bound labeled DENV. Sorted DENV(+) B cells from immune, but not naive donors secreted antibodies that bound DENV after in vitro stimulation. Overall, Alexa Fluor dye-labeled DENVs are useful reagents to enable the detection and characterization of memory B cells in DENV immune individuals.
Multiple neurofilament subunits are present in lamprey CNS

In mammals, there are three neurofilament (NF) subunits (NF-L, NF-M, and NF-H), but it was thought that only a single NF, NF180, exists in lamprey. However, NF180 lacked the ability to self-assemble, suggesting that like mammalian NFs, lamprey NFs are heteropolymers, and that additional NF subunits may exist. The present study provides evidence for the existence of a lamprey NF-L homolog (L-NFL). Genes encoding two new NF-M isoforms (NF132 and NF95) also have been isolated and characterized. With NF180, this makes three NF-M-like isoforms. In situ hybridization showed that all three newly cloned NFs are expressed in spinal cord neurons and in spinal-projecting neurons of the brainstem. Like NF180, there were no KSP multiphosphorylation repeat motifs in the tail regions of NF132 or NF95. NF95 was highly identical to homologous parts of NF180, sharing 2 common pieces of DNA with it. Northern blots suggested that NF95 may be expressed at very low levels in older larvae. The presence of L-NFL in lamprey CNS may support the hypothesis that as in mammals, NFs in lamprey are obligate heteropolymers, in which NF-L is a required subunit.
Grinding wheels for manufacturing of silicon wafers: A literature review

Grinding is an important process for manufacturing of silicon wafers. The demand for silicon wafers with better quality and lower price presents tremendous challenges for the grinding wheels used in the silicon wafer industry. The stringent requirements for these grinding wheels include low damage on ground surfaces, self-dressing ability, consistent performance, long wheel lives, and low prices. This paper presents a literature review on grinding wheels for manufacturing of silicon wafers. It discusses recent development in abrasives, bond materials, porosity formation, and geometry design of the grinding wheels to meet the stringent requirements.
Abstract 3236: Role of mouse and human CYP2A enzymes in the bioactivation of the tobacco-specific lung procarcinogen, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK)

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL NNK is a potent lung procarcinogen. Previously, we have demonstrated that NNK-induced lung tumorigenesis depends on target-tissue metabolic activation by pulmonary P450 enzymes. The aim of this study is to test the hypotheses that 1) mouse CYP2A5 plays an essential role in NNK bioactivation in the lung, and 2) transgenic expression of human CYP2A13, known to be selectively expressed in the respiratory tract, and be the most efficient enzyme for NNK metabolic activation in vitro, can increase the rates of NNK metabolic activation in the mouse lung. We determined the rates of in vitro formation of 4-oxo-4-(3-pyridyl)-butanal (OPB), representing the reactive intermediate that can lead to the further formation of O6-mehtylguanine (O6-mG) DNA adduct, in liver and lung microsomes of wild-type, Cyp2a5-null, and CYP2A13-humanized (CYP2A13-transgenic/Cyp2a5-null) mice. We found that, in both liver and lung microsomes, the loss of CYP2A5 resulted in significant decreases in the rates of formation of OPB; whereas, the gain of CYP2A13 led to recovery of the microsomal activity in the lung, but not in the liver. Furthermore, we observed that the levels of O6-mG, the DNA adduct known to be most highly correlated with incidences of lung tumor formation, were significantly higher in the lungs of the CYP2A13-humanized mice, than in the Cyp2a5-null mice. In control experiments, rates of systemic clearance of NNK and its major circulating metabolite, NNAL, were confirmed to be not different among the three mouse strains. These results indicate that CYP2A13 can catalyze NNK bioactivation in vivo, and they support the idea that CYP2A13 genetic polymorphisms can influence the risks of tobacco-induced lung tumorigenesis in humans. (Supported in part by NIH grant CA092596) Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3236. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-3236
Distance discrimination in a simulated space environment

The just noticeable difference (JND) for distance was investigated by a paired-comparisons method using successive comparisons. The research utilized an optically simulated large target located in a textureless environment at distances along the saggital plane out to 12, 800 ft. The value of ΔD/D varied from less than 3% at 200 ft to about 7% at 12, 800 ft. The results confirmed a power function relationship between distance threshold and observation distance.
Inhibition of ACTH release by a central inhibitory mechanism in the basal forebrain

Abstract Experiments were designed to study the actions of a known central inhibitory region in the basal forebrain on ACTH release. The region of the diagonal band (Broca) and the rostral basal preoptic region was stimulated in encephale isole cats at parameters which produced central inhibition as indicated by electrocortical synchronization while simultaneously collecting 5-min sequential samples of adrenal venous blood for determination of cortisol content. Stimulation of the basal forebrain inhibitory region resulted in a delayed and prolonged inhibition of the tonic or ongoing level of activity in the pituitary-adrenal axis. To test the inhibitory action of this region on facilitation of ACTH release by stressful stimuli, a brief stimulus was applied to the reticular activating system during basal forebrain stimulation. A prompt increase in steroid output occurred. Thus, the central inhibitory mechanism in the basal forebrain inhibits the tonic activity of the pituitary-adrenal axis but not its phasic responses to stressful stimuli. This action on hypothalamohypophyseal activity is part of the general central suppressor function of the basal forebrain inhibitory region.
Assessing assumptions in kinematic hand models: A review

The incredible complexity of the human hand makes accurate modeling difficult. When implementing a kinematic hand model, many simplifications are made, either to provide simpler analytical solutions, to ease implementation, or to speed up computation for real time applications. However, it is important to understand the trade-offs that certain simplifications entail — the kinematic structure chosen can have important implications for the final model accuracy. This paper provides a brief overview of the biomechanics of the human hand, followed by an in-depth review of kinematic models presented in the literature. This review discusses some simplifications that may often be inappropriate, such as assuming no metacarpal bone motion or assuming orthogonal, intersecting thumb axes. This discussion should help researchers select appropriate kinematic models for applications including anthropomorphic hand design, humancomputer interaction, surgery, rehabilitation, and ergonomics. Some modeling issues remain unclear in the current literature. Future work could compare thumb MCP models and better investigate unactuated compliant degrees of freedom in the hand.
Changing patterns of income among blacks and whites before and after executive order 11246

Some suggest that affirmative action has contributed to the widening gap between better-off and worse-off blacks. Analyses of census data challenge the claim.
Juvenile Dermatomyositis: A Clinical Overview

The child who develops the symptoms of the specific rash, proximal muscle weakness, and fatigue should seek medical care promptly. With the advances in physical and medical therapy, many of the consequences of the disease can now be ameliorated. There are suggestive data that JDMS and PM may each have a different pathophysiology, but more evidence is needed. The next few years should be exciting as there is increased effort to determine if there is, in fact, a causal relationship between Coxsackievirus B or other enterovirus and genetic factors that alter the susceptibility to or severity of the course of the disease—JDMS.
Structure of local quantum operations and classical communication: Finite versus infinite rounds

Every measurement that can be implemented by local quantum operations and classical communication (LOCC) using an infinite number of rounds is the limit of a sequence of measurements, where each measurement in the sequence requires only a finite number of rounds. This rather obvious and well-known fact is nonetheless of interest as it shows that these infinite-round measurements can be approximated arbitrarily closely simply by using more and more rounds of communication. Here we demonstrate the perhaps less obvious result that (at least) for bipartite systems, the reverse relationship also holds. Specifically, we show that every finite-round bipartite LOCC measurement is the limit of a continuous sequence of LOCC measurements, where each measurement in that sequence can be implemented by LOCC, but only with the use of an infinite number of rounds. Thus, the set of LOCC measurements that require an infinite number of rounds is dense in the entirety of LOCC, as is the set of finite-round LOCC measurements. This means there exist measurements that can only be implemented by LOCC by using an infinite number of rounds, but can nonetheless be approximated closely by using one round of communication, and actually in some cases, no communication is needed at all. These results follow from a necessary condition presented here for finite-round LOCC, which is extremely simple to check, is very easy to prove, and which can be violated by utilizing an infinite number of rounds.
Cyclical scheduling and allocation of nursing staff

Abstract Nursing salaries make up the largest single element in hospital costs. Thus, the effective allocation of available nursing staff to patient care requirements is an important tool in controlling the cost of health care. This paper describes an allocation procedure consisting of two parts: 1. A cyclical scheduling procedure designed to meet average staffing requirements in a manner consistent with hospital personnel policies and employees' preferences. 2. A procedure for adjustment of staffing twice daily in accordance with an index of the latest patient care requirements. The procedure is now in use in a major hospital where it has demonstrably improved nursing staff allocations.
Global brain ischemia and reperfusion : Modifications in eukaryotic initiation factors associated with inhibition of translation initiation

We used in vitro translation and antibodies against phosphoserine and the eukaryotic initiation factors elF-4E, elF-4G, and elF-2 alpha to examine the effects of global brain ischemia and reperfusion on translation initiation and its regulation in a rat model of 10 min of cardiac arrest followed by resuscitation and 90 min of reperfusion. Translation reactions were performed on postmitochondrial supernatants from brain homogenates with and without aurintricarboxylic acid to separate incorporation due to run-off from incorporation due to peptide synthesis initiated in vitro. The rate of leucine incorporation due to in vitro-initiated protein synthesis in normal forebrain homogenates was approximately 0.4 fmol of leucine/min/microgram of protein and was unaffected by 10 min of cardiac arrest, but 90 min of reperfusion reduced this rate 83%. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and western blots of these homogenates showed that neither 10 min of global brain ischemia nor 90 min of reperfusion induced significant alterations in the quantity or serine phosphorylation of elF-4E. However, we observed in all 90-min-reperfused samples elF-4G fragments that also bound elF-4E. The amount of elF-2 alpha was not altered by ischemia or reperfusion, and immunoblotting after isoelectric focusing did not detect serine-phosphorylated elF-2 alpha in normal samples or in those obtained after ischemia without reperfusion. However, serine-phosphorylated elF-2 alpha was uniformly present after 90 min of reperfusion and represented 24 +/- 3% of the elF-2 alpha in these samples. The serine phosphorylation of elF-2 alpha and partial fragmentation of elF-4G observed after 90 min of reperfusion offer an explanation for the inhibition of protein synthesis.
Actin Binding by Hip1 (Huntingtin-interacting Protein 1) and Hip1R (Hip1-related Protein) Is Regulated by Clathrin Light Chain

The huntingtin-interacting protein family members (Hip1 and Hip1R in mammals and Sla2p in yeast) link clathrin-mediated membrane traffic to actin cytoskeleton dynamics. Genetic data in yeast have implicated the light chain subunit of clathrin in regulating this link. To test this hypothesis, the biophysical properties of mammalian Hip1 and Hip1R and their interaction with clathrin light chain and actin were analyzed. The coiled-coil domains (clathrin light chain-binding) of Hip1 and Hip1R were found to be stable homodimers with no propensity to heterodimerize in vitro. Homodimers were also predominant in vivo, accounting for cellular segregation of Hip1 and Hip1R functions. Coiled-coil domains of Hip1 and Hip1R differed in their stability and flexibility, correlating with slightly different affinities for clathrin light chain and more markedly with effects of clathrin light chain binding on Hip protein-actin interactions. Clathrin light chain binding induced a compact conformation of both Hip1 and Hip1R and significantly reduced actin binding by their THATCH domains. Thus, clathrin is a negative regulator of Hip-actin interactions. These observations necessarily change models proposed for Hip protein function.
Spatial resolution characterization of differential phase contrast CT systems via modulation transfer function (MTF) measurements

By adding a Talbot–Lau interferometer to a conventional x-ray absorption computed tomography (CT) imaging system, both differential phase contrast (DPC) signal and absorption contrast signal can be simultaneously measured from the same set of CT measurements. The imaging performance of such multi-contrast x-ray CT imaging systems can be characterized with standard metrics such as noise variance, noise power spectrum, contrast-to-noise ratio, modulation transfer function (MTF), and task-based detectability index. Among these metrics, the measurement of the MTF can be challenging in DPC-CT systems due to several confounding factors such as phase wrapping and the difficulty of using fine wires as probes. To address these technical challenges, this paper discusses a viable and reliable method to experimentally measure the MTF of DPC-CT. It has been found that the spatial resolution of DPC-CT is degraded, when compared to that of the corresponding absorption CT, due to the presence of a source grating G0 in the Talbot–Lau interferometer. An effective MTF was introduced and experimentally estimated to describe the impact of the Talbot–Lau interferometer on the system MTF.
394 INCREASED CLEARANCE OF PHENYTOIN (PH) IN PREGNANCY IS DUE TO MTERNAL NOT PETAL OR PLACENTAL, METABOLISM

Clearance of Phenytoin (PH) increases during pregnancy (Lander et al. Eur. J. Clin. Pharm. 1984), but the sites of its apparently enhanced metabolism and the mechanisms responsible are unknown. We have observed decreased maternal clearance of PH within a few hours of delivery suggesting that products of conception either participate directly in metabolism of PH or stimulate maternal systems. To approach this problem, we estimated fetal contributions to PH metabolism by following disappearance of transplacentally acquired drug in 9 neonates born to women whose PH requirements had increased during pregnancy and compared in vitro metabolism of PH by placentas from treated (N=2) and non-treated (N=5) women with that of rat hepatic microsomes. In the first 18 to 24 hours following delivery, plasma PH levels decreased by only 10-50% in non-breast fed neonates indicating that increased clearance of drug during pregnancy could not be accounted for by fetal metabolism. While oxidation of PH was detectable in reaction mixtures incubated for 30 to 60 min with rat liver microsomes, no metabolites could be detected following incubations up to 14 hours with either placental homogenates or postmitochondrial supernatants. These results suggest that products of conception do not participate significantly in PH metabolites during pregnancy. Rather it appears that a factor(s) produced by the fetal-placental unit directly stimulates maternal metabolic pathways.
In vivo efficacy of a silicone‒cationic steroid antimicrobial coating to prevent implant-related infection

Active release antimicrobial coatings for medical devices have been developed to prevent and treat biofilm implant-related infections. To date, only a handful of coatings have been put into clinical use, with limited success. In this study, a novel antimicrobial compound was incorporated into a silicone (polydimethylsiloxane or PDMS) polymer to develop a novel active release coating that addressed several limitations of current device coatings. The efficacy of this coating was optimized using an in vitro flow cells system, then translated to an animal model of a simulated Type IIIB open fracture wherein well-established biofilms were used as initial inocula. Results indicated that the novel coating was able to prevent infection in 100% (9/9) of animals that were treated with biofilms and the novel coating (treatment group). In contrast, 100% (9/9) of animals that were inoculated with biofilms and not treated with the coating (positive control), did develop infection. Nine animals were used as negative controls, i.e., those that were not treated with biofilms, and showed a rate of infection of 11% (1/9). Eight animals were treated with the novel coating only to determine its effect on host tissue. Results indicated that the novel active release coating may have significant promise for future application to prevent biofilm implant-related infections in patients.
Cavitation and fracture behavior of polyacrylamide hydrogels

The mechanical properties of gels present qualitatively contradictory behavior; they are commonly soft but also notoriously brittle. We investigate the elasticity and fracture behavior of swollen polymer networks using a simple experimental method to induce cavitation within a gel and adapt scaling theories to capture the observed transition from reversible to irreversible deformations as a function of polymer volume fraction. It is shown quantitatively that the transition from reversible cavitation to irreversible fracture depends on the polymer volume fraction and an initial defect length scale. The use of cavitation experiments permits characterization of network properties across length scales ranging from µm to mm. We anticipate that these results may significantly enhance the understanding of mechanical properties of soft materials, both synthetic and biological.
Calculation of Site Attenuation from Antenna Factors

A site-attenuation model expressed in terms of the antenna factors of the transmit and receive antennas is presented. Both horizontal and vertical polarizations are included, as are the effects of mutual coupling between closely spaced horizontal antennas. Expressing site attenuation in terms of antenna factors allows the use of broad-band antennas with their attendant advantages over tunable dipoles. Measured and calculated results for a variety of sites, antennas, and geometries are compared in the frequency range of 30 MHz to 1 GHz.
The Finger of God

The essay explores to what extent a concept of ‘sin’ is dependent on the sinner possessing conscious intelligence; whether conscious intelligence can be the product of evolution; whether the driving force of evolution contributes to notions of sin; and how this is overcome by the Atonement. It suggests that our participation in the re-birth from space-time to eternity may be through a further evolution.
A smallest graph of girth 5 and valency 6

Abstract We give a regular graph of girth 10 and valency 3 which has 70 vertices. We also show that no regular graphs of girth 10 and valency 3 having fewer than 70 vertices exist.
Supersensitivity and subsensitivity of cortical adenylate cyclase in spontaneously hypertensive rats following chronic administration of propranolol or clonidine

Abstract 1. 1. A two week period of infusion of either propranolol (0.75 mg/kg/day) or clonidine (0.3 mg/kg/day) into spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats led to in the frontal cortex, respective enhanced and diminished responses of adenylate cyclase to norepinephrine (NE), but not to dopamine (DA). 2. 2. Thus chronic beta adrenergic receptor blockade led to a supersensitive NE-induced adenylate cyclase while chronic activation by an alpha adrenergic agonist led to a subsensitivity of the enzyme responses.
Optimal dosing of penicillin G in the third trimester of pregnancy for prophylaxis against group B Streptococcus.

Abstract Objective: We wanted to determine the optimal dose of intravenous penicillin (PCN) in the third trimester of pregnancy for the prophylaxis of group B Streptococcus . Study Design: Healthy women in the third trimester with a singleton pregnancy were recruited. Eligibility included no previous penicillin or cephalosporin allergy and no history of renal disease. We obtained a baseline 24-hour urine collection for total protein concentration and creatinine clearance. Two intravenous catheters were placed, and 1 million units of penicillin G (PCN G) sodium was infused through one catheter. Serial blood samples were obtained through the second catheter at 1, 5, 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, and 240 minutes. Serum was stored at –80°C until assays were performed. Reverse-phase highperformance liquid chromatography was used to determine serum concentrations. Results: Fifteen patients met the requirements for eligibility. The average 24-hour urine sample for total protein concentration was 187 mg/dL (range, 11-252), and creatinine clearance was 191 mL/min (range, 137-245). Average maximum serum concentration (C max ) was 67 μg/mL (range, 34-132) and was reached within 5 minutes. Average serum PCN concentration was 12 μg/mL (range, 9-25) after 4 hours of urine collection. Conclusion: The C max was 67 μg/mL (670 × minimum inhibitory concentration). One million units of intravenous PCN G exceeds MIC in the treatment of GBS. The dosing interval should be 4 hours to ensure anti-GBS activity in all patients. More frequent dosing does not increase activity. Current recommendations for GBS prophylaxis which use PCN G should be modified pending future studies of neonatal PCN concentrations. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2001;185: 850-3.)
EM and beyond

The basic theme of the EM algorithm, to repeatedly use complete-data methods to solve incomplete data problems, is also a theme of several more recent statistical techniques. These techniques—multiple imputation, data augmentation, stochastic relaxation, and sampling importance resampling—combine simulation techniques with complete-data methods to attack problems that are difficult or impossible for EM.
The function of vitamin B6 in fat metabolism

It is evident that vitamin B6 serves as a physiological antioxidant. The mechanism cannot be dependent solely on the chemical structure of the vitamin. Despite the favorable arrangement of the substituents, pyridoxine and its derivatives show no, or only slight, antioxidative activityin vitro. The inactivation apparently results from the nature of the pyridine ring. Vitamin B6 is one of the B vitamins which are required for the normal metabolism of the fats and essential fatty acids. However it still remains to be investigated whether the vitamin is directly associated with fat metabolism or whether the vitamin itself is responsible for the maximum function or the synthesis of enzymes involved.
Surface Damage Modeling of Oxidized Metal Matrix Composite Laminates under Axial and Transverse Tension

The oxidation effects on surface crack development of oxidized Ti-15-3 and fl-21S Metal Matrix Composite (MMC) unidirectional laminates under applied axial or transverse tension loadings are investigated in the present study. An approximate mechanical model is established and a stress analysis of an oxidized laminate with surface cracks is performed. To simplify the analysis, motivated by experimental observations, a periodic distribution of surface cracks in the oxide layer is assumed. The critical value of the applied mechanical load, which is necessary for the information of new cracks as a function of crack density, is calculated for given oxide layer thickness. The effective stiffness reduction, caused by the formation of the surface cracks, is also evaluated. Finally, the influence of gradient effective properties of the metal matrix underneath the oxide layer, caused by the diffusion of oxygen, on the stress field is considered.
Recovery of cognition after prolonged vegetative state

A 43-year-old man remained in a vegetative state for one and one-half years after resuscitation from cardiac arrest. During the vegetative period neurological examinations provided little indication of recovery. Initially, his EEG showed activity of delta and theta frequencies. After eighteen months intellectual functions partially recoverd; his verbal WAIS score is now 100, although he remains severely physically disabled. The usual prognostic criteria did not predict the cognitive outcome in this patient with prolonged medical coma.
A History of the Questionnaire Method of Research in Psychology

(1907). A History of the Questionnaire Method of Research in Psychology. The Pedagogical Seminary: Vol. 14, No. 3, pp. 366-383.
TrkB kinase activity maintains synaptic function and structural integrity at adult neuromuscular junctions.

Activation of the tropomyosin-related kinase receptor B (TrkB) by brain-derived neurotrophic factor acutely regulates synaptic transmission at adult neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). The role of TrkB...
Risk: Benefit Profile of Etanercept in Elderly Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis or Psoriatic Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are commonly thought of as inflammatory diseases that affect younger individuals. Although the initial presentation of these diseases is commonly in a patient’s twenties or thirties, they usually persist for the duration of the patient’s life. In addition, up to one-third of patients with RA have disease onset after 60 years of age. Older patients with any of these three diseases are more likely to have more severe disease with significant functional decline. They are also more likely to have co-morbid diseases and use concomitant medications than patients who are younger. In patients with RA, AS or PsA, the introduction of anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α therapies such as etanercept, infliximab and adalimumab has had a significant impact in ameliorating the signs and symptoms of disease, improving patient function and inhibiting radiographic progression. Anti-TNFα therapies now have well recognised safety profiles that have been demonstrated in the usual clinical trial populations for these diseases, but such populations under-represent patients ≥65 years of age. This review explores the information currently available regarding patients aged ≥65 years treated with anti-TNFα therapies for RA, AS or PsA, focusing on etanercept in RA because of a lack of data for other therapies and conditions. The analyses conducted show that there is similar efficacy in the treatment of RA in patients <65 years old and those ≥65 years of age. Although there are some differences in the adverse events noted in these two age groups, it appears as though treatment of patients ≥65 years of age, compared with age-matched controls, is not dissimilar to treatment of patients <65 years of age compared with their age-matched controls. Only by understanding the risks and benefits of therapy in the older age group can a true risk: benefit profile for etanercept, and ultimately other anti-TNFα therapies, be determined by the practising physician and the patient.
An exploration of complexity and generativity as explanations of midlife women's graduate school experiences and reasons for pursuit of a graduate degree.

ABSTRACT This study focused on reasons midlife (40–59 years) women graduate students pursued graduate study and identified their experiences when enrolled. Developmental theory and concepts of generativity and complexity were used to analyze the data (Erikson, 1950, 1968; Ryff & Heinke, 1983; McAdams, Ruitzel, & Foley, 1986). The responses of 212 women were coded themes expressed. Results indicated that the reasons midlife women attend graduate school are best explained by concepts of security and complexity. Subcategories of complexity (challenge, change, and growth) were useful rationale for why midlife women pursue graduate study and best describe their experiences when enrolled.