cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phakomatous Choristoma (Zimmerman's tumor): Immunohistochemical Confirmation of Lens-specific Proteins

Background: Phakomatous choristoma is a rare, congenital, ocular adnexal tumor that is presumed to be of lenticular anlage based on light and electron microscopy. Methods: The authors performed immunohistochemistry using standard commercially available antibodies against vimentin, S-100 protein, and several cytokeratins on a phakomatous choristoma that was excised from the right lower eyelid of a 10-weekold white boy. In addition, a battery of antibodies against lens-specific proteins, including alpha, beta, and gamma crystallins, was used. Results: The tumor cells showed intense immunoreactivity for all lens-specific proteins tested. The epithelial cells of the phakomatous choristoma stained positively for S-100 protein and vimentin, the intermediate filament normally found in lens epithelial cells. Keratin markers were negative. Conclusions: The results of immunohistochemistry indicate that the cells of Phakomatous choristoma synthesize several types of lens-specific proteins. Complementing previous light and electron microscopic studies, these data strongly support Zimmerman's conclusion that this pediatric adnexal tumor is a choristoma of lenticular anlage.
Ultrasound-Guided Cava Filter Placement

Pulmonary embolism from deep venous thrombosis reduces the cross-sectional area of the pulmonary vascular bed, resulting in an incremental increase in pulmonary vascular resistance and subsequent increased right ventricular afterload. Thus, large or recurrent pulmonary emboli can be fatal. Anticoagulation alone can decrease the mortality rate to less than 5%, but cannot be used universally in all patient populations. The advent of the inferior vena cava filter has drastically changed the management of patients with lower extremity deep venous thrombosis and a contraindication to anticoagulation. Developed in the 1940s, this device has evolved into a modality that has proven effective at preventing life-threatening pulmonary emboli. Mechanical caval interruption devices have since improved as well, including a significant decrease in delivery sheath size, which aids in achieving post-procedural hemostasis. Because of these improvements, IVC filter placement has changed from a procedure performed exclusively in the operating room with venotomy to a bedside percutaneous procedure using ultrasound guidance. Successful use of transabdominal duplex ultrasound and IVUS eliminate the need for radiocontrast dye administration thus avoiding the known risk of renal failure and anaphylaxis. Other advantages include decreased radiation exposure to the patient and hospital personnel, reduced need for patient transport, and decreased cost compared to traditional placement in the operating room suite. In a cost containment era, it is feasible to think that future mechanical caval interruption will occur more commonly at the bedside than in the traditional operating theater.
Cultural and Structural Pluralism in the United States

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the cultural and structural pluralism in the United States. The statistics suggest that systematic change in the delivery of education to American nonwhite, minority, rural, and mountain children is a must if a reversal of scholastic achievement, self-concept, and sense of personal efficacy is to occur for these groups. Such a reversal is imperative because of the evidence of the high correlation of these variables with successful participation in the occupational and political spheres of American public life. While American educators cannot remove these barriers as they at present exist in the adult population, they can structure educational environments that do not reflect the prejudices of the larger society and impart an understanding and respect for all of the cultural strands comprising the American culture. Educators can also maximize learning opportunities for all children through the development of curricular programs that employ the cognitive, emotional, sociocultural, and linguistic contexts that are familiar to children coming from culturally different homes. A multi-pronged strategy is necessary for bringing about enlightened change in the delivery of education to nonwhite and minority children. In addition, to develop the appropriate cognitive skills, children need to start from the linguistic and sociocultural context they are most used to. Cultural and structural pluralism in the United States have been defined and described in the school context. It has been suggested that both cultural differences and structural exclusion from the opportunity structure affect minority children's performance in school.
Soft Seat on the Long March: Foreign Business and the Rule of Law in China

Even as brave Chinese citizens thirst for justice against state agencies through the legal system, foreign corporations and their lawyers have been too afraid of the Chinese government to use the legal system to secure their economic interest. They have relied instead on what they regard as the safer and smarter course of cultivating good relations with government officials. In other words, at the very time that progressive forces in China are struggling to break through the clientalist system and establish the rule of law, foreign firms are lending support and legitimacy to the old regime. By failing to utilize their WTO-guaranteed legal rights to a fair trial against the government, foreign firms are displaying a distinct lack of moral courage and missing an important historical opportunity to promote the rule of law and help bring greater fairness to the Chinese judicial system. Randall Peerenboom compared the slow development of the rule of law in China to Mao’s “long march.” Foreign companies have so far been content to take the “soft seat” in this difficult journey.
ENERGY AND MATERIALS VIA PHOTOSYNTHESIS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the process of photosynthesis and methods for solar energy conversion. There are two different methods in which solar radiation can be used. The commonest method of heat collection systems for solar energy conversion is to use absorbers to make a heat engine (mirrors, reflectors) and these are being built all over the world. This is a well known and useful method for solar energy collection and conversion, and even though the efficiencies are not as great as other more theoretical methods, it is possible to use these methods at present and develop them more efficiently in the future. The other method of collecting solar radiation (quantum collection) uses the light in the form of the large packages of quanta in which it comes, when the light is visible to the eye. Each package of energy that is impinging upon the surface of the earth is large, and the green plant is able to use that solar energy in its highest energy form and convert it into useful energy without going through a heat engine.
Disclosing Errors to Patients: Perspectives of Registered Nurses

Article-at-a-Glance Background Disclosure of medical errors has been conceptualized as occurring primarily in the physician-patient dyad. Yet, health care is delivered by interprofessional teams, in which nurses share in the culpability for errors, and hence, in responsibility for disclosure. This study explored nurses' perspectives on disclosure of errors to patients and the organizational factors that influence disclosure. Methods Between October 2004 and December 2005, 11 focus groups were conducted with 96 registered nurses practicing in one of four health care organizations in the Puget Sound region of Washington State. Focus groups were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Findings Nurses reported routinely independently disclosing nursing errors that did not involve serious harm, but felt the attending physician should lead disclosures when patient harm had occurred or when errors involved the team. Nurses usually were not involved in the error disclosure discussion among the team to plan for the disclosure or in the actual disclosure, leading to ethically compromising situations in nurses' communication with patients and families. Awareness of existing error disclosure policies was low. Nonetheless, these nurses felt that hospital policies that fostered a collaborative process would be helpful. Nurse managers played a key role in creating a culture of transparency and in being a resource for error disclosures. Discussion Nurses conceived of the disclosure process as a team event occurring in the context of a complex health care system rather than as a physician-patient conversation. Nurses felt excluded from these discussions, resulting in their use of ethically questionable communication strategies. The findings underscore the need for organizations to adopt a team disclosure process. Health care organizations that integrate the entire health care team into the disclosure process will likely improve the quality of error disclosure.
In-Situ Characterization of Carrier Mobility in Field Effect Transistors

The Field Effect Transistor (FET) is today the basic element of Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) digital systems. FETs are also used in analog circuits for high frequency (microwave) applications. Different types of FETs are the Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MOSFETs), the MEtal Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MESFETs) and the Modulation Doped Field Effect Transistors (MODFETs).
Development of Intertidal Biotas Through Phanerozoic Time

Changes in the biodiversity and organization of intertidal biotas from rocky, sandy, and muddy shores are summarized on the basis of information in the fossil record for 1622 extinct and extant species through Phanerozoic strata from the Cambrian to the Pleistocene at 361 localities around the world. To enter the database, each fossil species qualified as intertidal in origin based on sedimentological, geological, and other spatial criteria. Among the study sites documented in the scientific literature, 45% are considered former rocky shorelines. Another 31% represent former muddy shores and 24% are indicative of former sandy shores. Rocky-shore biotas demonstrate the greatest change in biodiversity, with species per Cenozoic study site nearly 2.5 times more than found on average at Paleozoic study sites. Key elements of the modern rocky shore biota were in place by Oligocene time and reflect much the same kind of ecological crowding found in that setting today. Coastal mudflat biotas show only a minor increase in biodiversity based on body fossils, although evidence from trace fossils implies an increase in ecological crowding through time. Sandy-shore biotas are the most conservative and least diverse in their development. The influence on intertidal habitat space by global tectonics, sea-level change, and relationship to other ecosystems is considered.
Projected increases and shifts in rain-on-snow flood risk over western North America

Destructive and costly flooding can occur when warm storm systems deposit substantial rain on extensive snowcover1–6, as observed in February 2017 with the Oroville Dam crisis in California7. However, decision-makers lack guidance on how such rain-on-snow (ROS) flood risk may respond to climate change. Here, daily ROS events with flood-generating potential8 are simulated over western North America for a historical (2000–2013) and future (forced under Representative Concentration Pathway 8.59) period with the Weather Research and Forecasting model; 4 km resolution allows the basin-scale ROS flood risk to be assessed. In the warmer climate, we show that ROS becomes less frequent at lower elevations due to snowpack declines, particularly in warmer areas (for example, the Pacific maritime region). By contrast, at higher elevations where seasonal snowcover persists, ROS becomes more frequent due to a shift from snowfall to rain. Accordingly, the water available for runoff10 increases for 55% of western North American river basins, with corresponding increases in flood risk of 20–200%, the greatest changes of which are projected for the Sierra Nevada, the Colorado River headwaters and the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Thus, flood control and water resource planning must consider ROS to fully quantify changes in flood risk with anthropogenic warming.
Emergence of RTK/RAS/PI3K pathway alterations in trastuzumab-refractory HER2-positive esophagogastric (EG) tumors.

11608Background: Up to 30% of EG adenocarcinomas harbor ERBB2 (HER2) gene amplification or oncoprotein over-expression. While trastuzumab prolongs survival in patients with Stage IV HER2+ EG tumors...
Immunology of Wound Healing

Chronic wounds are a tremendous burden on the healthcare system and lead to significant patient morbidity and mortality. Normal cutaneous wound healing occurs through an intricate and delicate interplay between the immune system, keratinocytes, and dermal cells. Each cell type contributes signals that drive the normal phases of wound healing: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. This paper reviews how various immunological cell types and signaling molecules influence the way wounds develop, persist, and heal. Concurrent with the achievement of hemostasis, neutrophils are the first cells to migrate to the wound bed, brought in by pro-inflammatory signals including IL-8. Their apoptosis and engulfment by macrophages (efferocytosis) provides a key signal to the local immune milieu, including macrophages, to transition to an anti-inflammatory, pro-repair state, where angiogenesis occurs and granulation tissue is laid down. Myofibroblasts, activated through contractile forces and signaling molecules, then drive remodeling, where granulation tissue becomes scar. Unchecked inflammation at this stage can result in abnormal scar formation. Although the derangement of immune signals at any stage can result in impaired wound healing, recent research has shown that the key transition point lies between the inflammatory and the proliferative phases. This review summarizes the events that facilitate this transition and discusses how this process can be disrupted, leading to chronic, non-healing wounds.
Electronic Health Records Are the Next Frontier for the Genetics of Substance Use Disorders

Compared with other psychiatric disorders of similar heritabilities, the progress of substance use disorders (SUD) genetics has been slow. With the growing availability of large-scale biobanks with extensive phenotypes from electronic health records (EHR) and genotypes across millions of individuals, this platform is the next tool to accelerate SUD genetics research.
Mechanisms of Translational Initiation and Repression in Prokaryotes

Perhaps the first example of gene regulation at the translational level was the observation that the MS2 coat protein represses synthesis of the replicase (Nathans et al.,1969). Many other examples of translational regulation by protein repressors have been found since. Especially noteworthy is the fact that the translation of most ribosomal proteins in E. coil, which accounts for a substantial fraction of the total protein synthesis, are autogenously regulated (Nomura et al,1984).
Corporate Transformation to the Multilayered Subsidiary Form: Changing Economic Conditions and State Business Policy

Despite the prevalence of corporate change in the last decade, researchers have not examined whether a change occurred in the corporate form. The analysis here presents a historical case study of a large U.S. corporation and quantitative data on the largest 100 U.S. industrial corporations. The case study examines the effects of changing economic conditions and state business policy on the corporate form. This study demonstrates that the corporation changed to a multilayered subsidiary form (MLSF): a corporation with a hierarchy of two or more levels of subsidiary corporations with a parent company at the top of the hierarchy operating as a management company. Whereas rising debt and increasing competition in the 1970s and 1980s undermined corporations' capacity to accumulate capital, changes in state business policy in the mid-1980s provided the political-legal structure for corporations to restructure their assets as subsidiary corporations tax free. Changes in state business policy also provided a means for corporations to merge, acquire, and spin-off subsidiary corporations tax free. Quantitative data on the 100 largest U.S. industrial corporations show that while the multidivisional form decreased, the MLSF increased between 1981 and 1993. Findings support a capital dependence framework. The MLSF constructs liability firewalls among corporate entities and creates internal capital markets, reducing dependence on external capital markets.
Topic-Guided Variational Auto-Encoder for Text Generation.

We propose a topic-guided variational auto-encoder (TGVAE) model for text generation. Distinct from existing variational auto-encoder (VAE) based approaches, which assume a simple Gaussian prior for latent code, our model specifies the prior as a Gaussian mixture model (GMM) parametrized by a neural topic module. Each mixture component corresponds to a latent topic, which provides a guidance to generate sentences under the topic. The neural topic module and the VAE-based neural sequence module in our model are learned jointly. In particular, a sequence of invertible Householder transformations is applied to endow the approximate posterior of the latent code with high flexibility during the model inference. Experimental results show that our TGVAE outperforms its competitors on both unconditional and conditional text generation, which can also generate semantically-meaningful sentences with various topics.
Teacher Accountability Reforms and the Supply and Quality of New Teachers

Abstract In recent years, states have sought to increase accountability for public school teachers by implementing a package of reforms centered on high-stakes evaluation systems. We examine the effect of these reforms on the supply and quality of new teachers. Leveraging variation across states and time, we find that accountability reforms reduced the number of newly licensed teacher candidates and increased the likelihood of unfilled teaching positions, particularly in hard-to-staff schools. Evidence also suggests that reforms increased the quality of newly hired teachers by reducing the likelihood new teachers attended unselective undergraduate institutions. Decreases in job security, satisfaction, and autonomy are likely mechanisms for these effects.
Who goes there?: using an agent-based simulation for tracking population movement

We present a method to apply simulations to the tracking of a live event such as an evacuation. We assume only a limited amount of information is available as the event is ongoing, through population-counting sensors such as surveillance cameras. In this context, agent-based models provide a useful ability to simulate individual behaviors and relationships among members of a population; however, agent-based models also introduce a significant data-association challenge when used with population-counting sensors that do not specifically identify agents. The main contribution of this paper is to develop an efficient method for managing the combinatorial complexity of data association. The key to our approach is to map from the state-space to an alternative correspondence-vector domain, where the measurement update can be implemented efficiently. We present a simulation study involving an evacuation over a road network and show that our method allows close tracking of the population over time.
Defining Suburbs: An Evaluation and Comparison of Four Methods

Suburbs are currently the focus of much research because they are the arena for many contemporary social, economic, and political issues. Yet definitions of what constitutes a suburb remain elusive...
The Effects of Uncompensated-Telework Fairness on Work Withdrawal and Personal Initiative via Energy

Research has given conflicting results regarding the relationship between the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for work-related tasks during non-work time and the outcomes f...
The Rhetoric of Online Exclusive Pumping Communities: Tactical Technical Communication as Eschewing Judgment

“Exclusive Pumping” straddles the most common infant-feeding methods: breastfeeding and bottle feeding. Exclusive pumpers express milk and feed with bottles. Yet experts rarely recommend exclusive ...
Endothelium-derived nitric oxide: pharmacology and relationship to the actions of organic nitrate esters.

Vascular smooth muscle relaxation elicited by various endogenous substances results from their interaction with vascular endothelial cells to trigger the formation of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF). EDRF from pulmonary and peripheral arteries and veins and from cultured and freshly harvested aortic endothelial cells has been identified pharmacologically and chemically as nitric oxide (NO) or a labile nitroso compound. Endothelium-derived NO (EDNO) and authentic NO activate the cytoplasmic form of guanylate cyclase by heme-dependent mechanisms and thereby stimulate intra-cellular cyclic GMP accumulation in cells including vascular smooth muscle and platelets. Cyclic GMP functions as a second messenger to cause vascular smooth muscle relaxation and inhibition of platelet aggregation and adhesion to vascular endothelial surfaces. EDNO is synthesized from L-arginine and perhaps arginine-containing peptides by an unidentified calcium-requiring process coupled to the occupation of extracellular endothelial receptors. The biological actions of EDNO are terminated by spontaneous oxidation to NO2− and NO3−. The biological half-life of the very lipophilic EDNO is only 3–5 sec and this allows EDNO to function locally as an autacoid. Nitroglycerin and other organic nitrate esters elicit endothelium-independent relaxation after entering vascular smooth muscle cells and undergoing denitration and formation of NO. The pharmacological actions of nitroglycerin are therefore essentially the same as those of EDNO, and the endogenous NO receptor is the heme group bound to soluble guanylate cyclase. EDNO may serve a biological role to modulate local blood flow and platelet function.
The Glass is at Least Half Full: Reflections on the Internationalization of Criminology

The purpose of this essay is to offer reflections on the extent to which and the ways in which the production of criminological knowledge has (or has not) become more “international.” With respect to extent, I review previous work that has searched for evidence of internationalization by means of content analyses of criminological scholarship and by inquiries into the membership on editorial boards of journals. I build upon these studies by reporting original evidence on internationalization as reflected in the publications appearing in Criminology, the journal of the American Society of Criminology, over the course of the current century. With respect to the ways in which internationalization has unfolded, I review some of the comparative research that has been directed towards assessing the applicability of criminological theories developed in the West to the context of East Asian societies. I conclude with brief remarks about the internationalization of criminology in the future.
Partnerships between community corrections and researchers: the view from the probation/parole chiefs

Calls to improve the interaction between academics and practitioners have been repeatedly pronounced by scholars and government leaders alike. A number of publications have focused on examining the...
Privacy-Preserving Algorithm for Decoupling of Multi-Agent Plans with Uncertainty.

The execution of multi-agent plans often requires communication between agents in order to synchronize their tasks. In cases where communication is unreliable or undesirable, temporal decoupling algorithms allow agents to find a distributed execution strategy beforehand without requiring perfect communication on the fly. The state-of-the-art Multi-Agent Simple Temporal Network with Uncertainty (MaSTNU) framework extends the decoupling problem for Multi-Agent Simple Temporal Network (MaSTN) to allow the modeling of uncertain durations and allow agents to communicate when certain events occur and communication is available. However, the existing approach assumes centralized knowledge of the MaSTNU, whereas in the multi-agent context, privacy is an important concern. In this paper, we propose a distributed, privacy-preserving algorithm for finding distributed execution strategies for MaSTNU. Experiments also showed significant speed-up of the proposed algorithm when the multi-agent plan is loosely coupled and mostly private.
The influence of non-governmental organizations on public policy: a case study on childhood lead poisoning prevention in Savannah, Georgia

The dynamics of environmental justice are multifaceted; politics, race, income, class, and economics take part in the discrimination and distribution of environmental services. The legacy of racial segregation that we continue to see today results from the politics and polices of the past. A historical record of increasing evidence demonstrates that race and low income levels create environmental hazards at a disproportionate rate for vulnerable populations. This study examines the relationship between the federal government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the effectiveness of this partnership when addressing environmental justice (EJ) issues for vulnerable populations. For many years, people-of-color and low-income populations have shared a lack of trust for the federal government, therefore grassroots organizations have been the voice for these populations. For the first time, the CDC Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention Branch partnered with an EJ organization to influence policy and prevent childhood lead poisoning in Savannah, Georgia. The methodology utilized for this research was a multi-method, descriptive, explanatory, case study. While utilizing quantitative and qualitative data, this study introduces the Whitehead Model; a blended model derived from a combination of two models, in addition to original political science theories. The research shows that lead testing rates for the demographic study area increased during the study period, and the EJ group organized a political task force comprised of elected officials and community members to influence the Savannah lead law. The conclusions drawn from the qualitative and quantitative findings suggests the federal government is more effective resolving environmental disparity issues for vulnerable populations, when partnering with EJ organizations that have a relationship with the community.
cis‐N‐Tosyl‐3‐Methyl‐2‐Azabicyclo[3.3.0]Oct‐3‐Ene

cis-N-tosyl-3-methyl-2-azabicyclo[3.3.0]oct-3-ene reactant: 20.0 g (158 mmol) of trans-2-(2-propenyl)cyclopentanol reactant: 8.00 g (64 mmol) of cis-2-(2-propenyl)cyclopentylamine product: cis-N-Tosyl-3-methyl-2-azabicyclo[3.3.0]oct-3-ene. reactant: 5.159 g (18.49 mmol) of cis-1-N-tosyl-2-(2-propenyl)cyclopentylamine catalyst: Palladium(II) chloride–acetonitrile complex Keywords: alkenylation, N-alkenylation; alkylation, C-alkylation; annulation, heterocyclic-[5]; cyclization, oxidative cyclization; Grignard and related reactions; metal-catalyzed reactions, palladium; replacement reactions, hydroxy by amino; ring opening reactions; sulfonation, N-sulfonation; diethyl ether; palladium(II) chloride-acetonitrile complex, preparation; pyridine; tetrahydrofuran; p-toluenesulfonyl chloride; p-toluenesulfonyl chloride; hydrazine, anhydrous
Spin dependent recombination in conjugated polymers: an optically detected magnetic resonance study

The photoluminescence (PL) and optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) spectra of Poly(3-hexylthiophene) in solutions of CCI4, toluene, and CH2CI2, and films cast from these solutions, are described and discussed. In solution, the PL yield is 7%, and increases with increasing temperature. In oxygen-free, protected films cast from these solutions, the room-temperature yield is ~0.7%, the spectra is red shifted by ~0.5 eV, and strong peaks at 1.52, 1.69, and 1.86 eV appear. In films and CH2CI2 solutions, the ODMR is resolvable into narrow and broad components, and its intensity AL/L is ~5*10'5 at room temperature. A strong photoinduced oxidation process quenches the PL upon exposure to O2 but not water, at a rate possibly limited by O2 diffusion.
Business Operation Intelligence

In the last decade we have witnessed an increased trend towards automating all the interactions that a company has with its customers, suppliers, and employees. This trend is continuing even in the economic downturn, since automation not only allows for faster processing, but can also reduce costs and errors due to the diminished need for human involvement. Once a robust e-business infrastructure has been developed and deployed, companies quickly turn their attention to the problem of assessing and managing the quality of their e-business operations. This paper presents the concepts and architecture of a system that supports users in managing their infrastructure from a both a business (qualitative) and IT (quantitative) perspective. The platform also provides for the "intelligent" analysis of e-business operations as well as for making predictions over the quality of ongoing and future operations.
Direct Gene Transfer into the Mammary Epithelium In Situ Using Retroviral Vectors

Insertion of specific exogenous genes into the mammary parenchyma genome has been shown to have many important uses, including production of experimental models and production of commercially valuable proteins in milk. Most transgenic mammary tissue has thus far been produced by germ-line gene transfer. Here we describe a rapid and inexpensive alternative method in which genes of interest are placed directly into the in situ mammary ductal epithelium using a “gene-therapy-like” approach. The gene of interest is cloned into a replication-incompetent retroviral vector. The vector is produced to yield very high titers and is then infused into the central mammary duct of mammals ranging from rats to goats. Larger mammals are used mainly for protein production, and rats are used to develop models for the study of mammary biology and carcinogenesis.
Some Simple Estimates for Singular Values of a Matrix

Abstract Some simple estimation theorems for singular values of a rectangular matrix A are given. They only use the elements of A itself, and in some cases they yield better results than does the Gerschgorin theorem applied to A∗A. A bound for the condition number of A may be obtained from them. When A is square, a bound is derived which explains why scaling improves the performance of Gauss elimination when row or column norms differ widely in magnitude. Their application to perturbation theory of singular values is also discussed.
Health and health expenditures in adjusting and non-adjusting countries

The focus of this study is on the impact of World Bank structural adjustment operations on health expenditures and outcomes. We compare trends and levels of real per capita public spending on health, private consumption (which is the resource base for private health expenditures), and groupings child mortality indicators in four groups of countries. These are: (i) countries that started to borrow for the adjustment process early--Early Adjustment Lending (EAL) countries, (ii) Other Adjustment Lending (OAL) countries, (iii) Non-Adjustment Lending countries whose economies grew during the period 1985-1990 (NAL+), and (iv) Non-Adjustment Lending countries whose economies did not grow (NAL-). The NAL- group provides a 'counterfactual' for comparison with the two groups of adjusting countries. The results show that the fear about possible declines in health care spending in adjusting countries is unwarranted for EAL countries, that is those countries that started the adjustment process early and took it seriously. Government spending on health care increased on average for this group of countries, as did private consumption levels. Government health care expenditures also continued to increase in OAL countries, but mixed GDP growth performance has left little room for increased private spending. However, those countries that showed negative growth in the late eighties and did not start an adjustment process, fared worse throughout: real per capita public health care spending declined during the late eighties and increased less than in the other countries during 1989-1993, while private consumption has declined steadily. The trends in child mortality indicators show tremendous and continuing progress during the past two or three decades with few discernible differences among the four country groupings.
Comments on “Cancer Mortality near OAK Ridge, Tennessee”:

A recent article by Joseph Mangano concluded that changes in cancer mortality near Oak Ridge (Anderson County) in Tennessee over a 40-year period (1950-1989) suggest an increase in cancer deaths linked to radiation contamination. These conclusions are not supported by available, representative data. In his analysis, Mangano selected for comparison two three-year periods (1950-1952 and 1987-1989) that are not representative of the entire 40 years. An analysis by decade of the 42-year period from 1950 to 1991, using U.S. mortality rates from the National Center for Health Statistics and Tennessee mortality rates from the NCHS and the Tennessee Health Department, shows that the relation between expected and actual cancer deaths for the white population of Anderson County does not differ from that for the State of Tennessee. In addition, changes in methods of reporting death statistics during the 40-year period invalidate any attempt to compare current cause-specific mortality data (such as cancer deaths) with data from the 1950s. Relevant comparisons that can be made for the period 1970-1991 again show that cancer deaths for whites in Anderson County have been statistically equivalent to the expected rates.
Operative Techniques in the Fetal Rabbit

The development of fetal surgical techniques has made the antenatal correction of congenital defects possible. These techniques have evolved from trials with animal models, permitting increasingly sophisticated operations with low morbidity and mortality. Experimental models range from large animals offering longer gestations but with single pregnancies and high cost, to smaller animals offering multiple pregnancies at reduced cost but with shorter gestations. This paper describes operative techniques in the fetal rabbit and its advantages as a fetal surgical model. Experience with the pregnant rabbit has shown it to be a suitable surgical model for several reasons. Pregnancies are multiple, increasing cost effectiveness and permitting operation on up to eight fetuses per litter without fetal loss. Techniques that promote fetal survival include local housing of does several days prior to operation and preoperative sedation. Spontaneous mask ventilation provides ease of anesthetic administration and titrat...
Degrees of Personhood

In this paper I argue that a Naturalist conception of personhood, such as the one defended by Derek Parfit, implies that there are degrees of personhood, i.e., that it makes sense to say one individual has a greater degree of personhood than another. I describe both criteria of general personhood, which distinguish between persons and non-persons, and criteria of particular personhood, which distinguish between one person and another. I examine some of the consequences for ethics, including the rights to life, self-determination, and treatment. There may be circumstances in medicine where we have to judge the value of a patient's life in order to decide what medical treatment, if any, to provide, and although it may be emotionally difficult and politically dangerous, one relevant factor is what degree of personhood that individual has.
Painful left shoulder

Sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (SHML), characterized by histiocyte-laden massive lymph node enlargement, was initially described by Rosai and Dorfman in 1969 as a rare, non-neoplastic and self-limiting disease [1]. The classical presentation of massive symmetrical lymph node enlargement has a predilection for cervical lymph nodes. Extranodal disease, with or without lymphadenopathy, is termed “Rosai–Dorfman disease” (RDD) [2] and most commonly involves the skin, upper respiratory tract, and bone, occurring in approximately 43% of patients [3]. Osseous lesions are seen in approximately 8% of patients [3]. Isolated osseous involvement without lymphadenopathy or other extranodal disease as in this case is exceedingly rare [4]. RDD can present at any age but has typically been found in the first or second decade of life, with a mean age of 20.6 years [3]. RDD is generally self-limited with spontaneous resolution; however, it may have a prolonged course with remission, exacerbation, and even death [3, 5]. After reviewing treatments, Pulsoni et al. suggested observation without treatment is advisable except when compression or other clinical signs indicate surgical debulking [6]. This patient was successfully treated by curettage and bone grafting. This case demonstrates the typical clinical and osseous imaging characteristics of the uncommon isolated primary osseous form of RDD. The patient had no lymphadenopathy clinically, nor upon CT imaging of the body. Although the patient complained of fatigue and was anemic with a hemoglobin of 8.7 g/dl, the other often-seen clinical manifestations of fever and weight loss were absent. Other frequently associated lab findings including an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, leukocytosis, reversal of the T4/T8 lymphocyte ratio, and hypergammaglobulinemia [3, 7], were normal or not studied. The typical radiographic lytic bone lesion of RDDmay have a poorly or sharply defined margin, most often in a medullary location. Bone lesions may be single monostotic, multiple monostotic, or polyostotic. As in this case, bone lesions usually do not have periosteal reaction or sclerosis, but these appearances may occur. Intralesional calcification has not been reported. Serial imaging generally reveals a decrease in lesion size leading to complete resolution; sometimes a sclerotic focus remains. [2, 7, 8] In general, and in this case, the radiographic appearance is that of a semi-aggressive or an aggressive condition that suggests a differential diagnosis including osteomyelitis, multiple myeloma, lymphoma, sarcoma, Langerhans cell histiocytosis, metastatic disease, and rare entities such as lipid storage disorders and sarcoid [8, 9]. MRI commonly demonstrates elevated signal intensity on T2-weighted sequences, low signal intensity on T1-weighted sequences, soft tissue extension, and adjacent soft tissue edema which The case presentation can be found at doi:10.1007/s00256-011-1325-x.
TU-D-ValA-03: Continuous Intensity Map Optimization (CIMO): A Novel Leaf-Sequencing Algorithm

Purpose: In IMRT planning, leaf‐sequencing algorithms are used to translate optimized intensity maps into deliverable aperture shapes. We have developed a novel approach to leaf sequencing called continuous intensity map optimization (CIMO). The CIMO algorithm can significantly reduce the number of segments required for IMRT delivery. A unique feature of the CIMO algorithm is that it operates directly on continuous intensity maps. Consequently, the intensity maps do not need to be divided into discrete levels. Method and Materials: CIMO uses a simulated annealing algorithm to optimize the aperture shapes and weights with a goal of minimizing the discrepancies between the optimized and sequenced fluence maps. We have benchmarked the performance of the CIMO sequencer against the algorithms in the Pinnacle3 and Eclipse treatment planning systems. Results: When the CIMO sequencer was applied to 10 IMRT plans from the Pinnacle3 planning system, the average number of segments was reduced from 133 to 62 (a 54% reduction). The average number of monitor units was reduced from 646 to 555 (a 14% reduction). The CIMO algorithm also provided a 36% reduction in the average root mean square errors between the optimal and sequenced fluence maps. Additionally, the CIMO sequenced plans provided more uniform PTV coverage with comparable sparing of critical structures. The average standard deviation of the PTV dose distribution decreased from 9.6 to 7.4 cGy. When the CIMO algorithm was applied to 5 IMRT patients from the Eclipse planning system, the average number of segments was reduced by 46% and the average number of monitor units was cut by 31%. Equivalent plan quality was observed. Conclusion: As compared with both commercial systems, the CIMO algorithm resulted in equivalent or improved plan quality while providing a significant reduction in the required number of segments and monitor units.
Rabbit Ovarian Protein Kinases. II. Effect of an Ovulatory Dose of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin or Luteinizing Hormone on the Multiplicity of Follicular and Luteal Protein Kinases

DEAE-cellulose chromatography of the 105,000 X g supernatant fraction (cytosol) obtained from popped estrous rabbit follicles revealed the presence of a single form of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, designated protein kinase 3. The iv injection of an ovulatory dose of hCG to estrous rabbits promoted the appearance of a second, transient peak of cytosol cAMP-dependent protein kinase, protein kinase 1. Protein kinase 1 was detected within 10 min of hCG administration but had regressed to undetectable levels by 24 h in corpora lutea (CL) of pseudopregnancy and by 72 h in CL of pregnancy. Ovulation and subsequent CL formation were accompanied by the appearance of a third form of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, designated protein kinase 2. Protein kinase 2 was present within 2 h after hCG administration and persisted as a major form of cytosol cAMP-dependent protein kinase throughout the life span of CL. All three forms of protein kinase were inhibited by the heat-stable protein kinase inhibitor from rabbit skeletal muscle, possessed cAMP-binding activity, and were markedly stimulated by 10(-7) M cAMP. The activity of protein kinase 3 in CL of pregnancy, in corpora albicantia, and in interstitial tissue was markedly greater than that in follicles or in CL of pseudopregnancy, while the activity of protein kinase 2 remained relatively constant throughout the luteal life span. The iv injection of a luteolytic dose of hCG to 4-day pseudopregnant rabbits promoted no alterations of the protein kinase elution profile upon DEAE-cellulose chromatography of the luteal cytosol obtained 10 min to 3 days post-hCG injection. However, with dedifferentiation of corpora albicantia into interstitial tissue, the cAMP dependency of protein kinase 2 was reduced. The results indicate that the enzymatic activity and multiplicity of cAMP-dependent protein kinases in the cytosol of ovarian structures are subject to regulation by LH (hCG) and depend upon the various reproductive stages of the rabbit.
Educational and mode-of-communication factors associated with paediatric cochlear implant users.

Poor oral communication skills are associated with young children with severe-toprofound hearing losses. However, oral communication skills appear to be positively influenced if these children receive multichannel cochlear implants (Tobey et al., 2003). In order to examine how classroom placement and mode of communication may impact on oral communication skills, speech intelligibility and accuracy of production for vowels and consonants were examined in 131 8and 9-year-old cochlear-implanted children.
Detectability of contrast agents for video-rate confocal reflectance microscopy of skin and microcirculation in vivo

The lack of structure-specific contrast limits the usefulness of confocal reflectance microscopy to morphologic investigations at the cellular- and nuclear-level in human and animal skin in vivo. Morphologic and functional imaging at specific organelle- and ultrastructure-levels will require contrast agents that may be used and detected in vivo. High-resolution confocal reflectance imaging is based on the detection of singly back-scattered photons, where contrast is provided by variations in the refractive indices of microstructures. We carried out a quantitative Mie back-scatter analysis and imaging experiments to understand signal detectability of reflectance contrast agents for visualizing human skin and animal microcirculation. When imaging at video-rate with illumination of 10 milliwatts at 1064 nm, we detect 100-104 photons/pixel from the epidermis to dermis, relative to a background of 100 photons; this provides a signal-to-noise ratio of 3-40 and signal-to-background of 1-100. Organelles of size (d) 0.1-1.0 μm with refractive indices (n) of 1.34-1.45 (relative to n=1.34 for epidermis, n=1.38 for dermis) back-scatter 10-104 photons/pixel. Exogenous contrast agents such as liposomes (n=1.41, d=0.7 μm) and polystyrene microspheres (d=0.2-1.0 μm, n=1.57; 100-105 photons/pixel) are detectable and they strongly enhance the contrast of microcirculation in the dermis of Sprague-Dawley rats. Topically applied 5% acetic acid causes the intra-nuclear 30-100 nm-thin chromatin filaments to condense into 1-5 μm-thick strands, increasing back-scattered signal from 100 to 104 photons/pixels, making the nuclei appear bright and easily detectable in basal cell cancers. Such analyses provide a basis for optimizing confocal microscope design for detectability of contrast agents in vivo.
Evidence of Crystal Structure in Some Sputtered MoS2 Films

Electron diffraction patterns and electron micrographs of molybdenum disulfide films sputtered on single-NaCl-crystal and electropolished-aluminum substrates are presented as evidence that crystalline MoS2 films can be sputtered onto various substrates in thicknesses up to 2 microns. Applied to Falex test pins and V-blocks, some of these films exhibited a wear life as long as 65 minutes at 1000 lb jaw load.
3D Video Communication System by Using Kinect and Head Mounted Displays

Existing video communication systems, used in private business or video teleconference, show a part of the body of users on display only. This situation does not have realistic sensation because of showing a part of body on display and showing other users by 2D. This makes users feel communicating with the other users at a long distance without realistic sensation. Furthermore, although these existing communication systems have file transfer function such as sending and receiving file data, it does not use intuitive manipulation. It uses mouse or touching display only. In order to solve these problems, we propose 3D communication system supported by Kinect and head mounted display (HMD) to provide users communications with realistic sensation and intuitive manipulation. This system is able to show whole body of users on HMD as if they were in the same room by 3D reconstruction. It also enables users to transfer and share information by intuitive manipulation to augmented reality (AR) objects toward the other users in the future. The result of this paper is a system that extracts human body by using Kinect, reconstructs extracted human body on HMD, and also recognizes users' hands to be able to manipulate AR objects by a hand.
Relationship between the critical field and energy gap of a superconductor

Abstract The theory of Lewis concerning the relationship between the critical field and the exponent of the superconducting electronic specific heat is found to be verified over an extended region of this exponent in the light of new data. If the identification of this exponent with the zero temperature energy gap is valid, then the theory of Toxen, for large energy gaps, is found to be incorrect.
Theoretical aspects of systems with competing interactions

This contribution from a non-theorist aims to give some introduction to the following theoretical papers as well as some of the points brought out in the oral discussion.