cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Supporting students with academic difficulties

Abstract Introduction Up 15% of health professions students experience academic difficulties. We describe an early tracking system that effectively identifies and supports students with performance deficiencies. The objectives of this study were to discuss changes made in an academic success system at our new college of pharmacy, describe effectiveness of the updated program after one-year of use, and present changes that are being discussed based on the faculty and student feedback. Methods We conducted in-person faculty interviews using open-ended questions to evaluate the effectiveness of our original program for supporting students with academic difficulties called the Early Tracking System (ETS). We then developed a new program titled the Individualized Plan for Academic Success System (IPASS). We conducted more faculty interviews and a student survey after the implementation of IPASS to evaluate its effectiveness. Results In the 2018–2019 academic year at our institution, IPASS was activated 291 times, of which there were 27 course failures. The results of our study indicated a pass rate of 90.72% post-IPASS for all pharmacy students. Conclusions The goal of this study was to revise and implement an early tracking system that all faculty members, students, and administrators can utilize efficiently and effectively. This study demonstrated that students with academic difficulties have the potential for progression if their deficiencies are detected early. We described a unique system by which we addressed the needs of the at-risk students. The interview of faculty and survey of students indicated satisfaction with IPASS.
Impact of Telemedicine on Pediatric Heart Transplant Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose During the COVID surge and shutdown (SD) of NYC from 3/20-5/20, we transitioned to telemedicine (TM) to provide routine and urgent care to our pediatric heart transplant (HT) patients (pts). The effectiveness of TM in this population has not been described. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted at the Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Bronx, NY. Electronic health records of all HT pts who received care from 1/3/20-8/31/20 were queried. Data collected included frequency of TM, in person, and emergency room (ER) visits, hospitalizations, immunosuppression (IS) levels requiring adjustment, and out-of-window pt follow-up (f/u). The proportion of IS levels out of range was compared among 4 groups by chi-square analysis. Results During SD there were 54 TM visits: 61% routine and 39% sick. Five (24%) sick TM visits justified an in person f/u: 3 clinic visits, 2 ER visits, 1 required hospitalization (Figure). During the post-SD period 1 when in person visits resumed, 9 pt visits were out of window for routine f/u, median of 6 weeks delayed. IS levels were not therapeutic in 29% of pts pre-SD compared to 46% during post-SD period 1 (p=0.06). There was a difference between post-SD period 1 and 2 (p=0.04). By SD period 2, IS had returned to pre-SD levels (p=0.6) (Table). Conclusion TM can be utilized to stay connected to pts and reduce the need for in person visits when routine in person care is disrupted. The higher percentage of pts with IS levels out of range seen during the immediate post COVID SD period reinforces the importance of routine IS level surveillance. Home IS level monitoring should be considered as a component of TM in this population.
Eating Disorders in Boys and Men: Considerations in Sport and Exercise

This chapter considers the role of exercise and sport as it uniquely relates to eating disorders in boys and men. While engagement in sport and exercise has been reliably shown to protect against eating disorders, the performance-based pressures and physique-salient nature of these contexts may perpetuate disordered behaviors. This may be particularly pertinent for men, for whom exercise is central to the presentation of eating pathology, and among men athletes who often pursue weight restriction to gain a competitive advantage. Important considerations for the role of sport and exercise are warranted in the characterization, assessment, and intervention targets for eating disorders in men. However, the state of knowledge regarding the role of sport and exercise in eating pathology in boys and men relies almost exclusively on theoretical underpinnings and empirical evidence from samples of girls and women. As such, this chapter will discuss how exercise-specific assessment tools originate from clinical observations and empirical evidence in women, thereby not appropriately capturing the unique prevalence, characteristics, and consequences of eating disorders among men, including men athletes. Further, interventions aimed at prevention and treatment of co-occurring exercise and eating pathology have focused almost exclusively on elite women athletes, at the expense of adequate assessment and support of men. As such, this chapter will summarize and critically consider empirical gaps in prevalence rates, presentation, theoretical considerations, and interventions related to sport and exercise in the context of eating disorders in boys and men. Establishing these targets for improvement is critical to enhance knowledge of gender-specific needs and to improve clinical outcomes for this overlooked subset of the population.
Urinary microbiota of women with recurrent urinary tract infection: collection and culture methods

Many clinicians utilize standard culture of voided urine to guide treatment for women with recurrent urinary tract infections (RUTI). However, despite antibiotic treatment, symptoms may persist and events frequently recur. The cyclic nature and ineffective treatment of RUTI suggest that underlying uropathogens pass undetected because of the preferential growth of Escherichia coli. Expanded quantitative urine culture (EQUC) detects more clinically relevant microbes. The objective of this study was to assess how urine collection and culture methods influence microbial detection in RUTI patients. This cross-sectional study enrolled symptomatic adult women with an established RUTI diagnosis. Participants contributed both midstream voided and catheterized urine specimens for culture via both standard urine culture (SUC) and EQUC. Presence and abundance of microbiota were compared between culture and collection methods. Forty-three symptomatic women participants (mean age 67 years) contributed specimens. Compared to SUC, EQUC detected more unique bacterial species and consistently detected more uropathogens from catheterized and voided urine specimens. For both collection methods, the most commonly detected uropathogens by EQUC were E. coli (catheterized: n = 8, voided: n = 12) and E. faecalis (catheterized: n = 7, voided: n = 17). Compared to catheterized urine samples assessed by EQUC, SUC often missed uropathogens, and culture of voided urines by either method yielded high false-positive rates. In women with symptomatic RUTI, SUC and assessment of voided urines have clinically relevant limitations in uropathogen detection. These results suggest that, in this population, catheterized specimens analyzed via EQUC provide clinically relevant information for appropriate diagnosis.
Analysis of intra-region market integration and spatial price transmission in groundnut markets in Malawi

Agricultural marketing has overwhelmingly received policy reforms indeveloping countries, Malawi included. In response to these policyreforms, extensive research on market cointegration has been co...
Mechanical Failure of Cu-Sn Solder Joints

The effects of the microstructure on the fracture mechanisms of Cu-Sn intermetallic compounds (IMC) in solder joints under tensile load are studied with numerical simulations. When solder joints are exposed to elevated temperature environments Cu $$_6$$ Sn $$_5$$ and Cu $$_3$$ Sn nucleate and grow due to the reaction of Cu and Sn, and the fracture strength is degraded. During early stages of the thermal treatment, the Cu $$_3$$ Sn layer of the IMC is thin and composed of a single stack of grains, and the simulations indicate that failure occurs at the Cu $$_6$$ Sn $$_5$$ /Cu $$_3$$ Sn interface. After hundreds of hours at temperatures over 150 $$^\circ $$ the Cu $$_3$$ Sn layer thickness grows and is composed of a stack of several grains. Then, failure switches to intergranular fracture inside the Cu $$_3$$ Sn layer. Therefore, the reduction of the fracture strength is a consequence of a transition in the Cu $$_3$$ Sn layer from a single stack of grains to a multi-stacked structure. This structural transition occurs by the reduction of grain size and the growth of the Cu $$_3$$ Sn layer thickness.
Direct Measurements of Ozone Response to Emissions Perturbations in California

Abstract. A new technique was used to directly measure O3 response to changes in precursor NOx and VOC concentrations in the atmosphere using three identical Teflon “smog chambers” equipped with UV lights. One chamber served as the baseline measurement for O3 formation, one chamber added NOx, and one chamber added surrogate VOCs (ethylene, m-xylene, n-hexane). Comparing the O3 formation between chambers over a three-hour UV cycle provides a direct measurement of O3 sensitivity to precursor concentrations. Measurements made with this system at Sacramento, California, between April 2020 – December 2020 revealed that the atmospheric chemical regime followed a seasonal cycle. O3 formation was VOC-limited (NOx – rich) during the early spring, transitioned to NOx-limited during the summer due to increased concentrations of ambient VOCs with high O3 formation potential, and then returned to VOC-limited (NOx-rich) during the fall season as the concentrations of ambient VOCs decreased and NOx increased. This seasonal pattern of O3 sensitivity is consistent with the cycle of biogenic emissions in California. The direct chamber O3 sensitivity measurements matched semi-direct measurements of HCHO / NO2 ratios from the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) onboard the Sentinel-5 Precursor (Sentinel-5P) satellite. Furthermore, the satellite observations showed that the same seasonal cycle in O3 sensitivity occurred over most of the entire state of California, with only the urban cores of the very large cities remaining VOC-limited across all seasons. Looking at the entire measurement period, days with baseline chamber O3 concentrations above 90 ppb had median O3 sensitivity that was NOx-limited, suggesting that a NOx emissions control strategy would be most effective at reducing these peak O3 concentrations. In contrast, days with O3 concentrations below 80 ppb had median O3 sensitivity that was VOC-limited, suggesting that an emissions control strategy focusing on NOx reduction would increase O3 concentrations. VOC controls on these intermediate days would be difficult, however, if biogenic VOCs account for the majority of the O3 formation. This challenging situation suggests that emissions control programs that focus on NOx reductions will immediately lower peak O3 concentrations, but slightly increase intermediate O3 concentrations until NOx levels fall far enough to re-enter the NOx-limited regime. The spatial pattern of increasing and decreasing O3 concentrations in response to a NOx emissions control strategy should be carefully mapped in order to fully understand the public health implications.
Determination of the primary structures of histones.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the determination of the primary structures of histones. The fundamentals of amino acid-sequence determination are the same for histones as they are for other proteins. There are certain features of histone that superimpose special problems and considerations onto the fundamentals, such as their extensive posttranslational modifications, the monotonous presence of some of their constituent amino acids and the absence of others, and the possibility of microheterogeneity because of the repetitive genes from which they are derived. The chapter discusses the strategies and methods that are pertinent to histones. It focuses on the methods for determining the levels and sites of posttranslational modifications such as phosphorylation, acetylation, methylation, and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) ribosyiation because of the dynamic and physiological state of chromatin. Examples of histone sequence determination are given in the chapter to illustrate the application of methods to histones and to show how histones have been specifically fragmented. For each class of histone, a strategy is recommended of sequence determination that seems to be the most convenient for workers interested in comparing histones from various sources.
Molecular Basis of Osmolyte Effects on Protein and Metabolites

Osmolytes can have strong effects on biochemical reactions, such as protein folding or protein-ligand interaction. These effects are mediated through solvation-the nonspecific interaction between the solution components. Therefore, understanding the impact of osmolytes on cellular biochemistry requires an understanding of the underlying solvation processes. This chapter discusses the thermodynamic effects of osmolytes on proteins and small organic molecules in terms of the solvation of these molecules, as derived from Kirkwood-Buff theory. This approach allows experimental determination of solvation properties from thermodynamic data. Knowledge of solvation at this level provides insight into the observed behavior of proteins and small molecules in osmolyte solution on a microscopic level. As examples, we provide solvation effects on protein folding, ligand binding, and osmolyte thermodynamics.
Ocular side effects associated with dietary supplements and herbal medicines

Dietary supplements are prevalent worldwide and play a significant role in the treatment of human disease. In the United States, allopathic physicians are at the early stage of learning how to treat patients with natural remedies and other forms of alternative medicine. Elsewhere, however, alternative remedies have been embraced more fully. In Germany, for example, the German Federal Health Agency created Commission E, which has allowed for a more sophisticated approach to assessing the efficacy and safety of dietary supplements and herbal medicines. Health insurance in Germany frequently covers costs for doctor-prescribed herbal remedies. While there is strong evidence that many herbal products have therapeutic effects, there are also a large number of cases of severe adverse reactions due to some of the many thousands of herbal products. One of the first signs of potential toxicity is in the visual system, as in many cases patients notice loss of vision more than systemic side effects. In addition, ophthalmologists are able to detect objective findings through external eye exams and dilated fundus exams. Presented here are some of the more common ocular side effects from frequently prescribed dietary supplements. In most instances, stopping the treatment or decreasing the dose allows for full resolution of symptoms. In addition, comment is made on the regulatory confusion that exists for this industry, especially in the United States.
Merging the BIF and the SAIF: Would a merger improve the Fund's viablity?

During the 1990s, the differences between BIF-insured and SAIF-insured institution have declined. Due to mergers, over one-third of the deposits insured by the Savings Association Insurance Fund (SAIF) are now being held by Bank Insurance Fund (BIF) member institutions. This paper examines the SAIF's ability to remain solvent using a Monte Carlo model, under various levels of industry concentration. It shows that industry consolidation has served to reduce the vulnerability of the SAIF, as several large BIF-memeber insitutions have increased their SAIF-insured holdings. Nontheless, the SAIF continues to be somewhat more vulnerable to insolvency risk than the BIF. The paper also examines a merger of the BIF and the SAIF. The results show that a larger, combined insurance fund would be less risky than either the BIF or the SAIF separately. In other words, both the BIF and the SAIF would benefit from a merger of the funds. In addition, the results show that probability of either the BIF or the SAIF becoming insolvent is significantly higher that the probabilty of a merger fund becoming insolvent.
Quantitative Studies on Fabrics as Disseminators of Viruses: I. Persistence of Vaccinia Virus on Cotton and Wool Fabrics

The persistence of vaccinia virus on wool (blanket and gabardine) and cotton (sheeting, terry cloth, and knit jersey) fabrics was studied. The fabrics were exposed to the virus by three methods: direct contact, aerosol, and virus-containing dust having a high content of textile fibers. Fabrics exposed to virus by each method were held in 35 and 78% relative humidities at 25 C. Virus was recovered for up to 14 weeks from wool fabrics exposed to virus and held in the low humidity. In contrast, virus persisted for shorter periods of time on the cotton fabrics. No virus was detected on terry cloth as early as 3 days after exposure to virus. The virus appeared to be less stable in the high humidity, and the method of exposure of the fabrics to virus apparently had an effect upon the persistence of the agent. On all fabrics, viral persistence was of sufficient duration to be of epidemiological significance.
Closing the Atlantic gap: the symbiotic development of civil and military aviation technology through the 1930s

In 1913 the Daily Mail offered a substantial prize for the first transatlantic flight. The first flights occurred in 1919. Twenty years later the route's first commercial heavier-than-air service opened. The path from 1913 to 1939 was technologically challenging, but rewarding since it sped up connections between London and the emerging second trading state financial centre of New York. Civil aviation was closely linked to the technologies needed for strategic bombing and long range maritime air patrols. Such technologies emerged first in Imperial Germany although from British theoretical roots, then from developments at the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics, all of which spread widely in the late 1920s.
Fire fit: assessing comprehensive fitness and injury risk in the fire service

This study sought to develop a comprehensive measure of fitness that is predictive of injury risk and can be used in the fire service to assess individual-level health and fit-for-duty status. A retrospective occupational cohort of 799 career fire service employees was observed over the years 2005–2009. An equally weighted score for comprehensive fitness was calculated based on cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, endurance, flexibility, and body composition. Repeated measures survival analyses were used to estimate the risk of any injury, sprain or strain, and exercise-related injuries in relation to comprehensive fitness. A well-distributed comprehensive fitness score was developed to distinguish three tiers of overall fitness status. Intraclass correlations identified flexibility, total grip strength, percent body fat, and resting heart rate as the most reliable fitness metrics, while push-ups, sit-ups, and aerobic capacity demonstrated poor reliability. In general, individuals with a lower comprehensive fitness status had an increased injury risk of injury as compared to the most fit individuals. The risk of any injury was 1.82 (95 % CI 1.06–3.11) times as likely for the least fit individuals, as compared to individuals in the top fire fitness category, increasing to 2.90 (95 % CI 1.48–5.66) when restricted to sprains and strains. This 5-year analysis of clinical occupational health assessments enabled the development of a relevant metric for relating comprehensive fitness with the risk of injury. Results were consistent with previous studies focused on cardiorespiratory fitness, but also less susceptible to inter-individual variability of discrete measurements.
The Evolution of Internet Addiction Disorder

This chapter presents the history and evolution of Internet addiction and describes the risk factors identified. As the problem has become more widespread, new studies examine the neuroscientific causes of Internet addiction and ways that the disorder may be treated primarily using behavior therapy, cognitive-behavioral techniques, and residential care. The chapter also provides the theoretical frameworks to understand the etiologic models or causal factors associated with the development of Internet addiction including a brief overview of the neuroscientific studies recently done. Finally, this chapter reviews the current treatment models used in Internet addiction recovery. As an introduction to this book, it is hoped this chapter gives a historical context of the disorder and promotes future areas of research as new studies in the field continue to emerge.
Sustained ventricular tachycardia in ischemic cardiomyopathy: Current management

Ventricular tachyarrhythmias are a major cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction following myocardial infarction (MI). Fortunately, several effective modalities of therapy are now available to manage this problem. This review examines currently available management options for sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) in patients with previous MI.
Part of the “Establishment”? Fostering Positive Campus Climates for Student Activists

AbstractUsing data from the Wabash National Study, authors examine how students’ perceptions of campus climate influence growth in students’ social and political activism. The goal of this article is to determine to what extent, if any, students’ perceptions of the campus environment affect their orientation toward social/political activism over 4 years of college and to what extent, if any, these effects are mediated by involvement in cocurricular activities. With the recent resurgence in student activism, understanding of campus protesters has again become a needed skill for campus administrators and student affairs professionals. Additionally, as campuses commit to promoting civil discourse and the inclusion of diverse perspectives, improving the campus climates for an important segment of their student population, that being student activists, must be a part of that commitment.
Cardiac tamponade as an unusual presentation of lung cancer: case report and review of the literature.

Summary: A case of cardiac tamponade as an unusual presentation of lung cancer and a review of the current literature are presented.
Science journalism: Too close for comfort

In the second of three essays, Boyce Rensberger tracks the progression of scientific correspondents from cheerleaders to watchdogs.
Range-resolved frequency-agile CO 2 lidar measurements of smokestack vapor effluents

ABSTRACT Range-resolved lidar measurements of chemical vapor output from a smokestack were conducted using a moderate-power(100 millijoules per pulse) frequency-agile CO2 differential absorption lidar (DIAL) system. A 70-foot non-industrialsmokestack, erected for the purpose of studying effluent emissions, was used in the experiment. These measurements wereconducted for the purpose of obtaining real data to support development of advanced chemical and biological (CB) range-resolved vapor detection algorithms. Plume transmission measurements were made using natural atmospheric backscatterfrom points at the mouth of the stack and several positions downwind. Controlled releases of triethyl-phosphate (TEP),dimethyl-methyiphosphonate (DMMP), and sulfur-hexaflouride (SF6) were performed. Test methodology and experimentalresults are presented. Effective application of ground-based lidar to the monitoring of smokestack effluents, without the useof fixed targets, is discussed. 1. INTRODUCTION Measurement of vapor emissions from smokestacks using either active or passive standoff sensors is useful for the detection
Effect of medication and STN-DBS on postural control in subjects with Parkinson's disease.

Abstract Aims and objectives To assess the effect of disease severity, dopaminergic medication (med) and STN-DBS on postural stability in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Methods Postural sway in quiet stance, and the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (motor) (UPDRS III) were evaluated in 129 subjects in the off-med state. A subgroup of 28 subjects was studied on-med and after STN-DBS. Postural sway was measured using center of pressure (CoP) root mean square displacement (RMSCoP) and mean velocity (VCoP) in the anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) directions. Results All CoP parameters were larger in moderate/advanced subjects vs controls (P Conclusions Postural sway in quiet stance increased with disease severity. Only ML CoP displacement was abnormal in early stage PD, and this may be a compensatory mechanism. Medication increased ML postural sway. In ‘normal’ PD subjects, STN-DBS reversed medication induced postural instability. Subjects with abnormal balance in quiet stance did not benefit from medication or DBS, except for improvement in ML CoP velocity from DBS. This may serve to reduce postural instability and falling.
Gross feature recognition of Anatomical Images based on Atlas grid (GAIA): Incorporating the local discrepancy between an atlas and a target image to capture the features of anatomic brain MRI.

We aimed to develop a new method to convert T1-weighted brain MRIs to feature vectors, which could be used for content-based image retrieval (CBIR). To overcome the wide range of anatomical variability in clinical cases and the inconsistency of imaging protocols, we introduced the Gross feature recognition of Anatomical Images based on Atlas grid (GAIA), in which the local intensity alteration, caused by pathological (e.g., ischemia) or physiological (development and aging) intensity changes, as well as by atlas–image misregistration, is used to capture the anatomical features of target images. As a proof-of-concept, the GAIA was applied for pattern recognition of the neuroanatomical features of multiple stages of Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, spinocerebellar ataxia type 6, and four subtypes of primary progressive aphasia. For each of these diseases, feature vectors based on a training dataset were applied to a test dataset to evaluate the accuracy of pattern recognition. The feature vectors extracted from the training dataset agreed well with the known pathological hallmarks of the selected neurodegenerative diseases. Overall, discriminant scores of the test images accurately categorized these test images to the correct disease categories. Images without typical disease-related anatomical features were misclassified. The proposed method is a promising method for image feature extraction based on disease-related anatomical features, which should enable users to submit a patient image and search past clinical cases with similar anatomical phenotypes.
A LIST OF TEN

Here is a mixed bag of ten programs, observations, recommendations, and wants that I have for things computing. It's heavily weighted toward Windows applications, but there should be something for everyone.
The role of energetic particle precipitation in Jovian magnetospherics: 1. Secondary electrons from the ionosphere of Jupiter

Escape of photoelectrons from the Jovian ionosphere produces only a meager source of thermal plasma for the inflated centrifugally unstable magnetosphere and is unable to account for the 100 eV thermal plasma temperatures of the magnetosphere. Since the Jovian magnetosphere is well populated with highly energetic electrons, the creation of secondaries and the energy degradation of the primaries precipitating into the lower ionosphere provide additional sources of magnetospheric thermal plasma as well as of the energy for further elevating the plasma temperatures in the top side ionosphere. The efficiencies with which escaping electrons are created by precipitating electrons with energies up to several MeV are computed using energetic electron transport and thermalization codes. The more energetic incident fluxes are far less efficient in creating escaping electrons than the lower energy fluxes with only 0.001% of the secondaries escaping for a 1 MeV source versus 3% for a 1 keV source. Incident fluxes of the order of 10 to 100 per sq cm per sec per eV between 100 eV and 100 keV are required to produce 50 eV escape fluxes comparable to those generated by solar EUV.
Retrievable IVC square stent filter: Experimental study

Purpose: In vitro and in vivo evaluation of a new retrievable, home-made, inferior vena cava (IVC) Square stent filter (SSF) with two trapping levels. Methods: In vitro, the SSF was compared in a flow model with the stainless steel Greenfield filter (SGF) for embolitrapping efficiency by serially passing 300 emboli of 3 and 6 mm in diameter and 15–30 mm in length in each type of filter. Nine swine were used for the in vivo testing of the SSF for deployment and retrievability, emboli-trapping efficiency, stability, and self-centering ability and two were used (total of 11 swine) for testing repositioning and retrievability of the SSF at 2 weeks and for gross and histologic IVC changes at 2 months. Results: In vitro, the SSF and SGF had similar efficiency in trapping large emboli but the SSF had significantly better efficiency than the SGF for trapping all sizes of emboli (91.7% vs 81%), medium size emboli (93% vs 80%), and small emboli (86% vs 69%). Efficiency decreased in both filters from the first to the fifth embolus in each series but was still significantly better for the SSF. With the SSF, 89% of emboli were caught at the primary and 11% at the secondary filtration level. In the nine animals used for acute studies, the SSF was easily placed in all 27 attempts, assumed a central position 26 times, and was easily retrieved in 21 of 22 attempts. One tilted filter needed additional manipulation for retrieval. During emboli injection in five swine, the SSF had 97.2% emboli-trapping efficiency and demonstrated good stability. In the two animals used for longer-term evaluation, the filters were easily retrieved 2 weeks after implantation. Histologic evaluation at 2 months showed neointimal proliferation around the SSF wires in contact with the IVC wall, which was otherwise normal. Conclusion: The SSF is a promising filter. It is easy to place and retrieve, is stable after placement, and has high efficiency for trapping emboli. Promising results justify further experimental and eventual clinical studies with a commercially manufactured SSF.
5-Fluorouracil and Derivatives in Cancer Chemotherapy ID: In Vivo Enhancement of Antitumor Activity of 5-Fluorouracil (FU) and 5-Fluoro-2ʹ-deoxyuridine (FUDR)

Abstract The antitumor activity of 5-fluorouracil (FU) and 5- fluoro-2ʹ-deoxyuridine (FUDR) has been enhanced in mice in the presence of deoxyribose donors such as 2ʹ-deoxyuridine (UDR). Based upon in vitro data, it appears that the enhancement is due to the conversion of 5-fluorouracil to 5-fluoro-2ʹ-deoxyuridine in blood and the stabilization of 5-fluoro-2ʹ-deoxyuridine due to the presence of 2ʹ-deoxyuridine.
Biomechanical Analysis of Stresses to the Fifth Metatarsal Bone During Sports Maneuvers: Implications for Fifth Metatarsal Fractures

Fifth metatarsal stress fractures are an increasing problem in elite and recreational athletic populations. One possible mechanism of injury is the many bending moments applied to the fifth metatarsal during dynamic sports maneuvers involving rapid changes in direction and speed. A potentially important bending moment is loading of the base versus the head of the fifth metatarsal, which tends to cause a bending moment along the bone. To determine which maneuver applies the greatest pressure differential between the base and head of the fifth metatarsal, 10 college-aged male athletes performed running straight, jump take-off, jump landing, cutting right, cutting left, and accelerating while plantar pressures were recorded using a Pedar insole system (Novel Electronics, Inc., St. Paul, MN). Peak pressure at the fifth metatarsal base was subtracted from the peak pressure at the fifth metatarsal head to obtain the fifth metatarsal pressure differential-a corollary to the bending moment. The greatest fifth metatarsal pressure differential was observed during acceleration maneuvers (20 + or - 13.1 N/cm(2); P < 0.0001) followed by running straight (11.6 + or - 8 N/cm(2); P < 0.0008). The other maneuvers had low pressure differentials: jump take-off (4.2 + or - 10.6 N/cm(2)), jump landing (3.7 + or - 9.2 N/cm(2)), cutting left (2.3 + or - 4.2 N/cm(2)), and cutting right (-2.1 + or - 10 N/cm(2)). It appears that acceleration maneuvers may apply the largest bending moments to the fifth metatarsal and could lead to stress fractures. Because fifth metatarsal stress fractures are associated with rapid increases in training volume, reducing the number of acceleration events may be effective in altering the balance between bone resorption and bone formation and reducing stress fracture risk. Careful planning of training programs allowing for adequate rest between intense bouts of exercise involving many acceleration maneuvers may be the best preventative measure.
Herpesvirus type 2: Isolation from seminal vesicle and testes

Reproductive tissues from 10 recent male cadavers were examined. Herpesvirus type 2 was isolated from testes, seminal vesicle, or both in 4 cases. This is the first report of the isolation of herpesvirus type 2 from human seminal vesicular tissue. The data support previous evidence that herpesvirus type 2 can be isolated from the reproductive tissues of males without active or prior infection and suggest that these tissues may serve as a reservoir for transmission of this virus. The study also documents, for the first time, the ability to culture herpesvirus type 2 in organ explants from cadaveric reproductive tissues with the subsequent release of infectious virus.
Dietary requirements and tissue levels of fatty acids in three Noctuidae

Abstract Trichoplusia ni, Autographa californica and Heliothis zea were reared on a lipid-free diet supplemented with various levels of plant oils, fatty acid esters, or triglycerides under conditions known to accentuate essential fatty acid deficiency. Adequacy of diets was assessed by larval growth rate, percentage pupation, and extent of wing deformity. The total lipid and lipid class fatty acids of pharate adults were examined under the various dietary regimens. The most favourable larval development occurred in the presence of plant oils. When the component fatty acids were assayed individually with T. ni , only those with some degree of unsaturation promoted larval development and pupation. In order of activity, these were 18:3, 18:2, and 18:1. T. ni and A. californica showed a specific requirement for 18:3 for normal wing formation and there was evidence with T. ni that the triglyceride of this fatty acid was more suitable than the methyl ester. H. zea utilized either 18:2 or 18:3, although the latter was more than three times as effective. There was no evidence that these species are able to interconvert 18:2 and 18:3, but the addition of other dietary lipids appeared to have a sparing effect on the amount of 18:3 required. Levels of PUFA increased in insect tissues as the diatary levels increased. The phospholipid class was the most responsive to the available PUFA. When phospholipid levels of EFA began to plateau, deposition in the triglycerides increased. The monoenoic fatty acid levels of insect tissue decreased with increasing amounts of PUFA while the saturated fatty acids were unaffected.
The importance of gastric secretion in the feedback control of interdigestive and postprandial pancreatic secretion in rats.

Abstract Previous studies demonstrated that pancreatic enzyme secretion in rats is stimulated by the diversion of pancreatic juice from the duodenum or by the inhibition of pancreatic proteinases in the intestinal lumen but little attention has been paid to the role of gastric secretion in this stimulation. This study, carried out on conscious rats with large gastric (GF) and pancreatic fistulas, confirms that diversion of pancreatic juice in rats with the GF closed results in the progressive stimulation of pancreatic secretion reaching the maximum similar to that induced by exogenous CCK. When the GF was kept open, the diversion resulted in only small increment in pancreatic secretion and this was accompanied by progressive increase in gastric acid outputs. Similar amounts of HCl (25–400 μmol/h) instilled intraduodenally (i.d.) in rats with the GF open fully reproduced the increase in pancreatic secretion observed after the diversion of pancreatic juice and this effect was completely abolished by the pretreatment with L-364,718, a specific CCK receptor antagonist. Pretreatment with omeprazole to suppress completely gastric acid secretion in the diverted state resulted in a decline in pancreatic secretion similar to that observed after opening the GF. Camostate given in graded doses (6–200 mg/kg) either i.d. or s.c. in rats with pancreatic juice returned to the duodenum caused a dose-dependent increase in pancreatic secretion, but after opening the GF or after omeprazole this increase was reduced by about 50% while after L-364,718 it was abolished. This study provides evidence that gastric secretion plays an important role in the pancreatic response to diversion of pancreatic juice or inhibition of luminal proteinases (but not to feeding) and the elimination of gastric acid reduces this response.
Effects of central and peripheral injections of apelin on fluid intake and cardiovascular parameters in rats

Previous studies have indicated that apelin, a novel peptide suggested to have some actions related to angiotensin peptides, has either a dipsogenic or an antidipsogenic effect and either increases or decreases blood pressure. The present study attempts to provide replication or understanding of these disparate effects. Neither central (lateral or third cerebral ventricle) nor peripheral (intravenous) administration of apelin induced water intake in sated rats, nor did it decrease water intake in deprived rats. It also had no effect on sodium appetite. Peripherally injected apelin had a hypotensive action in anesthetized rats, but had no consistent effect in awake, unrestrained rats. We conclude that apelin does not have reliable or robust effects on fluid intake or blood pressure in Sprague-Dawley rats under normal conditions, but discuss the possibility for a role of apelin in fluid homeostasis in selected physiological states.
Sensitivity analysis of differential-algebraic equations and partial differential equations

Sensitivity analysis generates essential information for model development, design optimization, parameter estimation, optimal control, model reduction and experimental design. In this paper we describe the forward and adjoint methods for sensitivity analysis, and outline some of our recent work on theory, algorithms and software for sensitivity analysis of differential-algebraic equation (DAE) and time-dependent partial differential equation (PDE) systems.
Nonlinear optical effects in molecules and polymers: Issues and opportunities

The field of nonlinear optics in molecules and polymers offers challenging opportunities for theorists on both molecular modeling of new structures with enhanced microscopic response and manifestations of bulk effect in nonlinearity. This article presents an experimental point of view in assessing the current status of various theoretical approaches. Experimental results are presented for two model compounds together with predictions by various theoretical models to discuss issues and future opportunities. Three different types of nonlinear optical processes are discussed: (i) second order, (ii) third order, and (iii) photorefractivity. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Evaluation of a musculoskeletal model with prosthetic knee through six experimental gait trials

Knowledge of the forces acting on musculoskeletal joint tissues during movement benefits tissue engineering, artificial joint replacement, and our understanding of ligament and cartilage injury. Computational models can be used to predict these internal forces, but musculoskeletal models that simultaneously calculate muscle force and the resulting loading on joint structures are rare. This study used publicly available gait, skeletal geometry, and instrumented prosthetic knee loading data [1] to evaluate muscle driven forward dynamics simulations of walking. Inputs to the simulation were measured kinematics and outputs included muscle, ground reaction, ligament, and joint contact forces. A full body musculoskeletal model with subject specific lower extremity geometries was developed in the multibody framework. A compliant contact was defined between the prosthetic femoral component and tibia insert geometries. Ligament structures were modeled with a nonlinear force-strain relationship. The model included 45 muscles on the right lower leg. During forward dynamics simulations a feedback control scheme calculated muscle forces using the error signal between the current muscle lengths and the lengths recorded during inverse kinematics simulations. Predicted tibio-femoral contact force, ground reaction forces, and muscle forces were compared to experimental measurements for six different gait trials using three different gait types (normal, trunk sway, and medial thrust). The mean average deviation (MAD) and root mean square deviation (RMSD) over one gait cycle are reported. The muscle driven forward dynamics simulations were computationally efficient and consistently reproduced the inverse kinematics motion. The forward simulations also predicted total knee contact forces (166N<MAD<404N, 212N<RMSD<448N) and vertical ground reaction forces (66N<MAD<90N, 97N<RMSD<128N) well within 28% and 16% of experimental loads, respectively. However the simplified muscle length feedback control scheme did not realistically represent physiological motor control patterns during gait. Consequently, the simulations did not accurately predict medial/lateral tibio-femoral force distribution and muscle activation timing.
Absence of prolonged benefit of initial leukapheresis therapy for hairy cell leukemia

Four patients with the leukemic phase of hairy cell leukemia were treated with leukapheresis. Two patients failed to respond, and the other two had only transient responses; hematologic improvement lasted one month in one case and four months in the second. The patient with a four-month response underwent a second series of leukapheresis resulting in a response lasting at least 8 months. Two of the four patients subsequently had an adequate trial of prolonged chlorambucil therapy and continued to have a clinical response. We conclude that leukapheresis has little to offer to the majority of hairy cell patients for the long-term management of post-splenectomy patients who develop the leukemic phase. However, an occasional patient can have a transient, and even, rarely, a prolonged response.
AN ANALYSIS OF WEAPONS USED IN HOMICIDES IN THE STATE OF KANSAS FROM 1980–1992

ABSTRACT There are numerous studies of homicidal patterns in various American cities, regions, and the United States as a whole. However, there are few longitudinal studies on the weapons used in the commission of homicide in a specific state. This study examines the weapons used by offenders against victims in a lower mid-western plains state over a 13-year period. Based on the literature review, the authors specify 17 hypotheses. Sixteen of the hypotheses were supported. A sample of the findings are as follows: people 34 years old and younger had a higher homicide victim rate than people over the age of 34; the 25 to 34 year old group had the highest murder victimization rate; a majority of victims are white; firearms are the primary weapon used by the homicide offender against victims; the handgun is the chief firearm used to commit murder; the “knife/cutting instrument” and the “personal weapon” are generally the second and third most frequent weapon used.
Mentoring of African American Students at a Predominantly White Institution (PWI).

This article provides a synthesis of cross-race mentoring research and fills some gaps in the literature by exploring the experiences of five African American women at a Christian, predominately white institution (PWI). The grounded theory study uses constant comparative analysis between the women's stories, existing research, and dialogue with African American colleagues. The article concludes with suggestions for Caucasian higher education professionals seeking to mentor African American students and for institutions implementing mentor programs.
Acute and chronic effects of amiodarone on ventricular refractoriness, intraventricular conduction and ventricular tachycardia induction.

In eight patients, the right ventricular effective refractory period, rate-dependent changes in intraventricular conduction (as reflected by QRS duration during ventricular paced cycle lengths of 600 to 250 ms) and results of programmed ventricular stimulation were determined in the control state, 5 minutes after the intravenous infusion of 10 mg/kg body weight of amiodarone and after 2 months of treatment with oral amiodarone. The right ventricular effective refractory period was 230 ± 30 ms (mean ± SD) in the control study, 248 ± 27 ms after intravenous amiodarone (p Chronic amiodarone therapy results in a marked prolongation in ventricular refractoriness compared with the relatively small but significant increase that occurs after intravenous amiodarone. Accentuation by oral amiodarone of the rate-dependent slowing of intraventricular conduction caused by intravenous amiodarone may be related to a direct electrophysiologic effect of amiodarone that is potentiated by an amiodarone-induced abnormality in thyroid hormone metabolism. The different effects of intravenous and oral amiodarone on ventricular tachycardia induction may be explained by different relative effects on refractoriness and conduction.
Superconducting fluctuations and the transmission line model

Abstract A recent calculation of the amplitude of charge-imbalance fluctuations in superconductors is shown to be consistent with the transmission line model of charge-imbalance dynamics due to Kadin et al. when thermal noise across the capacitance of the line is included in the model. This agreement justifies the calculation of the mean square amplitude of fluctuations of the local supercurrent by using the transmission line inductance. for a two-dimensional film, this results in an intrinsic pair-breaking rate which is proportional to the resistance per square of the film, R▭.
The stability of subunit association in Acheta ribosomes

Abstract Both peptide-free and polysomal ribosomes isolated from Acheta domesticus are composed of particles of differing subunit association strengths. By varying the ionic environment it is possible to dissociate the ribosomes selectively and thereby subdivide the population into a number of distinct groups, each of which appears to reflect a particular functional state in protein synthesis. Progressing from the most easily dissociable to the most strongly associated classes, the following monomer types may be distinguished: (1) loosely associated, peptide-free particles, which appear to be partly equivalent to complexed native subunits; (2) peptide and messenger-free monomers, some of which are formed as the result of polysomal ‘run-off’; (3) relatively weakly associated polysomal ribosomes with short nascent peptides; and (4) strongly associated polysomal ribosomes which carry peptidyl-tRNA and mRNA. Within the last group the tenacity of subunit association also varies and is primarily dependent on the length of the nascent peptides.