cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of long-term maintenance of a large medical knowledge base

Objective : Evaluate the effects of long-term maintenance activities on existing portions of a large internal medicine knowledge base. Design : Five physicians who were not among the original developers of the knowledge base independently updated a total of 15 QMR disease profiles; each updated submission was modified by a review of group serving as the “gold standard,” and the pre- and post-study versions of each updated disease profile were compared. Measurements : Numbers and types of changes, defined as any difference between the original version and the final version of a disease profile; reason for each change; and bibliographic references cited by the physicians as supporting evidence. Results : A total of 16% of all entries were modified by the updating process; up to 95% of the entries in a disease profile were affected. The two most common modifications were changes to the frequency of an entry, and creation of a new entry. Laboratory findings were affected much more often than were history, symptom, or physical exam findings. The dominant reason for changes was appearance of new evidence in the medical literature. The literature cited ranged from 1944 to the present. Conclusions : This study provides an evaluation of the rate of change within the QMR medical knowledge base due to long-term maintenance. The results show that this is a demanding activity that may profoundly affect certain portions of a knowledge base, and that different types of knowledge (e.g., simple laboratory vs expensive or invasive laboratory findings) are affected by the process in different ways.
Rapid changes in Drosophila transcription after an instantaneous heat shock.

Abstract Heat shock rapidly activates expression of some genes and represses others. The kinetics of changes in RNA polymerase distribution on heat shock-modulated genes provides a framework for evaluating the mechanisms of activation and repression of transcription. Here, using two methods, we examined the changes in RNA polymerase II association on a set of Drosophila genes at 30-s intervals following an instantaneous heat shock. In the first method, Drosophila Schneider line 2 cells were quickly frozen to halt transcription, and polymerase distribution was analyzed by a nuclear run-on assay. RNA polymerase transcription at the 5' end of the hsp70 gene could be detected within 30 to 60 s of induction, and by 120 s the first wave of polymerase could already be detected near the 3' end of the gene. A similar rapid induction was found for the small heat shock genes (hsp22, hsp23, hsp26, and hsp27). In contrast to this rapid activation, transcription of the histone H1 gene was found to be rapidly repressed, with transcription reduced by approximately 90% within 300 s of heat shock. Similar results were obtained by an in vivo UV cross-linking assay. In this second method, cell samples removed at 30-s intervals were irradiated with 40-microseconds bursts of UV light from a Xenon flash lamp, and the distribution of polymerase was examined by precipitating UV cross-linked protein-DNA complexes with an antibody to RNA polymerase II. Both approaches also showed the in vivo rate of movement of the first wave of RNA polymerase through the hsp70 gene to be approximately 1.2 kb/min.
Polysilicon thin-film transistors fabricated from laser-processed sputtered-silicon films

Excimer lasers have been successfully applied to fabrication of low temperature TFTs, since their laser fluence is sufficient to melt silicon, and its pulse-duration is short enough (i.e. 30 ns) to avoid overheating the substrate. With excimer laser processes available for crystallization and doping of TFTs, the major remaining bottleneck in development of a low temperature TFT process is deposition of the silicon film. Although a great deal of work has been put into investigation of PECVD a-Si films, little work has been put into examination of sputtered a-Si films. While both PECVD and sputtering methods are low temperature processes, the H concentration in the silicon films is more easily controlled using the sputtering technique. H-rich films are unattractive for laser processing, since the laser fluence must be gradually increased to avoid ablating the film due to explosive H evolution, and this use of multiple fluences reduces manufacturing throughput. A sputtered silicon film with little H content can be laser processed in similar fashion to an LPCVD film. This work presents TFTs fabricated from laser-crystallized sputtered silicon films of various H concentrations, and compares them to similarly processed LPCVD TFTs.
bcl-2, p53, and response to tamoxifen in estrogen receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer: a Southwest Oncology Group study.

PURPOSETo test the hypothesis that high bcl-2 expression and accumulation of p53 protein, both of which should inhibit apoptosis, are associated with a poorer tamoxifen response and a more aggressive clinical course in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive metastatic breast cancer.METHODSA total of 205 paraffin-embedded tumor blocks were evaluated for nuclear p53 (a marker of p53 inactivation) and cytoplasmic bcl-2 by immunohistochemistry (IHC). All patients received tamoxifen as initial therapy for metastatic disease. The study began in 1982 and follow-up duration of the 24 patients last known alive is 8 years.RESULTSResponse to tamoxifen and time to treatment failure (TTF) were not significantly associated with p53 status, although patients with higher p53 had a worse survival (P = .008; median, 36 v 20 months). Higher bcl-2 expression was associated with higher levels of ER (P = .02), better response to tamoxifen (62% v 49%; P = .07), longer TTF (median, 9 v 5 months; P = .002), and better survival (median, ...
On polynomial ideals of finite codimension with applications to box spline theory

We investigate the relation between an ideal I of finite codimension in the space π of multivariate polynomials, and ideals which are generated by lower order perturbations of some generators for I. Of particular interest are the codimension of these ideals and the local approximation order of their kernels. The discussion, stimulated by recent results in approximation theory, allows us to provide a simple analysis of the polynomial and exponential spaces associated with box splines. We describe their structure, dimension, and local approximation order and an algorithm for their construction. The resulting theory is extended to subspaces of the above exponential/polynomial spaces.
Characteristics and Experiences of Patients with Localized Prostate Cancer Who Left an Active Surveillance Program

Background Understanding the experiences of men leaving active surveillance programs is critical to making such programs viable for men with localized prostate cancer.
On a “quantum chaos” theorem of R. Schrader and M. Taylor

Abstract We extend results of R. Schrader and M. Taylor on the semi-classical asymptotics of eigenfunctions of a quantum Hamiltonian for a particle in a gauge field. Our method is based on the Guillemin-Sternberg-Uribe theory of “fuzzy ladders” and reductions of Hamiltonian systems with symmetry.
Visual dynamics of a novel apparent movement effect

By presenting the visual system with a highly complex spatio-temporal input configuration, a novel effect called “dynamic sequential displacement” has been disclosed. It is shown that the visual dynamics of this particular input configuration are unstable, yielding either (1)a coding of the input that loses all temporal ordering information or (2) a coding of the input that produces apparent movement and spatial displacement.
Stochastic Approaches to Uncertainty Quantification in CFD Simulations

This paper discusses two stochastic approaches to computing the propagation of uncertainty in numerical simulations: polynomial chaos and stochastic collocation. Chebyshev polynomials are used in both cases for the conventional, deterministic portion of the discretization in physical space. For the stochastic parameters, polynomial chaos utilizes a Galerkin approximation based upon expansions in Hermite polynomials, whereas stochastic collocation rests upon a novel transformation between the stochastic space and an artificial space. In our present implementation of stochastic collocation, Legendre interpolating polynomials are employed. These methods are discussed in the specific context of a quasi-one-dimensional nozzle flow with uncertainty in inlet conditions and nozzle shape. It is shown that both stochastic approaches efficiently handle uncertainty propagation. Furthermore, these approaches enable computation of statistical moments of arbitrary order in a much more effective way than other usual techniques such as the Monte Carlo simulation or perturbation methods. The numerical results indicate that the stochastic collocation method is substantially more efficient than the full Galerkin, polynomial chaos method. Moreover, the stochastic collocation method extends readily to highly nonlinear equations. An important application is to the stochastic Riemann problem, which is of particular interest for spectral discontinuous Galerkin methods.
Hele Shaw Convection with Imposed Shear Flows: Boundary‐Layer Formulation

The nonlinear convection forced by the boundaries of a Hele Shaw cell to align perpendicular to an imposed shear flow was analytically investigated by the boundary-layer method. The imposed shear flow may be a Couette flow that extends throughout the convecting layer or flow confined to a boundary, depending on the geometry of the Hele Shaw cell. This study examined the case in which the imposed shear flow has a boundary-layer structure and its interaction with the convecting interior. Analytical solutions for both the boundary layer and interior were obtained. The study revealed the following.For large aspect ratio A, the interaction of the imposed shear flow and convection is confined to the boundary layer. The boundary layer is a viscous rather than a thermal layer. The results showed that the range of validity of the Hele Shaw equations used in the literature is of order 1/A2. For an asymptotically large aspect ratio A up to order 1/A2, the velocity in the y-direction must be zero. The velocity in the x-direction and the z-direction has a parabolic dependence on y, but the temperature perturbation does not depend on y. These results may have implication for convection in porous media.
Production of yeast lactase from sauerkraut brine

Kluyveromyces marxianus NRRL Y-1196 yielded the highest lactase activity when cultivated in shake flasks for 24 h in sauerkraut brine with 0.2% lactose as an inducer. The enzyme was purified 4-fold and had a specific activity of 28 units/mg protein. The Km value was 3.94 mM. The pH and temperature optima of the enzyme were 7.0 and 50°C, respectively. It was stable between pH 6.0 to 7.6, but lost its activity at 60°C.
Baroreflex-induced sympathetic activation does not alter cerebrovascular CO2 responsiveness in humans.

We investigated the effect of baroreflex-induced sympathetic activation, produced by lower body negative pressure (LBNP) at −40 mmHg, on cerebrovascular responsiveness to hyper- and hypocapnia in healthy humans. Transcranial Doppler ultrasound was used to measure blood flow velocity (CFV) in the middle cerebral artery during variations in end-tidal carbon dioxide pressure (PET,CO2) of +10, +5, 0, −5, and −10 mmHg relative to eupnoea. The slopes of the linear relationships between PET,CO2 and CFV were computed separately for hyper- and hypocapnia during the LBNP and no-LBNP conditions. LBNP decreased pulse pressure, but did not change mean arterial pressure. LBNP evoked an increase in ventilation that resulted in a 9 ± 2 mmHg decrease in PET,CO2, which was corrected by CO2 supplementation of the inspired air. LBNP did not affect cerebrovascular CO2 response slopes during steady-state hypercapnia (3.14 ± 0.24 vs. 2.96 ± 0.26 cm s−1 mmHg−1) or hypocapnia (1.31 ± 0.18 vs. 1.32 ± 0.19 cm s−1 mmHg−1), or the CFV responses to voluntary apnoea (+51 ± 19 vs.+50 ± 18 %). Thus, cerebrovascular CO2 responsiveness was not altered by baroreflex-induced sympathetic activation. Our data challenge the concept that sympathetic activation restrains cerebrovascular responses to alterations in CO2 pressure.
Transients in Color Television

A color television system transmits three independent signals, each of which specifies one of the three co-ordinates that determine the location of the reproduced color in a three-dimensional color space. When a color transient occurs, each of these signals responds in a different manner determined by the characteristics of its own channel. The system response may be characterized by the resulting path along which the reproduced color point moves through the color space from its initial to its final location. The shape of such color transient paths as determined by the individual transient responses of the three channels is analyzed, and the subjective appearance of different transient-path shapes is discussed.
Anxious-depressive symptoms in schizophrenia: a new treatment target for pharmacotherapy?

Abstract Schizophrenia patients frequently manifest concurrent anxiety and depressive symptoms. Such features exhibit prognostic relevance (i.e. patient morbidity and mortality). Despite this, they remain relatively unstudied and are not universally viewed as therapeutic targets. Conventional neuroleptic agents may not improve these symptoms and may actually worsen them. However, with the introduction of novel pharmacological agents for the treatment of schizophrenia, there is reason to believe that a wider spectrum of symptomatology may be treatment responsive. In this post hoc analysis of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale anxiety–depression cluster, olanzapine therapy was associated with a significantly greater baseline-to-end-point improvement in the cluster compared with haloperidol therapy among 1996 randomized, double-blind subjects. Moreover, the olanzapine treatment-effect advantage included both direct (mood symptoms) and indirect (positive, negative, and extrapyramidal symptoms) elements. This study concluded that the novel pharmacology of olanzapine delivered greater therapeutic activity in anxious and depressive symptoms accompanying schizophrenia than did the conventional dopamine D2 antagonist haloperidol.
IL-6 increases choline acetyltransferase but not neuropeptide transcripts in sympathetic neurons

The effect of interleukin (IL)-6 on cell survival, and the expression of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and neuropeptide mRNAs was examined in cultured rat sympathetic neurons. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis indicated that IL-6 treatment led to six-fold increase in ChAT mRNA without a concomitant increase in ChAT immunoreactivity. In contrast, treatment with ciliary neurotrophic factor or leukemia inhibitory factor/cholinergic differentiation factor increased ChAT mRNA levels 25-fold and resulted in intense ChAT immunoreactivity. Moreover, the latter factors increased somatostatin and preprotachykinin mRNA levels 10-fold whereas IL-6 had no effect. Maximal doses of IL-6 had no effect on cell survival. These findings provide a basis for the overlapping and yet divergent actions of these three factors which share some components of their signal transduction machinery.
Multiple Neurotransmitter Receptor Analysis in Human Brain: It's Significance in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Multiple Neurotransmitter Receptor Analysis in Human Brain: It's Significance in Neurodegenerative Diseases
A study on the nonstoichiometry of tin oxides by coulometric titration

Abstract In this investigation, nonstoichiometries and defect structures of tin oxides were studied between 694 and 990 K by coulometric titration using solid state electrolyte (YSZ) cells. The relationship between nonstoichiometry of the oxide (x) and equilibrium oxygen partial pressure (Po2) was expressed by the proportionality: xαP O 2 − 1 6 . An intermediate oxide phase, Sn3O4 between Sn and SnO2 was observed in the temperature range of 696–732 K. The standard Gibbs energy of formation of Sn3O4 via the reaction; 1 2 Sn 3 O 4 → 3 2 Sn + O 2 was found to be ΔG o Sn 3 O 4 = −1163960+417.36 T ( J mol ) . The standard Gibbs energy change for the defect formation reaction in SnO2−x was calculated to be ΔG o SnO 2− x = 3.05×10 5 −38.97 T ( J mol )) .
The Laser Academy: An After-School Program to Promote Interest in Technology Careers

We present a review of an after-school program that has been running at Queensborough Community College of the City University of New York for the past 5 years. The program is unique among after-school activities for high school students in several ways. First, it deliberately focuses on students who do not excel in science and math courses and students who are unsure about a college career. Second, it targets typically underrepresented minorities in the technology fields, namely blacks, Hispanics, and women. Third, it introduces these students to high-tech career options which do not require 4 years of college. The goal of the program is to make the students aware of technician-level careers and to give them a chance to learn the skills needed for such careers in order to help them make an informed decision about their future.
Fructose bisphosphatase from Escherichia coli. Purification and characterization

Abstract Escherichia coli fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase has been purified for the first time, using a clone containing an approximately 50-fold increased amount of the enzyme. The procedure includes chromatography in phosphocellulose followed by substrate elution and gel filtration. The enzyme has a subunit molecular weight of approximately 40,000 and in nondenaturing conditions is present in several aggregated forms in which the tetramer seems to predominate at low enzyme concentrations. Fructose bisphosphatase activity is specific for fructose 1,6-bisphosphate (Km of approximately 5 μ m ), shows inhibition by substrate above 0.05 m m , requires Mg2+ for catalysis, and has a maximum of activity around pH 7.5. The enzyme is susceptible to strong inhibition by AMP (50% inhibition around 15 μ m ). Phosphoenolpyruvate is a moderate inhibitor but was able to block the inhibition by AMP and may play an important role in the regulation of fructose bisphosphatase activity in vivo. Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate did not affect the rate of reaction.
The Conduction of Dilation along an Arteriole Is Diminished in the Cremaster Muscle of Hypertensive Hamsters

Arteriolar vasomotor responses can include a component that conducts along the vessel through gap junction channels. This study examined conducted vasomotor responses in arterioles of the hypertensive
Chemically produced XeF ( B → X ) emission

Strong UV emission has been observed in the reactions of XeF2+SiH4+F2 and XeF2+B2H6+F2. The emission spectra have been identified with the B 2Σ→X 2Σ transition of XeF. Possible mechanisms of XeF(B) production are discussed.
The electrical properties of microwave sintered gadolinia doped ceria–alumina nano-composite electrolyte

Gadolinia doped ceria–alumina (GDC–Al2O3) nano composites have been prepared by chemical synthesis route and sintered using 2.45 GHz microwave energy as well as conventional technique. The electrical properties of the sintered samples are investigated by ac impedance spectroscopy. It has been observed that the conductivity of microwave sintered GDC–Al2O3 composite is higher than that of conventional sintered GDC–Al2O3 composite and pure GDC sample. Higher concentration of vacancies at the interfaces of GDC and Al2O3 phases may be responsible for the better conductivity of GDC–Al2O3 composite compared to pure GDC. The fine grain microstructure of microwave sintered samples creates more interfaces compared to conventional sintered sample which in turn responsible for the better performance of microwave sintered composite sample. The micro-structural results of microwave sintered samples also reveal the presence of elongated, needle like Al2O3 grains. The X-ray diffraction results have shown the formation of additional GdAlO3 phase.
What Is the Role of Genome Duplication in the Evolution of Complexity and Diversity

Gene and genome duplications provide a source of genetic material for mutation, drift, and selection to act upon, making new evolutionary opportunities possible. As a result, many have argued that genome duplication is a dominant factor in the evolution of complexity and diversity. However, a clear correlation between a genome duplication event and increased complexity and diversity is not apparent, and there are inconsistencies in the patterns of diversity invoked to support this claim. Interestingly, several estimates of genome duplication events in vertebrates are preceded by multiple extinct lineages, resulting in preduplication gaps in extant taxa. Here we argue that gen(om)e duplication could contribute to reduced risk of extinction via functional redundancy, mutational robustness, increased rates of evolution, and adaptation. The timeline for these processes to unfold would not predict immediate increases in species diversity after the duplication event. Rather, reduced probabilities of extinction would predict a latent period between a genome duplication and its effect on species diversity or complexity. In this paper, we will develop the idea that genome duplication could contribute to species diversity through reduced probability of extinction.
Exposing undergraduate students to database system internals

In Spring 2003, Joe Hellerstein at Berkeley and Natassa Ailamaki at CMU collaborated in designing and running parallel editions of an undergraduate database course that exposed students to developing code in the core of a ful-function database system. As part of this exercise, our course teams developed new programming projects based on the PostgreSQL open-source DBMS. This report describes our experience with this effort.
Ganglioside composition of a mouse brain tumor grown in the severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mouse.

The content and composition of gangliosides were examined in an experimental mouse brain tumor, EPEN, that was grown subcutaneously in the flank of the syngeneic C57BL/6J (B6) host and in the B6 severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) host. SCID mice lack functional T- and B-lymphocytes, but have a normal complement of macrophages. The content and distribution of the brain tumor gangliosides were similar whether the tumor was grown in the immunocompetent B6 host or in the B6-SCID host.N-acetylneuraminic acid-(NeuAc) containing GM3 was the major ganglioside in the subcutaneous tumors and in the cultured EPEN cells. Significant amounts ofN-glycolylneuraminic acid- (NeuGc) containing gangliosides were found in the tumor grown in both mouse hosts. NeuGc-containing gangliosides are not expressed in normal mouse brain, but are present in macrophages and serum. An extremely complex pattern of minor gangliosides was found in the subcutaneous tumors on twodimensional, high-performance thin-layer chromatograms. Most of the minor gangliosides comigrated with those found in mouse macrophages. The results show that the absence of functional T- and B-lymphocytes does not markedly affect brain tumor ganglioside composition and suggest that NeuGc-containing gangliosides in the EPEN can be derived from tumor infiltrating host cells (mostly macrophages) and from the extracellular milieu (serum).
Conversion of pentoses by yeasts

The utilization and conversion of D-xylose, D-xylulose, L-arabinose, and xylitol by yeast strains have been investigated with the following results: (1) The majority of yeasts tested utilize D-xylose and produce polyols, ethanol, and organic acids. The type and amount of products formed varies with the yeast strains used. The most commonly detected product is xylitol. (2)The majority of yeasts tested utilize D-xylulose aerobically and fermentatively to produce ethanol, xylitol, D-arabitol, and organic acids. The type and amount of products varies depending upon the yeast strains used. (3) Xylitol is a poor carbon and energy source for most yeasts tested. Some yeast strains produce small amounts of ethanol from xylitol. (4) Most yeast strains utilize L-arabinose, and L-arabitol is the common product. Small amounts of ethanol are also produced by some yeast strains. (5) Of the four substrates examined, D-xylulose was the perferred substrate, followed by D-xylose, L-arabinose, and xylitol. (6) Mutant yeast strains that exhibit different metabolic product patterns can be induced and isolated from Candida sp. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and other yeasts. These mutant strains can be used for ethanol production from D-xylose as well as for the study of metabolic regulation of pentose utilization in yeasts.
Sequestering Gang Members, Burning Witches, and Subverting Due Process:

There are striking parallels between the procedures relied on by medieval inquisitors in persecuting witches and those used by American prison administrators in "classification" proceedings through which gang members are indefinitely sequestered based on evidence of gang affiliation. In both cases, due process is nominal and minimal, there is considerable reliance on information obtained from confidential informants, personal stigmata are summated and submitted as incriminating evidence, and defendants are encouraged to confess and debrief. In both cases, the advertised goal of the process involves concern for safety and survival of the system. In the case of prisons, this goal gains credence from the fact that most efforts to monitor and control gang behavior have had limited success. The experience of failure has been understandably frustrating for prison officials, and recourse to the punitive segregation of gang members (under the guise of preempting gang violence) represents a measure of this frustration.
On field evaporation

Abstract The theory of field evaporation outlined in previous publications (Muller 1956, Gomer and Swanson 1963, Brandon 1965 a) has been extended to include the effects of image gas bombardment of the specimen and has been experimentally tested for the metals W, Mo and Pt in the range 60 to 90°K. In general the experimental results are consistent with the theory, polarization corrections amounting to some 15% of the total energy required to evaporate the doubly charged metal ions. The most serious discrepancies were observed in the case of molybdenum and are associated with plastic deformation occurring during the field evaporation process and with the presence of tightly bound non-metallic impurities. Deviations from the simple theory, in particular low pre-exponential factors in the rate equations, are associated with partial tunnelling of the metal ions through the activation energy barrier.
Smallest 1D flat-top focus by polarization manipulation

Different beam shaping techniques to obtain the flat-top focus in one-dimension have been compared. It's shown that the smallest flat-top focus can be achieved with no loss by changing the polarization of the incident beam in a spatially inhomogeneous pattern. This spatially variant polarization manipulation adds a new degree of freedom in beam shaping and predicts better and more efficient results than conventional methods.
Crystal structures and magnetic studies of six new nickel(II) amine μ-oxalato compounds

Six new nickel(II) binuclear oxalato-bridging compounds were obtained and crystal structures were solved at room temperature. Factors influencing the nitrite coordination modes are discussed. [ mer -Ni 2 (3,3′-diamino- N -methyldipropylamine) 2 (OH 2 ) 2 (μ-OX)]Cl 2 ·3H 2 O ( I ), Ni 2 C 16 Cl 2 H 48 N 6 O 9 is a μ-oxalato bridged dimer with a Medpt ligands in the mer conformation, a nitro(N) ligand trans to the N -methyl group and a water ligand trans to an oxalato oxygen. Green [ fac -Ni 2 (3,3′-diamino- N -methyldipropylamine) 2 (ONO) 2 (μ-OX)] ( II ), Ni 2 C 16 H 38 N 8 O 8 is also a μ-oxalato bridged dimer with a fac -Medpt, making this substance unique since it is the only fac -dpt compound ever made. The nitro(O) ligand is trans to the N -methyl group. Violet [ mer -Ni 2 (3,3′-diamino- N -methyldipropylamine) 2 (NO 2 ) 2 (μ-OX)]·2H 2 O ( III ), Ni 2 C 16 H 42 N 8 O 10 is interesting as this compound came from the same reaction pot as II . The two are readily separated by hand since their colors differ drastically. It is also a μ-oxalato bridged dimer with mer -Medpt but the nitro ligand is (O) bound and trans to an oxalato oxygen. [ mer -Ni 2 ( N -(3-aminopropyl)-1,3-propanediamine) 2 (OH 2 ) 2 (μ-OX)]Cl 2 ( IV ), Ni 2 C 14 Cl 2 H 38 N 6 O 6 is also a μ-oxalato bridged dimer with an unmethylated dpt ligand in mer conformation. The sixth position of the coordination sphere is a water located trans to an oxalato oxygen. [ mer -Ni 2 ( N -(3-aminopropyl)-1,3-propanediamine) 2 (OH 2 ) 2 (μ-OX)]Cl(NO 2 ) ( V ), Ni 2 C 14 ClH 38 N 7 O 8 . The amine ligand of both nickels are mer, an oxalato bridge links the two metal centers and a water occupies a site trans to an oxalato oxygen. It is surprising to find a nitro ligand as a counter ion while a water occupies a coordination site. Normally, one would expect displacement of the aquo ligand by NO 2 − . [ mer -Ni 2 ( N -(2-aminoethyl)-1,3-propanediamine) 2 (OH 2 ) 2 (μ-OX)](ClO 4 ) 2 ( VI ), Ni 2 C 12 Cl 2 H 34 N 6 O 14 . The mer -aep and the μ-oxalato ligands fill five positions of the coordination sphere of this dimer. The other positions are taken up by water molecules located trans to an oxalato oxygen. The structures of all six compounds were determined and the temperature dependence of their magnetic susceptibility were also established.
Anterior pseudomeningocele evaluated as a pelvic mass

Objective The differential diagnosis of pelvic masses is broad, and nongynecologic causes should be considered. Results A patient with a presumed adnexal mass was diagnosed eventually with an anterior pseudomeningocele.
Continuous culture algal bioassays for organic pollutants in aquatic ecosystems

Short-term responses of phytoplankton to organic pollutants are highly transitory. Time-course studies of non-steady state cells in continuous culture showed varying growth or photosynthetic responses such as enchancement, inhibition, adaptation (or development of resistance) or rebound, depending on the direction of changes in the intracellular toxicant concentration and the duration of exposure. However, steady-state cells in a two-stage chemostat system exhibited an increased tolerance to toxicants and subtle physiological effects such as photosynthetic enhancement which was accompanied by a considerable leakage of photosynthesates. It is important to understand such steady-state responses for the prediction and assessment of ecological impact by organic pollution on phytoplankton, since the time scale of changes in the toxicant/biomass ratio in most natural waters is long enough to approximate an equilibrium state.
Patterns, Sets of Outcomes, and Combinatorial Justification: Two Students’ Reinvention of Counting Formulas

Counting problems provide an accessible context for rich mathematical thinking, yet they can be surprisingly difficult for students. To foster conceptual understanding that is grounded in student thinking, we engaged a pair of undergraduate students in a ten-session teaching experiment. The students successfully reinvented four basic counting formulas, but their work revealed a number of unexpected issues concerning justification in counting. In this paper, we describe the students’ successful reinvention of the four counting formulas, we critically examine their combinatorial reasoning in terms of Lockwood’s (2013) model of students’ combinatorial thinking, and we offer several directions for further research.
Uncertainty and the ethics of allergy care

At its inception, the field of allergy professed a commitment to the highest standards of professionalism as reflected in the original charter of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (then the College of Allergy): “To maintain and advance the highest possible standards among those engaged in the practice of allergy” and “to perpetuate the best traditions of medicine and medical ethics.”1 Currently, medical ethics tends to focus on intense acute care at the extremes of life and less so on daily ambulatory care issues allergists face today.2 In this way, ethics seems distant to the national allergy dialogue or training. The allergy literature seems to support this assertion.3 In contrast, we argue that uncertainty is a rich primary focal point of medical ethics encountered by allergists and offers a relevant and timely contribution for our profession. Uncertainty is inherent in medicine, and the practice of allergy is no exception. When faced with uncertainty, the practitioner’s ability to mitigate its destabilizing effects is critical for optimal patient care. We use examples from allergy practice to demonstrate that understanding the ethics of uncertainty is a crucial dimension of the exemplary practice of medicine in allergy care.
Explaining a Religious Anomaly: A Historical Analysis of Secularization in Eastern Germany

The sociology of religion is engrossed in a debate concerning the process of secularization. Some theories of secularization hold that religiosity decreases under the effects of modernization. In opposition, supply-side models of religious change maintain that declines in religiosity can be explained only through changes in the supply of religious goods. To further examine mechanisms of secularization, this article investigates the emergence of the most secularized society in the world today—eastern Germany. The extremely high percent of atheists in contemporary eastern Germany suggests that the public demand for religion has diminished. But the process of modernization did not bring about this change; instead, current drops in religious demand and religiosity in eastern Germany are the result of dramatic interventions in the supply of religious goods over the past two centuries. We trace the historical conditions that have created the most atheistic society ever.
Electron‐Transfer Processes in Non‐Aqueous Solutions and Some Intermediate Complexes

After reviewing the earlier work in the field, mainly that of Schlenk and of Ziegler, the principles of electron-transfer initiation of anionic polymerisation were outlined. It was stressed that three steps need be considered: electron transfer to monomer producing the monomeric radical-ion, M−, their dimerisation to dimeric-dianions, i.e., M− + M− −MM−, and their dimerisation with monomer to dimeric radical-ions, i.e., M− + M −MM*. We considered then the various methods which permit us to study quantitatively the two reversible dimerisation processes named above. It was shown that in the system diphenyl ethylene, D, the equilibrium constant of the dissociation process −DD− D− could be determined by five independent methods all giving consistent results. Moreover, the rate constant of the dissociation of −DD− was determined by two independent methods, and in the course of these studies the rate constant of the association D− + D −DD was calculated. Extension of these investigations to the system α-methylstyrene — its radical-ions and dimeric dianions — was also reported. It was stressed that 1:1 complexes are formed between the carbanions and aromatic hydrocarbons. The chemistry of some of these complexes was reviewed and a few unusual observations were reported. The significance of such complexes in electron-transfer reactions is discussed. Nach einem Uberblick uber altere Arbeiten aus dem Gebiet, insbesondere solche von Schlenk und Ziegler werden die Grundlagen der Startreaktionen der anionischen Polymerisation durch Elektronenubertragung diskutiert. Es wird hervorgehoben, das drei Schritte betrachtet werden mussen: Elektronenubergang zum Monomeren unter Entstehung monomerer Radikalionen M−, deren Dimerisation zu dimeren Anionen, also M− + M− −MM− sowie deren Dimerisation mit Monomeren zu dimeren Radikalionen M− + M −MM*. Es werden verschiedene Methoden zur quantitativen Untersuchung dieser beiden reversiblen Dimerisations-prozesse behandelt. Dabei konnte gezeigt werden, das im System Diphenylathylen, D, die Gleichgewichtskonstante des Prozesses −DD− 2D− nach funf voneinander unabhangigen Verfahren ermittelt werden konnte. Daruber hinaus konnte die Geschwindigkeitskonstante der Dissoziation des −DD− nach zwei voneinander unabhangigen Verfahren bestimmt und die Geschwindigkeicskonstante der Assoziation D− + D −DD* berechnet werden. Uber eine Ausweitung der Untersuchungen auf das System α-Methylstyrol, dessen Radikalionen und dimeren Dianionen wird berichtet. Es wird ausgefuhrt, das zwischen Karbanionen und aromatischen Kohlenwasserstoffen 1:1-Komplexe entstehen. Die Chemie dieser Komplexe wird referiert und einige ungewohnliche Beobachtungen werden mitgeteilt. Die Bedeutung dieser Komplexe bei Elektronenubertragungsreaktionen wird diskutiert.
Immunomodulatory effects of inhaled carbon monoxide on rat syngeneic small bowel graft motility

Background: Intestinal transplantation provokes an intense inflammatory response within the graft muscularis that causes intestinal ileus. We hypothesised that endogenously produced anti-inflammatory substances could be utilised as novel therapeutics. Therefore, we tested the protective effects of inhaled carbon monoxide (CO) and an endogenous haeme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) anti-inflammatory mediator on transplant induced inflammatory responses and intestinal ileus in the rat. Methods: Gastrointestinal transit of non-absorbable FITC labelled dextran and in vitro jejunal circular muscle contractions were measured in controls and syngeneic orthotopic transplanted animals with and without CO inhalation (250 ppm for 25 hours). Inflammatory mRNAs for interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), inducible nitric oxide (iNOS), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), and IL-10 were quantified by real time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and HO-1 by northern blot. Histochemical stains characterised neutrophil infiltration and enterocyte apoptosis. Results: Transplantation delayed transit and suppressed jejunal circular muscle contractility. Transplantation induced dysmotility was significantly improved by CO inhalation. Transplantation initiated a significant upregulation in IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, ICAM-1, iNOS, COX-2, and HO-1 mRNAs with the graft muscularis. CO inhalation significantly decreased expression of IL-6, IL-1β, iNOS, and COX-2 mRNAs. CO also significantly decreased serum nitrite levels (iNOS activity). Conclusions: CO inhalation significantly improved post-transplant motility and attenuated the inflammatory cytokine milieu in the syngeneic rat transplant model. Thus clinically providing CO, the end product of the anti-inflammatory HO-1 pathway, may prove to be an effective therapeutic adjunct for clinical small bowel transplantation.
Recent results on sparse principle component analysis

Principal component analysis (PCA) is one of the most commonly used statistical procedures for dimension reduction. This paper presents some recent results on the minimax estimation of principal subspaces in high dimensions. Under mild technical conditions, we characterize the minimax risk for estimating the principal subspace under the quadratic loss within absolute constant factors.
Diastereoselective synthesis of a core fragment of ritonavir and lopinavir

Abstract A novel approach to the synthesis of Boc-core, a key starting material for ritonavir and lopinavir involving an unprecedented diastereoselective nitroaldol reaction on β-amino aldehyde is disclosed.
Time-resolved optical spectroscopy and structural dynamics following photodissociation of carbonmonoxyhemoglobin.

Abstract A summary is presented of our current understanding of the kinetics of ligand rebinding and conformational changes at room temperature following photodissation of the carbon monoxide complex of hemoglobin with pulsed lasers. The events which occur subsequent to excitation have been followed over 12 decades in time, from about 100 fs to the completion of ligand rebinding at about 100 ms. Experiments with picosecond and subpicosecond lasers by others, together with molecular dynamics simulations, indicate that by 1 ns the deoxyhemoglobin photoproduct is in a thermally equilibrated ground electronic state, so that subsequent processes are unaffected by the initial laser excitation. The principal results have been obtained from time-resolved optical absorption spectroscopy using a sensitive nanosecond laser spectrometer. Five relaxations have been observed which are interpreted as geminate rebinding at about 50 ns that, competes with motion of the ligand away from the heme which produces a tertiary conformational change, a second tertiary conformarmation change at 0.5–1 μs, transition from the R to T quaternary structure at about 20 μs, and overall bimolecular rebinding of ligands from the solvent to the R and T quaternary structures at about 200 μs and 10 ms. Assuming that the dissiation pathway in photolysis experiments is the reverse of the association pathway, we find that for the R state there is a 40% probability that the ligand will bind to the heme after entering the protein, and a 60% probability that it will return to the solvent. Studies on the α-subunit of an iron-cobalt hybrid hemoglobin indicate that carbon monoxide enters the protein at the same rate for both R and T quaternary structures. For the α-subunit in the T state the probability of binding after entry is much lower, and the ligand returns to the solvent more than 99% of the time, accounting for the 60-fold overall lower association rate. This decreased probability of binding results from a decreased rate of binding to the heme from within the protein, and not an increased rate of return to the solvent. There are still unresolved problems on the basic structural description of carbon monoxide binding and dissociation, particularly the functional significance of the tertiary relaxations in both the R and T states, and the precise number of kinetic barriers within the protein.
Against the Wind

I can foresee no particular reason for physicians to play a more important role in drug therapy in the future than they have in the past. The only answer I see is for pharmacists to become more directly involved in drug therapy. This applies to patient care programs outside the hospital itself … By advocating that pharmacists assume a meaningful role in drug therapy, we are not saying that physicians are not doing a good job … We are saying that drug therapy is sufficiently complicated that we must provide a drug emphasis that is consistent with the importance of drugs in the total concept of health care. Paul F. Parker “Drugs and the People” Harvey A. K. Whitney Lecture, 1967
In vivo directed differentiation of pluripotent stem cells for skeletal regeneration

Pluripotent cells represent a powerful tool for tissue regeneration, but their clinical utility is limited by their propensity to form teratomas. Little is known about their interaction with the surrounding niche following implantation and how this may be applied to promote survival and functional engraftment. In this study, we evaluated the ability of an osteogenic microniche consisting of a hydroxyapatite-coated, bone morphogenetic protein-2–releasing poly-l-lactic acid scaffold placed within the context of a macroenvironmental skeletal defect to guide in vivo differentiation of both embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells. In this setting, we found de novo bone formation and participation by implanted cells in skeletal regeneration without the formation of a teratoma. This finding suggests that local cues from both the implanted scaffold/cell micro- and surrounding macroniche may act in concert to promote cellular survival and the in vivo acquisition of a terminal cell fate, thereby allowing for functional engraftment of pluripotent cells into regenerating tissue.
Temporomandibular joint surgery: A review of fifty-one operations

Abstract The clinical records of thirty-six patients previously treated with fifty-one TMJ surgical procedures were reviewed and analyzed. Each patient was sent a questionnaire designed to elicit a perception of the results of the surgical treatment. Seventy-seven percent of the respondents reported that their TMJ area discomfort was “much better,” and 94 percent would have the surgery again. Fifteen patients had preoperative interincisal openings of less than 35 mm. Of these patients, eleven had postoperative interincisal openings of 35 mm., or more with a mean increase of 13 mm. The findings of this study indicate a high percentage of patient satisfaction with the results of TMJ surgery and a general improvement in ability to function.
The distribution and abundance of populations limited at multiple spatial scales

Summary 1. We use mathematical programming to explore long-term equilibrium population distribution and abundance effects arising from a single-patch reaction–diffusion model when ecological factors limit carrying capacity at two different spatial scales. Both homoogeneous and heterogeneous habitat patches are investigated under passive diffusion conditions. Capacity limits, reproduction and dispersal rates, and habitat preferences are individually varied. 2. When landscape-scale habitat factors are strongly limiting, and reproduction and dispersal processes are less so, suitable population arrangements can be either clustered or highly fragmented. 3. Population clustering also occurs when strong habitat preferences are introduced, even though few members of the clusters may actually occupy the preferred sites. 4. As reproduction or dispersal rates become increasingly limiting in the system (i.e. as the parameters approach extinction thresholds), population clustering within a habitat patch is required to reach long-term equilibrium population levels. 5. These results offer a potential explanation for why species–habitat association studies have been characterized by high variability.
The nature of percolation ‘channels’

Abstract A relation is found between the percolation probability, P(s)(x), for site percolation, the conductance, G(x), of certain random networks, and the spin-stiffness coefficient, D(x), of dilute Heisenberg ferromagnet. Numerical results and critical exponents for these quantities near their common threshold are reported. These results demonstrate that the percolation ‘channels’ in which spin waves occur cannot be regarded as one or two dimensional.
Uncertainties in aspheric profile measurements with the geometry measuring machine at NIST

The Geometry Measuring Machine (GEMM) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a profilometer for free-form surfaces. A profile is reconstructed from the local curvature of a test part surface, measured at several locations along a line. For profile measurements of free-form surfaces, methods based on local part curvature sensing have strong appeal. Unlike full-aperture interferometry they do not require customized null optics. The uncertainty of a reconstructed profile is critically dependent upon the uncertainty of the curvature measurement and, to a lesser extent, on curvature sensor positioning accuracy. For an instrument of the GEMM type, we evaluate the measurement uncertainties for a curvature sensor based on a small aperture interferometer and then estimate the uncertainty that can be achieved in the reconstructed profile. In addition, profile measurements of a free-form mirror using GEMM are compared with measurements using a long-trace profiler, a coordinate measuring machine, and subaperture-stitching interferometry.