cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The comparative utility of a file cabinet program vs a general statistical program in micro-computer management and analysis of clinical nursing data

The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of two microcomputer software packages in the storage, retrieval, and analysis of clinical and nursing research data on a hospital neonatal special care unit. The programs discussed are: the PFS Package (The Personal Filing System, Report, and Graph); and A-Stat. The comparison was done using an Apple II Plus and supporting peripherals. Examples of the uses of each program in the clinical setting are described and comparisons made in terms of the different needs they meet. The PFS package was much more applicable to patient data management and was more user friendly for inexperienced computer users. A-Stat provides much more so phisticated statiatical options, but is limited in the variety of non-parametric tests necessitated by the small sample sizes common in clinical nursing research studies.
Consumption of a glucose diet enhances the sensitivity of pancreatic islets from adrenalectomized genetically obese (ob/ob) mice to glucose-induced insulin secretion

Consumption of a glucose diet for 4 d markedly elevates plasma insulin concentrations in adrenalectomized ob/ob mice. The present study examined regulation of insulin secretion from perifused pancreatic islets of female adrenalectomized genetically obese (ob/ob) and lean mice fed a glucose diet for 4 d. These mice were fed a high carbohydrate commercial diet for 21 d, or the high carbohydrate commercial diet for 17 d and a purified high glucose diet for the last 4 d of the 21-d feeding period. Adrenalectomy equalized plasma insulin concentrations, pancreatic islet size, rates of insulin secretion in response to 20 mmol/L glucose and insulin mRNA relative abundance in ob/ob and lean mice fed the commercial diet, but the threshold for glucose-induced insulin secretion determined by a linear glucose gradient remained lower in islets from adrenalectomized ob/ob mice than in those from lean mice (3.8±0.1 vs. 4.9±0.2 mmol/L glucose), and addition of acetylcholine to the perifusate lowered the threshold to only 2.0±0.1 mmol/L glucose in islets from ob/ob mice vs. 3.3±0.1 mmol/L glucose in lean mice. Switching from the commercial diet to the glucose diet for 4 d increased plasma insulin concentrations ∼10-fold in islets from adrenalectomized ob/ob mice without affecting islet size, 20 mmol/L glucose-induced insulin secretion or insulin mRNA abundance. Consumption of the glucose diet did, however, markedly lower the threshold for glucose-induced insulin secretion in islets from adrenalectomized ob/ob mice to approximate the abnormally low glucose thresholds in intact ob/ob mice. Islets from lean mice were unaffected by the diet switch. The signaling pathway that sensitizes islets to glucose-induced insulin secretion seems to be persistently altered in ob/ob mice
SELECTIVE IgA DEFICIENCY AND HYPOGAMMAGLOBULINEMIA IN 4p - (WOLF-HIRSHHORN) SYNDROME. • 51

Immunodeficiency is a predictable (e.g. Chediak-Higashi Syndrome, ataxia-telangiectasia), frequent (e.g. Netherton syndrome, dyskeratosis congenita) or occasional (Chromosome 18p deletion, methylmalonic acidemia) component of 64 recognizable genetic syndromes. (Ming, Stiehm, Graham, Am. J. Human Genetics, 1995). The immunodeficiency can involve the antibody, T cell, natural killer (NK) or phagocytic systems. We have identified severe selective IgA deficiency (IgA < 10 mg/dl) in 3 children, mild selective IgA deficiency (IgA 10-20 mg/dl) in 2 children, and pan-hypogammaglobulinemia in 2 children with the 4p - (Wolf-Hirshhorn) syndrome. These children, ages 1yr. to 5 yr, had frequent respiratory infections and variably deficient antibody responses. One IgA deficient child had an associated IgG2 subclass (2 mg/dl) deficiency. Two have received IVIG with clinical benefit. T cell and B cell studies were normal. Four other children (ages 2½ - 13 yrs) with 4p-syndrome were evaluated and found to be normal.
A New Paradigm for Simulation of Turbulent Combustion in Realistic Gas Turbine Combustors Using LES

This paper presents a new paradigm for numerical simulation of turbulent combustion in realistic gas turbine combustors. Advanced CFD methods using Large Eddy Simulation (LES) turbulence models are central to this paradigm in fluid dynamics where engineers can apply the full predictive abilities of numerical simulations to the design of realistic gas turbine combustors. The use of LES models is motivated by their demonstrated superiority over RANS to predict turbulent mixing. The subgrid scale models incorporated in LES are based on the dynamic approach where the model coefficients are computed rather than prescribed by the user. This has provided unparalleled robustness to modern turbulent flow computations using LES. A new numerical algorithm was derived that is discretely energy conserving on hybrid unstructured grids, thus allowing numerical simulations at high Reynolds numbers corresponding to operating conditions without using artificial numerical dissipation. This paper deals specifically with the simulation of the gas phase flow through realistic gas turbine combustors and the implementation of combustion and spray models that are needed to predict and control the combustion phenomena in these geometries. Results from several simulations and comparison with experimental data are used to validate this approach. In particular, a complete simulation of the unsteady flow field in a realistic combustor geometry is carried out. Some preliminary results for reacting flow simulations in gas turbine combustors are also discussed. We discuss several challenges related to large-scale simulations of the flow in realistic combustors, including methods to further accelerate the algorithm’s convergence (e.g., use of multigrid techniques), improvement of the parallel performance of the flow solver for two-phase flow simulations (e.g., use of dynamic load balancing that accounts for the additional CPU time spent in the spray module when particles are present in the cells).Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Astrocyte and Muscle-Derived Secreted Factors Differentially Regulate Motoneuron Survival

During development, motoneurons (MNs) undergo a highly stereotyped, temporally and spatially defined period of programmed cell death (PCD), the result of which is the loss of 40–50% of the original neuronal population. Those MNs that survive are thought to reflect the successful acquisition of limiting amounts of trophic factors from the target. In contrast, maturation of MNs limits the need for target-derived trophic factors, because axotomy of these neurons in adulthood results in minimal neuronal loss. It is unclear whether MNs lose their need for trophic factors altogether or whether, instead, they come to rely on other cell types for nourishment. Astrocytes are known to supply trophic factors to a variety of neuronal populations and thus may nourish MNs in the absence of target-derived factors. We investigated the survival-promoting activities of muscle- and astrocyte-derived secreted factors and found that astrocyte-conditioned media (ACM) was able to save substantially more motoneurons in vitro than muscle-conditioned media (MCM). Our results indicate that both ACM and MCM are significant sources of MN trophic support in vitro and in ovo , but only ACM can rescue MNs after unilateral limb bud removal. Furthermore, we provide evidence suggesting that MCM facilitates the death of a subpopulation of MNs in a p75 NTR - and caspase-dependent manner; however, maturation in ACM results in MN trophic independence and reduced vulnerability to this negative, pro-apoptotic influence from the target.
TRANSIT USER PERCEPTIONS OF THE BENEFITS OF AUTOMATIC VEHICLE LOCATION

An attitudinal survey on transit riders' perception of the importance transit users place on features of an automatic vehicle location (AVL) system is reported. Onboard surveys and on-time field checks were conducted in the cities of Manitowoc and Racine, Wisconsin, to determine how users in those cities perceive their transit systems and how well each transit system performs. The surveys indicate that transit riders put a great value on increased on-time performance and improved schedule reliability. Passengers value features that AVL technology could bring, such as improving on-time performance, knowing when the next bus will arrive, knowing how long the delay is in case of delay, and knowing that another bus could be dispatched in case of breakdown. The surveys indicate that AVL technology could improve transit services and add value to passengers. The survey also found the expected ridership increase resulting from the AVL technology to be moderate. On-time performance surveys conducted in each city i...
CALORIMETRIC STUDY OF THE COESITE-STISHOVITE TRANSFORMATION AND CALCULATION OF THE PHASE BOUNDARY

High temperature drop-solution calorimetry in molten 2 PbO · B2O3 at 1044 K for coesite and stishovite polymorphs of silica was carried out to determine the enthalpy of the coesite-stishovite transition. These experiments were performed on high-purity, single-phase samples of coesite and stishovite.
Governing Sleepiness: Somnolent Bodies, Discourse, and Liquid Modernity

This paper is an inquiry into how a new truth about sleepiness is being produced in a society increasingly organized around the primacy of expertise and its representation in print and visual media. Sleepiness originally described a benign, naturally occurring corporeal moment, a precursor to sleep. Increasingly, however, a new and disturbing meaning of somnolence is found in a juncture of medical and epidemiological research, social movements, and popular culture. Alongside the idea that sleepiness is a tranquil promise of repose is another, emerging truth. Sleepiness, we are told, is hazardous to self and others, and, importantly, it is each person's responsibility to resist this seductive call of the body. How, we ask, is a private, routinely occurring state of partial consciousness deprivatized, linked to public health vernaculars, and transformed into a reprobate condition? This alternative, disturbing truth about sleepiness is shown to be emerging from several disparate, seemingly unrelated caches of scientific studies, social movement literatures, magazines and newspapers, and web sites. The ideas of Michel Foucault, who pioneered the contemporary study of discourse, are shown to be particularly apropos to this inquiry, though not without some modification to make them more amenable to a contemporary society shaped increasingly by what Zygmunt Bauman calls “liquid modernity.”
Current practices in determining amnionicity and chorionicity in multiple gestations

Objective To evaluate the accuracy of amnionicity and chorionicity (A/C) diagnosis of referral physicians and a tertiary care center as compared to histopathologic diagnosis. Method A retrospective study of 289 multi-fetal gestations was performed comparing A/C diagnoses of referring physicians, a tertiary care center, and histopathology. Results Two hundred and eighty-nine multi-fetal pregnancies were referred for evaluation; only 43.6% (126/289) carried an accurate diagnosis of A/C before tertiary care center evaluation. The tertiary care center accurately identified A/C in 94.8% (274/289) overall and 100% in first trimester twins and triplets. Referrals with an unspecified A/C diagnosis included 46.1% (113/245) twins and 64.1% (25/39) triplets. Conclusion Accurate diagnosis of A/C can be obtained by the early assessment of key sonographic findings. Referral providers are less accurate at determining A/C of mutifetal gestation when compared to a tertiary center, suggesting that an emphasis should be placed on enhancing these diagnostic skills in the general community or encouraging referral when diagnosis is ambiguous. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sustainability Assessment and Reporting for Nonprofit Organizations: Accountability “for the Public Good”

Nonprofit organizations serve the public good by offering services that benefit communities and the individuals who live in them. While many large for-profit companies and a few international nonprofits have begun voluntarily assessing and reporting their environmental, cultural, economic, and social sustainability performance in response to growing public awareness of sustainability issues, nonprofit organizations have generally been slow to adopt the practice. This paper makes the case that nonprofits have an obligation to assess and report sustainability performance to account for their positive and negative environmental, cultural, economic, and social impacts in the communities they serve precisely because of their promise to serve the public good; and that sustainability assessment and reporting are not only possible, but that they can actually offer several practical advantages for organizations that integrate the practice into their missions and models. Several sustainability reporting frameworks are reviewed. Two case examples are presented to illustrate the utility of sustainability assessments and reports for different types and sizes of nonprofit organizations. Challenges to the process of adoption and implementation of sustainability programs in the nonprofit sector are discussed.
Non-Normal Effects on Salt Finger Growth

Abstract Salt fingers, which occur because of the difference in diffusivities of salt and heat in water, may play an important role in ocean mixing and circulation. Previous studies have suggested the long-time dominance of initially fastest growing finger perturbations. Finger growth has been theoretically derived in terms of the normal modes of the idealized system, which include a growing mode and a pair of decaying internal wave modes. Because these normal modes are not orthogonal, however, transient effects can occur related to the interaction between the modes, as explained by the generalized stability theory of non-normal growth. Initial growth of a perturbation that is not along a normal mode can be faster than the leading normal mode. In this study, the effects of non-normal growth on salt finger formation are investigated. It is shown that some salt finger perturbations that are a superposition of the growing mode and the decaying modes initially grow faster than pure growing normal mode perturb...
Tooth morphology and prey preference of Mesozoic marine reptiles

ABSTRACT The large reptilian marine predators of the Mesozoic preyed upon pelagic animals such as bony fish, sharks, soft cephalopods, belemnoids, ammonoids, and even each other. All had undifferentiated conical teeth of one of several forms ranging from a blunt, bulbous shape to a slender, sharply pointed cone, to a robust, slightly compressed cone with two distinct cutting edges. Tooth form, along with tooth wear and occasionally preserved stomach contents, suggests the preferred prey of each species. Seven somewhat overlapping predator types, or guilds, can be defined on the basis of tooth form and prey preference. Members of each guild have tooth morphologies which fall within a defined range, and thus they probably shared the same preferred prey. The guilds present in six well-preserved faunas of the Jurassic and Cretaceous illustrate the structure of and changes in the large marine predator adaptive zone. Six guilds co-existed for most of the Jurassic. Although the composition of some of the guilds ...
Adherence to ACOG Guidelines on Exercise During Pregnancy: Effect on Pregnancy Outcome

Abstract Objective: To determine the extent to which exercising women adhered to the ACOG guidelines on exercise during pregnancy and the effect of nonadherence on pregnancy outcome. Abstract Design: Nonexperimental, retrospective survey. Setting: Two national physical fitness conferences. Participants: One hundred seventy-three women who exercised during their pregnancies. Abstract Outcome Measures: Maternal weight gain, neonatal birth weight, occurrence of cesarean delivery, and gestational age of newborn. Abstract Results: Eighty-three percent of the women knew of the ACOG guidelines. A total of 87 (53%) adhered to the guidelines. Women who exercised with heart rate intensities above 150 beats per minute, for durations longer than 40 minutes through the 3rd trimester, or both had no significant difference in maternal weight gain, fetal birth weight, or gestational age of the newborn (p > .05) than those who exercised more moderately. The long-duration and moderate-intensity groups had signtjicantly fewer cesarean deliveries (p Abstract Conclusion: Women who exercised regularly before conceiving and who had uncomplicated pregnancies did not adversely affect their own or their offsprings' health by exercistng in excess of the ACOG guidelines.
Evidence supporting potassium ion-induced lengthening of phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance T1 relaxation times in malignant tumors

Abstract High-resolution phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance studies with whole cells and intact tissues as well as model systems support an earlier hypothesis attributing the relatively lengthened proton magnetic resonance signal T 1 of malignant tissues to the elevated potassium content of the diseased state.
Predominance of char sorption over substrate concentration and soil pH in influencing biodegradation of benzonitrile.

Incomplete combustion of field crop residues results in the production of char, a material rich in charcoal-type substances. Consequently, char is an effective adsorbent of organic compounds and when incorporated into soil may adsorb soil-applied pesticides, thereby altering their susceptibility to biodegradation. We investigated the relative importance of char, soil pH and initial substrate concentration in biodegradation of pesticides in soils by measuring the biodegradation of benzonitrile in soil as a function of soil char content (0% and 1% by weight), initial benzonitrile concentration (0.1, 1.06, and 10.2 mg l−1) and soil pH (5.2, 6.9 and 8.5). Preliminary experiments revealed that wheat straw char had a much greater benzonitrile sorption capacity than did soil to which the char was added. The extent of benzonitrile degradation decreased as initial benzonitrile concentration increased in both buffer solution and soil slurry. In contrast, the degradation increased as initial benzonitrile concentration increased in char-amended slurry. In un-amended soil slurry, the benzonitrile degradation was lower at pH 5.2 than at pH 6.9 or 8.5, but in char-amended soil slurry the degradation was not affected by pH, again presumably due to adsorption of benzonitrile by the char. Adsorption by soil char appears to be more important than either initial substrate concentration or soil pH in controlling benzonitrile degradation in char-amended soil slurry. The presence of crop residue-derived chars may alter pesticide degradation patterns normally observed in soils and thus significantly affect their environmental fate.
On the One-Mediator Null Hypothesis of Salary Equity

certain values of a than Birnbaum's diagnostic test would allow. What values of a and m would be plausible in any given application, of course, would depend on the specifics of the situation. Ideally, one might wish to construct a model of the past salary policies pursued by the institution, treating each of the components of M as individual variables to obtain reasonable estimates of m and a. However, in the absence of any information about the reliability and validity of M or the extent to which salaries have been influenced by these fallible measures, it becomes impossible to draw confident conclusions about the existence of sex bias even if the correlation between sex and salary is very high. In short, Birnbaum's criticisms of the ordinary regression approach to detecting sex bias in salaries are well taken; however, when salaries are likely to have been influenced by imperfect measures of merit, the diagnostic test he recommends can be misleading. The problems in using regression analysis to detect and interpret sex effects in these kinds of situations are exactly those encountered in using analysis of covariance in nonequivalent groups designs with fallible covariates. Investigators of sex bias would do well to familiarize themselves with the difficulties involved in drawing firm conclusions in these situations (e.g., see Cronbach, Rogosa, Floden, & Price, 1977; Reichardt, 1979).
Changes in the pattern of proteins synthesized during outgrowth and microcycle in Bacillus cereus T.

Abstract The distribution of radioactive label into the soluble proteins of Bacillus cereus during the phases of outgrowth and sporulation and during the process of microcyclic sporogenesis was examined. Electrophoretic and chromatographic separations revealed significant discontinuities in the labeling of the proteins at two or more time intervals within specific phases. These differences indicate that during outgrowth and microcycle sporogenesis, protein biosynthesis results from nonrandom transcription of the genome.
Composite valve-graft replacement of aortic root using separate Decron tube for coronary artery reattachment

Abstract Traditional techniques of aortic root replacement have consisted of separate valve and graft replacement or use of a composite valve graft. These methods have been associated with problems including hemostasis, suture line disruption, and pseudoaneurysm development. They have had limited application in patients without sinus segment enlargement and acute aortic dissection. Between May 21, 1986, and September 7, 1988, 90 patients (73 male and 17 female) underwent replacement of the aortic valve and ascending aorta using a composite valve graft with reattachment of the coronary ostia using a separate, smaller (10 mm) Dacron tube graft. Aortic root replacement was done atone in 41 patients (46%), in association with a concomitant cardiac procedure in 26 patients (29%), and in 23 patients (26%) undergoing cardiac reoperation with and without a concomitant procedure. Aortic arch replacement was required in 25 patients (28%). Profound hypothermia and circulatory arrest were employed in 29 patients (32%). Early survival was 91% ( 82 / 90 ), and there were 4 late deaths. The procedure was found to be hemostatic (only 4 patients [4%] required reexploration for hemorrhage) and durable (no reoperation for pseudoaneurysm formation was necessary).
Suburbanization and transit-oriented development in China

The suburbanization of large Chinese cities has placed many residents in locations that are far less accessible than their prior residences, requiring motorized travel. This paper examines the impacts of relocation to outlying areas on job accessibility, commuting mode choice, and commuting durations based on a current-day and retrospective survey of recent movers to three suburban neighborhoods in Shanghai. Job accessibility levels were found to decline dramatically following the move, matched by increased motorized travel and longer commute durations. Relocating to a suburban area near a metrorail station, however, was found to moderate losses in job accessibility and for many, encourage switches from non-motorized to transit commuting. We conclude that transit-oriented development holds considerable promise for placing rapidly suburbanizing Chinese cities on a more sustainable pathway.
Psychological effects of vulvectomy

Abstract A survey of post-vulvectomy patients revealed that compared with post-hysterectomy patients, they are more likely to be depressed, to harbor feelings of sexual guilt, and to have encapsulated deficits in reality testing. Some of these problems may be prevented. The patient undergoing vulvectomy should receive detailed information before and after the surgery, and psychosexual counseling should be offered to her and her sexual partner on a long-term basis.
The Motion of Ions in Constant Fields

It is shown that the effect of a constant electrical or gravitational force $F$ on ions passing through a constant magnetic field $H$ is to cause the circular or helical ion paths to advance in a direction at right angles to both $F$ and $H$ with the constant velocity $u=\frac{c[F\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}H]}{e{H}^{2}}.$ Ion paths relative to a rotating earth are discussed on the assumption that the earth's field is purely magnetic relative to the inertial system of the center of the earth. The essential features of the theory are shown to be unaltered if the constant mass of the classical theory is replaced by the variable mass of the relativity theory.
NONCOVALENT SELF-ASSEMBLY OF A HETEROTETRAMERIC DIIRON PROTEIN

Diiron and dimanganese proteins catalyze a wide range of hydrolytic and oxygen-dependent reactions. To probe the mechanisms by which individual members of this class of proteins are able to catalyze such a wide range of reactions, we have prepared a model four-helix bundle with a diiron site located near the center of the bundle. The four-helix bundle is constructed by the noncovalent self-assembly of three different chains (Aa, Ab, and B) that self-assemble into the desired heterotetramer when mixed in a 1:1:2 molar ratio. On addition of ferrous ions and oxygen, the protein forms a complex with a UV-visible spectrum closely resembling that of peroxo-bridged diferric species in natural proteins and model compounds. By combining a small collection of n variants of these peptides, it should now be possible to prepare an n3 member library, which will allow systematic exploration of the features giving rise to the catalytic properties of this class of proteins.
Big maggots dig deeper: size-dependent larval dispersal in flies.

The ability of individual animals to select habitats optimal for development and survival can be constrained by the costs of moving through the environment. Animals that seek overwintering sites underground, for example, may be constrained by the energy required to burrow into the soil. We conducted field and laboratory studies to determine the relationship between individual size and overwintering site selection in the tephritid flies, Rhagoletis juglandis and Rhagoletis suavis. We also explored the effect of site selection on pupal mortality, parasitism, and the ability to emerge from overwintering sites after eclosion. In both species, and in both lab and field tests, larger pupae were found at deeper soil depths. In addition, marginally non-significant trends indicated pupae in deeper sites were 48 % more likely to survive the overwintering period. Finally, larger individuals were more likely to eclose and emerge from the soil at a given depth, but flies in deep overwintering sites were less likely to emerge from those sites than flies in shallow sites. Our data indicate that overwintering site selection represents a trade-off between avoiding predators and parasites that occur at shallow sites, and the energetic and mortality costs of burrowing to, overwintering in, and emerging from, deeper sites. The size-dependent overwintering site selection demonstrated here has implications for population dynamics and pest control strategies. Some fly control measures, such as the introduction of parasites or predators, will be mitigated when the deepest and least accessible overwintering pupae represent a disproportionately large amount of the population’s reproductive capacity.
A polynomial algorithm for recognizing bounded cutwidth in hypergraphs

The Min Cut Linear Arrangement (Min Cut) or Backboard Permutation (BP) problem, where it is desired to minimize “backplane area” or “cutwidth” in hypergraphs, has a long history of interest. To determine, for given graphG and integerk, whetherG has cutwidth at mostk is known to beNP-complete even for planar graphs with maximum vertex degree 3. (As graphs are a special case of hypergraphs, it is alsoNP-complete for hypergraphs.) Recently, Cahoon and Sahni described O(n) and O(n 3) algorithms for determining if a hypergraph had cutwidth 1 and 2, respectively. However, for any fixedk>2, it remained open whether determining if an arbitrary hypergraph has cutwidth at mostk was in the classP. We show a positive answer; specifically, we describe an O(n m ) algorithm, withm=k 2+3k+3, which determines if a hypergraph withn vertices has cutwidthk.
Diurnal changes in dissolved organic and inorganic carbon and nitrogen in a hardwater stream

Summary Organic and inorganic carbon and nitrogen parameters were sampled simultaneously at 6 h intervals over a diurnal period at seven stations in a small hardwater stream in southern Michigan. Concentrations and budget values (kg/day) varied up to 10-fold at individual stations and between stations. The most constant parameters were total dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen. The most variable parameter was particulate organic carbon. Significant changes were noted in all parameters as the stream passed through different stream-side habitats. Budget values facilitated interpretation of these changes over time between stations. High variability in the concentration values was introduced by large allochthonous inputs of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and water alternately adding to or diluting parameters. Distance from upstream terrestrial DOM sources, DOM residence time, the pulsed nature of DOM inputs and biological utilization of DOM have important effects on the quality and quantity of DOM that enters recipient lakes and rivers. The importance of ground-water flux and DOM content is stressed. The DOM input and turnover within hardwater streams appears t o be in rapid, dynamic equilibrium.
The association of race/ethnicity, insurance status, and socioeconomic factors with breast cancer care

BACKGROUND: Few data are available on how race/ethnicity, insurance, and socioeconomic status (SES) interrelate to influence breast cancer treatment. The authors examined care for a national cohort of breast cancer patients to assess whether insurance and SES were associated with racial/ethnic differences in care. METHODS: The authors used multivariate logistic regression to assess the probability of definitive locoregional therapy, hormone receptor testing, and adjuvant systemic therapy among 662,117 white, black, and Hispanic women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer during 1998-2005 at National Cancer Data Base hospitals. In additional models, the authors included insurance and area-level SES to determine whether these variables were associated with observed racial/ethnic disparities. RESULTS: Most women were white (86%), 10% were black, and 4% were Hispanic. Most had private insurance (51%) or Medicare (41%). Among eligible patients, 80.0% (stage I/II) had definitive locoregional therapy, 98.5% (stage I-IV) had hormone receptor testing, and 53.1% and 50.2% (stage I-III) received adjuvant hormonal therapy and chemotherapy, respectively. After adjustment, black (vs white) women had less definitive locoregional therapy (odds ratio [OR], 0.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88-0.94), hormonal therapy (OR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.87-0.93), and chemotherapy (OR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.84-0.91). Hispanic (vs white) women were also less likely to receive hormonal therapy. Hormone receptor testing did not differ by race/ethnicity. Racial disparities persisted despite adjusting for insurance and SES. CONCLUSIONS: The modest association between black (vs white) race and guideline-recommended breast cancer care was insensitive to adjustment for insurance and area-level SES. Further study is required to better understand disparities and to ensure receipt of care. Cancer 2011. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
Engineering A23187/EDTA-containing metal-sorbing vesicles for selective extraction of divalent heavy metal ions

Phosphatidylcholine vesicles harboring the lipophilic metal ion carrier A23187 in the bilayer and encapsulating ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) exhibit broadly varied, pH-dependent affinity for Cu2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, and Ca2+ at micromolar levels. Initial rates of uptake by these metal-sorbing vesicles (MSVs) is strongly dependent on the metal ion affinity of A23187 and the dissociation rate of A23187 complexation with turnover numbers ranging over five orders of magnitude from 27.51 s−1 for Cu2+ at pH 7.0 to <0.001 s−1 for Ca2+ at pH 5.5. A modified Briggs–Haldane model fits initial MSV kinetics well and was used to estimate metal ion dissociation rate constants of A23187, which varied from 270 s−1 for Ca2+ to 18.3 s−1 for Cd2+. The experimental data support a “pore” type mechanism rather than a membrane-transport-limited model for metal ion uptake in qualitative agreement with the microsecond time-scale expected for carrier–metal ion complex translocation across the lipid bilayer wall of MSVs. The concentration factors achieved by these MSVs, which are controlled by the amount of encapsulated EDTA, varied from 674 for Cu2+ to 166 for Ca2+ at pH 7.0 to an immeasurable level for Ca2+ at pH 5.5. Although several physicochemical properties impact metal ion uptake, MSV selectivity in initial uptake rate or in equilibrium capacity can be described at least semi-quantitatively in terms of the metal ion affinity of the carrier and chelator, as well as the dissociation rate of the metal–carrier complex.
The health services research workforce: current stock.

Objective. To examine the size and characteristics of the health services research (HSR) workforce; the job satisfaction, job security, and future plans reported by the workforce; and the future of the HSR workforce supply. Data Sources. (1) AcademyHealth active and lapsed members since 2000 and annual research meeting presenters and interest group participants; (2) principal investigators of research projects listed in the HSRProj database; and (3) authors of articles published in two HSR journals. Study Design. Data on investigators conducting HSR in selected venues were collected and compared in order to identify the percentage of the HSR workforce represented in the “core” versus related disciplines and to investigate the extent to which the “core” researchers publish, present, or participate in disciplinary venues. Principal Findings. The field appears to have grown dramatically since 1995, from an estimated 5,000 health services researchers to an estimated 11,596 in 2007. This is a broad workforce characterized by various levels of involvement in the field. Some researchers self-identify with the field of HSR, while others are associated primarily with venues related to specific disciplines. Many researchers who identify with HSR also publish in venues related to multiple other disciplines. Conclusions. The field may face future challenges related to demographic change, such as an aging workforce and an increased need for diversity. International collaboration appears common, and in the future the field may need to be defined internationally rather than nationally. At the same time, there are also many indications that HSR is a good field to work in. Health services researchers reported high levels of satisfaction with their profession and current employer, as well as little desire to change jobs and little concern about job security.
Romantic Geography: In Search of the Sublime Landscape

Yi-Fu Tuan. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 2014. ix and 205 pp., notes, and index. $24.95 cloth (ISBN 978-0299296803); $16.95 electronic (ISBN 978-0-299-29683-4).Home. Just the word conjur...
Scale effects in animal joints. I. Articular cartilage thickness and compressive stress.

The relationship between the thickness of articular cartilage and static compressive stress was studied in 6 joints of 5 species of quadruped (mouse, rat, dog, sheep, cow) ranging in weight from 0.05 to 600 Ib. Using free body diagrams and vector analysis, the loads on these joints were determined in a relaxed standing position. Each joint was then loaded to the calculated level by a compression device. A plastic mold of the loaded joint revealed the area of cartilage under compression. For the entire series of animals, maximum cartilage thickness for each joint bore a simple allometric relationship, y = b xk, to body weight, hip-to-shoulder length, and area of the tibial plateau. By contrast, the stresses on the joint cartilages among the various species were generally within one order of magnitude and unrelated to the thickness of the cartilage. Among the species, the low ratio of highest/lowest stress on the femoro-tibial joint suggests that limb structures are optimally designed to maintain low static pressures on the joint surface. These findings do not exclude the possibility that other stresses, noncompressive or dynamic, may be related to cartilage thickness.
Mitotic arrest of breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells by a halogenated thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidine

Halogenated thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidines exhibit antiproliferative activity against a variety of cancer cell models, such as the mouse lymphocytic leukemia cell line L1210 in which they induce apoptosis independent of cell cycle arrest. Here we assessed these activities on MDA-MB-231 cells, a well-established model of aggressive, metastatic breast cancer. While 2,4-dichloro[3,2-d]pyrimidine was less toxic to MDA-MB-231 cells than previously observed in the L1210 model, flow cytometry analysis showed that MDA-MB-231 cell death involved arrest at the G2/M stage of the cell cycle. Conversely, the introduction of bromine at C7 of the 2,4-dichloro[3,2-d]pyrimidine eliminated cell type-dependent differences in cytotoxicity or cell cycle status. Together, these data indicate that a substituent at C7 can profoundly modify the cytotoxic mechanism of halogenated thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidines in a cell type-specific manner.
The effects of primary reward on the I.Q. performance of grade-school children as a function of initial I.Q. level

The effect of candy reward on I.Q. scores was investigated in 72 first- and second-grade children. All subjects were administered Form A of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test and, based upon these scores, were divided into three blocks: low, middle, and high. From each block, subjects were randomly assigned to one of three conditions (contingent reward, noncontingent reward, or no reward) that were in effect during administration of Form B. Results showed that candy given contingent upon each correct response increased I.Q. scores for the initially low scoring subjects, but had no influence on the scores of middle and high scoring subjects.
A re-evaluation of the coherence between global-average atmospheric CO2 and temperatures at interannual time scales.

[1] Frequency-dependent coherence between atmospheric CO2 and historical temperatures reveals climate feedbacks within Earth's carbon cycle. Coherence between interannual fluctuations in global-average temperature and atmospheric CO2 has changed over time. Since 1979, at Mauna Loa and other observation sites, interannual coherence exhibits a 90° phase lag that suggests a direct correlation between temperatures and the time-derivative of CO2. The coherence transition can be explained if the response time of CO2 to a global temperature fluctuation has lengthened from 6 months to at least 15 months. A longer response time may reflect saturation of the oceanic carbon sink, but a transient shift in ocean circulation may play a role. Coherent annual-cycle fluctuations in CO2 and temperature are evident in the 1958–1988 time series, but not since 1979. Coherence of interannual CO2 variations with gridpoint temperature anomalies are strongest in the tropical oceans.
Risk of severe and repetitive traumatic brain injury in persons with epilepsy: a population-based case-control study.

article i nfo Background:While traumatic brain injury (TBI) can lead to epilepsy, individuals with preexisting epilepsy or seizure disorder (ESD), depending on the type of epilepsy and the degree of seizure control, may have a greater risk of TBI from seizure activity or medicat ion side effects. The joint occurrence of ESD and TBI can complicate recovery as signs and symptoms of TBI may be mistaken for postictal effects. Those with ESD are predicted to experience more deleterious outcomes either because of having a more severe TBI or because of the cumulative effects of repetitive TBI. Methods: We conducted a case-control study of all emergency department visits and hospital discharges for TBI from 1998 through 2011 in a statewide population. The severity of TBI, repetitive TBI, and other demographic and clinical characteristics were compared between persons with TBI with preexisting ESD (cases) and those without (controls). Significant differences in proportions were evaluated with confidence intervals. Logistic regression was used to examine the association of the independent variables with ESD. Results: During the study period, 236,164 individuals sustained TBI, 5646 (2.4%) of which had preexisting ESD. After adjustment for demographic and clinical characteristics, cases were more likely to have sustained a severe TBI (OR = 1.49; 95% CI = 1.38-1.60) and have had repetitive TBI (OR = 1.54; 95% CI = 1.41-1.69). Conclusion: The consequences of TBI may be greater in individuals with ESD owing to the potential for a more severe or repetitive TBI. Seizure control is paramount, and aggressive management of comorbid conditions among persons with ESD and increased awareness of the hazard of repetitive TBI is warranted. Furthermore, fu- ture studies are needed to examine the long-term outcomes of cases in comparison with controlsto determine if the higher risk of severe or repetitive TBI translates into permanent deficits.
Agricultural antibiotics and human health.

Smith and colleagues discuss evidence suggesting that antibiotic use in agriculture has contributed to antibiotic resistance in the pathogenic bacteria of humans.
Voluntary oral nicotine intake in mice down-regulates GluR2 but does not modulate depression-like behaviors

Repeated exposure to nicotine induces adaptive changes in the central nervous system including the mesolimbic dopamine (DA) projections from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the nucleus accumbens (NAc). These modifications can modulate nicotine reward and reinforcement, but also anxiety and depression-related behaviors. The development of addiction-related phenotypes is known to be modulated by regulation of glutamate receptors, as well as activation of transcription factors including cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), in the NAc. We investigated the effects of nicotine pre-exposure on nicotine preference and levels of GluR1/2 and CREB in the mesolimbic system in male mice C57BL/6J and BALB/c inbred mice. We also evaluated locomotor activity, anxiety-like and depression-like behaviors known to be affected by nicotine. There were few behavioral changes in mice subjected to chronic nicotine exposure, but there was a marked regulation of GluR2 in the mesolimbic system. Both treated and non-treated animals showed a significant preference for nicotine when facing a choice with a control solution. These results suggest that voluntary nicotine drinking induces nicotine preference in mice, but does not alter a number of affective behaviors. In addition, alterations in CREB and GluR1 levels are not sufficient to explain preference for nicotine in a 2-bottle choice paradigm.
Mate Availability and Women's Sexual Experiences in China.

Data from the 1999–2000 Chinese Health and Family Life Survey were merged with community-level data from the 1982, 1990, and 2000 Chinese censuses to examine the relationship between the local sex ratio (number of men per 100 women) and sexual outcomes among women (N = 1,369). Consistent with hypotheses derived from demographic-opportunity theory, multilevel logistic regression analyses showed that women are more likely to be sexually active, to have had premarital sexual intercourse, to have been forced to have sex, and to test positive for a sexually transmitted infection when there is a relative abundance of age-matched men in their local community. Education, birth cohort, and geographic location also emerged as significant predictors of women’s sexual experiences.
Evaluation of MIP-1α Chemokine Receptors on Cord Blood Monocytes: Implications for Perinatal HIV Infection † 863

Evaluation of MIP-1α Chemokine Receptors on Cord Blood Monocytes: Implications for Perinatal HIV Infection † 863
Prospective study comparing different echocardiographic measurements of pulmonary capillary wedge pressure in patients with organic heart disease other than mitral stenosis

In 25 patients with cardiac disease, but free of left ventricular inflow obstruction, the electrocardiogram and M-mode echocardiogram of the aortic root, left atrium and both the mitral and the aortic valves were obtained simultaneously with the pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP) during right heart catheterization. The echocardiographic measurements of the left atrial size, PR-AC interval, left atrial emptying index and the ratio between the electrocardiographic Q wave to mitral valve closure (Q-MVC) and between aortic valve closure to the mitral E point (AVC-E) were correlated to the pulmonary artery wedge pressure by means of linear regression analysis. A formula in which PAWP = 36.6 (Q-MVC/AVC-E) - 2 was prospectively used to study the measured pressure in the current group of patients. The pulmonary artery wedge pressure derived from these latter measurements correlated well with the invasive measurement of this pressure (r = 0.91). The pulmonary artery wedge pressure calculated by echocardiography differed from the pulmonary artery wedge pressure measured by catheterization by 3 mm Hg or less in 19 of the 25 patients, by 4 mm Hg or less in 22 patients and by 6 mm Hg or less in 24 patients. Although the correlation between the (Q-MVC/AVC-E) ratio and measured pulmonary artery wedge pressure was highly significant (r = 0.91, probability [p] In conclusion, in patients in stable condition with left ventricular dysfunction but without mitral valve obstruction, M-mode echocardiography using a ratio of the intervals (Q-MVC/AVC-E) provides a useful and reliable noninvasive method to predict pulmonary artery wedge pressure. Other M-mode echocardiographic measurements, PR-AC interval, left atrial emptying index and left atrial size, have limited use as a noninvasive method to predict pulmonary artery wedge pressure.
On the distribution of the optimal value for a class of stochastic geometric programs

An approach is presented for obtaining the moments and distribution of the optimal value for a class of prototype stochastic geometric programs with log-normally distributed cost coefficients. It is assumed for each set of values taken on by the cost coefficients that the resulting deterministic primal program is superconsistent and soluble. It is also required that the corresponding dual program has a unique optimal point with all positive components. It is indicated how one can apply the results obtained under the above assumptions to stochastic programs whose corresponding deterministic dual programs need not satisfy the above-mentioned uniqueness and positivity requirements.
Differentiation and survival among North Carolina smallholders: An empirical perspective on the Lenin‐Chayanov debate

This article addresses theoretical issues concerning differentiation and class formation using North American data. It explores how socio‐economic characteristics vary and impact survival in agriculture. The study is based on panel data collected from a sample of smallholders in three Piedmont North Carolina counties. Factor analysis reveals five major dimensions of differentiation: scale, household labour, off‐farm family labour and income, demographic characteristics, and land tenure. An index of propensity to survive in agriculture, constructed from three waves of panel data is regressed upon five indices measuring the underlying dimensions of differentiation. Land tenure manifests a statistically significant net effect on survival in agriculture. These empirical results support theoretical arguments in favour of integrating analyses of socio‐economic and demographic differentiation in the study of agricultural enterprises.