cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of healthcare-associated acquisition on community-onset Gram-negative bloodstream infection: a population-based study

We performed a population-based study to examine the influence of healthcare-associated acquisition on pathogen distribution, antimicrobial resistance, short- and long-term mortality of community-onset Gram-negative bloodstream infections (BSI). We identified 733 unique patients with community-onset Gram-negative BSI (306 healthcare-associated and 427 community-acquired) among Olmsted County, Minnesota, residents from 1 January 1998 to 31 December 2007. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the association between healthcare-associated acquisition and microbiological etiology and antimicrobial resistance. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression was used to evaluate the influence of the site of acquisition on mortality. Healthcare-associated acquisition was predictive of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (odds ratio [OR] 3.14, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.59–6.57) and the group of Enterobacter, Citrobacter, and Serratia species (OR 2.23, 95% CI: 1.21–4.21) as causative pathogens of community-onset Gram-negative BSI. Healthcare-associated acquisition was also predictive of fluoroquinolone resistance among community-onset Gram-negative bloodstream isolates (OR 2.27, 95% CI: 1.18–4.53). Healthcare-associated acquisition of BSI was independently associated with higher 28-day (hazard ratio [HR] 3.73, 95% CI: 2.13–6.93) and 1-year mortality (HR 3.60, 95% CI: 2.57–5.15). Because of differences in pathogen distribution, antimicrobial resistance, and outcomes between healthcare-associated and community-acquired Gram-negative BSI, identification of patients with healthcare-associated acquisition of BSI is essential to optimize empiric antimicrobial therapy.
Enterovesical fistulas in crohn disease

Fistulous communication between the intestinal tract and the bladder is uncommon in Crohn disease. Only 2% of patients afflicted with this disease present with bladder symptoms. Five patients with a mean age of thirty years presented with a prolonged history of bowel disease but a short history of urinary symptoms. Only three patients presented with pneumaturia and fecaluria. None of the fistulas could be demonstrated radiographically. Cystoscopy disclosed the fistulous site as well as acute and chronic inflammation of the bladder. Small-bowel resection with excision of the fistula, partial bladder resection, and diverting ileostomy were performed as a first stage. Ileostomy closure was done two to four weeks later.
Carving Voters Out: Redistricting’s Influence on Political Information, Turnout, and Voting Behavior

This article examines how the splitting of counties into multiple congressional districts affects citizens’ abilities to recall House candidates, turnout, roll off their congressional vote, and cast straight-ticket ballots. We demonstrate that while voters living in the “short end of the split” are less likely to recall their House candidates, they do behave similarly at the ballot box to voters drawn into districts containing their natural community of interest. Our results suggest the Supreme Court’s traditional focus on population equality across congressional districts might be more appropriately administered in concert with respect for natural communities of interest such as counties.
Vaporization and heat of sublimation of erbium

Abstract The sublimation of erbium was studied by Knudsen-torsion and Knudsen-mass spectrometric techniques. The torsion experiments covered the temperature range 1435–1575 K and the results were fitted to the equation In P ( Pa ) = (− 35.87 ± 0.47)10 3 T −1 + (24.11 ± 0.31) The second- and third-law enthalpies of sublimation were determined to be ΔH ° 298 = 311.5 ± 12.1 kJ mol −1 and ΔH ° 298 = 311.9 ± 1.2 kJ mol −1 respectively, where the uncertainties were calculated from the precision in the data and from estimated systematic errors. The mass spectrometer experiments spanned the temperature range 1165–1385 K and a second-law treatment of the data led to ΔH ° 298 = 303.2 ± 8.9 kJ mol −1 . Based upon these results a value of 311.9 kJ mol −1 is proposed as the heat of sublimation for erbium at 298 K.
Multiple and Tissue-specific Promoter Control of Gonadal and Non-gonadal Prolactin Receptor Gene Expression

Prolactin receptors (PRLRs) are widely expressed, and multiple mRNA transcripts encoding PRLRs are present in prolactin target tissues. The molecular basis for the control of the PRLR gene expression is currently unknown. Analyses of the 5′-untranslated regions of PRLR mRNAs expressed in gonadal and non-gonadal tissues and their genomic organization revealed three alternative first exons designated as E11, E12, and E13. Each of these exons is alternatively spliced to a common noncoding exon (exon 2, nucleotides −115 to −56) that precedes the third exon containing the translation initiation codon. Alternative utilization of exons E11, E12, and E13, as well as alternative splicing of exon 2, generates multiple 5′-untranslated regions in PRLR transcripts. These alternative first exons (E11, E12, and E13) were found to be utilized in a tissue-specific manner in vivo. E11 is predominantly expressed in the ovary, E12 is specifically expressed in the liver, and E13 is expressed as a predominant form in the Leydig cell and as a minor form in the ovary and liver. Genomic 5′-flanking regions containing the three putative PRLR gene promoters (PI, PII, and PIII) that initiate the transcription of E11, E12, and E13, respectively, were identified. E11 was found to initiate from a single site at −549, E12 from multiple sites at −405, −461, and −506, and E13 from two major sites at −340 and −351. These findings indicate that multiple promoters control transcription of the PRLR gene and provide a molecular basis for the differential regulation of PRLR expression in diverse tissues.
Therapies to Increase High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Their Effect on Cardiovascular Outcomes and Regression of Atherosclerosis

Epidemiological studies have shown that decreased level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (C) is an independent inverse predictor of coronary artery disease (CAD) even in patients with normal levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-C. There is an abundance of evidence in favor of statins and aggressive LDL-C lowering therapy for both primary and secondary prevention of CAD. In contrast, the evidence for reduction of CAD risk with HDL-C raising therapy is relatively thin, partly due to the paucity of effective and safe drugs for increasing HDL-C level. However, there are emerging new therapies for raising HDL-C level and growing evidence in favor of pharmacologic therapies to raise HDL-C level. We present in this article a review of pharmacologic therapies that are currently available to increase HDL-C level, their safety and efficacy in relation to cardiovascular endpoints.
Comparative education research: approaches and methods

Books on comparative education that serve as general guides usually aspire to introduce students to the field and be adopted as textbooks for classroom instruction. Only a few of these are edited v...
Patient-provider communication: understanding diabetes management among adult females.

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to explore how adult women manage their diabetes. Recommendations for improving adherence and opportunities to maximize communication between the healthcare provider and individuals who have type 2 diabetes also were described. Methods An exploratory qualitative descriptive design was used to describe the experience of living with type 2 diabetes in adult females. Data were obtained via individual in-depth interviews with five women over age 50 with type 2 diabetes. Participants were interviewed individually and participated in a focus group. Results Participants clearly identified three major themes affecting adherence to treatment regimens: communication with the healthcare provider, knowledge of diabetes, and the consequences of poor glycemic control. For these participants, patient–provider communication was the most important factor affecting diabetes adherence. Conclusion Individual autonomy asserted in day-to-day management is often perceived as non-compliance by the healthcare provider; while provider's descriptions of potential severe complications are viewed as scare tactics by the patients. Practice implications Improved communication offers the clinician the opportunity to develop a partnership with patients to build mutually acceptable treatment plans and reach mutually agreed upon goals. Empowering the individual with skills needed to negotiate treatment regimens will encourage positive health decisions and improved outcomes.
Dysfunction of Small Airways following Pulmonary Injury due to Nitrogen Dioxide

Serial physiologic studies were performed to characterize both the immediate and delayed effects of a single occupational exposure to nitrogen dioxide in a nonsmoker. During the initial acute stage of pulmonary edema, the abnormal static pressure-volume curve and decreased static compliance corresponded to a reduction in pulmonary volume. During the delayed acute stage, elastic recoil and properties of resistance to flow were normal, but dynamic compliance was reduced and dependent on respiratory frequency, and oxygen transport was abnormal during exercise, which is consistent with dysfunction of the small airways.
Synthesis and characterization of the nickel and copper complexes of the new dithiolene, 1,3-propanediyldithioethylene-1,2-dithiolate (PDDT)

Abstract Nickel and copper complexes in the formal oxidation state three of the new 1,2-dithiolene ligand, 1,3-propanediyldithioethylene-1,2-dithiolate, were prepared and characterized. Electrochemical, ESR and IR characterizations indicate that the electronic structures are different for the 1,2-ethane analog. X-ray structures for the tetraethylammonium salts of both complexes were obtained. Both belong to the monoclinic space group P 2 1 / c . Each complex is planar through the tetrathioethylene portion of each ligand with the propane moiety forming a chair configuration. Packing diagrams reveal an unusual double layer array. Details of the molecular structures and packing are discussed.
Moliere's Amphitryon: Myth in a Comic Perspective

This study explains how Amphitryon underscores the absence of correspondence between man's need for coherence and the incoherence of the world which he experiences. It also strives to show that Moliere is a master of the art of creating in the audience an attitude of partial detachment. Because of the personal disinvolvement encouraged by the playwright, the public willingly arrogates to itself the right to spend a few hours laughing at helpless man whose pathetic role is to struggle under the burden of a mind that cannot satisfy its demands for rationality.
Hydroperoxide-dependent metabolism of goitrogenic thiocarbamides by lactoperoxidase.

1. Inhibition of lactoperoxidase by thiocarbamides is consistent with a suicide mechanism whereby enzyme-catalysed S-oxygenation produces reactive intermediates which covalently modify the active site haem.2. The reaction of thiocarbamide goitrogens with lactoperoxidase in the presence of hydroperoxides results in time-dependent and irreversible enzyme inactivation and an altered visible spectrum of the haem prosthetic group of the inactivated enzyme.3. A mechanism of S-oxygenation for the inactivation is suggested by lactoperoxidase-catalysed formation of stable S-oxides from thioamide and organosulphur functional groups, and by a common dependence of substrate and inhibitor binding constants on their electrochemical oxidation potentials.4. Hydroperoxide-dependent inactivation of lactoperoxidase by benzimidazoline-2-thiones occurs concomitantly to the covalent binding of stoichiometric amounts of 14C-or 35S-labelled inhibitors per mole of enzyme, and the formation of turnover products derived from the hy...
Mass spectra of pyrolyzates of several aromatic structures identified in coal extracts

Abstract Mass spectra of products from the liquid phase pyrolysis of 20 hydrocarbons having from one to four aromatic rings and molecular weights from 116 (indene) to 228 (chrysene) were investigated. By studying the pyrolyzates of several structural types found in the material extracted from Pittsburgh seam (hvab) coal with pyridine at room temperature, information related to the formation of heavy residues such as coal tar was obtained. The amount of original material remaining after pyrolysis at 450°C for 4 hr was used to estimate the extent of thermal reactivity. Many of the molecular weights appearing in the mass spectra of the residues could be correlated with structures resulting from the recombination of radicals. The highest mass peaks in the spectra of the pyrolyzates of naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene were 254, 354 and 402, respectively, corresponding to dehydrogenative dimers of these compounds. Thermal treatment of binary mixtures indicated extensive interaction of species derived from the original structures. The residue from the liquid-phase pyrolysis of a 1:1 mixture (by weight) of 9,10-dihydroanthracene and acenaphthylene indicated extensive interaction of species having three aromatic rings to produce species having up to seven condensed rings. Mass spectrometric and other data have indicated that the major components in the liquid and solid product from the low-temperature carbonization of coal have molecular weights below about 400. This can be explained if, on pyrolysis, most of the major structural types in the room-temperature extract of coal produce components resulting primarily from the recombination of radicals.
Systems Thinking in Information Service Delivery

Cet article propose une reflexion sur l'organisation et le role des equipes de travail des bibliotheques en relation avec les autres services du secteur public -systeme d'information et fourniture de services. Cette reflexion est basee sur une experience de la Brandeis Library qui a du subir de nombreux changements. Quatre principes sont discutes a propos de la predominance des services d'information et de leur reussite : evaluer l'environnement organisationnel ; etablir des criteres normatifs ; promouvoir les principaux organismes d'enseignement ; etablir une structure de prise de decision
The Speed Factor in Mental Measurements

The attacks on the validity of modern tests of general intel ligence by William C. Bagley, Walter M. Lippmann, and others, have raised a number of important issues. One of these is the question of the effect of time limits on the scores of subjects taking such tests. Mr. Lippmann has stated that the intelligence rating earned by a soldier was chiefly determined by the time limits used in giving the tests. If Mr. Lippmann had in mind, as would seem to be the case, that intelligence scores earned under regular time limits would be surpassed if added time allow ances were given, there is probably no psychologist who would not grant the truth of his somewhat naive contention. If this is not true, it constitutes the first exception in the literature of the improvability of mental functions. What must not be done, however, is to confuse this issue with the separate question of whether general mental ability (in the sense involved in the defi nition of mental age or other units of mental measurement) is raised by increased time limits. Scores in intelligence tests or educational tests possess meaning only in reference to the norms of performance established for the particular test. It is sur prising that this elementary concept in mental measurement should have occasioned confusion even in the mind of the lay man. Complete removal of time limits would probably invali date the norms of most of the existing tests but it is unlikely that anything more serious would happen in such an event. The norms might easily be reestablished upon a power basis. There is an aspect of this general problem, however, which does need further study. Is it not likely that certain individuals who react slowly in the test situation are to some degree penal ized and underrated by "speed" tests? Even if "speed" and "power" are highly correlated in most or all mental functions, this relationship, for many reasons, is not perfect. Such cor 39
Effect of brain ganglioside on the heart of the clam.

A PURIFIED preparation of brain ganglioside, a macromolecular glycolipid the structure of which has been recently considerably clarified1, has been shown to inhibit in low concentration the viral haemagglutination reaction2 and to inhibit in the same concentrations the neurotoxic effect in mouse brain of influenza PR8 and NWS viruses3. The consideration of the possible membrane and transport role that brain ganglioside might have in the central nervous system has led to the investigation of the effect of this substance upon the heart of Venus mercenaria (clam), an organ which had been used in the bioassay of acetyl choline, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and other substances with known or suspected neurohumoral function4,5.
Impact of acute renal failure on mortality in end-stage liver disease with or without transplantation

Impact of acute renal failure on mortality in end-stage liver disease with or without transplantation. Background Acute renal failure (ARF) is traditionally considered a poor prognostic factor in end-stage liver disease and is associated with a mortality approaching 90%. While the increased use of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLTX) has changed the outcome for patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD), it is not clear whether this has affected the outcome of patients with ESLD and ARF. Methods We prospectively followed the course of ARF in 177 patients with ESLD being evaluated for OLTX. Of these patients 111 received OLTX. In-hospital mortality was compared to that of 316 ESLD patients without ARF, of these 196 received OLTX. Variables include severity of illness as assessed by APACHE II, co-morbid conditions, oliguria, need for renal replacement therapy, and etiologies of ESLD and ARF. These variables were evaluated with respect to the outcome in-hospital mortality by multiple regression analysis for patients with ARF. Results Mortality was significantly higher in oliguric versus non-oliguric patients and in patients who required renal replacement therapy. Mortality correlated strongly with the number of co-morbid conditions, especially sepsis, encephalopathy, respiratory failure, and DIC. For OLTX recipients who developed ARF, no significant difference in survival occurred whether the ARF was pre-OLTX or post-OLTX. Conclusion ARF was associated with an increased mortality consistent with the known adverse prognostic effect of ARF in ESLD. However, the effect of ARF on mortality was remarkably reduced in patients who received a functioning OLTX. Since expected mortality generated from APACHE II scores was higher in the ARF groups, it is not clear that there is an additional effect of ARF beyond the physiologic derangements captured by APACHE II. ARF per se should not necessarily be a contraindication to liver transplant.
Further results on energy detection of random signals in Gaussian noise

This article shows that the non-coherent detector for random signals which maximizes the generalized likelihood function is the same as the detector that maximizes the probability of correct detection at any specified false alarm probability by deriving the exact statistics for |Y|p (where Y is a Gaussian random variable and p is a positive real number) for the following two cases: (i) sample size L = 1 but for arbitrary real p > 0; (ii) arbitrary L but for p = 1, 2 or 4. This observation is in stark contrast to all earlier studies on the “improved” energy detector (that replaces the squaring operation of the signal amplitude in the classical energy detector with an arbitrary positive power p operation). Our analytical results are in excellent agreement with those obtained via Monte-Carlo simulations, and also highlight the inaccuracies with the Gamma density approximation for |Y| p employed by Chen [2]. Although different choices of p and L will yield distinct receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves, the optimum p remains 2 (i.e., no gain over the classical energy detector) regardless of the values of the signal-to-noise ratio and/or the sample size L.
Algorithm to find high density EEG scalp coordinates and analysis of their correspondence to structural and functional regions of the brain.

Abstract Background Interpretation and analysis of electroencephalography (EEG) measurements relies on the correspondence of electrode scalp coordinates to structural and functional regions of the brain. New method An algorithm is introduced for automatic calculation of the International 10-20, 10-10, and 10-5 scalp coordinates of EEG electrodes on a boundary element mesh of a human head. The EEG electrode positions are then used to generate parcellation regions of the cerebral cortex based on proximity to the EEG electrodes. Results The scalp electrode calculation method presented in this study effectively and efficiently identifies EEG locations without prior digitization of coordinates. The average of electrode proximity parcellations of the cortex were tabulated with respect to structural and functional regions of the brain in a population of 20 adult subjects. Comparison with existing methods Parcellations based on electrode proximity and EEG sensitivity were compared. The parcellation regions based on sensitivity and proximity were found to have 44.0 ± 11.3% agreement when demarcated by the International 10-20, 32.4 ± 12.6% by the 10-10, and 24.7 ± 16.3% by the 10-5 electrode positioning system. Conclusions The EEG positioning algorithm is a fast and easy method of locating EEG scalp coordinates without the need for digitized electrode positions. The parcellation method presented summarizes the EEG scalp locations with respect to brain regions without computation of a full EEG forward model solution. The reference table of electrode proximity versus cortical regions may be used by experimenters to select electrodes that correspond to anatomical and functional regions of interest.
PC_Eyewitness: A computerized framework for the administration and practical application of research in eyewitness psychology

Eyewitness identification evidence is an important aspect of our legal system. Society relies on witnesses to identify suspects whom they have observed during the commission of a crime. Because a witness has only a mental representation of the individual he or she observed, law enforcement must rely on verbal descriptions and identification procedures to document eyewitness evidence. The present article introduces and details a computer program, referred to as PC_Eyewitness (PCE), which can be used in laboratories to conduct research on eyewitness memory. PCE is a modular program written in Visual Basic 6.0 that allows a researcher to present stimuli to a participant, to conduct distractor tasks, to elicit verbal descriptors regarding a target individual, and to present a lineup for the participant to provide an identification response. To illustrate the versatility of the program, several classic studies in the eyewitness literature are recreated in the context of PCE. The program is also shown to have applications in the conduct of field research and for use by law enforcement to administer lineups in everyday practice. PCE is distributed at no cost.
Coping with marital separation: Smoothing the transition for parents and children

Divorce is a stressful multistage process that can have long-lasting negative outcomes for parents and children. Pediatric nurse practitioners are often the first health care professionals to be informed of family transitions. Therefore they must be knowledgeable of the impact of divorce on parents and children to implement appropriate interventions to enhance coping outcomes in this population. This article discusses the effects of divorce on parents and children and identifies intervention strategies that can be used by nurse practitioners when dealing with separated families. Description of the COPE Program, an intervention program recently implemented with parents and young children experiencing marital separation, is also highlighted.
TALONAVICULAR ARTHRODESIS FOR THE PAINFUL ADULT ACQUIRED FLATFOOT

Twenty-seven consecutive patients with posterior tibial tendon insufficiency were treated with talonavicular arthrodesis as the primary stabilizing procedure. Twenty-six patients were followed a minimum of 12 and an average of 27 months. Twenty-four patients had either no pain or pain only after heavy usage. Eleven patients were completely satisfied with postoperative foot function, 13 were satisfied, with minor reservations, and 2 were satisfied, with major reservations. Results were rated as excellent in 10 patients, good in 14 patients, and fair in 2 patients. Successful arthrodesis was achieved in all patients, although one patient required two additional bone grafts. Progressive arthrosis in adjacent joints was noted in five patients, four of whom had arthrosis preoperatively. No deterioration of foot position was seen in any patient with follow-up as long as 5 years. An isolated talonavicular arthrodesis seems to offer patients with this disorder both reliable pain improvement and lasting stability.
A Low-Cost Portable Electromagnetic Blood-Flow Meter System Utilizing Commercially Available Devices

By taking advantage of readily available industrial devices, used in conjunction with a simple auxiliary circuit, an efficient inexpensive blood-flow measuring system can be obtained. As a further advantage, the preamplifier and demodulator-recorder may be detached and used for other purposes. Flow recordings obtained with this system appear to equal or better recordings obtained with commercial integrated electromagnetic blood-flow measuring systems in regard to both frequency response and noise level. The system also exhibits high reliability and ease of operation as well as portability.
Use of rigid endoscopy to evaluate vaginal haemorrhage in a rat

ENDOSCOPY provides a minimally invasive method for diagnostic sampling (eg, for biopsy, cytology or cultures) and visual examination of internal structures. This diagnostic modality is especially advantageous in small exotic mammals, such as rats, where disease may progress with few to no observable clinical signs. Endoscopic techniques of the urogenital tract in small exotic mammals are uncommonly described, and there are no descriptions of normal or abnormal urogenital findings in the rat in the referred literature. Regardless, the use of appropriate endoscopic equipment and knowledge of the anatomical differences between small exotic mammal species are imperative before endoscopic examination of the urogenital tract. A 16-month-old sexually intact non-breeding female brown fancy rat ( Rattus norvegicus ) weighing 355 g presented for an elective ovariohysterectomy as well as for evaluation of a mammary mass noted 10 days before presentation. The rat had no history of previous medical problems and the owner noted no other abnormalities. At presentation, the rat was bright and alert with a normal heart and respiratory rate. A firm, round, subcutaneous mass measuring 2 cm × 2 cm × 1.3 cm was located in the left inguinal region associated with the mammary gland. No other abnormalities were detected on physical examination. A benign mammary fibroadenoma was suspected since most mammary tumours of rats are benign (Bennett and Mullen 2004). Excisional biopsy of the mass was recommended in combination with the elective ovariohysterectomy. Under general anaesthesia in dorsal recumbency, mild to moderate haemorrhage was observed from the vaginal orifice immediately after making a 2 cm ventral midline skin incision. Surgery was aborted and the skin incision closed routinely (Bennett …
Implant system for guiding a new layer of bone. Computed microtomography and histomorphometric analysis in the rabbit mandible.

Objective: To prove the concept that an implant system with osteoconductive surface characteristics and an osteoinductive scaffold material has the capacity to guide vertical supracrestal bone growth in a rabbit mandible onlay model. Material and methods: Thirteen adult white New Zealand rabbits each received custom-designed dental implants. All implants had sandblasted, acid-etched (SLA™) surfaces, with the coronal aspect (3 mm) of each implant was left outside the lateral aspect of posterior mandibular bone, but covered by periosteum, muscle, subcutaneous tissue, and skin. Bone formation around implants placed adjacent to osteoinductive demineralized bone matrix (DBM) scaffolds were compared with contralateral implants without scaffolds in six rabbits using micro-CT imaging. Bone formation around implants with scaffolds from seven additional rabbits was measured using both micro-CT imaging and quantitative histology. Results: At 8 weeks, new supracrestal bone was seen adjacent to all implants placed with DBM and two implants without DBM. The mean supracrestal bone heights achieved for implants with and without DBM scaffolds as measured by micro-CT was 2.1±0.9 and 0.8±0.9 mm, respectively (P=0.008). Histomorphometric analysis illustrated that supracrestal bone-to-implant contact for implants with DBM scaffolds was 58.1±14% and that mean supracrestal bone height was 2.4±0.6 mm. Conclusions: Successful implant-guided supracrestal osteogenesis has been demonstrated in a rabbit model with the combined use of osteoconductive implant surfaces, an osteoinductive scaffold, and a device that prevents soft tissue downgrowth and provides scaffold stabilization.
Maternal and fetal outcomes of pancreatitis in pregnancy

Objective This study examined maternal and neonatal outcomes that are associated with pancreatitis in pregnancy, in particular preeclampsia. Study Design We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all singleton nonanomalous pregnancies in California from 2005-2008 with an identification of all cases of pancreatitis. Outcomes of interest included preeclampsia, intrauterine fetal death, preterm delivery, and neonatal or infant death. Univariate and multivariable analyses were then conducted to examine the association of pancreatitis in pregnancy and maternal characteristics and fetal outcomes. Results Our cohort of 2,039,870 pregnant women included 342 women (0.017%) with pancreatitis. Pancreatitis in pregnancy was not associated significantly with neonatal or infant death. When assessing fetal outcomes, pancreatitis was associated with preterm delivery, small for gestational age, jaundice, respiratory distress syndrome, and intrauterine fetal death ( P P Conclusion We found that pancreatitis in pregnancy was associated with several adverse maternal outcomes; in particular, a strong association existed with preeclampsia, which has its own implications and complications surrounding pregnancy management. Pancreatitis in pregnancy was also associated with increased risk for preterm delivery but not neonatal or infant death, which is consistent with the literature.
Molecular Detection of Noninvasive and Invasive Bladder Tumor Tissues and Exfoliated Cells by Aberrant Promoter Methylation of Laminin-5 Encoding Genes

Laminin-5 (LN5) anchors epithelial cells to the underlying basement membrane, and it is encoded by three distinct genes: LAMA3, LAMB3, and LAMC2. To metastasize and grow, cancer cells must invade and destroy the basement membrane. Our previous work has shown that epigenetic inactivation is a major mechanism of silencing LN5 genes in lung cancers. We extended our methylation studies to resected bladder tumors (n = 128) and exfoliated cell samples (bladder washes and voided urine; n = 71) and correlated the data with clinicopathologic findings. Nonmalignant urothelium had uniform expression of LN5 genes and lacked methylation. The methylation frequencies for LN5 genes in tumors were 21-45%, and there was excellent concordance between methylation in tumors and corresponding exfoliated cells. Methylation of LAMA3 and LAMB3 and the methylation index were correlated significantly with several parameters of poor prognosis (tumor grade, growth pattern, muscle invasion, tumor stage, and ploidy pattern), whereas methylation of LAMC2 and methylation index were associated with shortened patient survival. Of particular interest, methylation frequencies of LAMA3 helped to distinguish invasive (72%) from noninvasive (12%) tumors. These results suggest that methylation of LN5 genes has potential clinical applications in bladder cancers.
Finding stale‐value errors in concurrent programs

Concurrent programs can suffer from many types of errors, not just the well-studied problems of deadlocks and simple race conditions on variables. This paper addresses a kind of race condition that arises from reading a variable whose value is possibly out of date. The paper introduces a simple technique for detecting such stale values, and reports on the encouraging experience with a compile-time checker that uses the technique. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pentosan polysulfate (Elmiron): in vitro effects on prostate cancer cells regarding cell growth and vascular endothelial growth factor production.

Abstract Background Elmiron (ALZA Corp, Mountain View, CA) is the only Food and Drug Administration–approved oral therapy for interstitial cystitis. We hypothesized that Elmiron would affect the growth of prostate cancer in vitro. Methods Prostate cancer cell lines (LnCaP, PC3, and DU145) were treated with Elmiron. Cell viability was measured by MTT (3-4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide), whereas vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was measured by a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Inhibition of cell growth was observed in all cell lines tested. LnCaP exhibited a mean inhibition of 12% ± 7% at 24 hours ( P = .025) and 20% ± 15% at 72 hours ( P P P P P P Conclusions The reductions in cell growth and VEGF indicate that Elmiron may act as an antiangiogenic agent and may have application in the treatment of prostate cancer.
Direct Gravimetric Determination of Aluminum with 8‐Hydroxyquinoline

Aluminum is determined by precipitating it with 8-hydroxyquinoline in an ammoniacal solution containing tartrate, cyanide, and hydrogen peroxide. The method makes possible the direct precipitation of aluminum in the presence of all the substances normally found in the “mixed oxides” commonly called R2O3. The procedure has been successfully applied to synthetic samples containing iron and titanium and to National Bureau of Standards samples of clay, bauxite, and a fired refractory. The precision of the proposed procedure is about 0.5 part per 1000 and the accuracy is about 0.08%.
Design of Optimal, Reliable Plume Capture Schemes: Application to the Gloucester Landfill Ground-Water Contamination Problem

A ground-water quality management model is applied to the Gloucester Landfill site, located near Ottawa, Canada, to examine the effectiveness of various single-well pumping schemes for the capture of dissolved contaminants. Deterministic and stochastic design analyses are conducted through ground-water solute transport modeling of the site. The purpose of the modeling analysis is to develop contaminant capture designs that both require minimum pumping rates and possess high probabilities of success. Optimization based upon deterministic simulation indicates that a well located at the front of the plume would effect plume capture and require the lowest pumping rate. However, a smaller total volume of water could be pumped and still effect plume capture if the well were located at the center of the plume and pumped at a higher rate for a shorter time. Stochastic optimization analyses are used to overdesign the pumping rates so that possible design error is overcome. The analyses indicate that design reliability may be increased from 50 to 90 percent by pumping an additional 18 percent at the front or 27 percent at the center of the plume. These pumping overdesign factors are the first such values calculated using the stochastic optimization approach applied to a field site.
A timing-constrained algorithm for simultaneous global routing of multiple nets

In this paper, we propose a new approach for VLSI interconnect global routing that can optimize both congestion and delay, which are often competing objectives. Our approach provides a general framework that may use any single-net routing algorithm and any delay model in global routing. It is based on the observation that there are several routing topology flexibilities under timing constraints. These flexibilities are exploited for congestion reduction through a network flow based hierarchical bisection and assignment process. Experimental results on benchmark circuits are quite promising.
Comparative evaluation of inertial forces generated by ultrasonic lithotriptors

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy has become the standard of care for large renal calculi requiring surgical removal. Ultrasonic intracorporeal lithotriptors are used to fragment and evacuate the calculi. Numerous commercially available systems exist. While previous study has demonstrated differing performance characteristics of the various systems, a standardized testing modality does not exist. 1-6 In addition, ultrasonic lithotriptor efficiency is thought to deteriorate over time, but an objective measurement technique has not been reported. Rather, subjective performance of the ultrasound during surgical procedures is used to gauge the effectiveness of the instrument. In this study we test the performance of two commercially available ultrasonic lithotriptors, the Lithoclast Select (Boston Scientific, Natick, MA) and Cyberwand (Gyrus ACMI, Southborough, MA). The Lithoclast Select combines pneumatic and ultrasonic lithotripsy in one handpiece but only the ultrasonic component was evaluated in this study. The Cyberwand combines two concentric ultrasound probes into a single handpiece. Several recent studies have shown the clinical effectiveness of the Lithoclast Ultra for PCNL. 1-5 The Cyberwand has been shown during in vitro testing to be an efficient lithotrite. 6 G-force is the measurement of as objects acceleration relative to free-fall and is measured by the unit g. One g is equal to the standard of gravity which is 9.806 m/s2. In this study we measured the g-forces generated by the ultrasonic lithotriptors to determine if there was a difference in the forces generated by the devices.
Modeling Repeatable Events Using Discrete-Time Data: Predicting Marital Dissolution.

I join two methodologies by illustrating the application of multilevel modeling principles to hazard-rate models with an emphasis on procedures for discrete-time data that contain repeatable events. I demonstrate this application using data taken from the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) to ascertain the relationship between multiple covariates and risk of subsequent marital dissolution. I consider both fixed- and random-effects versions of the multilevel model, as well as a Generalized Estimating Equation alternative to estimating random effects. I compare results obtained from the various estimators, noting why differences occur, and recommend when to choose the various alternatives. I also provide a set of SAS and STATA programs that can be used to analyze the NSFG data.
Precise overgrowth composition during biomineral culture and inorganic precipitation

We introduce a method to analyze element ratios and isotope ratios in mineral overgrowths. This general technique can quantify environmental controls on proxy behavior for a range of cultured biominerals and can also measure compositional effects during seeded mineral growth. Using a media enriched in multiple stable isotopes, the method requires neither the mass nor the composition of the initial seed or skeleton to be known and involves only bulk isotope measurements. By harnessing the stability and sensitivity of bulk analysis the new approach promises high precision measurements for a range of elements and isotopes. This list includes trace species and select non-traditional stable isotopes, systems where sensitivity and external reproducibility currently limit alternative approaches like secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and laser ablation mass spectrometry. Since the method separates isotopically labeled growth from unlabeled material, well-choreographed spikes can resolve the compositional effects of different events through time. Among other applications, this feature could be used to separate the impact of day and night on biomineral composition in organisms with photosymbionts.
Crow Dog's Case: American Indian Sovereignty, Tribal Law, and United States Law in the Nineteenth Century

Preface 1. Quantum physics 2. Which way are the photons pointing? 3. What can be hidden in a pair of photons? 4. Wonderful Copenhagen? 5. Is it all in the mind? 6. Many worlds 7. Is it a matter of size? 8. Backwards and forwards 9. Only one way forward? 10. Illusion or reality? Further reading Index.
Identifying part-of-speech patterns for automatic tagging

Some part-of-speech tagging errors are very damaging to the ability to further process the text. For systems that use part-of-speech tagging as a prelude to parsing and knowledge extraction, it is imperative to have the cleanest possible tagging. A state-of-the-art rule-based tagger has an error rate of approximately 39% when annotating main verbs that have not been previously seen. We apply neural networks to this real-world problem of identifying part-of-speech patterns that indicate a main verb so as to correct the output of the rule-based tagger.
Visuospatial processing and the right-hemisphere interpreter.

Popular views of hemispheric asymmetry hold that the left hemisphere is specialized for linguistic and cognitive processes and fine motor control, whereas the right is specialized for visuospatial processing. Although this dichotomy contains more than a grain of truth, it is an oversimplification. Experiments with split-brain patients have demonstrated that the left hemisphere retains relatively sophisticated visuospatial abilities, and that the asymmetries that favor the right hemisphere are subtler than those that favor the left. A consideration of the constructive nature of visual perception, and the organization of the visual system in the two hemispheres suggests that asymmetries are likely to arise relatively late in visual processing in areas that represent both sides of visual space. I present evidence in favor of the view that the right hemisphere can be considered more ‘‘visually intelligent’’ than the left, and postulate the existence of a ‘‘right-hemisphere interpreter’’ dedicated to constructing a representation of the visual world.
Proposal for Incorporating Public Transit Provisions into a State Highway Access Management Code

This paper describes how New Jersey Transit, a statewide public transit operator, participated in a project sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT) to revise New Jersey's State Highway Access Management Code (access code). The transit operator advocated including public transit requirements in a revised access code as a means of mitigating traffic impacts created by new developments and of improving mobility for transit riders. The paper discusses the problems that led to the transit agency's involvement in the process, conditions under which transit access should be considered, the transit operator's role in the review process, criteria, and suggested transit provisions. The following premises were posited as a rationale for incorporating public transportation requirements into a revised access code: public transportation can effectively be used to improve the efficiency of the state highway system by providing an alternative to single-occupant vehicles and a way to mitigate traffi...
Bandwidth allocation for layered multicasted video

Some type of transmission rate control protocol is required in order to support multicast video applications over the Internet. Previously, researchers have proposed two basic families of control protocols. The first, sender based rate-adaptation, focuses on the sender. The sender uses a single channel to transmit the video signal to all receivers, and the sender adjusts the transmission rate of this single channel based upon network or receiver feedback. The second protocol focuses on the receivers. The sender stripes the video signal across multiple multicast channels, and each receiver selectively adds and drops channels to meet their individual needs. We propose a new protocol Layered Multicast Control Protocol (LMCP), which melds the strengths of the two previous approaches. The sender stripes the video signal across multiple multicast channels, and each receiver selectively adds and drops channels to meet their individual needs. The receivers also send feedback to the sender, and the sender uses this feedback to adjust the transmission rate for each channel. We present and analyze three different algorithms the sender might use for computing the transmission rates for each channel. Our analytical and simulation results show that this protocol achieves essentially optimal bandwidth utilization at the receivers.
Expression of the urate transporter/channel is developmentally regulated in human kidneys.

First published August 15, 2001; 10.1152/ajprenal.00352. 2001.—Recombinant protein prepared from cDNA cloned from rat kidney and its human homolog function as urate transporter/channels in lipid bi...
Computer Simulation of the Elastic and Fracture Behavior of Sodium Chloride Crystal

Molecular statics calculations of mechanical properties have been carried out for NaCI using the Born–Mayer–Huggins pair potential and periodic boundary conditions. Three truncation techniques are utilized. For each, calculations have been performed as a function of the truncation distance. The stress–strain curve, the fracture strength, and the fracture strain are found to be much more sensitive to the truncation technique and to variations in the truncation distance than other properties such as the elastic constants, the cohesive energy, or the lattice parameter.
Fine root growth and mortality in different-aged ponderosa pine stands

Root minirhizotron tubes were installed at two sites around three different age classes of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.) to follow patterns of fine root (≤2 mm diameter) dynamics during a 4 year study. Both sites were old-growth forests until 1978, when one site was clear-cut and allowed to regenerate naturally. The other site had both intermediate-aged trees (50–60 years) and old-growth trees (>250 years old). Estimates of fine root standing crop were greatest around young trees and least around intermediate-aged trees. Root production was highly synchronized in all age classes, showing a single peak in late May – early June each year. Root production and mortality were proportional to standing root crop (biomass), suggesting that allocation to new root growth was proportional to root density regardless of tree age. The turnover index (mortality/maximum standing crop) varied from 0.62 to 0.89·year–1, indicating root life spans in excess of 1 year. It appears that young ponderosa pine s...
Psychogenomics: Opportunities for Understanding Addiction

The term psychogenomics is used here to describe the process of applying the powerful tools of genomics and proteomics to achieve a better understanding of the biological substrates of normal behavior and of diseases of the brain that manifest themselves as behavioral abnormalities. Applying psychogenomics to the study of drug addiction will lead to the identification of genes and their protein products that control the reward pathways of the brain and their adaptations to drugs of abuse, as well as variations in these genes that confer genetic risk for addiction and related disorders. The ultimate goal is to use this information to develop more effective treatments for these disorders as well as objective diagnostic tools, preventive measures, and eventually cures.