cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kafāla: The Qur’anic-Prophetic Model of Orphan Care

The article, Zainab Alwani’s “Kafāla: The Quranic-Prophetic Model of Orphan Care,” explores how Americans of all religions, or of no religion, can use the traditional Islamic foster care system (kafāla) to benefit orphaned or abandoned children. This is especially important for those children who happen to be Muslim, for there are not enough Muslim foster families to take all of them in. Through a linguistic and thematic analysis of kafāla in the Quran, including the prophetic narratives, legal and social recommendations, and the Qur’an’s humane portrayal of the orphans, Alwani illustrates the Islamic imperative to collectively support and take care of them. She further illustrates this imperative by exploring the way Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) implemented these concepts among his fellow Meccans. However, Alwani argues that Muslims needs to reacquaint themselves with the Islamic tradition’s provisions of orphan kafāla, among the most important of which is that such children can never become the “children” of biologically unrelated adults. As Islam requires people to recognize the truth in all cases, such a false relationship would deprive these children of their dignity and honor and, in a sense, render them the property of biologically unrelated adults who seek to gain some benefit from them. Thus, as distinct from the American adoption system, their ties with their biological family and extended family members cannot be severed. In fact, kafāla stipulates specific roles for each family member so that a fostered child will grow up healthy in all aspects of its life – especially in terms of his/her spirituality. In sum, this article argues that the goals of kafāla are to raise healthy, happy, and well-adjusted children who can succeed in society and benefit others. In doing so, she illustrates the parallel objectives of orphan sponsorship in Islamic law and American law, which is to secure the interests of all such children, irrespective of their religion. Alwani ends with specific policy and community recommendations, encouraging more American Muslim families to become qualified foster families. She encourages Muslims to raise orphans communally, fully welcome them into the community, and provide needed services (e.g., transportation, tutoring in academic and life skills, and socialization), thereby making things easier for everyone involved. She urges social workers, lawyers, and other qualified individuals and organizations to acquire an accurate understanding of both foster care systems so that these children can reap the benefits.
Estimated Incidence of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Illness and Hospitalization-United States, February-September 2020.

Background In the United States, laboratory-confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is nationally notifiable. However, reported case counts are recognized to be less than the true number of cases because detection and reporting are incomplete and can vary by disease severity, geography, and over time. Methods To estimate the cumulative incidence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections, symptomatic illnesses, and hospitalizations, we adapted a simple probabilistic multiplier model. Laboratory-confirmed case counts that were reported nationally were adjusted for sources of underdetection based on testing practices in inpatient and outpatient settings and assay sensitivity. Results We estimated that through the end of September, 1 of every 2.5 (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 2.0-3.1) hospitalized infections and 1 of every 7.1 (95% UI: 5.8-9.0) nonhospitalized illnesses may have been nationally reported. Applying these multipliers to reported SARS-CoV-2 cases along with data on the prevalence of asymptomatic infection from published systematic reviews, we estimate that 2.4 million hospitalizations, 44.8 million symptomatic illnesses, and 52.9 million total infections may have occurred in the US population from 27 February-30 September 2020. Conclusions These preliminary estimates help demonstrate the societal and healthcare burdens of the COVID-19 pandemic and can help inform resource allocation and mitigation planning.
Compounded Social Vulnerability: Parole Supervision and Disasters

We use an exploratory case study method and documentary analysis to review parole policies in Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. We find that parole policies in each state fail to address how parolees ...
A mRNA-LNP vaccine against Dengue Virus elicits robust, serotype-specific immunity

ABSTRACT Dengue virus (DENV) is the most common vector-borne viral disease with nearly 400 million worldwide infections each year concentrated in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Severe dengue complications are often associated with a secondary heterotypic infection of one of the four circulating serotypes. In this scenario, humoral immune responses targeting cross-reactive, poorly-neutralizing epitopes can lead to increased infectivity of susceptible cells via antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE). In this way, antibodies produced in response to infection or vaccination are capable of contributing to enhanced disease in subsequent infections. Currently, there are no available therapeutics to combat DENV disease, and there is an urgent need for a safe and efficacious vaccine. Here, we developed a nucleotide-modified mRNA vaccine encoding for the membrane and envelope structural proteins from DENV serotype 1 encapsulated into lipid nanoparticles (prM/E mRNA-LNP). Vaccination of mice elicited robust antiviral immune responses comparable to viral infection with high levels of neutralizing antibody titers and antiviral CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Immunocompromised AG129 mice vaccinated with the prM/E mRNA-LNP vaccine were protected from a lethal DENV challenge. Vaccination with either a wild-type vaccine, or a vaccine with mutations in the immunodominant fusion-loop epitope, elicited equivalent humoral and cell mediated immune responses. Neutralizing antibodies elicited by the vaccine were sufficient to protect against a lethal challenge. Both vaccine constructs demonstrated serotype specific immunity with minimal serum cross-reactivity and reduced ADE compared to a live DENV1 viral infection. IMPORTANCE With 400 million worldwide infections each year, dengue is the most common vector-born viral disease. 40% of the world’s population is at risk with dengue experiencing consistent geographic spread over the years. With no therapeutics available and vaccines performing sub optimally, the need for an effective dengue vaccine is urgent. Here we develop and characterize a novel mRNA vaccine encoding for the dengue serotype 1 envelope and premembrane structural proteins that is delivered via a lipid nanoparticle. Our DENV1 prM/E mRNA-LNP vaccine induces neutralizing antibody and cellular immune responses in immunocompetent mice and protects an immunocompromised mouse from a lethal DENV challenge. Existing antibodies against dengue can enhance subsequent infections via antibody-dependent enhancement. Importantly our vaccine only induced serotype specific immune responses and did not induce ADE.
Optimal Energy Conserving Local Discontinuous Galerkin Methods for Elastodynamics: Semi and Fully Discrete Error Analysis

We present an arbitrary high-order local discontinuous Galerkin (LDG) method with alternating fluxes for solving linear elastodynamics problems in isotropic media. Both the semi-discrete analysis and fully discrete analysis for a leap-frog LDG method are given to show that the proposed method simultaneously enjoys the energy conserving property and optimal convergence rates in both the displacement and stress, when the tensor product polynomials of the degree k are used on Cartesian meshes. Numerical experiments demonstrate that the proposed method has several advantages including the exact energy conservation, slow-growing errors in long time simulation, and subtle dependence on the first Lame parameter $$\lambda $$ .
Mapping humanity: how modern genetics is changing criminal justice, personalized medicine, and our identities: by Joshua Z. Rappoport, Dallas, BenBella Books Inc., 2020, 300 pp., $USD 17.95, ISBN 978-1-950665-08-2

Modern genomics have had numerous breakthroughs and progressions of their technologies being able to directly edit human DNA (Stein 2020), quantify inherited cancer risk via clinical genetic testin...
Epigenetic Predictors of Mortality and Neighborhood Disadvantage

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Neighborhood characteristics are strongly associated with mortality even in geographically restricted urban areas, i.e. within a single city. Accelerated epigenetic aging and mo...
Digital health literacy among Greek students during COVID-19 pandemic

Background Misinformation especially provided through internet is a serious public health threat, and during the COVID-19 pandemic this problem has even amplified, which became known as an information epidemic, a.k.a. infodemic. This is a common problem also in university students who access their information about health via Internet and social media. Digital health literacy (DHL) is an important skill to handle online information and make judgments about their quality and reliability. This study is part of the global COVID-HL survey, aiming at assessing DHL in university and their COVID-19 related health and information needs. Methods After receiving ethical approval, data was collected through an online questionnaire among students from one of the largest Universities in Greece. Descriptive statistics as well as bi- and multivariate analyses were conducted using SPSS. Results 604 university students (mean age 24.3, 73.3% females) completed the survey. 28% indicated that they found it very difficult/ difficult to find the exact information they were looking for, 20.4% to make a choice across all information accessed, and 45.1% stated it is very difficult/ difficult to decide whether the information was reliable or not. According to the descriptive analysis, 25.6% of the students found it very difficult/ difficult to apply the information in their daily life, 23.7% to decide if the information they found is applicable to them and 16.3% to use the information they found to make decisions about their health. Greater satisfaction from information about COVID-19 was significantly associated with greater probability of having sufficient skills in “information search”, “evaluating reliability” and in “determining relevance”. Conclusions The results of the study indicate that there is a need to strengthen DHL among university students and develop skills for seeking information on the Internet through health education interventions.
One Hundred Years of the Pathology Medical Student Fellowship.

Context.— The Pathology Medical Student Fellowship (PSF) is a unique, year-long immersive educational experience. Review of institutional archives describes a medical student "Fellowship in Pathology" founded in 1919. Objective.— To characterize the impacts of this 100-year-old program. Design.— We determined subsequent medical specialty of each PSF graduate in our department and surveyed those with available contact information. Results.— Of 145 pathology student fellows graduating between 1924 and 2020, a total of 50 (34.4%) matched into pathology; medical, surgical, and radiology subspecialties were also well-represented career choices. Between 2001 and 2020, of 36 students who matched into pathology from our institution, 19 (52.8%) had completed the fellowship. Survey respondents (n = 42) indicated that before the PSF, 11 of 42 students (26.2 %) were undecided in specialty, with only 6 (14.3%) identifying pathology as their primary field of interest. Of survey respondents who had completed training, 26 (61.9%) practice in academic settings. Nonpathology physicians reported frequent utilization of skills gained during the PSF year, with 5 of 23 (21.7%) responding "daily," and 9 (39.1%) responding "weekly." The most useful skills included knowledge of pathophysiology of disease and anatomy, improved communication with multidisciplinary teams, and/or interpretation of pathology results (each selected by 17 to 20 students, 73.9%-87.0%). Free-text responses on impacts of the PSF described enhanced knowledge of disease pathobiology and diagnostic complexity and increased confidence and autonomy. Conclusions.— We describe the program structure, educational benefits, graduate specialty choices, and career impacts of 100 years of the PSF at our institution. Although undecided before pathology exposure, many PSF graduates subsequently enter pathology careers. Regardless of specialty choice, PSF graduates have a high rate of subsequently pursuing academic medical careers.
A Search for Stars of Very Low Metal Abundance. IV. uvbyCa Observations of Metal-weak Candidates from the Northern HK Survey

CCD photometry on the uvbyCa system has been obtained for 521 candidate metal-poor stars from the northern hemisphere HK survey of Beers and colleagues. Reddening corrections, classifications of stars by luminosity class, and the derivation of metal abundances based on Stromgren indices m1 and hk are described and presented, along with preliminary spectroscopic estimates of abundance. A number of extremely metal-poor stars with [Fe/H] ≤ -2.50 are identified.
The effects of an intrauterine device and ovarian status on the disappearance and breakage of sperm cells in rabbit uteri

Abstract Plastic spiral intrauterine devices were inserted into one uterine horn of follicular phase rabbits. A month later, uterine horns were ligated at each end and inseminated with fresh semen. From I to 8 hours later, the horns were flushed and intact sperm and tailless sperm heads were counted. The presence of an intrauterine device (IUD) greatly increased both the disappearance of sperm cells and the disconnection of sperm cell heads and mid-pieces. Removing the IUD and washing accumulated cellular debris out of the uterine lumen before insemination did not reduce sperm disappearance, but excising the uterus before insemination greatly reduced sperm disappearance. The IUD-intensified sperm loss was thus caused by an altered response to the semen and not to spermicidal factors already present in the uterine lumen. Among follicular phase, ovariectomized, and pseudopregnant rabbits, sperm cell breakage was most intense in follicular phase animals, and sperm disappearance was delayed in pseudopregnant animals. An IUD increased sperm cell breakage in rabbits of each ovarian state.
OBSERVATIONS ON THE SOURCE OF ACID IN EMPOLDERED MANGROVE SOILS

An attempt is made to explain the oxidation characteristics of soil polysulphides on the basis of the physical properties of particles of uniform chemical composition. An equation is derived to describe the oxidation of a single spherical pyrite particle. Some evidence is brought to suggest that the equation can be used to explain the observed rates of oxidation of soil polysulphides and their apparent stability under certain conditions.
Coronary Artery Calcification and Myocardial Perfusion in Asymptomatic Adults: The MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis)

The identification of subclinical coronary heart disease (CHD) before the occurrence of critical events is important for prevention. Use of multiple risk factors to assess CHD risk has limited predictive value in a given individual. Further noninvasive methods, such as coronary artery calcium scanning, have been developed to detect subclinical atherosclerosis. Both pathological (1–3) and angiographic (4–6) data have documented that the coronary calcium burden closely correlates with the extent and severity of total coronary atherosclerosis. Impairment of coronary vascular reactivity caused by atherosclerosis can be detected using noninvasive imaging of myocardial blood flow (MBF) and MBF response to vasoactive stimuli. Myocardial perfusion imaging during exercise or vasodilator-induced vasodilation was found to be valuable for predicting future coronary events, even in patients known to be at relatively low risk (7). Current knowledge about coronary artery calcification (CAC), a structural marker, and myocardial perfusion, a functional parameter, suggest that they could be complementary tests, whose relation may nevertheless vary by age, gender, risk profile, and clinical history of CHD. In clinical settings, the prevalence of stress-induced ischemia has been seen to increase with CAC burden among patients suspected to have CHD (8,9). Vasoreactivity may be impaired early in the coronary atherosclerosis process, even in the absence of clinical CHD and ischemic symptoms (10–12). Whether an association between myocardial perfusion and CAC exists in the general population of asymptomatic subjects remains largely unknown. Furthermore, the relationship between MBF and CAC among free-living individuals without symptoms or history of CHD, if any, may differ in younger versus older people and in men versus women. To address these questions, this study assessed the cross-sectional relationship between CAC and MBF at rest and during hyperemia, in middle-age and older asymptomatic adults who participated in a large population-based study. We hypothesized that vasodilator-induced MBF response was inversely associated with CAC.
Transforming a presentation to a publication: Tips for nurse practitioners

Purpose Nurse practitioners (NPs) routinely make presentations at regional, national, and international conferences. However, compared to other health professionals, fewer of the presentations are followed by manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals. For more than 20 years, the Abstract to Publication rate has been a marker of conference quality and a trail of new knowledge development and dissemination. The purpose of this manuscript is to provide NPs with an approach for converting a presentation to a full manuscript. Data sources Editorials, journal articles, style guides. Conclusions The overlap between a podium or poster presentation and a fully developed manuscript is quite significant; the difference is in the style of presentation. Implications for practice While scholarly writing may be somewhat daunting at first, resources are available to help any NP publish following a presentation. With sufficient planning, NPs can increase their Abstract to Publication rate.
Case Report: Myositis Ossificans Circumscripta: A Complication of Tetanus

Myositis ossificans developed in a 67-year-old man recovering from tetanus. This rare complication develops in the convalescent phase of tetanus through metaplastic changes in undifferentiated connective tissue cells in areas of myocellular injury. Anoxia, hematoma formation, and immobilization may be contributing factors. Permanent loss of joint motion may be the end result of this ossifying process.
Structure of high density fibrin networks probed with neutron scattering and rheology

The structural and mechanical properties of coarse fibrin networks formed in D2O solutions are investigated over a wide range of concentrations (1–40 mg mL−1). For the first time, this range includes concentrations that are relevant to those found in in vivo blood clots. Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and ultra small angle neutron scattering (USANS) are used to seamlessly characterize the structure over length scales ranging from 1 nm to several micrometres. Using invariant and Guinier analyses the internal volume fraction of protein within the fiber and their bulk average radius are determined directly. The network properties of fibrin clots are also characterized using a model for fractal structures. The network scale features are shown to be highly dependent on the initial fibrinogen concentration while the average fiber radius is only weakly dependent on this parameter. These results demonstrate the usefulness of combining SANS and USANS as characterization tools for complex biopolymer systems such as fibrin. The linear viscoelastic modulus of fibrin gels is related to the concentration by a power law equation that is valid over the entire range. In contrast, the non-linear rheology of dense networks is altered from the monotonic strain hardening response that is found at lower concentrations. This demonstrates the need for thorough characterization of fibrin at concentrations relevant to those of thrombi formed in vivo.
Stark effect on 39K hyperfine structure

Abstract The Stark shift of the ground state hyperfine transition frequency in 39K has been measured. The result is δv = -(7.60 ± 0.76) × 10-8E2 cps, with E in V/cm. This result is in good agreement with a perturbation calculation.
MHD simulations of Io's interaction with the plasma torus

We compare results from magnetohydrodynamic computations of Io's interaction with the plasma torus with observations from the Galileo flyby. Both conducting and intrinsically magnetized models of In are considered. Both models can reproduce many observed features of the interaction, including a high plasma density, a low plasma temperature, and a significant depression in magnetic field magnitude in Io's wake. The high plasma density in the wake is produced by ion pickup and concomitant slowing of the flow and is not of ionospheric origin. The models also show important quantitative differences with the data. In particular, neither model reproduces large-scale structure on the flanks of the geometric wake. Neither model can be ruled out at the present time, but intrinsically magnetized models most easily match the magnitude of the maximum observed magnetic field depression in the wake. Comparison of results with future Galileo flybys past Io (planned for 1999) may help to clarify whether Io is magnetized.
Racial differences in diabetic nephropathy, cardiovascular disease, and mortality in a national population of veterans.

OBJECTIVE —To determine racial differences in the prevalence of diabetic nephropathy, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and risk of mortality in a national health care system. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS —A longitudinal cohort study was conducted in 429,918 veterans with diabetes. Racial minority groups were analyzed for baseline differences in prevalence of early diabetic nephropathy, diabetic end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and CVD, and longitudinal risk of mortality compared with Caucasians. RESULTS —The 429,918 patients identified with diabetes were of the following racial groups: Caucasian (56.2%), African American (15.3%), Asian (0.5%), Native American (0.4%), and unknown race (21.4%). Minority individuals were, on average, younger and less likely to have CVD but were more likely to have renal disease than Caucasians. After adjustment for age, sex, and economic status, African Americans (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.3, 95% CI 1.2–1.4) and Native Americans (1.5, 1.1–2.1) were more likely to have early diabetic nephropathy than Caucasians. Diabetic ESRD was more likely to be present in African Americans (1.9, 1.9–2.0), Hispanics (1.4, 1.3–1.4), Asians (1.8, 1.5–2.1), and Native Americans (1.9, 1.5–2.3) than Caucasians. Concurrently, the adjusted OR of CVD in racial minority groups was 27–49% less than in Caucasians, whereas the 18-month risk of mortality among people from most racial minority groups was 7–12% lower than in Caucasians. CONCLUSIONS —We conclude that when access to care is comparable, microvascular complications, macrovascular disease, and subsequent death occur with different frequencies among various racial groups.
The effect of adjuvant perfusion techniques on the incidence of paraplegia after repair of traumatic thoracic aortic transections.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the effect of adjuvant perfusion techniques of the distal aorta on the outcome of traumatic thoracic aortic transections. PATIENTS AND METHODS From 1973 to 2004, 72 patients (mean age, 39 years) with thoracic aortic transections arrived alive at the emergency department. Nineteen patients arrived in extremis and underwent emergency operations, 42 patients were stable and underwent diagnostic evaluation before surgery (4 patients experienced aortic rupture during evaluation), and 11 patients presented more than 24 hours after the accident. Sixteen patients died before aortic repair could be performed. Operative repair was possible in 53 patients (46 stable and 7 in extremis). Interposition graft was performed in 47 patients, and primary repair was performed in 6 patients. Morbidity, mortality, and paraplegia rate were analyzed. RESULTS Patients in extremis had a mortality rate of 84% (16 of 19), stable patients had a mortality rate of 11% (4 of 38), patients who experienced rupture during evaluation had a mortality rate of 100% (4 of 4), and patients who underwent delayed operation had a mortality rate of 0% (0 of 11). The paraplegia rate with and without adjuvant distal aortic perfusion techniques was 2% (1 of 41 patients) and 33% (4 of 12 patients), respectively ( P =.007). Mortality and paraplegia rates were 4% and 4% for partial bypass (n=24), 42% and 33% for the clamp and sew technique (n=12), 0% and 0% for Gott shunt (n=10), and 29% and 0% for full cardiopulmonary bypass (n=7), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Although thoracic aortic transections remain a highly lethal injury, hemodynamically stable patients have a low operative mortality. Spinal cord injury is decreased by the use of adjuvant perfusion techniques that maintain distal aortic perfusion during cross-clamping of the aorta.
Diodorus' “Master” argument: A semantic interpretation

La premisse de l'argument "dominateur" de Diodore Chronos ("Toute proposition vraie portant sur le passe est necessaire") est susceptible de plusieurs interpretations (par exemple: "Toute proposition eternellement vraie est necessaire" ou: "Toute proposition au passe est necessaire"). L'A. propose l'interpretation: "Les propositions vraies (au passe) sont necessaires", qui permet de reconstruire l'argument dans le cadre d'une conception temporelle des modalites alethiques, proche de celle des modernes.
MOBILE: a MOBile instructional laboratory environment for hands-on information technology education

We present MOBILE, a software system providing ad-hoc and hands-on learning environments for information technology education. Using MOBILE, instructors can hold workshops on any available computers, even in restricted lab settings or using participant computers. Features supported by this software include the ability to build and configure a workshop session on any desired information technology topic, creation and management of that session on top of any existing network, distribution and configuration of additional operating systems and applications, and the inclusion of auxiliary content relevant to the session. In this discussion paper, we describe the MOBILE infrastructure and explore an actual workflow for an instructor using it to teach a workshop on computer security. We have successfully piloted the system to conduct four highly-rated workshops at technology education conferences.
A head-to-head comparison of risperidone and divalproex for treatment of pediatric bipolar disorder.

There are distressingly few well-controlled clinical trials of psychopharmacologic interventions for childhood psychiatric disorders. Pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD), while the subject of some nosologic controversy [1], is in its “pure” form a devastating relapsing/remitting disorder that can be very difficult to treat. This National Institutes of Health–supported trial (medication and placebo capsules supplied without cost by the respective manufacturers of risperidone and divalproex) is a welcome addition to the literature, as it compares two of the most commonly recommended medications for mania in PBD, neither of which has a substantial evidence base supporting its use for that indication.
Antigenic Diversity of Methanogenic Bacteria from Intestinal Tracts of Animals

Summary The immunologic relationships of methanogens isolated from animal feces and rumen contents to currently accepted genera and species were investigated. A comprehensive panel of calibrated polyclonal antibody probes for 29 reference organisms of almost all genera was used to determine the antigenic fingerprints of the isolates. A comparative analysis of the antigenic fingerprints showed distinctive features for isolates of different animals and, consequently, a considerable antigenic diversity, larger than that previously observed among human islates. The isolates from rumen contents were immunologically related to Metbanobrevibacter arboriphilus DC but were unrelated to Metbanobrevibacter ruminantium M1, whether or not the isolates required coenzyme M. Most isolates from Wistar rats and an isolate from goose feces reacted with probes for reference organisms classified as Metbanobrevibacter smithii, the predominant methanogen in human feces. Isolates from feces of sheep, cow, horse, and pig did not react with any of the probes currently available, indicating that the isolates are of immunotypes different from those of the reference organisms. Isolates from chicken and turkey feces were immunologically related to the genus Methanogenium as shown also by physiologic and cell-wall chemical studies, but were not closely related to the reference methanogens Methanogenium marisnigri JRlm or cariaci JRlc. Thus, the methanogens in chicken and turkey are of immunotypes different from those of the reference Methanogenium species isolated from marine environments.
Comparison of denitrification rate estimation techniques in a large, shallow lake

Abstract A comparison was made between various incubation techniques and a mass balance model for estimating annual denitrification rates in Lake Okeechobee, Florida, a large, shallow lake. Incubation techniques involving isolation of the sediment from nitrate and labile organic carbon sources tended to produce low rate estimates, while diagenetic models based on nitrate profiles tended to produce unrealistically high rate estimates. Each technique has inherent errors when used with frequently suspended sediments, but most incubation techniques were in general agreement with mass balance calculations. Denitrification rate estimates range from 0.5 to 1.3 g N m−2 yr−1, which represents 9–23% of the average annual nitrogen inputs to the lake.
Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy with splenic preservation

The technique of distal pancreatectomy has been well described, both with en bloc resection of the spleen and with splenic preservation. Splenic preservation during pancreatic tail resection is desirable when oncologically appropriate, yet it is technically challenging, particularly with laparoscopic approaches. Skeletonization of the splenic artery and vein is associated with longer operative times and greater potential for bleeding. The authors report their experience with splenic preservation during laparoscopic pancreatic resection using ligation of the splenic vessels and preservation of the short gastric vessels. A retrospective chart review was performed for all patients who underwent attempted laparoscopic pancreatic resection at Duke University Medical Center from July 2002 to October 2005. Charts were analyzed for demographic information, length of hospital stay, conversion, splenic preservation, and postoperative complications. A total of 12 laparoscopic distal pancreatic resections were attempted for three men and nine women with a mean age was 55.8 years (range, 33–74 years). All 12 patients underwent distal pancreatectomy, 8 with splenic preservation. The spleen was removed from three patients using splenic hilar lesions that prevented splenic salvage. One patient required splenectomy secondary to more than 50% ischemia of the spleen. No patients with preoperatively diagnosed malignancy underwent splenic salvage. The final pathologic diagnosis included neuroendocrine tumors (n = 2), cystic serous (n = 4) and mucinous (n = 2) neoplasms, intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) (n = 1), pancreatitis (n = 2), and adenocarcinoma (n = 1). Two patients underwent conversion to open surgery for thickened parenchyma secondary to chronic pancreatitis (17%). There were no other conversions. There were three chemical leaks (25%) diagnosed by elevated drain amylase and low volume output, which were managed with intraoperatively placed drains removed at the initial postoperative clinic visit. There were three higher volume leaks (25%) that required extended or percutaneous drainage, with eventual removal. The average blood loss was 215 ml (range, 50–700 ml). The average operative time was 3 h and 41 min (range, 2 h 15 min to 5 h 58 min). The average length of hospital stay was 4 days (range, 2–7 days). Splenic preservation should be performed when technically possible to decrease the morbidity of laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy. The choice to ligate the splenic vessels allows for shorter operative times with minimal perioperative morbidity and blood loss while maintaining the spleen.
Fact and fiction: The medicare "crisis" seen from the United States.

There are at present two conflicting images of medicare available to the visitor from the United States. One is the conventional media portrait of crisis--from both U.S. and Canadian sources--an image of a program in deep trouble, overcome by problems of access, cost and quality. The other image is far more favourable: medicare as a structurally sound program of universal health insurance that largely satisfies those who use it, but, like all programs, requires managerial adjustment and attention to the fearfulness of medicare's future that has marked the last decade. This is the conclusion of the recent report of the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). Both portraits cannot be accurate, just as being green and white all over is logically impossible. What is the American interpreter to make of this dispute?
Ectopic Origin of the Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery from the Right Coronary Sinus: Report of a Case Simulating Anterior Descending Obstruction

A patient with anomalous aortic origin of the left anterior descending coronary artery was studied. The clinical picture and the preliminary angiographic findings simulated obstruction of the left anterior descending coronary artery near its origin. Careful catheter exploration of the right coronary sinus led to the correct diagnosis, emphasizing the importance of complete visualization of all branches of the coronary tree, including distal radicles of a supposedly occluded vessel.
Identification of euglenophycin--a toxin found in certain euglenoids.

Abstract Currently cyanoprokaryotic algae, diatoms, haptophytes, dinoflagellates, euglenoids, and rhaphidophytes are known to produce algal toxins. A previous study by the authors reported euglenoid algae producing toxin(s) in aquaculture ponds, with confirmation based on positive fish bioassays following exposure to the isolated clonal algal cultures. Toxicity was observed in euglenoid culture isolates obtained from the pond as well as a clonal, culture collection taxon. Here we provide conclusive evidence for euglenoid toxin production, including HPLC/MS, MS/MS, and NMR analyses of a clonal (non-axenic) isolate of Euglena sanguinea grown in batch culture. Following wet chemical serial fractionation, toxic activity was identified in both the methanol and hexane extracts. These extracts were then purified using HPLC. Bioassay-guided HPLC fractionation of these two extracts demonstrated that a single class of toxic compounds, identical in mass and similar in molecular structure, was produced by this organism. The toxic compounds exhibited a maximal UV absorbance at 238 nm and gave diagnostic mass peaks at 306 (MH + ) and 288 (MH + –H 2 O). Unambiguous molecular structural determination was carried out by high field NMR analysis operating in 1- and 2-dimensions. Though a predominant isomer represented the bulk of the toxin, several stereo- and structural isomers were evidenced by NMR, and HPLC/MS. This compound is an alkaloid similar in structure to fire ant venom. The compound exhibits ichthyotoxic, herbicidal and anticancer activity at low ppm to ppb dosages.
The pathogenesis of free radical-induced calcium leak in cultured rat cardiomyocytes.

Abstract Elevated levels of intracellular calcium are generally accepted to be of critical importance in determining the outcome of cardiac myocytes exposed to ischemia and reperfusion. The mechanisms involved are obscure, but a favorite candidate id the Na-Ca exchanger operating in reversed mode, permitting calcium influx. Using exogenous free radicals and a unique, on-line, isotopic technique to measure calcium fluxes in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes, we show that Na-Ca exchange is not the primary mechanism of calcium overload in this cell type during free radical exposure. We also demonstrate that neither L-type calcium channels nor general sarcolemmal defects are responsible. A specific calcium leak is present at a time when the sarcolemma remains intact with respects to its potassium permeability. The leak shares many properties with specific calcium leak channels demonstrated electrophysiologically in other tissues. It can be modulated by alterations in surface charge such that cationic amphiphiles inhibit the leak and anionic amphiphiles augment it. It is concluded that the calcium leak, in this cell type, is specific to calcium and that leak channels may be responsible.
Conservation of Vibrational Excitation During Hydrogen-Bonding Reactions†

We report novel transient infrared “tag and probe” investigations of the equilibrium kinetics and vibrational energy transfer between the free acid Et3SiOH and its 1:1 hydrogen-bonded complex with acetonitrile, Et3SiOH···N⋮CCH3, in dilute (0.1 mol/dm3 acid) CCl4 solutions at 293 K. Picosecond time-resolved infrared double-resonance spectroscopy measures the vibrational population of the OH-stretching mode (via v = 1 → 2 absorption) after IR excitation of either the free acid or the homogeneously broadened OH(v = 0 → 1) absorption of the complex. The free acid and 1:1 complex OH(v = 1) population lifetimes (T1) and equilibrium reaction rate constants affecting hydrogen-bond formation and dissociation are unambiguously determined for this system. Tagged free acid OH(v = 1) leads to complex formation with OH(v = 1) excitation, indicating OH(v = 1) population is maintained during collision and formation of hydrogen bonds. This is the only known example where OH(v = 1) vibrational population of a polyatomic re...
FILM FLOW OF LIQUID HELIUM AT LOW-PRESSURE HEADS

A steady-state method was developed and used to measure the flow rate of saturated liquid-helium films at small pressure heads. In this method a steady heat input into a glass vessel partially immersed in liquid helium generates the film flow inwards. A steady state is established when the rate of film flow is equal to the rate of distillation out of the vessel. The flow rate was derived from the temperature difference and level difference between the liquid in the vessel and the bath. Measurements in the vicinity of 1.2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K indicate a marked pressure-head dependence of the flow rate below a pressure head of 0.01 cm of liquid helium. A maximum flow rate for zero pressure head (\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.001 cm of liquid helium) of about 5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}$ cc/sec cm is observed. This rate is suggested to be the true critical flow rate of the film.
Use of the Chestnut Ridge Inventory of Personality in Teaching Psychological Testing

Summary.-A 100-item penonality inventory may be used to illustrate administration, scoring, and intepretation of scores, etc., in a testing course, while avoiding potential ethical issues associated with novices' use of a standardized instrument. The Chestnut Ridge Inventory of Personality (Cohen, 1988, pp. 191193) or "CRIP" is a 100-item, TrueIFalse format, mock personality test conceived as an instructional aid for the undergraduate course in psychological testing. Readings in, and class discussion of personality assessment may be enriched with firsthand experience in the administration, scoring and interpretation of scores. For example, after explaining the rationale for the MMPI L and F scales, Cohen (1988, pp. 105-106) encouraged students to (1) create their own "Credibility" (CR), "Inconsistency" (IN), and "Masculinity/Fernininity (MF) scales for the inventory and (2) discuss how they might go about setting cut-off scores for each of these scales. An advantage for undergraduate training purposes is that the humor inherent in the test-which indelibly brands it as a mock and not a bona fide personality test-is a comphg deterrent to forming invalid conclusions about the personality of the classmate, friend, or family member who happens to serve as test taker. Laboratory experience with the instrument has suggested that some test takers react to he humorous items with their own attempts to be funnyvia responses not indicative of their true feelings. Such responses to the test may be discouraged by emphasis in the administration instruction that reads, "answer each item with your first response." One other footnote on the basis of laboratory experience: The publisher's first printing of the CRIP inadvertently omitted Item 42, "The best surprise is no surprise." Astute students administering the test perceived this omission as a kind of OSS-like situational performance task (see Cohen, et al., 1988, pp. 541542)-a planted obstacle to see (1) if they and/or the test taker would notice the omission and (2) what they as test administrator, scorer, and interpreter would do about it. For those unfamhar with the inventory, below is a sampling of actual test items:
Labor Support During Second Stage Labor for Women With Epidurals

Women with epidurals have unique needs for support during labor. This article describes various labor support behaviors that nurses can implement, including physical, emotional, j instructional/informational and advocacy.
Making America : the society & culture of the United States

In this richly interdisciplinary work twenty-eight of the nation's leading critics and scholars offer a comprehensive exploration of American society and culture. Each outstanding in his or her own field, the contributors address "America" from a diversity of disciplines, personal histories, regions, and political perspectives. Making America is a dynamic account of the American experience, from matters of landscape, immigration, and urbanization; to manners, literature, and the arts; social organization and values; religion, science, philosophy, and law. An introduction and twenty-six skillfully written chapters combine historical developments with critical analyses in a broad portrait of the United States. Taken in sequence, the essays will provoke readers to experience the still-evolving society and complex cultures of the American people. Since the chapters are equally valuable when considered individually, the construction of this volume also encourages selective reading. Refreshingly accessible, Making America is essential for students and scholars across the field of American Studies and for general readers concerned with cultural literacy. Each chapter includes an extensive descriptive bibliography for those who wish to explore particular topics in more depth. In addition, a fine selection of maps, paintings, and photographs illustrate the intricate structure of American life.
R-matrix approach with proper boundary conditions for dissipative and nondissipative collision processes

We develop an $R$-matrix approach to treating collision processes which explicitly takes into account, by means of a simple energy-dependent analytic function, the out-of-phase oscillations of the incident and scattered standing waves in the interior region. Thereby we avoid the use of the Bloch operator. In place of the Bloch operator the incident wave provides the source term in an inhomogeneous equation for the scattered wave. We take those subchannels not treated exactly into account via the optical potential, which is generally non-Hermitian due to dissipation at the boundary. The optical potential is constructed on a real analytic basis using a resolvent that satisfies outgoing-wave boundary conditions. The use of an analytic basis together with the direct determination of the $K$ matrix, rather than the $R$ matrix, at the boundary (this is done by matching the interior wave function to the nearly exact analytic solution beyond the boundary) makes the method particularly well suited to the treatment of ultracold collisions. We have tested our method by applying it to one-photon single-ionization of ($\mathrm{He}1{s}^{2}$) accompanied by excitation to ${\mathrm{He}}^{+}(2s)$ or ${\mathrm{He}}^{+}(2p)$ for photon energies above the complete breakup threshold, where the optical potential is non-Hermitian. Excellent agreement with experiment is obtained for the cross sections for photoionization to both ${\mathrm{He}}^{+} (n=1)$ and to ${\mathrm{He}}^{+} (n=2)$. The $2s$-to-$2p$ branching ratio is strongly influenced by both the optical potential and, at photon energies less than a few tens of eV above the breakup threshold, the nonadiabatic dipole mixing of the $2s$ and $2p$ states.
Electrical Characterization of Highly Strained Ultrathin InAs/GaAs Quantum Wells

Recent studies have shown that highly strained InAs/GaAs quantum wells of high crystalline quality can be grown by conventional solid source molecular beam epitaxy. These wells have been optically characterized by photoluminescence and structurally characterized by electron microscopy. We present the first report of the electrical investigation of InAs/GaAs quantum well confined electronic states using capacitance transient spectroscopy and steady state capacitance-voltage profiling techniques. These measurements are combined with high resolution electron microscopy and high-angle annular dark-field (HAADF) imaging to characterize the highly strained ultrathin quantum wells and heterointerfaces. HAADF, in conjunction with nanometer resolution X-ray analysis, gives the compositional distribution of the InAs monolayers. Correlation with photoluminescence is also performed.
Fatty acid content and composition of freshwater finfish

The fatty acid content and composition of 18 species of freshwater fish filets were determined. The fat content and composition varied with anatomical location. The anterior ventral regions of trout and salmon contained more lipids than the posterior dorsal sections. Marked variations in fatty acid composition between species were observed. Palmitic (C16:0), palmitoleic (C16:1), oleic (C18:l), eicosapentaenoic (C20:5 ω3), and docosahexaenoic (C22:6 ω3) were the most abundant fatty acids. The fatty acids were tabulated according to the number and positions of the double bonds. Significant quantities of ω6 C18:2 and C20:4 fatty acids were found in several species.
Granulomatous prostatitis special reference to radiologic findings

Cystourethrography was performed in 2 patients with nonspecific, noneosinophilic granulomatous prostatitis. Lengthening of the prostatic urethra was noted essentially in the inframontane portion, thus differentiating it from benign prostatic hypertrophy. The widening in the prostatic urethra differentiates it from carcinoma of the prostate.