cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Severe Osteomalacia and Fractures Secondary to Vitamin D Deficiency

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is a common entity among the elderly. Low vitamin D levels can lead to poor bone mineralization, in addition to elevations in PTH levels with resultant increases in bone turnover. However, severe Vitamin D deficiency causing osteomalacia has become uncommon in the United States due to increased screening and treatment. Vitamin D supplementation is a mainstay of therapy for osteoporosis, yet its effect on bone density is generally thought to be modest. We present here an extreme case of vitamin D deficiency leading to severe secondary hyperparathyroidism and bone demineralization, with excellent response to supplementation. Clinical Case: Patient was a 73-year-old woman with hypertension who presented to the ER with acute on chronic back and lower extremity pain. She had these pains for about a year, but they had worsened over the last 4 days. She had been homebound for the past 1–2 years due to severe pain while ambulating, reported a five-inch loss of height and 50 pounds weight loss, and maintained a vegan diet. She had not had medical care in 15 years. Imaging studies demonstrated a displaced left femoral neck fracture, a nondisplaced right femoral neck fracture, multilevel thoracolumbar compression fractures, and a nondisplaced right scapular fracture. Blood tests revealed normal renal function, calcium 8.6mg/dL (nl 8.5–10.5), phosphorus 2.6mg/dL (nl 2.5–4.5), and alkaline phosphatase 2,821U/L (nl 45–164). Secondary osteoporosis workup was negative for hypercalciuria or multiple myeloma, but was notable for a PTH level of 2,190 pg/mL (nl 10–65) and 25-OH Vitamin D level of 30). C-telopeptide was measured at 3,346 pg/mL (nl 300ng/mL (nl 8–32). DEXA scan showed T-scores of -4.2 at the lumbar spine and -6.8 at the distal forearm. She was started on high-dose vitamin D supplementation, with serum Vitamin D level rising to 42.1ng/mL after 6 months of treatment. This corresponded to a decrease in PTH to 141.1pg/mL and alkaline phosphatase to 375U/L. Repeat DEXA two years later showed 52.8% increase in bone mineral density at the lumbar spine, and 27.1% increase at the forearm. The patient’s body pains have significantly improved and she is now ambulatory again. Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is an uncommon cause of severe bone demineralization in the United States. However, in certain high-risk populations, it can present with debilitating osteomalacia and numerous pathologic fractures. Even in cases of osteoporosis with severe PTH elevation, Vitamin D deficiency must be ruled out as a potential secondary etiology, as it can be easily treated with potentially dramatic response.
Symmetric Sub-graph Spatio-Temporal Graph Convolution and its application in Complex Activity Recognition

Understanding complex hand actions, such as assembly tasks or kitchen activities, from hand skeleton data is an important yet challenging task. In this paper, we analyze hand skeleton-based complex activities by modeling dynamic hand skeletons through a spatiotemporal graph convolutional neural network (ST-GCN). This model jointly learns and extracts Spatio-temporal features for activity recognition. Our proposed technique, Symmetric Sub-graph spatio-temporal graph convolutional neural network (S2-ST-GCN), exploits the symmetric nature of hand graphs to decompose them into smaller sub-graphs, which allow us to build a separate temporal model for the relative motion of the fingers. This subgraph approach can be implemented efficiently by preprocessing input data using a Haar unit based orthogonal matrix. Then, in addition to spatial filters, separate temporal filters can be learned for each sub-graph. We evaluate the performance of the proposed method on the First-Person Hand Action dataset. While the proposed method shows comparable performance with the state of the art methods in train:test=1:1 setting, it achieves this with greater stability. Furthermore, we demonstrate significant performance improvement in comparison to state of the art methods in the cross-person setting, where the model did not come across a test subject's data while learning. S2-ST-GCN also shows superior performance than a finger-based decomposition of the hand graph where no preprocessing is applied.
The impact of one’s response to the teacher’s feedback on the same person’s and the partner’s learning in paired writing: An exploratory application of actor-partner interdependence model

Abstract The present study investigated the relationship between one dyad member’s revision in response to written corrective feedback (CF) and the same person’s learning and the other dyad member’s learning during collaborative writing. Twenty-eight English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students at an American university were paired up and collaborated on two animation description tasks in Google Docs while receiving the researcher’s written CF on their errors on the indefinite and definite articles. Learners worked individually on an animation description task one week prior to the written CF treatment (pretest), immediately after the treatment (posttest), and two weeks after (delayed posttest). When pretest score and CF frequency were controlled for, the number of one’s revisions was not related to the same person’s or the partner’s posttest score. However, the number of one’s revisions was significantly positively related to the same learner’s delayed posttest score, but not to the partner’s delayed posttest score.
Chapter 8 Women's roles in the agricultural household: Bargaining and human capital investments

Abstract Three themes are related to women's economic roles in the agricultural household. First the unified family as coordinator of production and consumption over a life cycle. Second the role of separability of production and consumption decisions in the agricultural household that depends on the equivalence of hired and of family labor. Third Nashbargaining or Pareto efficient collective coordination in the family. Increases in women's human capital affects gender bargaining and is closely related to declines in child mortality, fertility, and population growth, and increases in child “quality” as proxied by child schooling and health status.
The Logical Structure of Fraudulent Conveyances and Equitable Subordination

Fraudulent conveyances are supposedly "avoided." Wicked creditors are supposedly equitably "subordinated" in federal bankruptcy proceedings. In this article, Professor Carlson argues that these concepts inadequately describe a legal regime in which only some (not all creditors) have avoidance rights, or where some (but not all) creditors have been harmed by the creditor's wicked act. In fact, what really occurs in both these areas of law is that third party property is transferred to the set of creditors with rights under fraudulent transfer law or under equitable subordination law. Once this is realized, fraudulent transfer law and equitable subordination are revealed to be precisely the same remedy. Given this equation, various aspects of American debtor-creditor law are revealed to be irrational. For instance, in federal bankruptcy proceedings, creditors always share and share alike when fraudulent transfers are avoided. But this is not always so in equitable subordinations. In addition, courts have held that equitable subordination is a uniquely federal remedy. But this is not so if equitable subordination is just ordinary fraudulent transfer law in the context of a liquidation regime. The article also shows that the origin of equitable subordination is in fraudulent transfer law and other state-law concepts, further bolstering the view that there is no distinction between fraudulent transfer avoidance and equitable subordination in general.
CONSERVATIVE TREATMENT OF A LARGE RADICULAR CYST OF THE MANDIBLE IN A PATIENT WITH SEVERE HEMOPHILIA. REPORT OF A CASE.

Abstract An interesting case involving a hemophiliac with symptoms similar to those of Ludwig's angina in association with a bone lesion which might have been the site of hemorrhage has been presented. The course of treatment, involving surgical and postsurgical care, made this case unique. During the course of treatment no P.O. medications were given by intramuscular injections, no suturing was used in the surgical technique, proper plasma transfusions were given, a unique plastic stent was fabricated and used, and, finally, the cystic area was irrigated atraumatically.
Compositional differences in simulated root exudates elicit a limited functional and compositional response in soil microbial communities.

Inputs of low molecular weight carbon (LMW-C) to soil −primarily via root exudates− are expected to be a major driver of microbial activity and source of stable soil organic carbon. It is expected that variation in the type and composition of LMW-C entering soil will influence microbial community composition and function. If this is the case then short-term changes in LMW-C inputs may alter processes regulated by these communities. To determine if change in the composition of LMW-C inputs influences microbial community function and composition, we conducted a 90 day microcosm experiment whereby soils sourced from three different land covers (meadows, deciduous forests, and white pine stands) were amended, at low concentrations, with one of eight simulated root exudate treatments. Treatments included no addition of LMW-C, and the full factorial combination of glucose, glycine, and oxalic acid. After 90 days, we conducted a functional response assay and determined microbial composition via phospholipid fatty acid analysis. Whereas we noted a statistically significant effect of exudate treatments, this only accounted for ~3% of the variation observed in function. In comparison, land cover and site explained ~46 and ~41% of the variation, respectively. This suggests that exudate composition has little influence on function
Two-level corpectomy versus three-level discectomy for cervical spondylotic myelopathy: a comparison of perioperative, radiographic, and clinical outcomes

OBJECT In the treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM), anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion (ACCF) and anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) are effective decompressive techniques. It remains to be determined whether ACCF and ACDF offer equivalent outcomes for multilevel CSM. In this study, the authors compared perioperative, radiographic, and clinical outcomes between 2-level ACCF and 3-level ACDF. METHODS Between 2006 and 2012, all patients at the authors' hospital who underwent 2-level ACCF or 3-level ACDF performed by 1 of 2 surgeons were identified. Primary outcomes of interest were sagittal Cobb angle, adjacent-segment disease (ASD) requiring surgery, neck pain measured by visual analog scale (VAS), and Nurick score. Secondary outcomes of interest included estimated blood loss (EBL), length of stay, perioperative complications, and radiographic pseudarthrosis rate. Chi-square tests and 2-tailed Student t-tests were used to compare the 2 groups. A subgroup analysis of patients ...
Statistical Significance Testing in the American Journal of Epidemiology, 1970–1990

Despite persistent controversy over statistical significance testing and the obligation for all researchers to adopt some position on the issue, until now, practices of epidemiologists have not been examined thoroughly. Articles in the American Journal of Epidemiology around the years 1970, 1980, and 1990 were evaluated and divided into infectious disease epidemiology, cancer epidemiology, and cardiovascular disease epidemiology, with a minimum of 25 articles per topic area and time period. Presentation of significance test results and confidence intervals was evaluated in the abstracts, results text, and results tables, as was the degree of reliance on significance testing in the discussion section. Significance testing grew markedly in infectious disease epidemiology and was consistently high in cardiovascular disease and cancer epidemiology. Confidence intervals were virtually absent in 1970 and became ubiquitous (particularly in cancer epidemiology) by 1990, when the most common practice was to provide confidence intervals in results tables and to emphasize statistical significance tests in results text. Reliance on statistical significance tests in interpretation grew steadily in infectious disease, sustained a high level in cardiovascular disease, and declined after 1980 in cancer epidemiology. At present, dual presentation of confidence intervals and statistical test results is dominant.
Low power silicon germanium electronics for microwave radiometers

Space-based radiometric observations of key hydrological parameters (e.g., soil moisture) at the spatial and temporal scales required in the post-2002 era face significant technological challenges. These measurements are based on relatively low frequency thermal microwave emission (at 1.4 GHz for soil moisture and salinity, 10 GHz and up for precipitation, and 19 and 37 GHz for snow). The long wavelengths at these frequencies coupled with the high spatial and radiometric resolutions required by the various global hydrology communities necessitate the use of very large apertures (e.g., >20 m at 1.4 GHz) and highly integrated stable RF electronics on orbit. Radio-interferometric techniques such as Synthetic Thinned Array Radiometry (STAR), using silicon germanium (SiGe) low power radio frequency integrated circuits (RFIC), is one of the most promising technologies to enable very large non-rotating apertures in space. STAR instruments are composed of arrays of small antenna/receiving elements that are arranged so that the collecting area is smaller than an equivalent real aperture system, allowing very high packing densities for launch. A 20-meter aperture at L-band, for example, will require >1000 of these receiving elements. SiGe RFIC's reduce power consumption enough to make an array like this possible in the power-limited environment of space flight. An overview of the state-of-the-art will be given, and current work in the area of SiGe radiometer development for soil moisture remote sensing will be discussed.
Pituitary carcinoma recurrent to the lumbar intradural extramedullary space: Case report

AbstractContextPituitary tumors are rare, and pituitary carcinomas are rarer still. Prognosis is poor, with less than 50% of patients surviving past 1 year after diagnosis. In this case of spinal metastasis from an adrenocorticotropic hormone-secreting pituitary carcinoma, the intradural extramedullary metastases recurred in the same lumbar area 6 years apart.FindingsFourteen years prior to presentation in our clinic, a 48-year-old woman was diagnosed with pituitary adenoma which was treated with resection followed by radiation. Eight years later, an intradural extramedullary spinal drop metastasis at L2–L3 was again treated with resection and radiation. Three years later, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a mass encasing the right carotid artery, which was treated for 1 year with chemotherapy using temozolomide (Temodar). Three years later, MRI showed intradural extramedullary metastases at the L3–L4 intervertebral disc space and behind the L3 vertebral body; treatment was again resection followe...
Random Vibrations of Bladed-Disk Assemblies Under Cyclostationary Excitation

Random vibration of bladed-disk assemblies is studied. The blade excitation is modeled as a nonstationary random process whose statistics vary periodically in time. To the best Of our knowledge, this is the first stochastic model that accounts for the unsteadiness of the turbulent forces applied to the blades. It is shown that a conventional approach, which treats the blade excitation as a stationary process, is likely to underestimate the response of the blades. Moreover, the amplitude of the nonstationary random part of the response is found to be comparable to the deterministic part. Consequently, it is important to model the flow around the blades as a nonstationary stochastic process.
Congenital dextrocardia with anterior wall myocardial infarction.

Abstract A case of anterior wall myocardial infarction in a patient with congenital dextrocardia with situs inversus is presented. The clinical, electrocardiographic, and vectorcardiographic findings are discussed with reference to the pertinent literature.
Faith‐based leadership: ancient rhythms or new management

This conceptual essay examines the controversial idea of faith‐based leadership without relying on traditional notions of conservative, essentialist theology. The essay challenges scholars as well as practitioners in educational leadership to grapple with the realities of an esoteric or spiritual existence that has a phenomenal impact on their personal as well as professional behavior. It eschews the Western, modernist subscription to binaries and dualisms and suggests that an educational leadership which applauds such bifurcations handicaps the leader and the entire learning community. It argues that a leader’s ‘faith to’ see and ‘faith in’ ideas and notions of democracy and social justice as well as his/her belief in the humanity of those serving in the school community can provide the fundamental steps for essential school reform. Finally, the essay explores Cornel West’s notions of a deep‐seated moralism and profound pessimism, two planks of his African‐American prophetic spirituality, in constructing...
School disrepair and substance use among regular and alternative high school students.

BACKGROUND: The physical environment influences adolescent health behavior and personal development. This article examines the relationship between level of school disrepair and substance use among students attending regular high school (RHS) and alternative high school (AHS). METHODS: Data were collected from students (N = 7058) participating in 2 randomized controlled trials of a school-based substance abuse prevention program implemented across the United States. Students provided substance use and demographic information on a self-reported survey. Data for the physical disrepair of schools were collected from individual rater observations of each school environment. We hypothesized that school disrepair would be positively associated with substance use controlling for individual characteristics and a socioeconomic status proxy. Multilevel mixed modeling was used to test the hypothesized association and accounted for students nested within schools. RESULTS: Findings indicated that students attending AHS with greater school disrepair were more likely to report the use of marijuana and other illicit drugs (ie, cocaine, heroin). Students attending RHS with greater school disrepair were less likely to report smoking cigarettes. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in findings between RHS and AHS students are discussed, and implications for substance use prevention programming are offered. Students attending AHS with greater school disrepair may require more substance abuse prevention programming, particularly to prevent illicit substance use.
The Role of the Psychiatrist in Training Staff on Psychiatric Rehabilitation

Abstract Psychiatric rehabilitation has become increasingly important in the comprehensive care of persons with severe mental illness. Given the central role that psychiatrists have in coordinating the care of their clients, psychiatrists need to learn about, and then participate in, rehabilitation programs. Strategies that facilitate this expansion of psychiatrists' roles are discussed.
Perceived Racist Discrimination, Coping, Stress, and Life Satisfaction.

In this study, avoidance coping and problem-solving coping (inversely) predicted stress, and stress and avoidance coping inversely predicted life satisfaction among 114 African American students. Coping did not moderate racial discrimination stress or stress-life satisfaction relationships. Fostering problem solving and reducing avoidance may help to alleviate racism-related stress and foster well-being. En este estudio, evitar sobrellevar y sobrellevar la resolucion de problemas (a lo inverso) de estres predicho, estres, y el evitar sobrellevar a la inversa predicha de la satisfaccion de vida, entre 114 estudiantes Afro-Americanos. El sobrellevar no modero el estres de la discriminacion racial ni relaciones de satisfaccion en el estres de vida. Fomentar la resolucion del problema y reducir el evitar puede ayudar a aliviar el estres relacionado al racismo y fomentar el bienestar.
Enhancing nursing productivity: a social psychologic perspective.

A major determinant of organizational productivity is the design of structures and processes within a functioning organization. Research has focused on structures that contribute to productivity, but has given much less attention to the processes that occur particularly in health service organizations. We examined the relationships of organizational process and productivity in 20 nursing work groups in a sample of local health departments in North Carolina. Analysis focused on level of organizational climate (communication flow, decision-making practices, motivational conditions, concern for human resources), leadership behaviors, and quality of group interactions. The relationships of these processes to productivity (number of services produced per unit of staff time available) across a series of major departmental services were evaluated, together with implications of findings for strategies to improve the functioning of nursing work groups.
Zonal Velocity Structure and Transport in the Kuroshio Extension

Abstract The meridional structure of the zonal flow in the Kuroshio Extension is investigated using a combination of data from hydrographic sections and moored current meter arrays. We emphasize 165°E, between 30° and 42°N, where high quality and very stable current measurements at 150 and 4000 m extend over a two-year period from October 1983 to October 1985. Hydrographic (CTD/O2) sections were occupied during the initial deployment and a second time when the array of six moorings was reset in 1984. The deep currents were extremely reproducible from one year to the next and revealed a pattern of weak eastward flow at 4000 m under the axis of the Kuroshio with strong westward flow on either flank. When combined with the hydrographic data, the total transport of the eastward flowing Kuroshio Extension was estimated to be 57.0 ± 3.7 Sv (Sv = 106 m3 s−1), essentially the same as when referenced to the broom (57.0 ± 2.0 Sv). South of 34°N, the velocities were westward at all levels, with a net transport of −8...
Acute morphine dependence in the hamster.

Abstract Two experiments investigated naloxone-precipitated withdrawal following a brief course of morphine administration in hamsters. In Experiment 1, observable withdrawal symptoms (e.g., wet-dog shakes) were elicited by two doses of naloxone (0.4 and 1.0 mg/kg) following four and eight daily injections of morphine (15 mg/kg), a regimen that replicated previous studies in our laboratory using a locomotor activity paradigm. At the lower dose of naloxone, the frequency of withdrawal signs was greater after eight than after four morphine injections. In Experiment 2, observable withdrawal symptoms were elicited by the same two doses of naloxone, 70 min after a single morphine injection. These results suggest that acute dependence in the hamster, as in other species, begins to develop with the first morphine exposure.
OCP: Opportunistic Carrier Prediction for wireless networks

In this paper, we propose Opportunistic Carrier Prediction (OCP) that jointly addresses exposed terminal and hidden terminal problems in wireless networks. OCP is based on the rationale that past interference information can be a good indicator for the outcome of future packet delivery. Each OCP sender maintains a summary of past interference information and opportunistically accesses the channel when it is confident that the packet transmission will be successful and cause no collision to other flows. To realize OCP, we propose (1) a novel data structure for each sender to summarize the interference information and (2) physical layer preemptive decoding scheme for each sender to collect the identities of the interferers. We show that OCP improves the system throughput by up to 170%, packet delivery success ratio by up to 400% in random topologies, while almost eliminating starvation.
A probabilistic representation for efficient large scale visual recognition tasks

In this paper, we present an efficient alternative to the traditional vocabulary based on bag-of-visual words (BoW) used for visual classification tasks. Our representation is both conceptually and computationally superior to the bag-of-visual words: (1) We iteratively generate a Maximum Likelihood estimate of an image given a set of characteristic features in contrast to the BoW methods where an image is represented as a histogram of visual words, (2) We randomly sample a set of characteristic features instead of employing computation-intensive clustering algorithms used during the vocabulary generation step of BoW methods. Our performance compares favorably to the state-of-the-art on experiments over three challenging human action and a scene categorization dataset, demonstrating the universal applicability of our method.
Suspected gonadal mosaicism for isochromosomes 18p and 18q unsubstantiated by fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis of sperm.

Purpose: A father had two children, one with isochromosome 18p, and another with isochromosome 18q. The father was counseled that he might have gonadal mosaicism for isochromosomes 18p and 18q, which could confer a high recurrence risk. Methods: A sperm sample from the father was analyzed with fluorescence in situ hybridization probes for 18p and 18q. Results: More than 1,000 sperm were scored and none were found with two 18p or 18q signals. There were no differences in the father's specimen compared to a control. Conclusions: There was no evidence for gonadal mosaicism. It is important to confirm clinical hypotheses whenever possible.
Multimodal Imaging and Choroidal Volumetric Changes After Half-fluence PDT in Central Serous Chorioretinopathy.

AbstractPurpose: The purpose of this study was to identify SD-OCT changes that correspond to leakage on fluorescein (FA) and indocyanine angiography (ICGA) and evaluate effect of half-fluence photodynamic therapy (PDT) on choroidal volume in chronic central serous choroidoretinopathy (CSC).Methods: Retrospective analysis of patients with chronic CSC who had undergone PDT. Baseline FA and ICGA images were overlaid on SD-OCT to identify OCT correlates of FA or ICGA hyperfluorescence. Choroidal volume was evaluated in a subgroup of eyes before and after PDT.Results: Twenty eyes were evaluated at baseline, of which seven eyes had choroidal volume evaluations at baseline and 3 months following PDT. SD-OCT changes corresponding to FA hyperfluorescence were subretinal fluid (73%), RPE microrip (50%), RPE double-layer sign (31%), RPE detachment (15%), and RPE thickening (8%). ICGA hyperfluoresence was correlated in 93% with hyperreflective spots in the superficial choroid. Choroidal volume decreased from 9.35 ± 1...
A Hypothesis-Testing Framework for Studies Investigating Ontogenetic Niche Shifts Using Stable Isotope Ratios

Ontogenetic niche shifts occur across diverse taxonomic groups, and can have critical implications for population dynamics, community structure, and ecosystem function. In this study, we provide a hypothesis-testing framework combining univariate and multivariate analyses to examine ontogenetic niche shifts using stable isotope ratios. This framework is based on three distinct ontogenetic niche shift scenarios, i.e., (1) no niche shift, (2) niche expansion/reduction, and (3) discrete niche shift between size classes. We developed criteria for identifying each scenario, as based on three important resource use characteristics, i.e., niche width, niche position, and niche overlap. We provide an empirical example for each ontogenetic niche shift scenario, illustrating differences in resource use characteristics among different organisms. The present framework provides a foundation for future studies on ontogenetic niche shifts, and also can be applied to examine resource variability among other population sub-groupings (e.g., by sex or phenotype).
Testing Cross-Section Correlation in Panel Data Using Spacings

This article provides tools for characterizing the extent of cross-section correlation in panel data when we do not know a priori how many and which series are correlated. Our tests are based on the probability integral transformation of the ordered correlations. We first split the transformed correlations by their size into two groups, then evaluate the variance ratio of the two subsamples. The problem of testing cross-section correlation thus becomes one of identifying mean shifts and testing nonstationarity. The tests can be applied to raw data and regression errors. We analyze data on industrial production among 12 OECD countries, as well as 21 real exchange rates. The evidence favors a common factor structure in European real exchange rates but not in industrial production.
Soliton description of a baryon in lattice QCD

A way to test the soliton description of a baryon, such as the Skyrme model, directly from lattice QCD is proposed. The idea is to calculate, using lattice QCD Monte Carlo simulation, the appropriate quantum expectation of the relevant operator which corresponds to the quantum version of the soliton solution. The feasibility of this idea is demonstrated in the case of two-dimensional QCD by the good agreement between lattice Monte Carlo simulation data of QCD2 and the classical solution of Wess-Zumino-Witten model with a mass term, which is the analog of the Skyrme model in two dimensions. This calculation can be generalized straightforwardly to the realistic case of four dimensions.
Premicellization of dimethyl Di-n-dodecylammonium chloride.

NCH3, CH2-1, and ω-CH3 1H NMR signals of 2.5 × 10-5 M dimethyl di-n-dodecylammonium chloride (DDDACl) are sharp in D2O with expected line shapes, but the line width of NCH3 increases markedly to ca. 10 Hz and the ω-CH3 triplet is distorted at 10-4M, where electrolytic conductance had earlier demonstrated premicellar formation. The N−CH3 signal sharpens, and the resolved ω-CH3 triplet signal reappears at ca. 2.5 × 10-4 M DDDACl where there was earlier evidence of micellization. All of the 1H NMR signals become broad and ill-defined at >10-2 M DDDACl where there is growth and a structural change of the association colloid.
End‐group fidelity in nitroxide‐mediated living free‐radical polymerizations

In this study, new nitroxides based on the 2,2,5-trimethyl-4-phenyl-3-azahexane-3-oxy skeleton were used to examine chain-end control during the preparation of polystyrene and poly(t-butyl acrylate) under living free-radical conditions. Alkoxyamine-based initiators with a chromophore attached to either the initiating fragment or the mediating nitroxide fragment were prepared, and the extent of the incorporation of the chromophores at either the initiating end or the propagating chain end was determined. In contrast to 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidinoxy (TEMPO), the incorporation of the initiating and terminating fragment into the polymer chain was extremely high. For both poly(t-butyl acrylate) and polystyrene with molecular weights less than or equal to 70,000, incorporations at the initiating end of greater than 97% were observed. At the terminating chain end, incorporations of greater than 95% were obtained for molecular weights less than or equal to 50,000. The level of incorporation tended to decrease slightly at higher molecular weights because of the loss of the alkoxyamine propagating unit, which had important consequences for block copolymer formation. These results clearly show that these new α-H nitroxides could control the polymerization of vinyl monomers such as styrene and t-butyl acrylate to an extremely high degree, comparable to anionic and atom transfer radical polymerization procedures. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 4749–4763, 2000
A histochemical study of the inclusion bodies in the small intestine of the developing rat.

The morphology and histochemstry of the epithelium in the small intestine was studied in the fetal and suckling rat. Large supranuclear inclusion bodies in the ileum of the suckling animal demonstrated positive reactions for the following components and enzymes: lipofuscins; amino and SH groups; 1–2 glycols (amylase-resistant PAS-positive reaction); alkaline phosphatase; acid phosphatase; and non-specific esterase. These structures were unstained with Alcian blue and demonstrated no leucine aminopeptidase activity. Small PAS-positive droplets and unstained vacuoles formed in the supranuclear cytoplasm during terminal gestation. During the first 24–48 hours postpartum, the droplets enlarged rapidly and formed the large supranuclear inclusions. However, high levels of enzyme activity did not occur in the large inclusions until 2–4 days after birth. This phenomenon may-be related to the levels of production and/or accumulation of enzymes within the columnar cell.
Allelic loss and mutations in a new ETRG-1 gene are early events in diethylstilbestrol-induced renal carcinogenesis in Syrian hamsters

Diethylstilbestrol (DES) is a synthetic estrogen and well known human carcinogen, but the mechanism by which DES causes cancer is not clear. In this study, using AP-PCR method we have identified a genetic alteration that was common in DES-induced kidney tumors as well as in its surrounding non-tumor tissue. Further characterization of this genetically altered region revealed that it represents an uncharacterized novel gene. We have named this gene as Estrogen Target Rodent Gene-1 (ETRG-1). Southern blot analysis revealed about 50% reduction in the ETRG-1 gene-specific hybridization signal, indicating genomic loss of one allele of ETRG-1 in DES-induced tumors as compared to its age-matched control. Sequence analysis of the remaining allele of ETRG-1 from tumor revealed point mutations and an insertion of 37 bp as compared to its normal allele from the age-matched control kidney tissue. The expression of ETRG-1 at transcript level was found to be extremely reduced or undetectable in DES-induced kidney tumors as compared to its age-matched control kidney tissue. Thus, the findings of this study suggest that (a) DES-induced allelic loss and mutations may be involved in DES-induced kidney carcinogenesis, (b) Constitutive expression of ETRG-1 in normal kidney tissue and decreased or undetectable expression in tumors, presumably as a result of allelic loss and mutational inactivation, suggest that it may be a tumor suppressor gene, and finally, (c) The identification of the allelic loss and mutations that were common in DES-exposed non-tumor kidney tissue, and in frank kidney tumors indicate that these genetic aberrations are early events in DES-induced kidney carcinogenesis and it may serve as biomarker for early detection of DES-induced cancer.
The effect of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analog for central precocious puberty on growth hormone (GH) and GH-binding protein.

The pubertal growth spurt is characterized by a marked increase in the amplitude of GH secretory pulses. The high affinity GH-binding protein (GHBP) reportedly has an important role in enhancing the growth-promoting action of GH. Levels of GHBP are characteristic for an individual and increase only slightly as puberty progresses. It has been hypothesized that each individual adjusts GH production to a level appropriate for his GHBP environment. The withdrawal of gonadal steroids that occurs in children with central precocious puberty (CPP) treated with LH-releasing hormone agonist (LHRHa) therapy results in a decrease in growth velocity (GV) and GH secretion. This study was performed to determine the effect of treatment of CPP with the LHRHa leuprolide acetate for depot suspension on GH secretion and levels of GHBP. Six girls and one boy with CPP were studied before and 6 months after treatment was initiated. Within 6 months of initiation of therapy, there was a significant decline in GV, from 8.9 +/- 3.2...
Resection of giant liver adenoma in a 17-year-old adolescent boy using venovenous bypass, total hepatic vascular isolation, and in situ cooling

Giant liver adenomas are rare pediatric tumors. Hepatocellular adenomas account for approximately 2% to 4% of all pediatric liver tumors. We present the case of a biopsy-proven 21 x 20.5 x 10.5-cm hepatocellular adenoma in a 17-year-old adolescent boy resected using venovenous bypass and total hepatic isolation. Hepatic adenomas of this size are historically treated with orthotopic liver transplantation. Resection of a massive centrally located giant liver adenoma using total hepatic vascular isolation and venovenous bypass with in situ hepatic cooling and is not previously reported. By combining these techniques, we were able to defer the risks of orthotopic liver transplantation and life-long immunosuppression for our patient. The patient's recovery was uncomplicated and hepatic regeneration was excellent. At 9 months' follow-up, the patient reported enjoying an athletic adolescent life-style with no evidence of recurrence.
Sodium retention in rats with cadmium-induced hypertension

Abstract Chronic feeding of non-toxic doses of cadmium induces an average increase of 15 to 20 mm Hg in indirectly measured systolic pressure of lightly anaesthetized rats. The mechanism of this increase is not known, but cadmium has several potentially pressor effects, including increased sodium retention. This report describes both sodium balance and blood pressure in a pair of experiments where cadmium was fed and in a pair where it was injected. All four cadmium challenges induced sodium retention and also induced hypertension. Thus, rats with either low or moderate chronic exposure to fed cadmium (well below the exposures required to induce toxicity) retained more intraperitoneally injected radiosodium than controls and at the same time developed higher systolic pressures than controls. Immediately following intraperitoneally injected cadmium, rats lost a radiosodium load more slowly than controls or alternately accumulated dietary radiosodium more rapidly than controls; in both situations the blood pressure was higher than in controls. These data indicate that some of the pressor effect associated with cadmium exposure could result from its concomitant antinatriuretic effect.
THE SURFACE OF EVAPORATED CARBON FILMS IS AN INSULATING, HIGH-BANDGAP MATERIAL

The electrical conductance and the optical density of evaporated carbon films are measured as a function of the thickness of the films. The resulting data show that up to a thickness of approximately 4 nm, carbon films are optically transparent and electrically insulating. The same data also suggest that this insulating character persists near to the surface when the overall thickness is further increased. Since a support film with poor surface conductivity is undesirable for many applications in electron microscopy, we suggest that the usefulness of evaporated carbon films in electron microscopy might be further improved by doping or by other methods that improve the electrical conductivity near the surface.
Stress-Induced Changes in t-[35S]Butylbicyclophosphorothionate Binding to γ-Aminobutyric Acid-Gated Chloride Channels Are Mimicked by In Vitro Occupation of Benzodiazepine Receptors

The allosteric modulation of t-[35S]butylbicyclophosphorothionate binding by flunitrazepam was studied in well-washed brain membranes prepared from control and swim-stressed rats. Swim stress has been reported to decrease the KD and increase the Bmax of this radioligand. Flunitrazepam increased radioligand binding with equal potency (EC50 approximately 11 nM) in both groups, but the maximal enhancement (efficacy) produced by this drug was significantly greater in control than in swim-stressed rats. Ro 15-1788 (a benzodiazepine receptor antagonist) blocked the effect of flunitrazepam on t-[35S]butylbicyclophosphorothionate binding in both groups. This increase in t-[35S]butylbicyclophosphorothionate binding resulted from a significant reduction in KD with no alteration in Bmax. The KD values obtained in cortical membranes of control rats after addition of flunitrazepam were not significantly different from those in the swim-stressed group. Preincubation of cortical homogenates from control animals with flunitrazepam prior to extensive tissue washing resulted in Bmax and KD values of t-[35S]butylbicyclophosphorothionate similar to those obtained in stressed animals. These findings suggest that stress and flunitrazepam may share a common mechanism in regulating t-[35S]butylbicyclophosphorothionate binding and support the concept that stress-induced modification of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-gated chloride channels in the CNS results from the release of an endogenous modulator (with benzodiazepine-like properties) of the benzodiazepine-GABA receptor chloride ionophore receptor complex.
Inservice and Preservice Teachers' Attitudes Toward the Academically Brilliant

Attitudes toward the academically gifted were examined in 83 experienced teachers and 100 juniors and seniors enrolled in a teacher education program. Using a questionnaire developed by Tannenbaum ...
N6‐(2‐(R)‐Propargylglycyl)lysine as a Clickable Pyrrolysine Mimic

The site-specific tagging of proteins with organic fluorophores[2] has been proven to be a powerful method in structural and functional studies of a wide range of biological systems.[3-5] The most challenging aspect of this approach is the regiospecific incorporation of a suitable fluorophore on or nearby a rationally selected amino acid residue within a protein chain. The demonstration that pyrrolysine (1, Figure 1), the 22nd genetically-encoded amino acid, can be incorporated into recombinant proteins in response to the UAG codon,[6,7] prompted us to search for similarly incorporable analogs of 1 harboring reactive functionalities suitable for anchoring small organic fluorophores. We previously reported the synthesis of the THF-containing lysine derivative 2 that reads through the UAG codon,[8] as does its close structural analog 3.[9] The latter compound, thanks to the presence of the terminal alkyne functionality, enables site-specific post-translational modification of the resulting protein with azide-based fluorophores via the CuI-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition reaction (CuAAC). Our recent work has gone beyond the field of protein click chemistry resulting in the synthesis and application of the cysteine derivative 4 for protein ubiquitination via native chemical ligation.[10]
True navigation and magnetic maps in spiny lobsters

Animals are capable of true navigation if, after displacement to a location where they have never been, they can determine their position relative to a goal without relying on familiar surroundings, cues that emanate from the destination, or information collected during the outward journey1,2. So far, only a few animals, all vertebrates, have been shown to possess true navigation3. Those few invertebrates that have been carefully studied return to target areas using path integration, landmark recognition, compass orientation and other mechanisms that cannot compensate for displacements into unfamiliar territory4,5. Here we report, however, that the spiny lobster Panulirus argus oriented reliably towards a capture site when displaced 12–37 km to unfamiliar locations, even when deprived of all known orientation cues en route. Little is known about how lobsters and other animals determine position during true navigation. To test the hypothesis that lobsters derive positional information from the Earth's magnetic field, lobsters were exposed to fields replicating those that exist at specific locations in their environment. Lobsters tested in a field north of the capture site oriented themselves southwards, whereas those tested in a field south of the capture site oriented themselves northwards. These results imply that true navigation in spiny lobsters, and perhaps in other animals, is based on a magnetic map sense.
A personal philosophy of a radiation oncologist.

Abstract All humans are of one species and are near identical genetically, viz . >99.5%. Also note, the Chimp is >96% genetically identical to humans. There has been extremely rapid increase in information and knowledge and this is accelerating. Several points: time is absolutely equalitarian. There is and has not been an unnatural event in this universe. Luck is the dominant factor in an individual's success in life. At birth, the infant has zero choice of genes, parents, siblings, relatives, era and site of birth. In addition, the young child has essentially no choice in school [if any], health, etc . The key to advancing knowledge is asking decisive questions, proceeding to investigate and generate answers to the question posed and publishing the investigation, data and interpretation. The number 1 interest and concern of the physician is the care of the individual patient. The potential of "humanized experimental animals" for selected Phase III clinical trial within 2–3 decades is judged feasible. Physicians should view our current best treatment as obsolete and use this as a provocation for active effort to develop superior management strategies.
Predictive modelling of nanorods synthesis

One dimensional nanoscale structures are critical in electronic and other applications. Synthesis of these nanostructures, particularly crystalline nanorods, challenges the predictive capability of computer modelling. This paper reviews a case of predictive modelling that starts at surface diffusion and characteristic length scale, and completes at a predictive design and experimental validation.
ELECTRODE PROBLEMS IN CENTRAL NERVOUS MONITORING IN PERFORMING SUBJECTS

Electrode problems in recording skin responses in freely moving subjects noting implantation, electromechanical and radio signal interference
Effects of long-term 4-aminopyridine therapy on glucose tolerance and glucokinetics in patients with spinal cord injury.

Study Objective. To assess the effects of the potassium channel blocker, 4-aminopyridine, on glucose tolerance and glucokinetics in patients with spinal cord injury. Design. Prospective, dose level–blinded study. Setting. University-affiliated, tertiary-level care, Veterans Affairs medical center, and a university-affiliated research center. Patients. Thirty-one patients with spinal cord injury of more than 1 year's duration. Intervention. In a fasting state, patients ingested 75 g of glucose and completed a 5-hour oral glucose tolerance test before and after 6 months of treatment with an oral, immediate-release formulation of 4-aminopyridine. Measurements and Main Results. The time course of glucose plasma concentrations during the oral glucose tolerance tests was profiled for each patient, and glucokinetic parameters were estimated. Results were compared at baseline and after 6 months of treatment with 4-aminopyridine. Of the 31 patients, 29 (94%) had impaired glucose tolerance at baseline. After 6 months of treatment with 4-aminopyridine, 12 (41%) of the 29 patients had a 2-hour postprandial glucose level that no longer supported a diagnosis of impaired glucose tolerance. No significant changes or clinically important trends were seen in fasting blood glucose concentrations or in other glucokinetic parameters in these patients. Conclusions. The long-term administration of an oral, immediate-release formulation of 4-aminopyridine to patients with longstanding spinal cord injury was associated with readily discernible, potentially clinically significant improvements in glucose tolerance. Because impaired glucose tolerance is a common finding in patients with spinal cord injury, more research, including randomized controlled trials with large study populations, is warranted on this potential treatment.