cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An omega-3 fatty acid plasma index ≥4% prevents progression of coronary artery plaque in patients with coronary artery disease on statin treatment

Abstract Background and aims Higher blood levels of the omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have been associated with fewer cardiovascular events and lower mortality in prospective studies. Our aim was to determine a target level of EPA and DHA to prevent progression of coronary artery plaque. Methods 218 subjects with stable coronary artery disease on statins were randomized to high-dose EPA and DHA (3.36 g daily) or no omega-3 for 30 months. Coronary plaque volume was measured by coronary computed tomographic angiography. Plasma phospholipid levels of EPA, DHA and total fatty acids were measured by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The omega-3 fatty acid index was calculated as EPA+DHA/total fatty acid. Results Mean (SD) age was 62.9 (7.8) years; mean (SD) LDL-C level 78.6 (27.3) mg/dL and median triglyceride level 122 mg/dL. Subjects assigned to EPA and DHA had increased plasma EPA and DHA levels variably from 1.85% to 13.02%. Plasma omega-3 fatty acid index ≥4% prevented progression of fibrous, noncalcified, calcified and total plaque in nondiabetic subjects whereas those in the lowest quartile ( Conclusions EPA and DHA added to statins prevented coronary plaque progression in nondiabetic subjects with mean LDL-C
A classroom data literacy intervention for pre-service teachers

Abstract This pretest-posttest study investigated 64 pre-service teachers' perceptions of the impact of a 6-h data literacy intervention, which involved scoring classroom assessments, and analyzing, interpreting, and making decisions based on the data. The study also examined changes in participants' self-reported attitudes and beliefs and objectively-measured data literacy during the intervention. Participant reports suggest that the intervention increased the pre-service teachers' knowledge and skills related to data literacy. Pretest-posttest changes were also observed in three attitudes/beliefs ( d s ranged from .34 to .46) and data literacy ( d = .60). Findings contribute to the small and nascent body of scholarship concerning pre-service data literacy interventions.
A phase contrast microprecipitin test with poliovirus antigens

The occurrence and development of microprecipitin antibodies to poliovirus antigens was investigated with sera derived from triplenegative persons, triple-positive naturally, immune persons, persons immunized by killed or live poliovirus vaccines, persons with clinical poliomyelitis caused by each of the 3 types of poliovirus, and persons infected with various Coxsackie and ECHO viruses.
Activation of WNT signaling restores the facial deficits in a zebrafish with defects in cholesterol metabolism.

Background: Inborn errors of cholesterol metabolism occur as a result of mutations in the cholesterol synthesis pathway (CSP). Although mutations in the CSP cause a multiple congenital anomaly syndrome, craniofacial abnormalities are a hallmark phenotype associated with these disorders. Previous studies have established that mutation of the zebrafish hmgcs1 gene (Vu57 allele), which encodes the first enzyme in the CSP, causes defects in craniofacial development and abnormal neural crest cell (NCC) differentiation. However, the molecular mechanisms by which the products of the CSP disrupt NCC differentiation are not completely known. Cholesterol is known to regulate the activity of WNT signaling, an established regulator of NCC differentiation. We hypothesized that defects in cholesterol synthesis reduce WNT signaling, consequently resulting in abnormal craniofacial development. Methods: To test our hypothesis we performed a combination of pharmaceutical inhibition, gene expression assays, and targeted rescue experiments to understand the function of CSP and WNT signaling during craniofacial development. Results: We demonstrate reduced expression of axin2, a WNT downstream target gene in homozygous carriers of the Vu57 allele and in larvae treated with Ro-48-8071, which inhibits the synthesis of cholesterol. Moreover, activation of WNT signaling via treatment with a WNT agonist completely restored the craniofacial defects present in the Vu57 allele. Conclusions: Collectively, these data suggest interplay between the CSP and WNT signaling during craniofacial development.
Is Merkel Cell Carcinoma of Lymph Node Actually Metastatic Cutaneous Merkel Cell Carcinoma

Objectives The possibility of a so-called primary lymph node neuroendocrine carcinoma has been described in the literature. Here we evaluate cases fitting such a diagnosis and find that the cases demonstrate a convincing and pervasive pattern consistent with metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma. Methods Six cases of primary lymph node Merkel cell carcinoma and one case of metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma at a bony site, all with unknown primary, were sequenced using a combination of whole-exome and targeted panel methods. Sequencing results were analyzed for the presence of an ultraviolet (UV) mutational signature or off-target detection of Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV). Results Four of six primary lymph node cases were positive for a UV mutational signature, with the remaining two cases positive for off-target alignment of MCPyV. One case of neuroendocrine carcinoma occurring at a bony site was also positive for a UV mutational signature. Conclusions We find no evidence to corroborate the existence of so-called primary Merkel cell carcinoma of lymph node.
Programmatic details and outcomes of an Academic-Practice Research Fellowship for clinical nurses.

Abstract Aim Describe the programmatic details and outcomes of a competitive, two-year Academic-Practice Research Fellowship for clinical nurses. Background Numerous barriers challenge clinical nurses in their ability to conduct and disseminate research. We describe and evaluate a competitive, semi-structured, two-year Academic-Practice Research Fellowship in which clinical nurse ‘fellows’ accepted into the program are paired with a faculty mentor at a school of nursing to conduct and disseminate a research study that addresses a clinical problem identified by the fellow. The fellowship is facilitated by the Director of Academic-Practice Partnerships jointly appointed between a school of nursing and affiliated acute care hospitals, and with resources provided by both. The vast majority of didactic training is provided outside the classroom. Methods We reviewed administrative records to describe the programmatic details and outcomes of the program. Results Thirteen nurses were accepted into the first three cohorts of the Academic-Practice Research Fellowship. Among the five fellows in the graduating first cohort, all successfully completed their research, presented their findings at national or international conference(s) and four have submitted manuscripts for publication, with two being accepted for publication. The eight current fellows are meeting all delineated milestones and timelines. Evaluations demonstrate the effectiveness of the fellowship in enhancing the professional development and research capacity of clinical nurses. Conclusions The Academic-Practice Research Fellowship program integrates expertise and resources across academia and practice and has resulted in the successful conduct and dissemination of clinically relevant research by fulltime practicing nurses in the acute care setting.
Evaluation of exocrine pancreatic function

Abstract The endocrine and exocrine functions of the pancreas are the key regulators of glycemic control, nutritional absorption, and metabolism. Loss of exocrine pancreatic function results in malabsorption and the inability to properly metabolize proteins, lipids, and polysaccharides. Pancreatitis, whether acute or chronic, results in inflammation of pancreatic tissue, which, over time, can lead to scarring and irreversible fibrotic damage. Laboratory evaluation of exocrine pancreatic function includes a wide variety of analytes, including amylase, lipase, elastase-1, bicarbonate, and CA 19-9. In addition to the analysis of serum specimens, evaluation of pancreatic function may include less common specimen types, such as stool, duodenal fluid, and pancreatic cyst fluid. These alternative specimen types have additional preanalytical and analytical considerations for proper handling and interpretation. This chapter explores the nuances of exocrine pancreatic function testing and key issues that affect the analysis in the laboratory.
Steroid-sparing maintenance immunosuppression is safe and effective after simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation.

Optimization of maintenance immunosuppression (mIS) regimens in the transplant recipient requires a balance between sufficient potency to prevent rejection and avoidance of excessive immunosuppression to prevent toxicities and complications. The optimal regimen after simultaneous liver-kidney (SLK) transplantation remains unclear, but small single-center reports have shown success with steroid-sparing regimens. We studied 4184 adult SLK recipients using the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, from March 1, 2002, to February 28, 2017, on tacrolimus-based regimens at 1 year post-transplant. We determined the association between mIS regimen and mortality and graft failure using Cox proportional hazard models. The use of steroid-sparing regimens increased post-transplant, from 16.1% at discharge to 88.0% at 5 years. Using multi-level logistic regression modeling, we found center-level variation to be the major contributor to choice of mIS regimen (ICC 44.5%; 95% CI: 36.2%-53.0%). In multivariate analysis, use of a steroid-sparing regimen at 1 year was associated with a 21% decreased risk of mortality compared to steroid-containing regimens (aHR 0.79, P = .01) and 20% decreased risk of liver graft failure (aHR 0.80, P = .01), without differences in kidney graft loss risk (aHR 0.92, P = .6). Among SLK recipients, the use of a steroid-sparing regimen appears to be safe and effective without adverse effects on patient or graft survival.
Adolescents with spondylolysis have lower SRS-22 scores than controls and peers with pre-operative idiopathic scoliosis.

The Scoliosis Research Society Outcomes Questionnaire (SRS-22) is a health-related quality-of-life (HRQL) tool for scoliosis patients. Since no equivalent questionnaire exists for spondylolysis patients, we characterized patient-reported scores in pediatric spondylolysis patients using the SRS-22, and compared these scores to previously published values for age-matched controls and patients with pre-operative adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). A single-institution cross-sectional observational study was performed using SRS-22 data from spondylolysis patients aged 12–18 years. Mean SRS-22 domain scores were compared to the existing literature values for adolescent control and AIS cohorts via unpaired Student t tests (α = 0.05) and against minimal clinically important differences (MCIDs). Thirty-five patients met inclusion criteria. Mean (± SD) spondylolysis patients’ scores met the MCID across all domains except Mental Health ( $$\alpha$$ = 0.05). Spondylolysis patient scores for Pain, Function, and Self-Image were significantly lower (p < 0.01) than AIS patients (Pain; 2.99 ± 0.66 vs 4.14 ± 0.79; Function; 3.81 ± 0.61 vs 4.09 ± 0.54; Self-Image; 3.45 ± 0.70 vs 3.80 ± 0.68). The adolescent spondylolysis population has clinically significantly lower SRS-22 scores compared to age-matched controls and AIS patients, suggesting that the SRS-22 questionnaire should be given to this population to assess patients’ HRQL. Further research is needed to assess the utility of the SRS-22 in measuring treatment effects. III.
Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction on earth abundant 2D Mo2C and Ti3C2 MXenes

Mo2C and Ti3C2 MXenes were investigated as earth-abundant electrocatalyts for the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). Mo2C and Ti3C2 exhibited faradaic efficiencies of 90% (250 mV overpotential) and 65% (650 mV overpotential), respectively, for the reduction of CO2 to CO in acetonitrile using an ionic liquid electrolyte. The use of ionic liquid 1-ethyl-2-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate as an electrolyte in organic solvent suppressed the competing hydrogen evolution reaction. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggested that the catalytic active sites are oxygen vacancy sites on both MXene surfaces. Also, a spontaneous dissociation of adsorbed COOH species to a water molecule and adsorbed CO on Mo2C promote the CO2RR.
Improving the Trustworthiness of Software Through Rigorous Data Type Design

Artificial intelligence (AI) chips draw much attention for cyberphysical systems since AI chips are promising to realize edge AI computing. We introduce the chip architecture that enables energy-efficient computing and design tools for AI chips.
The Color Line, Race, and Caste: Structures of Domination and the Ethics of Recognition:

The Black Lives Matter movement has been trying to awaken the rest of the United States to its failure to recognize systemic racism, anti-blackness, and white supremacy. With a keen awareness of ra...
FedSEAL: Semi-Supervised Federated Learning with Self-Ensemble Learning and Negative Learning.

Federated learning (FL), a popular decentralized and privacy-preserving machine learning (FL) framework, has received extensive research attention in recent years. The majority of existing works focus on supervised learning (SL) problems where it is assumed that clients carry labeled datasets while the server has no data. However, in realistic scenarios, clients are often unable to label their data due to the lack of expertise and motivation while the server may host a small amount of labeled data. How to reasonably utilize the server labeled data and the clients' unlabeled data is thus of paramount practical importance. In this paper, we propose a new FL algorithm, called FedSEAL, to solve this Semi-Supervised Federated Learning (SSFL) problem. Our algorithm utilizes self-ensemble learning and complementary negative learning to enhance both the accuracy and the efficiency of clients' unsupervised learning on unlabeled data, and orchestrates the model training on both the server side and the clients' side. Our experimental results on Fashion-MNIST and CIFAR10 datasets in the SSFL setting validate the effectiveness of our method, which outperforms the state-of-the-art SSFL methods by a large margin.
President Bush's Personal Retirement Accounts: Saving or Dismantling Social Security

President Bush devoted considerable attention to reforming the Social Security system in his 2005 State of the Union address. After pointing out that the system faces a long-term deficit, the President suggested that carving personal accounts out of the current system would help solve the deficit. Personal accounts, however, would not eliminate Social Security's long-term financing difficulties. Instead, they would fundamentally transform the system from one of social insurance to one of individual ownership and would be the first step toward dismantling it. This Article explains why the Social Security system faces a long-term deficit and why personal accounts would not eliminate that deficit. It then explains why personal accounts would fundamentally transform the current system and would be the first step toward dismantling it.
A solution procedure for three-dimensional incompressible Navier-Stokes equation and its application

An implicit, finite-difference procedure is presented for numerically solving viscous incompressible flows. For convenience of applying the present method to three-dimensional problems, primitive variables, namely the pressure and velocities, are used. One of the major difficulties in solving incompressible flows that use primitive variables is caused by the pressure field solution method which is used as a mapping procedure to obtain a divergence-free velocity field. The present method is designed to accelerate the pressure-field solution procedure. This is achieved by the method of pseudocompressibility in which the time derivative pressure term is introduced into the mass conservation equation. The pressure wave propagation and the spreading of the viscous effect is investigated using simple test problems. The present study clarifies physical and numerical characteristics of the pseudo-compressible approach in simulating incompressible flows. Computed results for external and internal flows are presented to verify the present procedure. The present algorithm has been shown to be very robust and accurate if the selection of the pseudo-compressibility parameter has been made according to the guidelines given.
Simple model for the π + -p bremsstrahlung processbremsstrahlung process

A simple model using the usual Schrodinger, nonrelativistic current operator is used to calculate the process π+p→π+pγ in the region of the 1236 resonance. This model provides a mechanism which suppresses the influence of the pion-nucleon resonance on the spectrum of the emitted photon.
High Rate Micron-Sized Ordered LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4

National Science Foundation (U.S.). Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (Program) (grant no. DMR-0819762)
Ecophysiological aspects of the coastal-estuarine distribution of acrochordid snakes

The Acrochordidae consists of three congeneric species of aquatic snakes distributed among fresh water and coastal marine environments in tropical southern Asia. The smallest species,Acrochordus granulatus, is euryhaline and the only acrochordid that permanently inhabits coastal seas and estuaries. The diving and metabolic physiology of this species is highly specialized and reflects the demands of estuarine environments. A capability for prolonged aerobic diving is attributable to low rates of oxygen consumption, high capacity for oxygen storage, nearly complete utilization of the oxygen stores, and cutaneous gas exchange. Recent studies indicate thatA. granulatus is primarily ammonotelic and requires a source of fresh water for elimination of nitrogenous wastes. The requirement for fresh water potentially limits seaward migration of populations due to the dependence of snakes on rivers or coastal rainfall. Adaptations for shallow-water diving conceivably further limit seaward migration, with the result that they have evolved as estuarine specialists that are restricted from deeper waters and the open ocean.
Treatment of Laryngeal Hereditary Angioedema

Abstract Background In the emergency department, patients with laryngeal swelling and an inconclusive patient history may receive treatment for allergy-mediated angioedema. Intubation may be necessary if the patient does not respond to treatment. Because angioedema subtypes respond to different interventions, a correct diagnosis is vital. Objectives Review the differential diagnosis of angioedema and characteristics differentiating subtypes. Discuss therapies for angioedema subtypes. Introduce therapies for prevention and acute treatment of hereditary angioedema (HAE). Case Report A 10-year-old girl presented with laryngeal swelling unresponsive to diphenhydramine, methylprednisolone, and epinephrine. It was later revealed that she had a family history of HAE, was C1 inhibitor deficient, and enrolled in a clinical study of acute HAE treatment. She was given 1000 units of nanofiltered C1 inhibitor and was able to swallow within 30 min. She was prescribed routine prophylaxis with C1 inhibitor concentrate and has had no subsequent severe HAE swelling attacks. Conclusion This case illustrates the need for providers to consider HAE in light of available diagnostic testing and recent Food and Drug Administration approval of specific therapies for HAE.
Signature modeling for LWIR spectrometer

Hyperspectral longwave infrared (LWIR) is used for a variety of targets such as gases and solids with the advantage of day or night data collections. A longwave infrared system must have the ability to convert the radiance data it measures to emissivity prior to running a detection algorithm, commonly called a temperature-emissivity separation (TES) algorithm. Key parts of this TES algorithm are accounting for the reflected down-welling radiation from the atmosphere, upwelling background radiance removal, and most importantly determining the temperature of the material. Accounting for these environmental conditions allows for the data to be processed in emissivity to be used in the detection algorithm. The processed data also allows a baseline to determine where key features exist in the signatures collected. In this paper a new method is introduced to process field collected signatures gathered using the Design & Prototypes microFTIR Model 102. The issue addressed here is calculating the collected signature from radiance to emissivity using a new technique for estimating the surface temperature of the collected sample. The key component of the TES was created to ensure the collected spectra are processed in emissivity space at a quality that is suitable for the detection library on air and ground LWIR systems.
Expression of hexokinase II and Glut-1 in untreated human breast cancer.

Expressions of HKII and Glut-1 were studied in untreated primary human breast cancers by immunohistochemistry. 79% of the breast cancers were HKII-positive and 61% were Glut-1-positive. Average positive malignant cell areas were 66 +/- 41% for HKII and 29 +/- 36% for Glut-1. HKII staining was cytoplasmic, suggesting mitochondrial localization with no variations in staining intensities. Glut-1 staining was heterogeneous, cytoplasmic and membranous and varied with histology and tumor stage. Cells expressing HKII did not always express Glut-1 and vice versa. Increased FDG-uptake appeared to be associated with increased Glut-1 expression (P = 0.021), but not with HKII expression (p = 0.6).FDG uptake in breast cancer tissue appears to be associated with the extent of immunodetectable expression of Glut-1, but not that of HKII, and FDG uptake may differ between individual tumors depending on tumor stage and histology.
Application-Sensitive Access Control Evaluation Using Parameterized Expressiveness

Access control schemes come in all shapes and sizes, which makes choosing the right one for a particular application a challenge. Yet today's techniques for comparing access control schemes completely ignore the setting in which the scheme is to be deployed. In this paper, we present a formal framework for comparing access control schemes with respect to a particular application. The analyst's main task is to evaluate an access control scheme in terms of how well it implements a given access control workload (a formalism that we introduce to represent an application's access control needs). One implementation is better than another if it has stronger security guarantees, and in this paper we introduce several such guarantees: correctness, homomorphism, AC-preservation, safety, administration-preservation, and compatibility. The scheme that admits the implementation with the strongest guarantees is deemed the best fit for the application. We demonstrate the use of our framework by evaluating two workloads on ten different access control schemes.
Providing Healthcare to Evacuees in the Wake of a Natural Disaster: Opportunities to Improve Disaster Planning

ABSTRACT Background The impending landfall of Hurricane Katrina on the Mississippi Gulf Coast resulted in large numbers of evacuees into the Jackson, Mississippi area. Many evacuees with chronic medical problems had been directed to the Mississippi Coliseum in the downtown area near the University of Mississippi Medical Center. As the storm passed through Jackson, serious damage occurred to the municipal infrastructure. In this article, we asked how that experience has affected health planning for the care of sheltered populations. Methods We reviewed the information accumulated in the course of operating a large medical clinic for evacuees at the Mississippi Coliseum. We also contacted representatives of disaster planning agencies and of healthcare planning organizations to determine changes that have occurred in strategic plans subsequent to Katrina. Results Using the resources of our academic health center, we were able to effectively deliver healthcare to sheltered evacuees. A model has been developed for future use from this experience. Much progress has been made toward preparation for care of the chronically-ill who may be displaced by future disasters. Conclusion Hospitals and clinics on major evacuation routes for natural disasters can expect the sudden necessity to provide care to evacuees. Unless plans to care for chronically-ill individuals are incorporated into hospital disaster plans, local healthcare facilities may be unprepared to provide care. Many evacuees will have limited resources to pay for services. Academic medical centers have unique resources and capabilities to lead in the care plans for these populations.
Characterizations of tropospheric turbulence and stability layers from aircraft observations

[1] Velocity, temperature, and specific humidity data collected by aircraft at 20-Hz resolution are analyzed for stability and turbulence parameters. Over 100 vertical profiles (mostly over the ocean) with a total of over 300 km in vertical airspace sampled are used. The compiled statistics show that anisotropy in the velocity fluctuations prevail down to the smallest spatial separations measured. A partitioning of convective versus dynamical instability indicates that in the free troposphere, the ratio of shear-produced turbulence to convectively produced turbulence increases from roughly 2:1 for weak turbulence (ϵ 10−4 m2 s−3). For the boundary layer, this ratio is close to 1:1 for weak turbulence and roughly 2:1 for strong turbulence. There is also a correlation between the strength of the vertical shear in horizontal winds and the turbulence intensity. In the free troposphere the turbulence intensity is independent of the degree of static stability, whereas in the boundary layer the turbulence intensity increases with a fall in static stability. Vertical humidity gradients correlate with static stability for strong humidity gradients, which supports the basic notion that stable layers impede vertical mixing of trace gases and aerosols. Vertical shear correlates with vertical humidity gradient, so it appears that the effect of differential advection creating tracer gradients dominates the effect of differential advection destroying tracer gradients through shear-induced turbulence.
Female-perpetrated spousal homicides The case of Fiji

The paucity of empirical and theoretical research on women and lethal violence has been widely noted in homicide literature. While there has been substantial growth in published research over the last fifteen years, a majority of this literature has focused on Western industrialized nations. This study examined the four cases of female-perpetrated marital homicides that occurred in Fiji during an eleven-year period. Results are consistent with previous research indicating that homicidal women kill predisposed or latent victims and kill at home. Striking differences between husband murders in Fiji and Western nations were also noted: Women who killed their conjugal partners in Fiji constituted a minuscule proportion of homicidal spouses in the society, did not use guns to perpetrate the crimes, and planned and executed their crimes with male accomplices. Each of the four cases was profiled in the text to show characteristics of victims and perpetrators, the methods of killing, and the circumstances surrounding the lethal attacks.
Level 7 Disease Does Not Confer Worse Outcome than Level 6 Disease in Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

Background Level 7 nodal disease increases patients from N1a to N1b in the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM classification of differentiated thyroid cancers (DTCs). This results in upstaging of patients older than 45 years of age from stage III to IV. Our objective was to determine if patients with level 7 disease had poorer outcome in comparison to patients with isolated level 6 disease.
Renewable fluid dynamic energy derived from aquatic animal locomotion

Aquatic animals swimming in isolation and in groups are known to extract energy from the vortices in environmental flows, significantly reducing muscle activity required for locomotion. A model for the vortex dynamics associated with this phenomenon is developed, showing that the energy extraction mechanism can be described by simple criteria governing the kinematics of the vortices relative to the body in the flow. In this way, we need not make direct appeal to the fluid dynamics, which can be more difficult to evaluate than the kinematics. Examples of these principles as exhibited in swimming fish and existing energy conversion devices are described. A benefit of the developed framework is that the potentially infinite-dimensional parameter space of the fluid–structure interaction is reduced to a maximum of eight combinations of three parameters. The model may potentially aid in the design and evaluation of unsteady aero- and hydrodynamic energy conversion systems that surpass the Betz efficiency limit of steady fluid dynamic energy conversion systems.
Reductions in inactivation rates of bacteriophages by clay minerals in lake water

Differences were noted in the rate of inactivation of bacteriophages in natural lake water, with the sequence of lability being φ11M15 of Staphylococcus aureus RN450, Qβ of Escherichia coli K-38 > 80α of S. aureus RN450 > P1 of E. coli B > T1 of E. coli B. The survival of φ11M15 in lake water was unaffected by autoclaving, filtration, or amendment with particulate humic acids or heat-killed cells of Erwinia herbicola, Sarcina lutea, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, in the presence of attapulgite and vermiculite and, to a lesser extent, montmorillonite and kaolinite, the rate of inactivation of φ11M15 in natural, autoclaved, or filtered lake water was greatly reduced.
T Cell–Depleted Unrelated Donor Stem Cell Transplantation Provides Favorable Disease-Free Survival for Adults with Hematologic Malignancies

We report a prospective phase II clinical trial in 35 adult patients (median age 40.5 years) with hematologic malignancies who received T cell–depleted, hematopoietic stem cell transplants from HLA-compatible, unrelated donors. The cytoreductive regimen consisted of hyperfractionated total-body irradiation, thiotepa, and fludarabine. The preferred graft source was granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)-mobilized peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC). PBSC were CD34+ selected, followed by sheep erythrocyte rosetting to deplete residual T cells. Anti-thymocyte globulin provided graft rejection prophylaxis. No additional graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis was planned. Estimated disease-free survival at 4 years is 56.8% for the entire group and 75% in patients with standard-risk disease. The cumulative incidence of relapse is 6%. Acute GVHD grade II-III developed in 9% and chronic GVHD in 29% of patients. Fatal infections occurred in 5 of 35 (14%) patients. There was 1 late graft failure. This study demonstrates durable engraftment with a low overall incidence of GVHD. Its curative potential is reflected in the remarkably low relapse rate at 4 years.
Preparation of ultrathin reverse osmosis membranes and the attainment of theoretical salt rejection

Cellulose acetate reverse osmosis membranes, 600–2800 A. thick, have been prepared on glass surfaces by dipping a clean glass plate into a dilute solution of cellulose acetate. After drying, the membranes are floated of onto a water surface and placed on molecular filter supports. Theoretical salt rejections, as calculated from the solution-diffusion model of membrane transport for cellulose acetate, were obtained with imperfection-free membranes.
A Self-Management Functional Assessment-Based Behavior Support Plan for a Middle School Student with EBD:

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a functional assessment-based self-management strategy on the problem classroom behavior of a seventh-grade student identified as having emoti...
Surface exotherm during ignition of ammonium perchlorate propellants.

T use of arc image furnace techniques to study solid propellant ignition has become increasingly effective and widespread. Detailed characterizations of the ignition behavior of many propellants have been reportedwith particular emphasis on the effects of pressure and energy flux on time to ignition. Many attempts have been made to explain observed behavior, and technical arguments have been made by proponents of gas-phase, heterogeneous, or condensed-phase reaction mechanisms. This note is not intended as a presentation of evidence favoring any one of the proposed mechanisms; it rather presents some important experimental observations that may have bearing on the various theories of ignition being considered by investigators in the field. A particularly useful means of characterizing the ignition behavior of a solid propellant is to display the logarithm of the exposure time to radiant flux (from go no-go experiments) as a function of the logarithm of the flux. When experimental data fall on a line of slope equal to —2 on such a plot, and if there is no chemical reaction, ignition can be characterized by a constant surface temperature that is independent of flux. This relationship arises from the solution to the unsteadystate heat-transfer equation, in which the surface temperature is proportional to the product <pr%, where <p is the absorbed flux and r is the exposure time. In a study of several operational and model propellant compositions, we observed that test data were generally well fit by such a line of —2 slope up to a certain critical value of flux. Ignition at fluxes higher than the critical value is pressure-dependent; at lower pressures the data deviate toward larger values of time, and increasing pressure serves to shorten ignition time and bring the data back to the line of — 2 slope. In subsequent work with embedded surface thermocouples, we found the pre-ignition surface exotherms could be detected in ammonium perchlorate propellants at incident fluxes greater than the critical value of flux. Further, no exotherm (or an exotherm of insignificant proportions) was
The Muslim League in South India since Independence: A Study in Minority Group Political Strategies

How can a religious minority organize most effectively to protect its interests without weakening the distinction between religion and politics by which advocates of a secular state justify equal treatment for the minority? As in Europe earlier in the century, this problem is again acute in some of the so-called “New Nations” of Asia and Africa where national integration is far from complete and religion is still the primary mode of self-identification among many of its communicants. If a minority faith is geographically concentrated so as to constitute a majority in certain extensive areas, it is likely to seek independence, merger with an adjacent state of the same religion, or at least provincial autonomy if its members believe that their religious identity is threatened by assimilation.Of the great world religions, Islam provides the most difficult case of adjustment to minority status by separation of religion from the state. The leaders of the Muslim minority of British India finally set the objective of separate national independence in 1940 after they had concluded that they could not rely upon constitutional guarantees to safeguard their rights against the Hindu majority. But the creation of Pakistan in 1947 left a substantial though scattered Muslim population of some forty million in the Indian Republic, ten percent of the latter's people. Suspected by many Hindus of further divisive intentions, how was this group to act within the framework of parliamentary and at least ostensibly secular democracy?
Genetic determinants of cardiovascular disease in Hispanics

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) affects many people in the United States. Compared with other population groups in the United States, epidemiologic data suggest that Hispanic Americans are at a disproportionate risk for CVD. The etiology of this disparity is complex, with genetic, behavioral, cultural, and other environmental factors acting in an independent, interactive, and/or synergistic fashion. Because many complex conditions mediate risk of CVD, including diabetes, obesity, and hyperlipidemia, genes associated with these conditions have been considered as possible contributors to CVD in Hispanics. In addition, the diversity of background and heritage within this population creates a plethora of environmental determinants that interact with behaviors, cultural practices, and genetic makeup to influence disease risk. In this review, we explore the recent literature on genetic determinants of CVD and explain that effective efforts to reduce CVD disparities in Hispanics in the United States will require an understanding of the interactions of genes, the environment, and health-related practices.
Far-Infrared Radiation Modulators Using High-Tc Superconductors

The potential of using high-T c superconductors as intensity modulators for far-infrared radiation is investigated in this work. Reflectance and transmittance for several design structures are computed using the published optical constants of the superconductor YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 and substrate materials. Notable differences in the reflectance and transmittance between the superconducting state and the normal state are illustrated. The best results are obtained based on the reflectance of thin films (10 nm-50 nm thick) on thin substrates (less than 100 μm thick) and for radiation incident on the substrate. This study demonstrates that high-T c superconductive thin films can be used to build far-infrared radiation modulators. Future experimental study is recommended in order to materialize this promising thermo-optical device.
Ability to stand alone and processing of open-class and closed-class words: isolation versus context.

Four experiments investigating processing of closed-class and open-class words in isolation and in sentence contexts are reported. Taft (1990) reported that closed-class words which could not meaningfully stand alone and open-class words which could not meaningfully stand alone incurred longer lexical decision responses than did control words. Taft also reported that closed-class and open-class words which could stand alone meaningfully were not associated with longer lexical decision responses than were control words. Experiments 1 and 2 replicated Taft 's effect of ability to stand alone on lexical decision responses to closed-class and open-class words presented in isolation. In Experiments 3 and 4, the same lexical decision targets were presented as part of semantically neutral context sentences in a moving window paradigm. The stand-alone effect was not present in Experiments 3 and 4. The results suggest Toft's conclusion that meaningfulness of a word influences lexical decision needs revision. An explanation is provided according to which support from message level and syntactic and lexical sources in sentence contexts influence words' perceived “meaningfulness.”
Agents of “influence”: exploring the usage, timing, and outcomes of executive coaching tactics

Purpose – Executive coaching is commonly utilized in organizations to facilitate the personal and professional growth of executives. Executive coaches utilize a variety of proactive influence tactics to create behavioral change in their clients. The current study aimed to examine coaches' perceived use and effectiveness of the outcome, timing, and objective of proactive influence tactics in coaching relationships.Design/methodology/approach – Members of ten organizations affiliated with executive coaching were targeted for participation. A total of 110 participants completed the online survey.Findings – Influence tactics including coalition, consultation, inspirational appeals, and rational persuasion were more frequently associated with client commitment. Consultation was more frequently utilized during initial influence attempts; pressure was more frequently utilized during follow‐up attempts. Coaches also reported using different tactics depending on the desired outcome of the influence attempt: coalit...
Calcified bullet thrombus of the inferior vena cava.

A 12-year-old girl underwent plain radiographs of the spine for evaluation of underlying scoliosis. A triangular, bullet-shaped opacity (arrow) was observed in the right paravertebral location at the L1 level (Fig. 1). Also noted are underlying levoscoliosis of lumbar spine and metallic devices from a body brace. Subsequent US shows calcified thrombus (arrow) in the inferior vena cava (IVC) consistent with calcified bullet thrombus of the IVC (Fig. 2). A “bullet” thrombus is a calcified triangular-shaped thrombus of the IVC of unknown etiology first described by Singleton but it was Silverman who first used the adjective, “bullet” shaped [1, 2]. In addition to an isolated
Risk assessment and drought management in the Thames basin

Abstract A risk assessment procedure is described for use in managing a system of pumped-storage reservoirs in the Thames basin during a drought. Historical daily rainfall sequences are used as equi-probable scenarios of future rainfall. These are transformed to flow, reservoir level, and demand restriction sequences through the use of rainfall-runoff and water resource system models. The risk assessment information required is then obtained through a statistical analysis of these sequences. A novel technique is presented for incorporating monthly rainfall forecasts, presented as probabilities of rainfall being above average, average, or below average, into the risk assessment scheme. Information on current hydrological conditions is incorporated in the procedure through the use of recently observed natural flows to adjust the internal state variables of a conceptual rainfall-runoff model to achieve agreement between observed and model flow. The overall procedure is accommodated within a decision support ...
Public opinion during a presidential campaign: Distinguishing the effects of environmental evolution and attitude change

Abstract This paper develops a spatial model which distinguishes between different sources of temporal variability in public opinion over the course of an election campaign. Candidates and citizens are shown as points within a space. The candidate points are fixed, but their relative positions can change as a result of change over time in the dimension weights. If this occurs, it represents environmental evolution. The individual citizens' points also can move within the space, independently of the external environment. To the extent this occurs, it represents attitude change. The model is tested with data from the CPS 1980 National Election Study. The empirical results show that much of the variability in public evaluations of the candidates is due to evolutionary changes in the electoral environment, rather than individual-level attitude changes. Furthermore, that attitudinal change which does occur is strongly delimited by factors like partisan strength, interest in the campaign, and political participation.
Intrinsic geometry of curves and the Minkowski force

Abstract The Frenet-Serret equations for a curve in a Riemann space are used to derive a theorem regarding the Minkowski Force. The consequence is that the well-known Lorentz-Dirac equation, involving radiation reaction is already implicit in the geometry.
Honey bee behavior: responses to light and electric shock.

The position of worker bees in a shuttlebox was controlled by varying the intensities of light stimuli placed at both ends of the box. The amount of time spent on the brighter side of the box was greatest when the gradient of illumination was steepest. Responding to light was altered systematically by delivering electric shock to the legs. We suggest that electric shock may be used to calibrate the strength of phototactic responding.
A multifaceted behavioral intervention for pill-taking avoidance associated with Tylenol poisoning

The effectiveness of relaxation training, imaginal exposure and in vivo exposure to pills in the treatment of pill-taking avoidance resulting from a fear of poisoning associated with Tylenol was investigated. Following relaxation training and imaginal exposure to vitamin consumption, one session of in vivo exposure to vitamin taking resulted in daily vitamin use. One session of in vivo exposure to aspirin and placebo capsules (substitutes for prescribed medication) resulted in consumption of aspirin as needed and daily ingestion of placebo pills. Interestingly, treatment effects generalized to leftovers and wine, two related phobic stimuli, without additional intervention. At three and six month follow-up, the subject reported maintenance of treatment effects. Psychophysiological assessment data were consistent with the subject's self-report.
Free radical reactions of monochloramine and hydroxylamine in aqueous solution

Abstract The use of Advanced Oxidation Technologies to destroy organic contaminants in drinking water may be impacted by the presence of disinfection chemicals such as monochloramine (NH2Cl). To allow a quantitative evaluation of the effect of NH2Cl on the destruction of organics in water rate constants for its reaction with the hydrated electron, the hydroxyl radical and the hydrogen atom were determined in this study. The corresponding values of (2.2±0.2)×1010, (2.8±0.2)×109, and (1.2±0.1)×109 M−1 s−1, respectively, were incorporated into a kinetic computer model whose predictions were in good agreement with experimental chloramine removal under large scale, steady-state electron-beam irradiation conditions. Rate constants were also determined for the reaction of the hydroxyl radical and hydrogen atom with the chloramine hydration product hydroxylamine to supplement established literature data. Hydroxyl radical rate constants for the basic (NH2OH) and acidic (NH3OH+) forms were determined as (8.5±0.4)×109 and ⩽5×107 M−1 s−1, respectively, while for hydrogen atom reaction, corresponding rate constants of (4.5±0.1)×107 and (3.6±1.5)×105 M−1 s−1 were found.
A-priori and A-posteriori Covariance Data in Nuclear Cross Section Adjustments: Issues and Challenges

In order to provide useful feedback to evaluators a set of criteria are established for assessing the robustness and reliability of the cross section adjustments that make use of integral experiment information. Criteria are also provided for accepting the “a posteriori” cross sections, both as new “nominal” values and as “trends”. Some indications of the use of the “a posteriori” covariance matrix are indicated, even though more investigation is needed to settle this complex subject.
Isolation and characterization of Photosystem I and II membrane particles from the blue-green alga, Synechococcus cedrorum

Abstract Fractions enriched in either Photosystem I or Photosystem II activity have been isolated from the blue-green alga, Synechococcus cedrorum after digitonin treatment. Sedimentation of this homogenate on a 10–30% sucrose gradient yielded three green bands: the upper band was enriched in Photosystem II, the lowest band was enriched in Photosystem I, while the middle band contained both activities. Large quantities of both particles were isolated by zonal centrifugation, and the material was then further purified by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. The resulting Photosystem II particles carried out light-induced electron transport from semicarbizide to ferricyanide of over 2000 μmol/mg Chlorophyll per h (which was sensitive to 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea), and was nearly devoid of Photosystem I activity. This particle contains β-carotene, very little phycocyanin, has a chlorophyll absorption maximum at 675 nm, and a liquid N2 fluorescence maximum at 685 nm. The purest Photosystem II particles have a chlorophyll to cytochrome b-559 ratio of 50 : 1. The Photosystem I particle is highly enriched in P-700 , with a chlorophyll to P-700 ratio of 40 : 1. The physical structure of the two Photosystem particles has also been studied by gel electrophoresis and electron microscopy. These results indicate that the size and protein composition of the two particles are distinctly different.