cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the Design Features of Decision Support Systems: The Role of System Restrictiveness and Decisional Guidance

This chapter is about the substantive design of DSS features. It begins with a set of five premises that are fundamental for designing DSSs yet are often neglected in the prescriptive literature. Because a DSS is an intervention into the processes by which decisions are made, and because the ultimate outcome of DSS design is not the system itself but the system’s consequences, the key question for designers to keep in mind is this: What will the decision maker do with the system? Contemplating this question leads to two key design features of DSS: system restrictiveness and decisional guidance. System restrictiveness refers to how a DSS limits decision makers who rely on it to a subset of all possible decision-making processes. Decisional guidance refers to how a DSS enlightens, sways, or directs decision makers as they choose and use its functional capabilities. Together these two features play a significant role in determining whether a DSS will successfully achieve its design objectives while avoiding undesirable side-effects. The chapter explores how a system’s restrictiveness and decisional guidance can be defined by designers to achieve their design objectives as well as how DSS features can restrict and guide.
Creating a Rural Surgery Track and a Review of Rural Surgery Training Programs.

Objective The objective of this study was to present the process of developing a rural surgery training track within an established residency program and review the current rural surgery training programs in the nation. Design This study reviews current rural surgery training opportunities at Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education accredited surgical residencies in the United States and presents the process of creating the University of Minnesota's rural surgery training track. Setting This study was performed at the University of Minnesota, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and at Essentia Health—Saint Mary's Medical Center, in Duluth, Minnesota. Participants Accredited general surgery residencies were reviewed. The creation of a designated rural surgery training track added an additional rural-designated surgical resident during each postgraduation year and created a required postgraduation year 2 rural surgery rotation for all categorical surgical residents. Results Two hundred sixty-eight surgery residency programs were reviewed. Twenty-seven had required rural rotations, 10 offered only elective rural rotations, and 4 had dedicated National Resident Matching Program codes for rural training tracks. After review of national rural surgery training opportunities, the University of Minnesota's process of creating a designated rural surgery training program required attention to 5 main components: needs assessment and review of local opportunities, surgery residency review committee approval, funding, surgical education, and clinical/operative education. Conclusions Increasing opportunities for surgical residents to train in rural settings may help with recruitment of medical students and retention of surgeons pursuing careers in rural surgery.
Secretory breast carcinoma in an 8-year-old girl: A case report and literature review.

Secretory breast carcinoma (SBC) is a rare form of breast cancer found in both children and adults, and is the most common breast cancer in the pediatric population. Although SBC usually carries a favorable prognosis, there have been reported cases of axillary and distant metastases. Surgery is the primary mode of treatment, however, there exists variability within the literature surrounding the management of SBC. We report a case of an 8-year-old girl who presented with a firm, mobile, palpable breast mass. Ultrasonography was performed, followed by local excision, with surgical pathology concerning for SBC. The patient was definitively treated with mastectomy and sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy. She received no adjuvant therapies and 2 years later, remains disease free. Herein, we review the literature, curate data from 89 reported cases of pediatric and adult SBC, and address some of the controversy surrounding its treatment. From this review we conclude that patients with SBC should be reviewed at multidisciplinary treatment planning conference, undergo surgery with mastectomy or lumpectomy with SLN biopsy, and have long-term postoperative follow-up.
Effectiveness of an Intervention for Improving Intrinsic Motivation among Adolescent Males in a Secure Substance Use Treatment Setting

Because intrinsic motivation affects substance use treatment engagement and outcomes, interventions to increase readiness for change are needed. The Treatment Readiness and Induction Program (TRIP)...
Association Between Red Blood Cell Transfusion and Clinical Outcomes Among Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background We evaluated the association between postprocedural packed red blood cell transfusion and morbidity and mortality among patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 429 patients with severe aortic stenosis who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Propensity-score adjusted multivariable logistic and Cox regression models were used to determine the association of packed red blood cell transfusion with the composite endpoint of death, myocardial infarction, and stroke at 30 days and in hospital, and 1-year mortality. Results Patients receiving transfusions had a higher 30-day and in-hospital incidence of death, myocardial infarction, or stroke when compared with patients who did not receive transfusions (hazard ratio 2.03, 95% confidence interval: 1.02 to 4.07, p = 0.045; and hazard ratio 2.46, 95% confidence interval: 1.12 to 5.41, p = 0.025, respectively). Postprocedural transfusion was independently associated with 1-year mortality (hazard ratio 2.65, 95% confidence interval: 1.21 to 5.80, p = 0.015). Conclusions Packed red blood cell transfusion for patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement is associated with an increased incidence of adverse outcomes during hospitalization and at 30-day and 1-year follow-up.
Ultrasound-Guided Emergency Pericardiocentesis of a Patient with Multiple Myeloma in a Resource Limited Setting.

Introduction Cardiac tamponade, a variant of cardiogenic shock, is a medical emergency. A traumatic cardiac tamponade is an expected phenomenon; however, in non-traumatic events such as malignant pathology, it is usually less dramatic and takes several days or weeks to manifest. Occurrence of tamponade physiology due to pericardial effusion in a patient with multiple myeloma is a distinctly unusual entity. The involvement of a serous cavity in multiple myeloma is rare and pericardial effusion in such a case is due to restrictive cardiomyopathy or amyloidosis, a presentation late in the course of the disease that carries a grave prognosis. Case presentation We present to you a case of a 60-year-old patient with cardiac tamponade due to pericardial effusion secondary to an advanced multiple myeloma. Due to the early diagnosis, she underwent a successful emergency pericardiocentesis with a central venous catheter under ultrasound guidance even in a resource limited emergency department (ED) of a district in southern India. She also showed marked improvement after the procedure and was transferred to the intensive care unit for further management. Conclusion Cardiac tamponade is not an "all or none" phenomenon, but rather a continuum of findings. A high index of suspicion and timely clinical decision-making is the key for an emergency physician. Although there are several mimics for cardiac tamponade in ED, it is important for an emergency physician to be aware of such varied presentations of a disease spectrum owing to its rarity and clinical importance.
Late Breaking Abstract - Primary care providers’ fidelity to a brief asthma shared decision-making intervention

Background: Shared decision-making (SDM) improves inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) adherence and asthma outcomes when delivered by highly trained interventionists over multiple sessions to (mostly) white insured adults. This, however, is difficult to sustain highlighting the need for brief interventions integrated into routine care. Aims and Objectives: To test the feasibility of a one-time brief SDM intervention delivered by primary care providers (PCPs) focusing on asthma control and ICS adherence at federally qualified health centers that specialize in treating under- and uninsured minority adults. Methods: We trained 4 PCPs on a 4-step SDM motivational interviewing intervention in a 2-hour session (didactics 30 minutes, role-playing reflecting common clinical scenarios 10 minutes, SDM role-playing 50 minutes, Q&A 30 minutes). A tablet prompts PCPs through the 4-steps. We used audio recordings to determine intervention fidelity. Patients reported motivation to use ICS. Results: To date, 2 PCPs have delivered the intervention at 14 visits. All PCPs delivered Step 1 (raising the topic of ICS non-adherence), 91% Step 2 (providing feedback to draw connection between ICS use and poor asthma control), 86% Step 3 (enhancing motivation to increase ICS use), and 88% Step 4 (shared decision-making). The intervention took an average of 8 minutes 40 seconds to deliver during visits that lasted a mean of 13 minutes 32 seconds. Patients’ mean reported motivation to increase ICS (on a scale 1-not ready to 10-very ready) was 8 (range 4-10). Conclusions: This real-world trial provides initial evidence that PCPs can deliver a brief SDM intervention offering scalability to be tested in future trials.
Does schedule irregularity affect productivity? Evidence from random assignment into college classes

Abstract Workers with irregular or on-call work schedules constitute up to 17% of the workforce in the US. We identify the causal impact of schedule regularity on productivity by leveraging data from a Vietnamese university where freshmen were randomly assigned into highly-varying course schedules. Some schedules had consistent start times across the week, while others had extreme shifts in daily start times. Though we find a robust relationship between schedules and self-reported sleep, we precisely estimate no discernible differences in achievement across students with differing start time variability. Like prior studies, we find gains in achievement to delayed start times.
The Pediatric Match Frenzy: An Overview and an Approach for Mentoring Medical Students.

Abstract Applying for a pediatric residency position has become an increasingly stressful event and recently medical educators have described it as a “Match Frenzy.” Match statistics demonstrate increased competition for pediatric residency positions and a record number of applications. Faculty who mentor medical students are now challenged to counsel them through the intensified process and pediatric residency programs are now forced to navigate the rising number of applications. We define the Match Frenzy and its implications, review historical and current match statistics, and describe a data-driven approach to the problem. Through mitigating the frenzy surrounding this process, we can help students and residency programs better allocate their precious resources.
A Frequency Multiplier and Phase Modulation Approach for Mechanical Antennas Operating at Super Low Frequency (SLF) Band

In this paper, a novel scheme to increase the radiation frequency of a mechanical antenna to a multiple of its rotation frequency is presented. This approach is useful for antennas operating at the Super Low Frequency (SLF) band (30-300Hz) or Ultra Low Frequency (ULF) band (0.3-3kHz) without the need for rotating a permanent magnet or an electret at a very high speed. The proposed approach can also be used for mechanical phase modulation of data to be transmitted directly. In mechanical antennas, instead of using conventional antennas driven by electrical sources, the radiation is resulted from rotating magnets or electrets by mechanical sources. Our investigations indicate that by rotating a permanent magnetic bar sandwiched between two pairs of orthogonal bow-tie shaped layers of very high µ material, frequency multiplication can be accomplished at the expense of less radiated power. Slow position change of the µ material can also produce the desired phase modulation. Numerical simulations using ANSYS Maxwell, and measurements are performed here to verify these two concepts.
The Value of Vulnerability

Physician suicide is a public health crisis and has been for many years. According to a study by Center et al1, an estimated 300 physicians commit suicide in the United States every year. Many of these might be related to depression that is ignored and left untreated. Despite the urgency of this epidemic, news of physician suicides and depression often gets buried on public forums because it represents a failure of the many stakeholders involved. This forces one to wonder how many doctors will have to die until someone takes notice. As a part of this system and as an honor to the many colleagues we have lost to this day, today I want to advocate for the value of vulnerability. How do you define vulnerability? Derived from the Latin word for wound, “vulnus,” it defines the state of being open to injury, and of being open to hurt, sadness, error, and emotional and physical turmoil. As doctors, we are often not comfortable with talking about the above-mentioned things, nor are we not allowed to by those in charge. As part of the medical community, there is an unsaid expectation for us to be the ultimate pillars of strength. Writing the word “vulnerable” next to a physician’s name seems like a huge stigma in our world of perfectionism in medicine. How does that relate to physician suicide? Two physicians whom I knew distantly recently committed suicide. Pictures that were taken 2 days before their deaths …
Learning to Cheat: Quantifying Changes in Score Advantage of Unproctored Assessments Over Time

Proctoring educational assessments (e.g., quizzes and exams) has a cost, be it in faculty (and/or course staff) time or in money to pay for proctoring services. Previous estimates of the utility of proctoring (generally by estimating the score advantage of taking an exam without proctoring) vary widely and have mostly been implemented using an across subjects experimental designs and sometimes with low statistical power. We investigated the score advantage of unproctored exams versus proctored exams using a within-subjects design for N = 510 students in an on-campus introductory programming course with 5 proctored exams and 4 unproctored exams. We found that students scored 3.32 percentage points higher on questions on unproctored exams than on proctored exams (p More interestingly, however, we discovered that this score advantage on unproctored exams grew steadily as the semester progressed, from around 0 percentage points at the start of semester to around 7 percentage points by the end. As the most obvious explanation for this advantage is cheating, we refer to this behavior as the student population "learning to cheat". The data suggests that both more individuals are cheating and the average benefit of cheating is increasing over the course of the semester. Furthermore, we observed that studying for unproctored exams decreased over the course of the semester while studying for proctored exams stayed constant. Lastly, we estimated the score advantage by question type and found that our long-form programming questions had the highest score advantage on unproctored exams, but there are multiple possible explanations for this finding.
Haole Savages in 1829 Honolulu

In 1829, Honolulu was a busy port in a new nation. While the native Hawaiians struggled to form a government competing interests from the foreign community clashed with pious missionaries. The native community was caught in the middle. The incident described in this paper is called the "Cow Incident." It led the young King Kamehameha III to put all foreigners on notice that the Kingdom laws applied to everyone and their obedience was expected by his Proclamation sometimes called the "Cow Proclamation."
Parametric instabilities of a stratified shear layer

A Boussinesq fluid inside a stably thermally stratified square container whose walls are inclined with respect to gravity, with two opposite walls kept at constant temperatures and the other two insulated is nearly isothermal in the regions above and below the horizontal diagonal. The flow is concentrated in the wall boundary layers and a shear layer centred about the horizontal diagonal. The equilibrium is maintained by the balance between dissipation in the shear and boundary layers, the heat fluxes at the constant temperature walls, and the induced flow resulting from the no-flux condition at the inclined insulated walls. The dynamical response of the fluid to vertical oscillations of the container is studied over a range of forcing frequencies. For a small forcing amplitude and below a viscosity-dependent cutoff forcing frequency, this response exhibits a modal cellular structure localized about the shear layer. With increasing forcing amplitude, the response experiences instabilities, studied here numerically at a forcing frequency above the cutoff frequency, that are similar to those encountered in the Faraday wave problem, such as parametric subharmonic instability, triadic resonance and resonant collapse.
Emotion-based decision-making as a predictor of alcohol-related consequences in college students.

Abstract Student drinking during the college years can result in many adverse outcomes. Emotion-based decision-making (EBDM), or the use of emotional information to influence future plans and behavior, may lead to increased harmful consequences of alcohol. The current study examined both the number of types and total frequency of alcohol consequences as a function of EBDM. Undergraduate students from three large universities (n = 814) were assessed on EBDM and typical weekly drinking during their 2nd year of college, and alcohol-related consequences during their 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years. Alcohol-related consequences were operationalized both as unique types of consequences and total consequences experienced in the previous year. Latent growth modeling used EBDM in year 2 to predict unique and total alcohol consequences in years 2, 3, and 4. Students who endorsed higher levels of EBDM experienced a significantly increased total frequency of consequences over the three years, without differences in trajectory between students high and low on this construct. Participants with higher levels of EBDM experienced a significantly greater number of unique consequences at all time points, but these consequences increased at a significantly lower rate than individuals lower on this construct. Findings of this study indicate Emotion-Based Decision-Making may be a useful predictor of harmful consequences of student drinking over time.
“Third Floor Respect”: A Black Masculinist Examination of Morehouse College’s Mathematics Learning Community

The disproportionate representation of Black men in mathematics has perplexed researchers for decades, and the undergraduate space has been championed as a lever to help remedy this issue. Thus, mo...
DIRAS3: An Imprinted Tumor Suppressor Gene that Regulates RAS and PI3K-driven Cancer Growth, Motility, Autophagy, and Tumor Dormancy.

DIRAS3 is an imprinted tumor suppressor gene that encodes a 26 kD GTPase with 60% amino acid homology to RAS, but with a distinctive 34 amino acid N-terminal extension required to block RAS function. DIRAS3 is maternally imprinted and expressed only from the paternal allele in normal cells. Loss of expression can occur in a single "hit" through multiple mechanisms. Downregulation of DIRAS3 occurs in cancers of the ovary, breast, lung, prostate, colon, brain, and thyroid. Re-expression of DIRAS3 inhibits signaling through PI3 kinase/AKT, JAK/STAT and RAS/MAPK, blocking malignant transformation, inhibiting cancer cell growth and motility and preventing angiogenesis. DIRAS3 is a unique endogenous RAS inhibitor that binds directly to RAS, disrupting RAS dimers and clusters and preventing RAS-induced transformation. DIRAS3 is essential for autophagy and triggers this process through multiple mechanisms. Re-expression of DIRAS3 induces dormancy in a nu/nu mouse xenograft model of ovarian cancer, inhibiting cancer cell growth and angiogenesis. DIRAS3-mediated induction of autophagy facilitates the survival of dormant cancer cells in a nutrient-poor environment. DIRAS3 expression in dormant, drug-resistant autophagic cancer cells can serve as a biomarker and as a target for novel therapy to eliminate the residual disease that remains after conventional therapy.
Pathways from exposure to racial/ethnic discrimination to depression: Testing a social-cognitive model

Abstract Rationale/objective. Interpersonal racial/ethnic discrimination is a risk factor for depression across the lifespan in minoritized racial/ethnic groups. This study tests a model proposing that social cognitive processes, including relational schemas, mediate the link between discrimination and depression. Relational schemas enable individuals to form mental representations of others, reflecting prior social learning and generating expectations about future social relations. Racism-related relational schemas include, among others, concerns about being rejected or invalidated, concerns about confirming negative stereotypes held by others, and cynical mistrust of others. Prior studies have typically examined the mediating role of one or two relational schemas in the association between discrimination and depression; less is known about the unique and combined effects of multiple dimensions of racism-related social cognition. Methods The model was tested in a convenience sample of ethnically diverse, non-white participants recruited from two sites, a community medical center (N = 136; Mage = 38, SD = 13.0) and a private university (N = 120; Mage = 19.4, SD = 1.3), yielding a consolidated sample of 256 participants (64% women). Data were collected between September 2016 and April 2018. Participants completed paper-and-pencil self-report measures of exposure to interpersonal discrimination, depressive symptoms, and eight measures of relational schemas. Results Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the eight relational schemas defined three primary dimensions: concerns about rejection and invalidation, social vigilance, and mistrust. A structural equation model in which the association between exposure to discrimination and depressive symptoms operates through latent factors representing three social-cognitive dimensions demonstrated adequate fit (CFI = 0.96, RMSEA = 0.06, SRMR = 0.04). A significant mediational effect was found only for concerns about rejection and invalidation. Conclusion The conceptual model supported by this study may help inform psychological interventions aimed at mitigating the detrimental effects of racial/ethnic discrimination on mental health.
Virtual 3D Environments: Implementations of 3D Environments for Virtual Tours and Online Communication

Virtual tours can be found over the web in many different scenarios: touring a campus, displaying consumer products, documenting a trip. These tours provide information using images, movies and sound to provide users with navigation in such a way that they user feels they are experiencing the information in real time. These tours are usually driven by mouse clicks, whether it is clicking on an image gallery, movie gallery or panning around a panoramic image. While virtual tours are interactive in those examples, there is a lack of interaction be tween the users viewing the tour. Online communication has become a substitution for the tradition interaction between people due to its ease of accessibility. These range from customizable avatars and custom messages to real time movement within an environment. This gives the user the ability to make a virtual persona; a way to experience a realistic interaction online. I will try to create a virtual tour that expands on previous virtual tour concepts and provide users with a virtual representation of an environment with different forms of interaction and communication. My thesis is an exploration in designing a completely web based interactive tour with the purpose of teaching the user about the Computer Graphics Design program at the Rochester Institute of Technology while providing the user with a virtual re-creation of the program’s computer lab in hopes of bringing a more interactive approach to virtual tours. Divided into 3 sections, this thesis provides the user the option to choose their avatar, chat with other users and explore the program’s lab to learn about the program. Project website http://www.seb8262.wordpress.com
Characterization and Hormonal Regulation of the Promoter of the Rat Prostaglandin Endoperoxide Synthase 2 Gene in Granulosa Cells IDENTIFICATION OF FUNCTIONAL AND PROTEIN-BINDING REGIONS*

Prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase isoform 2 (PGS-2) mRNA and protein are transiently induced by gonadotropins in granulosa cells of preovulatory follicles prior to ovulation. To better understand the hormonal regulation of the rat PGS-2 (rPGS-2) gene in these cells, genomic clones containing rPGS-2 as well as up to 6 kilobases of 5'-flanking DNA were isolated by screening a rat liver genomic library with a labeled 5'-fragment of the mouse PGS-2 cDNA. Primer extension analysis using ovarian follicular mRNA identified the presence of a single rPGS-2 transcription initiation site located 144 nucleotides upstream of the ATG translation initiation codon. To test for promoter activity within the 5'-flanking region of the rPGS-2 gene, a genomic fragment, -2698/32 (1 = cap site), as well as a series of 5'-deletion mutants, were fused upstream of the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene and transfected into primary cultures of granulosa cells. Forskolin (7.5 microM), follicle-stimulating hormone (500 ng/ml) and luteinizing hormone (500 ng/ml) induced CAT activity following transfection with the -2698/32PGS.CAT, whereas gonadotropin-releasing hormone (10(-6) M) and interleukin-1 beta (30 ng/ml) had no effect. Deletion mutants delineated the region spanning from -192 to -54 of the transcription start site to be essential for both basal and forskolin-regulated expression of the reporter gene. The same DNA fragment (-192/-54) exhibited specific binding to granulosa cell nuclear extract proteins as analyzed by electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Additional specific bands were observed in extracts prepared from granulosa cells exposed to an ovulatory dose of gonadotropin. Collectively, these results provide the first structural and functional evidence that the transcriptional regulation of the rat PGS-2 gene by gonadotropins and forskolin in granulosa cells involves 5'-flanking DNA sequences, specifically a region between -192 and -54 of the transcription initiation site.
A Computer Resource for the Elementary School

The research reported herein was supported by a grant from National Science Foundation (NSF-GJ-540X) and by the Learning Research and Development Center, supported in part by funds from the National Institute of Education, United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the sponsoring agencies and no official endorsement should be inferred.
Using the Web 1T 5-Gram Database for Attribute Selection in Formal Concept Analysis to Correct Overstemmed Clusters

As part of information retrieval processes, words are often stemmed to a common root. The Porter Stemming Algorithm operates as a rule-based suffix-removal process. Stemming can be viewed as a way to cluster related words together according to one common stem. Sometimes Porter includes words in a cluster that are un-related. This experiment attempts to correct this using Formal Concept Analysis (FCA). FCA is the process of formulating formal concepts from a given formal context. A formal context consists of objects and attributes, and a binary relation that indicates the attributes possessed by each object. A formal concept is formed by computing the closure of subsets of objects and attributes. Using the Cranfield document collection, this experiment crafted a comparison measure between each word in the stemmed cluster using the Google Web 1T 5-gram data set. Using FCA to correct the clusters, the results showed a varying level of success dependent upon the error threshold allowed.
Marine adhesives. IV

Abstract The adhesive secreted by the barnacle, Balanus eburneus, has been demonstrated to contain two hexosamines, glucosamine and galactosamine. Degradation of the hexosamines during hydrolysis of the adhesive appears to be the reason why previous studies of the adhesive have indicated the absence of hexosamines, or the presence of only one hexosamine.
Diagnosis, prevalence, and screening of familial dilated cardiomyopathy

Introduction: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is the most common cardiomyopathy and occurs often in families. As an inherited disease, understanding the significance of diagnostic procedures and genetic screening within families is of utmost importance.Areas covered: Genetic studies have shown that in 30 – 40% of familial DCM (FDC) cases a causative genetic mutation can be identified. Successful genetic analysis is highly dependent on close examination of patient and family history, and clinical guidelines exist recommending genetic testing to aid in the evaluation of family members at risk of developing FDC. Clinical genetic testing offers a resource for families to identify the etiology of their disease and in some cases may provide clinical prognostic insight.Expert opinion: As an inherited disease, future FCD studies will focus on elucidating the remaining 60 – 70% of genetic causes in inherited cases and the pathogenic mechanisms leading to the phenotype. Specifically, a focus on regulatory regions, cop...
Pneumonia due to Mycoplasma in Gnotobiotic Mice II. Localization of Mycoplasma pulmonis in the Lungs of Infected Gnotobiotic Mice by Electron Microscopy

Organick, Avrum B. (Marquette University School of Medicine, Milwaukee, Wis.), Kenneth A. Siegesmund, and Irving I. Lutsky. Pneumonia due to mycoplasma in gnotobiotic mice. II. Localization of Mycoplasma pulmonis in the lungs of infected gnotobiotic mice by electron microscopy. J. Bacteriol. 92:1164-1176. 1966.-Lesions in lungs of gnotobiotic mice inoculated intranasally with Mycoplasma pulmonis were examined by electron microscopy after osmic acid fixation. At 1 week after infection, mycoplasma cells were found in large numbers in the bronchi at the surface of bronchial epithelial cells and, in smaller numbers, in the alveoli where active phagocytosis by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) occurred. Cytopathic changes in underlying bronchial epithelial cells, not apparent by light microscopy, were observed. At 3 weeks after infection, mycoplasma cells were rarely seen in the bronchi, and were no longer seen free in the alveolar spaces or within PMN. Lungs examined after glutaraldehyde fixation 1 week after infection confirmed the presence of mycoplasma cells in the alveolar spaces and within phagocytic vacuoles of PMN, but also revealed numerous ring forms within granular pneumocytes. These forms seemed to represent intracytoplasmic developmental stages of M. pulmonis, in which elementary bodies appeared in large numbers.
Paradise Mislaid: In Search of the Australian Tribe of Paraguay

Paradise Mislaid: In Search of the Australian Tribe of Paraguay. Anne Whitehead. Queensland, Australia: University of Queensland Press, 1997. + 635 pp. (Paper US$35.00)
Modeling of a computer-controlled zoom lens

The authors present calibration techniques to determine the relationships that map the parameters associated with a camera viewpoint to the parameters that can actually be controlled in a reconfigurable vision system. These relationships can be used to achieve the desired values of the camera viewpoint parameters by setting the controllable parameters to the appropriate values. The sensor setup consisted of a camera lens with zoom, focus, and aperture control. The calibration techniques were applied to the H 6*12.5 R Fujinon zoom lens and experimental results are shown. >
Rational treatment choices for non-major depressions in primary care: an evidence-based review.

OBJECTIVE: This review synthesizes available evidence for managing clinically significant dysphoric symptoms encountered in primary care, when formal criteria for major depression or dysthymia are not met. Discussion is focused on premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and minor depression because of their significant prevalence in the primary care setting and the lack of clear practice guidelines for addressing each illness.
Smoking restrictions in the home and car among rural Native American and white families with young children.

Abstract Background. This paper examines the prevalence of household and car smoking restrictions, factors associated with these restrictions, and children's exposure to secondhand smoke in homes with varying levels of household smoking restrictions in rural Native American and White families. Methods. In-person interviews were conducted with 380 rural, low-income Native American and White parents or guardians who were the primary caregivers of children aged 1–6 in northeastern Oklahoma. Results. Prevalence of complete smoking bans was 49.1% in Native American homes and 42.7% in White homes. Car smoking bans were less common, with 34.9% of Native American and 39.6% of White caregivers reporting complete bans. Among nonsmoking households, the proportion of friends who smoked was associated with both car and home smoking bans. Race and education of the caregivers were also associated with car smoking bans in homes with no adult smokers. Among smokers, cigarettes smoked per day, quit attempts within the past year, and the strong belief that secondhand smoke harmed children and babies were related to household smoking bans, whereas cigarettes smoked per day and the proportion of friends who smoked were related to car smoking bans. Conclusions. Despite the relatively low prevalence of smoking bans in our population, factors associated with household and car smoking bans were similar to those found in the general population.
Clinical studies of antibodies binding polyriboadenylic acid in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Antibodies of polyriboadenylic acid (poly rA) are demonstrated by filter radioimmunoassay in 75% of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), in 54% of patients with discoid lupus erythematosus, and in only 0-7% of normal controls and patients with rheumatoid arthritis or Sjogren's syndrome. These antibodies are distinct from antibodies to single- and double-stranded DNA and double-stranded RNA. Poly rA binding is associated with IgM and IgG serum fractions. Because poly rA may have a role in the transcription of mRNA in mammalian cells and viruses, antibodies to poly rA may be important clues to virologic and immunogenetic mechanisms in the pathogenesis of SLE.
Effect of concomitant injection of prostaglandin and PMSG on pregnancy rate and prolificacy of artificially inseminated Spanish goats synchronized with controlled internal drug release devices

Abstract Controlled internal drug release (CIDR) devices containing progesterone were used for 16 days to synchronize estrus in 108 mature Spanish does in the natural breeding season. Pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG, 250 IU) was given to all does 48 h prior to CIDR removal. At the time of treatment with PMSG, a random half of the does received prostaglandin (PGF, 5 mg dinoprost tromethamine, Lutalyse) to determine the effect of its addition on pregnancy rates and prolificacy in artificially inseminated does. Mean pregnancy rates, 64.5% and 59.5%, and prolificacy, 170% and 166%, were not significantly different (P>0.05) for does treated with PMSG or PMSG/PGF, respectively. Administering PGF to does on this synchronization regimen in the natural breeding season is unwarranted.
Angular Differential Cross Sections for 25-, 50-, and 100-kev-proton Excitation of Helium to the n=2 Level

Differential cross sections for 25-, 50-, and 100-keV-proton excitation of helium to the $n=2$ level have been determined for center-of-mass scattering angles from 0 to 1.2 mrad. The cross sections were obtained from an analysis of the angular distribution of the scattered protons which had lost an energy corresponding to the excitation of the helium target to its $n=2$ level. The differential cross section is very sharply peaked in the forward direction and decreases by a factor of 45 in 1.0 mrad at 25 keV and by a factor of 650 in 1.0 mrad at 100 keV. The data are in excellent agreement with a recent multistate eikonal calculation.
Mass spectrometric studies of peptides—VI:. Applications of metastable ion and collisional activation spectra

An unambiguous differentiation between leucine and isoleucine residues in peptides is possible with unimolecular metastable ion (MI) and collisional activation (CA) spectra. The immonium ion , which is present in the normal mass spectra of all leucine or isoleucine containing peptides, yields MI spectra with which this differentiation can be made with high sensitivity. The MI and CA spectra of other peptide fragments are also applicable in particular cases. MI and CA spectra can also be used to obtain information on the amino acide sequences of individual ions. In general more extensive sequece information is available from CA than from MI spectra. This information appears to be particularly promising for the sequencing of oligopeptide mixtures or of ions produced by field or chemical ionization.
Chromatin structure in the genomics era

The packaging of eukaryotic genomes into chromatin has a large influence on DNA-templated processes, such as transcription. The availability of genome sequences and 'genomics' technologies such as DNA microarrays and high-throughput sequencing had an immediate effect on the study of transcriptional regulation, by enabling researchers to identify the coregulation patterns of thousands of genes. These same resources are now being used successfully to study the structure of chromatin. Here, I review some of these new genomics approaches to understanding chromatin structure in eukaryotes.
Limitations of the Spectropolarimeter in reference to Optical Activity in Meteorites

CONFLICTING claims have arisen concerning the significance of the discovery of a small laevo-rotation in the saponified material of a carbonaceous chondrite1–6. The discovery has been questioned on two grounds—that the optical activity may be caused by terrestrial contamination and that the reported optical activity is an instrumental artefact caused by the high optical density and by the presence of colloidal particles in the extract of the meteorite. Unless the second objection, is resolved, it is doubtful whether projected tests for optical activity on extra-terrestrial bodies can have much significance.
X-ray scattering from liquid helium

Abstract A brief survey is presented of the developments in X-ray scattering from 3 He, 4 He and 3 He 4 He mixtures. Where appropriate, comparison is also made to the results available from the techniques of neutron scattering. Particular attention is paid to recent results for the liquid structure factor as a function of density. Also discussed in detail is the situation concerning changes in the spatial order of 4 He in the vicinity of the lambda transition.
Men are more inhibited than women by weak prepulses

The acoustic startle reflex is normally inhibited when the startling stimulus is preceded by a weak prepulse. We studied "prepulse inhibition" (PPI) to assess potential gender differences in this operational measure of sensorimotor gating. A review of data from our previously published studies in psychiatric patients and normal controls indicated that startle in women was less inhibited by weak prepulses than was startle in men, and that this gender difference narrowed when stronger prepulses were used to elicit maximal levels of PPI. Based on these observations, new subjects were selected for study using our established criteria to exclude individuals with psychiatric disorders, substance abuse, or serious neurologic or medical illness. Replicating our preliminary observation, women exhibited significantly less PPI than men, with the gender difference being most notable under conditions with weak prepulses. Potentially confounding variables, including electrode impedance, startle amplitude, habituation and latency did not differ between men and women. PPI was then measured in male and female rats, where no gender differences were noted. These findings identify significant gender differences in PPI in humans, and suggest that inhibitory "gating" processes are more robust in men than in women, when assessed using a sensitive range of inhibitory stimuli.
Electrochemical and peroxidase O2-mediated oxidation of indole-3-acetic acid at physiological pH

Abstract Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) or an oxidative metabolite is believed to be a growth hormone in plants. IAA is also found in the mammalian central nervous system although its biological roles, if any, are presently unknown. In this investigation the electrochemically driven and peroxidase/O2-mediated oxidation chemistry of IAA at physiological pH has been studied with the primary goal of identifying the major reaction products. Based upon the nature of these products it has been concluded that, at pH 7.4, the anion of IAA is initially oxidized (one-electron) to an acetoxy radical that in part undergoes a second one-electron oxidation/decarboxylation to a carbocation precursor of 3-hydroxymethyl-2-oxindole (1), indole-3-carbinol (13) and 3-methylene-2-oxindole (3). Indole-3-carbinol (13) can be further oxidized (2e, 1H+) to the cation of 3-hydroxymethylene indolenine, the precursor of indole-3-aldehyde (2), 3-hydroxy-2-oxidole (8) and 3,3-dihydroxy-2-oxindole (12). Direct decarboxylation of the initial acetoxy radical yields a carbon-centered radical that rapidly dimerizes to a compound that is further oxidized to 3,3′-(1,2-ethanediyl)bis-1H-indol-2-ol (9) and thence 5,7,12,13-tetrahydrooxepino[2,3-b: 7,6-b′]diindole (10). A parallel oxidation pathway involves oxidation of IAA to the cation of 3-methyleneindolenine carboxylic acid, the precursor of 2-oxidole-3-acetic acid (11). Particularly when relatively high concentrations of IAA are electrochemically oxidized for long periods of time, many additional oligomeric and polymeric products are formed. The peroxidase/O2-mediated oxidation of IAA at pH 7.4 gives exactly the same products formed in the electrochemical reaction suggesting that, in a chemical sense, the enzymatic reaction follows the same pathways as the electrochemical reaction.
Activity-Dependent Gating of CaMKII Autonomous Activity by Drosophila CASK

The ability of CaMKII to act as a molecular switch, becoming Ca(2+) independent after activation and autophosphorylation at T287, is critical for experience-dependent plasticity. Here, we show that the Drosophila homolog of CASK, also known as Camguk, can act as a gain controller on the transition to calcium-independence in vivo. Genetic loss of dCASK significantly increases synapse-specific, activity-dependent autophosphorylation of CaMKII T287. In wild-type adult animals, simple and complex sensory stimuli cause region-specific increases in pT287. dCASK-deficient adults have a reduced dynamic range for activity-dependent T287 phosphorylation and have circuit-level defects that result in inappropriate activation of the kinase. dCASK control of the CaMKII switch occurs via its ability to induce autophosphorylation of T306 in the kinase's CaM binding domain. Phosphorylation of T306 blocks Ca(2+)/CaM binding, lowering the probability of intersubunit T287 phosphorylation, which requires CaM binding to both the substrate and catalytic subunits. dCASK is the first CaMKII-interacting protein other than CaM found to regulate this plasticity-controlling molecular switch.
How did Financial Reporting Contribute to the Financial Crisis

We scrutinize the role financial reporting for fair values, asset securitizations, derivatives and loan loss provisioning played in the Financial Crisis. Because banks were at the center of the Financial Crisis, we focus our discussion and analysis on the effects of financial reporting by banks. We conclude fair value accounting played little or no role in the Financial Crisis. However, transparency of information associated with asset securitizations and derivatives likely was insufficient for investors to assess properly the values and riskiness of bank assets and liabilities. Although the FASB and IASB have taken laudable steps to improve disclosures relating to asset securitizations, in our view, the approach for accounting for securitizations in the IASB's Exposure Draft that would require banks to recognize whatever assets and liabilities they have after the securitization is executed better reflects the underlying economics of the securitization transaction. Regarding derivatives, we recommend disc...
The moon illusion: a test of the vestibular hypothesis under monocular viewing conditions.

The results of earlier monocular experiments on the moon illusion have been either negative or confounded. To test the role of vestibular function, 24 subjects made forced-choice distance comparisons between stimuli mounted in translucent tubes. The stimulus tube for standard distance could be positioned in three viewing angles (45° up, horizontal, and 45° down). A comparison tube adjustable for distance was mounted horizontally. There was a greater perception of depth in the downward looking condition. The relatively weak effects are discussed in terms of a two-hypothesis explanation of the real-life moon illusion and the poor cues for depth perception in monocular viewing.
Antimicrobial resistance and its control in pediatrics

Abstract The scope and magnitude of antimicrobial resistance among nosocomial pathogens have increased dramatically in recent years. The most prevalent problems among pediatric patients are Enterobacter, Klebsiella, and other gram-negative enteric bacilli resistant to broad-spectrum penicillins and third-generation cephalosporins;methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci; and multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant enterococci also are important problems, but they are still focal in their distribution. Multiple factors affect the emergence, selection, amplification, and dissemination of resistance determinants, not the least of which is the incredible capacity of bacteria to spread genes coding for resistance determinants within and among species. Inadequate infection control practices and overuse of antimicrobial agents are the important modifiable factors. Improved use of barrier precautions and alcohol-based waterless hand rubs and reduced use of broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents have been shown to reduce infection or colonization with resistant bacteria. However, more research—including more randomized controlled trials—is needed to devise strategies to effectively combat this problem. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company