cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A case of aortic dissection in children

1例以胸痛、高血压为主要表现的11岁患儿，经胸超声心动图、全主动脉CT血管造影诊断为主动脉夹层Debakey Ⅰ型，予止痛、降血压、控制心率治疗，患儿有手术指征但家属拒绝手术并放弃治疗。儿童主动脉夹层罕见，病情危急，病死率高。.
More than just gastritis: An unusual presentation of strangulated transmesenteric hernia in a pediatric patient

Abstract Internal hernias are a rare occurrence, reported in only 0.2–0.9% of the general population, and predominantly occur in adult patients as postsurgical complications. However, internal hernias can occur in pediatric patients, typically due to herniation of bowel through congenital mesenteric defects, and are associated with high rates of strangulation or volvulus (up to 30–40%) in this population. These can be especially difficult to detect due to nonspecific symptoms and rarity, but carry a steep mortality rate of 45% if treated and virtually 100% if missed. We present a case report that describes a 3 year old patient who presented to the emergency department with less than 12 h of nonbloody, nonbilious emesis and associated abdominal pain with preserved ability to tolerate oral intake. She ultimately went on to have ultrasound and then CT imaging that revealed a high grade bowel obstruction due to an internal hernia from a mesenteric defect for which she required emergent resection of 119 cm of necrotic bowel. Ultimately this case illustrates a fairly benign presentation of a rare etiology of pediatric vomiting and abdominal pain that if left undetected could prove fatal, and is therefore essential for the emergency clinician to consider on the differential for vomiting and nonspecific abdominal pain in the pediatric patient.
Lyapunov Barrier Policy Optimization

Deploying Reinforcement Learning (RL) agents in the real-world require that the agents satisfy safety constraints. Current RL agents explore the environment without considering these constraints, which can lead to damage to the hardware or even other agents in the environment. We propose a new method, LBPO, that uses a Lyapunov-based barrier function to restrict the policy update to a safe set for each training iteration. Our method also allows the user to control the conservativeness of the agent with respect to the constraints in the environment. LBPO significantly outperforms state-of-the-art baselines in terms of the number of constraint violations during training while being competitive in terms of performance. Further, our analysis reveals that baselines like CPO and SDDPG rely mostly on backtracking to ensure safety rather than safe projection, which provides insight into why previous methods might not have effectively limit the number of constraint violations.
An Essay on Public Health and Liberty - The Impact of the 1905 United States Supreme Court Decision of Jacobson: Compulsory Vaccination under State Police Power vs. the Individual Right to Refuse a Vaccination in this Modern-Day Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrust vaccines in the forefront. Undoubtedly, vaccines are far from a new phenomenon. Over two centuries ago, Edward Jenner was credited with inventing a vaccine to prevent smallpox. Other notable vaccines include Pertussis (1914), Diphtheria (1926), Tetanus (1938) combined at DTP in 1948. The licensing of the polio vaccine in 1955 was cause for celebration. Fast forward to early 2020, the dire necessity for a vaccine to combat COVID-19 became apparent as an unprecedented pandemic infiltrated the United States. To comprehend the issue of the right to refuse a vaccination for COVID-19, the past is examined by the United States Supreme Court decision of Jacobson. This decision impacted the right of an individual to refuse a vaccine versus compulsory vaccination under state police power to protect the public.
Abstract 17038: Influence of Cardiac Workload on Vascular Pyridine Nucleotide Redox State

Introduction: Myocardial perfusion is enhanced during periods of elevated cardiomyocyte oxygen consumption. The coupling between blood flow and myocardial oxygen demand is mediated by redox-depende...
No Impact? Long-Term Effects of Applying the Best Possible Self Intervention in a Real-World Undergraduate Classroom Setting.

Positive psychology interventions (PPIs) improve students’ well-being in laboratory settings. Best possible self (BPS) is one of the most widely used PPIs shown in the laboratory to effectively improve participants’ well-being in both the short- and long-term, but limited research has been conducted in real-world contexts. This study applied BPS in an undergraduate classroom to examine its long-term effects. Students enrolled in an undergraduate education course were assigned to treatment and control groups. Three writing activities and four tests were integrated into the course as assignments in both groups. Data were analyzed using a $$2\times 3$$ (group and time) mixed ANOVA. The results indicate that BPS did not significantly improve the participants’ well-being over time compared with the control group. In fact, the control group performed better than treatment at one month after the intervention. This aligns with recent findings of well-being during COVID-19. Potential implications and areas for future research are discussed.
On Quantum Gravity and Quantum Gravity Phenomenology

This article summarizes a new approach to quantum gravity based on the concepts of modular spacetime, Born geometry, and metastring theory and their applications to quantum gravity phenomenology. In particular, we discuss a new understanding of dark matter in terms of metaparticles (zero modes of the metastring) and its relation to dark energy (the curvature of dual spacetime) in view of the actual astronomical observations.
Surgical management of GIST and intra-abdominal visceral leiomyosarcomas.

Intra-abdominal visceral sarcomas are a rare group of mesenchymal tumors that require the use of distinct surgical principles and a multidisciplinary approach in order to optimize treatment. Surgery remains the only potentially curative treatment. Management and outcomes vary for the different sarcomas arising from viscera. This review will summarize the current treatment strategies for the two most common visceral sarcomas, leiomyosarcomas, and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. J. Surg. Oncol. 2015 111:562–569. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
YES BANK: Mainstreaming Development into Indian Banking

YES BANK, founded in 2003 and highly successful, has consistently been profitable meeting the Indian government's Priority Sector Lending (PSL) requirements, unlike virtually all other private sector banks, which view PSL activity as a necessary but loss-making part of their portfolio. To do this, YES BANK created a distinct Development Banking practice, under the purview of the Corporate Finance division. But now, the Development Banking team is contemplating going to the Board to take the concept one step further: pro-actively investing in PSL-qualifying activities not as a matter of regulatory compliance but as business. Should the bank devote significant financial and human resources into an ambitious Financial Inclusion Program to serve previously unbanked rural populations through a rapid expansion of its branch network and the use of nonbank business correspondents? In addition, should the bank commit part of its scarce capital to Tatva Capital, a private equity venture focused on renewable energy, clean technology, waste management, water & sanitation, food & agribusiness, affordable housing, healthcare, education & livelihood creation? Is the Board ready to incorporate development banking into the mainstream of the bank, or will this turn out to be a major error in judgment?Learning Objective: To acquaint students, particularly those already familiar with micro-finance, with the expansion of mainstream banking into other financial, services related to national development and financial inclusion, on a commercial basis. Secondarily, to analyze the circumstances under which development banking could arise in a "conventional" private sector bank, and consider whether it can be readily replicated in other private sector financial institutions.
Formalism and State Secrets

The state secrets privilege has received a tremendous amount of scholarly attention in the U.S. in the last decade. In September 2009, the Obama administration created a new policy that mandated a more rigorous internal administrative review prior to invoking the state secrets privilege. It appears as though this internal review process has resulted in little difference with regard to the invocation of the privilege at the pleadings stage in cases that allege torture and other human rights abuses. This chapter of the forthcoming comparative law volume "Secrecy, National Security and the Vindication of Constitutional Law" (David Cole, Federico Fabbrini & Arianna Vedaschi, eds.), considers the state secrets privilege and places the formalist decision-making of the Mohamed court in juxtaposition with other nations’ jurisprudence – including the English courts that dealt with a separate lawsuit brought by Mohamed there. The Author concludes that given the Obama administration’s aggressive invocation of the state secrets privilege and the judiciary’s unwillingness to defend the ability of individuals to litigate their basic human and civil rights, the United States Congress must re-introduce state secrets reform legislation that infuses the litigation process with procedural and substantive fairness. Additionally, courts must step away from judicial formalism and instead take on the complex and difficult task of providing a venue for government accountability.
Consolidation of human memory over decades revealed by functional magnetic resonance imaging

Medial temporal lobe (MTL) lesions typically produce retrograde amnesia characterized by the disproportionate loss of recently acquired memories. Temporally graded memory loss is interpreted traditionally as evidence for a consolidation process guided by the MTL. Here, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we show temporally graded changes in MTL activity in healthy older adults taking a famous faces remote memory test. Evidence for temporally graded change in the hippocampal formation was mixed, suggesting it may participate only in consolidation processes lasting a few years. Entorhinal cortex was associated with temporally graded changes extending up to 20 years. These findings support the basic tenets of consolidation theory and suggest that the entorhinal cortex, rather than the hippocampal formation, participates in memory consolidation over decades.
Purification and Regulation of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase from Bacillus licheniformis

d-Glucose-6-phosphate nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) oxidoreductase (EC 1.1.1.49) from Bacillus licheniformis has been purified approximately 600-fold. The enzyme appears to be constitutive and exhibits activity with either oxidized NAD (NAD(+)) or oxidized NADP (NADP(+)) as electron acceptor. The enzyme has a pH optimum of 9.0 and has an absolute requirement for cations, either monovalent or divalent. The enzyme exhibits a K(m) of approximately 5 muM for NADP(+), 3 mM for NAD(+), and 0.2 mM for glucose-6-phosphate. Reduced NADP (NADPH) is a competitive inhibitor with respect to NADP(+) (K(m) = 10 muM). Phosphoenolpyruvate (K(m) = 1.6 mM), adenosine 5'-triphosphate (K(m) = 0.5 mM), adenosine diphosphate (K(m) = 1.5 mM), and adenosine 5'-monophosphate (K(m) = 3.0 mM) are competitive inhibitors with respect to NAD(+). The molecular weight as estimated from sucrose density centrifugation and molecular sieve chromatography is 1.1 x 10(5). Sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis indicates that the enzyme is composed of two similar subunits of approximately 6 x 10(4) molecular weight. The intracellular levels of glucose-6-phosphate, NAD(+), and NADP(+) were measured and found to be approximately 1 mM, 0.9 mM, and 0.2 mM, respectively, during logarithmic growth. From a consideration of the substrate pool sizes and types of inhibitors, we conclude that this single constitutive enzyme may function in two roles in the cell-NADH production for energetics and NADPH production for reductive biosynthesis.
The influence of surface oxide films on the stabilization of n-Si photoelectrode

Abstract We have provided direct evidence of the enhanced effectiveness of stabilizing agents due to thin surface oxide films, ca. 15–25 A, on n-Si photoelectrode. Rotating ring disc electrode and ellipsometric experiments are combined to show the stabilization efficiency of potassium ferrocyanide improves with oxide thickness. A band model describing the observed effect is given.
Transmittance matrices and flowgraph reduction

Abstract The subject of this paper is the computer representation and reduction of a particular graph known as a flowgraph. Basic terminology is developed in Section 1. Properties that are most pertinent to the reduction of flowgraphs are stated in Section 2. Examples of applications are given in Section 3. The structure of the reduction procedure is presented in Section 4.
NON-MARKOFFIAN KINETIC THEORY AND HIERARCHICAL COSMOLOGIES.

Abstract A mechanism for the creation of a hierarchical structure of clusters is suggested. The non-markoffian kinetic theory of Prigogine and Severne yields an irreversible growth of correlational energy in dense self-gravitating systems with massive scatters. Through tidal interactions, such correlational energy may become binding energy of clusters of scatters. The theory then predicts that the clusters in turn become correlated; thus clusters of clusters may be created. For the newtonian Friedmann macroscopic model, modifications to the equations of evolution and to the Hubble and deceleration parameters are explicitly determined for single-species scatterers.
Simulations to Determine Laminar Loss Coefficients for Flow in Circular Ducts With Arbitrary Planar Bifurcation Geometries

The goal of this study was to determine laminar stagnation pressure loss coefficients for circular ducts in which flow encounters a planar bifurcation. Flow conditions and pressure losses in these laminar bifurcations are of interest in microfluidic devices, in porous media, and in other networks of small ducts or pores. Until recently, bifurcation geometries had been studied almost exclusively for turbulent flow, which is often found in fluid supply and drain systems. Recently, pressure loss coefficients from simulations of a few arbitrary bifurcation geometries in two-dimensions have been published — the present study describes the extension of these two-dimensional simulations to three-dimensional circular ducts. The pressure loss coefficients determined in this study are intended to allow realistic simulation of existing laminar flow networks or the design of these networks. This study focused on a single inlet duct with two outlet ducts, which were allowed to vary in diameter, flow fraction, and angle — all relative to the inlet duct. All ducts considered in this study were circular with their axes in a common plane. Laminar stagnation pressure loss coefficients were determined by simulating incompressible flow through 475 different geometries and flow condition combinations. In all cases, the flow was laminar in the inlet and outlet ducts with a Reynolds number of 15 in the inlet duct. Simulations of the dividing flow geometries were done using FLUENT and a custom written computer code, which automated the process of creating the three-dimensional flow geometries. The outputs, pressure and velocity distributions at the inlet and outlets, were averaged over the circular ducts and then used to calculate pressure loss coefficients for each of the geometries and flow fraction scenarios simulated. The results for loss coefficient for the geometries considered ranged from 2.0 to 70. The loss coefficient for any geometry increased significantly as the outlet flow fraction increased. A consistent increase in loss coefficient was also observed as a function of decreasing outlet duct diameter. Less significant variation of the loss coefficient was observed as a function of the angles of the outlet ducts.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Stereospecific Synthesis and Characterization of Aminoglycoside Ligands from Diethylenetriamine

A convenient synthetic route to diglycosylamines derived from diethylenetriamine and d-glucose, d-galactose, d-allose, or l-fucose is presented where the stereochemically pure product is easily isolated and crystallized as a hydrochloride salt. The diglucosyl diethylenetriamine analogue is characterized by X-ray crystallography, and the chloride ion is shown to stabilize the compound in the crystalline state. These ligands provide simple and efficient routes to various diastereomeric metal N-glycoside coordination complexes that are currently being studied by mass spectrometry.
Quantifying the robustness of classification systems

Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) system's performance is quantified using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves (or ROC manifolds for more than two labels) and typically the prior probabilities of each labeled-event occurring. In real-world problems, one does not know the prior probabilities and they have to be approximated or guessed, but usually one knows their range or distribution. We derive an objective functional that quantifies the robustness of an ATR system given: (1) a set of prior probabilities, and (2) a distribution of a set of prior probabilities. The ATR system may have two labels or more. We demonstrate the utility of this objective functional with examples, and show how it can be used to determine the optimal ATR system from a family of systems.
Chemical and isotopic variations in an iron-rich lava flow from the Kirkpatrick Basalt, north Victoria Land, Antarctica: implications for low-temperature alteration

Chemical and isotopic (Sr, O, H) variations have been examined in an iron-rich lava flow of the Kirkpatrick Basalt from the Mesa Range in north Victoria Land, Antarctica. The flow is homogeneous with respect to the less mobile elements, whereas variations observed in K, Na, Si, Fe, and Rb result largely from alteration of glassy matrix material. Whole-rock Rb−Sr isotope data fall along a poorly-defined 103 Ma array attributed to secondary mobilization of Rb during the mid-Cretaceous. Alteration at that time is suggested by paleomagnetic data and would also account for discordant K−Ar dates. Whole-rock δ18O values vary from +5.8 to +8.2‰ and a plagioclase separate has a δ18O value of +5.6‰, reflecting the original composition of the magma. The range of δ18O values for the whole-rock samples results from low-temperature alteration occurring primarily in the Jurassic and/or mid-Cretaceous. Whole-rock δD values (-201 to -243‰) are markedly depleted, approaching equilibrium with modern meteoric water. In light of these data, variable Sr and O isotopic ratios in the underlying sequence of flows, previously interpreted in terms of an assimilation-fractionation model, may largely reflect post-magmatic alteration.
Emotional scenes elicit more pronounced self-reported emotional experience and greater EPN and LPP modulation when compared to emotional faces

Emotional faces and scenes carry a wealth of overlapping and distinct perceptual information. Despite widespread use in the investigation of emotional perception, expressive face and evocative scene stimuli are rarely assessed in the same experiment. Here, we evaluated self-reports of arousal and pleasantness, as well as early and late event-related potentials (e.g., N170, early posterior negativity [EPN], late positive potential [LPP]) as subjects viewed neutral and emotional faces and scenes, including contents representing anger, fear, and joy. Results demonstrate that emotional scenes were rated as more evocative than emotional faces, as only scenes produced elevated self-reports of arousal. In addition, viewing scenes resulted in more extreme ratings of pleasantness (and unpleasantness) than did faces. EEG results indicate that both expressive faces and emotional scenes evoke enhanced negativity in the N170 component, while the EPN and LPP components show significantly enhanced modulation only by scene, relative to face stimuli. These data suggest that viewing emotional scenes results in a more pronounced emotional experience that is associated with reliable modulation of visual event-related potentials that are implicated in emotional circuits in the brain.
Synergistic interactions among beta-laminarinase, beta-1,4-glucanase, and beta-glucosidase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus during hydrolysis of beta-1,4-, beta-1,3-, and mixed-linked polysaccharides.

The synergistic interaction among three beta-specific glycosidases from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus, namely two endoglucanases (EglA and LamA) and an exo-acting beta-glucosidase (Bgl), on barley-glucan and laminarin, was examined. In addition to following glucose release and the generation of reducing sugar ends, the distribution and amounts of oligomeric products from beta-1,3- and beta-1,4-linked substrates were determined as a function of extent of hydrolysis at 98 degrees C. Positive interactions were noted between endo/exo glucanase combinations, leading to enhanced and rapid degradation of the larger complex carbohydrates to oligosaccharides. The EglA/LamA endo-acting combination was also synergistic in degrading barley-glucan. However, hydrolysis was most efficient when a blend of all three hydrolases was used, possibly due to the relief of product inhibition by the exoglyosidase. Furthermore, by monitoring the distribution of oligosaccharides present during hydrolysis, patterns of enzymatic attack could be followed in addition to determining the specific contributions of each hydrolase to the overall process.
Reply to the letter from Drs Matutes and Catovsky

studies on prolymphocytic leukemia. II. T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia. Blood 1987; 70: 926–931. 10 Harris NL, Jaffe ES, Stein H, Banks PM, Chan JK, Cleary ML et al. A revised European–American classification of lymphoid neoplasms: a proposal from the International Lymphoma Study Group. Blood 1994; 84: 1361–1392. 11 Pawson R, Dyer MJS, Barge R, Matutes E, Thornton PD, Emmett E et al. Treatment of T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia with human CDw52 antibody. J Clin Oncol 1997; 15: 2667–2672. 12 Dearden CE, Matutes E, Cazin B, Tjonnfjord GE, Parreira A et al. High remission rate in T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia with Campath-1H. Blood 2001; 98: 1721–1726.
The effects of distance and neighborhood union conditions on hamiltonian properties in graphs

We prove that a 2-connected graph G of order p is hamiltonian if for all distinct vertices u and v, dist(u,v) = 2 implies that |N(u) U N(v)| ⩾ (2p - 1)/3. We also demonstrate hamiltonian-connected and traceability properties in graphs under similar conditions.
CD45 regulates Src family member kinase activity associated with macrophage integrin-mediated adhesion

Abstract Background: Adhesion of leukocytes to the extracellular matrix and to other cells is mediated by members of the integrin family of adhesion molecules. Src family kinases are activated upon integrin-mediated adhesion. In lymphocytes, CD45 is a leukocyte-specific transmembrane protein tyrosine phosphatase that activates Src family kinases associated with B-cell and T-cell antigen receptor signaling by constitutive dephosphorylation of the inhibitory carboxy-terminal tyrosine phosphorylation site. Here, we show that CD45 is also important in downregulating the kinase activity of Src family members during integrin-mediated adhesion in macrophages. Results: We found that CD45 colocalized with β 2 integrin and the Src family kinase p53/56 lyn to adhesion sites in bone marrow-derived macrophages. Macrophages from CD45 −/− mice were unable to maintain integrin-mediated adhesion. In adherent macrophages, absence of CD45 led to the hyperphosphorylation and hyperactivation of p56/59 hck and p53/56 lyn , but not of p58 c-fgr . CD45 directly inactivated p59 hck but not p56 lck in transient transfection assays. Furthermore, coexpression of CD45 with p59 hck or p56 lyn containing a tyrosine to phenylalanine mutation at the carboxy-terminal negative regulatory site resulted in decreased tyrosine phosphorylation of the Src family member kinases due to dephosphorylation of the potentiating tyrosine phosphorylation site within the kinase domain. Conclusion: Using primary bone marrow macrophages, these studies demonstrate that CD45 regulates Src family kinases and is required to maintain macrophage adhesion. CD45 decreases Src family kinase activity by dephosphorylating the tyrosine residue located within the kinase domain.
Allergic enterocolitis and protein-losing enteropathy as the presentations of manganese leak from an ingested disk battery: A case report

Introduction Disk battery ingestions can lead to serious complications including airway or digestive tract perforation, blood vessel erosions, mediastinitis, and stricture formation.
Dynamic Pressure–Flow Velocity Relationships in the Human Cerebral Circulation

Background and Purpose— The pressure–flow velocity relationship in the cerebral circulation is characterized by the critical closing pressure (CCP), which is the pressure at which flow ceases, and the linear slope of a plot between pressure and flow velocity. It has been suggested, but not validated, that CCP can be determined from arterial blood pressure (ABP) and transcranial Doppler (TCD) recordings during the cardiac cycle. We studied a group of patients in whom ventricular fibrillation (VF) was induced. The time interval before defibrillation enabled calculation of CCP from data in which flow approached zero. These estimates were compared with values calculated before and after fibrillation and during regular heartbeats. Methods— TCD velocities and ABP in the radial artery were recorded before, during, and after 28 episodes of VF in 13 patients. CCPs were calculated by 3 different methods: (1) linear extrapolation from data during VF (gold standard); (2) linear extrapolation from normal heartbeat dat...
Grafting on Wool Through Free Radical Formation on the Protein

A new method was developed to improve grafting of polymers to wool. Polyacrylic acid and five other vinyl polymers were grafted, up to 130 weight percent, onto wool from aqueous media in 3 to 48 h ...
Confidentiality in Health Care: A Survey of Knowledge, Perceptions, and Attitudes Among High School Students

Objective. —To assess adolescent knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes about health care confidentiality. Design. —Anonymous self-report survey with 64 items addressing confidentiality issues in health care. Setting. —Rural, suburban, and urban high schools in central Massachusetts. Participants. —Students in ninth through 12th grades from three schools. Results. —A total of 1295 students (87%) completed the survey: 58% had health concerns that they wished to keep private from their parents, and 69% from friends and classmates; 25% reported that they would forgo health care in some situations if their parents might find out. There were differences in response by gender, race, and school. About one third were aware of a right to confidentiality for specific health issues. Of those with a regular source of care, 86% would go to their regular physician for a physical illness, while only 57% would go there for questions about pregnancy, the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or substance abuse that they wished to keep private. Sixty-eight percent had concerns about the privacy of a school health center. Conclusion. —A majority of adolescents have concerns they wish to keep confidential and a striking percentage report they would not seek health services because of these concerns. Interventions to address confidentiality issues are thus crucial to effective adolescent health care. ( JAMA . 1993;269:1404-1407)
Path-dependent morphologies in oil/water/diblock copolymer mixtures.

Amphiphilic block copolymer surfactants have been studied primarily in binary or pseudobinary systems, where they form a variety of dispersions, including micelles and vesicles, characterized by extremely low critical micelle concentrations (CMCs). In this study, a poly(1,2-butadiene-b-ethylene oxide) (OB) diblock copolymer (Mn = 33 kg/mol, and 72 wt % PEO) was combined with water (W) and 1,5-cyclooctadiene (C) in binary (OB/W and OB/C) and ternary (OB/W/C and OB/C/W) mixtures, where the order of components indicates the mixing sequence. The resulting morphologies were characterized by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and cryogenic scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM). Addition of 1,5-cyclooctadiene to premicellized OB in water (OB/W) leads to swelling of the initially spherical hydrophobic micelle cores followed by micelle fusion leading to three-dimensional network structures. Combining water with premixed OB in 1,5-cyclooctadiene (OB/C) transforms a periodic sheet-like lamellar microstructure int...
Effects of Two Earthworm Species on Movement of Septic Tank Effluent through Soil Columns

Development of a clogging layer at the soil-gravel interface often causes failure of septic tank filter fields to transmit effluent. A column study was undertaken to determine whether earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris L. and L. rubellus Hoff.), through their burrowing activity, could reverse the negative effects of clogging layer formation. Twelve soil columns, 0.20 m in diameter by 0.38 m long, were constructed using gravel and subsoil of a Peridge soil (fine-silty, mixed, mesic Typic Paleudalf). The columns were dosed for at least 263 d with 2.3 cm d⁻¹ of septic tank effluent until clogging layers had formed and stabilized. Steady-state effluent flux densities through the columns ranged from 1.9 to 2.9 µm s⁻¹, so that about 2 h were required for drainage of the daily effluent dose. The columns were divided into four groups based on their hydraulic performances, and the columns in each group were treated with 25 L. rubellus, 25 L. terrestris, or no worms. Within 80 d the flux densities through the columns containing earthworms increased to between 4.8 and 12.4 µm s⁻¹, or 40 to 135% of the initial maxima before clogging layer formation. Effluent flux densities through control columns remained constant. Earthworm survival rates were not significantly different (P > 0.05) between species, with 81% of L. rubellus and 95% of l. terrestris surviving. In two columns, L. rubellus cocoons hatched. During the 96-d study, the earthworms lost less than 4% of their initial weights on a dry weight basis. The L. rubellus and L. terrestris produced channels with median diameters of 2.3 and 8.4 mm, respectively. Contribution of the Dep. of Agronomy, Arkansas Agric. Exp. Stn., and The Arkansas Water Resources Research Center. Published with approval of the Director of the Arkansas Agric. Exp. Stn.
A national propensity-adjusted analysis of adjuvant radiotherapy in the treatment of resected pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The benefit of adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) for resected pancreatic adenocarcinoma remains controversial after randomized clinical trials. In this national-level US study, a propensity score (conditional probability of receiving RT) was used to adjust for potential confounding in nonrandomized designs from treatment group differences. METHODS: Patients were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry (1988-2005 dataset). Multivariate analyses to determine the effect of RT on overall survival were performed using propensity-adjusted Cox proportional hazards and Kaplan-Meier analyses. RESULTS: In total, 5676 patients with resected pancreatic adenocarcinoma were identified, and 40.8% of those patients had received adjuvant RT. Univariate predictors of survival included age, race, marital status, disease stage, tumor size, tumor extension, tumor grade, lymph node status, year of diagnosis, type of resection, and receipt of RT (all P < .002). In a Cox model, independent predictors of improved survival included white race, married status, earlier stage, smaller tumors, well differentiated tumors, negative lymph node (N0) status, recent diagnosis, and receipt of RT (all P < .05). In a propensity-adjusted proportional hazards regression, the benefit of adjuvant treatment that included RT remained significant after adjusting for the likelihood of receiving RT (hazard ratio, 0.773; 95% confidence interval, 0.714-0.836; P < .0001). Within all 5 propensity strata, Kaplan-Meier survival differed significantly (P < .0001 [lowest and highest probability strata] and P = .0165 [middle stratum with a “pseudorandom” probability of RT]). CONCLUSIONS: Adjuvant RT for resected pancreatic adenocarcinoma was associated with a significant survival advantage in a large national database, even after using propensity score methods to adjust for differences between treatment groups. The authors concluded that adjuvant RT should be considered for all appropriate patients who have resected pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
β-Catenin as Oncogene--The Smoking Gun

Three reports [Korinek et al. (p. 1784), Morin et al. (p. 1787), and Rubinfeld et al. (p. 1790)] in this issue provide new evidence about the molecular pathway that goes awry in colon cancer and melanoma. The protein β-catenin, previously known to be associated with the colon-cancer-causing adenomatous polyposis coli protein, is shown to be an oncogene in its own right. In his Perspective, Peifer discusses the normal functions of these proteins in mammals and flies and how their dysfunction can lead to cancer.
Dynamic visual acuity: Normative functions and practical implications

The dynamic visual acuity (DVA) of 52 college students was determined for three target velocities (60°, 90°, and 120° per sec) at each of two target durations and two luminance levels. Although all observers were prescreened for 20/20 acuity, widely differing DVA scores were found across observers under identical stimulus conditions. No relationship between DVA scores and contrast sensitivity scores was revealed. The often overlooked role of DVA in everyday activities is reiterated, and the potential utility of the normative DVA function obtained in this work is discussed.
A SEARCH FOR THE DECAY B+ → τ+ντ AT BABAR

We present a search for the decay B+ → τ+ντ in decays recorded with the BABAR detector at the SLAC PEP-II B-Factory. A sample of events with one reconstructed exclusive semi-leptonic B decay is selected, and in the recoil a search for B+ → τ+ ντ signal is performed. The τ is identified in the following channels: , , , , . We find no evidence of signal, and we set a preliminary upper limit on the branching fraction of at the 90% confidence level (CL). This result is then combined with a statistically independent BABAR search for B+ → τ+ντ to give a combined preliminary limit of at 90% CL.
Putative regulatory molecules in plants: evaluating melatonin

Numerous classes of chemicals have been considered as regulators of various aspects of plant growth and development. In evaluating these putative regulatory molecules, plant biologists have encountered a number of challenges, including: the problem of quantifying substances present at trace levels in extremely complex mixtures; difficulty in obtaining and interpreting phenotypic responses to exogenous applications; and, until recently, the inability to selectively alter endogenous levels of these substances. Melatonin (N-acetyl 5-methoxytryptamine), a methoxylated indoleamine, is a potential regulatory molecule found in plants. Although no specific phenotype is currently associated with melatonin or its analogs in higher plants, it has important and unique biological activity in many other taxa, from algae to primates. In these organisms, melatonin functions as a night signal, coordinating responses to diurnal and photoperiodic environmental cues. We assess the process by which melatonin has been evaluated in plants so far and find that many of the methods for melatonin analysis, which have been adopted from animal studies, are inappropriate for use with plant materials. Thus, despite some interesting preliminary reports, research supporting the case for melatonin as a plant regulator is still in its infancy.
Reality Bites A Case of Severe Rattlesnake Envenomation

Rattlesnake venoms can cause a wide range of adverse human health effects. However, with the availability of modern antivenin, toxicity can generally be minimized and controlled. We present a rare case of rattlesnake envenomation resulting in severe systemic effects and syndrome relapse. Management considerations and patient course are described in the context of the current literature.
Corn Growth and Yield under Different Crop Rotation, Tillage, and Management Systems

Rotation effects on corn (Zea mays L.) growth have not been documented. Our objective was to evaluate dry matter (DM) and N accumulation of corn following corn, soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], or wheat/red clover (Triticum aestivum L./Trifolium pratense L.) using moldboard plow, chisel, and ridge tillage under high (broadcast herbicides and 163 kg N ha -1 ) and low chemical management (banded herbicides and 95 kg N ha -1 ). In 1993, corn following soybean, compared with corn under high chemical management, had greater DM and N accumulation during vegetative development but similar N accumulation after silking (45 kg ha -1 ) and yield (7.6 and 7.2 Mg ha -1 , respectively). In 1994, corn following soybean, compared with corn under high chemical management, had similar DM and N accumulation during vegetative development, but greater N accumulation (59 and 35 kg ha -1 , respectively) after silking and yield (11.4 and 10.7 Mg ha -1 ). Corn following wheat/clover under both management systems, compared with corn following corn under high chemical management, had greater DM and N accumulation during vegetative development in 1994. Corn following wheat/clover under high chemical management had the greatest N accumulation after silking (79 kg ha -1 ) and yield (12.0 Mg ha -1 ), whereas the other two systems had the same N accumulation after silking and yield. Corn yield had linear responses to N accumulation after silking in 1993 (r 2 = 0.47) and 1994 (r 2 = 0.87). We conclude that N accumulation after silking influenced the yield response to rotation more than DM and N accumulation during vegetative development did.
Developmental changes in attention-deployment skills ☆

Abstract The ability to efficiently allocate attention between two tasks differing in payoff was investigated developmentally. Ten subjects from each of three grade levels (second, fourth, and college) performed an auditory and a visual memory task simultaneously. Modality of the primary task, difficulty of the primary task, and difficulty of the secondary task were varied factorially within subjects. The difference between primary and secondary performances increased with age: All college students, about half of the fourth graders, and none of the second graders showed a meaningful degree of differentiation between primary and secondary tasks.
Learning class-discriminative dynamic Bayesian networks

In many domains, a Bayesian network's topological structure is not known a priori and must be inferred from data. This requires a scoring function to measure how well a proposed network topology describes a set of data. Many commonly used scores such as BD, BDE, BDEU, etc., are not well suited for class discrimination. Instead, scores such as the class-conditional likelihood (CCL) should be employed. Unfortunately, CCL does not decompose and its application to large domains is not feasible. We introduce a decomposable score, approximate conditional likelihood (ACL) that is capable of identifying class discriminative structures. We show that dynamic Bayesian networks (DBNs) trained with ACL have classification efficacies competitive to those trained with CCL on a set of simulated data experiments. We also show that ACL-trained DBNs outperform BDE-trained DBNs, Gaussian naive Bayes networks and support vector machines within a neuroscience domain too large for CCL.
Development of a radiology report monitoring system for case tracking.

OBJECTIVE. The objective was to develop an automated system to monitor and collect radiology reports for case-tracking purposes.CONCLUSION. The system we developed allows users to automate the case-tracking process for either clinical follow-up or teaching purposes. With this system, radiologists can initiate the tracking of a case by dictating a keyword into the report. Any existing and future reports associated with the same patient will be collected automatically. The schematic that we developed is based on the Health Level Seven (HL7) standard, which is platform-independent. In our implementation, we used an IBM-compatible computer and commercially available software. Users can monitor the case-tracking progress from Web browsers.
Ring-plane traveling-wave amplifier: 40 KW at 9 MM

A 9-mm traveling-wave tube (TWT) amplifier using a ring-plane circuit is described. This tube has produced a peak power of 43 kw at an efficiency of 12 per cent (2C) with a solid beam. Several guns producing solid and hollow beams have been used with comparable results at high voltages (15 to 100 kv) and low currents (0.11 to 3.8 a). A waveguide transition (special coupler) incorporating a magic tee is used to couple independently to the two modes that can exist on the slow-wave circuit. The circuits, due to their good heat dissipation capability, can be operated either pulsed or CW. Their large size ( ka = 1, 2, 3 ...) with useful cross sections comparable with those of ordinary waveguides, makes them attractive for producing kilowatt powers even at much higher frequencies.
On the need for massive additional shielding of a catheterization laboratory for the implementation of high dose rate 192Ir intravascular brachytherapy.

Abstract Purpose: There is a widespread belief in the cardiology and radiation oncology community that high dose rate 192 Ir intravascular brachytherapy cannot be implemented without massive additional shielding of the conventional catheterization labs. The purpose of this work is to show that this is a myth, which is not based on sound radiation protection principles. Methods: Exposure rates in air were calculated for a variety of point and line sources of 192 Ir. Exposures per treatment at different distances from the source were calculated for a typical intravascular brachytherapy treatment of a 15-Gy dose at a radial distance of 2 mm from the source and for source lengths in the range of 0 to 10 cm. Additionally, exposure rates outside the catheterization lab were calculated for various lead shielding thicknesses typical of conventional X-ray facilities. These rates were used along with the NCRP recommendations on radiation facility design to assess shielding requirements. Results: For a treatment dose of 15 Gy at 2 mm, the occupational exposure per treatment at 2 m in air without any tissue attenuation or shielding was 7.8 mR for a lesion length of 3.0 cm. This exposure/treatment is independent of the dose rate or the activity of the source. However, it increases as lesion length is increased, increasing from 5.4 to 24.9 mR as lesion length increased from 2 to 10 cm. Exposures in unrestricted areas outside the catheterization lab using the NCRP shielding rationale can be kept below 2 mR per treatment and using appropriate workload, use, and occupancy factors below 2 mR per week. Conclusions: The feasibility of implementing a high dose rate 192 Ir intravascular brachytherapy program in a catheterization laboratory is totally independent of the dose rate or the activity of the source. If it is feasible to implement 192 Ir brachytherapy in a conventional catheterization lab using low activity 192 Ir seeds, then it is also feasible to do so with a high activity 192 Ir afterloader.
Refractometric determination of second order transition temperatures in polymers. VI. Effect of molecular weight on the transition temperature of polyvinyl acetate

The transition temperatures (TG) of unfractionated vinyl acetate polymers increase from 17° to 26° as the molecular weight increases from 14,000 to 104,000 and from 26° to 28° as the molecular weight increases from 104,000 to 1,120,000. The minimum molecular weight above which increase in molecular weight does not appreciably change TG is about 100,000. TG increases linearly with the reciprocal of the square root of the molecular weight.
Key Clinical Trials in BPH

From the contents: Phenoxybenzamine - treatment of benign prostatic obstruction.- Terazosin - management of the symptoms associated with BPH.- Terazosin - long-term treatment of the symptomatic BPH.- The utility of Finasteride - long-term management of symptomatic BPH.- Finasteride efficacy over 5 years.- Finasteride impact on acute urinary retention and surgical intervention over 4 years.- Leuprolide - treatment of BPH.- Alfuzosin - long-term medical management of BPH.- Alfuzosin - a long-term follow-up of patients in a community based setting.- Doxazosin in normotensive and controlled hypertensive patients.- Doxazosin, in normotensive patients and in patients with concomitant hypertension.- Doxazosin in hypertensive and normotensive patients.- Alfuzosin.- Doxazosin.- Comparison of Terazosin, Finasteride and both in combination, for the treatment of BPH.- Phytotherapy compared to Finasteride .- Transurethral surgery versus watchful waiting for the treatment of moderate symptoms of BPH.- The AUA Symptom Index.- Placebo therapy .- Analysis of the 'placebo effect'.
Subjective well-being

Abstract This paper examines the notion of “subjective well-being” as it is used in literature on subjective measures of well-being. I argue that those who employ the notion differ at least superficially on at least two points: first, about the relationship between subjective well-being and well-being simpliciter , and second, about the constituents of subjective well-being. In an effort to reconcile the differences, I propose an interpretation according to which subjective measures presuppose preference hedonism: an account according to which well-being is a matter of desired mental states.
Shear Wave Splitting and Mantle Anisotropy: Measurements, Interpretations, and New Directions

Measurements of the splitting or birefringence of seismic shear waves that have passed through the Earth’s mantle yield constraints on the strength and geometry of elastic anisotropy in various regions, including the upper mantle, the transition zone, and the D″ layer. In turn, information about the occurrence and character of seismic anisotropy allows us to make inferences about the style and geometry of mantle flow because anisotropy is a direct consequence of deformational processes. While shear wave splitting is an unambiguous indicator of anisotropy, the fact that it is typically a near-vertical path-integrated measurement means that splitting measurements generally lack depth resolution. Because shear wave splitting yields some of the most direct constraints we have on mantle flow, however, understanding how to make and interpret splitting measurements correctly and how to relate them properly to mantle flow is of paramount importance to the study of mantle dynamics. In this paper, we review the state of the art and recent developments in the measurement and interpretation of shear wave splitting—including new measurement methodologies and forward and inverse modeling techniques,—provide an overview of data sets from different tectonic settings, show how they help us relate mantle flow to surface tectonics, and discuss new directions that should help to advance the shear wave splitting field.